Latest news with #CuyahogaValley
New York Times
03-07-2025
- New York Times
Meet the Volunteers Who Help Keep America's Public Lands Running
'There is nothing so American as our national parks,' said President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a radio address from Glacier National Park in 1935. 'The fundamental idea behind the parks,' he went on, 'is that the country belongs to the people.' Almost 100 years later, the parks are more popular than ever, with recreational visits across the National Park Service soaring to a record-breaking 331.9 million in 2024. This summer, the parks are operating with reduced staff after cost-cutting by the Trump administration led to firings, deferred resignations and early retirements. That means fewer rangers to lead tours, search-and-rescue experts to find lost hikers and trail crews to clear downed trees. Less visible to the public are the volunteers who help make the parks and other federal lands run, including 138,000 Volunteers-in-Parks who in 2024 contributed more than 3.7 million hours of service. 'You can go to public lands as a visitor or you can volunteer and take a deeper dive,' said Becky MacKay, who volunteers at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, in Ohio. 'There is so much to learn while providing service at the same time. ' Here are six volunteers between the ages of eight and 88 who have stepped up in surprising and inspiring ways in and around the national parks. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Telegraph
12-06-2025
- Telegraph
How to get the most value for money on your North American holiday
Brandywine Falls pours through the forest, bouncing off a wall of rock that's tiered like a wedding cake. It's the reward for the hard work of a 1.5-mile hike through Ohio's Cuyahoga Valley National Park, one of hundreds of parks, monuments and reserves within the US National Parks system with free entry. It's also a reminder that an experience-packed holiday in the USA need not break the bank. Play it smart and an American adventure can be exceptional value for money. A road trip adventure Fortunately, one of the most memorable ways to explore the United States is also one of the most cost-effective. Hiring a car and road-tripping around the country brings freedom and flexibility to explore and discover. It's also relatively cheap – SUVs can often be hired for under £200 a week. Having your own wheels also allows for great savings on accommodation and food. Nights can be spent in budget-friendly but characterful smaller towns with bargain motels and hearty family-run restaurants. Classic road trip routes are also lined with free attractions, some delightfully silly, some photogenically beautiful, others drenched in history. Route 66, for example, is a barrage of absurdly kitsch giant fibreglass statues, picturesque state parks and heritage sites such as Abraham Lincoln's former home in Springfield, Illinois. Many don't have entrance fees. Going off the beaten track You don't have to stick to classic, well-worn routes. Pick any two big cities in the USA and there is plenty to do on the drive between them – with considerably lower accommodation costs than the better-known routes. For instance, Brandywine Falls is on the route from Boston to Chicago, along with the astonishing Henry Ford Museum outside Detroit, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the wineries of New York's Finger Lakes. Going off the beaten track also applies to timing as well as destinations. Shoulder seasons – think March to May or September to November – are usually quieter in both the big cities and the national parks. This means smaller crowds at the likes of Pier 39 in San Francisco or Arches National Park in Utah, plus significantly reduced hotel prices. Staying away from peak season can also bring more freedom. For example, from 1 December to 28 February, the Hermit Drive along the South Rim of Arizona's Grand Canyon is open to all vehicles, while the rest of the year, you have to take a shuttle bus. Exploring the great outdoors Venturing through the States' glorious natural landscapes can work out much cheaper than shelling out for attractions in the city. It costs nothing to go on an elk-spotting mission in the Cataloochee section of Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains National Park, or hike the hundred miles of trails in West Virginia's New River Gorge National Park. Beaches, mountain lookouts and forest walking trails generally don't cost a cent. The same applies to wildlife-spotting, whether elephant seals on Californian beaches or bison herds in Montana's American Prairie Reserve. If your trip encompasses several sites in the National Parks system, the single best investment you can make is the $80 America the Beautiful Pass, available online or at the park entrances. It lasts a year, and with entrance to many popular parks otherwise costing $35 each time, it represents an incredible bargain. Making the most of money-saving passes Harnessing the wallet-friendly power of passes doesn't just apply in the great outdoors – it works in cities too. CityPass and Go City offer bundled attractions passes in several US cities, reducing entry costs for the big-hitter experiences, museums and sights. The principle of buying in bulk to save money also works for public transit passes. In Boston, for example, individual subway fares cost $2.40 but a weekly pass costs $22.50 for unlimited travel. Many big-city icons are free in the first place, however. These include Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the Smithsonian Museums and National Mall memorials of Washington DC and artist Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate in Chicago's Millennium Park. To combine several sights, look for free historic walking trails lined with absorbing explanatory signs. Printed maps for the likes of Boston's Freedom Trail and the Trail to Treasure route around Seattle's Pioneer Square can usually be found at visitor information centres, with downloadable versions online. Should you prefer such walks to be guided, there are several tour companies running on a pay-what-you-wish system. These include San Francisco City Guides, Free Chicago Walking Tours and NOLA Tour Guy in New Orleans. Tackling the USA in a budget-conscious way, it seems, does not mean missing out.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Strawberries, blueberries and more: Where to go berry-picking in Northeast Ohio 🍓🫐
