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Today is Dec. 18, 2025.

• Morning, all! Say goodbye to those frigid temps, at least for awhile. The high today is forecast to soar to 53 degrees (balmy, huh?) with considerable cloudiness, increasing wind, and rain at times in the afternoon. Tonight’s low will be a more winterlike 28. Now, the important stuff: Are we going to have a White Christmas? According to the latest AccuWeather map for Dec. 25, the answer is a hard … maybe: We’re right on the cutoff line for Medium Probability (40-75%) and Low Probability (10-40%). A storm is forecast to hit this part of the country between Dec. 23 and 25, but it’s track is uncertain right now, so we could get snow or we could get rain. Here’s hoping Santa won’t be the only one delivering gifts Christmas morning.
  

• SEE YOU IN 2026: The Spotlight is taking its annual break for Christmas and New Year’s, so our next newsletter will publish Thursday, Jan. 8. We’ve got you covered with an extra couple weeks of community events in today’s calendar further down this edition, and we’ll be sure to bring you up to speed with all the goings-on in our communities when we return. The only thing we’ll miss while we’re gone is hanging out with our readers on Thursdays.
  

• THE SHORTEST DAY: Winter officially arrives at 10:03 a.m. Dec. 21, the day with the fewest hours of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere — in other words, the “shortest day” of the year with only about 9 hours and 15 minutes of daylight. Then we’ll head the other direction, with daylight increasing every day all the way to the summer solstice on June 21, 2026 — the longest day.
  

• GET A HEAD START ON WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA 2026: The Joshua Stow Chapter NSDAR held its fifth annual Wreaths Across America ceremony Dec. 13 at Stow Cemetery. If you wanted to sponsor a wreath to be laid on a veteran’s grave for the ceremony but ran out of time, it’s not too early to do so for next year’s event. You can sponsor a wreath for the 2026 ceremony by going to this page. The organization says every wreath sponsored now through the end of the year will be matched — doubling your impact.
  

• MUNROE FALLS JOB OPENINGS: Full- and part-time Police Officer positions are still available in the Munroe Falls Police Department. Go here for more information and an application.
  

• “Reader Spotlight” is a forum where you can send us your comments, concerns and suggestions on anything going on in our communities of Stow, Munroe Falls and Silver Lake. Send your email to [email protected], put “Reader Spotlight” in the subject line, and please include your name and town (recommended but not required for publication). We will publish comments as we receive them.
  

• If you just subscribed or missed something in an earlier newsletter, don’t fret: Subscribers have access to every edition of The Spotlight at www.stowmunroefalls.com. Check out back issues to catch up on everything that’s going on in our communities — you never know what you might have missed!

⭐ Several stories in this issue are only available to premium subscribers: Martin Poder resigns, new Stow City Hall sign, police response to Tallmadge High and more local news. Get full access for just $2.99/month.

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In Remembrance

Stow Christmas Box Angel of Hope candle lighting ceremony pushed back to Dec. 21

Due to the recent winter weather, the Annual Candle Lighting Ceremony at the Stow Christmas Box Angel of Hope Children’s Memorial, originally scheduled for Dec. 14, will now be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21. The ceremony, which is open to the public, will take place at the Angel of Hope Children’s Memorial site in Silver Springs Cemetery, located at 5080 Stow Rd. “We apologize for the inconvenience, but want to make sure we’re taking safety into account with the negative wind chills,” the organization posted on Facebook regarding its decision to postpone.

The ceremony, which usually takes place the second Sunday of December each year, is a solemn occasion for those who attend. In the organization’s own words:

“This very moving ceremony is a special time to remember and honor our children as the holidays approach. Thousands of other bereaved parents around the world honor their children by lighting candles on this day also, as it has been designated as the Worldwide Candle Lighting in memory of all children who died too soon. If you have purchased a brick, you will receive an invitation to this beautiful event. However, family and friends, as well as the general public are welcome to attend. Those attending are invited to bring flowers to lay at the base of the Angel. We encourage you to dress warmly.”

Community

Mandatory, or optional? Snow parking bans were issued in our area last weekend, but plenty of cars were still parked on the streets

The recent snowfall didn’t just force the cancellation of schools, programs and events, it also meant snow parking bans went into effect over the past weekend in our area. These bans are issued when there is a snow event of a depth of two inches or more, and it means motorists are prohibited from parking their vehicles on streets so that snowplows, law enforcement and emergency services can get through unimpeded.

The City of Stow posted Dec. 13: “During the period of the [snow] emergency, law dictates that no person shall park or leave unattended any vehicle of any kind upon the streets. The City of Stow thanks you in advance for your adherence to this law.” Apparently, though, not everyone is adhering to said law, and frustration is growing with those who ignore parking bans. Here is a sampling of recent comments from Stow residents on the city’s social media pages:

• “Plenty of idiots in my neighborhood still parked on the street.”

• “I have never once seen a ticket on the cars on my street. I can’t even get in my driveway sometimes cause the neighbors park on the street and don’t move during the [bans]. Never once have they got a ticket and I have lived here 11 years.”

• “I’m not aware of any vehicles being asked to move, forced to move or, any attempt at parking enforcement at all in my neighborhood in almost 25 years.”

• “All talk, never enforced. Repeat offenders yearly. They get plowed in but that is it.”

• “Been dealing with neighbors that don’t move for over 10 years. Called reported and nothing.”

• “Charring Cross had three vehicles parked on it over the past few days, including Munroe Falls.”

• “3 on Willowdale.”

• “Start enforcing it then. Start with the cul-de-sacs. These posts are pointless when everyone knows there’s no follow through.”

• “People do whatever they want these days.”

• “I think they should just [get] plowed in and left to cry.”

• “Been living here since 2022 and have NEVER seen this enforced. When I lived in Parma, not only were tickets issued, it would indeed be towed. They didn’t play around.”

What about your street in Stow, Munroe Falls or Silver Lake? Let us know about adherence to — and enforcement of — snow parking bans where you live by emailing us your comments for our “Reader Spotlight” section. Comments will be published in future editions of The Spotlight.

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