Today is March 3, 2023.

• Good morning! We're going to get a little bit of everything today: a 95% chance of rain, windy in the afternoon with gusts up to 30 mph, snow showers late with little or no accumulation, with a high of 45 and a low of 33. We could also get a bit of snow Saturday, then we'll warm up to 61 by Monday before dropping down to 26 by next Thursday night. All in all, March is definitely coming in like a lamb.

• I also want to give a quick welcome to the hundreds of new subscribers who have joined us since the Stow Sentry announced it's shutting down this month. We're proud to be your new hometown news source. We'll keep covering Stow, Munroe Falls and Silver Lake for as long as you continue to value local news. Thanks for being with us.

Latest news in brief

Just in case: Water from East Palestine train derailment area can't reach our communities

If you're concerned about potentially toxic water from the recent East Palestine rail disaster reaching our area, don't be. (Whether the water is contaminated or not depends on who's talking.) According to the City of Cuyahoga Falls Water Department, which serves approximately 55,000 people across Cuyahoga Falls, Munroe Falls and Silver Lake, East Palestine's water can't get from there to here (rest easy: this also includes Stow).

Here's why, according to Cuyahoga Falls Water: Every drop of water from the Ohio River Watershed, where East Palestine is situated, flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. Stow (which purchases its water from the City of Akron), Munroe Falls and Silver Lake are located in the Lake Erie Watershed, so all of our water flows north to Lake Erie, then the Atlantic Ocean. No water is able to cross the continental divide; therefore, it is impossible for water in the East Palestine area to reach us.

Most of Ohio -- roughly the southern three-fourths of the state -- lies in the Ohio River Watershed. Those of us in Stow, Munroe Falls and Silver Lake barely make the cut for the Lake Erie Watershed, which only covers the northern one-fourth of the state. The dividing line between the two watersheds actually cuts across Summit County on a line just to the south and west of Akron.

So it's close, but we made it.

More local news:

• Easter egg hunts aren't just for the kiddos -- adults can get in on the fun, too. So if you're 21 or over, you're going to want to check out the Stow Parks & Recreation Department's Cocktails & Cottontails Adult Egg Hunt, which will take place from 6:30-9 p.m. Thursday, April 6 at Fox Den Golf Course (2770 Call Rd.) in Stow. The event will feature "Hoppy Hour" and live music from 6:30-7:30 p.m., followed by the egg hunt and prizes from 7:30-9 p.m. Each guest will hunt for eggs filled with treats and raffle tickets to submit for prizes. Bring your basket and a flashlight, and be sure to dress for the weather: The egg hunt is outside. Cost is $35 per person and includes heavy appetizers and two drink tickets. Registration opens soon here.

• Phase III of the City of Stow's Traffic Signal Box City Beautification Project is about to begin -- and the Stow Arts Commission is providing an open art call. The commission is seeking proposals from artists to provide artwork for vinyl wrapping of electrical traffic signal boxes. Boxes vary in size and design (vents, access doors, etc.) but are an average of 60x40x27 inches. Fifteen boxes throughout the city will be added as part of Phase III. The hard deadline to apply for this time-sensitive project is by 5 p.m. Friday, March 10. The selection committee will review completed applications and notify selected artists via email by Monday, March 20. Go here for more information and to apply.

• Looking for a fun summer job? Here's an option: The City of Stow Parks and Recreation Department is seeking full- and part-time seasonal camp counselors for its Silver Springs Day Camp, an eight-week experience for children in grades 1 through 6. The camp will be held at Silver Springs Park (5238 Young Rd.) beginning June 12 and running through Aug. 4. If interested, visit StowOhio.org.

• If you live in Munroe Falls, here's something you might want to take advantage of: Free, in-person city tax assistance will be available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 1 at City Hall (43 Munroe Falls Ave.). Go here for all your 2023 Munroe Falls city income tax filing information.

• In The Spotlight's continuing series highlighting support services provided by the Munroe Falls Fire Department, residents can request a File of Life that the MFFD will provide free of charge. The File of Life is designed to bring important medical information to the attention of EMS providers in the case of an emergency, when every second is critical. For more information or to request your free File of Life, email the Munroe Falls Fire Department at [email protected] or call 330-688-7493.

