Neighborhoods

A dozen people braved the cold Saturday morning to hear a presentation on “Community Cookbooks: Food, Memory, and Tradition” at the Poland branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County.

Librarian Tim Seman gave the presentation as part of the library’s America250 series in commemoration of our country’s semi quincentennial.

Seman grew up on the South Side of Youngstown and since childhood has been interested in the accumulated knowledge of a culture. It started when his uncle told him to get in the back of a pickup truck to go mushroom hunting. When Seman asked how they knew they wouldn’t pick poisonous mushrooms, the answer was, “We know what to do.”

Local cookbooks likewise are an expression of what people in a community learn and pass on to others.

The earliest American cookbook was written by Maria Moss in 1864, published as a fundraiser for wounded soldiers returning from the Civil War. This started a trend as most local cookbooks are fundraisers for churches and other organizations.

Seman pointed out differences in earlier cookbooks. For example, the oldest ones only list ingredients that can typically be found in the home. This includes the pride many homemakers would take in making their own mustard and “catsup.”

Older cookbooks would often contain other household hints, such as antidotes to poisons or how to “mend broken dishes.”

Some of the outdated terminology requires definitions, as recipes might include measurements such as dessert spoon, wineglass and gill (one half cup). Because older stoves did not have temperature gauges, directions might be slow oven (300-325 degrees) or fierce oven (475-500 degrees).

More recent cookbooks started adding ingredients that could be purchased at the grocery store. It is helpful for dating the publication when recipes include items such as Jell-O or Cool Whip. They also started to include simpler meals for women who worked outside the home, but were still expected to come home and make dinner.

Besides what cookbooks teach about food and culture, they are also an excellent resource for genealogy. Since they include submissions from individuals, they are considered to be a “primary source.”

Seman showed the audience how to use www.libraryvisit.org to do genealogical research. Women used to identify themselves with their husbands’ names, such as “Mrs. John Smith,” so a search needs to start with the man’s name to get to his wife. Seman was able to use The Vindicator records to find out the identities of individual contributors.

Cassie Slaybaugh of Youngstown said she has been “using library resources a lot” to learn local history. She said she loved the presentation as it showed how much information can be gleaned from a cookbook.

Kathleen Holden of Canfield said she has been to several of Seman’s presentations and was fascinated by his wealth of information. She was excited when he was able to immediately pull up a copy of a cookbook she contributed to in 1988 for the Holborn Herb Growers Guild.

Seman said while he enjoys reading and using the recipes, cookbooks represent “what it was like for a community to band together to build the middle class.”

Seman has an upcoming three-part presentation about Industrial Heritage (Feb. 18), Deindustrialization (March 18), and a public forum about the Valley’s future (April 15), which will include Youngstown Mayor Derrick McDowell, State Rep. Lauren McNally, D-Youngstown, and Ian Beniston, executive director of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation.

To read  the full article from The Vindicator, click here.

YNDC is seeking qualified candidates for Owner-Occupied Home Repair Project Inspector. Under the supervision of the Owner-Occupied Home Repair Project Coordinator, the Owner-Occupied Home Repair Project Inspector will screen properties for necessary repairs, write up project specifications, inspect completed repairs, communicate deficiencies, and obtain client signatures on compliance documents. 

To apply, please send cover letter and resume to jkendall@yndc.org

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

YNDC IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.

The people behind the Shorb revitalization in Canton have similar intentions for the Carnation City.

Build Ohio plans to build 10 new, single-family houses in the Liberty Heights area in 2026 on Alliance's north side.

The homes will be built on reclaimed lots owned by the city.

The infill project aims to create affordable houses that the city severely lacks, multiple officials said. The effort will target low-income neighborhoods in Ward 2. The average price will be $200,000, but organizers will be securing $50,000 to $60,000 in subsidies as a down payment to give families equity.

Ground is expected to be broken in March for the first five houses. Then five more, and even more in 2027.

Mayor Andy Grove said the city's administration "fully supports" the project.

"Creating 10 new, affordable housing units and employment for our skilled labor, all while stimulating population growth is exactly the direction we are heading in 2026," Grove said.

Let's take a look at the stakeholders, and the purpose for this project:

Build Ohio is a new joint venture between Canton For All People and the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation. Both specialize in neighborhood revitalization programs.

To read the full article from The Repository, click here.

Thursday, January 29, 2026

YNDC is excited to announce the publishing of the findings of its Greater Glenwood Neighborhood Survey. The feedback from the survey will influence YNDC's Greater Glenwood strategy. A digital copy can be downloaded below.

Staff with the Mahoning County Land Bank are celebrating the agency’s 15th anniversary in operation.

Directors say they want to emphasize their focus on existing homes in the area. After demolishing roughly 2,000 blighted properties, the agency is looking to put more emphasis on meeting the housing needs of the county — whether that’s new housing or remodeling and renovating existing homes to make them safe, livable and affordable.

“I would rather see that we do things now to care for the stock, the housing stock that we have to improve and lengthen the life of those houses, and to match people up who are looking for those opportunities,” said Deb Flora, with the Mahoning County Land Bank.

The last couple of years, the Landbank has worked with directors of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation to build new affordable houses around the county.

To read the full article from WKBN, click here. 

The beer will be ice cold at the Groundhog Craft Beerfest, but the event will be warm and friendly.

The fest will take place Saturday in the Stambaugh Auditorium ballroom. It will offer a much-needed opportunity for folks to come out of their burrows during this extra-chilly winter.

Guests can sample beers from 18 regional breweries at one of the two sessions: 1-4 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. General admission tickets are $60 per session. Preferred tickets are $100 and offer access to the premium lounge experience. Call the box office at 330 259 0555 or go to StambaughAuditorium.com.

