MEDINA

Flynn, Daniel R., 85, of Medina. Died Tuesday. Waite & Son.

STARK

Anderson, Derrick L., 41, of Lake Township. Died Wednesday. Auble, Orrville.

Andreotti, Judy A., 62, of Navarre. Died Monday. Paqulet, Massillon.

Glick, Phillip C., 79, of Massillon. Died Saturday. Paquelet.

Jones, Linda M., 64, of Navarre. Died Monday. Paqulet, Massillon.

Leonard, Cheryl Emmert, 50, of Massillon. Died Nov. 1. Paquelet & Arnold-Lynch.

Smith, Betty J., 86, of Navarre. Died Saturday. Paquelet & Arnold-Lynch, Massillon.

Smith, J. Christopher, 51, of Massillon. Died Friday. Paquelet.

Sowards, Nicole L., 13, of Canal Fulton. Died Saturday. Paquelet, Massillon.

Yarnell, Georgia R., 54, of Massillon. Died Sunday. Paquelet & Arnold-Lynch.

WAYNE

Dobson, Deborah K., 63, of Fredericksburg. Died Tuesday. Murray.

Fawcett, Wanda M., 102, of Rittman. Died Tuesday. Gillman.

Maki, Edna V., 87, of Orrville. Died Tuesday. Auble.

Pittman, Cristel, 89, of Rittman. Died Wednesday. Gillman.

Tracey, Denise M., 56, of Wooster. Died Tuesday. Murray, Fredericksburg.

Vance, Bonny L., 69, of Rittman. Died Tuesday. Gillman.

OTHER

Kenneth C. Battershell, 80, of Damascus. Died Tuesday. Sharer-Stirling-Skivolocke, Alliance.

Stark County always picks a presidential winner.

At least, that’s the theory.

But for the second time in the last three presidential elections, Stark may end up supporting the loser.

Stark voters went for Democrat Barack Obama four years ago, but they switched allegiance and supported Republican challenger Mitt Romney this year. Stark was only one of five counties to flip statewide. Erie, Lake, Monroe and Tuscarawas were the others, and they also went Republican.

Romney’s lead in Stark is a slim 644 votes — and there are more than 5,900 provisional and absentee ballots remaining to be examined, the county elections board said. Perhaps the county will ultimately swing back to Obama, but that won’t be known for at least 10 days when workers start tallying those votes.

William Cunion, associate professor of political science at University of Mount Union in Alliance, said he’s not surprised that Stark flipped. The Democrats put together a tremendous effort four years ago to get out the vote and went into areas of Canton that had never been canvassed before, he said.

This time, the Democratic enthusiasm, while still high, wasn’t as great, he said.

He also expected larger support for Romney in wealthier communities.

As for the county’s much-touted bellwether status, Cunion has been downplaying that for years and said it’s undeserved. Stark isn’t a microcosm of the United States, especially without a decent Latino population, he said.

“It is true that the county went to the winning candidate for a number of years but now has missed two out of the last three if it holds up,” Cunion said. “As bellwethers go, that’s not good.”

Since 1960, Stark voters picked the winning president every time except for twice — and perhaps now three times. In 1976, they chose Gerald Ford over Jimmy Carter. And in 2004, they selected John Kerry over President George Bush.

Stark became a media darling following a 1996 New York Times story that declared: “As Stark goes, so does U.S.” Despite the missteps, the media still swoons over the community.

With more than 300,000 outstanding provisional and absentee ballots statewide, Romney so far has had a worse showing in Ohio than Sen. John McCain did four years ago, especially in urban areas.

For example, Romney picked up 15,405 fewer votes than McCain in Cuyahoga County, 10,545 fewer in Franklin County, 7,491 fewer in Montgomery County and 4,584 fewer in Summit County, according to unofficial results.

Statewide, he received 76,118 fewer votes than McCain. Meanwhile, Obama received 265,264 fewer votes than he did four years ago.

Of course, those gaps will narrow as provisional ballots are counted. Provisional ballots are votes cast when there is a question about a voter’s eligibility. Elections boards must determine whether the vote will count or not.

Obama holds Ohio

Stephen Brooks, associate director of the University of Akron’s Bliss Institute of Applied Politics, said exit polling indicated that Obama did better with white males in Ohio than in the rest of the country.

He attributed that to a combination of factors, including the auto bailout, which helped the state, and the fallout from the failed Republican-led Senate Bill 5 campaign last year aimed at collective bargaining for public employees.

The Obama campaign also never really left Ohio with its get-out-the-vote efforts and was “merciless in terms of making that happen,” Brooks said.

“Again, Ohio reflects the nation,” he said about the state’s overall importance in electing the president.

Obama easily cruised to victory in the Democrat-leaning Summit County.

But three Summit communities — Norton, Stow and Springfield Township — flipped from supporting Obama four years ago to voting Republican.

Romney also won Green, Hudson, New Franklin, Boston Heights, Clinton, Richfield, Silver Lake, Bath Township, Richfield Township and Sagamore Hills Township.

In other Akron-area counties, Romney won Medina and Wayne counties, while Obama won Portage County. Romney also picked up more voters in those counties than McCain did four years ago.

Obama won 17 counties this year; four years ago he won 22.

High turnout

Statewide, the voter turnout was 68 percent, a slight dip from the 70 percent four years ago, according to unofficial numbers from the secretary of state.

In Summit County, the turnout was 71 percent.

In other Akron-area counties, the turnout was 71.68 percent in Medina, 68.91 percent in Portage, 68.86 percent in Stark and 64.13 percent in Wayne, the state said.

The highest turnout was in Highland County at 96.75 percent. The county, located east of Cincinnati, has 28,635 registered voters and 27,705 of them went to the polls, the state said.

The board couldn’t be reached for comment to verify that figure.

The state reported a 24 percent turnout in Miami County — by far the worst in Ohio. But a county Board of Elections worker said that was an error and turnout was actually 71 percent.

A state spokesman said there could be a data entry error at play.

Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com.

CUYAHOGA FALLS: The children began gathering at Ross Park on Maplecrest Street just before 5 p.m.

Some brought their parents, some came alone or with friends.

Balloons in the shape of a football greeted them at the entrance to the field where the city’s youth football team plays.

Younger brothers and sisters ran through the field as the teens — most from Roberts Middle School nearby — found their friends and began to form groups. They laughed, giggled and talked in excited tones.

To someone passing by, it could have been an after-school party.

Instead, the crowd was there to say goodbye to one of the league’s players.

The 13-year-old Roberts Middle School eighth-grader played his last game Sunday.

On Monday at 9 p.m., Cuyahoga Falls Schools Superintendent Todd Nichols got the news that the boy had died.

Nichols contacted the Roberts Middle School principal, who used the emergency phone system to notify parents of the school’s students.

A crisis team was in the school on Tuesday when the students arrived.

“What a tragedy,” Nichols said. He called the teen, “a young man with a tremendous future.”

The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet ruled on the cause.

On Monday evening, the football team held a candlelight vigil on the field at Ross Park.

Jo Dee Sullivan, parent of a Roberts student, thought about ways for anyone who wanted to honor the boy, so she planned Wednesday’s balloon vigil. She brought 15 dozen balloons.

Just after 5:30, she asked the crowd to gather in a circle around the lit candles on the field. Most held balloons in black or gold, with a smattering of stars and hearts made of mylar.

Some of the balloons, such as the one held by Roberts eighth-grader Amy Mymintch, had notes tied to them.

In unison, about 300 voices counted, yelled, “We love you ” and released the balloons.

They had come to say goodbye, and now they could say nothing. Instead, they watched in silence as the breeze carried the balloons south, drifting away from the school and the field.

The silence was broken by the sobs of children trying to grasp the painful reality that the boy with the big smile and kind words would not be in class anymore. They remained in the circle and comforted each other as the last balloon drifted from sight.

Then they stayed as the blue sky was swallowed up by the darkness, as if afraid that if they left, their friend’s death would become real and he would be gone forever.

With the darkness came dropping temperatures, and the crowd began to walk to their cars and homes.

As she and her friends reached the gate, one of the teens turned back to look at the field.

“Rest in peace,” she said.

AKRON

Open house

AKRON: The Lippman School, 750 White Pond Drive, will host an open house at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

The school is now enrolling for all-day kindergarten through eighth grade.

Personal tours are available by calling 330-836-0419.

For additional information, visit www.thelippmanschool.org.

FAIRLAWN

Cancer support

FAIRLAWN: The American Cancer Society’s Man to Man prostate cancer support and education group will meet 7 p.m. Wednesday at Stewart’s Caring Place, 2955 W. Market St., Suite R, Fairlawn.

The topic will be sex and intimacy before, during and after treatment.

Spouses and significant others are invited to attend.

For additional information about the meetings, call Stewart’s Caring Place at 330-836-1772.

