Independence Community Garden returns for another season
by Laura Bednar After a cold winter, Independence Community Garden plots will again bloom with color this spring. The garden, located south of the Independence Fieldhouse, has 60 plots, all filled, for 2025. Garden Treasurer/Plot Coordinator Pam Dengler said this year had the highest gardener return rate since the garden’s inception in 2012. A $25 […]
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Council approves preliminary Concordia site plan amid resident concerns
by Laura Bednar Independence City Council voted 5-2 at its February meeting to approve Petros Development’s preliminary plan for the Concordia housing subdivision at Stone and Brecksville roads. Greg Modic, president of land development for Petros, said the size of the stormwater basin for the development is triple the size of the original plan, and […]
Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Ohio engages community, police officers
by Dan Holland Originally created in 1983 by a group of parents, the Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Ohio, located at 6533 Brecksville Rd., now serves more than 1,000 families across 16 counties in Northeast Ohio. The nonprofit organization, formerly named “The Upside of Downs,” focuses on five ways to support families and individuals with […]
Cameras with AI technology to aid police in finding criminals
by Laura Bednar Feb. 11 city council meeting The Independence police department will add three video cameras to its supply, bringing the total to six, which are or will be in the following locations: Quarry Lane and Rockside Road, Quarry Lane near Winking Lizard restaurant, Hillside Road and Route 21, Pleasant Valley Road, West Creek […]
Independence Local Schools adopts new strategic vision
by Laura Bednar Feb. 18 board of education meeting The Independence Local Schools’ vision is to create “a legacy of excellence” as part of its new strategic plan. The strategic plan is the result of meetings and discussions with students, staff, community members and the board of education. In October 2024, Superintendent Kelli Cogan said […]
Bruno Luce offers exclusive shopping, various events
by Samantha Lumpkin New shopping options and experiences are popping up in Independence. Elizabeth DiFiore has opened a clothing boutique focused on affordable and sustainable clothing, shoes, jewelry and handbags. “I always knew I would do something related to fashion and helping others,” DiFiore said, “it had to be different than what was already out […]
Local scriptwriter Ed Lusk sees success in horror genre
by Charles Cassady When noting the Oscar nominees this awards season and your eyes drift to “Best Screenplay,” spare a thought for Ed J. Lusk, of Independence. His unproduced script The Blood Prophet earned “Best Supernatural Feature Length/Horror” recognition at the NE Ohio-based Horror Hotel Weekend film convention scriptwriting contest last year. Maybe not a Motion Picture Academy […]
Kindergarten registration open for 2025-26 school year
Submitted by Independence Local Schools Independence Primary School is now accepting kindergarten registration for the 2025-2026 school year. Families with children who will be five years old on or before Aug. 1, 2025, are encouraged to begin the enrollment process. To register, parents should visit the district website, independence.k12.oh.us/new-student-registration and follow the outlined steps. Registration includes completing […]
Police Beat
Feb. 3—Police detained a man who had walked in the middle of the roadway on I-480 E and jumped in front of cars. He was cited for disorderly conduct and public intoxication. Feb. 7—During a traffic stop on Rockside Woods Boulevard, the driver was cited for having drug paraphernalia. Feb. 14—A male staying at a […]
National Park Service closes Towpath section
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park has temporarily closed the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail between Red Lock Trailhead and Brandywine Creek until Friday, May 2. The trail will be fully closed during this time. It will not reopen during evenings and weekends. The closure will also impact the Valley Trail, which uses the Towpath […]
Cuyahoga Valley Genealogical Society
The Cuyahoga Valley Genealogical Society will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, April 7, at 7 p.m. Members and interested public are invited to attend in the Willow Room of the Independence Civic Center, 6363 Selig Blvd. in Independence. The topic will be “From Documents to Sentences to Stories: Rebuilding Family Stories” presented by Sunny […]
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Beating Winter Blues
by Melissa Lopez-Larson, MD It’s that time of year again, Spring is here. Some days are sunny and other days over-cast and rainy, but fingers crossed no more ice or snow! It is not uncommon for the “winter blues” or the more severe condition, Seasonal Affective Disorder, to occur during the winter months. Often this […]
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Warm Weather?
