Basketball is about to heat up for the Polar Bears, but don’t expect them to blink.

Coming off a convincing road win over Lake 74-46, coach Mike Fuline is happy the team returned a favor from the past.

Later on this year, Grace will be competing in the Ohio State Free Throw shooting finals in Grove City on Feb. 12 by virtue of of an astonishing 24 out of 25 free throws attempted and at one point converting on 19 consecutive attempts during a regional competition at Stow. The multitalented seventh grader attests her triumphs to feeling no pressure when the stakes are at their highest.

Aultman Hospital is searching for well-behaved dogs of all sizes and their dedicated owners to participate in Happy Tails, a dog visitation program that exposes patients, family, visitors and staff to the positive experience of interacting with an animal. Registration is required by Feb. 17.

The Jackson Township Fire Department’s motto since 1952 is to save life and property. For the past 43 years Chief Ted Heck has formally been part of it, but Heck was involved in the fire department long before that.

Ted Herncane is the newest member of the Massillon Public Library’s Board of Trustees. He was appointed by the Massillon City Schools Board of Education on Wednesday night, Jan. 27, and will serve the remaining three years of the term vacated by Phillip Elum who was elected to the City School Board in November and took office in January. Ted took the Library Board’s oath of office on Thursday, Jan. 28, at his first meeting.

The Jackson girls varsity basketball team defeated the Lake Blue Streaks Saturday 42-33 on a day where Jackson senior Stephanie Durwin tied the school record with 5 three-pointers in the game.

The Lady Polar Bears were unable to take the momentum from the Lake win into the Federal League tournament, falling to Perry in the first round 31-30 Tuesday night. The Blue Streaks had no better luck, falling to North Canton Hoover 50-38 with Macy Byrd leading Lake with 13 points.

The township trustees and fiscal officer announced the winner of the Judy Haas-Jackson Township Flag Contest Jan. 25.

And the winner is Troy Hankins, a sixth grade student.

A television was stolen from a wholesale club on Jan. 21. A suspect took the television off the shelf and exited the store without paying. When confronted by store security, the female suspect stated she was returning the television and needed to go to her vehicle for the receipt. When she reached her vehicle, she fled the area. The theft was recorded by store security.

Jackson Township trustees have one meeting to decide if they want to place electric aggregation on the May ballot.

They heard proposals from Mark Burns of Independent Energy Consultants, Inc., Tom Bellish of Buckeye Energy Brokers, and Ray Martinez of First Energy and Emily Ochsenhirt of First Energy Solutions.

Here’s a quick look at youth and high school teams competing.

Boy Scout Troop 935 is pleased to announce that four of its Scouts earned the Eagle rank late in 2009. They will be recognized at a special Court of Honor ceremony on Jan. 30 at McDonaldsville St. Paul United Methodist Church in Jackson Township.

The Jackson High School band spent part of their Christmas break this year in New Orleans, performing in the Sugar Bowl.
 

Laura of Pembroke is a unique fashion boutique and a classy furniture store with the motto, “dress yourself, dress your home, dream.”

You don’t have to wake up from this dream. The good stuff of life is here for the shopping.
Laura of Pembroke is the stylish work of Veronica Sirpilla, Laura Sirpilla Bosworth and Susan Sirpilla and their staff.

Local schools showed off the projects that helped them make the grade during the ArtSplash festival Jan. 23 at the Cultural Center for the Arts. Jackson Local Schools joined three others in demonstrations and take-home projects integrating the arts and academics during the free family event.

Jackson Local Schools will be going to the all-day, every-day kindergarten option next fall after the decision came at a special board of education meeting Tuesday night.

The decision was not unanimous, with board members Thomas Winkhart, Scott Gindlesberger and Kathryn Knowles in favor of the switch with Chris Goff and Ken Douglas in waiver of the one-year waiver available by the state to postpone ADED kindergarten until the 2011-2012 school year.