Today is March 13, 2025.

• Morning all! It’s not quite spring yet — it officially arrives at 5:01 a.m. Thursday, March 20 — but it’s going to feel like spring this weekend. Today it’s going to be sunny to partly cloudy with a high of 65 degrees and a low of 42; temps will then rise into the mid-70s Friday and Saturday before things start to turn colder again, with a Monday forecast of 46 degrees and sunshine for your St. Patrick’s Day festivities.
  

• JIMMY MASHBURN FUNDRAISER NETS NEARLY $4,000: The Tastes of Compassion fundraiser for the family of the late Jimmy Mashburn, a Stow-Munroe Falls educator who was killed in a car crash in January, raised $3,974.04 through the generosity of the community and the support of local businesses. Held Feb. 12, the event invited the community to dine at participating local restaurants, with a percentage of their proceeds going to assist Jimmy’s family. The City of Stow posted March 12: “This joint effort, in collaboration with the City of Stow’s Helping Hands and the Stow Schools Foundation, showcased the power of kindness and unity. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the participating businesses — Bellacino’s Stow, Garretts Mill Diner, Handel’s Ice Cream, Jenni’s Desserts, McDonald’s, Nothing Bundt Cakes Stow, Papa John’s Pizza Stow, Stow Dairy Queen and Wing Warehouse Fishcreek Road — for their generosity. Most importantly, thank you to everyone who participated and contributed; your support made a meaningful difference in honoring the memory of Jimmy Mashburn, with all proceeds going to his family.” Mashburn, 32, was an intervention specialist at Stow-Munroe Falls High School and previously had served as an assistant football coach at SMF. He was killed in a two-vehicle crash on I-77 in Green early on the morning of Jan. 21.
  

• ADULT EASTER EGG HUNT AT ST. STEPHEN: St. Stephen Lutheran Church at 3725 Kent Rd. in Stow will hold its Adult Easter Egg Hunt from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 5 for adults 18+ only. The Easter egg hunt will take place outside the church rain or shine, so come dressed for the weather and be sure to bring a basket and flashlight for collecting and finding eggs. Here’s how the hunt works: Eggs will contain raffle tickets, so gather as many eggs as you can, then go back inside the church for a raffle basket drawing and refreshments. Tickets are $20 per person. Only 100 tickets will be sold, so advance purchase is highly recommended. Contact the church office at 330-688-7213 or email [email protected] to buy tickets, volunteer for the event, make donations or for more information. Proceeds from the event will benefit future youth group trips.
  

• SMF BUSINESS & COMMUNITY EXPO FOOD DRIVE: Stow’s Helping Hands is collecting non-perishable food items only for local pantries at the 20th Stow-Munroe Falls Business & Community Expo, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 15 at Stow-Munroe Falls High School at 3227 Graham Rd. in Stow. Items needed include: fruit cups, mac & cheese cups, juice boxes, cereal cups, pancake mix/syrup, peanut butter, jelly, Sloppy Joe mix, large canned soup, canned vegetables, boxed potatoes, boxed pasta and 24-ounce pasta sauce.
  

• “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.
  

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Stow

State of the City: Pribonic highlights civic projects, economic growth in annual address

Stow Mayor John Pribonic presented his 2025 State of the City Address on March 6 during the city council meeting at Stow City Hall, detailing the city’s accomplishments in 2024 and what’s in store for 2025. Pribonic highlighted the city’s progress over the past year in promoting economic development, improving public services and enhancing quality of life.

Some of the city’s notable achievements included:

• The establishment of the new Stow Community & Senior Center

• The development of a pickleball complex and walking trails at Oregon Trail Park

• The addition of a kayak launch at Silver Springs Park

The city posted on its website March 7: “In terms of economic growth, Stow continues to thrive with a surge of new businesses that are boosting our economy and creating job opportunities. 2024 saw an impressive number of new businesses setting up shop in our city, and we’re thrilled to welcome them to our vibrant community. From retail to services, these new ventures contribute to the prosperity of Stow and make our city an even better place to live, work and grow.”

For all the details about the city’s highlights in 2024, including Pribonic’s “Message from the Mayor” to residents, go to City of Stow - 2024 State of the City.

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