HUDSON

Request tabled

HUDSON: Approval of the Collection Auto Group’s request to rezone the former Clarke Ford property has been postponed until the Nov. 19 council meeting.

Council President David Basil suggested tabling the vote, which would have rezoned portions of 5715, 5735 and 5751 Darrow Road from outer village residential to outer village commercial.

The suggestion to table was made to allow time for members of City Council, the Collection Auto Group and its adjoining neighbors to review the proposed deed of conservation easement.

Five adjoining property owners spoke during the public hearing portion of Wednesday’s meeting on the issue.

KENT STATE

New business dean

KENT: Deborah F. Spake has been named the new dean of Kent State’s College of Business Administration. She currently is associate dean and professor of marketing at the University of South Alabama.

She will join Kent State on Jan. 1, replacing Kathryn S. Wilson, who has served as interim dean since October 2011. Wilson will return to her faculty position in the economics department.

Prior to her current position, Spake was assistant dean for assessment at the University of South Alabama’s Mitchell College of Business.

She has taught marketing at the University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama-Birmingham, Western Michigan University and Fachhochschule Worms (University of Applied Sciences) in Worms, Germany.

She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of South Alabama and her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Alabama.

Spake will be paid $240,000 in her job at KSU.

MEDINA COUNTY

Inmate dies

MEDINA: An Akron man being held on robbery and kidnapping charges died after hanging himself in a Medina County Jail cell, police said.

Michale Green, 18, died Wednesday night while being transported to Medina General Hospital.

According to Sheriff Neil Hassinger, Green had been held at the Medina County Jail since Oct. 10 after his arrest on charges of robbing a convenience store in Harrisville Township.

Green did not show signs of being suicidal during his stay, the sheriff said.

After eating dinner and speaking with corrections officers, Green was left alone in his cell.

About 8:30 p.m., guards found Green with a towel around his neck tied to a window bar and leaning.

He left no note.

Hassinger said deputies revived Green, but the inmate died during the drive to the hospital.

Green also had burglary charges pending in Summit County.

STARK COUNTY

Foundation to meet

NORTH CANTON: The Student Loan Foundation of North Canton will hold its annual meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The session will be held in the media center at Hoover High School, 525 Seventh St. NE.

The meeting is open to all contributors to the Student Loan Foundation.

Finalizing a plan that has been in the works for more than a year, Portage County Commissioners on Thursday voted to lease Robinson Memorial Hospital to the newly formed nonprofit Robinson Health System.

The 150-bed hospital in Ravenna will keep the same management and board, but officials have argued that a nonprofit status will make it more competitive, give it the legal option of forming ventures with for-profit physician practices, and take future employees out of an expensive state retirement system.

The county is also poised to cut ties with its county-owned nursing home, Woodlands at Robinson. Commissioners could sign off on a sale to Saber Healthcare Group of Bedford Heights as early as Tuesday.

The 99-bed center is located on the main campus of the hospital but is a separate operation.

While the commissioners appear united in their desire to sell the nursing home, the vote on the hospital lease was split. Commissioner Tommie Jo Marsilio voted against; commissioners Maureen Frederick and Chris Smeiles voted in favor.

Marsilio said she had two objections: That the deal gives the nonprofit the right to buy the facility, and that the makeup of the current hospital board did not change.

Throughout the process, Marsilio has argued that the current board “does not have socio-economic and geographic diversity. It does not look like Portage County. It looks like the elite of Portage County.”

Stephen Colecchi, Robinson’s president and chief executive, said the current 10-member board will be expanded to 15, with new members appointed by the current board. But replacing the old board would mean giving up experience and institutional memory, he said.

“Most experts in board governance would suggest you not start a new board to operate a hospital and not have some carryover from the old board,” he said.

Marsilio said if the board had been changed, she would not have objected to the sale provision.

But without the change, she said she lacks the confidence that the nonprofit won’t simply buy and then resell the hospital and “send employees up the river.”

Colecchi said there “are no plans whatsoever to sell the hospital,” but that consultants and attorneys strongly suggested the language to “set out the process for the future.” He added that any sale in the future would still have to be approved by commissioners.

He also thanked the commissioners for their efforts this past year, saying they “spent a lot of time reviewing the merits of the conversion and I thank the county for their leadership.”

The hospital will probably not operate as a nonprofit until next summer, as there are several other actions that must be taken first, Colecchi said. For instance, the group will now apply for tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service, a months-long process.

The 1,332 hospital employees will not see much change. Current employees may continue being part of the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, but new employees will not have that option.

In the case of the pending nursing home sale, Marsilio said it’s the responsible thing for the county to do.

“It has to happen. The cost of medical reimbursement has been cut and cut” and public-owned nursing homes are not on a level playing field with private facilities, she said. “Government should not compete with the private sector.”

Last year, Saber submitted the highest bid with a $10 million offer, but financing plans were compromised when the property appraisal came in at under $7 million.

Commissioners have since agreed to sell Saber the property for $7.6 million. The county’s debt service on the property is $6.9 million.

There has been some tension recently, as union employees at the nursing home have been trying to negotiate a new contract and have begun informational picketing.

However, the labor issues are not expected to stop the sale, Marsilio said.

The nursing home deal calls for employees to be laid off by the county and then rehired by Saber, most likely in December.

Commissioners Smeiles and Frederick could not be reached to comment.

Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/paulaschleis.

Last month, longtime Stark County Common Pleas Judge Lee Sinclair went on a hiking trip with his wife in the Oregon wilderness and decided it was time to retire from a job he loves.

“I realized I could still do 45 miles on a trail,” Sinclair said Thursday in a Beacon Journal interview, “so maybe it was time to go and do some more trails.”

His 61st birthday is this weekend.

After serving 18 years on the bench, Sinclair said he made his decision to retire soon after a trip last month with his wife to the Rogue Wilderness trails along the Rogue River ­— and its whitewater beauty — in southwestern Oregon.

Zane Grey, the famous Western adventure novelist, wrote many of his books in a cabin still standing on the river banks.

The allure of those rugged hiking trails, Sinclair said, clinched his decision.

“My wife and I did a lot of talking about it while we were gone, and I came back from that and thought it was the right time and right place to do it,” Sinclair said.

“It’s one of the last, true American wilderness areas in the Lower 48. It was an amazing place. It was really pretty and really desolate,” he said.

His retirement is effective Dec. 31, but Sinclair said he plans to continue hearing cases on assignment by the Ohio Supreme Court. He said he also plans to teach next year at the University of Mount Union in Alliance.

Sinclair is one of the most honored and scholarly jurists in the state.

As a three-term chairman of the Ohio Judicial College Board of Trustees, he is the lead faculty member for the board’s judicial teaching course, “Handling a Capital Case.”

It is required instruction for all Ohio judges handling death penalty cases.

Sinclair has written extensively on the judge’s role in such cases, authoring a major section of the treatise, Presiding Over A Capital Case — the nation’s leading textbook on death penalty litigation.

He also is a longtime faculty member of the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada and recently was elected as a member of the National Judicial College Faculty Council.

Sinclair said he has been privileged to do what he described as his “dream job.”

“Being on the judiciary allows you to do a couple of things. First, it allows you to do what’s right on cases, to protect people that need to be protected.

“It also allows you,” Sinclair said, “to make the community safer when you handle criminal cases and you put some of these really bad people that we deal with off the street for a long time.

“It allows you to protect consumers that have been mishandled by somebody who has more money and is a little more powerful — but not legally right. Just the whole concept of the Rule of Law and the American justice system being, without a doubt, the best in the world,” he said.

Sinclair wanted to be a judge since childhood.

His father had a dry-cleaning business in Canton and would do a lot of work for the courthouse judges.

“He would take me downtown — I was just a little guy— we would go to lunch together, and he would always like to go over to the courthouse to say hello to the judges he knew,” Sinclair said.

Strong impressions of the job, he said, came from a kindly judge who would allow him to sit at his desk on the bench and from the mere sight of a judge striding into the courtroom in a long, black robe.

“For a little kid,” Sinclair said, “it was just so impressive, and my Dad and my Mom both were so much into the fact: ‘You need to strive to do something good, to serve your community and be successful in your own right.’

“A lot of that,” he said, “was beat into me when I was a little kid.”

To this day, if Sinclair sees a child in the courtroom, he said he will call the child up to the bench to sit in his chair before he leaves.

“That meant so much to me,” he said, “that I figure if it makes a difference with only one kid in the hundreds I’ve done that with over the years, good for me.”

Sinclair and his wife, Janet, have four grown daughters and four grandchildren.

Ed Meyer can be reached at 330-996-3784 or at emeyer@thebeaconjournal.com.

GREEN: William Maynard brought an armload of books to “stuff the turkey” at Greenwood Early Learning Center Thursday.

The 5-year-old kindergartner wasn’t sure why he was putting many of his own books into the turkey’s “belly,” but he knew the reason must be important.

