Ohio — The family of a 25-year-old woman who was shot and killed by a stranger at a Taco Bell drive-thru in Stow has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Summit County Common Pleas Court RELATED: Police say homicide-suicide at Taco Bell drive-thru involved 2 strangers filed by attorney Rebecca Sremack on behalf of Nicholas and Kelly Keleman requests a jury trial and seeks compensatory damages exceeding $25,000 and punitive damages exceeding $25,000 Sremack said the lawsuit is also a method to push for change when it comes to gun laws and requiring "safety exit lanes" at drive-thru establishments I think a lawsuit is one of them," Sremack said Williams shot Megan Keleman and then took his own life on Aug Other defendants could be added to the lawsuit as additional angles are investigated and my role as the administrator of the estate is to comply with all the procedural and statutory requirements." The lawsuit states there were several signs that Williams's life leading up to the tragedy was on a "dangerous downward spiral." "This included suicidal threats and multiple criminal charges involving weapons and alcohol," according to the lawsuit Sremack is convinced the tragedy should have been avoided "What initially may have seemed like a random tragic accident—when you start unpacking it there is this large set of failures that led up to it," she said Megan's parents remember their daughter in many ways: determined to help at-risk youth at her job "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her and what we've lost," Kelly Keleman said RELATED: 'Why did it happen to her?' Stow trying to keep the memory of 25-year-old woman slain in drive-thru alive Nick Keleman stressed how painful the loss of his daughter remains on a daily basis "It's tough to get up every day and go to work Megan was in the drive-through line at the Taco Bell on Graham Road near the Cuyahoga Falls border when Williams inexplicably rammed his vehicle into her car but she was trapped by the design of the Taco Bell "It's not fair that we outlive our children The lawsuit states Williams was out on bond on OVI and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle charges at the time of the murder-suicide "There should have been enforcement to make sure his guns were taken away," Nick Keleman said "I think there needs to be additional oversight and monitoring of individuals who are out on bond where there are indications of alcohol or substance abuse or mental health issues," Sremack said The lawsuit also points out that there is a steep hill bordering the drive-thru lane at the Taco Bell so there is no clear way out if there are cars in front and behind a customer "What is horrifying about it is the fact that Megan had no way out Sremack said there are some cities that already have ordinances that require exit lanes in drive-thru businesses The Keleman family feels that having safety exits should be standard at all similar fast food restaurants "We don't want people to be locked in," Kelly Keleman said "We want a double lane so that you have access to get out." Wayback Burgers has announced that it plans to open in the Fishcreek Plaza on Kent Road This will mark the burger chain's second restaurant in Summit County − the other one is in Macedonia − and will be the sixth one in Ohio There are also Wayback locations in Wadsworth and Canton “We are excited to continue our Wayback Burgers expansion in the Buckeye state,” said Patrick Conlin “With operations in 35 states and consistent growth of our footprint nationwide it is an exciting time to be a part of the Wayback Burgers family We look forward to continuing to work with Raj as we introduce Wayback Burgers to the Stow community.” The Stow location is expected to open in June and will be owned and operated by Raj Patel The new location will feature an open kitchen where customers can view their burgers being prepared More burger news: Swensons Galley Boy is headed to New York for a month to be served up at SoHo burger joint The Delaware-based chain − founded in 1991 − features a variety of burgers including the “Cheeeesy” that comes with four slices of melted American cheese and two beef patties sandwiched between an inverted fresh salads along with sides that include fries “As an Ohio-based franchisee for the past three years I’ve developed a deep understanding of what it takes to successfully operate a Wayback Burgers location and felt ready to expand my footprint,” Patel said in a statement “Proximity to home and hands-on management were key considerations in selecting my second location I recognized an opportunity to bring a high-quality burger option to a neighborhood with limited choices.” Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application He attended local schools and was a 1975 graduate of Nashoba Regional High School MA in 1972 along with his family and owned and operated D & D Farms in Stow until most recently.  Brian Taranto and his wife Brooke of Lancaster MA and twin brother Daniel Taranto of Montana He also leaves his 2 sisters Lori Duffy and Mary Taranto; 5 grandchildren and his other relatives and close friends He was predeceased by his son David Taranto in 2022.  Donald spent most of his life working diligently in the family business He was very devoted to his family and always kept their interests before his own especially on a large area of property in Unity Many of his family and friends benefited from his talent at designing and painting gas tanks and tour packs on their Harley Davidson Motorcycles Building and racing muscle cars was another passion of Donald He always looked forward to racing the quarter mile at the raceway in Epping Donald will forever be remembered as a kind and gentle man with a heart of gold “The Need For Speed” and his fearless approach to life and all it’s journeys.  Relatives and friends are invited to a period of visitation from 12:00pm to 3:00pm on Sunday 2024 at Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home Services and burial will be held privately at the convenience of the family  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Donald's memory to the Stow Firefighters Association (Donate Here) Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors The product recommendations on our site are independently chosen by our editors I installed a B&W Tow & Stow Adjustable Ball Mount on my truck for the first time I’ve been through four trucks in as many years but my hitch has been on each one and still looks and works like it did the day I got it This is a rock solid product that is absolutely worth the investment especially when you haul a variety of different sized trailers and boats on the regular Let’s take a look at what makes this product so unique and I’ll detail what kind of minimal maintenance has been required on my part to keep my B&W hitch in top shape over the years you will also find our initial review from 2021 with our out-of-the-box impressions and results after 11 months of use our expectations were met and exceeded.  B&W has earned a reputation for building hitches that are much more than a hunk of metal and a ball with a focus on craftsmanship and the kind of considerations and finishing touches that only a family business can provide The company also never rests on its laurels and is always looking for ways to improve their products.  as a way to make a buck using his background as a farmer and restoring automobiles he also saw it as a way to potentially allow folks in the area to provide for their families — if he did it right And I can absolutely see it in the rock-solid B&W hitch I’ve been using for the past five years.    boats and everything in between have “fisherman usage” shelf lives and most of us have a tendency to have a use and replace mentality about most of our gear rarely thinking about durability as much as we should.  We get to see a lot of bad products here at Wired2Fish Gizmos and gadgets that are supposed to make the fishing experience better or make a task easier but there are some that were designed to catch anglers and their money rather than fish.  an adjustable trailer hitch mount might sound like something that’s needlessly complicated that can’t possibly be as solid as a conventional hitch Products that have to be put together like a puzzle rarely last very long.  we also come across some products that are innovative and rock solid at the same time the B&W Tow & Stow definitely lands in that category; it will last a lifetime.   The adjustable hitch and ball are held in place by three heavy-duty stainless steel pins at the desired height for the trailer you’re hauling The hitch is hardly wider than the receiver There are other multi-mount hitches out there but they are big and bulky and can stick out almost a foot with attachments all over them The Tow & Stow is simple and extremely well designed so that it’s out of the way when you don’t need it.  It’s hard to beat that kind of versatility and reliability.  Necessary MaintenanceNow, I have owned and used a lot of hitches in my life; none are as well built or have the kind of functionality of the Tow & Stow. Granted, trailer hitches are not the most exciting piece of gear; we don’t spend time talking about them at club meetings But they are absolutely vital to the fishing experience and when one fails to do what it’s supposed to During my four years using the Tow & Stow especially while going through the winters I endure in Central Illinois with all the salt and crud on the roads You can’t be lazy — you simply have to take it off of your truck when it’s not in use especially if you live in a place with harsh winters and salty roads and make sure you keep the moving parts lubed up and you’ll have a versatile and extremely functional hitch that always works like new But everything made of steel will rust eventually if you don’t care for it.   but I find it equally important to make sure the hitch is painted and rust free on both ends of the receiver I would be sure to use a high-quality silicone-based lubricant that won’t pick up a ton of dirt from the road I inspect the paint and lube after nearly every trip and if there’s even the slightest hint of rust The ball of the hitch gets a light coat of clear grease or silicone spray two or three times per year and because it serves as a ground for trailer lights it also helps to make that contact more sure.  a reliable and sturdy hitch and receiver is the only thing holding together two of your largest investments OptionsThere are several Tow & Stow models available — I’ve been using a height-adjustable model with multiple balls in different sizes It doesn’t matter what trailer I’m hauling or what drop I need the Tow & Stow has had me covered.  