The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) released its report cards for public school districts last week, showing that the Boardman Local School System received an overall rating of 3.5 stars on a 5-star scale.
      The report card uses the following categories to determine the school district’s rating:
       •Achievement on state tests: 4 stars (exceeds state standards) includes notation that 266 students in high school took an English language test that showed a proficiency rating of 74.4 per cent
       •Progress: 2 stars (Significant evidence that the district fell short of student growth expectations).
       •Gap Closing: 4 stars (Gap closing component is a measure of the reduction in educational gaps for student groups.)
       •Graduation: 5 stars (Graduation component is a mea...Read More >>

     BY JOHN A. DARNELL JR.
      associate editor
      Meeting last week, the Boardman Township Board of Trustees approved promotions for two members of the township police department.
      Glenn Patton was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and Kevin Stratton was promoted to the rank of sergeant.
      A 1997 graduate of Youngstown State University with a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement administration, Lt. Patton began his employment with Boardman Township in 1997 when he was hired as a dispatcher.
      In 1998, Patton graduated from the Akron Police Academy and the following year he joined the Boardman Police Department in 1999.
      He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2018.
      During his tour of duty with the BPD, Patt...Read More >>

     BY JOHN A. DARNELL JR.
      associate editor
      Christmas came a bit late when considering a $1700 donation Mr. Darby’s gave to the Clarence R. Smith Jr. Wellness Center last week.
      The vintage antique emporium raised the money late last year from the from a holiday basket sale, and unfortunately the donation couldn’t be made until nine months later because Mr. Darby’s owner Robert Neapolitan, 63, has been battling diabetes for most of his life and more recently he has been fighting kidney failure.
      Neapolitan started collecting old beer cans when he was only 12-years-old and his fascination with collecting old stuff led to opening Mr. Darby’s 12 years ago at a store in North Lima. He moved his business to the corner of Western Reserve Rd. in Boardman five years later, and then two years ago moved to Boardman ...Read More >>