“They are going to the Primary, but I don’t know where they are going after that,” he admitted while eyeing the colorful “turkey” decoration filled to the brim with school supplies and children’s books.

Next door, in Tammy DeDominickis’ second-grade classroom at Green Primary School, children were aware their donations of tissues, hand sanitizers and wipes would go to children less fortunate than they are.

“We’re going to help make their school clean and give them a better education,” said 7-year-old Logan Dyer.

“We’re going to give them a better life,” added Eric Wolford, 8.

Annabelle Lormeau, 8, said the 313 second-grade students at her school were participating in a project that would provide a brighter holiday to less fortunate students.

“They are Christmas presents for a school that doesn’t have what we have. The books will go to school because they don’t have any,” she said.

The class shouted their agreement with Dennis Butts, 8, that it would be “horrible” to live in a home where there are no books to read.

That is exactly how members of the 2012 class of Leadership Akron felt when they visited students and staff at Leggett Community Learning Center last year. They decided to take action, said member Joe Swiatkowski.

“I think that touched us a hell of a lot more than anything else,” Swiatkowski said. “A lot of us grew up with advantages. If we can help the people that didn’t grow up in the best circumstances, we should be doing it,” Swiatkowski said.

Leadership Akron, founded in 1984, is made up of aspiring community leaders who are committed to service and building and improving the community’s well-being. The program gives members an opportunity to see a broad view of the community outside their own spheres with the goal of producing a group of leaders ready to advance the community.

Two Leadership Akron classmates, Swiatkowski, president of Hickory Harvest in Coventry Township, and Valerie Wolford, director of communications for the city of Green, immediately zeroed in on trying to improve the Leggett students’ Christmas experience.

“It’s my favorite time of year,” said Swiatkowski, who has three children from 9 months to 9 years. “A lot of these kids don’t get anything for Christmas. They need things as simple as hats and gloves,” he said.

Christmas lessons

During the Leadership Akron education day visit, Wolford said she was troubled when one of the Leggett teachers said many of the students don’t get gifts from Santa. She said she realized the enormous gulf between her own children and those at Leggett when her son came home and asked for an iPad for Christmas.

“How do we teach [our kids] that Christmas isn’t all about the get?” she asked.

Enriching the lives of the Leggett students could be a lesson in compassion for her own children as well as the students in two schools that sit side by side on Graybill Road.

Greenwood school counselor Erica Bauer said she signed on because it is a wonderful teaching opportunity.

“As kindergartners, they need to know there is a world beyond their classroom. We are always looking for ways for our kids to understand philanthropy, even at this age. It’s kind of an abstract idea, but we try to start the discussion,” Bauer said.

But Wolford and Bauer realized that unless the students in Green were called upon to give up something personal — not something contributed by their parents — the lesson could be lost.

“One of the ideas that we came up with was to ask for new and gently used books. That way they can go to their bookshelves to choose. It gets them involved. If they just go home and ask for $1, it loses its meaning,” Wolford said.

Big plans for the holiday

With all Leadership Akron 2012 class members, and many of those in the 2013 class committed to the project, plans ballooned to give the Leggett students a very special holiday.

Their goal is to raise $20,000 in cash and donations for students, teachers and the school.

“We would like each child to get a book, teacher/classroom supplies such as hand sanitizer, tissues, and each to get a new toy,” Wolford said. Other needs are composition and wide-rule notebooks, hats and gloves, crayons, markers and money for a small gift for teachers.

Organizers are looking for a donation of gift bags, preferably draw-string backpacks, and are hoping a business will donate lunch for students and staff members who usually eat warmed, pre-packaged meals each day.

“It would be nice to have a hot, kid-friendly meal to give them. It would be something special,” Wolford said.

Ten iPads also are on the “wish list,” Wolford said. “It’s a wish list. If we hit all our other goals, we will be happy. It’s Leadership Akron, we have big dreams,” Wolford said.

Generational poverty

Leggett Principal Philomena Vincente said Leadership Akron members have no idea how much their generosity will mean to children who have so little. Most of the children are growing up with generational poverty.

“Fewer than 20 percent of our families own their own homes in this district,” Vincente said.

“During a reading class last year, we suggested students share one thing that happened that day at the dinner table,” said Vincente, who has been principal at the school for 11 years. “One little boy raised his hand and asked, ‘What if you don’t have a table?’ He told his teacher they eat on the floor.”

Still, Leggett students are much like their counterparts in Green just 10 miles to the south. They look to Christmas with anticipation, and like most children, expect Santa to arrive Dec. 25 even after parents tell them he won’t be coming.

“They write letters to Santa, but we know a lot of them won’t have Christmas trees or decorations,” Vincente said.

“They bring in copies of toy catalogs and tell us everything they are going to get. Then they come back after the first of the year and say they didn’t get any of them,” Vincente added.

This year, even if Santa doesn’t show up on Dec. 25, Leadership Akron and students in Green will make sure he delivers toys and other goodies to the school on Dec. 14, Swiatkowski said.

Through Skype, Green students will participate in the festivities.

“Any help anyone gives we are grateful for. Everything, every dollar goes toward these kids who have so little,” he said.

Donations may be sent to Leaders for Leggett c/o Joe Swiatkowski, 90 Logan Parkway, Coventry Township, OH 44319.

Swiatkowski can be reached at 330-730-0311 or by email at joe@hickoryharvest.com. Wolford can be reached at 330-806-0311 or by email at valeriewolford@yahoo.com.

Kathy Antoniotti can be reached at 330-996-3565 or kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com.

TALLMADGE:

Retired Tallmadge High School drama teacher Frank Chaff IV will take center stage on Saturday.

The district plans to name the high school auditorium stage after Chaff at 6:45 p.m. before students perform Death of a Salesman, directed by David Obney.

“Frank Chaff devoted 43 years to the students of Tallmadge High School,” said Superintendent Jeff Ferguson. “He produced more than a hundred musicals and plays always getting large casts of students from all walks of our high school.”

During his 43 years with the district, Chaff wore many hats from teacher to director to adviser to mentor. He taught government, psychology and drama and directed countless plays and musicals for the school and community.

“He could take the shyest introvert and convince them that there was a role for them in his performances while at the same time develop the most serious of actors’ talents,” Ferguson said.

As the adviser for the student senate, Chaff and his students raised $50,000 and organized blood drives.

“One of Frank’s greatest talents was to promote the importance of giving back through service. He was responsible for food drives, blood drives, and the Christmas family program that still is going strong today,” Ferguson said.

Principal Rebecca DeCapua said Chaff has had a lasting impact on the students and faculty.

“Frank Chaff for many years impacted the lives of students and faculty,” DeCapua said. “His talents and influence were far reaching. This is a well-deserved recognition.”

One of Chaff’s former students, Stephen Roth, organized a petition to present to the board of education to get his teacher some recognition.

“I knew that my story was only one of over 40 years of stories from students like myself, whose lives were changed by Chaff, “ Roth said. “I felt like such an influential force in the lives of many Tallmadge students and alumni deserved recognition.”

Roth said that Chaff has served as a mentor to him in so many different capacities: A teacher with valuable lessons in the classroom and for success in life; an adviser who always pushed for more as a sounding board for ideas and for making difficult decisions and, lastly, as a friend who was there to support his family through difficult times.

Chaff said it is nice to know that his students felt comfortable enough to come to him with their problems.

“It made me feel good that they felt confident to come and talk to me,” he said. “Often I think they came to me because I was not judgmental and an outsider. I told them to follow their dreams and to do what was right.”

Erynn Truex, another former student, is working toward her bachelor’s degree in geology at Bowling Green.

“The impact Mr. Chaff has left on my life is profound,” she said. “He coaxed me to be a leader when most teenagers would shy into the crowd, and he encouraged me to let my true colors shine through when popular opinion would have dictated otherwise.”

Truex said she was always treated as a professional and as an equal when working on student senate or productions.

“I metamorphosed from a teenager into an adult, and I learned more from these experiences than in any classroom in high school or college,” Truex said.

She plans to graduate from Bowling Green in December and then attend graduate school.

Chaff also was mentored in his teaching career. He points to former choir teacher for Tallmadge High School, Les Bennett, as an example. Bennett died on Sunday.

“I was really fortunate to be mentored by Les Bennett,” Chaff said. “He was both a teacher and a good friend. He is loved and respected by hundreds of students that he worked with over the years. He will be sorely missed.”

Abigail Chaff said she has a tendency to roll her eyes every time a former student of her father comes up to tell her how much her father has changed their life.

“It just happens so much that I almost get tired of hearing it, but it is just a reminder that he is such a huge inspiration to students.”

Abigail Chaff said she’s proud that her father is getting this recognition.

“I think this has been a long time coming,” she said. “He has done so much for the students and for the community so this is the least they could do to honor his legacy.”

Frank Chaff said he is surprised by the attention.