I like that the Tow & Stow can be turned and locked to sit under the bumper when not in use; it’s nice to not have to worry about it rattling my shins every time I walk behind my truck.  Maintenance is the key for keeping all hitches in working order the Tow & Stow needs some TLC now and again but I’ve never had a more dependable receiver and the stainless steel pins are also very low maintenance — just be sure to keep them clean and greased each time they are removed or adjusted B&W didn’t invent the hitch or the receiver If you take care of a B&W hitch/receiver it will take care of you.    and it was very clear that the company’s passion for old-fashioned American craftsmanship and building superior products is what B&W was about when he and Baker founded it I added the B&W Tow & Stow Adjustable Ball Mount hitch to my Toyota Tundra this past winter and moved it to my new GMC Sierra this past summer It’s been a rock solid towing accessory for my boat and truck This will likely be the last hitch I ever buy I have a boat trailer and a hauling trailer One has a 2-inch ball receiver and the other has a 1 7/8-inch ball receiver Then one of my locks rusted stuck and I had a heck of a time getting the one hitch off.  So that had me on the hunt for a better mousetrap The B&W Tow & Stow Adjustable Ball Mount hitch has lots of options which means you can raise and lower the ball from 3 inches (small) to 9 inches (extra large) amounts and you can get it with two or three balls.  That’s a ton of options for all your towing needs made to fit a huge variety of stock and lifted tow vehicles I like how compact the B&W Tow & Stow is Three heavy duty stainless steel pins hold the hitch and ball in place at your desired height The hitch itself is just barely wider than the receiver and everything tucks away nicely when stowed I’ve seen other big hitches that stuck out a foot had attachments on both sides and just seemed like an accident liability waiting to be claimed The three pins control the ball orientation and the height or drop of your Tow & Stow These pins move easily in and out but are snug in their positions so the hitch isn’t rattling or shifting when towing and heavy-duty cotter pins keep them from backing out from vibration.  When I want to park the truck in the garage I used to have to take my hitch off and store it somewhere out of the way It was always a pain because the hitch receiver would have grease and grime on it so you couldn’t just put it in your truck.  turn the balls around and swivel the drop tongue down and around the hitch receiver to tuck it neatly out of the way The balls can’t be removed from the hitch and you can secure the hitch to your receiver with a locking pin so that All of these adjustment options and the ease of stowing makes it an ideal hitch I can pull into the garage and close the door and not worry about anything catching It only sticks out past the bumper a couple inches when stowed — very low profile Another bonus: the automatic car wash I use, like most, won’t wash the back of your vehicle if you have a hitch on your truck. But with my Tow and Stow tucked away I can go right through and get my truck fully cleaned.  I have had the hitch on my trucks now for five years and it has been rock solid without the least bit of wear or tear showing There is no play in the hitch because the components and hardware are built with top grade construction utilizing heavy duty materials with tight tolerances B&W bills the Tow & Stow Adjustable Mount Hitch as the last hitch you’ll ever need to buy Mine still looks brand new after almost half a decade of fishing and towing all over the place If you want to buy one hitch and be done with it forever, go to BWTrailerHitches.com and use their configurator to figure out the right hitch for your tow vehicle The best online fishing resource to learn and stay current on the latest fishing gear The owners of what may be the most prominent massive eyesore in Binghamton are planning to clear the site Thousands of people pass by the abandoned buildings at the former Stow Manufacturing complex near the Brandywine Highway interchange for Interstate 81 Most of the site has been unused for decades since Stow ended operations The 16-acres are owned by Nelson Holdings Ltd The owners have received permission from the Binghamton Commission on Architecture and Urban Design to remove the crumbling structures that remain on the property off Frederick and Montgomery streets a representative of Nelson Holdings said the plan is to create a "flat slab of land" for redevelopment He said the goal would be to provide "a clean slate Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said there are three principals in the ownership group of the property He told WNBF News he's had some conversations with them about the future of the site The Broome County Land Bank has agreed to provide some funding to support the demolition project A representative of the property owners indicated they hope to start tearing down the dilapidated buildings "as soon as possible." Garnar said the site "has a lot of potential" because it is located "right off the highway." But the primary challenge to redevelopment is accessibility The county executive said the state Department of Transportation must find a way to allow a left-hand turn off the Brandywine Highway so people can reach the property directly It's not known whether chemical contamination could delay the start of any new projects at the site WNBF NEWS VIDEO: A visit to the east side of the abandoned Stow Manufacturing property on March 6 Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or call (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter The owners of what may be the most prominent massive eyesore in Binghamton are planning to clear the site.\nRead More THIS IS BLIGHT: Stow Manufacturing is part of Binghamton's proud industrial heritage but the place was abandoned decades ago. Here's a look at part of the dilapidated complex now expected to be torn down. Watch the video and read the WNBF News story: https://t.co/FgmtoYTPLS pic.twitter.com/ymn9HW4a49 Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or call (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter - Average price difference: 0.51% below list\r\n-- Median list price: $498,000\r\n-- Median sale price: $400,000\r\n- Total homes sold: 166\r\n-- Share that sold above list: 33.7% - Location: Town in Michigan\r\n- Population: 65,870 Property values and median incomes have increased over the past year largely thanks to the city's manufacturing industry The Twelve Oaks Mall and Suburban Collection Showplace offer a lot of opportunities for shopping and entertainment Stow is without an Isaly’s restaurant – but that might change in the future the chain has had a location in various spots at the corner of state routes 59 and 91 in Summit County shuttering the breakfast and lunch spot for the time being She said their final morning was memorable “The parking lot was full of people before we even opened the door,” she said we were already an hour and a half behind on the food.” and Larkin said they’re in ongoing talks with a potential buyer Any purchase would include the vintage pieces inside including the sign from the previous Isaly’s that stood next door until the 1990s technically dubbed Isaly’s II in deference to the original spot Larkin said it's the last remnant of the chain of diners The company was started in 1833 in Monroe County by Swiss cheesemaker The chain grew to 300 locations that once stretched throughout the Midwest and introduced items like chipped-chopped ham and the Klondike Bar There is at least one other Isaly’s restaurant in the Pittsburgh area where the chain thrived for decades after it began closing facilities in Ohio in the 1960s Ohio — An Akron woman is facing charges and accused of leading two police departments on a high-speed chase injuring an officer and crashing an SUV three times Dash camera videos from the Cuyahoga Falls and Stow Police Departments captured some of the ordeal which started just before 11 p.m While conducting traffic on Route 8 North near Front Street a Cuyahoga Falls officer observed an SUV traveling at a high rate of speed The officer pulled out and initiated his lights and sirens but the vehicle kept going with speeds reaching about 100 mph The pursuit continued into Stow and the driver exited at Steels Corners Road and crashed into a guardrail but the driver of the SUV put it in reverse and rammed the cruiser he was outside of his vehicle with his gun drawn when the cruiser was struck "It actually pushed the cruiser into our officer causing him some minor injuries He was able to get back in his car and continue the pursuit though," said Captain Bryan Snavely Flasco continued chasing on Steels Corners Road and then followed as the vehicle turned onto State Road in Cuyahoga Falls identified as a 20-year-old woman from Akron went off the road and crashed into a wooded area Snavely said officers take several factors into consideration during pursuits He explained why this pursuit was not called off "If somebody shows that they're unwilling to stop and willing to strike police cars that's obviously a dangerous situation that we need to address," Snavely said Video showed the woman backing out of woods with her arms up before she was arrested the woman made statements indicating a possible mental health crisis She was taken to the Summit County Jail and charged with felonious assault Longtime Stow boys basketball coach Dave Close announced his retirement Friday on X Close said he would step down at the end of this season "Yesterday I met with SMFHS Superintendent Dr Assistant Superintendent Kristen Pough and building Principal Amanda Murray to share these thoughts with them and inform them that these next few weeks will be my last as Stow's basketball coach," Close wrote in an X post "I thanked them for their tremendous support I expressed gratitude for this tremendous opportunity." More on Dave Close: Earns Clem Caraboolad Award Coach of the Year honor for his work on the basketball court, in the classroom A 1976 Stow graduate, Close is in his 37th year as coach of the Bulldogs and last season earned his 600th career victory at the school and went 48-18 at Riverside before returning to his alma mater The Bulldogs are 10-8 this season and have won their last four games They have had only three losing seasons and never finished worse than 10-12 under Close The landmark Isaly's diner in Stow was closed for only one-and-a-half months before first-time restaurant owners Jason and Samar Covel reopened it