Like most things in life, a trip to a local office of the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles is all about timing.

My last trip was a snap. On a snowy Wednesday afternoon in February, I walked into the Fairlawn deputy registrar’s office about a half-hour before closing and was the only customer in the whole place.

Bureaucratic nirvana!

But I’ve also walked into BMVs where it appeared that all 7.9 million licensed drivers in Ohio were queued up ahead of me.

So, yes, it depends where you go and when. But when it’s bad, it’s really bad.

And when you’re 83, and you have an endless wait, and you hear the call of nature, and you discover the place doesn’t offer a public restroom, well, that can be extremely un-nirvana-ish.

Although the passing of the years tends to increase the frequency of nature’s calls, this issue certainly isn’t limited to the upper end of the demographic spectrum.

As 83-year-old John Rohal puts it, “I thought, ‘Maybe it’s not just me. Maybe it’s everybody else who has kidneys and bladders and stuff like that.’ ”

Which would seem to cover a significant percentage of Ohio drivers.

Rohal lives in Rootstown. The nearest BMV is in Ravenna. When he went there March 11, he walked into a mob scene. So he figured he’d try another BMV that was fairly close, in Streetsboro.

That office was crowded as well, and he soon realized his bladder would need to empty long before he would be able to smile for the camera. So he asked a clerk where the restroom was — and was told there was no public restroom.

“I thought, ‘That’s a heck of a way to cut down on overhead.’ ”

Rohal figures a place that serves the public should have public facilities. No kidding. Especially when the public is paying for the entire operation.

It’s not as if a visit to the BMV is optional. Yes, you can renew your license tags by mail, but to get a new driver’s license you have to go in person.

“I almost had a notion that I’ll hook up something and run it down my pant leg and then just piddle on the floor,” Rohal says with a laugh. “You know what I’m saying?”

Sure do.

So what gives?

Lindsey Bohrer, a spokesman for the BMV in Columbus, says deputy registrars are required to have restrooms available for public use.

Some BMV locations are leased directly by the state and some are leased by the deputy registrars themselves. Both must have toilets available for people like John Rohal.

Bohrer cites Appendix 2.1 in the requirements for deputy-provided sites:

“In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the BMV requires every deputy-provided site to have at least one ADA accessible restroom facility available for use by employees of the license agency and customers, upon request.”

Anything nearby?

Bohrer says the bathroom doesn’t necessarily have to be right in the BMV office. If the office is inside an enclosed mall or part of a larger suite of offices that share toilets, that qualifies, too.

But the bathroom cannot be over the river and through the woods.

That’s essentially where Rohal had to go when he was shut out at the Streetsboro BMV.

He walked out the door of the registrar … past Signature Smiles Dental … past H&R Block … past Theresa’s Pizza … past Verizon Wireless … and down a small slope to the Burger King. Somewhere along that 100-yard walk, he slipped on some ice and fell.

When he managed to get back up, he was even angrier than before.

I found it difficult to believe a deputy registrar would defy BMV regulations, so I took a little ride Friday morning.

I walked up to the counter in Streetsboro and said, “Do you have a restroom?”

The woman replied, “No.”

I repeated it: “You don’t have a public restroom?”

Answer: “We don’t have one.”

After I whipped out a copy of Appendix 2.1 and said, “Do you know you’re required to have one?” she changed her tune.

All of a sudden, her answer became, “Yes, we have one, but customers have to be escorted to it because it’s back behind the counter.”

How would anyone know that if you tell people you don’t have one?

The boss says

She couldn’t figure out an answer, so I tracked down the manager — first name Linda, last name “I don’t have to give that.” She insisted the customers were indeed allowed to use the restroom but had to be accompanied.

OK, but how would anyone know that if they’re initially told there’s no public restroom? It’s not as if the general public walks around with a copy of Appendix 2.1.

“Right. We have a handicap-accessible restroom.”

But the general public can’t use it?

“We have to escort them back there because they’re behind the counter.”

But you guys didn’t tell my 83-year-old reader that, and you didn’t tell me that.

“Well, we have to escort them back there, because it’s behind the counter.”

Phrasing the question differently continued to elicit non-answer answers.

Put your money on this: The folks at the BMV in Streetsboro have been routinely telling customers there’s no bathroom because the employees just didn’t want to deal with it.

I’m told that Linda No-Name will be getting a call from Columbus.