“I just did what I love to do. It makes me feel like [I had] a hand in part of polishing the diamond,” he said. “They had the desire and the drive, they just needed someone to help them along the way.”

Summit County now has four Congressional representatives, rather than three.

All but one have names that may be unfamiliar to people in this area.

And none reside in the county.

Does this geographical distinction matter, though? A local political professor and the representatives themselves don’t think so.

“In reality, I think it is more symbolic than anything else, in the sense that it is imperative for those elected in the district to really represent that district,” said Steve Brooks, associate director of the University of Akron’s Bliss Institute of Applied Politics. “Whether they actually have a house there, it is in their best interest to work with and represent the interests that are in your district.”

Geauga County Prosecutor David Joyce, who was elected Tuesday to the 14th District in place of retiring U.S. Rep. Steve LaTourette, said he’ll do his best to represent his entire district, including the northern part of Summit County. He’s already begun meeting with mayors in northern Summit to learn more about this area.

“I look forward to doing the best in my God-given ability to represent the people of the 14th District,” Joyce said. “We all sort of sink or swim together.”

The other two new Congressional members for Summit are U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, R-Wadsworth, who won a heated battle against U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton in the newly formed 16th District, and U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Cleveland, who was unopposed in the general election and whose strangely shaped 11th District starts in Cleveland and goes south, picking up part of Summit County. Rounding out Summit County’s delegation is U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, whose district number changed to 13, but who represented part of the county before the redrawing of the boundaries.

In the wake of this shake-up to Summit County’s Congressional lineup, the Beacon Journal talked to the new representatives about their plans once they take office and how they’ll represent Summit County, and to Sutton, D-Copley, about her loss and her plans for the future.

David Joyce

Joyce might be the new representative who is least known in Summit County because, up until this point, he’s been involved in politics at the local level.

Joyce, a Republican who lives in Novelty, has been the Geauga County prosecutor for 24 years, making a name for himself by handling some high-profile cases, including the Chardon High School shootings. The married father of three, soon to be an empty nester, said when LaTourette announced his retirement earlier this year, it seemed as if the timing was right to run and he wanted to continue the work that LaTourette had started.

“He was a tremendous congressman,” Joyce said of LaTourette, whom he has known for a long time. “I would like to continue in his footsteps — to be a person who will reach out to the other side and build a consensus.”

Joyce knows, though, that this will be a difficult task with the current division in Congress, which LaTourette mentioned when he announced his retirement. The power in Congress remained split after the election, with Republicans maintaining control of the House and Democrats retaining the edge in the Senate.

“I understand Steve’s frustrations,” he said. “This is a new challenge for me. I will continue to try to work with people and do things that are right for this area.”

Joyce said he’s hoping to work together with the Summit County delegation. He already knows Ryan and Fudge and has met Renacci.

“I’m a team player,” he said.

Jim Renacci

Renacci also said he’d like to see the four Summit County representatives collaborate.

“When it comes to Summit County issues, we will have to work together,” he said.

Renacci said he and Ryan talked at a dinner last week about how, if they both won, they’d have to “work together on the needs of Akron and Summit County.”

Renacci, a former councilman and mayor of Wadsworth, said many people consider Wadsworth to be a “bedroom community” of Summit County, though it’s technically over the border in Medina County.

When Renacci returns to Washington, he hopes to reconvene and try to increase a bipartisan group of Congressional members he assembled during his first term. He said the group fell off during the campaign season.

“I want to make it a working group in Congress that can get things accomplished,” he said.

Betty Sutton

Sutton had never lost a race before Tuesday.

Though admitting she was disappointed, she said she was happy overall with the results of the election, including President Barack Obama and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown being re-elected. Sutton won Brown’s former seat in Congress when he first ran for the Senate in 2006.

“This was a good day for the middle class,” she said of Election Day. “I will never be anything but happy about that. My election aside, there is great solace in that.”

Before Congress, Sutton served on the Barberton City Council and in the state legislature, returning to the area in 2000 to practice law after being forced out of the Ohio House of Representatives by term limits.

Many are speculating that Sutton will run again, either for Congress or a statewide position. For right now, she said she’s concentrating on finishing her term and then will see what happens next.

“I am an advocate,” she said. “My whole life has been about helping middle-class families ... I’m sure I will find a way to contribute in the future. This is how I use my life.”

Sutton thinks it’s a shame how drastically the Congressional districts were changed in Ohio and said the “lengths to which communities were cut up went beyond previous efforts to that end.

“I’m am confident that my colleagues Tim Ryan and Marcia Fudge, who will represent large parts of Summit County, will do a good job,” she said.

Sutton said Ryan will now be in charge of Barberton, which is where she’s from and where she never lost a single precinct in an election.

Marcia Fudge

Fudge, in an interview before the election, told the Beacon Journal she is excited to be representing Cleveland and Akron, the two largest cities in Northeast Ohio.

Fudge said she will look for ways to target resources and foster collaboration, rather than competition, between the two cities. She plans to open an office in Akron.

“The areas I represent are really not that different,” Fudge said. “I represent some of the very poor to some of the wealthiest. People have the same needs in Summit County as in Cuyahoga County. Maybe it’s a blessing to have both.”

Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @swarsmith. Read the Beacon Journal’s political blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/ohio-politics. Beacon Journal reporter Marilyn Miller contributed to this report.

University of Akron President Luis Proenza said Thursday that UA must find new ways to serve students because they “can and do learn almost anything for free through the Internet.”

“We cannot continue to justify the high cost of tuition,” today about $10,000 a year for UA undergraduates, he said. “Disruptive innovations are forcing our hand.”

“Change” was the theme of Proenza’s annual State of the University address to the campus and community at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall.

About 300 people attended the hourlong presentation titled We Have Done Much and We Will Do More.

The upbeat speech included video testimonials of five satisfied UA students, a slide presentation and chocolate-covered cookies in the shape of Zippy the kangaroo mascot.

As always, Proenza, 67, outlined what he sees as the successes of his 14 years as head of the university and the challenges that lie ahead.

He pointed to several high points ­­— the $600 million-plus remake of campus, numerous partnerships with business and industry and UA’s role leading students to success.

“In this global, knowledge-based economy, universities like ours continue to offer the greatest promise for individual success and for innovation-driven prosperity,” he said.

He applauded UA’s new Achieving Distinction program, which encourages faculty to work together to develop new products and processes.

This fall, UA awarded $7.5 million over two years to the first two proposals ­­— ­a biomimicry research and innovation initiative that aims to create new products inspired by nature, such as by synthetically reproducing the adhesive qualities of gecko feet, and a “seamless framework” that aims to improve innovation and entrepreneurship campuswide.

Meanwhile, Proenza said, the university has an ambitious enrollment goal ­­­of 40,000 students by 2020, a third more than the number enrolled today.

Those students may come to UA in any number of ways — as traditional students fresh from high school, at night, at remote campus sites or by the Internet.

In fact, the university has to find new ways to deliver education and to determine what students know, Proenza said.

That will require new business models that he and other university leaders will discuss this weekend at the annual meeting of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities in Denver.

UA has come up with its own model for the future, tentatively called the Integrator/Assessor Model, Proenza said, or “I AM” as in “I am successful,” for short.

It could use a variety of learning platforms, including courses offered online or courses collaboratively developed by faculty at many universities.

The goal is to “transform the cost structures of learning to a more sustainable level by reducing the need for all knowledge to be recreated by individual instructors every day for presentation in a physical classroom,” he reported to campus in September. In other words, the I AM model would reduce costs by increasing the scale of services.

Campuses won’t disappear and the “student-faculty relationship and the role of the campus will remain at the core of learning,” he said Thursday.

Still, the university would have to find new ways to assess, certify and credential knowledge, regardless of whether the student had ever set foot on the UA campus.

He said he has been driving home these points in recent months with the Faculty Senate and campus groups.

“If we wait much longer, it will be too late,” he said. “We must seize the moment because others already are driving ahead.”

Carol Biliczky can be reached at cbiliczky@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3729.

COPLEY TWP.: An agreement creating a governing body for a joint emergency services dispatch center for Copley, Barberton and Norton received unanimous approval from township trustees Wednesday.

The Southwest Council of Governments will oversee the creation and management of the new joint dispatch center expected to be operational next year.

With Copley and Barberton signed on, the agreement will be forwarded to Norton. The dispatch center’s operations would be located in that city’s fire department.

The Southwest Summit Communications Center “will allow the three communities a vehicle by which other shared projects and ideas will be made possible,” the agreement states.

Officials have characterized the center as a symbol of regional cooperation with a practical benefit of cost savings. The idea evolved from shared emergency dispatch services started by Copley and Norton at the Copley Police Department more than a year ago.

Trustees also approved a $300,000 grant agreement with the Ohio Development Services Agency for the Local Government Innovation Fund, which would help pay for the center. Copley is the fiscal agent for the innovation fund.