Feb 24 after running the retro breakfast and lunch joint for nearly 27 years he and the Covels had signed a deal for new ownership he's the one who moved Isaly's from its former location at Kent and Darrow Roads to its current spot at Colonnade Shopping Center Now, the Covels have renamed the eatery Isaly's Cafe & Catering to also emphasize their catering end of the business For two-and-a-half weeks after getting the keys to the restaurant brought in new kitchen equipment and painted the interior walls gray and cream replacing the restaurant's former red trim in black They were helped by their 17-year-old twins Stow High School juniors Michael and Meghan Samar said about 70 percent of the menu is new New breakfast items include avocado toast with eggs and vegetables as well as potato pancakes — Jason's recipe with sour cream or apple sauce handmade crepe with mascarpone and cinnamon filling the restaurant's signature pancakes are made with sweet cream batter chicken and waffles and a handful of wraps Breakfast favorites that remain on the menu are Fresh Start with two eggs hash browns and toast; the Sunshine with two eggs a plain omelet stuffed with hash browns and smothered with sausage gravy that's now house-made The Isaly’s Cafe & Catering owners are proud to work with local businesses Ideal Bakery of Lakemore and Pearl Coffee Company of Akron A local baker who goes by Bernadette also makes the restaurant's elaborate dessert cakes Samar posts daily breakfast and lunch specials on Facebook Monday's breakfast special was cute fruit pancake tacos Diners can eat either breakfast or lunch any time from 7 a.m Isaly's black and white checkerboard floor bar wraparound" from the original Isaly's location and open kitchen remain the Covels plan to convert the restaurant's front counter into another counter where diners can eat first heard of Isaly's about seven years ago through a friend He and his wife jumped at their first chance to own a restaurant when Isaly's went up for sale Jason has a 20-year background as a hospitality consultant for restaurants while Samar has worked 30 years in the restaurant business in Michigan and Ohio when it opened near where the Marhofer Chevrolet is now Isaly's had started out as a cheesemaking business in Monroe County in 1833 and eventually became Isaly's Dairy Company Arts and restaurant writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com The discrimination suit filed against Stow and its police chief by a former police officer was recently settled in Summit County Common Pleas Court According to court documents, both parties reached agreement to settle and dismiss the case filed by Barry C. Smith, the only Black police officer with the Stow police department at that time. The initial case was filed in 2020 Smith worked in law enforcement for 32 years including 20 years as a school resource officer at Stow-Munroe Falls High School according to a July Facebook post by Stow police that announced his retirement from the department Neither the legal representatives for Smith nor the city could be reached for comment Background on case: Stow’s only black officer sues city, chief for discrimination According to court records filed with the Ninth Judicial Court of Appeals Smith filed an employment discrimination action against Stow and Police Chief Jeffrey Film The initial complaint included one count of disparate treatment based on race two counts of failure to promote based on race one count of aiding and abetting in discrimination He later filed an amended complaint with an additional count of racial discrimination Smith’s complaint stated that the city and Film promoted two officers to the rank of sergeant but didn't promote him had taken the sergeant’s examination in 2014 Smith alleged that he was denied a promotion on the basis that he was Black and that when the police chief restructured the police department that eliminated a sergeant position that Smith was eligible to fill The city argued that because of budget constraints it would not be hiring a sergeant and would prioritize hiring patrol officers Smith stated the city and Film retaliated against him over the department’s uniform policy which contains a grooming provision that requires male officers to be clean-shaven when reporting for duty Smith suffers from a skin condition that can be aggravated by shaving Smith filed several complaints about the uniform policy and sought accommodations a number of times Smith obtained a doctor’s note indicating that he should wear a well-trimmed beard to accommodate his condition Officer Smith said he had an understanding with former Chief Louis Dirker that he could take time between shaves There were no additional issues regarding Smith’s facial hair until Film became chief "Officer Smith’s lawsuit is fueled by a misguided sense of entitlement manifested by his apparent belief he should be handed undeserved promotions despite repeatedly performing poorly on Civil Service Commission promotional exams as compared to other officers who ranked higher on them," the city argued in court documents "Perhaps as a result of Officer Smith’s entitlement mentality for many years he has attributed any perceived adversity to an illicit motive on the part of those he erroneously believes are out to get him," the city said In May 2022, the common pleas court ruled in favor of Stow stating that Smith "failed to establish a case of discrimination." the appeals court overturned this decision in November 2023 and sent the case back to the trial courts "Officer Smith presented evidence regarding tensions within the department over the fact that he sought accommodation regarding his skin condition and filed several complaints in 2014 and 2015," stated Judge Donna J "The trial court did not address whether there were issues of fact as to whether the decision to promote [another officer] over Officer Smith was retaliatory in nature," Carr ruled "The trial court must address … whether the restructuring of the department constituted an adverse employment action against Officer Smith and whether that adverse employment action was connected to protected activity on the part of Officer Smith." Smith had sought back pay with pre-judgment interest as well as compensatory damages of more than $25,000 Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com A former court administrator with the Stow Municipal Court has filed a civil case against the presiding judge and two local fiscal officers saying that he is owed $54,498 in earned sick leave benefits whose employment was terminated with the municipal court in September is asking the Ohio Court of Appeals to have Stow and Summit County remit 1,000 of his 2,332 hours of unused sick leave credits according to a statement sent by Klinger's attorney S Named in the case are Stow Municipal Judge Lisa Coates; Kelly Toppin finance director for Stow; and Summit County Fiscal Officer Kristen M "Judge Coates decided she wanted someone else in the position once she took over for Judge [Kim] Hoover as administrative judge," Worhatch said in response to a question from the Akron Beacon Journal Hoover was placed under an 18-month suspension from practicing law The Supreme Court ordered that Hoover be removed from the bench after upholding a disciplinary panel's findings that he mistreated defendants through demands for court fines and fees and denied them due process Representatives from Coates' office declined to comment alleges that a Stow ordinance approved in 2009 requires the city and Summit County to pay him for this part of his unused sick leave benefits once he retired from public service Klinger’s retirement became effective on Oct four days after Coates removed him from his position Klinger had to retire to be eligible to receive the unused sick pay Klinger stated in his court filing that he and Worhatch have tried since Dec 13 to persuade Coates and city officials to pay what he feels is owed and Stow's finance director have not addressed his claim Representatives from Stow's law and finance departments and the county's fiscal office could not be reached for comment Stow allows credit to municipal court employees for sick leave balances accumulated and not paid Those leaving involuntarily or not in good standing are not eligible to cash in the sick leave In addition to the pay for the unused sick leave the lawsuit also asks for payment of a “liquidated amount” of $3,269 under Ohio’s Prompt Pay Act Klinger also is asking that the respondents remit prejudgment interest at the rate of $11.95 a day on the total amount payable to him from and after Oct 1 and that the court force those named in the suit to reimburse his attorney fees and expenses The Cleveland Clinic Stow-Falls Express and Outpatient Care recently underwent a $14 million expansion to offer more adult and pediatric services located at 857 Graham Road in Cuyahoga Falls is leasing an additional 22,000 square feet of clinical care space — around the size of four basketball courts the senior director of corporate communications The space includes 55 new exam rooms and two behavioral health offices "This expansion project aims to introduce 17 primary care and specialty providers significantly enhancing health care access for our community," Milicia said The new services introduced at the site include optometry we are continuing to expand our existing services in adult primary care "One of the highlights of this expansion is the introduction of innovative technology to our community new fusion biopsy utilizes MRI-guided ultrasound to pinpoint even the smallest of suspected lesions which is designed to increase patient comfort while providing the highest depth resolution and mass detectability possible." Visit https://my.clevelandclinic.org/locations/directions/475-stow-falls-express-and-outpatient-care or call 330-923-9585/ The Stow Police Department is searching for six juveniles including one who was wearing a Spiderman mask police say the juveniles broke the bedroom window of a home on Vira Road while the resident was home they believe that the juveniles are boys based on the video they have access to One of the juveniles can be seen with a red Spiderman mask and a red sweatshirt as you can imagine we are concerned for not only the victims of this crime but also for the welfare of the juveniles who choose to engage in this type of activity We need to speak with them," the department said Police ask anyone with information to contact Sgt or School Resource Officer Childers at bchilders@stow.oh.us or call 330-689-5700 and ask to speak with an officer Massachusetts to the late James Wilbur and Astrid “Teddy” (Anderson) Holbrook the family moved to Bolton into the old parsonage house located next to the fire station on Wattaquadock Hill Road Jack attended schools in Bolton and High School in Hudson Jack and his brother Jim would hang out at the fire station and in their late teens they started answering the bell Jack’s Mom “Teddy” was also involved with fire department goings-on since she worked as an overnight telephone operator which was also the call center for the department.  