Today is March 8, 2023.

• Surprise! (More on that momentarily.) We're expecting sun and areas of low clouds today, with a high of 39 degrees and low of 27. Then winter makes an appearance Friday, with 2 to 4 inches of snow forecast by early Saturday morning. So keep those shovels and snow blowers ready just in case.

• Yes, usually we publish Fridays. But we're publishing Wednesday this time to introduce our new Stow-Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce section, which you will see below the Community Calendar. In it, Executive Director Julie McLain will lay out what the Chamber has planned and how the community can avail itself of all that the Chamber offers. Our next publication date will be Friday, March 17, with obituaries resuming on that date as well.

Latest news in brief

Farewell, Silver Lake: Hovey tells State of the Village audience that his 18th year as mayor will be his last

Silver Lake Mayor Bernie Hovey delivered his annual State of the Village address March 7 to members of council, the community and special guests gathered at Village Hall. Make that: his last State of the Village address, because Hovey announced that he will not be a candidate for mayor in November.

"It is a good time to leave. After 18 years, it's time for someone else," he said. "I will miss being mayor, but I am confident that we have people living here that are fully capable of continuing to move this village forward." 

Hovey covered a number of other topics in his presentation, including:

• The village is on solid ground financially. "The close of 2022 showed that we had a general fund balance of $2.3 million, a figure that represents about 60% of our entire operating budget," Hovey said.

• Construction update on the Veterans Tribute Garden adjacent to Village Hall. Work is expected to be finished some time in April, with a formal dedication taking place on Memorial Day, May 29.

• Possible changes to Silver Lake's building code which involve increasing the maximum height of houses (currently set at 30 feet) and the number of cars that residents can legally store on their properties (the present number is 3).

Go here to read the entire text of Hovey's speech.

More local news:

• Paw Fest 2023 isn't until September, but the time to secure a vendor space for your group or business is now. Now in its 16th year, Paw Fest, sponsored by the Stow-Munroe Falls Lions Club, is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 17 at Bow Wow Beach Dog Park in Silver Springs Park (5027 Stow Rd.). Rescue groups are free, while dog-related vendors and food vendors are $50 each for a 10-foot by 10-foot space. Contact Marty Dennis at [email protected] for more information.

• If you liked the Stow Parks & Recreation Department's "Learn OWL About It!" program last month, then you're going to love its Owl Prowl event in April. Here's why: The Owl Prowl will start at the Heritage Barn in Silver Springs Park (5238 Young Rd.) with naturalist Judy Semroc giving a talk focused on owl species present in our area. You’ll also get tips for spotting owls during the day and learn about where they like to roost. After the indoor program, Judy will lead a hike to listen and look for this elusive nighttime avian predator. While two main species of owls can sometimes be heard or seen, there is no guarantee that will happen -- which is why it's especially important to maintain quiet during the walk to the woods in trying to view these amazing birds. The Owl Prowl will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 13. The event is free, but registration is required; go here to register (note: the program is full at the moment, but call Parks & Rec at 330-689-5100 for cancellations/waiting list). The Owl Prowl is in collaboration with the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library.

• The Stow-Munroe Falls City School District is now hiring full-time and substitute bus drivers. Pay for full-time drivers starts at between $21 and $23 an hour, while substitute drivers start at $19.90 an hour (salary is based on experience). Drivers can work flexible schedules. A high school diploma/GED and clean background check are required. Call SMF City Schools at 330-689-5445 for more information or to apply.

• Registration is now open for Stow Youth Baseball's Camp Bulldog, which will take place over four consecutive Tuesdays in April. Camp Bulldog instruction is focused on players between the ages of 6 and 12 and will consist of four one-hour sessions starting at 5:30 p.m. and ending at 8:30 p.m. Camp dates are April 4, 11, 18 and 25. Cost per player is $40. For more information, contact Jason Lindsey at [email protected].

• In the final installment of The Spotlight's continuing series highlighting support services provided by the Munroe Falls Fire Department, residents can take advantage of training classes offered by MFFD. The fire department offers American Heart Association classes for CPR, AED and First Aid. To register for a class, call 330-688-7493 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

With the closure of the Stow Sentry this month, The Spotlight is your only local news source. If you haven't already, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription. Thank you!

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Community calendar

🎭 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.

🎸 Mon., March 20, 7-8:30 p.m.: Bars, Bands and Rock n' Roll: Author Talk with Chas Madonio. What: Brimfield resident and local author Chas Madonio talks about his book "Bars, Bands and Rock n' Roll: The Golden Era in Kent, Ohio." Chas will recount his experiences in and around the music scene of Kent in the '60s and '70s, including his time in a band with the legendary Joe Walsh. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Register here or call 330-688-3295.

👩 Tues., March 21, 7-8:45 p.m.: Women in History: Victoria Woodhull. What: Presenter Susan Cannavino will talk about Victoria Woodhull, a women's suffrage movement leader. She was the first woman to own a brokerage firm on Wall Street, the first woman to start a weekly newspaper, and an activist for women's rights and labor reform. And even though she had not yet reached the constitutionally mandated age of 35 to serve as president, Victoria Woodhull is still regarded as the first female presidential candidate. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Register here.

🎭 Fri., March 24, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., March 25, 7:30 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 25, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Friends of the Library Puzzle and Game Sale. What: Don’t miss fantastic bargains on pre-owned puzzles and games; these items are in beautiful condition and ready to incorporate into your next game night. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). This sale is free and open to the public.

Your comments from the last issue:

“I love the idea of covering the electrical traffic signal boxes with art!. They look lovely.”

“I have been so upset with the Stow Sentry these past few years as they no longer printed births, marriages, & deaths, no longer let the public know what various community organizations & businesses were doing, no longer published the activities of the school children, and so much more. Editorials were eliminated, so many local connections were lost. I am so happy that you have picked up the baton & are communicating with us on a local basis. We need these connections.”

Sponsored by the Stow-Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce

Notes from the Chamber 

By Julie McLain, Executive Director

It’s been about a year and a half since I started as the executive director here at the Stow-Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce. It’s great to be working in my hometown! We’ve worked hard to refresh Chamber programming, events and collaborations over the course of the past year and really have found our footing as the local path to success for our membership. Our mission is to be just that. A voice of leadership, a resource for support and a network of connection to promote the economic development in both Stow and Munroe Falls.

My plan is to keep our community up to date with the happenings in the Chamber business community and the key collaborations we have with both cities as well as the Stow-Munroe Falls City School District. I will also focus on our key events for businesspeople to connect with each other like "Coffee, Business, Connect" (CBC), an early-morning group, as well as "Biz and Brews," our afternoon casual-networking opportunity at the end of the day, and of course our Luncheons held every other month throughout the year. We also have a wonderful professional women’s group and we are getting ready to launch Leadership Stow-Munroe Falls in April, among other things.

I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t talk about our biggest event so far this year – the Stow-Munroe Falls Business & Community Expo being held Saturday, March 11 at Stow-Munroe Falls High School (3227 E. Graham Rd.). A showcase of over 120 businesses, the Expo is back (last held in 2018) and a great way for the businesses and community to get to know one another again! With free admission and parking, there is something for everyone at the Expo. Grab a coffee at the Rowdy Beans Coffee stand as you walk in, and stop by the Chamber booth to say hello! I’d love to meet you.

That wraps up our special Wednesday edition. We hope you enjoyed our new section highlighting the Stow-Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce, and many thanks to all of our new subscribers whose ranks continue to swell daily -- we appreciate your support. See you St. Patrick's Day!

Tom [email protected]