Each community’s share of the approximately $500,000 cost would be $70,000 — either cash or in-kind contributions.

Copley Fire Chief Michael Benson said that once the agreement is in place, the next step is expected to be meetings between a representative from each community to create the council and to write its bylaws.

The joint dispatch center’s tentative operational date is April 1, but that might be pushed back to June, Benson said.

Bruce Griffin can be reached at brucefgriffin@aol.com.

While many of you think of me as an entertainment guy, I also follow politics avidly, have written about it some, and spent the afternoon and evening Tuesday on assignment in Columbus. I spent a lot of time in the Statehouse’s election-night media center. I stopped by a gloomy, nearly empty Republican ballroom after the election had been called, and the boisterous spilling-onto-the-street party at the Democrats’ headquarters.

I chatted with Secretary of State Jon Husted, and with reporters from Switzerland and Turkey who were covering the election, and a Reuters reporter who figured he had traveled 7,000 to 8,000 miles around the country lately for campaign information. Of course, he was spending the final night in Ohio.

I shot video and pictures, including one of a vehicle with pro-Republican candidate signs and, in a perfect Ohio touch, a mannequin of a Michigan football player pinned on the hood. I watched a lot of numbers on my laptop screen and, in the wee hours, the networks’ take on the results.

And I learned, or re-learned a few things, which I offer here.

•

People want to vote. Let them. Many actions leading up to the election, including more than one by Husted, seem designed to keep some people from voting — or to disallow the vote they managed to cast. There were incidents of snafus around the country, and court challenges in Ohio that have gone past Election Day. It was bad enough that President Obama, in his victory speech, noted the people “who waited in line for a very long time” and added: “By the way, we have to fix that.”

And we do. More than 5.4 million votes were cast in Ohio, but there are almost 8 million registered voters. Those who did vote indeed stood in long lines — I did, and that was during early voting, the Wednesday before the election. Others ran into questions about their forms, their signatures, all manner of things.

There has to be a more convenient way to let people vote up to and including Election Day, possibly by online voting. And while I understand the worries about hacking and security, let’s look at it this way: If online retailers can figure out a secure way to use our credit information, then state and local governments can figure out a secure way for us to vote — and get an emailed receipt for confirmation.

•

There are good sports — and there is Karl Rove. Much punditry preceded the election, a lot of it wrong, but some of the erroneous ones were willing to admit their error. Newt Gingrich did so on a network morning show Wednesday, and John Podhoretz did so on NPR — where he further conceded his prediction “was strengthened and amplified by what I wanted to happen.” This was in courtly contrast to the ill-tempered reactions by the likes of Donald Trump, Ted Nugent and Glenn Beck, since Gingrich and Podhoretz can tell the difference between an election and Armageddon.

But Rove, once considered a master political strategist, was stunning in his much-repeated-online disbelief when Fox News called Ohio and the election for Obama. Too soon, he insisted, too many votes out there. Fox went to its own voting analysts (numbers guys, not pundits) to reaffirm that the call was right and Rove was wrong — and they stuck to their prediction.

Indeed, if Rove had been in Ohio — where his Super PACs bombarded us with ads day after day — they would have seen Husted making clear how things went. I disagree with a lot of what Husted does, but as the networks called Ohio, he was willing to go before reporters, point to the numbers, note where the not-yet-counted votes were (in heavily pro-Obama territory) and let the reasonable conclusion be drawn. Rove, who spent piles of other people’s money to get Romney elected, was not so reasonable.

•

If I had listened more to Nate Silver, the last few weeks would have been much calmer. As polls and predictions seemed to swing wildly from one day to the next, Silver was a voice of data-driven reason for the New York Times’ FiveThirtyEight blog (its name taken from the total number of U.S. electoral votes).

Because Silver is pro-Obama, some observers considered his painstaking analysis of state and national polls to be biased. One writer called it “pro-Obama, anti-Romney witchcraft.” After a story I wrote about an Ohio newspapers-backed poll appeared (and was much complained about), comments on Ohio.com discussed other polling, including Silver’s, with complaints like: “Nick Silver is very to the LEFT … I know him very well” (though not, apparently, well enough to know it’s Nate).

What the complaints missed is that Silver is at heart a numbers guy. His eminence in 2012 was based on his calling not only the 2008 presidential election, but also the result in 49 of 50 states that year. And how did he do in 2012? He has been correct on all 49 states called to date. (At this writing, Florida is still unsettled.)

•

I love the diversity of America. Much was made after the election of how relatively few white votes President Obama received, how much his re-election depended on African-Americans and Latinos. (I have begun to wonder if I need a button that says, “I’m an Old, White Male and I Voted for Obama.”) Some of the reaction has been sadly, too predictably racist, as when Nugent proclaimed Obama the candidate of “Pimps, whores & welfare brats.”

But I prefer to look at the election as a celebration of America’s constant ability to change, to not only accept but also welcome the new, to believe (in some places, at least) in marriage equality, racial diversity and opportunity for everyone. We should be what the president described in his victory speech:

“We can keep the promise of our founders, the idea that if you’re willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like … It doesn’t matter whether you’re black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you’re willing to try.

“I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. We’re not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America.”

Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and Ohio.com, including in the HeldenFiles Online blog, www.ohio.com/blogs/heldenfiles. He is also on Facebook and Twitter. You can contact him at 330-996-3582 or rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.

A Cuyahoga Falls native is taking the reins at the CIA for the second time in two years.

President Barack Obama tapped the agency’s deputy director, Michael Morell, as acting director until a replacement for former CIA Director David Petraeus is found.

Morell, a graduate of the University of Akron, is a career intelligence officer who briefly served as acting director after Leon Panetta moved to the Defense Department last year.

Petraeus abruptly resigned Friday after admitting to an extramarital affair.

AKRON

Detective indicted

AKRON: A Summit County jury indicted an Akron police detective on 13 counts following a two-month investigation.

Bob Pankonien, 52, a 19-year veteran assigned to the burglary unit of the Akron Police Department, is charged with pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, sexual battery, gross sexual imposition, sexual imposition and unauthorized use of an Ohio law enforcement database.

“I will closely monitor the legal process in this matter and do whatever it takes to preserve the trust of the public we are sworn to serve,” Chief James Nice said in a news release Friday.

In the indictment, the counts refer to different incidents dating back to 1992.

Pankonien was booked into the Summit County Jail on Friday and released on a $50,000 bond with 10 percent allowed.

He was placed on administrative leave without pay, pending the outcome of the case.

— WEWS TV-5

Ward 10 meeting

AKRON: Garry Moneypenny, Ward 10 councilman, will have a ward meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Akron-Summit County Public Library’s Goodyear branch, 60 Goodyear Blvd.

An Akron police officer will discuss home security and burglaries.

Job fair is today

AKRON: The city is hosting a job fair for anyone interested in joining Akron’s police or fire departments.

The event will be 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at the Job Center, 1040 E. Tallmadge Ave. Recruiters will be on hand to speak with prospective applicants and assistant with online applications. Applicants are encouraged to bring an updated resume.

In September, Mayor Don Plusquellic said the city intends to hire about 40 police officers and about 38 firefighters.

The age restriction for police is 21 to 31 years old. For firefighters, the range is 18 to 31 years old.

For more information on eligibility requirements, call the city personnel department at 330-375-2720.

AKRON SCHOOLS

Levy voters thanked

AKRON: Nearly 20 teachers and the principal of Robinson Community Learning Center canvassed the corner of Fourth Avenue and South Arlington Street on Friday afternoon.

They carried the same signs they’ve been campaigning behind since the district proposed a 7.9-mill levy in July.

But the red-and-white signs that have littered lawns for the past month had one noticeable difference: a thank you.

“Where we said, ‘please’ before, now we’re saying ‘thank you,’ ” said Cleopatra Clifford, a fourth-year teacher at Robinson.

The teachers voiced their appreciation as passers-by honked horns in approval.

With about a 60 percent approval, Principal Charles Jones isn’t taking the levy’s passage lightly.

“These days a lot of levies don’t pass,” Jones said.

The Akron Public Schools district has cut about 133 staff positions this year, including two teachers from Robinson’s personnel.

COLUMBUS

Panel convened

COLUMBUS: The Ohio Supreme Court appointed a five-judge panel to review Monday’s grievance decision directing Summit County Common Pleas Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer to pay attorney fees for an alleged violation of campaign finance laws.

The earlier grievance ruling was by the high court’s Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline in connection with judicial conduct.

The board declined to discipline or sanction Stormer, but instead ordered her to pay fellow Common Pleas Judge Alison McCarty, a Republican, $2,000 in legal fees.

McCarty, who was defeated by Stormer in Tuesday’s election for the hotly contested race for Summit probate judge, filed the grievance earlier this month.