Jack was active in the fire department and retired as Deputy Chief he was still getting IamResponding app texts about the various fire or emergency service calls in Bolton Jack was a communicator and paid attention to detail so he was very involved over the years in coordinating the Fireman Muster events he saw the growth of the fire department over his time He had many fire events or fire truck stories that he was always willing to share.  while on vacation on Monhegan Island in Maine They married in 1989 and lived in Bolton until 2009 MA as part of their retirement plan and Jack continued his involvement with the fire department doing special projects.  Jack was an oil burner technician for Juniper Farms/Bolton Oil until his retirement Jack loved to garden and travel to Maine with Carolyn Jack took up a new hobby of writing poetry He took a few workshops at the Stow Council of Aging and loved getting his words down on “paper” (which in this modern era was his cellphone).  Jack leaves behind his wife Carolyn (Gagnon-O’Connor) of 34 years sons Leighton O’Connor Jr and his wife Stephanie of Nahant Massachusetts and Michael “Mike” and his wife Sally O’Connor of Westford his sister Anne (Holbrook) Richardson and brother James “Jim” Holbrook He is survived by his sister-in-law Mary Holbrook Family and friends will gather for a Celebration of Life at the First Parish Church of Bolton Burial will be held privately at a later time.  To view services remotely via Zoom, please follow the link below five minute prior to the scheduled service time: Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/99518573228?pwd=xouByVWTMIedkz4LdGpbsYKxYPifod.1Meeting ID: 995 1857 3228Passcode: 486948 memorial contributions may be made to: Bolton Volunteer Fire AssociationPO Box 508Bolton Arrangements are under the care of Badger Funeral Home Class-exclusive Stow 'n Go Seating Still "Flooring" the Industry Chrysler is celebrating two decades of giving families all the space they need to load up for fun and adventure highlighting the 20th anniversary of the brand's ground-breaking Stow 'n Go seating and storage system set to debut at the 2025 Detroit Auto Show 5 million minivans have been sold with the Stow 'n Go seating and storage system which allows the second- and third-row seats to fold flat quickly and easily into the floor available Stow 'n Go in-floor bins offer easily accessible space to store gear "Chrysler brand will mark its 100th anniversary in 2025 and that Century of Innovation has been driven by decades of leadership in design technology and capability," said Chris Feuell "Stow 'n Go seating is one of a lengthy list of Chrysler brand innovations that has made life easier and better for our customers." Fast-forward 20 years and Stow 'n Go remains a highlight feature of the Chrysler brand family of minivans The 2025 Chrysler Pacifica offers the most innovative seating and storage in its class and Chrysler minivans are still the only vehicles in the class to offer Stow 'n Go seating creating more than 140 cubic feet of interior space when seats are stowed Stow 'n Go seating "floored" the competition Developed by an internal cross-functional team of engineers and designers the innovation was yet another advancement by the company that invented the minivan category more than 40 years ago Chrysler soon featured a Stow 'n Go Challenge at enthusiast events allowing customers to experience how quick and easy it is to use the Stow 'n Go seating and storage system firsthand Chrysler will stage the Stow 'n Go Challenge at 2025 auto show activations throughout the year Chrysler Stow 'n Go Seating: By the Numbers Chrysler BrandThe Chrysler brand has delighted customers with distinctive designs and advanced innovation and technology since the company was founded in 1925 Chrysler continues to build on that nearly 100-year legacy of creating ingenious products and technologies for mainstream customers moving forward on an electrified transformation that will launch the brand's first battery-electric vehicle in 2026 The Chrysler Pacifica continues to reinvent the minivan The Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid symbolizes the brand's electrification evolution representing the first electrified minivan in the segment and achieving 82 MPGe an all-electric range of 32 miles and a total range of 520 miles Chrysler Pacifica delivers the most standard safety features and most advanced available all-wheel-drive system in its class and is also the most awarded minivan over the last seven years with more than 175 honors and industry accolades since its introduction as a minivan Chrysler Voyager rejoins the lineup in 2025 as a budget-friendly minivan option Chrysler is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com All-new Dodge Charger Daytona will make its first official race appearance at 41st running of the Tire Rack One Lap of America introduces new Start Defender theft-deterrent system for 2018 to 2023 model-year Dodge Charger.. Automotive Transportation, Trucking & Railroad Trade Show News Do not sell or share my personal information: A new fiber-optic internet provider will offer services to Stow Metronet is expected to start construction soon and hopes to start offering internet connections to businesses and residents in Stow new market development manager for Greater Akron Metronet is in more than 300 communities in 18 states Johnson said that Metronet offers a 100% fiber-optic network This privately funded investment will connect households and businesses to ultra-high-speed internet offering speeds of up to 5 gigabits per second for residents and 10 gigabits per second for businesses “We are excited to gain access to another internet option creating more competition and further enhancing our Village,” stated Silver Lake Mayor Therese Dunphy in a media release “Our partnership with Metronet will continue to boost Silver Lake and the offerings that make our community a great place to learn There are various pricing packages available we offer speed packages ranging from 150 megabits per second up to 5 gigabits per second," Mastropierro said speeds are available up to 10 gigabits per second." Prices for residential customers range from $34.95 per month to $109.95 per month, depending on the data speed selected and length of the contract, according to Metronet's website. Residents in the three communities will receive communication by mail about construction activity in their neighborhood 30 days prior to the start date will also inform residents of upcoming construction Metronet crews will be identifiable by ID tags and branded vehicles Metronet plans to hire local market management positions sales and customer service professionals and service technicians Johnson said that the company doesn't have plans for a storefront at this time "While we do not have a physical location in the city we are making a long-term investment across the area through local employment and engaging as a member of the business community," Johnson said Metronet built its first 100% fiber-optic network in 2005 For details, visit metronet.com/oh online Latest update: Akron man shot partner before turning gun on himself in Stow murder-suicide, police say Two people were found fatally shot in a Stow resident Monday afternoon Stow officers responded to a report of a possible suicide in the 4100 block of Meadowlark Trail two individuals were found fatally shot inside the home The Summit County Medical Examiner's Office stated Tuesday that the two deceased individuals were a 41-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man The identities of the deceased are being held until positive identification and family notification State Bureau of Criminal Investigation agents are assisting Stow police with the investigation If anyone has any information regarding this incident they are encouraged to call (330) 689-5770 The incident is currently under investigation be forewarned: A bumper crop of orange barrels is expected along parts of Darrow Road in Stow in late April A more firm timeline will be established later this month The project was awarded to Karvo Companies Inc "They plan to start construction in late April just north of Lou Dirker Boulevard at the Route 91 post office and work north towards Norton Road," McCleary said "The section south of Route 59 to the Munroe Falls corporation line is scheduled for next year All work is to be completed by fall of 2026." According to the city, the reconstruction project includes new curbs handicap ramps and resurfacing and pavement markings The Federal Highway Administration will pay 80% of the cost This work is scheduled to coincide with the Route 91 bridge deck replacement over the Cuyahoga River in Munroe Falls The bridge replacement is scheduled for summer 2026 According to the Ohio Department of Transportation the bridge replacement project will include replacing the existing concrete bridge driving surface and minor approach roadway work including new guardrails on both sides of the road The existing sidewalk on the bridge will be removed and replaced with a new concrete sidewalk The bridge supports a sanitary sewer on the east side and a gas line on the west side The repair work will include new supports for these utilities Route 91 will be closed to traffic for 45 days between North River Road and Munroe Falls Avenue The official detour route will use state Route 59 and state Route 261 The project will not impact access to Brust Park Bike and Hike Trail traffic will be rerouted to cross Route 91 instead of crossing under the bridge A Stow man has been charged by federal authorities accused of smuggling foreign-made body armor and falsely claiming it was domestically made and certified Federal authorities are now urging buyers to stop using the body armor The products were marketed to the public and law enforcement agencies nationwide through a website Investigators found thousands of Chinese-produced body armor plates at Vallmar Studios and ShotStop Ballistics the Stow companies owned and operated by Vall Iliev according to a news release Wednesday from the office of the U.S Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio IIiev allegedly imported body armor from China and