Stay-A-While Cat Shelter has a new place to call home

The felines, employees and volunteers of Stay-A-While Cat Shelter are days away from having a new place to call home. Nearly one year after breaking ground on a new facility at 12662 York Delta Drive in the Industrial Parkway, construction is wrapping up and moving day is approaching for the 70-some kitties who call Stay-A-While home. Stay-A-While Cat Shelter, which has been located on Akins Road since 1984, is a cage-free, no-kill shelter that provides a safe, loving environment for kittens and cats as they await adoption. If for any reason a feline is deemed unadoptable, it is guaranteed a ....

Recently found 1976 time capsule perplexes civic leaders

The mystery has been solved for anyone wondering whatever happened to the missing 1976 Bicentennial Time Capsule. And like any good mystery, the answer has been right under our noses the whole time – sort of. As local lore goes, residents gathered in 1976 on the City Green to commemorate the bicentennial of the United States. To mark the occasion, members of the Historical Society organized the filling of a time capsule with notable contents and materials from the time. Leaders dropped off the unsealed time capsule at one of the city’s largest employers at the time, Spectro Equipment, to ....

What a post-season run by the Baseball Bears

What a season! The North Royalton Varsity Baseball team had a successful 2021 campaign. With an overall record of 21-9, they were the Suburban League Champions, capturing the Division One Sectional/District Baseball Championship. They also defeated state-ranked Brecksville three times during the season. Those are accomplishments that will be talked about for years to come. The season ended in the Regional semi-final round at Louisville High School. Mayfield defeated the Bears 6-0, but that loss should not take away from thrills that the Bears provided to their fellow students, parents and fa ....

School Board News

The North Royalton Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting on Monday, June 14. Assistant to the School Superintendent Jim Presot gave a brief construction update, stating that the demolition section of the 1950’s section of the High School has been completed. Site work is being completed to that front part of the building and preparing the front for the parking lot. The time line for that renovation is completion by October 31, given the current projections. Renovation work at the Middle School has begun and is expected to be completed before the start of the new school year. ....

The North Royalton High School Class of 2021 has a dedicated Song (“I Lived” by One Republic), Colors (Purple and Gold), a Flower (the Moon Aqua Carnation), and a poignant Motto (“Some have a story. We made history.”) If the Class of 2021 had an unofficial theme, it would be Adaptability. While the Class of 2020 had the rug pulled out from under them when the pandemic upended their school year, the Class of 2021 had a rug, but it slid around without a gripper underneath to hold it firmly in place. The only thing keeping their footing steady throughout this school year was their abili ....

Ohio legislation introduced to ban Critical Race Theory

Two pieces of legislation have been introduced by Ohio House Representatives that could ban Critical Race Theory from curriculum of Kindergarten through Grade 12 in Ohio schools. House Bill 322 was introduced by State Representative Don Jones, of Freeport, and House Bill 327 was introduced by State Representatives Diane V. Grendell, District 76, and Sarah Fowler Arthur, District 99. House Bill 327 is entitled, “To amend sections 3301.079, 3314.03, and 3326.11 and to enact sections 3313.6027, 3313.6028, and 3313.6029 of the Revised Code regarding the teaching of certain current events and ce ....

Council approves Firefighters’ 3-year contract

North Royalton City Council has unanimously adopted legislation to authorize the Mayor to enter into a contract with the city’s firefighter’s union, the International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO Local 2156. The ordinance also accepts the fact-finding report of a neutral party, which led to the contract. Last February, City Council approved all of the City’s union contracts for 2021, except for the Firefighter’s Union. The unions represented in the City include the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #15 (Patrol, Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #15 (Sergeants), Fraternal Order ....

North Royalton High School salutes its student athletes

A number of North Royalton student-athletes were ‘front, in-center’ before their fellow students, teammates, coaches and parents on May 24. Nine students signed their National Letters of Intent, declaring where they will continue their athletic careers in the fall. Following that event, three North Royalton student-athletes received their awards for being named “Athletes of the Year.” The athletes who signed their National Letters were: Paige Heffke for softball, University of Chicago; Mariam Zayour for swimming, College of Wooster; Kaitlyn Bockelman for basketball, Rochester Instit ....

Sprague Road widening to begin next month

The reconstruction and widening of Sprague Road will begin, in addition to the city roadway projects this year. City Engineer Justin Haselton announced that the project, which will take place along Sprague Road, from West 130 Street to York Road, is expected to begin in July. The Sprague Road project is a two-phase project. Phase one includes a .77 mile span from Webster Road to West 130 Street, in the cities of Strongsville and Middleburg Heights. Phase two involves a 1.21-mile section between York Road and West 130 Street, which includes the cities of North Royalton and Parma. The work is be ....

Elementary students reflect on leaving their school

As the finishing touches are put on the new elementary school, students at Albion, Valley Vista and Royal View reflected on their schooling and said their final goodbyes to their buildings. “It’s sad for me to leave Valley Vista,” said student Jaiden Hurley-Belardo. “I’ve been here for five years of my life and it feels like being at home. It’s cozy here.” The Board of Education is receiving demolition bids for both Valley Vista and Albion. Bids will be evaluated, and news of the buildings’ futures will be announced over the summer. Royal View may be used as an administration ....