Cemetery Lantern Tour travels to Maple Shade
The Independence Historical Society hosted the third annual Cemetery Lantern Tour at Maple Shade Cemetery on the corner of Brecksville and Rockside roads on Oct. 21 and 28. The sold-out event featured community actors telling the stories of prominent residents of Independence. According to the Independence Historical Society Facebook page, “Our cemetery tours are intended […]
Search Articles
Veterans Day program honors past, current events
by Laura Bednar Independence held its annual Veterans Day program on Nov. 3, honoring military from all branches and recognizing resident veteran John Fabich, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 103. The event began with the playing of the national anthem by the Independence High School marching band followed by a […]
‘Beyond the Challenge’ teaches life skills to disabled adults
by Laura Bednar What started as a way to cover participation costs for the Special Olympics blossomed into a day program to teach adults with disabilities everyday living skills. Independence resident Linda Tarro started the nonprofit “Beyond the Challenge” in 2010 when her daughter Tiffany, who has Down syndrome, was competing in gymnastics at the […]
City plans to demolish Stone Road home as a public nuisance
by Laura Bednar Oct. 10 city council meeting Independence City Council notified the owner of a house at 7905 Stone Rd. that the city plans to flatten the structure. Building official Michael Gero said the property was recognized as a nuisance in June 2022. “At one point there were 13 abandoned vehicles on the […]
Band boosters clash with athletic boosters
by Laura Bednar Oct. 17 board of education meeting Kathleen Vijaywergiya, music booster president and school parent, expressed concerns over the Independence High School athletic boosters’ treatment of the marching band. She noted that marching band is listed in the school’s quarterly publication under “sports offered.” The student handbook lists band under club activities, not […]
Bridal ship takes up residence in former post office
by Laura Bednar Something White bridal shop moved from its location on Brecksville Road to the former Independence Post Office building at 6916 Daisy Ave. Owner Rebecca Somnitz bought the building at the end of December 2022, and after more than eight months of renovations, opened the doors in September. “I needed more space and […]
St. Michael School’s new principal sees job as answered prayer
by Michele Collins Jennifer Conti, the new principal of St. Michael Catholic School in Independence said her new job is the result of prayer and God’s grace. “When the opportunity came about, I really prayed about it. I asked for input from my family, and then I just took a leap of faith,” she said. […]
Independence High School students recognized as Commended Scholars
Independence High School students Callia Shumay and Matthew Wisnewski have been recognized as Commended Scholars in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program. “Congratulations to Callia and Matthew for this outstanding achievement,” said Mike Janatovich, Independence High School principal. “This is such a solid demonstration of the opportunities that our students have here at Independence High […]
Police Beat
Information provided by the Independence Police Department Oct. 1—Police assisted the Richfield Police Department during a vehicle pursuit on the freeway. Independence officers blocked ramps to I-77 N to prevent outside traffic from being caught in the chase. Once the vehicle lost control on the highway, officers assisted in securing the occupants. Oct. 7—Flock safety […]
Cuyahoga Valley Genealogy
The Cuyahoga Valley Genealogical Society will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. Members and interested public are invited to attend at the Willow Room of the Independence Civic Center, 6363 Selig Blvd. in Independence. This month’s presentation will be “The Ohio Historical Markers Program: More Than Mere Signs” presented by […]
Sponsored
Minimizing Your Taxes with Asset Location Strategies
by Kevin Kroskey, CFP®, MBA How much attention do you pay to taxes related to your investments? Even for an astute investor, this is often a murky area at best. Now that interest rates are meaningful, it’s time to brush up and avoid unnecessary tax. You may be familiar with the concept of asset allocation. […]
Sponsored
Using the Holiday Season to Discuss a Difficult Topic
by Dan A. Baron, Baron Law LLC It’s unbelievable, but 2023 is almost over. As we approach the holidays, we come together to unite with family, enjoy great food and engage in many discussions. One discussion that is often overlooked is the importance of communicating your wishes regarding estate planning. It’s challenging, difficult and maybe […]
Sponsored
Protect Your Family with CO Detectors
by Tom Olecki, Owner, Broadview Heating Carbon Monoxide. Unfortunately, each year it seems these words are used to describe the cause of death for a local family. Not only do 400 people die each year as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, another 20,000 visit the emergency room and over 4,000 are hospitalized. What bothers […]
School board sees new faces; school renewal levy approved, but addition voted down
by Laura Bednar Newcomers Anthony Avila (1,170 votes) and Katie Day Hill (1,360 votes) will take seats on the Independence Board of Education, according to unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. The two beat out current board members Andrea Marek (1,112 votes) and Joanie Mencl (874), as well as Matthew Urie (542) […]
Open Arms Adoptions hosts informational open house
Open Arms Adoptions is hosting an informational open house at Northside Marketplace, 21 Furnace St., in Akron, on National Adoption Day, Saturday, Nov. 18, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. This gathering offers attendees the chance to interact with the Open Arms Adoptions staff, gain in-depth insights into adoption programs, pose questions and enjoy light refreshments while […]