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Community calendar

🧒 Fri., March 3, 10:30-11:30 a.m.: Preschool Bingo. What: Children ages 3 to 5 can practice their letters, numbers, shapes and colors while playing bingo. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Register for this free program here, in person at the Children’s Desk, or by calling 330-688-3295 ext. 5. Register each age-appropriate child who wishes to attend.

🎨 Fri., March 3, 6:30-9 p.m.: Paint N' Pour. What: Do a little artistic painting while enjoying your favorite drink at this adults-only event (ages 21 and over), sponsored by the Stow Parks and Recreation Department. The program costs $25 per class and includes all materials and instruction for painting designs on a wooden board (approximately 6x16 inches) -- and you can bring your own snacks and beverages of choice to enjoy while you paint! Where: Leona Farris Lodge (Silver Springs Lodge) in Silver Springs Park (5027 Stow Rd.). Go here to register.

🎨 Sat., March 4, 10:30-11:30 a.m.: Mini Masterpieces. What: Children ages 5 to 8 are invited to learn about a famous artist and then will use what they have learned to create their own mini masterpieces. March’s artist will be Georges Seurat. Participants will learn about Seurat’s pointillism technique to create their own landscape scene. Although washable paints and markers will be used, be aware that this is a messy activity -- so dress accordingly. Where: Story Time Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Register for this free program here, in person at the Children’s Desk, or by calling 330-688-3295 ext. 5.

🏢 Tues., March 7, 6-7 p.m.: City of Stow Inclusion Committee Meet and Greet. What: Meet the committee members of the City of Stow Commission on Inclusion and learn about what they have accomplished for our community. Come with questions, ideas or suggestions; committee members will be on hand to give a short presentation about the background of the commission and answer your questions. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Registration is not required for this program.

☘️ Friday, March 10, 7-9 p.m.: St. Patty's Day Trivia. What: St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, so here's a chance to try your luck of the Irish with some trivia courtesy of the Stow Parks & Recreation Department. This program is for adults 21 and over. You can sign up with friends on a team of six players or be randomly assigned to a team. And feel free to bring a six-pack of your favorite beverage to swap with other attendees (not required to attend). Where: Leona Farris Lodge (Silver Springs Lodge) at Silver Springs Park (5027 Stow Rd.). Go here to register for this free event. This program is in collaboration with the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library.

🎭 Fri., March 10, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., March 11, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., March 12, 2:30 p.m.: Matt's First Real Wedding. What: Theatre performance by the Stow Players. Original play written by Brandi Eaton (directed by Alex Nine). Where: Heritage Barn at Silver Springs Park (5238 Young Rd.) in Stow. Seating begins 30 minutes prior to performance, and attendees are asked to arrive early to avoid interrupting the show. Go here for tickets.

🧑‍💼 Sat., March 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Stow-Munroe Falls Business and Community Expo. What: Formerly the Showcase, this is the Stow-Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce's premier event to connect businesses and organizations in Stow and Munroe Falls. Attendees can expect to see close to 100 businesses at this signature community event. This one-day extravaganza will feature business and organization exhibitors, "Food Truck Way," live podcast, prize drawings, kids scavenger hunt and more. Food trucks will include The Fry Truck by the Stow-Munroe Falls High School Booster Club, Pink Piggy BBQ, Daisy Pops, Nothing Bundt Cakes and Rowdy Beans Coffee Roasters. New this year will be Reserve Management Group (RMG) of Stow, which will have a truck on hand to collect unwanted electronics for recycling. Also, free paper shredding, courtesy of Weaver SecurShred, will be available (limit of one 10-pound box per person). Where: Stow-Munroe Falls High School (3227 Graham Rd.). There is no cost to attend, and parking is free. The Expo is presented by the Stow-Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce, Stow-Munroe Falls City School District, and the Cities of Stow and Munroe Falls.

☘️ Sat., March 11, 10:30 a.m.-11 a.m.: Special St. Patrick's Day Story Time. What: Stories, songs and rhymes will be geared toward children ages 2 to 6. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Registration is required and can be done here or by calling the library at 330-688-3295 ext. 5 (only register the name of the age-appropriate child).

☘️ Mon., March 13 through Fri., March 17, all day: St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt. What: Come to the Children’s Department any time between March 13 and March 17 to complete a St. Patrick’s Day scavenger hunt for a small prize. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). No registration required.