It claimed Stormer and county Democrats held two fundraisers in which contributions were categorized by amounts.

The Ohio Supreme Court banned the so-called “tiered contribution” levels in 1995.

McCarty said events raised about $47,500, all of which was turned over to Stormer’s campaign.

Stormer, a Democrat, said fellow Dems have hosted such tiered donation events — for “saluting” judges or holding “meets and greets” with judicial candidates — for several years without complaint.

In Tuesday’s election, Stormer won 53.09 percent of the nearly 189,000 votes cast for probate judge, compared to McCarty’s 46.91 percent.

STARK COUNTY

Libraries closed

CANTON: The Stark County District Library, including all branches, bookmobiles, Kidmobiles and services, will be closed Wednesday for staff training.

The system will resume regular hours Thursday.

WATERLOO SCHOOLS

Building disinfected

ATWATER: Waterloo Middle School disinfected common areas of the building this week after learning a student tested positive for MRSA, a staph infection that is resistant to antibiotics.

In a letter sent to parents, school officials encouraged students to take preventative measures.

“Staph is present everywhere. It is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact, most often through openings in the skin such as cuts and scrapes. To prevent transmission of staph please have your child use good hand washing, cover scrapes and cuts. Do not share any personal items,” the letter said.

“If your child develops rashes, pimples, or boils that do not heal, please contact your health-care provider.”

Symptoms of MRSA include fever, chest pain, cough, fatigue, headache and rash.

Superintendent Andrew Hill said the school was notified of the MRSA diagnosis on Tuesday and disinfected the school.

The Operation Christmas Child shoe box collection begins in the Akron area on Monday.

Anyone is invited to fill a shoe box with school supplies, hygiene items, toys, flashlights with extra batteries, hard candy or gum in a plastic storage bag, clothes and a note of encouragement to be hand-delivered to children in 100 countries around the world. Items should be appropriate for a boy or girl, ages 2 to 4 years old, 5 to 9 years old or 10 to 14 years old. Each box should also contain $7 to cover shipping costs.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization based in Boone, N.C., and led by Franklin Graham, the son of evangelist Billy Graham. The organization has delivered more than 94 million shoe box gifts to children in more than 130 countries since 1993. This year, the goal is to distribute 9 million boxes.

Boxes are being collected locally through Nov. 19 at:

• New Hope Christian Fellowship, 1157 Riverside Drive, Akron.

• Christ Community Chapel, 750 W. Streetsboro Road, Hudson.

• Bethany Mennonite Church, 3497 Edison St. NE, Hartville.

For additional collection sites or to review collection times, visit www.samaritanspurse.org or call 800-353-5949. Labels for gift-filled shoe boxes are also available online.

In other religion news:

Events

Calvary Open Bible Church —2251 Ninth St. SW, Akron. 6 p.m. Sunday. 12th annual free Thanksgiving dinner.

The Chapel, Green Campus — 1800 Raber Road, Green. 10 a.m. Friday. Abundant Living 55+ Christian fellowship and lunch in Atrium. Concert with Gate City Four Quartet. Age 55 and over welcome to attend. 330-315-5508.

Christ Is The Answer Ministries — 379 E. South St., Akron. 9 a.m. today. Prayer breakfast. The Rev. Flora Dees of New Hope Baptist Church is keynote speaker. For tickets, call 330-376-1869. At 4 p.m. Sunday, the Rev. Kevin Smith and Mount Carmel Baptist Church will be special guests to celebrate one year of the Be Strong and Courageous radio broadcast.

Copley Methodist Church — 1518 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road, Copley. 4 to 7 p.m. today. Copley Lions Spaghetti Dinner. $8.

Covenant Worship Center — 2535 Romig Road, Akron. 5 p.m. Sunday. Women’s Day. Topic is A Praying Woman Can Make a Difference. Guest speaker is Beverly Green from Cleveland.

Diocese of Youngstown — Catholic Charities and its affiliated agencies will sponsor Evenings of Peace and Reflection at three locations: (6:30 each night) Monday, St. Joseph Calasanctius Parish in Jefferson; Tuesday, University Parish Newman Center in Kent; and Wednesday, St. Charles Parish in Boardman. Free and open to the public but preregistration encouraged. Each evening will begin with prayer, followed by creative reflective experience on the theme Managing Stress During the Holidays. To register, contact Rachel Hrbolich at 330-744-8451, ext. 328, or rhrbolich@youngstowndiocese.org.

Diocese of Youngstown Council of Catholic Women — at St. Peter of the Fields, 3487 Old Forge Road, Rootstown Township. 9:30 a.m. Nov. 17. Next board meeting will be open to all Catholic women in the Diocese. Light breakfast at 9 a.m. No charge but reservations required by Monday. Call Rosemary Wetshtein at 330-296-6817 or Bonnie Workman at 330-497-1992.

Firm Foundation Ministry — 241 Jefferson St., Ravenna. 11 a.m. today. Fred Brame II, of Prosperity Through Prophecy Ministry, will be guest speaker. 330-297-5933.

First Church of God — 532 W. Maple St., Hartville. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 17. Craft Fair to support Loved One of Prisoners. Lunch available for purchase, raffles every hour. Handcrafted items, gift baskets and more. Includes bake sale. For more information, visit www.loopfamilyministry.org.

Goodyear Heights Community Church — 464 Brittain Road, Akron. 6 p.m. Nov. 18. Special Thanksgiving Communion Service. Nursery will be provided. 330-733-6664.

Grace United Church of Christ — 13275 Cleveland Ave. NW, Lake Township. 10:45 a.m. Sunday. Veterans Day will be observed with a worship service led by veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. The public and surrounding communities are encouraged to participate. There will be patriotic hymns and a veterans chorus performing Eternal Father Strong to Save. 330-699-3255.

Kenmore Community Church of the Nazarene — 2025 12st St. SW, Akron. 10 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Special Veterans Day service with trumpeter Rudy Cervantes. Everyone welcome to this free event.

McDonaldsville United Methodist Church — 7641 Wales Ave. NW, Jackson Township. 5 to 7 p.m. Friday. Swiss steak dinner. Full meal with dessert. Gluten free and carryout available. Profits go to community outreach projects. 330-499-6971.

Millheim United Church of Christ — 2260 Myersville Road, Springfield Township. 5 to 8 p.m. Friday. Annual salad supper and mini bazaar. Soups and salads, craft items for sale, raffle tickets. Adults $8, ages 12 and younger $5. 330-699-3033.

Mogadore Christian Church — 106 S. Cleveland Ave., Mogadore. 10:30 a.m. Sunday. The Northmen and Cathy from Fort Wayne, Ind., will bring their inspirational gospel music to Veterans Day worship service. Service men and women will be honored and there will be special prayers for persecuted Christians around the world. 330-628-3344.

Morning Star Baptist Church — 1360 Newton St. 10:45 a.m. Sunday. Celebrating the 20th pastoral anniversary of the Rev. Edward Wheat. Guest speaker will be the Rev. James McWain of Macedonia Baptist Church in Waynesburg. 330-923-8462.

Mount Lebanon Baptist Church — 180 Edward Ave., Akron. 11 a.m. Sunday. Celebrating the 66th Men’s Day. Guest speaker is the Rev. Carl P. Small of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Elyria.

Prince of Peace Missionary Baptist Church — 844 Garth Ave., Akron. 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 3:30 p.m. Nov. 18. Celebrating the 55th church anniversary. On Thursday, guests will be the Rev. Horace Drake and Good Shepherd Baptist Church. On Friday, the Rev. Robert Evans and Mount Lebanon Baptist Church, and on Nov. 18 the Rev. Luther C. Cooper and Mount Zion Baptist Church.

Queen of Heaven Church — 1800 Steese Road, Green. Annual Solemn Eucharistic Devotions are planned for Nov. 18-20. Adorations begin after 11 a.m. Mass on Nov. 18, and continue until a vesper service with benediction at 6 p.m. Nov. 20. The Rev. Monsignor Richard C. Antall, pastor of Holy Name Parish in Cleveland, will be speaker at the closing service. 330-896-2345.

St. John Christian Methodist Episcopal Church — 1233 S. Hawkins Ave., Akron. 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Fall Fashion Frenzy. Featuring clothes from Macy’s and hats from The Hatterie with models from the church and the community. Tickets $15. Refreshments and door prizes. 330-864-3060.

Summit Spiritual Center — Masonic Temple, 2307 Sackett Ave., Cuyahoga Falls. 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Veronica McHugh, an international meditation teacher from Miami, Fla., will be featured speaker at Let There Be Light, a celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. 330-777-0250, or www.summitspiritualcenter.org.

Trinity Lutheran Church — 600 S. Water St., Kent. 4:30 to 7 p.m. Friday. Monthly spaghetti dinner. Includes garlic bread, drink, salad, applesauce and dessert. Adults $7, children $4. A portion of the proceeds will go to Freedom House, a halfway shelter for male veterans. 330-673-5446.