sold it as U.S The products were touted as Level III and Level IV certified by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Iliev is accused of working with a broker company in China to find inexpensive manufacturers Customs and Border Protection agents found 200 body armor plates that were in improperly packed containers that lacked the proper manifest at a Blaine The boxes were addressed to Iliev's Stow business Iliev is accused of instructing his employees in Stow to attach the fake labels of “NIJ Certified” and “Made in Stow Federal investigators seized and tested ballistic plates and they failed to meet NIJ standards for Level III testing which means they also would fail the more rigorous tests for Level IV Investigators also reviewed marketing videos produced by Iliev The NIJ certification labels included fictitious “patent pending” and “Level III+” and “Level IV+HD,” which are nonexistent designations Those who have purchased ShotStop body armor from 2018 onward should discontinue use for safety reasons Customers should email a copy of their invoice to faultyarmor@hsi.dhs.gov with “ShotStop Invoice” in the subject line no later than April 7 Although Iliev’s companies initially obtained and held valid NIJ certifications the news release says he never sought to confirm through NIJ-certified testing that the body armor he imported from China met NIJ standards for ballistic resistance Vallmar and ShotStop served as warehouses but had no means of producing Level III or Level IV body armor Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cleveland Office alongside the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation with assistance from U.S A popular Stow educator and Green assistant football coach died early Tuesday morning in a crash on Interstate 77 in Green of Akron was reportedly driving his pickup truck north on I-77 when he struck the rear of a semi-truck just after midnight He was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:30 a.m. the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office said Mashburn was an intervention specialist at Stow-Munroe Falls High School and an assistant football coach at Green High School "He helped so many people through problems including me," said head Green football coach Mark Geis "He was a complete badass with a heart of gold." The Summit County Sheriff's Department is investigating the incident Mashburn, a Coventry High School graduate, earned his bachelor's degree in education from the University of Akron in 2018, according to his LinkedIn profile He most recently served as an intervention specialist at Stow according to athletic director Cyle Feldman He previously served as a coach on Stow's football staff he also served as an intervention specialist at Green Geis said Mashburn worked as an assistant football coach at Green for the past five seasons "Jimmy was a cherished member of the Bulldog Community and also a beloved football coach for Green Local Schools," Amanda Murray principal of Stow-Munroe Falls High School "His passion for mentoring students went far beyond the classroom Stow students and staff affected by Mashburn's passing will have access to counseling from the Stow-Munroe Falls City School District Crisis Response Team for the remainder of the week and deepest sympathies are with the Mashburn family and everyone in the Bulldog and Green Local Schools communities," Felisha Gould superintendent of Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools we will navigate this loss with the strength and compassion that defines our community.” Geis called Mashburn one of the most talented assistant coaches he had working on his staff He said Mashburn was one of the main reasons Green was able to turn the program around and find success a great community member and he was well-known for helping kids out and being there for them," Geis said "He always had the best intentions of trying to help anybody He had a real talent for finding issues that kids were going through and helping them through it." was one of his first hires after he became Green's head football coach prior to the 2019 season Geis said he and Mashburn "quickly meshed" and hit it off immediately He eventually became one of Geis' best friends "Our kids have so many stories from yesterday about how he would reach out to them just to see if they were okay and if they needed help in the classroom or just mentally," he said Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com A 43-year-old Akron man fatally shot his partner in her Stow home Monday before turning the gun on himself the Summit County Medical Examiner said Tuesday Monday to a report of a possible suicide in the 4100 block of Meadowlark Trail officers found Philpott and Asiedu fatally shot inside the home Philpott and Asiedu had been dating for over a year Philpott's family members were unable to get in contact with her so they went to the home where they discovered the couple both fatally shot Philpott was a mother of three adult children and two juveniles The children were assisted by Summit County Victim’s Assistance and Summit County Children’s Services According to an Oct. 2, 2023, post on Facebook by the Summit County Sheriff's Office, Asiedu was sworn in then as a sheriff's deputy A LinkedIn profile says he was a detention officer with the Summit County Juvenile Court The Beacon Journal reached out to the sheriff's office to confirm Asiedu's employment status but information was not available Tuesday evening Philpott's family released the following statement via Stow police: we announce the passing of our beloved mother we ask for privacy as we navigate this difficult loss and make arrangements and condolences we have already received from friends community and local law enforcement during this incredibly challenging time This story has been updated with further information about Asiedu Details: cache-fra-eddf8230028-FRA 1746520237 1673805388 Stow averted a potential snowtastrophe Friday when late salt deliveries arrived ending a one-day policy to limit the streets the city would salt in the next snowstorm Mayor John Pribonic likened the late salt deliveries to a Christmas miracle in a phone interview Friday morning about the situation "The salt that was back-ordered is coming in in order to conserve a limited supply of rock salt had announced Thursday it would prioritize which streets were salted in the next snowstorm The city said all roads would continue to be plowed secondary streets with hills and other hazard spots would be salted residential roads will not be salted," the city's announcement said 'We wanted to take the high road'In its announcement the city said an order to replenish its salt supply that was placed more than a week ago hadn't been filled Pribonic said Friday the city has two salt barns supplied with the same amount each year to start the season has varied from recent winters with substantial snow and continuously low temperatures that haven't allowed for full snow melts wanted to give residents a heads-up on the situation "We wanted to be honest with our residents," he said "We wanted to take the high road to tell people what was happening." More: Akron doesn't take winter with a grain of salt, but what price does it pay for that? spokesperson Stephanie Marsh said via email the city has an ample supply "We are not experiencing the same delays as Stow," Marsh said orders and takes delivery during the summer based on a measure of its average use in a 5-year period that's proved enough for this season's snowfall Barberton Mayor William Judge called the city's salt supply sufficient He said the city uses the CUE purchasing cooperative to buy salt "The purchasing of salt can be competitive and most of the communities (if not all of us) make use of CUE pricing," he said CUE has about 70 cities and other municipalities and counties as members and makes collective purchases to keep prices manageable The brine is fine in Cuyahoga FallsCuyahoga Falls Mayor Don Walters said the city started winter with a substantial supply "We have a lot of capacity for storage," he said in a phone interview on Friday "We came into this season with basically two filled domes That should be enough for a harsh winter." Walters said the city benefits from the use of brine in its road salting efforts from which it collects salt-infused water to complement the use of purchased salt "Our trucks have a brine tank," Walters said "The reason we have them (is) since we have free brine The brine-salt combination allows the city to save money on salt purchases and adjust the mixture according to weather conditions The city has 21 Epoke spreaders with brine tanks attached "They save us a third of the cost of our salt." Other municipalities said that their supplies were adequate despite challenges this season New Franklin Mayor Paul Adamson said via email that the city is road salting as usual and is supplementing its inventory with a recent order Springfield Township's Highway Department Superintendent Ted Weinsheimer said the township started the year with an abundance of salt and hasn't had to order any yet The township spends about $70,000 a year on salt purchases which can vary year to year by as much as 50% Norton acquires salt through the CUE collective "We benefited from last year being a mild winter and we monitor our supply well and buy accordingly through CUE," he said in an email Although Stow was able to avert a potential problem with Friday's salt delivery In 2018, a harsh winter and high usage led to a shortage of supply that affected local municipalities told CUE it could only fill 85,000 tons of a 153,885-ton order and could not take new orders for more than two months Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj or Facebook at www.facebook.com/alan.newsman below is a link to the results of Stow votes in the Nov 11052024 Presidential Election Tally Sheet.xlsx Stow police are investigating a homicide-suicide that occurred Monday night officers responded to a home in the 4100 block of Meadowlark Trail after family members discovered the scene officers located two individuals who had fatal gunshot wounds Stow police sent an update identifying the deceased as Benjamin Asiedu and Latoia Philpott The police said the two had been dating for a little over a year Police said Philpott was shot multiple times Asiedu died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Stow police said Philpott was a mother of five The surviving family was assisted by Summit County Victim’s Assistance and Summit County Children’s Services According to the Summit County Sheriff's Office Asiedu was a sheriff's deputy assigned to the jail Philpott's