Today is Jan. 6, 2023.

• Happy New Year and welcome to our first edition of The Spotlight for 2023! So far, we've been ringing in the new year with some fairly decent weather. It's going to be cloudy and colder today with flurries this morning and a high of 37, then down to 30 tonight — pretty favorable for this time of year. We're even going to be in the mid-40s on Monday and Tuesday, with no snow accumulation forecast for at least the next week. So if you've still got those outside decorations up, you've got a pretty good window of time to bring them in for another year.

• Today is the highly anticipated grand opening for Crumbl Cookies! Ribbon cutting for the national cookie chain's new Stow location will take place at 11 a.m. at 4326 Kent Rd., Unit C300, with Mayor John Pribonic on hand for the festivities. And check out the opening-week flavors: Strawberry Crumb Cake, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Nilla Bean Cupcake, Milk Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cornbread and Classic Pink Sugar. Those resolutions you made for 2023 can always wait a few days — or weeks.

Latest news in brief

Mission accomplished: Sponsors ensure that all veterans graves in Stow were honored with a wreath at December NSDAR ceremony

The Joshua Stow Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution honored local veterans by hosting a Wreaths Across America ceremony on Dec. 17 at Stow Cemetery. The Joshua Stow NSDAR was joined by community members, active military, veterans and their families to gather together in gratitude to the veterans who are laid to rest in the community and remember their sacrifice, honor their service and teach the next generation about the value of freedom.

Wreaths were laid by those in attendance to honor veterans interred in all three community cemeteries, with every known veteran's grave receiving a wreath. Approximately 850 veterans are interred across the three cemeteries. Local businesses, community groups and individuals sponsored the wreaths.

Stow hosts the only Wreaths Across America ceremony in Summit County. The event took place with wreath-laying ceremonies across the country, at sea and abroad at more than 3,100 locations. In 2021, 2.4 million wreaths were sponsored and laid for interred American veterans around the world.

The ceremony will return to Stow in 2023. Cost to sponsor a wreath to be laid at one of the three Stow cemeteries is $15, with wreaths available for sponsorship now at [email protected].

More local news:

• Kellie Dziemianzuk, owner of Tyrannosaurus Flex Fitness LLC in Stow, is collecting cards at her studio for Cindy Pribonic (wife of Stow Mayor John Pribonic), who is battling cancer. Cards, notes, postcards, etc. for Cindy can be dropped off at Tyrannosaurus Flex (3073 Graham Rd.), where a collection box has been provided outside the studio. Kellie will take the cards to Cindy herself in shifts. Your well-wishes for Cindy are appreciated.

• Stow City Council President Jeremy McIntire, an Iraq War veteran and Purple Heart recipient, is launching the 4th Annual Operation Valentine's Day to collect Valentines for troops deployed overseas. Valentines in the form of a handwritten letter, note or handmade card are being collected at Stow City Hall from now until Wed., Jan. 25. Go here for guidelines on how to create the Valentines and information on how and where to submit them.

• The Munroe Falls Christmas Tree Pick-Up will take place Friday, Jan. 13. Residents are asked to remove all decorations, lights, tinsel, stand, etc. and place their tree at the curb no later than 7 a.m. that morning. The city will make only one pass through Munroe Falls for collection. If you miss the city's pick-up deadline, don't fret: The trash hauler will collect the tree any time on regular collection days.

• A Service Worker position is now available with the Village of Silver Lake. Applicants should have knowledge of and be able to perform duties pertinent to water, sewer, street maintenance and repair, roadway drainage, building maintenance, and parks. Pay for the position starts at $20.72 an hour. Call 330-923-5233 if interested.

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Community calendar

👂 Mon., Jan. 9, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.: Free Hearing Screening. What: Reserve Hearing Center will offer free hearing screenings in the library's upstairs meeting room. Screenings last approximately 10-15 minutes per person. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Registration for this free program is required. To register, call 330-688-3295 ext. 4, or visit events.smfpl.org.

❄️ Sat., Jan. 14, 10:30-11 a.m.: Special Winter Animals Story Time. What: Children and their families can join the library for a winter animals-themed Story Time. 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 for this free program is required (only register the name of the age-appropriate child). Register online at events.smfpl.org, or call the library at 330-688-3295 ext. 5.

🌳 Mon., Jan. 16, 2-3 p.m.: Winter Tree Identification for Families. What: The Stow Parks & Recreation Department's first "Connect With Nature" program of 2023 explores how to identify trees in the wintertime. School-age children and their families will explore conifers and deciduous trees and learn about identifying trees by bark, needles, shape and twig. Attendees will then explore trees outside to test their skills. This program is in collaboration with the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library. Where: Leona Farris Lodge (Silver Springs Lodge) at Silver Springs Park (5027 Stow Rd.) in Stow. Event is free, but registration is required at StowOhio.RecDesk.com (register only one member of your family).