Berry-picking season is nearly here and for those Northeast Ohio residents ready to pick their fruit, there are numerous opportunities throughout the region to do so. One such place is the Greenfield Berry Farm, owned and operated by Daniel Greenfield within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Peninsula. Specializing in blueberries and aronia berries, Greenfield reports a solid harvest this season. "It looks like it will be a typical year, with no major losses or any bumper crop," Greenfield said. Some farms, however, are reporting berries are behind schedule this season. Julie Renner, owner of Renner's Blueberry Knolls Farm in Sugar Creek Township, said blueberries have been slower to grow this year. With the impending arrival of blueberry-picking season in a few weeks, Greenfield recommends checking the farm's social media for the latest information on picking days and times. "We aren't open for regular hours, if we have an abundance of berries to be picked, we let people know picking will be available [for certain hours]," he said. "The best way to know what's going on is to follow us on Facebook." Here's a county-by-county breakdown of some pick-your-own fields and orchards, including season dates and berry selections: The Greenfield Berry Farm, 2485 Major Rd., Peninsula, 330-657-2924, greenfieldberryfarm@ Pick-your-own blueberries are available from the end of June through August. Pick-your-own aronia berries (chokeberries) are available from the end of July through August. Spring Hill Farm, 2054 Laramie Road NW, Carrollton, 330-627-2892, email: springvalleyfoods@ Blueberries usually begin to ripen by the second week of July. Sanor's Fruit Farm, 2514 state Route 172, Minerva, 330-894-2375. Strawberries, sour cherries, blueberries, apples, peaches, and grapes. This is a combined pick-your-own and pre-picked farm. Call for hours and days. Dillon Fruit Farm, 36108 Kelch Rd., Lisbon, 330-424-5169, Pick your own blueberries, raspberries, elderberries, and cherries. Visit Dillon Fruit Farm on Facebook for updates. Huffman Fruit Farm, 13075 Lisbon Road, Salem, 330-533-5700. Visit Huffman Fruit Farm on Facebook for updates. Strawberries, raspberries. Ellsworth Berry Farm, 5921 Gault Road, North Jackson, 330-538-3861. Pick your own blueberries and red raspberries. Call for weekly hours. Visit Ellsworth Berry Farm on Facebook for updates. White House Fruit Farm, 9249 state Route 62, Canfield, 330-533-4161, email admin@ Pick your own strawberries, blueberries. Visit White House Fruit Farm on Facebook for updates. Closed Sundays. Find the fields at 8652 Leffingwell Road. Walnut Drive Gardens, 2129 Randolph Road, Mogadore, 330-628-3213. Visit Walnut Drive Gardens Facebook page for updates. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries. Monroe's Orchard & Farm Market, 6313 Pioneer Trail, Hiram, 330-569-7464, info@ Pick-your-own fruits are strawberries (June), cherries (beginning of July). Visit Monroe's Orchard on Facebook for updates. During strawberry season, open daily at 8 a.m. All other seasons we open at a later time. Closing time varies; call 330.569.7464. Shari's Berries & Garden, 12210 Abbott Road, Hiram, 330-569-7882, shari@ Blackberries, red raspberries. Blossom Creek Farm, 3245 Battlesburg St. SE, East Sparta, 330-227-4641, berry@ Blackberries and blueberries, pick your own (buckets provided) and already picked. Blueberries are usually ready for picking in late June. Normal picking throughout the season, starting when berries are ready in the latter part of June through mid to late August, are 8 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Blackberries usually ripen around the last week of July. Availability and ripening may vary. Daily updates are posted at A 3% fee is charged for all card transactions at the farm. Visit Blossom Creek Farm on Facebook for updates. Renner's Blueberry Knolls Farm, 10597 Manchester Ave. SW, Sugar Creek Township, 330-440-3077, The farm's blueberry season runs from the last week of June through the first week of August. Visit Renner's Blueberry Knolls Farm on Facebook for updates. Pick your own (containers provided) or buy already picked. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Credit cards are not accepted. Sunny Slope Orchard, 14961 Millersburg Rd. SW, Tuscarawas Township, 330-833-9415, Visit Sunny Slope Orchard on Facebook for updates. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Pick-your-own strawberries season is in June. Call for details. Peaches are ready to pick in August. Wade's Fruit Farm, 12915 Warren Road, Paris Township, 330-862-3313, email FruitFarmer@ Visit Wade's Fruit Farm on Facebook for updates. The main fruits are pick-your-own blueberries and black raspberries. Other fruits and vegetables vary. Hours vary during the season, so call first. Harvest Barn, 420 Dutch Valley Drive NE, Sugarcreek; 330-852-6080, theharvestbarn@ Visit The Harvest Barn on Facebook for updates. Strawberries. Bauman Orchards, 161 Rittman Ave., Rittman, 330-925-6861, email office@ Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Visit the website or Facebook page for updates. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries. Maurer Farm, 2901 Batdorf Road, Wooster, 330-264-2285, email Info@ Visit Maurer Farm on Facebook for updates. Strawberries. Moreland Fruit Farm, 1558 West Moreland Road, Wooster, 330-264-8735. Call for updates before going out. No credit or debit cards. Strawberries, red and black raspberries, blueberries, currants, blackberries. Rittman Orchards and Farm Market, 13548 Mount Eaton Road, Doylestown. 330-925-4152, email: info@ Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit Rittman Orchards on Facebook or for updates. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries. The Canton Repository reporter Janson McNair contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Where to pick strawberries, blueberries, more in NE Ohio this summer
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Disturbing reason glamorous Coast Guard veteran executed man in remote park... and why many say she should go free
A glamorous Coast Guard veteran who became an OnlyFans model has pleaded guilty to murdering a man she claimed raped her four years earlier. Chelsea Perkins, 35, confessed on Tuesday to murdering Matthew Dunmire, 31, whom she lured to a remote hiking trail in Ohio 's Cuyahoga Valley National Park before shooting him execution-style in the back of the head on March 6, 2021. The former military servicewoman traveled more than 300 miles from her Virginia home to Ohio to meet the victim whom she knew previously, according to a press release by the US Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Ohio. According to federal prosecutors, Perkins and Dunmire, who knew each other from high school between 2005 and 2009, arranged to meet at the national park after planning an outing. They visited the Terra Vista Natural Study Area, a hiking trail located in Valley View, Ohio, within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. 'While hiking off-trail into a wooded area of the park, Perkins used a loaded firearm she brought with her to shoot the victim in the back of the head, killing him,' the press release writes. His body wasn't discovered until three days later when other hikers stumbled upon the gruesome scene. The killing was allegedly an orchestrated plan for revenge against the aspiring musician she accused of sexual assault years earlier, according to court documents. Chelsea Perkins, 35, confessed on Tuesday to murdering Matthew Dunmire, 31, (pictured) whom she lured to a remote hiking trail in Ohio's Cuyahoga Valley National Park before shooting him execution-style in the back of the head on March 6, 2021 The former military servicewoman traveled more than 300 miles from her Virginia home to Ohio to meet the victim whom she knew previously, according to a press release by the US Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Ohio She first reported Dunmire to Virginia Beach police in 2017 for allegedly raping her. But authorities said there wasn't enough evidence to file charges against him at the time. It took FBI investigators nearly nine months to track down Perkins using evidence including GPS data, DNA analysis, social media records, phone tracking, and ballistics testing from the crime scene. The breakthrough came when investigators discovered that Dunmire had told a co-worker just four days before his death that he was meeting 'a girl' who was staying in the area for the weekend. That same co-worker witnessed a brown-haired woman pick up Dunmire in a distinctive white Smart car. The vehicle was later traced back to Virginia and registered to Perkins' husband. She had met him during her brief stint in the Coast Guard before leaving the military to pursue a career as an adult content creator under the name 'Sabrina Savage.' Park witnesses also reported seeing a woman matching Perkins' description on the trail the day of the murder, and hikers heard a gunshot between 11:30 and 11:50am, which is the moment prosecutors say the execution took place. When federal agents raided Perkins' home in Alexandria, Virginia, they discovered three 9mm pistols, including one with bullets that matched 'similar characteristics' to those found in Dunmire's skull, according to a criminal complaint. Perkins is now facing up to 25 years in prison, and is set to appear in court on Sept. 9 for sentencing. But the shocking case took an even more disturbing turn in the months after Dunmire's murder. When Perkins was still on the loose and not yet arrested, the victim's grieving parents attempted to take justice into their own hands, according to the feds. In November 2021, Tommie Lynn Dunmire and John Nelson McQuillen drove to Washington, DC, with a plan to hunt down and kill their son's alleged murderer. Dunmire's mother shockingly disguised herself as a UPS delivery driver and knocked on an apartment door she believed belonged to Perkins. When a woman answered, she opened fire and shot the victim twice in the abdomen. The woman, however, wasn't Perkins but rather an innocent bystander who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The parents fled the scene, and even managed to change their vehicle's license plates to attempt to avoid capture. But police tracked them down after a high-speed chase that ended deadly. Tommie Lynn Dunmire ended up taking her own life after being pulled over by police in Florida. The innocent gunshot victim survived her injuries after receiving emergency medical treatment. McQuillen was arrested and later pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to assault with intent to kill, which led to a three-year prison sentence.
