This March holds the spring equinox. As the first day of spring, this day is celebrated by many. Ostara is a holiday that has been observed within Pagan cultures for centuries.

     Ostara was initially celebrated in cultures across Europe and was a way to celebrate the end of winter and the return of spring. This holiday is the reason many have the Easter celebrations which occur today, such as the use of rabbits, eggs and many other parts of the Easter holiday. While many changes have been made to this holiday, it originated with the Pagan celebration.

     Ostara had originally been celebrated by Pagan people but has changed over time and is now celebrated by modern-day Wiccans as well. The name comes from the Goddess Eostre, who represented spring and rebirth.

     There are many celebrations of the equinox across the world; however, this one, in particular, has been modernized and made popular across multiple different cultures. Originally as one of the Celtic traditions, the holiday was taken over by both Wiccans and Christians. While Wiccans and similar cultures kept the celebration and the meaning behind it relatively the same, in Christianity the festival that had once been to honor nature had been changed to one devoted to the return of Christ. 

     In modern times, this celebration is still celebrated in one form or another by both cultures and people who do not belong to either. Similar to Christmas as well as other holidays, the holiday has been stolen many times throughout history, first with Christianity and now popularized enough that it is now celebrated by a majority of 

 people.

     The Wiccan celebration of the holiday is very similar to the popularized Easter. The holiday also includes the symbolizing rabbits, the tradition of colored eggs and seasonal treats as well as many others. What many people fail to realize is how many of the holidays and traditions come from Wiccan celebrations.

     As someone who celebrates the holiday I personally don’t subscribe to Wiccan beliefs; however, that is not the only group who observes this celebration. This spring tradition is observed by many as a means to celebrate the return of summer and warmth to the earth. Some celebrate out of the spirits of the time and others out of respect for those who have come before.

     While Wiccans and cultures like them have celebrations that are much more nature-focused, the core of the  holidays in both cultures are the same as theirs. With both cultures sharing in our celebrations as well as other things, it is clear to see that despite some people’s differences many are more similar than most may think.

With all the new businesses moving and coming into the city, many people tend to forget who and what comes into play in those decisions. Mayor John Pribonic came to the high school to answer some questions students had about the restructuring of our city. 

    Before he was Mayor, Pribonic was in a management position as a store director of ACME for over 40 years. After a friend of his in the chamber convinced him to run for the school board, he served there for six years. He then was encouraged to run for Ward 3 City Council, and served four years there and then 11 years at City Council-at-Large. 

     He has now been serving as Mayor for four years, and plans on running again this year. After his next term, he intends on doing a ‘partial retirement’ in which he can pursue things he wants to do, like being with his kids and grandchildren more. 

     When asked about the current state of the city, Pribonic states, “We are the third largest city in the county, and that gives us a lot of unique opportunities. With 35,000 people, we are fully grown, and that is where we can cap out.” 

     He spoke on the increase in housing developments and infrastructure, stating that the developments have been great considering that anything past Kent Road used to be a dirt road. 

     Pribonic stated, “I am sure if many of you spoke to your mom and dad or grandparents, they would tell you that Stow looks completely different than it did 40-45 years ago.” 

     Stow used to be a farmland city, but since the ‘60s, there has been a housing boom, and the city has adapted to that change. For example, Call’s Farm, which is now a neighborhood, used to be a working farm; unfortunately, the previous owners of the land recently passed away; nonetheless, Pribonic spoke of them highly, stating they were legacies in the city.

     Additionally, many landmarks in the city look completely different as well. 

     Pribonic shared information about an old bike shop that has been changed entirely: “Eddy’s Bike Shop doesn’t look like how it did then. Eddy’s Bike Shop used to sell everything from bait to candy, to deli meat.”

     The changes around Stow continue to be made as more restaurants and small businesses come in. The city is becoming more modernized, and Pribonic is adapting to the change. He made three very important observations about the city and what he is doing to enhance the projection of the city. 

     First, Pribonic spoke about the lack of variety in new businesses coming in, and how there was an uncanny amount of car washes specifically coming in. 

     “If we want something more, we have to figure out how we are going to do that. If an area or piece of land complies to what can be built there, for example a car wash, then we have to let them be built there,” he said.

     He explains how many of the people who are coming in have the money to fund the project, so the lack of diversity in businesses cannot be changed.

     Secondly, Pribonic then spoke about the average age of Stow’s residents. 

     “The average age of our citizens is 41.5. That is very good because it’s right in the middle of somebody’s lifespan. We are very young compared to a lot of our surrounding communities, but with that being said, from a marketing standpoint, that is the perfect age,” Pribonic stated. I believe we have to keep that age steady, and how we do that is reinvesting in our parks. Additionally on the ballot in Nov. there is going to be a levy to build a rec community center, for our city.” 

