Today is Nov. 1, 2022.

• Hope everyone had a great Halloween! The weather was perfect for trick-or-treat Saturday night, and it's going to be more of the same as November gets underway. We'll have a passing morning shower today with a high of 64, then dropping to 46 tonight. Temps will then rise into the high 60s with sunshine Wednesday and Thursday – ideal weather to get out and rake those leaves.

Latest news in brief

State pushes Munroe Falls paving project for Route 91 to back burner due to Stow's big dig

Resurfacing North Main Street through Munroe Falls has been pushed back until 2027 due to a planned rebuild of state Route 91 through Stow.

As reported in The Spotlight last week, the entire Stow portion of Darrow Road is set to have a $10 million rebuild, with surveying already underway and construction due to start in 2025.

Munroe Falls Director of Public Service Jim Bowery said the State of Ohio has pushed back its plans to resurface Route 91 through the city, which was supposed to happen next year.

“There is nothing planned for Route 91,” he said. “The state was supposed to pave North Main Street next year, but because of the work in Stow, they have postponed that until 2027. So we have nothing planned at this time.”

More local news:

• The Stow-Munroe Falls High School Drama Club will present three productions of "Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic" in November. The first showing will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18; the second at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19; and the third at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20. Tickets can be purchased at the Hometown Ticket App (once you download the app, type in "Stow-Munroe Falls High School" and you will see tickets for each performance); the SMFHS Sports site; or at the door before each performance. Tickets are $9 for adults, and $7 for students and seniors. All three performances will be held at Stow-Munroe Falls High School (3227 Graham Rd.).

• Go on a leaf hunt with Stow Parks & Recreation by signing up for the department's free "We're Going On A Leaf Hunt" program for children ages 4 to 8 and their families. Learn about fall trees and their changing colors through stories, hands-on activities and a scavenger hunt to find different leaves outside. The event takes place from 2-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, at Leona Farris Lodge (Silver Springs Lodge), located at 5027 Stow Rd. in Silver Springs Park. Go here to register.

Sponsored by Brandon Heating and Air Conditioning

Ask about ads

Community calendar

🩸 Wed., Nov. 2, 1-7 p.m.: American Red Cross Blood Drive. What: Blood drive in the Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). To schedule an appointment time in advance, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

🧀 Sat., Nov. 5, 6-7:30 p.m.: Charcuterie Styling for the Holidays. What: Learn to create your own charcuterie board, courtesy of Jackie Halay from 2 Board Sisters. Bring your beverage of choice as you learn what to include on your board – and add your own personalized touch for the holidays. Where: Leona Farris Lodge (Silver Springs Lodge), 5027 Stow Rd. in Silver Springs Park. Program is for adults 21 and over. Cost is $30 per person. Go here to register.

🎥 Mon., Nov. 7, 1-4 p.m.: Veterans Day Movie: "Midway." What: Watch the classic World War II film "Midway" in the Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Register online at events.smfpl.org, or call the library at 330-688-3295 ext. 4.

🎥 Mon., Nov. 7, 6:30-8 p.m.: Family Movie: "Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank." What: Bring the whole family to watch this fun, animated movie on the big screen. Popcorn and drinks will be provided, and feel free to bring blankets and pillows for the kids. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). To register your family members who wish to attend the program, go to events.smfpl.org or call the library at 330-688-3295 ext. 5.

📱 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.

Obituaries for Oct. 28-31

Paul Eugene KovachPaul Eugene Kovach, 79, passed away October 21, 2022. Born in Cleveland, he was a resident of Silver Lake since 1980.Read more

Theodore Gretz MartenTheodore Gretz Marten, 66, of Stow passed away in his home surrounded by his loving family on October 14, 2022.Read more

You deserve a locally owned local news source that's invested in our community. But we can't do it without you.

Stow

A message from beyond? Discovery of late father's hidden Miller beer can sparks emotions for SMF school board member Kari Suhadolnik

During his career as a mason, Lee Miller used to place a calling card at work sites: an empty Miller beer can hidden among the bricks or behind walls.

So when a friend of Stow resident Kari Suhadolnik recently found a crushed Miller beer can among the debris at the demolished field house adjacent to Bolich Middle School in Cuyahoga Falls, the Stow-Munroe Falls school board member had no doubt who it belonged to originally: Lee Miller, her deceased father.

• Miller had worked at the site during the building's construction in 1997.

• He died unexpectedly on July 4, 2011, at age 70 as Suhadolnik and other family members waited for him to arrive at a family picnic.

• When notified of the beer can's discovery, “I started crying immediately ... to me, the Miller can felt like a message,” Suhadolnik said.

Read Mark Baxter's full account of this remarkable tale befitting of the Halloween season.

Sports

Bulldog Sports Roundup: Football finishes 1-10 with playoff loss to powerful Lakewood St. Ed; cross country sends three runners to state meet

The OHSAA's expansion of its state football playoffs has created some serious mismatches in the first round – like one-win Stow-Munroe Falls playing No. 1-ranked and defending state champion Lakewood St. Edward, for example.

So it was no surprise that the Bulldogs fell to the Eagles, 42-6, to end the season with a 1-10 record. But the fact that SMF got on the board against St. Ed via freshman QB Jake Harrington's long TD pass to Joey Lehner gives the Bulldogs something to build on for 2023.

"Better times [are] on the horizon," said SMF coach Martin Poder.

In other Bulldog sports action last week:

• Juniors Jayla Atkinson and Deena Ingrassia qualified for the girls state cross country meet, and senior Micah Bentley will join them there on the boys side following their strong performances at the Boardman Division I Regional.

• The girls soccer team pushed top-seeded and undefeated Twinsburg to the limit before dropping a 2-1 decision in overtime in the Division I district semifinals.

See Roger Gordon's complete roundup.

Mailbox

Reader: Your Halloween Special article about Gettysburg was especially interesting! Thanks for sharing.

Tom: Thanks! If anybody out there has a creepy story closer to home I'd love to hear it. Any good Stow ghost stories out there?

Reader: This is a great little synopsis of local news! I like the stories and event calendar and simplicity of it all. Thanks for what you are doing! I am a happy paid subscriber! -Maria Grimm

Tom: Yes! Thank you so much for your support, Maria. We couldn't do this work without you.

Reader: What about route 91 going through Munroe Falls? When will that be addressed?

Tom: Thanks for your question! It inspired our lead brief today. Hope that answers your question.

So that's three months in the books for The Spotlight. We're off to a great start and can't wait to see what the next three months bring. Please continue to spread the word about us — the more readers we have, the more local news we can cover. And, as always, send us your news tips and story ideas. See you Friday!

Tom [email protected]