Wesley Temple A.M.E. Zion Church — 104 N. Prospect St., Akron. 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Annual Family and Friends Day during worship service.

Performances

Akron Free Will Baptist Church — 1802 Eastwood Ave., Akron. 7 to 9 p.m. Friday. Down Home Gospel Quartet will host a concert. Special guests are the Fisherman Quartet from Clyde, Ohio. Free-will offering. 330-256-3114.

First United Methodist Church — 245 Portage Trail, Cuyahoga Falls. 7 p.m. Friday. Dean Wagner, organist and music director at the church, completes his recital series of the Complete Organ Works of Bach. Free. Childcare provided. 330-923-5241.

Trinity Lutheran Church — 50 N. Prospect St., Akron. 8 p.m. Friday. The Trinity Organ Series will feature Christian Lane, organist and choirmaster from Harvard University.

Whipple Heights Christian Missionary Alliance Church — 4900 12th St. NW, Perry Township. 5 to 7 p.m. today. Southern Gospel benefit concert for Stark County Jail’s the Way Out Prison Ministry featuring the Pathway Quartet, the Parable Quartet and Brothers of Grace Trio. Free-will offering. 330-575-6408.

Speakers, classes, workshops

First Friday Club of Greater Akron — at University of Akron Martin Center, 105 Fir Hill, Akron. Noon Dec. 7. John L. Allen Jr., senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter and senior Vatican analyst for CNN, will be the speaker. His topic is All Things Catholic: What’s Hot and What’s Not in the Catholic Church. Luncheon cost is $15. 330-535-7668.

Special services

Unity Chapel of Light — 503 Northwest Ave., Tallmadge. 2 to 3 p.m. Nov. 17. Sacred pet blessing service on the patio of fellowship hall. In case of inclement weather, it would take place inside the hall. Dogs, cats and other domestic pets welcome. They must be on leashes or in cages. All will receive a certificate. Absentee blessings will be offered. 330-928-2108.

The deadline for Religion Notes is noon Tuesday. Items must be in writing. Please fax information to 330-996-3033, email it to religion@thebeaconjournal.com or send it to Religion, Akron Beacon Journal, 44 E. Exchange St., Akron, OH 44309.

MEDINA

Buda, Elaine M., 87, of Medina. Died Wednesday. Bauer, Valley City.

Hewit, Bette J., 91, of Seville. Died Friday. Armstrong.

Serfass, Dorothy J., 80, of Wadsworth. Died Thursday. Hilliard-Rospert.

STARK

Battershell, Kenneth C., 80, of Alliance. Died Tuesday. Sharer-Stirling-Skivolocke.

Carman, Allison M., 75, of Alliance. Died Thursday. Cassaday-Turkle-Christian.

Crison, Betty, 88, of Alliance. Died Wednesday. Sharer-Stirling-Skivolocke.

Gazia, Thomas Anthony, 85, of Alliance. Died Wednesday. Sharer-Stirling-Skivolocke.

WAYNE

Jordan, Douglas A., 53, of Wooster. Died Wednesday. McIntire, Bradham & Sleek.

Stoller, Harlan, 74, of Sterling. Died Friday. Gillman, Rittman.

OTHER

Bush, Kenneth Jude, 35, of Marblehead, Ohio. Died Wednesday. Waite & Son, Medina.

Fortner, Richard G., 80, of Copley Township. Died Thursday. Hilliard-Rospert, Wadsworth.

A serious-yet-fun competition is under way through Dec. 20 at the Summit County Jail.

The focus is not on the incarcerated population, but on a couple of the jail’s personnel.

This campaign, described by those in the know as “all heart,” pits nurse Joyce Woods against Sheriff’s Deputy Jim Hipp.

It’s raising money for cancer research and showing cancer patient Woods just how much she is valued and supported.

Woods lost her hair during chemotherapy. It’s now beginning to grow back, so there is a who-can-grow-their-hair-the-fastest contest going on between Hipp and Woods.

It was all Hipp’s idea.

“I’ve been shaving my head for the last 10 or 15 years,” he said. The reason? “It was beginning to look like the Hawaiian Islands,” he joked.

“The idea for the hair competition came about out of the feeling of helplessness,” he continued. “We have another deputy here who is off with esophageal cancer. When that happens to someone you know, you just want to do something. Even though you know there’s not much you can do.”

The contest seemed like a great idea. Colleagues and others are being asked to donate money in the name of Hipp or Woods. Checks should be made out to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and deposited in one of the two boxes on the fourth floor of the sheriff’s office, 52 University Ave., downtown Akron; or with the lobby deputy at the Summit County Jail.

Woods, who is not yet back at work, is reporting strong hair growth. Hipp, on the other hand, is being affectionately called “Patches.”

The person with the most hair come Dec. 20 is the winner.

Actually, the real winner, Hipp’s already acknowledged, is the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

For more information please contact Deputy Raquel Pamer at rpamer0317@yahoo.com.

Letters for children

This is the final call for letters on behalf of chronically or critically ill children, and children of military serving in harm’s way and a few of their family members, whose dream is to ride on Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad’s massively popular Polar Express.

These tickets are being provided free for the Dec. 7 ride, courtesy of Akron Auxiliary FOP No. 1, Akron FOP Lodge No. 7, Police & Firemen’s Insurance Association, D&G Uniforms and SACS Consulting.

The annual event, engineered by retired Akron police Sgt. Tom Dye, is intended for first-time riders only.

Deadline for submitting those letters is Nov. 16. They should include the child’s name (10 and under), nature of illness, physician’s name, and names of siblings under that age, parent or guardian’s name and contact information (address and phone number).

Mail to me: Jewell Cardwell/Polar Express, Akron Beacon Journal, 44 E. Exchange St., Akron, OH 44309.

Cards for Sandy

I feel certain that several local folks and houses of worship have things in the works to help those in New Jersey and New York still suffering from the impact of Hurricane Sandy and the nor’easter that followed with snow, chilly rains and more power outages.

The only formal benefit I’ve heard of to date is the Hurricane Sandy Benefit and Donation Drive planned for 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday at StringZ and WingZ, 1543 state Route 303, Streetsboro.

On the menu? Pasta dinner with meatballs, bread and beverage. Cost is $8 for persons 12 and older; 11 and younger, free. Dinner served 4 to 5 p.m. Live music and DJ for dancing.

A card-making station for children to make encouragement cards for hurricane victims is planned along with a 50/50 raffle and an auction.

Stitch for the cure

Big, beautiful bouquets to the Stark County District Library Community Branch’s recent “Stitch for the Cure,” which in its fifth year yielded 70 pink scarves and a dozen hats earmarked for cancer centers at Aultman Hospital and Mercy Medical Center.

All of this fancy needlework is done by the library’s Knitty Gritters Knitting Club which meets the first and third Monday of each month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The group has also produced more than 7,000 afghans, hats, slippers and scarves for “Warm Up Akron” for area homeless shelters.

Knitty Gritters is certainly the right name given that one of its members, Mildred Wharton, is a 101-year-old. “While most people are happy to kick back, she created two scarves to be donated,” said Linda Dahl, the library’s public information coordinator. “A 40-plus-year breast cancer survivor, Mildred understands that a little comfort goes a long way during treatment.”

Nita Welch, newcomer to the group and four-year survivor, is likewise threaded into the cause.

Wine-tasting benefit

A benefit wine tasting for “Feet of Memory Inc.” is planned for 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 17 at Maize Valley Winery, 6193 Edison St., Hartville.

Wine-tasting tickets are $25 and include four tastings with finger food. Non-alcoholic tickets (punch, coffee and water) are available for $18. A cornhole tournament, silent auction and 50/50 drawing are planned.

All proceeds go to Jackson Township resident Geoffrey Darling’s upcoming 2,400-mile walk from Key West to Maine to raise funds and awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association, in memory of his late mother, Pat Darling, who suffered more than two decades from the mind-numbing disease.

For more information, please visit www.feetofmemory.com; for tickets send an email to feetofmemory@yahoo.com or call Geoffrey at 330-819-8109.

From volunteer to retiree

Major kudos to Chryse (Vernis) Brown who is retiring from the Akron-Summit County Library with 34 years of service.

Chryse, who has cerebral palsy, came from Greece to Akron with her parents and a brother.

Her work ethic was first noticed when she volunteered there, and she was offered a job. As the story goes, Chryse made lifelong friends at the library and she married one of them, Dave Brown, 24 years ago.

Chryse continues to volunteer in the community and teaches 4-year-olds at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church’s Sunday School, something she’s done since she was 16.

An avid gardener, she also bakes cookies for the Northampton-Cuyahoga Falls Historical Society and supports her husband in his volunteer activities there. Her rescue dog, which she trained, is aptly named Passion.

