Plastic bag ban deadline may be pushed forward

If you have gone shopping lately, you might have noticed that the plastic shopping bags are back. Although the deadline for retailers was July 1, 2020, some stores had already been shying away from the plastic. With the COVID-19 pandemic, some stores went back to supplying the plastic bags, as there were questions regarding the possibility of spreading the virus through the use of personal carrier bags. Some stores have adopted guidelines where customers may bring in reusable bags, but must bag their own groceries and take them. The counters are then sanitized after each of these customers re ....

May 12, 2020

Council makes budget adjustments due to Coronavirus

On May 5, the North Royalton City Council held a special Finance Committee meeting to discuss budget adjustments with Mayor Larry Antoskiewicz. These adjustments were necessary due to the financial impact from COVID-19. On the same day, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced changes to the state budget to the tune of over $750,000,000. “We have been working on this for a few weeks, trying to get figures and estimates,” said Antoskiewicz. He said he also has had discussions with local, state and federal representatives. They are telling us that we are going to get some money, but it would onl ....

May 12, 2020

North Royalton High School Senior’s song resonates with many

Covid-19 has robbed graduating seniors of many things, but it’s the sense of closure and the absence of a proper good-bye that hurts the most. Seniors didn’t know it at the time, but March 12 was the last day they would ever walk the hallways of North Royalton High School together, and akin to mourners at a funeral, seniors here and everywhere are grieving a sudden and heavy loss. North Royalton High School Senior Becca Pavelich channeled that loss into writing a beautiful ode dedicated to the Class of 2020. Aptly called, “More Time,” Pavelich performed her song and shared it on YouTu ....

May 12, 2020

Teachers are engaging in virtual opportunities for students

‘We’ve never been so compassionately connected’ Educators have always worked to inspire others and sometimes, if they’re part of a dedicated team and community network, they get inspired themselves. “I have observed people who are in their own ways dealing with what has changed for them personally, and I’ve seen them be the hands and feet of Jesus for someone else, to a point where I’m absolutely inspired,” said Heidi Malone, who serves as principal at Royal Redeemer Lutheran School. “I think God’s hand is in all of this. To see an extension of G ....

May 12, 2020

School district construction is progressing

At the April 13 School Board meeting, Assistant Superintendent Jim Presot presented an update on the progress of the construction at the various district facilities. School Superintendent Gurka noted that “construction at both our elementary site and our high school site are continuing. School construction has been deemed an essential business. Hammond Construction has worked diligently with our contractors to put precautions in place of social distancing, hand washing stations, sanitizing stations and we continue to move forward with both our projects.” Presot noted that construction con ....

May 12, 2020