Today is May 28, 2026.

Note from the editor

Morning, all! Hey everyone, it’s Tom Hardesty. As we send out our final issue of The Spotlight this morning and say goodbye, I want to thank all of our loyal readers for your support these last four years. Whether you’ve been here since we launched The Spotlight on Aug. 2, 2022, or just recently subscribed, we appreciate each and every one of you and couldn’t have gone this far without you. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve our communities of Stow, Munroe Falls and Silver Lake, and it’s been wonderful getting to meet and know so many of you over these years.

Prior to our launch of The Spotlight my experience in journalism had been strictly in sports, but covering the hard news side of things has been both educational and rewarding. It has been the perfect way to cap my career in journalism, which began when I was 18 years old and has spanned 40 years. Now, though, it’s time for me to retire and see what the next chapter of life has in store. But while The Spotlight will be gone, our coverage of Stow, Munroe Falls and Silver Lake isn’t going anywhere; you will find all the news from our communities in our sister publication, The Summiteer (publisher Ben has all those details). As for me, my wife and I have lived in Stow for 26 years and we’re not going anywhere (except the beach a little more often), so I will still have my finger on the pulse of the community.

Again, thank you — it’s been a heck of a ride. But before it comes to a complete stop, we have some final business to take care of with this note from Ben and this week’s news…

Note from the publisher

Hi there! Ben Wolford here.

As Tom said, this will be our final issue of The Spotlight but not the end of our coverage. Starting next week, you’ll all begin receiving your local news from The Summiteer, our sister publication that already covers Stow, Munroe Falls and Silver Lake, along with other towns in the area, including Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, Tallmadge, Twinsburg, Springfield and Mogadore.

The only thing I would recommend you do is to add [email protected] to your email contacts. That will help avoid your emails going to spam. If you have any questions, you can email me at that address as well.

And finally, I want to thank Tom for his service to Portage and Summit counties for these past four-plus years with us and the past 40 years with other publications. Tom embodies the spirit of local journalism and professionalism. It has been a privilege to work with him at The Spotlight, The Portager and the Record-Courier during my own career. Congratulations on a well-earned retirement!

And back to the news…

• Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day holiday as we embark on the unofficial start of summer. Today is going to feel more like spring, though: Mostly sunny and not as warm, with a high of 68 and tonight’s low dropping to 46. We’re going to be in a similar cycle for at least the next week as we round third and head for the start of summer, which arrives Sunday, June 21.
  

• CITY OF MUNROE FALLS PARKING LOTS TEMPORARILY CLOSED: The parking lots at Munroe Falls City Hall and Guise Park are being sealed today and will be closed to all vehicles. City offices will still be open.
  

• SILVER LAKE WATER SUPPLY PRESENTATION: For Silver Lake residents who were unable to attend the May 20 special meeting of village council, you can view the presentation and recommendations made by the village’s consulting engineers, OHM Advisors, concerning the village’s water supply via a link on this page. Silver Lake’s water supply will next be discussed at the Monday, June 1 regular council meeting, which will take place at 7 p.m. at Village Hall at 2961 Kent Rd. No action is planned for that meeting.
  

• SMF LIBRARY JOB OPENING: The Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library has a job opening for a full-time Public Services Assistant. Go here to apply.
  

• MOSQUITO AND TICK SEASON IS HERE: The weather has finally broken, and you know what that means: It’s mosquito and tick season in Summit County. Summit County Public Health reminds us to protect ourselves from bites that can carry illnesses like West Nile virus and Lyme disease. Simple steps can make a big difference like using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves, checking for ticks after spending time outside and eliminating standing water around your home. Go to this page for more information.
  

• “Reader Spotlight” is a forum where you can send us your comments, concerns and suggestions on anything going on in our communities of Stow, Munroe Falls and Silver Lake. Send your email to [email protected], put “Reader Spotlight” in the subject line, and please include your name and town (recommended but not required for publication). We will publish comments as we receive them.
  

• If you just subscribed or missed something in an earlier newsletter, don’t fret: Subscribers have access to every edition of The Spotlight at www.stowmunroefalls.com. Check out back issues to catch up on everything that’s going on in our communities — you never know what you might have missed!

Sponsored by Brandon Heating and Air Conditioning

The Spotlight would like to thank the following benefactors for making our work possible: Brandon Heating and Air Conditioning

Stow

Kids Build The AMP Pop-Up on June 30 is next on city’s “Building the Beat” event list

The third event in the City of Stow’s “Building the Beat” series celebrating the start of construction on the new amphitheater is the Kids Build The AMP Pop-Up, which will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 30 at the amphitheater location at 1680 Norton Rd. The event is part of the city’s Celebrate Stow Week festivities.

Here’s what’s in store for attendees:

• A build-your-own amphitheater craft station for kids (craft supplies will be provided)

• Photo opportunities to capture the construction progress at the site as well as the mini-amphitheaters created by kids

• Fun giveaways (while supplies last)

• An informational space to learn more about the amphitheater project and upcoming plans

The event is free to attend.

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