Kent's transformation from sleepy suburb to bustling college town continued this morning — if only symbolically — with a rare dual-speaker presentation at the fall Bowman Breakfast.

In an unprecedented move, Kent City Manager Dave Ruller and Kent State University President Lester Lefton shared the stage and gave a combined speech that, at times, seemed more like a conversation with 200-plus observers.

The twice-yearly town and gown tradition typically features one speaker from either Kent State or the community addressing the breakfast crowd.

Of course their topic was the major redevelopment going on downtown, on campus and throughout the city.