🐿️ Mon., March 13, 7-8 p.m.: Making Peace with Your Neighborhood Squirrel. What: Many of us love feeding our backyard birds, but not everyone loves feeding the squirrels. Join a naturalist from Wild Birds Unlimited of Cuyahoga Falls to learn about the different squirrel species in your backyard. We will discuss how to deter these crafty critters from your bird feeders and live peacefully with them. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Register here or by calling the library at 330-688-3295 ext. 4.

🧑‍🏭 Wed., March 15, 7-8 p.m.: The Modern Job Search. What: Learn how to uncover hidden jobs and maximize use of job-search resources such as the OhioMeansJobs facility, Ohiomeansjobs.com and social media. Additionally, attendees will learn how applicant tracking software works and how to make sure they are not filtered out of the candidate pool. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). To register, call 330-688-3295 ext. 4, or go here.

🎭 Fri., March 17, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., March 18, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., March 19, 2:30 p.m.: Matt's First Real Wedding. What: Theatre performance by the Stow Players. Original play written by Brandi Eaton (directed by Alex Nine). Where: Heritage Barn at Silver Springs Park (5238 Young Rd.) in Stow. Seating begins 30 minutes prior to performance, and attendees are asked to arrive early to avoid interrupting the show. Go here for tickets.

Obituaries for Feb. 24-March 2

Diana Elizabeth MascoloDiana Elizabeth Mascolo, 90, died February 24, 2023.Read more

Marie Nancy (Dean) RayMarie Nancy (Dean) Ray, 92, of Stow, Ohio, passed away on February 24, 2023.Read more

JoAnn G. HoltJoAnn G. Holt, 88, died February 26, 2023.Read more

Joan M. (Kissel) CurryJoan M. (Kissel) Curry, 95, passed away February 26, 2023.Read more

Michael S. GazellaMichael S. Gazella, 93, passed away February 25, 2023, after fighting a long and hard battle with Alzheimer’s.Read more

Christine BrennanChristine Brennan, age 39, our angel was taken way too early on February 25, 2023.Read more

James W. KernJames William Kern, age 64 of Munroe Falls, passed away unexpectedly Sunday, February 26, 2023. Read more

Featured

Heard around the world: Stow resident's Voices for Voices charity is helping people from here to Ukraine -- and it's only the beginning

Stow resident Justin Alan Hayes says he wants to help three billion people in his lifetime. That's an ambitious objective, but he's off to a great start with the founding of Voices for Voices, a 501c3 non-profit organization centered on helping others in the mental health, accessibility and inclusion spaces. Voices for Voices officially launched in May 2022 -- and it's already making a difference.

Last year, the organization produced 23 audio episodes of The Voices for Voices Podcast, held its 2nd Annual A Brand New Day live charity event, directly helped people in need find timely mental health and alcohol/substance abuse recovery centers, and started a sponsorship program where Voices for Voices helps offset the often-burdensome financial cost of treatment and aftercare (i.e. doctor visits, therapy, medication, transportation and child care, to name a few).

Also:

• The Voices for Voices Career Center was launched within the voicesforvoices.org website to connect talent with opportunity. New jobs are updated every three days.

• In December 2022, in-studio television production started on new episodes of The Voices for Voices Podcast, which will be broadcast at 4 p.m. Wednesdays throughout 2023 and simultaneously to YouTube and all audio platforms (Apple, Spotify, iHeart, etc.).

• Voices for Voices utilized donations from supporters to send and personally hand-deliver hygiene items, children’s books, clothing, food and much more to Ukrainian refugees, including mothers with small children in Warsaw, Poland.

Local residents will get a chance to check out Voices for Voices and meet Hayes, the group's founder, president and executive director, at the 3rd Annual A Brand New Day event at Silver Springs Park in October. For more information about Voices for Voices or to donate, go to voicesforvoices.org or email Hayes at [email protected]. Also, go here to see Hayes and Voices for Voices featured on a segment of Leon Bibb's "We The People" television program at WKYC studios in Cleveland.

And we're done for another week. Thanks to everyone who has been sending in club and organization info. We would love to start bringing you even more local news, especially the goings-on in government, but that's dependent upon paid subscriptions (the more we have, the more we can cover).

Have a wonderful week and see you back here next Friday!

Tom [email protected]