family released the following statement regarding the shooting: Russell’s Convenience Store has apparently closed its doors permanently as of Oct when Independent staff was dropping off the new edition for sale The clerk reported that the 16th was the store’s final day Russell’s Maynard location remains open The Independent has not yet reached owner Jamie Salamone to confirm the details or for comment which includes the store and a home next door While he later took the property off the market at the time Salamone explained the attempt to sell was prompted by a sizable drop in business during Covid The Independent will have an update in its Oct Stow and Hudson are exploring a joint purchase of LifeCenter Plus in Hudson to serve as a recreation center for both communities Officials from both cities recently met to talk about the feasibility of working together to purchase the private recreation center The facility, at 5133 Darrow Road in Hudson near the Stow border, is for sale because the owners are looking to retire according to the listing on online marketplace LoopNet.com Pribonic said the two cities have had discussions in the past about whether to work together to build a multi-community rec center Hudson City Council established an internal staff committee to explore the idea of a recreation center which is referenced in the city's comprehensive plan "That committee has reached out to and met with several nearby communities as it does its due diligence to look at a variety of options for a possible rec center," Roberts said "This is still in the exploratory phase and our findings will be presented to City Council in the coming year." The city of Stow also has been exploring the possibility of building a community rec center in recent years Purchasing an existing facility would be considerably less expensive than constructing a new center, which a consulting firm for the city last year estimated would cost nearly $43 million. the LifeCenter Plus property includes more than 10 acres of land and the one-story 64,462-square-foot sports facility that was built between 1973 and 2004 The property has two indoor swimming pools an indoor track and multiple indoor sports courts The parking lot has 265 spaces and there is additional land The city of Stow announced on Friday a revitalization project at the Town Centre Shopping Center that will include a new amphitheater at the site Stow said it is partnering with Giltz & Associates to breathe new life into the shopping center by modernizing the façades improving buildings and bringing in a variety of amenities designed to enhance the community and stimulate economic growth The shopping center is at Norton and Darrow roads west of Giant Eagle The main focus will be to construct an open-air venue in front of the shopping center Stow City Council approved the city’s purchase of property for the amphitheater the amphitheater will serve as a premier outdoor venue for concerts and community events serving as a unique cultural and entertainment space for Stow residents and visitors the redevelopment plan includes efforts to attract small restaurants and businesses to the center providing additional dining options that will stimulate the local economy Mayor says project promotes sense of communityStow Mayor John Pribonic hailed the project as a tremendous opportunity for the city "This is a phenomenal opportunity for our community to upgrade this shopping center with a newamphitheater Once built,the new community amphitheater will offer an intimate space for local performances and communityevents bringing residents together and fostering a stronger sense of connection I want to extend my thanks to my administration fortheir hard work in making this vision a reality," said Pribonic He emphasized that “this project will be completed without any new taxes imposed on cityresidents.” who developed a similar project in Stark County's Plain Township added,"we are excited to work with the city of Stow in transforming the Town Centre Shopping Center into avibrant establishment that the community will be proud of This partnership will help create an invitingspace for entertainment Stow City Council President Cyle Feldman is among supporters of the project he praised it for "promoting economic growth and meeting resident demands for dining and entertainment." With the purchase of the property approved the city said the next phase will focus on the design and construction of the amphitheater many people remembered the spelling of Islay's using the mnemonic “I Shall Always Love You Sweetheart.” Today they could use “Isaly’s Stow It’s been in a variety of buildings housing some combination of deli, dairy or restaurant - each one near the corner of routes 59 and 91 in Stow - since 1929. The current iteration opened in 1998 as Isaly’s II but closed last Christmas Eve when owner Ed Fox retired changing the name to Isaly’s Cafe and Catering I wanted to focus on catering and ‘cafe’ is a nice touch to add,” Jason said they enlisted friends and their 17-year-old twins to spend several weeks repainting and revising the menu before reopening last month Prices might be a big higher due to the economy adding that customers are happy with the revamp and the use of so many Summit County-sourced ingredients Kathy Lowrey lives nearby and was a regular until last year’s closure “We had good experiences at the last Isaly’s and so far I’m impressed with the service,” she said after ordering one of her favorites She also remembered going to Isaly’s for milk or chipped chopped ham when she was growing up in Akron’s Kenmore neighbors we used to go to Isaly’s for Skyscraper ice cream we used to go over to the Isaly’s and have coffee and a sandwich.” The Covel’s said the new avocado toast has proven most popular and they’ve retained past favorites like the scrambler Some customers have requested the chopped ham salad from the former menu Swiss cheesemaker Christian Isaly started his namesake dairy in Monroe County in 1833 The chain grew to 300 locations that once stretched throughout the Midwest and introduced items like the Klondike Bar Stow Players to present 'War of the Worlds' this weekendRavenna Record-CourierStow Players will present "War of the Worlds-The 1938 Radio Play" this weekend Showtimes Friday and Saturday are 7:30 p.m is presented by the Silver Linings Players The 1938 broadcast from New York's Mercury Theater terrified listeners who became convinced an actual alien invasion of Earth was taking place The radio play is based on the novel by H.G co-writer of "Casablanca," and was directed and narrated by Orson Welles Tickets are $20 at visit www.stowplayers.net This story was updated to add new information The Ohio Supreme Court has ordered the immediate removal of longtime judge Kim Hoover from office also has been suspended from practicing law for 18 months in connection with accusations against him in the way he collected court fines and fees the court's Board of Professional Conduct recommended that Hoover be immediately barred from practicing law and suspended from his office without pay for two years The board's recommendation followed an investigation and September 2022 hearings after a series of complaints filed starting in December 2021 claiming that Hoover was using illegal and coercive tactics to recover court-ordered fees from defendants with oral arguments taking place before the Ohio Supreme Court on May 17 He had remained on the bench pending the outcome Hoover would have been ineligible to run for judge again in 2025 Justice Jennifer Brunner did not participate in the case Hoover could not be reached for comment Tuesday The preliminary opinion released by the court stated that Hoover "maintains that the evidence does not support the board’s findings that he treated defendants with a bias or prejudice" and noted his argument "that 16 out of the thousands of cases that he has presided over during his lengthy service as a judge do not demonstrate how he runs his courtroom." “The Office of Disciplinary Counsel appreciates the court’s thorough decision as it reinforces that all people — regardless of their socioeconomic status — are entitled to due process and equal treatment under the law and that no judge is above the law,” Caligiuri said court administrator for the Stow Municipal Court said the Ohio Supreme Court will make an appointment to fill Hoover's unexpired term his caseload will be covered by Judge (Lisa) Coates and our staff of magistrates," Klinger said Justices rule Kim Hoover coerced defendants to pay costs, finesAccording to the Ohio Supreme Court's ruling Hoover had unjustly imprisoned two defendants — one for four days and the other for seven days — and 14 defendants were coerced into paying costs and fines under threats of being sent to prison "Hoover’s overzealous collection of unsegregated fines and costs manifested a bias against those of lower socioeconomic status a bias that … was readily apparent during his interactions with these defendants," Tuesday's ruling stated "Hoover leaned into the idea of a debtors’ prison unlawfully incarcerating or threating to incarcerate individuals for nonpayment of fines without due process and unconstitutionally incarcerating or threatening to incarcerate individuals for nonpayment of court costs And he routinely failed to inform the defendants of their right to counsel Hoover purposely involved the families of the defendants — innocent people — to extort money from them The families of the defendants were not the wrongdoers and Hoover’s endeavor to squeeze money from them so that they might keep their loved ones out of jail was reprehensible." The ruling noted that the disciplinary board found Hoover did not have a disciplinary record and that he "did not act with a dishonest or selfish motive and submitted substantial evidence of good character" in his nearly 40 years as both a lawyer and a judge "The board recognized that Hoover has done great things for the Stow Municipal Court his good intentions and actions do not excuse his failure to comply with the Code of Judicial Conduct and the Rules of Professional Conduct It found that Hoover’s casual attitude toward defendants and improper application of the law led to violations of defendants’ liberties and hindered the administration of justice." Anyone with active cases that had been on Hoover's docket can call the Clerk of Courts office at 330-564-4174 with questions about how their judicial matters will proceed The Stow Municipal Court serves 16 communities in northern Summit County: Boston Heights The Ohio Supreme Court suspended Hoover without pay from his judgeship for the duration of his disciplinary