Good morning, Dev Test County. Baby, it's cold outside - but Lake Farmpark's Ice Festival is proving that winter's bite can have a beautiful upside. While most of us are hunting for the thermostat, professional sculptors are turning frozen blocks into dazzling masterpieces, giving cabin-fevered families a spectacular reason to embrace the chill. It's the kind of event that reminds us why we tough out Northeast Ohio winters in the first place.
And speaking of tough spirits, Akron's own punk-rock Barbie, Tracey Thomas, is proving that reinvention knows no age limit. As the former Unit 5 frontwoman drops both a memoir and acoustic album at 65, another local institution faces its final chord - Banter Gordon Square's beloved poutine paradise will serve its last crispy creation on February 2nd, though its Van Aken location keeps the comfort food flag flying.
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0%☕️ What's Brewing Locally
❄️ Winter-weary families find frosty fun at Lake Farmpark's Ice Festival. The seventh annual event in Kirtland offered a perfect two-day escape from January's cabin fever blues on January 24-25. Professional sculptors from Elegant Ice transformed plain blocks into dazzling works of art, captivating onlookers throughout the festival. The event provided a welcome outdoor activity for local residents who had been cooped up during recent brutal winter weather.
🎸 Punk-rock Barbie turned Rust Belt balladeer releases memoir at 65. Tracey Thomas, former frontwoman of Akron's Unit 5, celebrates the dual release of her memoir "Little Miss Akron" and new acoustic album "Words Can't Save Us Now." Her journey spans from child model to new wave punk singer, sharing stages with legends like Judy Collins and The Black Keys. The brutally honest memoir, developed during COVID-19, tackles personal struggles while chronicling Akron's vibrant music scene of the early 1980s. Thomas will showcase both releases at Weathervane Playhouse on February 1st, backed by The Shootouts.
🍽️ Popular Cleveland poutine spot Banter Gordon Square calls it quits. Owner Matthew Stipe announced the Detroit Shoreway location will close on February 2, just months after its late-2023 reopening. The restaurant, known for its sausages, poutine, and bottle shop offerings, had previously closed its original location in 2020 before making a comeback. Stipe cited the challenging business climate and industry-wide difficulties as factors in the closure. The silver lining: Banter's Van Aken District location will remain open and continue operations as usual.
🏒 Hockey Scoreboard
| Team | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
Aurora (3-15-1) | ||
@ Mayfield | L 4-3 |
🏀 Basketball Scoreboard (Boys)
| Team | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
Streetsboro (13-3) | ||
@ Poland Seminary | W 56-46 |
🏀 Basketball Scoreboard (Girls)
Defense ruled the day as Tallmadge Blue Devils grinded out a 40-31 victory over Roosevelt Rough Riders, while Aurora flexed their muscles in a dominant 54-27 rout of struggling Barberton. The real story might be Highland's perfect 18-0 season continuing to roll after they dismantled Cuyahoga Falls - looks like the Hornets are the team to beat in Suburban-American play.
| Team | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
Aurora (9-10) | ||
vs Barberton | W 54-27 | |
Ravenna (5-12) | ||
vs Cloverleaf | L 44-34 | |
Tallmadge (12-5) | ||
vs Roosevelt | W 40-31 |
🏡 Real Estate Reveals |
PRESENTED BY Amy Jackson, CENTURY 21 |
Spacious kitchen delightful outdoor space: The Countryview at Brier Creek is listed for $494,990 and features a spacious kitchen with an island, a cozy café area, and a first-floor owner's suite with a generous walk-in closet. Enjoy seamless indoor-outdoor living with a gathering room that opens to a covered patio.
Ranch on 2 acres ready home: This charming 3-bedroom, 2-bath ranch in Palmyra Township is listed at $258,400 and sits on 2 acres. With fresh paint, new carpet, and a versatile finished basement, it’s ready for your personal touch.
Custom-built home with spacious layout: For $285,250, you can design a custom-to-be-built single-story home on your land, featuring a spacious open layout, main-floor owner suite, and a flexible den for your home office needs.🍞 Daily Bread Crumb |
PRESENTED BY Northbend Church |
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
-Romans 12:2