Today is June 16, 2023.

• Good morning! After those heavy thunderstorms last night, we’ll have a couple of morning showers today but otherwise partial sunshine with a high of 73 and low of 54. We’re looking good for Father’s Day on Sunday when it’ll be mostly sunny and nice with a high of 82, while we’ll be even warmer for Juneteenth on Monday when it’ll be 84 with times of clouds and sun, with a shower in places. And your first-day-of-summer forecast next Wednesday: 83 degrees and times of clouds and sun, with a thunderstorm possible. Summer is here — in every way.

• If you went to Munroe Falls Metro Park on June 13 expecting to see the Music by the Lake performance and there was none, here’s why: The Spotlight received incorrect information on the group’s show dates. We can confirm that the next Music by the Lake concert at Munroe Falls Metro Park will take place Tuesday, July 11. For questions, call the ensemble’s info line at (330) 865-8060.

Latest news in brief

Get there early: A record crowd is expected for the Stow Fourth of July Parade

If you’re planning on watching the Stow Fourth of July Parade, you might want to start putting your game plan together now for when and where to stake out your spot along the parade route.

The City of Stow Parks & Recreation Department and the Kiwanis Club of Stow-Munroe Falls, the parade’s co-sponsors, say this year’s parade could be the biggest and best so far: They are anticipating at least 100 entries in the parade and tens of thousands of viewers attending.

The parade steps off at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 4 at the Stow Community Center (Target plaza parking lot) and travels west down Kent Road past Holy Family Church, ending at Park Drive. This year’s parade theme is “Show STOW Spirit!”

More local news:

• Before you make your party rounds on July 4th, grab those running shoes and tackle the 43rd Annual Stow Firecracker Run that morning. The race goes from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 4, and you can participate in either the 5K or the 2-Mile Fun Run. Both races start from Holy Family Church at 3179 Kent Rd. and feature an out-and-back course along the parade route. Cost to enter the 5K is $35 pre-registration, $40 day of race; fee for the 2-Mile Fun Run is $25 pre-registration and $30 day of race (race day registration starts at 6 a.m. at Holy Family). The race includes chip timing, free T-shirt, post-race refreshments and awards ceremony. Strollers are permitted in both races, but pets are not allowed to participate with race contestants. Visit this page to register and for more information.

• Interested in running for office in Silver Lake? The position of mayor and all three of the village’s at-large council seats (may live in any district) will be on the November ballot. The filing deadline for the mayoral position (four-year term) and these council seats (four-year terms) is 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9 at the Summit County Board of Elections at 470 Grant St. in Akron. Call the BOE at (330) 643-5200 or visit boe.ohio.gov/summit/ for more information.

• Remember when September seemed like a long ways away? Well, it’ll be here in less than three months — and that means Paw Fest 2023, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17 at Bow Wow Beach Dog Park, located inside Silver Springs Park in Stow. The event is already well underway thanks to the help of Stow-Munroe Falls Lions Club members, who have been busy getting everything ready for Rover and Fluffy’s big day. And for its 16th year of this dog-related event, the Lions Club has changed a few contests to include "Best Dog in a Hawaiian Costume" and "Best Growl,” while other contests will continue with "Best Dog Costume in a Parade" and "Shortest & Longest Dog Tails" (measured by none other than Munroe Falls Mayor Allen Mavrides and Stow Mayor John Pribonic). Interested vendors, food trucks and animal rescues should contact SMF Lions Club Chair Marty Dennis at [email protected].

• Silver Lake’s Veterans Tribute Garden was formally dedicated on Memorial Day, but it’s still not too late to purchase a paver. If you’re thinking about buying one, you have until Monday, July 31 to do so. Mayor Bernie Hovey says the village would like to order the pavers by then so that they are available for installation before the end of the summer. Order forms are available here and at Village Hall at 2961 Kent Rd.

• FirstEnergy will be in Silver Lake this summer trimming trees around their power lines. A green door tag will be left at any residence that is affected. The contractor’s name and number will be on the green tag, and residents are to call them with questions.

• Summit Soil and Water Conservation District tip for June: Trade non-native plants for native ones. Native plants work above and below the ground to benefit our environment. They provide habitat for important pollinators and other wildlife, and their long root systems help to soak in stormwater and filter out pollutants. They are adapted to our local climate and are low maintenance, so you can enjoy your garden more while it works for all of us.