period He must complete one credit hour of continuing legal education for each month He cannot be reinstated to practice law in the state until he complies with requirements established by the state Supreme Court The justices ordered Hoover to pay $10,025 in court costs for the case within 90 days of the decision It is unclear whether Hoover would be barred from serving as an assigned According to the 2023 Guidelines for Assignment of Judges "a sitting or retired judge is ineligible for assignment when the judge was removed or suspended without reinstatement from service on any Ohio court … or resigned or retired from service on any Ohio court while a complaint was pending against the person." As the Town works to comply with the state’s MBTA Communities Act unveiled the three areas of Stow it is proposing for that public transportation-friendly One of the parcels is on the Maynard border on the westbound side of Great Road (East Lower Village); another bordering Great and South Acton roads also near Lower Village (South Red Acre); and the third between Hudson and Great roads (West Stow) In reviewing the criteria used to select these areas at the Town Building forum Planning Director Valerie Oorthuys explained that the state mandate to create housing districts in 177 towns that are hosting or neighboring an MBTA station came with Section 3A The intent is to encourage these towns to build housing that is hopefully more affordable to the commuter that normally cannot afford to purchase a single-family home in places such as Stow Stow was designated an “adjacent small town,” given its location next door to the South Acton commuter rail station Oorthuys reported the Town must allow for a total of 139 units or more Oorthuys remarked there must be at least 15 units per acre and one of these areas must be about 10 acres or more Some of the criteria that come with this includes zoning for multifamily units without age restrictions as this housing is “by right,” developers can bypass the usual permitting process though these units must conform to local building and health codes But Oorthuys pointed out that the state definition of multi-unit housing stretches from duplexes though cottages and to larger apartment buildings And she noted that any existing landowners in these districts can adopt the zoning criteria such as rebuilding their own homes into multi-family units From East to South to WestLand Use Planner Michael Slagle offered details on those three MBTA districts residents will vote on most likely at a September Special Town Meeting Through questionnaires and previous forums Slagle said residents offered their preferences for where to offer the housing and Planning then narrowed the choices using factors such as state-excluded land The East Lower Village area borders the westbound side of Great Road running from the Maynard line to the Lower Village Cemetery Planning agreed with residents that the placement could help attract much-needed businesses to the area while offering the Assabet River Rail trail and Assabet Refuge within walking and biking distance Slagle pointed out that some housing likely would be placed on small parcels between existing buildings the South Red Acre area offers access to Lower Village businesses with Slagle noting it is relatively close to the South Acton train station Slagle described the West Stow parcel as an underused area along Great and Hudson roads the area offers easy access along two major roads features underdeveloped land that would be easy to build on and might help enliven the area around the planned Masters Academy the approximately 50 forum attendees circled the room responding to questions posted on the walls that centered on placement of the areas and specifics on the types of units that could be built Perhaps the most prominent question was which of these three areas residents thought would work best While units could be built across all three areas the clear answer from forum participants was the East Lower Village parcel In both cases commentators overwhelmingly lauded the idea of using this housing to help attract business to town some residents raised traffic concerns around both areas and questioned the potentially tight fit on some parcels in East Stow West Stow was viewed by some as not within walking distance of many businesses though the amount of available space for building was viewed as attractive A Second Chance for FeedbackOorthuys emphasized that feedback on these areas is not over with an online Planning forum set for March 24 All of these steps are designed to lead to that September Special Town Meeting The state is calling for all MBTA communities to submit their approved plans by Dec Oorthuys mentioned that these communities that do not approve the zoning risk losing state funding The Stow-Munroe Falls Board of Education swore in its newest member after interviewing 12 candidates on Monday evening In a 3-1 vote, with Mike Sheehan casting the dissenting vote, Tina Merlitti of Munroe Falls was appointed to former Board President Nancy Binzel's seat. Binzel resigned effective Dec. 31 after serving on the school board for five years "She has a wealth of experience which I'm excited to add to the board," said Pamela Wind Wind said the school board received 14 applications and interviewed 12 people on Monday Sheehan could not be reached for comment regarding his vote Merlitti currently works as an executive assistant with the Summit County Engineer’s office She served for six years on the Akron City Council between 2005 and 2011 A graduate of Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in political science Merlitti has participated in the Parent Teacher Associations at Lakeview Intermediate School Riverview Elementary and Kimpton Middle School “I am honored to have been chosen to serve the residents of Stow-Munroe Falls in this capacity," Merlitti stated in a Tuesday media release "I look forward to working with all the board members and administration to focus our energies on the important issues impacting the students Merlitti said she also worked with Summit County Emergency Management for 10 years and one of her duties was to review school safety plans "I was the one who would review their plans and help them come into compliance if they were not," she said "I also would work with the local fire marshal I have a unique perspective in having worked with all of the local schools in the past." In addition to serving on Akron City Council Merlitti said that she was on the Akron Public Schools building committee "I know what some of the things are we should be looking for," she said what the state will allow and will not allow for the match funding I have 28 years experience working in state I hope to use that experience to move the school system forward." Merlitti said she grew up in Stow and lived in the city for 20 years She moved to Munroe Falls before her oldest child entered kindergarten and added that both of her children attend the Stow-Munroe Falls Schools Merlitti said she plans to run for a full term Superintendent Felisha Gould stated in the media release that she was happy to welcome Merlitti to the school board "I am thrilled to welcome Tina Merlitti to the Board of Education," Gould said "Her experience and passion for our schools and community align perfectly with our mission to build futures together I look forward to collaborating with her and the entire Board to ensure the success of every student in our district.” Merlitti is the second new school board member appointed within less than a year's time Antoinette East-Jenkins was appointed in May to fill the unexpired term of Jon Leissler who had resigned in late April citing family and business commitments Stow (12-11) hung on for a 51-50 win over Euclid (8-15) Tuesday in a Division II district semifinal at James G The Bulldogs advance to face Avon in a district final at Twinsburg Stow advanced when a 3-pointer from Euclid's Jayden Basie fell short at the buzzer as they went 0-of-4 from the foul line in the final minute "I missed one early," said Stow's Austin Wilhoit "I really thought Cam [Marconi] was going to knock them down He hit two last week to send us to overtime We got it and that took some pressure off his back." The missed free throws were the lone blemish on Wilhoit's night Marconi added 15 points and had a key rebound in the final minute Stow rallied after being down 25-17 at the half That was probably the difference between the first and second half." while Thail Duncan added 14 for the Panthers Here is how the game unfolded through our live updates A three-pointer in the corner from Euclid fell short as time expired allowing the Bulldogs to escaped with a 51-50 win Stow won despite going 0-of-4 from the foul line in the final minute while Jayden Basie led Euclid with 16 points The Bulldogs and Panthers have gone back and fourth in the fourth A layup by Cam Marconi has Stow leadsing 51-50 with 1:27 left Stow boys basketball and Euclid tied after three quartersA layup by Stow's Cam Marconi tied the game at 39-39 with 4.8 seconds left in the third quarter The Bulldogs' Austin Wilhoit had 11 points in the third quarter and leads with 21 points An old-school 3-point play by Michael Calcaterra gave Stow a 33-32 lead with 3:19 left in the third quarter Austin Wilhoit has found his shot and has 9 points in the third Euclid found its shot late in the first half as Jayden Basie and Trahmaine Southern led the Panthers on a 13-3 run Euclid leads the Bulldogs 25-17 after one half Basie and Stow's Austin Wilhoit each have 10 points to lead The Bulldogs and Panthers are locked in a tight battle after one quarter Defense looks good on both sides as both teams are being deliberate with the ball Stow boys basketball takes the early lead on EuclidA pair of 3-pointers from Eddie Norman and Austin Wilhoit have Stow out to a 6-4 lead midway throgh the first quarter Both teams with a bit of cold shooting to start STOW — The Stow community came together at the Stow Community & Senior Center to honor the life of Latoia Philpott a mother who was killed in her home last month were found in her home with fatal gunshot wounds RELATED: Alleged shooter in Stow homicide-suicide identified as Summit County Sheriff's Office deputy The city of Stow wanted the community to support one another as they prayed for the victim’s family and learned more about who Philpott was as a person and a mother “I see a lot of people with fear and distress in their face but what I learned this past Tuesday was she wouldn't want it that way,” said Mayor John Pribonic she was known as the proud owner of Middlebury Kids Early Learning Center “She