Maybe next time an 83-year-old man won’t try to walk 100 unnecessary yards and fall on the ice.

Bob Dyer can be reached at 330-996-3580 or bdyer@thebeaconjournal.com. He also is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bob.dyer.31

COPLEY Twp: Police on Saturday identified the two Akron men involved in a deadly shooting on Friday evening.

The two men were apparently fighting over the same woman when they shot each other on the woman’s front porch, leaving one dead, police said. It’s unclear who fired first.

Copley police said the woman’s former boyfriend, Thomas Sams, 34, was shot multiple times and declared dead at the house on Lakeland Avenue, less than a block off of Copley Road.

The woman’s current boyfriend, Delamon Marshall, 37, was shot at least twice and taken to a hospital. Police did not disclose which hospital, or whether they expected him to survive.

Both Sams and Marshall live in Akron. Police did not disclose the name of the woman who lived in the tidy, white 1926 bungalow where the shooting happened.

In a statement, police said they recovered two handguns they believe the men used to shoot each other.

Beacon Journal news partner News 5 Cleveland interviewed Karen Kiehl, who lives in the neighborhood where the shooting took place. Kiehl said she walked by the house shortly after the shooting, which happened just after 6 p.m.

“I looked up at the porch and saw there was a man laying down there moving,” Kiehl said, “and then I saw boots of somebody else that was not moving.”

Copley police are continuing to investigate the shooting.

There’s only one immigration court in Ohio.

It’s part of the 23-story federal courthouse that opened in downtown Cleveland in 2002.

The hopes and fears of immigrants — both with and without legal documentation to be in the United States — are decided in this skyscraper by three judges.

And when immigration attorney Tania Nemer files a new case there, Nemer told an Akron gathering Saturday, the first court hearing is often scheduled for 2020 or 2021.

A slight gasp of surprise rose from the audience at the immigration forum, which was organized by Akron City Council members Rich Swirsky and Marilyn Keith at Akron First Assembly church.

Yes, Nemer assured the crowd of about 100, there’s often a four- or five-year wait to even start a case because of a longstanding backlog.

But that’s not the only wait for people trying to stay in — or get into — the U.S., she said.

If a U.S. citizen wants to bring his family from Syria to escape the bombings and other violence, Nemer said, the legal process can take about 10 years.

And refugees, no longer safe in their home countries, often wait in camps for nine to 18 years before finding permanent homes.

Nemer was one of about a half-dozen speakers brought in by Swirsky and Keith on Saturday to provide information about immigration law and refugees. The council members said they have been fielding questions from constituents amid President Donald Trump’s efforts to change policies affecting both immigrants and refugees, and both said they wanted experts to lay out the facts.

Kara Ulmer, director of World Relief Akron, told the forum there are 62.3 million refugees in the world now, people driven from their home countries to escape war, persecution or natural disasters.

Last year, the U.S. accepted 110,000 refugees, she said.

“It’s like half the population of Akron spread out across the United States,” she said.

Ulmer helped launch World Relief about two years ago and has helped settle about 260 refugees, mostly in North Hill.

To get here, she said refugees first tell their story to the United Nations. Next, they tell their story to the U.S. Embassy and the stories are compared.

The U.S. State Department, meanwhile, checks their background and biometrics for possible terrorism ties and goes over the refugee’s story again.

“If there’s any kind of fishiness, [a refugee] is out of consideration and officials move on to the next one,” she said. “It’s the most rigorous screening for anyone coming to America.”

Part of Ulmer’s job is picking up refugees from the airport and driving them home to Akron.

“I get to witness the birth of the American dream every time,” she said. “Their eyes are huge.”

Among them was Eka Anthony from the Congo, who arrived in 2015 without speaking English.

On Saturday, he stood at a microphone and shared his harrowing story of life on the run amid ethnic cleansing in near-perfect English.

“I thank you,” he told the group.

Basheer Niazi from Afghanistan spoke next. He earned a Special Immigrant Visa by working as an interpreter for U.S. special forces between 2012 and 2015.

During that time, he was rejected by his own community, he said.

“I sometimes asked myself whether what I was doing was right,” Niazi said.

He would leave the U.S. base by a different gate each night, always worried someone was trailing him and would do him harm.

When he arrived in the U.S., he said that feeling of dread ended.

