North Canton|News|
'Little Mermaid Jr.' Auditions Kick Off Thursday
Interested in trying out for the North Canton Playhouse's production of "Little Mermaid Jr.?" Tryouts start at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

I'm your editor for North Canton Patch, and I am pumped to live and work in this city! I'm originally from the New Philadelphia area, so coming to Canton/North Canton to eat and shop was always like heading to the big city when I was little. I remember getting the best rooftop seats to watch the Hall of Fame fireworks, begging my mom to drive me and my sister the extra 40 minutes just to watch a movie at Tinseltown and shopping at The Strip till my back and feet ached.
I even stuck around Northeast Ohio for college, having gone to school at Kent State University (and taking a year's worth of classes at the branch campus right here in North Canton). I got my bachelor's degree in journalism from KSU's School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
But for the past two years I've been down in Lancaster, Ohio, covering crime and courts for a small daily newspaper. Before that I was an intern on the City Desk of the Columbus Dispatch, and before that an intern at my hometown newspaper, the Times-Reporter. So, as you can see, I'm a news junkie through and through.
I'm convinced Patch is where it's at in terms of where the news industry is headed. I joined up with Patch because the site focuses on the smaller aspects of a community without forgetting the big picture. Patch wants you to know your neighbor, to know what's going on in your local school system and know what's happening right around the corner.
It aims to connect people, and I'm all for it.
<b>Your Beliefs</b><br>At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for you to inject your beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that your beliefs are on the record will cause you to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.<br><br><b>Politics </b><br>I'm a registered Democrat.<br><br><b>Religion</b><br>I am non-religious and respectful of others' beliefs.<br><b><br>Local Hot-Button Issues</b><br>The B word: Budget. Whether it's city or state, budget cuts are affecting everyone from the police and fire departments to the library. Budget shortfalls and how the city is dealing with them will be a big part of what we cover.
Interested in trying out for the North Canton Playhouse's production of "Little Mermaid Jr.?" Tryouts start at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

The fair takes place from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. June 12 at the Employment Source, 822 30th St. NW, Canton
Carrie Spangler and Denise Testa, both audiologists, will host a fundraiser from 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Saturday at the Barrel Room. They're raising money for a trip to Beverly, KY, to fit adults with hearing aids.
A group of students at North Canton Middle School raised $800 to combat child trafficking in Ghana, Africa.
The group set off for Nimishillen Creek Watershed Tuesday morning to conduct water sampling in coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency. What's more? Filmmakers will turn the project into an environmental documentary to educate the community.
Here's a quick rundown of what happened at the North Canton City Council meeting Monday night
The market returns Saturday with crafts, sweets and fresh produce (can you say "strawberries?")
The Perry High School graduate served in the U.S. Army for five and a half years
A group of students at North Canton Middle School raised $800 to combat child trafficking in Ghana, Africa
Were you snapping shots of graduates at Hoover High School's commencement ceremony Sunday? We'd love for you to share them with the community!
The seniors bid farewell to their school and classmates Sunday
The $3.8 million project will improve North Main Street from Applegrove Street to Orion Street by adding a center turn lane
Readers nominated and voted for their favorite place to host a kid's birthday party in North Canton
The most popular stories on North Canton Patch this week
The Boroughs neighborhood has kept the end-of-the-school-year water balloon fight tradition going for 15 years
The following information was supplied by the North Canton Police Department. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.
The city-owned pool has some upgrades this year — new chairs, new siding for the lifeguard office, flowers and cement work. It's ready for its official opening day Saturday.
"Time is an unstoppable force, but you aren't," Zhang said. "Take advantage of all the opportunities you have in high school."
Pelini, a self-proclaimed nerd, shares with us why it's important to balance work and fun, how many Harry Potter books she has and why AP calculus rocks
Which kid-friendly venue provides the best place for children's parties?