     Third, for the senior generation of the community, Pribonic also has plans to expand their community centers.    

     “The current senior center can only fit 47 people. The demographic for a senior citizen (which I contend to argue) is 55 and older. Stow holds about 8500 people in that category, so currently we could only service 47 out of 8500 people at one time. We have to look at community and rec centers as supplying someone starting at birth, all the way up to over one-hundred-years-old.” 

     After years of delays and interruptions, Pribonic stated his plan to rebuild Skip Playground in an effort to boost city morale: “It starts Apr. 15, and we will have a ribbon cutting on July 2.” 

     Tying back into the essential point he made about increasing the variety of businesses in our community, Pribonic said, “Community centers, parks, rec centers, etc. are important because if we want other businesses, and we want different businesses, we need more people coming in.” 

     He highlights the importance of surrounding communities such as Fairlawn. The population of Fairlawn is significantly smaller than Stow at 17,000 people, but during the day it swells to almost three times that amount because of the amount of small restaurants and attractions of the city. Pribonic hopes that in the future, Stow can see over 50,000 more people coming into or being in the city each day. 

     For example, the Target plaza is full. That plaza holds Target, Home Goods, Ulta, Kohl’s, TJ Maxx, etc. The area is a huge shopping center for surrounding cities as well as the citizens of Stow, which is where Pribonic believes is going to bring in small businesses and restaurants. 

     Around that same area, the old Macy’s building that has been abandoned for years, Pribonic stated there are talks of businesses moving into the area. Because he believes that having empty storefronts is detrimental to the growth of the city, he has fully backed this project. 

     Pribonic also believes in the power of the residents for making differences in the community. Listening to the residents is the most important thing because if he doesn’t they may leave. He thinks residents are either going to say something and see change, or they are going to move, so it is important to get ahead of public concerns before the city sees real consequences for it. 

     Pribonic believes the future of Stow is bright, and he discussed how he keeps an eye on possible problems that may arise. 

     Pribonic said, “I really do not have any concerns, but I think you always have to keep your finger on the pulse.”

     Because of the combined effort of the city’s representatives and the collective voice of the citizens, it is very easy to see change in the city. 

     “If there are concerns, we are able to react very quickly,” Pribonic stated. 

     Residents and leaders of Stow have made it very clear that the future of the city is bright and residents should be looking forward to the positive change the city will see.

     Because Stow is such a diverse city, with communities ranging from trailer parks to over million dollar homes, it is Pribonic’s job to listen to all of the concerns throughout the city.

    Pribonic stated, “The biggest thing a resident can do is go out and vote. That is how you see your city go where you want it to go.” 

   Choice One Restoration has been helping local families restore their homes now for over a decade.

      Choice One is a local roofing, siding, and window company. 

     “For the most part we stay in Northeast Ohio. I have three kids and I’m married so I like to stay local and be around my family. I like to have roots here. I sponsor my son’s baseball team, and I just overall like to be involved locally,” Frederick Heberling, one of the owners described. 

     Staying local allows them to balance their work and family life.

     Choice One restores many different parts of people’s homes and offers other services beyond roofing.

    “We do roofing, siding, gutters, and windows. I prefer roofing because it’s a ‘Do you want black, brown, or gray?’ Essentially with siding it’s do you want your corners to match, do you want to do gutters as well, and there’s so many color options. The more options you give somebody the more things they want to do, which is a little more time consuming,” Heberling stated. 

     Heberling prefers roofing because it’s simpler to plan with customers, but he is in the business of helping people, so he will do the work needed, and he does it without hesitation. 

     Herberling enjoys working at Choice One in part because of the relationships he has formed over the years: “I like having my own hours. I enjoy the people I work with, and my two business partners are my best friends–one of them was the best man at my wedding.”

     One of the reasons Choice One Restoration has been able to maintain their popularity is due to the quality of work they have provided their customers over the years. 

     Heberling said, “We have all Amish installers that just have a phenomenal work ethic, and we never have to worry about them not showing up on time. They worked through covid, and they’re there every single day at 7 a.m. and are wrapped up by 3 p.m. We don’t have to worry about them not showing up or coming with drugs or alcohol or things of that nature. They don’t steal from people, and they’re very respectful.”      

     The roofing process is fairly quick. Heberling discussed on average how long it takes to complete one roof, but it also depends on the size of the building, how steep it is, and how many layers of shingles are on the roof. 

      “On average a roof takes generally about a day. We have eight to twelve Amish roofers that will show up at 7 a.m. They are very efficient, but larger projects can take two to three days,” Heberling said.  

     The process for building a new roof is tedious but their crew is very efficient. 