“I feel proud,” Niazi told the forum. “I was working, not only working for peace in my country, but for peace in the whole world.”

Amanda Garrett can be reached at 330-996-3725 or agarrett@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @agarrettabj .

CLEVELAND: If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be? A superhero? A TV star? A rock star?

A multitude of options were on hand Saturday in Cleveland for Wizard World Comic Con, a manic melding of fiction, fantasy, fairytales and fun. All of the good f-words.

The vastness of the Huntington Convention Center included Captain America, Pikachu, Snow White, Thor, the Green Lantern, the Mad Hatter and Zorro. And that was just the fans.

There were actual celebrities, too, of varying degrees, signing autographs, speaking on panels, posing for photos, shaking hands and perpetually answering the “What was your favorite episode?” question.

Lou “The Incredible Hulk” Ferrigno gave way to Kevin “Hercules” Sorbo who gave way to Dean “Superman” Cain.

Barry Bostwick, Brad Majors from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, signed autographs next to Nichelle Nichols, Uhura on Star Trek.

Kiss frontman Gene Simmons held court on the main stage and obliged fans with hugs, selfies, unflappable answers to some R-rated questions and practical advice: “Negotiate for everything,” he said. “Nothing is free.”

There was a mini-cast reunion of Dexter, followed by the adorable Millie Bobby Brown from Stranger Things. Adding a touch of surreal celebrity sightings, Kato Kaelin, the world’s most famous house guest, served as host for many of the activities. He was good, too. He’s much better at emceeing Comic Cons than testifying at double-murder trials.

It was not cheap to get in. Tickets were around $50 at the door, and you had to pony up much more for VIP packages with special access to the celebrities. Painting and drawing exhibitions mixed with singers, dancers and magicians. And, of course, there was loads of commerce.

In addition to comics, you could buy swords and stickers, posters and purses, medallions and masks, watches and wigs, or test your aim at the Zombie Apocalypse Shooting Gallery.

The front entrance included a “Weapons Check” desk to make sure various blasters and light sabers were crowd-friendly. A few people had to prove that the barbed wire wrapped around their Lucille bats, from The Walking Dead, was not really barbed wire (but plastic imitations).

It was quite a crowd. Organizers would only say that there were “thousands” of people in attendance, not how many thousands.

One of the more clever get-ups belonged to the duo dressed as Lumière the candelabra, and Cogsworth the clock from Beauty and the Beast. The men inside the costumes were Ryan Dyke and Cody Stanley, both of Norton, who are members of Rubber City Cosplay.

“This is crazy and so much fun,” said Dyke. “The great thing about Comic Con is that it’s the one place you can dress up and feel safe. You can’t go out on a Friday night dressed like this. It’s not socially acceptable.”

He and Stanley, attendees in the past, have a booth this year and were organizing a costume contest. They have performed in shows in Akron, Canton and Cleveland, and plan to adopt new personalities for Sunday: Darth Vader and Poe Dameron from Star Wars.

“The reason this works is because it’s for everybody, all genders, all ages, young and old,” said Dyke. “I’ve got my dad dressing up as Old Han Solo.”

Keith Miller of Stow was there with his fiancée, Courtney Childs, also of Stow. Their biggest thrill, they said, was meeting Kevin Conroy, the voice of Batman in the animated series and several video games.

Childs was dressed as Rorschach from the Watchmen, while Miller was the Joker.

Miller’s ensemble was indicative of the meticulous nature of some comics pretenders. Not only was his red hair dyed green, not only was he sporting a yellow sunflower pin, he was wearing a green shirt, orange vest, black necktie, purple tailcoat, purple gloves and purple striped pants, which he lifted up to reveal chattering-teeth socks.

He also does an excellent psycho-Joker smile.

This is the third year the event has come to Cleveland. The three-day event wraps up Sunday if you want to check it out.

“If you’re on the fence about dressing up, just do it,” said Miller. “You’ll find you’re with a bunch of people who really come together as a community. Don’t be shy.”

Clint O’Connor can be reached at 330-996-3582 or coconnor@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClintOMovies .

While Bill Hardy walked to a gas station on Kenmore Boulevard with his children one day a few months ago, his son spotted a discarded object.

It was a hypodermic needle, the kind used to inject heroin into the bloodstream.

“Dad, what’s that?” his son asked.