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Community calendar

🍣 Fri., June 16, 7-9 p.m.: ToshoCon 2023. What: Toshokan: The Japanese word for "library." ToshoCon: A mini-convention for anime and manga fans ages 12 to 17. Program features cosplay and art contests with prizes, panel discussions, candy sushi-making, anime trivia, and more. Anime merchandise will be available for purchase from JC Comics and Anime of Cuyahoga Falls. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Registration is required for this free after-hours event, which is sponsored by the Friends of the Library, the Hudson Library & Historical Society, and JC Comics and Anime. To enter the Anime Art Contest, be sure to register here first. Bring your hand-drawn art or a printout of your digital art with you to ToshoCon.

🧶 Sat., June 17, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Crafts at the Stow Community Farmers Market. What: Craft with the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library at the Stow Community Farmers Market. The library will lead you in a fun, nature-inspired activity as you shop. Where: Stow Community Church (1567 Pilgrim Dr.). No registration required, just drop in.

🍿 Mon., June 19, 6-8:30 p.m.: Juneteenth Movie: Hidden Figures. What: Celebrate Juneteenth with a screening of the film about three African-American women at NASA who were instrumental in the launch of John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). No registration is required.

📚 Tues., June 20, 6-7:30 p.m.: Connect with Nature: Playing and Pages Pop-Up in the Park. What: Stow Parks & Recreation Department event for kids featuring games, frozen treats, music, water balloons, and a free book for each child. Joining the fun will be Mayor John Pribonic, the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library, Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools, Stow Fire Department, Stow Police Department, Stow Commission on Inclusion, and Stow Law Director Jaime Syx. Where: Crestdale Park (4570 Timberdale Dr.). Admission is free for all ages, and there's no need to register. Rain date is Wednesday, June 21. This is the first of three Playing and Pages Pop-Up in the Park events of the summer.

🐕 Wed., June 21, 6:30-8 p.m.: All-Ages Pet Show. What: Show off your best friend and view all the great pets of Stow and Munroe Falls at this outdoor event for all ages. Participants will receive certificates indicating what makes their pets special, and three special pets will be chosen as "favorite pets" in a popular-choice vote. Shot records are required for any pet that will be outside of a cage. Records must be presented during event check-in that night in order to be permitted to participate. No livestock permitted. Spectators are welcome. Participants are encouraged to bring towels, blankets or chairs to sit on while showcasing their pets. Where: Front lawn of the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.), weather permitting. Go here to register (registration is required). There is no rain date for this event.

🧘 Thurs., June 22, 6-7 p.m.: Yoga on the Green. What: Embrace your wellness with this yoga program presented by the Stow Parks & Recreation Department. Instruction will be provided by Flourish Yoga and Wellness of Stow — just make sure to bring your own yoga mat and water. Where: On the Green at Stow City Center (3870 Darrow Rd.; parking at SKiP Playground). Program is free for the community and will take place every Thursday from June 8 to Aug. 10. Go to this page to register. Note: For inclement weather, the program will be moved to Flourish Yoga and Wellness at 3037 Graham Rd. in Stow. Registrants will be notified of this change by email.

🦎 Fri., June 23, 11 a.m.-noon: Connect with Nature: Backyard Safari. What: This is the first of the Stow Parks & Recreation Department's two Backyard Safari events of the summer. Children ages 8 to 11 will learn about the animals we see in our backyards with hands-on exploration, games and activities, with the June 23 program focusing on amphibians and reptiles. Where: Leona Farris Lodge (Silver Springs Lodge) at Silver Springs Park (5027 Stow Rd.). This free event will have outdoor exploration components, so come ready to be outside and possibly get a little dirty! Go to this page to register. Program is in partnership with the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library. For more information, call the Stow Parks and Recreation Department at 330-689-5100.

🧩 Sat., June 24, 9 a.m.-noon: Puzzle Sale at the Stow Farmers Market. What: The Friends of Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library will sell pre-owned puzzles at the Stow Farmers Market. These puzzles are in excellent condition and are priced to sell. Where: Stow Community Church (1567 Pilgrim Dr.). All money raised will be used for programming at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library.