Beer won’t be the only star of the show. Folks who prefer wine or nonalcoholic drinks will also have options.

Guests will be able to sample wines from L’Uva Bella and cider and wine from Sundog Ciderhouse and Winery and D.O.P.E. Cider House.

Mocktails by Sip Station and nonalcoholic beer tastings are on the menu this year.

Jack Kravitz, co-chairman of the event, said these options are designed to please guests who prefer to not imbibe.

The list of beer makers at the event is a long one:

Good Lady Brewhouse.
Muskellunge Brewing.
The Kilted Cow.
Brew Lounge Beer.
Aeonian Brewing.
Forest City Brewery.
The Local Brewing Co.
Biker Brewhouse.
Missing Falls Brewery.
Schnitz Alde Brewery.
Paradigm Shift Brewing.
Thursday Dog Brewing.
Penguin City Brewing.
Garrett’s Mill Brewing.
Paladin Brewing.
Pump House Crew.
1547 Project.
Modern Methods Brewing.
Groundhog Craft Beerfest, now in its eighth year, is presented by the Rotary Club of Youngstown. This year’s event will also feature a showcase of beer from local home brewers; a premium lounge, with rare beers that will not be offered on the festival floor; gourmet charcuterie from Jimmy’s Italian Specialties and Inspired Catering; a commemorative beer stein donated by Steelite; brewmaster visits; and sponsor exclusives.

There will also be live entertainment and food for purchase.

DJ Jim Sutman of Purple Cat will perform for the first session, and the band French Blue will take the stage for the second session, according to Kravitz.

Food vendors will include Trina Williams’ Fresh Wind Catering, Babcia’s Polish food truck, DiRusso Sausage and One Hot Cookie.

Kravitz expects at least 400 people will attend the event.

Last year’s Beerfest raised $42,000 for Rotary’s charitable efforts.

This year, the goal is to raise $50,000 to support local nonprofits, youth programs and neighborhood revitalization across the Mahoning Valley. So far, this year’s event has raised $40,000 in sponsorships, Kravitz said.

Since its inception in 2019, the event has raised over $150,000 to support more than 30 local organizations. Proceeds go to organizations such as the YWCA Mahoning Valley, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. and the English Center.

To read the full article from The Business Journal, click here.

City Council on Feb. 2 approved measures to revitalize Ward 2, paving the way for new homes in the low-income area.

The action allows Build Ohio to construct 10 new, single-family homes in an area that includes Liberty, Seneca and Freedom streets.

Build Ohio is a joint venture between Canton For All People and the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation.

To read the full article from The Repository, click here.

A former gas station property on the South Side is among seven sites that Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. is seeking funds to remediate, the city’s community planning and economic development director said.

To read the full article from The Business Journal, click here.

The city’s Board of Control approved Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp.’s grant application Thursday for a federal grant to remediate several environmentally contaminated sites in the city, including a former gas station property on the South Side.

To read the full article from The Business Journal, click here.

The city’s board of control agreed to the sixth change order for a major downtown improvement project to sections of Boardman and Walnut streets.

The board voted 2-0 Thursday to the change order that increases the project by $49,646 to a total of $2,932,043 for Parella-Pannunzio Inc., the Youngstown contractor doing the work.

Finance Director Kyle Miasek and Law Director Adam Buente voted in favor of the change order. Mayor Derrick McDowell was absent.

The contractor will put down a second and final layer of asphalt in the spring and there is the possibility that there could be another change order, said Charles Shasho, the city’s deputy director of public works.

“It’s not uncommon that this happens,” Shasho said of the change orders.

Panella-Pannunzio submitted the low bid of $2,756,473 in April for the project. At the time, the city’s estimate for the project was $2,929,431. With the change order approved Thursday, the cost has exceeded the initial estimate.

City council had initially approved spending up to $2.8 million for the project.

But the board of control on Sept. 11 approved an increase to $2,861,833 for a water tie-in and trenching for lighting. Council voted Dec. 1 to increase the maximum spending for this project to $2.95 million.

If there are additional change orders that go over $2.95 million, council would need to again vote to increase the maximum amount for the project.

The city received $2.1 million in state and federal funds for the project and is paying for anything over that amount.

The work is to Boardman Street between Walnut and Market streets, and Walnut Street between Commerce and Wood streets.

The work includes repaving, reducing vehicular lanes, adding diagonal on-street parking on Walnut Street, new crosswalks and curb ramps, improved lighting, landscaping and new traffic controls.

The project also features a pedestrian walkway, or step street, on Walnut Street to better connect downtown to Youngstown State University.

Much of the work is done though the final layer of asphalt, pavement markings and signage need to be done this spring, Shasho said.

Also Thursday, the board approved 13 contracts for emergency sewer repairs with A.P. O’Horo Co. of Liberty getting $113,336 for six projects and Utility Contracting Inc. of Youngstown paid $83,204 for seven projects.

Shasho said the projects date back as far as last summer and the city pays the bills when invoices are received. The two companies sent the invoices for all of the work they did over a period of months at the same time, he said.

The board also approved a $3,753 severance payment to Melanie Clarke-Penella, the former downtown events and special projects director. She was terminated by McDowell, who hired David Labra to replace her.

The severance payments are mostly for unused sick time, paid at 35% of their hourly rate, and for unused vacation time.

The board on Feb. 2 approved severance payments to four former department heads who were not retained when McDowell replaced Jamael Tito Brown as mayor.

The board Thursday approved a federal grant application for the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. that, if accepted, would permit the agency to clean up a number of former gas station properties along the Glenwood Avenue corridor.

To read the full article from The Vindicator, click here.