News roundup for July 27, 2021

Sister Circle will be at Heartland Saturday Sister Circle Medina Inc., a nonprofit women's organization that connects women of all walks of life, will be at Heartland Community Church, 3400 Weymouth Road, Medina Township, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The Sister Circle believes all women have the potential to influence the world around them no matter their season in life. It desires that women understand and follow God's calling by encouraging them to know and follow Christ daily, equipping them to grow in their relationship with Christ and empowering them to serve others. At the conference, attendees can connect with a group of diverse women eager to encounter God, empower biblical wisdom for their every day life and move forward with a renewed sense of passion, purpose, and potential. For information, contact Tracey Ruffin at (330) 321-3271, sistercircle2012@aol.com or sistercirclemedina.com. Paige Yu nominated for national sports award Highland High School gymnast Paige Yu has been nominated for the gymnastics award in the first USA Today High School Sports Awards hosted by Michael Strahan and Rob Gronkowski. The national show is being presented by the U.S. Polo Association, with support from Kohl's and Wilson, and will be televised at 8 p.m. Aug. 5. It also will be available to watch on YouTube and USA Today News and USA Today Sports Wire Channels, available on Roku, Samsung and on most smart televisions. For more, visit sportsawards.usatoday.com. The biggest names in professional sports will be on hand to honor the elite athletes, coaches and teams at the national level. Nominees will be presented, then the top-three finalists will be featured, culminating in the reveal of the national athlete of the year for that sport. Paige, a junior at Highland, is the daughter of Tony and Bernadette Yu, of Sharon Township. Macaroni Kid Medina Back to School Bash is Saturday Join Macaroni Kid Medina to celebrate all things summer and back to school at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Diamond Event Center, 1480 Pearl Road, Brunswick. Students can subscribe to the free weekly email newsletter of all of the family-friendly events and activities in Medina County at medina.macaronikid.com/subscribe. The entertainment and events at the School Bash will include: • Nate the Great with a magic show and balloon creations. • Jungle Bob's Exotic Animal Show. • "Stuff the Bus" with a real school bus, police car and firetruck; bring a new school supplies item to "stuff the bus." • Princess photos, storytime and games with customized princess parties. • Gelly Ball target practice with NEO Extreme Games. • Giveaways, crafts, bubbles and other activities. The first 250 children through the door will receive a canvas bag to color and fill with goodies from all of the vendors. Many vendors will provide additional fun activities for families. Contact Janice Jokkel at (330) 241-4184, macaronikidmedina@gmail.com or on Facebook at bit.ly/3BTmqdF. Local student represents Ohio at American Legion Girls Nation Olivia Ortiz, of Medina, is one of 94 young women selected to attend the 74th American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation session July 24-31 in Washington, D.C. As part of the premier ALA program, two outstanding high school seniors are selected to represent their respective state as "senators" at ALA Girls Nation after participating in one of 47 ALA Girls State sessions held across the country. ALA Girls Nation is a seven-day leadership conference that provides aspiring young women leaders with practical insight into how the federal government operates, instills a sense of pride in our country, and promotes youth civic engagement. Many participants of the program go on to have careers in public service at the local, state and national level. Ortiz, a senior at Buckeye High School, was active in many ways during her week at ALA Buckeye Girls State. She also participates in many activities in her school and community. She participated in mock Senate sessions complete with caucuses and debating bills that range from personal to political interests. Other activities on the agenda include a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, where they will place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; a community service project; and a tour of the D.C. monuments. "ALA Girls Nation is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our nation's future leaders to learn about the inner workings of the federal government before they are of voting age," Wendy Riggle, ALA Girls Nation Committee chairman, said in a statement. "After attending their local ALA Girls State program and then ALA Girls Nation, the girls return home ready to be engaged citizens at all levels of government." Wadsworth Writing Group to meet at library Have you been working on the Great American Novel, a memoir, or a collection of poems that the world needs to read? Wadsworth Public Library is putting out a call to local writers to join a monthly virtual writing group. Led by the library staff, the group will get together primarily to share writing and offer each other feedback. Participants will also discuss the experience of writing, sharing strategies and talking through challenges of putting pen to paper and fingers to keys. It will be 7 p.m. Wednesday. To register, visit bit.ly/3zHhVAD. Steve Free and band to play in amphitheater Ohio Regional Music Arts and Cultural Outreach continues its summer concert series with Steve Free and his band at 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday at the John Streeter Garden Amphitheater, 2122 Williams Road, Wooster. Free, a Grammy-nominated folk/Americana artist, draws his music from his Native American (Shawnee/Cherokee) and Appalachian roots. In the event of rain, the concert will be at Fisher Auditorium, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster. For more information, call (419) 853-6016. The program is free, but registration is recommended. W. Reagan Parkway closed in Medina West Reagan Parkway will be closed through 5 p.m. Thursday in the city of Medina. The eastbound lane will close from the Target entry drive east to North Court Street for the installation of a new water service connection to the property under construction. The work and the pavement restoration are anticipated to take approximately three to four days. Eastbound and westbound traffic along West Reagan Parkway west of North Court Street will be maintained throughout the closure period. Local access for all properties within the closure limits will be maintained. — from staff reports