♟️ Mon., June 26, 6:30-8:30 p.m.: Chess for All Ages: Instruction and Open Play. What: Join David Bills for chess instruction for absolute beginners through players who understand basic strategies (1200 USCF). Instruction is from 6:30 to 7 p.m., followed by open play. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). No registration required.

🎻 Thurs., June 29, 5:30-8 p.m.: Fiddler and Food Trucks. What: Join the Stow Parks & Recreation Department and Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library for this free event that will feature fiddler extraordinaire Krista Solars, who began playing fiddle music when she was 6 years old and is now a four-time state fiddle champ. Krista is back from performing in Las Vegas, and she will put the fire in the hottest and fastest country and pop tunes. Where: Front lawn of the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Food will be available to purchase, and registration is not necessary. Just bring your blankets and lawn chairs and plan to have a great time!

🧘 Thurs., June 29, 6-7 p.m.: Yoga on the Green. What: Embrace your wellness with this yoga program presented by the Stow Parks & Recreation Department. Instruction will be provided by Flourish Yoga and Wellness of Stow — just make sure to bring your own yoga mat and water. Where: On the Green at Stow City Center (3870 Darrow Rd.; parking at SKiP Playground). Program is free for the community and will take place every Thursday from June 8 to Aug. 10. Go to this page to register. Note: For inclement weather, the program will be moved to Flourish Yoga and Wellness at 3037 Graham Rd. in Stow. Registrants will be notified of this change by email.

🎸 Fri., June 30, 6-8 p.m.: Concert on the Green: Disco Express. What: The City of Stow continues its 2023 Concerts on the Green schedule with the best disco hits from the 1970s that are sure to get you on your feet dancing! Where: Stow City Center (3870 Darrow Rd.). Bring your lawn chair and enjoy food trucks, yard games and great music! Admission is free.

🌽 Sat., July 1, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Patriotic Farmers Market. What: Shop for fresh seasonal vegetables, baked goods and crafts from local growers and small businesses in our area. Where: Stow Community Church (1567 Pilgrim Dr.). Market will be open rain or shine.

🌊 Sat., July 1, 1-4 p.m.: Splash Bash. What: Join the Stow Parks & Recreation Department for a day of free water fun for the whole family. Splash Bash, one of the city’s #CelebrateStow events, will feature two huge water slides, a giant slip-n-slide, a foam cannon and foam pit, Stow fire engine with water hose spray, and Kona Ice Truck ice for purchase. Where: Stow City Center (3870 Darrow Rd.). Bring a towel and dress accordingly, because you’re going to get wet!

🚴‍♀️ Sat., July 1, 2-3 p.m.: Basic Bike Repair 101. What: Eddy's Bike Shop will present a basic tutorial on how to repair your bicycle. Some of the topics to be covered include: fixing a flat and inspecting tires; brake pad replacement or adjustment; reattaching a slipped chain and lubricating; bolt tightening; raising and lowering seats and handlebars. Where: Near the front entrance of the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.), weather permitting. To register, call (330) 688-3295 ext. 4 or visit this page.

🛝 Sun., July 2, 1-4 p.m.: Patriotic Picnic and SKiP Stow Kids’ Playground Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting. What: Part of #CelebrateStow Week, this community event will feature free picnic food and a fun celebration, including the ribbon cutting at 2 p.m. for the new playground. Where: Stow City Center (3870 Darrow Rd.). It’s the perfect lead-in to the city’s Fourth of July Parade two days later!

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Obituaries

Shelley D. (Richards) Taylor
Shelley Taylor, 69, passed away unexpectedly June 8, 2023.
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Dr. David Richard Macinga
Dr. David Richard Macinga, 53, passed away suddenly on June 11, 2023.
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Ian F. Blain
Ian F. Blain, age 78, passed away unexpectedly on June 7, 2023.
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John Lee Wogan 
John Lee Wogan passed away peacefully on June 8, 2023, with his family by his side.
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And that’s it for this week. There’s a lot going on in our communities as summer gets into full swing, so be sure to let us know about your organization’s upcoming events, your big neighborhood garage and yard sales, and anything else going on in Stow, Munroe Falls and Silver Lake. Enjoy the arrival of summer and see you next Friday!

Tom Hardesty
[email protected]