Aftermath of tight corner gets felony arrest
PHOTO BY KATHERYN SEIBERLING A motorist overturned his vehicle April 3 along W Hopocan Avenue near Rally’s. When first responders arrived he refused treatment and reportedly threatened Barberton police officers with a knife, head-butted one officer and continued to resist at the jail. Nathaniel James Foster, 40, was charged with assault on a police officer…
Read MoreBarberton grad retires from NFL
PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOSEPH NICHOLAS NFL player and Barberton grad John Cominsky has hosted a football camp in Barberton through the Cominsky Family Foundation, which he runs with his wife and fellow Barberton graduate, Brittany. The Detroit Lions defensive lineman announced he is medically retiring. By RANDY FORST BGNN sports editor Barberton graduate and Detroit…
Read MoreBarberton showcases students’ creativity at annual festival
BGNN staff report BARBERTON Students’ creativity is in the spotlight and on display this Saturday. The community is invited to celebrate the arts in Barberton City Schools and also see what students have been up to at the annual Tri-Arts Festival 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 12 at Barberton High School. The entire…
Read MoreAlice L. “Baba” Hardman, 84
Alice L. “Baba” Hardman, a beloved educator, mentor, and friend, passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at Mercy Regional Medical Center. She was 84 years old. Born in Barberton, Ohio, on February 20, 1941, to John and Gertrude Meehan, Alice graduated from Barberton High School in 1959 and went on to earn her…
Read MoreMEMORY GAP Barberton’s eccentric Charles E.F. Edwards
PHOTO COURTESY OF BARBERTON PUBLIC LIBRARY Charles E.F. Edwards pictured at his home at 401 High Street (887 Wooster Road North), with his mother-in-law Flora Young (left), and his wife Harriet (Young) Edwards (right). By KARLA TIPTON BGNN contributor Barberton once had its very own rich eccentric — Charles E. F. Edwards — an inventor,…
Read MoreNovelist’s writing roots run deep to Norton High days
PHOTO PROVIDED Jen Marie Wiggins By EMILY CANNING-DEAN BGNN staff writer NORTON With her first novel released, Jen Marie Wiggins was thrilled to see her book mentioned in People Magazine. But the 1993 Norton High School graduate got her first writing gig at a much smaller publication. “My aunt, Barb Minier, worked for the Barberton…
Read MoreWe ‘3 Media Junkies’: Young Barberton podcasters keep the convo flowing
PHOTO BY CHRISTINA McCUNE | BGNN Austin Bajcar, Barberton graduate and Kent State student, and Hunter Darkhorse and Luke Gordon, both Barberton seniors, have been hosting “3 Media Junkies” podcast for more than a year. They upload a video every Friday and meet typically at Kave Coffee Bar in downtown Barberton to record. Search for…
Read MoreMEMORY GAP Long road to citizenship for Casa Del Mar owner
PHOTOS BY KARLA TIPTON | FOR THE BGNN Raul Leon, co-owner of Casa Del Mar in Norton, shared his immigration story with the Norton Historical Society at a program in October. By KARLA TIPTON BGNN contributor NORTON We are a nation of immigrants. Whether our families arrived here centuries ago to carve a farm from…
Read MoreGrace UCC to host book fest for local authors March 30
By EMILY CANNING-DEAN BGNN staff writer NORTON Book lovers, especially those who enjoy reading works by local authors, might want to stop by Grace United Church of Christ in Loyal Oak March 30 when authors Joanne Lehman, Lisa Merrick and Rolf Wicks will be on hand to sell and sign their recently published books.…
Read MoreBarberton Destination Imagination celebrates regional tourney success
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY HOLLY STEINMAN This team of third and fourth graders is among Barberton students heading to the state Destination Imagination competition. They chose to help a pet rescue in August, Georgia that was affected by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. They exceeded their goal of $800 by collecting $1004, plus 1,400 pounds of…
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