Stark County And Surrounding News

PUCO Opens Audit of $245 Million in FirstEnergy Storm Costs Included in Customer Rates The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has begun the process of hiring an independent auditor to review approximately $245 million in deferred storm restoration expenses associated with three FirstEnergy electric utilities. PUCO issued Request for Proposal RA26-SCD-1 on August 5, 2026. The audit is being conducted under Case No. 26-798-EL-UNC and will examine the reasonableness of storm re

Could Treated Wastewater Cool Stark County Data Centers Without Straining Drinking Water Supplies? Data centers need two things in very large quantities: electricity and water. Those also happen to be the two things that have caused some of the greatest public concern as large data center projects move closer to Stark County. That raises a practical question. If millions of gallons of treated wastewater are already leaving local treatment plants every day, could some of that

The U.S. House Committee on Ethics announced Tuesday that it is reviewing allegations involving Ohio Congressman Max Miller. According to an official statement released August 4, the committee is reviewing allegations of domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use in violation of the House Code of Official Conduct or another applicable conduct standard. Miller has denied the allegations and has said he will cooperate with the review. He has also said the accusations are f

The next Ohio election may have some of the most significant implications from an Ohio governor election in recent memory. The next Ohio Governor will navigate potential land use, farm land preservation, and the infrastructure that supports Ohio's citizens. As large companies such as Anduril and Eli Lilly, along with data centers, start to expand in the state, the next govenor will have a large role in what the future of Ohio looks like. Both candidates say companies should

Ohio voters will not decide this November whether to abolish property taxes across the state, but the campaign behind the proposed constitutional amendment says the effort is continuing toward a possible vote in 2027. The Committee to Abolish Ohio Property Taxes, also known as Ax Ohio Tax, decided not to submit its petitions before Ohio’s July 1 deadline. Campaign leaders said they had not collected the 620,000 signatures they wanted before attempting to qualify the proposal.

Massillon Council Passes Data Center Zoning Rules After Adding Power Threshold Massillon City Council voted Monday night to approve Ordinance 60-2026 as amended, establishing permanent zoning regulations for future data center development within the city. The ordinance received its final reading during the August 3 council meeting. It amends several sections of Massillon’s planning and zoning code, including the city’s definitions, industrial zoning rules and site plan review

Drivers across Stark County are facing one of Ohio’s sharpest recent gasoline price increases after the average price for regular gasoline in the Canton and Massillon area climbed nearly 38 cents in one week. AAA reported that the Canton and Massillon average reached $4.241 per gallon on Monday, August 3. That was up from $3.865 one week earlier, an increase of 37.6 cents per gallon. The local average was also 69 cents higher than one month earlier and slightly more than $1 a

Stark Parks will bring kayaking, live animals, beekeeping education and a free Canton Symphony Orchestra performance to North Canton during a Discovery Days event later this month. The event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, August 19, at Price Park, 1000 W. Maple Street. Admission is free, and no advance registration is currently required. The program is advertised as family friendly, with no specific age restriction listed. Visitors will be able to try kayaking, see

The Alliance City Health Department plans to conduct targeted mosquito spraying Sunday evening after two mosquito samples recently tested positive for West Nile virus. The positive mosquito pools were collected from traps near West Como Avenue and Webster Park Avenue. Spraying is scheduled between 7 and 11 p.m. Sunday, August 2, in city parks, around Alliance’s water and wastewater treatment plants and in areas adjoining the Mahoning River. The department has advised beekeepe

Massillon City Council could take final action Monday on new regulations governing future data centers within the city. Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, August 3, in Council Chambers at One James Duncan Plaza. Ordinance No. 60 of 2026, which would amend Massillon’s planning and zoning code to specifically address data centers, is listed for its third reading. No formal public hearing is scheduled, although residents will have opportunities to speak about items on and of

Dutch Bros Coffee is planning its first Stark County location at the former Arby’s restaurant property in the Belden Village area, adding another rapidly expanding drive through beverage company to one of the county’s busiest commercial corridors. Preliminary site improvement plans filed with the Stark County Regional Planning Commission identify the project at 4850 Everhard Road NW in Jackson Township. The property previously operated as an Arby’s restaurant and sits west of

Timken Creates Two Executive Positions, Offers New COO At Least $4.25 Million First Year Package The Timken Company is restructuring its senior leadership and offering its incoming chief operating officer a first year target compensation package worth at least $4.25 million, including salary, incentive compensation, stock awards and signing benefits. The North Canton headquartered manufacturer announced July 31 that it created two companywide executive positions, chief operat

Canton Approves New Data Center Zoning Canton has approved new development rules for data centers as a Dubai based company advances plans for a project exceeding $1 billion near Trump Avenue SE and Orchard View Drive SE. The legislation creates additional 200 foot setbacks, sound studies, landscaping requirements and limits on testing loud equipment, but it does not prohibit data centers, halt the proposed Trump Avenue project or require council to hold a separate public vote

JACKSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Old Navy has returned to the Belden Village retail area approximately 18 months after closing its longtime store at The Strip. The retailer opened its new location at Belden Park Crossings on Tuesday, July 28. A formal grand opening and ribbon cutting are scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, August 1. The store is located at 5557 Dressler Road NW. Belden Park Crossings is also commonly listed under the shopping center’s general address of 5496 Dressler Roa

ALLIANCE — An Alliance police sergeant has been moved from paid to unpaid administrative leave following his arrest on a second degree felony charge of endangering children. Police Chief Akenra X announced Wednesday, July 29, that Sgt. Ethan Griffith’s employment status had been changed to unpaid administrative leave until further notice. Griffith had already been on paid leave because of a separate off-duty arrest in June. The Police Chief said "As Chief of Police, I also wa

Residents will move to a new billing structure next year, followed by annual increases through 2031 North Canton City has approved a new five-year water and sewer rate schedule that will change how residential customers are billed and increase charges beginning in 2027. Council passed Ordinance 24-2026 on July 6, following its third reading, and Mayor Matthew Stroia signed the legislation the same day. Although the ordinance has been approved, the new rates will not appear on

From Your Newspaper - Massillon City Council has extended its temporary stay on data center development while members continue researching the facilities and developing permanent zoning regulations. In the June first meeting, Councilman Marcum was quoted saying "I want to note that many recent headlines in the city and county have been inaccurate at best and misleading clickbait at worst. Some have suggested that council is passing legislation to permit data centers in Massil

Small solar powered cameras have appeared beside roads, at intersections and near entrances to communities across Ohio. Many of these devices are automated license plate readers, commonly called ALPR cameras. Unlike a traditional surveillance camera that records continuous video, an ALPR system is designed to photograph passing vehicles, identify their license plates and convert the plate numbers into searchable information. The technology can help police locate stolen vehicl

Large, mostly windowless buildings are appearing on development plans across Ohio. Inside them are thousands of computers that store information, run websites, process business records and increasingly power artificial-intelligence systems. ​ Commercial project tracking currently identifies more than 100 planned data-center facilities in Ohio, although exact totals vary because one campus may contain several separately counted buildings and some proposals may never be complet