Notables

I’ve been thinking about the gig economy a lot lately—a workforce comprised of freelancers, contractors and those engaged in on-demand work opportunities, thanks in large part to changing technology and the decline of traditional, full-time jobs.

Last month, I received an invitation to come to Allen Elementary School in Canton for a demonstration of sorts. Awaiting me inside was a class of preschoolers, ready to show me what it means to live artfully. As is habit, I’m getting ahead of myself.

But the strength of Stark County and its citizens always has stemmed from something greater than the almighty pigskin. Philanthropy—doing the most good for the most people—is the foundation of any growing, vibrant community.

Two hundred years ago, John Saxton, a 23-year old printer from Pennsylvania, settled in the small frontier town of Canton, Ohio, and developed the first edition of The Repository.

In Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ mind, the company is “not in the business of selling books, but of helping customers buy books.”

We tend to define people by their jobs, and Michelle Mullaly certainly has a challenging and important one as executive director of the Canton Symphony Orchestra.

Happily, Krew is sharing both her artwork and her artistic process with the public at a studio-gallery in downtown Canton called Snarky Art. Located at 410 McKinley Avenue NW, it is adjacent to Journey Art Gallery. She paints in the front window.

Spending a winter day at the Christmas tree farm is a revered holiday tradition for many families. Yet each year, more and more households abandon the live tree tradition and opt for an artificial Christmas tree.

There’s been quite a bit of brew-ha-ha this fall about new breweries (four by our count) open now or opening in Stark County through the end of this year. Craft brewing is at an all time high—and Alex Fisher is getting in on the action.

The Stark County District Library has announced the latest One Book, One Community title—
”Wonder” by R.J. Palacio—and unveiled an incredible lineup of events to celebrate the powerful message of kindness that the book conveys.