Half-acre “Bark Park” opens for resident canines
by Laura Bednar The furry four-legged residents of Independence celebrated the opening of the city’s “Bark Park” with sniff-filled greetings and Frisbee catches. The park is located off Selig Drive, west of the library and behind the T-ball field. Residents can access the park using the driveway before the service department, which empties into a […]
Fall Fest features activities, food and camaraderie
Independence High School cheerleader Keira Domobandemonstrates her high jump. Sophomore cheerleaders Lauren Dalrymple and Elyse Griel cheer behind her. Photos by Kim Scott Sowinski. John and Ashley Kobachic enjoy the clam bake with twins Addison and Brooklyn and Grandmother Judy Payor (r). Community members created scarecrowsthat lined Elmwood Park. Each scarecrowhad its own backstory. Former […]
Council acts to bar short-term home rentals
by Laura Bednar Sept. 12 city council meeting After a lengthy discussion, Independence City Council voted to change city ordinances to prevent short-term rentals. The language prohibits single-family dwellings or an individual room within a dwelling from being leased or rented for fewer than 30 days. “What this is trying to do is to make […]
Board of zoning appeals has opening
Applications open for board of zoning appeals Independence City Council is accepting applications for an opening on the board of zoning appeals through Friday, Nov. 17. The opening is for a six-year term beginning in January 2024. Candidates must be an Independence resident. If interested, send a letter of interest to Clerk of Council Debi Beal at 6800 […]
City presents resident award, talks policing and economic development at state of the city address
by Laura Bednar The Independence state of the city address on Oct. 7 featured the presentation of the city’s first-ever “Good Citizen Award.” Police Chief Robert Butler said the police department was in pursuit of a driver and passenger that had shoplifted in another city and ended up crashing the vehicle at the Independence McDonald’s […]
Primary school teachers ask for air conditioning
by Laura Bednar Sept. 19 board of education meeting Several Independence Primary School teachers asked school board members to make air conditioning a priority in all elementary school classrooms. “It’s been an issue for decades, and we haven’t found any solutions,” said first-grade teacher Nicki Lee. She added that the heat does not offer a […]
Letter to the Editor
We deserve better So … a week after my article about developers taking over city politics, the mayor’s office sent a representative to my house to personally talk to me about “complaints from a neighbor.” There are nuts falling from a tree in my backyard. A few land in his lawn. Another tree in my backyard has […]
November ballot includes two school levies, city and school board races
by Laura Bednar The Independence Local School District will have two separate levies on the Nov. 7 ballot. Issue 9 is a renewal of the current emergency operating levy passed in 2011. This 8.19-mill levy will generate $4.2 million per year for the district. Taxpayers will pay $286 for each $100,000 of appraised property value. […]
Meet the Candidates – Independence City Council Candidates
All seven seats on the Independence city council are open with eight candidates vying for the positions. John DiGeronimo, Tom Narduzzi, Anthony Togliatti, Jim Trakas, Dale Veverka, and Chris Walchanowicz are running for re-election and face newcomers Kevin Day and John Scheckel. City council members make $12,000 a year and the vice mayor makes $13,500 […]
Meet the Candidates – Independence Mayor
The position of mayor for the city of Independence is open and Greg Kurtz is running for re-election unopposed. The mayor makes $110,000 a year and is eligible for the same medical insurance provided to city employees. Kurtz will serve a four-year term. Following are questions posed to Kurtz by Independence Today magazine. Below are […]
Haunting tales surround heart of Cuyahoga County
by Charles Cassady In autumn, people eagerly join “ghost tours,” visiting authentic sites of chilling regional legends and lore. The latest ghost-tour business in Cuyahoga County will commence this year in downtown Cleveland and the Flats, led by local author/geneologist/historian William Krejci. Information is available at strangenspooky.com. And of course, the nearer to home the […]
Surviving the South Pacific: 104-year-old WWII veteran looks back
The first celebration using the term “Veterans Day” occurred in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1947, following earlier recognitions of the end of World War I that went under the name “Armistice Day.” This year, Independence Today honors veterans with the remarkable story of George Harabin, Sr., who served in World War II and turned 104 in […]
Independence Primary School is stop on ‘Get on the Bus’ tour
The Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators, serving Ohio’s pre-K, elementary and middle level school administrators, hosted a fall “Get on the Bus Tour” on Oct. 5 and the group’s second stop was Independence Primary School. “We had over 20 educational leaders from Northeast Ohio here at IPS to see some of the amazing things […]
Rockside Church celebrates 20th anniversary
In 2003, a new church showed up in an unlikely location – an office building on Rockside Road near the I-77 interchange. But that’s just the way the founding pastor wanted it. Now, 20 years later, Rockside Church is going strong, in the same location, with the same mission it had when it started. In […]
Police Beat
Information provided by the Independence Police Department Sept. 1—Police found a stolen vehicle in a West Creek Road hotel parking lot following a notification from the Flock Safety cameras. There were two people ordered out of the car. One admitted to having marijuana in the vehicle, and the other was arrested for receiving stolen property. […]