loved her children dearly and worked hard to make sure each one of them were well taken care of If she walked into a room that was too quiet her spirit lives and she is loved,” Pribonic said Her daughter shared personal stories with the crowd making them smile while remembering funny moments they shared together she's caring and she's the best mom ever,” Philpott’s daughter said She also pointed out the reason she chose the photo that was shared with the community days after Philpott’s death giving the crowd goosebumps as she explained the cross that she never noticed on the picture “My aunt pointed out the cross on the photo and I looked at this photo 100 times before she pointed that out to me and never noticed I was talking to God asking Him can you please just let me know my mom's okay,” Philpott’s daughter said Philpott leaves the community with memories of her passion for children and helping people “One thing that became very clear as I got to know more about Latoia was she loved to travel and she loved to be free,” Pribonic said In honor of Latoia the Stow community asks everyone to follow in her footsteps by doing random acts of kindness— something she will always be remembered for  A flock of six wild turkeys recently was seen trotting across the parking lot at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library Maybe they were coming to check out books to research ways to avoid ending up on the dinner table this Thanksgiving Day The turkeys were first spotted by maintenance around 1 p.m after which they came around the south side of the building and into the parking lot marketing and public relations manager for the library The turkeys reportedly stuck around for a few hours spending most of their time in the traffic island next to the library's drive-up lane Several patrons parked and exited their cars to take pictures "This is what social media dreams are made of," Malthaner said The turkeys left the library without incident where many Stow residents have reported wild turkeys in the area  A staff member shared a photo of the big birds on a Facebook community page prompting a bountiful response from Stow residents sharing their own tales of seeing the turkeys across town in recent months  “They end up at my house every couple months too!” one person shared  Some people questioned why the turkeys would dare to be seen in public so close to the Thanksgiving holiday  “Awfully brave of them with it being so close to Thanksgiving!” another person noted  One person predicted the turkeys’ demise in biblical terms: “For though I walk in the midst of the shadow of death…”  Others speculated the turkeys were visiting the library to plot their escape from becoming a Thanksgiving feast  “They are confiscating all the cookbooks!!” one woman joked Library staff enjoyed the visit from the wild animals with one children's service associates noting the turkeys were "exactly one week late for our Turkey Story Time." "I like to think they saw our Bookmobile around town and followed it back to the library," said Gale Koritansky "I felt like I was at the Akron Zoo — you've never been this close!" local history librarian Allie Joyner said The wild cousin of the Thanksgiving turkey was wiped out in Ohio about 1904 according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources But they were reintroduced into the state, and have gone from zero to common ODNR now estimates there are about 160,000 to 180,000 roaming Ohio wild turkeys can fly – a fact that led one Facebook commenter to reference the classic “turkey drop” episode from the 1970s sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati.” “Was there a helicopter in the area towing a banner???” he asked If flying isn’t enough to give these Stow turkeys a leg up on would-be chefs one resident called on Mayor John Pribonic to issue “the city’s official pardon of the Thanksgiving turkey.”  No word yet on whether the mayor has granted the request these turkeys could be guilty of fowl play The chef and owner of a longtime Stow staple is hanging up his apron and spatula near the end of the month Fox is looking for a buyer for the restaurant "We've been getting one or two calls a day," Fox said about inquiries about buying Isaly's "I will close if there are no offers by Christmas Eve," Fox said I may stay around to help the new owners get situated who grew up in Munroe Falls and currently lives in Cuyahoga Falls said that before assuming ownership of Isaly's in 1998 he had one other experience in a restaurant "I worked in a Chinese restaurant for one day Fox previously worked for the post office and served in both the Army and the Air Force He said that he served in the Army but had difficulty finding a job so he enlisted in the Air Force where there are signs all over the place for jobs and nobody wants them," he said Isaly's II continues Stow traditionFox said that his brother and the brother's then-girlfriend (later wife) had been working at Isaly's when it was located near the current site of the CVS on the corner of Kent and Darrow roads Fox's brother and wife encouraged him to take over Part of the takeover meant moving Isaly's to its present location at 3310 Kent Road but CVS had bought the property and tore the old building down," he said Wright's sister and daughter also work there ever return their food because something wasn't done right." We have some customers that come in three times a week twice a day." "The Murders of Brandywine Theater," Wright said was written and directed by Larry Longstreth "They paid us to sit there so they can film it," Wright recalled Fox's sister who has worked at Isaly's for 24 years Larkin said a fond memory she had was going with her sister-in-law Gina Knight Center to sample food for the restaurant — even though they sometimes overindulged "We wouldn't feel so good the next day," Larkin said Isaly's got its start as a cheesemaking business in Monroe County when Swiss cheesemaker Christian Isaly and his family came to the United States in 1833 The family eventually started Isaly's Dairy Company which sold dairy products and deli meats in Ohio The company's signature items include its "Skyscraper" cones The first Isaly's in Stow opened near where the Marhoffer Chevrolet is now in 1929 Chipped Ham and Skyscraper Cones: The Story of Isaly's," by Brian Butko This first Stow Isaly's was at that location until 1955 there were several hundred plants and stores opened at various times throughout Ohio Fox said he enjoyed the job and getting to talk to the customers including and especially the restaurant's many regulars "It's the place to meet your friends and chit-chat," he said Everyone who comes in here comes and sits in the same seats the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath have made running the restaurant more difficult every couple of months." He added he was grateful to have the same employees over the years requires a good deal of time and organization "Just because you are closed at 2 o'clock doesn't mean you are done at 2 o'clock," he said Wright said she hopes the diner will find a new owner "I'm hoping someone will step up to the plate and buy it," she said Larkin said she may retire with her brother unless the people who buy it needed me to stay on," Larkin said Isaly's is open Mondays through Saturdays from 7:30 a.m STOW — Dave Close will always be a Bulldog Close didn't want a big deal made of his final home game Stow had other ideas in a 56-50 overtime win over Brecksville not for him," Stow senior Cam Marconi said school administrators and more than 50 Bulldogs basketball alumni Close blinked back tears as he was given a standing ovation before Tuesday's game against Brecksville The Bulldogs honored him with one of their best performances of the season Stow (11-9) rallied from a five-point deficit in the final minute forced overtime and went on to beat Brecksville (15-6) putting him in the top 10 of Ohio high school basketball coaches "It's a blessing to be here all these years and see all these players become men," Close said Praise for Close came from all over Tuesday "It's going to be very difficult for anyone to fill his shoes," Stow girls basketball coach Bob Podges said "He's been very successful at this for a long time He's a legend in Ohio high school basketball It's amazing when you think about how many years he's been here and how many years I've been here You just don't see that in today's society." "He's an icon," Stow athletic directory Cyle Feldman said "One of the things I do when I'm in the gym I look at all those red dots on the home side that are reserved seats When you look at the history of the program Even Brecksville coach Steven Mehalik lauded Close noting he couldn't fathom staying as a coach for 37 years The guy does things the right way," Mehalik said "He cares about the game and he cares about growing the game I've become a better coach having to go up against him the last nine years Close explained his decision to retire was based on family 'How long you going to do this?' My answer has been when the good lord told me its time to stop," Close said "You don't know how much life you have left or how much quality of that life you have left I'm going to make sure I have some life left and quality of life left to devote to my family." Close said he plans to help out the program after his retirement but that he is "done with the bench" after this season While saying "nobody wants to replace a legend," Feldman said Stow will begin seeking a new coach after the season seven district titles and the state final four in 1990 and 1993 Stow played the kind of basketball Close appreciates in his final regular-season game at James G "I couldn't be prouder of these guys," Close said They're well coached and people don't realize how long they are The kids showed probably the best discipline of the year working to get a good shot on every possession." Brecksville showed its talent as Brady Ganley scored a game-high 24 points and center Ben Mehendale grabbed nine rebounds and blocked four shots A twisting layup by Marconi gave Stow a 37-36 lead midway through the fourth quarter but Ganley led a 6-0 run that seemed to put Brecksville in control With Stow trailing 44-39 with under 30 seconds left Marconi got a 3-pointer from off his shoe tops to fall "I was trying to draw a foul mostly and I just threw one up," he said but missed two free throws with 9.7 seconds left After Stow grabbed the rebound and Marconi was fouled he hit two free throws with 3.7 seconds to play Momentum swung into Stow's favor in overtime The Bulldogs won the overtime period 12-6 behind Eddie Norman The Bulldogs shot 12 of 15 at the foul line