Today is Dec. 16, 2022.

• Good morning! Well, we knew the mild temperatures couldn't last forever. It's going to get colder, starting today with a high of 38 and low of 28 under cloudy skies. Expect flurries Saturday, snow showers Sunday and lows dropping steadily until we hit 12 degrees next Thursday night. Brrr!!!

• Thanks to the handful of folks who responded to the call for paid subscriptions last week! We didn't hit our goal of 10, but we're going to have Mark Baxter look into the city hall story I mentioned anyway. We currently have 45 paid subscribers out of 1,517 total. If we could just get to 200 it would mean we can do so much more reporting. Keep 'em coming!

Latest news in brief

'Tis the season: SMFHS Trumpet Carols will play the holiday classics at area stores while you shop

Remember when Christmas carolers went door to door singing holiday classics back in the day? Well, the musicians of the Trumpet Carols have you covered while you finish up your holiday shopping.

The Trumpet Carols, featuring Stow-Munroe Falls High School students and trumpeters Nolan Miller, Jacob Newcomer, Nathan Lavy, Andre Rudlosky, Owen Rinaldo and Natalie Pigman, will perform classic carols live and provide a festive shopping experience while you scour area stores for those last-minute gifts. Their schedule is as follows:

— Mon., Dec. 19, noon: The Griffin at 4962 Darrow Rd. in Stow.

— Tues., Dec. 20, noon: Fawn & Fanny at 4338 Kent Rd. (Unit 200) in Stow.

— Wed., Dec. 21, 10 a.m.: The Budding Tree at 403 N. Main St. in Munroe Falls.

— Wed., Dec. 21, 1 p.m.: The Upside Co. at 3274 Kent Rd. in Stow.

Happy shopping!

More local news:

• The Stow Fire Department is promoting its "12 Days of Holiday Safety." And to that end, the third day of holiday safety goes like this: "Check the date, before it's too late." This means make sure to install and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in your home. Winter is a peak time for carbon monoxide poisoning as more people start to utilize their fuel-burning devices. Winter is also the peak season for home fires due to the holidays, cooking, heating and use of candles. Click here for more information on smoke alarms and here for more information on carbon monoxide alarms.

• The Stow Parks & Recreation Department's first "Connect With Nature" program of 2023, Winter Tree Identification for Families, will take place from 2-3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16, at Leona Farris Lodge (Silver Springs Lodge) at Silver Springs Park (5027 Stow Rd.) in Stow. This program 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. The event is free, but registration is required at StowOhio.RecDesk.com (please register only one member of your family).

• Attention, kids: Stop in for a photo with Santa Claus at Tip Top Restaurant and Catering (3428 Darrow Rd.) in Stow from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 17. Time is running out for Santa to get back to the North Pole and get ready for the big day, so have those Christmas lists ready!

• Ever thought of having your own rain garden? Then you'll want to check out the Summit Soil & Water Conservation District's online Master Rain Gardener courses for Summit County residents. Contact Sandy Barbic at [email protected] for more information. Rain gardens are saucer-shaped gardens filled with native, wet-tolerant plants that are designed to collect, filter and soak up stormwater runoff from roofs, driveways and lawns that would otherwise flow into storm drains and streams untreated. Rain gardens can help improve localized flooding issues and increase wildlife habitat. When replicated across the region, they can make a significant impact in protecting the water quality of our local streams and Lake Erie.

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Community calendar

🎭 Fri., Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m. & Sat., Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m.: The Great Trailer Park Musical. What: Performance by Stow Players: There’s a new tenant at Armadillo Acres — and she’s wreaking havoc all over Florida’s most exclusive trailer park. When Pippi, the stripper on the run, comes between the Dr. Phil-loving, agoraphobic Jeannie and her tollbooth collector husband, the storms begin to brew. Where: Heritage Barn at Silver Springs Park (5238 Young Rd.) in Stow. Seating begins 30 minutes prior to performance (please arrive early to avoid interrupting the show). Note: Adult themes — no one under 17 will be admitted without an adult. Go here for tickets.

🎄 Sat., Dec. 17, 9 a.m.-noon: Annual Christmas Cookie Sale. What: Cookie sale presented by the Women's Fellowship at Stow Community Church; pick your own dozen from all the varieties available. Shop early — cookies sell out fast! Where: Stow Community Church (1567 Pilgrim Dr.). Cost is $7 for a baker's dozen.

📖 Sat., Dec. 17, 10:30-11 a.m.: Winter Fun Story Time. What: Winter-themed story time for children and their families. Stories, songs and rhymes will be geared toward children aged 2 to 6. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Registration is required. Register online at events.smfpl.org, or call the library at 330-688-3295 ext. 5. Only register the name of the age-appropriate child.

🎮 Sat., Dec. 17, 1-4 p.m.: Game On. What: Adults 18 and over can drop in at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library for an afternoon of board games. They'll have Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride on hand, but feel free to bring your own. Not a fan of board games? They'll have their Nintendo Switch running, with games from Madden to Mario. Where: Stow-Munroe Falls Room at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Rd.). Registration is not required for this event.

🎄 Tues., Dec. 20, 6 & 7 p.m.: Polar Express Train Rides. What: Event sponsored by the Stow Parks & Recreation Department that takes you on a short train ride through the Holiday Lights at Stow City Hall Campus and then proceeds to three other stations for snacks, games and stories. Where: Stow City Hall (3760 Darrow Rd.). This program is full right now, but call Parks & Rec at 330-689-5100 to see if there are any cancellations in either the 6 or 7 p.m. time slots. Cost is $5 per person (Stow residents only).

🎄 Wed., Dec. 21, 10:30 a.m.-noon: "The Grinch" Movie. What: Bring the whole family to watch the 2018 Illumination and Universal Pictures movie "The Grinch," based on Dr. Seuss' beloved classic, on the big screen. Popcorn and drinks will be provided. 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.). Register your family members who wish to attend the program at events.smfpl.org, or call the library at 330-688-3295 ext. 5.

🎅 Wed., Dec. 21, 5-7:30 p.m.: Picture With Santa. What: Santa Claus is coming to town, and this is your chance to stop in and get your picture taken with Santa at Pancho & Lefty's restaurant (3254 Kent Rd.) in Stow.

Obituaries for Dec. 9-15

Betty Jo RobertsBetty Jo Roberts, 94, of Munroe Falls passed away Sunday, December 11, 2022. She was born July 22, 1928 in Revere, WV to Hoy C. and Pauline (Grogg) Nicholas. Read more

Sterling (Chuck) HurstSterling (Chuck) Hurst, 83, passed away on December 12, 2022.Read more

Scott Jeffrey SmithScott Jeffrey Smith, 70, passed away at The Briarwood Healthcare Community in Stow peacefully on Dec. 8, 2022, just a few blocks from the house where he spent his teens.Read more

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And there's today's Spotlight. By the way, don't be shy about giving us a heads-up on what's going on with your organization or civic group. We'd love to publish your updates for the community.

Have a wonderful week ahead, get that last-minute shopping done (or get started on it, period), and we'll do this again next Friday. See you then!

Tom [email protected]