Blankets needed

Sisters With a Vision and One Plus One Productions is sponsoring its sixth annual blanket drive 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at First Grace United Church of Christ, 350 S. Portage Path, Akron.

Blankets should be new or gently used. They will be donated to those in need.

For more information please call Allie at 330-835-4187 or Moe at 330-701-6515.

The group recently presented Stewart’s Caring Place with a check for $1,200 raised at its annual Breast Cancer Walk.

Jewell Cardwell can be reached at 330-996-3567 or jcardwell@thebeaconjournal.com.

The University of Toledo on Friday announced three ways it is making higher education more affordable.

The tax-supported university will offer free housing to transfer students for the coming spring semester, freeze tuition and fees for the 2013-14 academic year and give current freshmen who live on campus a 25 percent discount on housing next year.

Larry Burns, vice president for external affairs, said UT wanted to make the offers known now because finances are one reason students don’t return to campus.

“We feel very, very strongly that we can’t continue to raise the cost,” Burns said.

These are early days for public universities to establish their tuition, room and board rates for fall 2013. That usually happens in the spring.

In recent years, the Ohio Board of Regents, which coordinates public higher education statewide, has held universities to 3.5 percent tuition hikes.

But UT’s enrollment, like most tax-supported universities statewide, was down last fall.

The state decline on main campuses averaged 1 percent, with UT down 4.9 percent; the University of Akron, 3.2 percent; and Youngstown State, 5 percent, for example.

By setting its rates early, UT has the chance to build enrollment and fill a couple of hundred empty beds in its residence halls, Burns said.

“We’re about 75 percent filled,” he said.

All Ohio colleges and universities face the prospect of shrinking enrollments. The number of high school students is declining and the number of adults returning to college to improve their job prospects apparently has reached its peak.

It is unclear if other universities will follow UT’s lead.

At Kent State, where main campus enrollment grew 2.8 percent to 27,706, spokesman Eric Mansfield said each university has to consider its own finances.

“We’re certainly sensitive to the rising costs,” he said in an email. “We’re always looking at options to ease that burden.”

Jim Tressel, UA vice president for strategic engagement, said the university was in “the midst of quite a bit of discussions. That’s first and foremost on our radar.”

He said his division is formulating ways to ease the burden on students but isn’t ready to announce them.

Carol Biliczky can be reached at cbiliczky@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3729.

An Akron man will face the death penalty next month after being convicted of several felonies in the fatal shootings of two people and a related shooting late last year that left a man paralyzed.

Dawud El Spaulding, 30, of East Buchtel Avenue, showed no emotion as Summit County Common Pleas Judge Paul Gallagher read the verdicts at noon: guilty of two counts of aggravated murder, one count of attempted murder, one count of felonious assault and other lesser charges.

Spaulding, dressed in a black striped sport coat, white shirt and tie and dark dress slacks, stood at the defense table with his attorney, Jason Wells. He fixed his eyes on the bench as Gallagher read the jury’s decision on each count.

Jurors had been deliberating since getting the case at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Wells said Spaulding was disappointed with the verdict, respects the jury’s decision and is considering appellate options.

Spaulding will face the death penalty for killing Ernie Thomas and Erica Singleton, the mother of Spaulding’s 7-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter, and the shooting of Patrick Griffin just hours earlier that same day.

Gallagher has scheduled the mitigation phase of Spaulding’s trial to begin Dec. 4. In those proceedings, commonly known as a mini-trial, prosecutors must prove the aggravated circumstances of the crimes outweigh any defense assertions that the death penalty is not warranted.

The judge alone will decide if Spaulding should die at the hands of the state.

The shootings occurred at a home in the 1100 block of Grant Street in the early hours of Dec. 15 — during a period that veteran Akron police have described as one of the most violent in the city’s history. Nine people were shot, six fatally, during a six-day span, investigations showed.

Griffin was the first victim.

He was shot and fell in a doorway leading to a side driveway of the Grant Street home about 2 a.m. The shooting left him paralyzed.

Some six hours later, Spaulding returned to the home, prosecutors said, and fatally shot Singleton and Thomas moments after they left the steps of Thomas’ front porch.

Singleton had a protection order against Spaulding and was trying to hide when she was killed, prosecutors said.

Stacey Hill Addie, an aunt of Griffin’s, said the most compelling evidence was Spaulding’s actions in the days before the shootings.

Although the jury found Spaulding not guilty of one charge, felony stalking, Addie said he was out to get Singleton as she sought refuge in Tallmadge.

“Tallmadge police really made the case. They had voice mails from Dawud threatening her and saying he was going to kill her. They played those [in court],” Addie said.

She said the voice-mail messages were left on Singleton’s cell phone and her mother’s phone. She called Spaulding’s tone “very harsh and very direct.”

“He was full of confidence that he was going to get away with it, because that’s what he said. He was sure he was going to get away with it, and he didn’t show any emotion during the trial — no remorse, no emotion, none. He wouldn’t even look at us,” Addie said.

She called the four-week trial an extreme hardship for all of the families.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, it exceeded it, knowing that was the person who destroyed your family member’s life,” Addie said. “And to sit there and watch it, this trial was the worst thing ever.”

Ed Meyer can be reached at 330-996-3784 or emeyer@thebeaconjournal.com.

Two church buildings that were once part of a legal property dispute between the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio and two breakaway congregations now have new owners.

Grace Brethren Church of Norton recently purchased the property at 565 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road in Fairlawn that was the former home of St. Luke’s Anglican Church.

In September, Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church bought the property at 825 E. Buchtel Ave. in Akron, where Church of the Holy Spirit Anglican Church had been located.

The 12-year-old Baptist congregation moved from its Copley Road location in July and completed the purchase of its new property on Sept. 4. The Rev. Shawnte Davon Hardin, senior pastor at Greater Faith, said the congregation moved because it needed more space.

“Since we’ve been here on Buchtel, we have taken in about 40 new members. This area is pretty blighted and the neighbors have expressed that they are happy another church moved into this building,” Hardin said. “Our goal, in addition to reaching people for Jesus Christ, is to help people live better lives by supporting and loving them.”

Hardin said his church, which attracts about 130 people to its 10:45 a.m. Sunday service, plans to restart its food and clothing ministry; establish an education center, where people can learn a trade, earn their GED and connect with community resources; and expand its outreach to recovering addicts and single mothers.

The church hosts recovery support groups and operates two “Hope Houses,” which provide temporary housing for single mothers and recovering addicts. The apartment house for those recovering from alcohol and drug addictions is located next to the church on Buchtel. The house for single mothers is in West Akron.

“Our motto is ‘the church with clean hands and a pure heart.’ We have a passion for helping people,” Hardin said. “We want to encourage people through the word of God and we start by providing the things they need, whether it’s food, clothing, housing or counseling.”

Grace, one of the area’s megachurches, plans to renovate the church building on Cleveland-Massillon Road and launch a fourth campus there sometime within the next 18 months. The church, which attracts 4,000 worshippers to its weekend services at its Norton and Bath campuses, is currently putting about $2 million into an old factory off state Route 18 in Medina to house its third campus.

The Medina East location is slated to have a grand opening next spring. The Norton campus, located at 3970 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road, offers services at 8, 9, 10:30 and 11:45 a.m. on Sundays. The Bath campus, at 754 Ghent Road, has services at 5:30 and 7 p.m. on Saturdays and 8:45, 10:15 and 11:45 a.m. on Sundays.

“Our strategy is to take Grace Church of Greater Akron into the community and stay grass roots in order to serve the people who live in the community, while having the resources and reach of a large church,” said Jeff Bogue, Grace’s senior pastor. “The plan is to never have more than 550 people at a time in a service and each of our campuses has a local pastor.”

Grace Church (www.graceohio.org) paid more than $1.5 million for the Fairlawn property and plans to invest another $1.5 million for renovations. According to Summit County Fiscal Officer’s records, the Fairlawn property is appraised at nearly $2.5 million.

Greater Faith paid $65,000 for the Buchtel Avenue property, which included the two-story frame house next to the church, which is now occupied by the Hope House for recovering addicts. The property is appraised at more than $190,000.

Both Holy Spirit and St. Luke’s were among five Northeast Ohio parishes that in 2003 began the process of disaffiliation from the Episcopal Church and realignment with the Anglican Communion. The split developed over disagreements involving biblical teaching on issues including homosexuality and salvation.

The chasm grew to include a court fight about property ownership in 2008, when the Ohio Diocese sued in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, asking a judge to declare that the property associated with the parishes belonged to the diocese and the Episcopal Church.

Last year, after the court ruled in favor of the Episcopal Church and the diocese, the Holy Spirit and St. Luke’s congregations moved out of the buildings. The diocese then put the properties on the market.

“We are happy that both buildings will continue to be churches serving God and God’s people,” said Brad Purdom, canon of congregations for the diocese, who oversaw the sale of the properties.

Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com.