by Tom Olecki, Owner, Broadview Heating The weather is changing quickly, and that might mean going from using your furnace right into using your air conditioning. Preparing now for the coming summer season will ensure that your air conditioning system is ready for the hot weather ahead. If you have installed a winter cover on […]
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Understanding Advanced Directives in a Comprehensive Estate Plan
by Dan A. Baron, Baron Law LLC Estate planning encompasses not only the distribution of assets after death, but also critical healthcare decisions in the event of incapacity. In Ohio, advanced directives function as crucial legal instruments that enable individuals to articulate their medical preferences and designate trusted decision-makers. These directives ensure that healthcare providers […]
County hosts property valuation complaint information sessions
The Cuyahoga Board of Revision will host a series of information sessions for residents to learn about contesting their new property valuations. Last year, the county’s fiscal office conducted a state-mandated sexennial reappraisal to determine the value of all properties within the county. The reappraisal resulted in an average increase of 32% in home values […]
High school students invited to spring Envirothon
Envirothon, a competitive outdoor team event, offers a unique learning experience for high school students. The 2025 Area 2 Envirothon will be held on April 9, 2025, at the Cooke Family Wildlife Conservation Park, 4774 OH-13, in Shiloh. The event is designed to stimulate, reinforce and enhance interest in the environment and natural resources. A team […]
Christ the Redeemer to host new concert series
Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church of Brecksville has announced the debut of Concerts@CRLC. The goal of the concert series stems from Martin Luther’s quote: “Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise.” James C. Alfieri, director of music at CRLC, believes that Concerts@CRLC is a perfect way to complement the church’s music […]
Police take a solar-powered approach to stop speeding
by Noell Wolfgram Evans The Independence police department has taken a new approach to traffic control: solar-powered speed signs along Chestnut, Hillside and Brookside roads. The signs were strategically placed in those areas, although it’s not a permanent addition. “The speed signs are able to be moved; they are currently located at areas with high […]
Four athletes inducted into new Hall of Fame class
by Dan Holland Independence High School hosted the 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame inductions on Feb. 8, which honored four standout athletes during a luncheon and presentation held in the high school media center. The program was started in 1988, according to Tim Skoczen, who has served as president of the IHS Hall of Fame […]
Superintendent updates council on district vision
by Laura Bednar Jan. 14 city council meeting To kick off the first Independence city council meeting of the year, Independence Local Schools Superintendent Kelli Cogan updated lawmakers on her work since taking her position in August. Cogan said her goal is to have other school districts look to Independence as an example. She created […]
Planning commission approves preliminary Concordia site plan
by Laura Bednar Feb. 4 planning commission meeting Independence planning commission voted unanimously to send the preliminary site plan for the Concordia housing development at Brecksville and Stone roads to city council for review. The decision followed a public hearing and discussions with Greg Modic, president of land development for Petros Development Group. Economic Development […]
Community members voice support for baseball coach
by Laura Bednar Jan. 21 board of education meeting More than a dozen community members voiced support for Independence High baseball coach Jim Crooks, who was placed on leave after a Jan. 10 incident with a basketball coach from Trinity High School. Jim Crooks’ son, Sam Crooks, said Trinity’s coach harassed him online and later […]
Almost 3 million visit CVNP each year, as it celebrates a half-century birthday
by Dan Holland According to National Park Service statistics, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, was the twelfth most visited park in the United States in 2023, welcoming nearly 2.9 million visitors. Consisting of nearly 33,000 acres of reclaimed rural lands and former industrial sites along a 25-mile stretch of the Cuyahoga River Valley between Cleveland […]
IHS Academic Challenge team featured on News Channel 5
The Independence High School Academic Challenge team recently competed against Midview High School and Western Reserve Academy in a televised match on News Channel 5. The episode will air on March 1 at 11:30 a.m. Tune in to see the local students in action.
Police officer earns first ‘Everyday Hero’ award, honored at Cavs game
by Laura Bednar Independence police Sgt. Everett Haworth was recently recognized as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ and SERVPRO’s first “Everyday Hero,” a monthly celebration of a Northeast Ohio first responder who goes above and beyond to protect the community. Winners are chosen based on community nominations by a board of SERVPRO and Cleveland Cavaliers organization members. […]
Grapevine
Congratulations to our local students who have had academic success at their colleges and universities. The following Independence residents have been named to the dean’s list for the fall 2024 semester at the University of Mount Union: Nathan Bernstein, Eliza Botzman and Hannah Morrow. James Mathies, of Independence, was named to The University of Alabama president’s list for […]
Student writers advance to state level JustWrite tournament
by Samantha Lumpkin Independence High School has proven it has an assembly of talented writers after the IHS JustWrite team earned the distinction of Overall Champion at the Regional JustWrite Tournament at Cloverleaf High School in January. Independence’s team of 12 students all qualified for the state tournament in May. JustWrite is a writing competition program […]
Police Beat
Jan. 1—On Chestnut Road, officers issued a summons to a driver for open container along with traffic citations for no operator’s license and operation without reasonable control. The three passengers in the vehicle were underage. Jan. 4—A female was arrested for prostitution and possession of criminal tools at a W. Creek Road hotel. Jan. 4— […]
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What are those icicles telling you?
by Tom Olecki, Owner, Broadview Heating This past January was a record-setting month. Temperatures dipped below 0, and it seemed snowfall of a couple of inches occurred almost every other day. This combination of extreme cold and frequent snow has allowed the buildup of snow cover on our roofs. Driving around I noticed what seemed […]
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The Essential Components of a Comprehensive Estate Plan
by Dan A. Baron, Baron Law LLC Estate planning is a critical process that ensures your assets, family, and personal wishes are protected and managed in the event of your incapacity or death. Despite its importance, many people delay creating an estate plan due to misconceptions, procrastination, or the belief that it’s only for the […]
Coming Events
Breakfast with the Bunny
First Congregational Church of Akron, located at 292 E Market St., Akron, will host a “Breakfast with the Bunny” event
9:00am - 11:00am