Area News

PHOTO BY CHRISTINA McCUNE | BGNN Barberton Fire Department was assisted by mutual aid fire crews from New Franklin, Coventry and Norton to put out this apartment fire above Bar Shannon. One person was found outside and was taken to a local hospital and another person was found deceased in an apartment after the fire…

By BOB MOREHEAD BGNN senior staff writer NORTON  Firefighters spent the lunch hour Dec. 4 putting out a house fire on Wilbanks Road. Norton Fire Chief Adam Papp said the department got the call around 11:40 a.m. after a neighbor spotted smoke and flames. “The first unit reported heavy smoke showing at 11:45,” Papp said.…

BGNN staff report BARBERTON  The sun’ll come out this December when Magical Theatre Company presents the timeless Broadway classic “Annie.” Tickets are on sale now for the show which runs weekends Dec. 5-21 at 565 W Tuscarawas Ave., Barberton. Perfect for families and audiences ages 6 and older, this heartwarming musical follows spirited orphan Annie…

Josh Gordon, Barberton Community Foundation executive director I am sometimes asked: “What keeps you up at night?” For those who know me well, they know I sleep like a baby – meaning I toss and turn all night and wake up a bunch! Today, I want to share two things that keep me up at…

PHOTOS BY JOSEPH NICHOLAS 2025 Barberton Academic Hall of Fame Rob Branham, Class of 1993, David R. Cooper, Class of 1962, Anne-Marie Anderson, Class of 1983, Marty Eberhart, Class of 1993, Christine Duncan Finan, Class of 1977, Aaron Day, Class of 1991, James E. Young, Class of 1979 Barberton High School student ambassadors for Barberton…

PHOTO PROVIDED Barberton K9 officer Emmitt and handler Katie Fleming   COMPILED BY EMILY CANNING-DEAN | BGNN staff writer BARBERTON Ever since he was 8 weeks old, K9 Officer Emmitt has been serving the Barberton community as the Barberton Police Department’s first therapy/crisis K9. He has been with the department for almost two years. Recently…

Boarding pass. Check. Seat belt buckled. Check. Trays in the upright position. Check. Now sit back and enjoy this white-knuckle thriller of a roller coaster that is “Falling.” For Bill Hoffman, a seasoned airline captain, it’s just another day at work flying passengers from Los Angeles to New York. Until a call comes in midflight.…

This column from Barberton Community Foundation Executive Director Josh Gordon appeared in the Aug. 7, 2025 edition of The BGNN. Josh Gordon, BCF executive director As some of you may recall, the Foundation recently conducted a survey – called the 2025 Barberton Community Impact & Alignment Study – to help us better understand the challenges…

This story appeared in the July 31, 2025 edition of The Barberton Gazette & Norton News. PHOTOS BY CARMEN CARLUCCI Alexis Haynes, 18, found out a week after graduating from Barberton High School that she had ovarian cancer. The soccer player, singer and Kavé Coffee Bar barista who plans to pursue a career in the…