Today is Nov. 9, 2022.

• Good morning! We're in for a pretty nice one today: Mostly sunny with a high of 64 and a low of 43 tonight, then we'll rise into the high 60s on Thursday. November can go a lot of different directions weather-wise, so we'll definitely take this ideal start to the month.

• A big Spotlight shout-out to the leaf pick-up crews in our communities that are out there working hard and doing a great job clearing our neighborhoods of all those leaves. We thank you!

Latest news in brief

Racing the clock: Munroe Falls needs to install new mixer in water tower before winter hits

A new mixer is being installed in the Munroe Falls north water tower to keep water quality high. Council members agreed at their Nov. 1 meeting to spend $13,200 on the vital part, which needs to be installed before winter weather hits Northeast Ohio.

The work will be done by council contractor Utility Service Company as part of its contract, but the mixer needed to be purchased.

The mixer is essential to maintain water quality, reduce trihalomethanes and prevent ice buildup.

More local news:

• A wreath will be laid by the Daughters of the American Revolution to mark Veterans Day at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, in front of Stow City Hall adjacent to the statue of the Doughboy. The statue commemorates American soldiers who fought in World War I who earned the nickname ‘doughboy.’ “The Great War” formally ended at 11 a.m. Nov. 11, 1918.

• A waiting list for help with snow plowing for seniors in Stow has about 10 homes seeking help this winter. At their Oct. 27 meeting, city council members were told of the Snow Plow Assistance program and has already committed to helping 75 seniors, marking a higher demand than last year.

• Two new members have been appointed to Stow’s Commission on Inclusion. Mayor John Pribonic told council members at their Oct. 27 meeting that he had interviewed candidates and selected residents Pam Hunt and Michael Lamboy to serve, which council approved.

• Wooden chainsaw carvings and rear seats removed from police cruisers are among items being thrown out by the City of Munroe Falls. Council members agreed at their Nov. 1 meeting to dispose of many surplus items being stored by the city. Also included are old chairs and tables from the former Lehner Center, a lawn mower utility cart, a non-functioning Xerox printer and seven 14-foot garage door panels removed from Fire Station 1 when it was renovated.

• Bring a veteran to breakfast at Stow-Munroe Falls High School on Veterans Day — and the school will pick up the tab. SMFHS' Veterans Day Breakfast will take place from 8-10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11, at the high school commons (3227 Graham Rd.). Grab a form outside the attendance office to sign up.

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Community calendar

🎭 Fri., Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., Nov. 13, 2:30 p.m.: "Dorothy in Wonderland." What: The worlds of Oz and Wonderland collide in this youth production (ages 8-17) presented by the Stow Players. Dorothy, Toto and the characters of Oz get caught in another whirlwind that sweeps them off to Wonderland, where they meet Alice, White Rabbit, Mad Hatter, March Hare, the Cheshire Cat and many more. Where: Heritage Barn at Silver Springs Park (5238 Young Rd.) in Stow. Seating begins 30 minutes prior to performance. For ticket information, call 234-206-0128 or email [email protected].

📱 Mon., Nov. 14, 6:30-8 p.m.: Smarter Photos With Your Smartphone. What: Do you want to take photos on your phone or mobile device, but you aren’t quite sure how to do it? Or would you like to become more familiar with your device’s camera features, such as adjusting, editing, or sending photos that you took on your phone? Stop in for a very basic tutorial on mobile photography. Where: Community Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). To register, visit events.smfpl.org or call 330-688-3295 ext. 4.

🚨 Thurs., Nov. 17, 7-8 p.m.: CSI Murder Mystery. What: There's been a murder at the International Crime Scene Investigators Association conference. It's your job to mingle with the other "CSIs" to ask questions, find and reveal clues, and solve the mystery. You'll get to play a character, who may turn out to be the victim, the murderer, or just another disgruntled CSI attendee. Where: Stow Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Costumes are optional. Event is for detectives ages 12-17. Register here.

🎭 Fri., Nov. 18, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., Nov. 20, 2:30 p.m.: "Dorothy in Wonderland." What: The worlds of Oz and Wonderland collide in this youth production (ages 8-17) presented by the Stow Players. Dorothy, Toto and the characters of Oz get caught in another whirlwind that sweeps them off to Wonderland, where they meet Alice, White Rabbit, Mad Hatter, March Hare, the Cheshire Cat and many more. Where: Heritage Barn at Silver Springs Park (5238 Young Rd.) in Stow. Seating begins 30 minutes prior to performance. For ticket information, call 234-206-0128 or email [email protected].

🍂 Sat., Nov. 19, 2-3 p.m.: We're Going On A Leaf Hunt. What: Learn about fall trees and their changing colors through stories, hands-on activities and a scavenger hunt to find different leaves outside. This is a free program for children ages 4-8 and their families. Where: Leona Farris Lodge at Silver Springs Park (5027 Stow Rd.) in Stow. To register, visit StowOhio.RecDesk.com. Call the City of Stow Parks and Recreation Department at 330-689-5100 for more information.

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Election

Voters gave Stow-Munroe Falls school district a budget increase yesterday

In a major win for the school district, voters approved a levy that will award the school district $7.92 million over 10 years. The new tax will cost homeowners about $50 per month per $250,000 of property value.

• "We greatly appreciate the support of the community and all of the people that worked so hard to pass this levy," Superintendent Tom Bratten told us.

• Voters also approved all of the ballot measures in Stow, Munroe Falls and Silver Lake, including a modification to term limits in Stow and virtual meetings in Munroe Falls.

See our full election coverage here.

Sports

Bulldog Sports Roundup: Jayla Atkinson nearly gets All-Ohio honors at state cross country meet

Racing the best runners in Ohio is challenging enough. But the level of difficulty at the Division I state cross country meet Nov. 5 increased dramatically when participants had to run into the teeth of winds that hit 25 miles per hour.

Even so, Stow-Munroe Falls juniors Jayla Atkinson and Deena Ingrassia and senior Micah Bentley represented their school and community well with solid showings against the state's premier cross country runners.

• Atkinson finished 35th overall in the girls race, missing All-Ohio honors by just five places, while Ingrassia finished 107th.

• Bentley wrapped up his outstanding career by placing 76th on the boys side. "I think you can make a case that he’s the best cross country runner in school history," boys coach J.K. LeSeure said.

Read Roger Gordon's full roundup here.

Mailbox

Reader: Just an FYI, we are on a fixed budget so have not paid as of yet, but we DO love getting the news about happenings in our area. Thanks so much!

Tom: Thank you for reading! We know not everyone can afford a subscription, and that's why we don't have any paywalls on our site. It's important that everyone has access to quality local news, no matter your income.

Reader: Pleased to see Stow and Silver Lake received additional funding for police and I'm certain the retention bonuses are well earned. However, I would have liked to see some of the funds go towards innovative programming rather than just more of the same.

Tom: Thanks for the comment! We'll keep it in mind next time we interview the chiefs.

That wraps up a rare Wednesday edition of the The Spotlight, made necessary due to Tuesday being Election Day. We'll resume our normal schedule with Friday's newsletter. We are now barely three months old, but we are making an impact in the community: The Spotlight reporter Mark Baxter says that Ethan Symonds, the owner of Duck Duck Games (which recently opened in Munroe Falls), told him that his business has gotten quite a few customers thanks to the story Mark wrote about DDG. The Spotlight thanks readers for supporting local business. See you Friday!

Tom [email protected]