✊ Mon., Jan. 16, 6-8:30 p.m.: MLK Day Movie: "Selma." What: Celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with the acclaimed film "Selma." Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Register for this free program online at events.smfpl.org, or call the library at 330-688-3295 ext. 4.

🪷 Tues., Jan. 17, 7-8:30 p.m.: Korean Lotus Lantern Hybrid Program (in person or via Zoom). What: Free program in which the Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project (KSCPP) will teach participants ages 10 to adult how to make a lotus flower lantern using colored paper and a pre-made wire frame. Participants will also learn about Korea’s unique history and culture and view a short documentary film. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Participants can attend in person or join a live Zoom class and participate from home. If joining from home, participants must pick up a take-home kit before 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15 (one kit per registered person). This program will not be recorded and will not be available to watch later. Registration is required for both the in-person and Zoom options. Register your family members who wish to attend the program by going here, or call the library at 330-688-3295 ext. 5. A link will be emailed to Zoom participants prior to the program. This program is paid for by the Friends of the Library.

❄️ Wed., Jan. 18, 7-8 p.m.: Nature in Winter. What: Local field biologist and naturalist Judy Semroc returns to discuss the wonders of nature that can be found even in the cold and frigid landscape of Northeast Ohio during the winter months. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). To register, call 330-688-3295 ext. 4, or visit events.smfpl.org. This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

🍿 Fri., Jan. 20, 11-11:30 a.m.: Storybook Theater. What: Watch some of your favorite storybooks come to life on the big screen. Families with kids of all ages are welcome, but stories are geared toward kids ages 2 to 5. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Register each age-appropriate child who wishes to attend the program (registration is free). To register, call 330-688-3295 ext. 5, visit events.smfpl.org, or stop by the library.

🎭 Fri., Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m., Sun., Jan. 22, 2:30 p.m.: Cinderella or the Story of Bigfoot. What: One-act youth production (ages 8-12) presented by the Stow Players. This unique retelling of the traditional Cinderella story is full of unexpected twists, and shows that true beauty comes from within. 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.

Obituaries for Dec. 23 - Jan. 5

Elisabeth White (Hofmann)Elisabeth White (Hofmann), 89, of Stow, Ohio passed away January 1, 2023. She was born October 26, 1933, in Freising, Bavaria Germany.Read more

Bob J. HedrickBob J. Hedrick, 89, passed away December 30, 2022. Born October 1, 1933, in Christian, WV, he was a Stow area resident for 53 years prior to moving to Silver Lake in 2019.Read more

Joseph L. MartinJoseph L. Martin passed away peacefully on December 28, 2022, in Hudson, Ohio.Read more

Barbara Ann (nee Schultz) CarusoBeloved wife, mother, and grandmother, Barbara Ann (nee Schultz) Caruso, age 82, passed away unexpectedly on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2022.Read more

Shirley S. AndersonShirley S. Anderson, 90, died December 23, 2022.Read more

Elizabeth “Betty” VitulloElizabeth “Betty” Vitullo (nee D’Urso), 84, of Stow, Ohio passed away surrounded by family on December 29, 2022 after a 12 year struggle with Alzheimer’s.Read more

Joseph VizmegJoseph Vizmeg, 73, of Stow passed away at home on Dec. 26 after a long illness surrounded by his family.Read more

Mailbox

Stow

Going ...

... going ...

... gone

The photos above are a shocking sight for any local resident, but they hammer home a stark reality: The Macy's building no longer exists.

Crews from B&B Wrecking recently completed demolition of the Stow landmark, which anchored Stow-Kent Plaza for 55 years until closing in 2020. Mayor John Pribonic had said in July 2022 that a formal announcement regarding a new occupant for the property was coming soon, but on Nov. 9 he stated on social media that the prospective owners had decided that the building "is no longer conducive to contemporary retail area and layout requirements." The building faced the wrecking ball shortly afterward.

• The building hosted a series of department stores for the duration of its existence, opening in 1965 as O'Neil's. It later became The May Company and then Kaufmann's before Macy's purchased the standalone store.

• According to Pribonic, developer Burton Carol Management LLC has one year to present its plans for the site to the city. While BCM doesn't want to leave the site empty, it's future use is still very much up in the air.

And our first edition of 2023 is in the books. We hope you had a great holiday season and are having a wonderful start to the new year. And now that the festivities are over, The Spotlight will resume its normal publication schedule, which means we'll do this again next Friday. See you then!

Tom [email protected]