     “It starts by tearing off all the existing roofing, all the way down to the decking of the roof. Then we install new synthetic underlayment, also an ice and water shield that is required by the state of Ohio. Then we install a new 50 year warranty limited lifetime shingle of the customer’s color choice. Then you have a new roof on your home,” Heberling stated. 

     Heberling enjoys the work he provides to his customers by improving his neighbors’ homes.

     “I like to build a relationship with my customers. I like to get to know them and their families,” Heberling said. 

     He has many connections with customers and enjoys working with all of his customers because they are all local and in Stow and surrounding areas, so for him, it is like he is “improving [his] neighbors’ homes.” 

     Heberling did not have the normal experience of getting into roofing. Heberling described his experience getting into the profession: “I was at a barbeque at one of my buddy’s house, who owned Choice One. I was talking to his business partner, and at the time it was just them who owned Choice One. I was talking to the one who managed the sales side of things, and as we were talking, he said I would be really good at selling roofs. At that moment I was like, ‘How do I sell a roof? I’ve never done that before.’ He described it to me, and he thought I was a very good people person. I called him a few days later, and the rest is history.” 

Trans Day of Visibility is a day to celebrate transgender people and raise awareness on the discrimination that transgender people face on a daily basis. Trans Day of Visibility is on March 31, 2023, and it is an annual celebration for the trans people who have made a difference in this world. 

     Senior Moz Taylor shares his experience with Trans Day of Visibility.

     “Some may see it as something to celebrate and some may not; it’s just like any holiday or observation. What makes it special is that every trans person is different, so there’s many different ways to see it. A great way to celebrate it is to recognize that every trans person goes through a different process,” Taylor expressed. 

     Being transgender is a unique experience within itself and not to add everything else that a person goes through while being a human. Things can be hard, especially when someone feels they have been born in the wrong body. 

     Taylor went on to describe how they feel about trans representation in the media. 

     “They are represented well sometimes and sometimes not. Some representations are well thought out and accurate while others go against all the progress made in the past. What people focus on the most is the bad and not the good which it should but the opposite,” Taylor shared. 

     Senior at Twinsburg High School, Lauren Cohen, shares her experience with how to be a better advocate for trans people. 

     “I think the most important thing we can do is listen to people’s experiences and share them when we can. Education is at the core of advocating. By spreading awareness of what life as a trans person is actually like, society can better know how to support this group of people as well as what stereotypes and misconceptions need to be broken,” Cohen said. 

     Cohen shared something super important about how advocating has the core of education. Education stems from wanting to teach people how to be more well rounded, and for trans people, that is the best thing others can do. 

     Cohen carries on with the questions she has for trans people to try and get to understand their experience better than before. 

     Cohen explained, “I think, at least for me, it would be most helpful to ask what the biggest misconceptions transgender people face are. I would also want to ask when they felt a shift in their identity, if there even was a shift or if they always knew they were born in the wrong body. Finally, I would ask what it felt like to finally look the gender that they know they are if they went through that process.” 

     Many people have the wrong idea of what transgender people go through, and this generation is going to change the stereotypes that have been shoved into society about this group of people. 

     Cohen wraps up her thoughts with how we can spread awareness on Trans Day of Visibility. 

     “Everyone’s story is important, and those who have an influential voice in society or the media need to give these marginalized people a louder voice. For Trans Day of Visibility, speaking up for trans rights and educating ourselves on the issues that transgender people face will spread awareness for the importance of trans people,” Cohen added. 

     Trans people and their accomplishments have made history and making those experiences known is something that can share the real and raw experience of those who have been hidden away in the past. 

     Junior at CVCC, Kayden Hayes, explains his opinions on why Trans Day of Visibility is so important.  

     “Trans Day of Visibility is so important because it highlights the achievements in the trans community, and it goes into how trans people have changed so much in our society,” Hayes stated. 

     The achievements of the trans community are definitely an important part of our history, and during Trans Day of Visibility is a great time to educate others about such history. 

     Hayes continues with how the stereotype of trans people has changed over the years. 

     “Over the years the topic of transgender people has become less taboo, and has given people the opportunity to express themselves the way they want to. There has been more representation in the media, yet it can always be better,” Hayes expressed. 

     Representation in the trans community is as important, if not more, than any other community. It gives trans people the opportunity to see themselves within situations and gives them the feeling that they are not alone within the things they struggle with. 

     Hayes finishes with how people can make trans people feel more comfortable in their own identity. 

     “Always ask politely someone’s pronouns instead of assuming their gender. That’s how you can be a better advocate for trans people,” Hayes shared. 

     Advocating for trans people is definitely the most effective way to support them especially on Trans Day of Visibility. There are multiple ways to support trans people and every way is an important way as long as it is done the right way.