Hardy, a recovering drug addict with two years of sobriety, said he never saw such a thing growing up in Kenmore.

Back then, he recalled, he’d go out to ride bikes with other kids at night. That’s unheard of now, he said.

While almost every community across the country is struggling with an epidemic of drug addiction — ushering in the mantra “heroin doesn’t discriminate” — none are more affected than places like Kenmore.

That’s because heroin and other drugs do discriminate.

Poor most at risk

A Beacon Journal analysis of local and federal data found drugs had a markedly stronger hold on poor communities in Summit County than their richer counterparts last year. Residents of communities with household incomes below the county average made up 70 percent of the county’s 2,423 overdoses reported in 2016.

Kenmore residents ranked second-highest for drug overdose rates. Only downtown Akron had a higher rate, but it’s an outlier because of its small population.

Kenmore ranked among the lowest in the county for median household incomes and graduation rates from high school and college. It also ranked among the highest poverty rates.

According to the Beacon Journal’s analysis, people living in Kenmore were 11 times more likely to overdose on drugs than people living in more affluent communities such as Hudson and Boston Heights.

Hudson and Boston Heights ranked among the lowest overdose rates in the county. The communities also boasted the highest median household incomes and graduation rates, as well as one of the lowest poverty rates in the county.

Similar trends appeared across the board. Other factors, like a community’s racial makeup and median age, were not strongly connected to overdose rates.

To reach its findings, the Beacon Journal analyzed data from the county’s public health department and the U.S. Census Bureau.

The county’s data tracked ZIP codes where overdose victims lived, not where they overdosed. The data, which included fatal and nonfatal overdoses, was limited to patients who were treated last year in hospital emergency rooms. Overdose victims were not included in the data if they never made it to an ER or if they left before they could be logged in a hospital’s system.

The census also used ZIP codes and included data from 2015, the most recent year available.

Funeral after funeral

For Hardy, the reality of Kenmore’s struggle with drugs is all too real. He’s had 35 friends die of overdoses in five years.

“It’s like going to funerals is a full-time job,” he said.

Hardy, who said he used to deal drugs while in the throes of his own addiction, explained that drugs are a way of life in poorer neighborhoods. Rich communities have drug addicts too, but it’s not like Kenmore. Drug users can rattle off half a dozen parking lots to score heroin in the neighborhood, and people come from nearby communities to make purchases, he said.

The neighboring cities of Barberton and Norton also are among the hardest hit.

Barberton and Norton combined logged the most overdoses — 290 — of any community in the county. The pair shared a ZIP code, so it wasn’t possible to separate them in the data obtained by the Beacon Journal. The rate of overdose in the two combined populations was the fifth-highest, falling just below Lane-Wooster and East Akron.

Like neighboring Kenmore, Barberton and Norton had below-average household incomes and graduation rates, as well as above-average poverty rates.

Nationwide trends

Experts say the Beacon Journal’s analysis is in line with national studies.

Kent State University professor Cynthia Osborn has worked in the field of addiction and mental health counseling for decades. She said there’s a strong link between addiction rates and poverty.

“Poverty could be a perfect storm of developing a substance abuse disorder,” she said.

Addiction isn’t the only disease that affects the poor disproportionately. Depression, asthma, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart attacks are more common among the poor, according to a 2012 Gallup poll. Most prominent was the disparity for depression: Those living in poverty were twice as likely to have depression.

Osborn said these trends can be explained because wealthy people are more likely to have strong support systems and access to effective education and high-paying jobs. Impoverished people are faced with more “risk factors,” including increased exposure to crime, lower access to effective education, inadequate housing and fewer role models.

The wealthy, as a result, are less likely to engage in risky behaviors — like drug abuse — than the poor. The same can be said of behaviors like poor eating habits, which might explain the other diseases that hinder the poor more than the rich.

Long-term struggles

At the same time, Osborn said there are long-term socioeconomic factors at play.

Addiction and mental health risks are said to run in families.

If that’s the case, Osborn said, a family member generations back might have lost a job or a house due to addiction or mental health. The family might have moved to a poorer neighborhood as a result, and their children went on to face the challenges associated with living in a poor neighborhood.

“That might put poorer people at a higher risk because their families have been placed there as a result of mental health,” Osborn said. “So the cycle continues to today, when a person might not be able to escape it.”

Breaking the cycle

James Cain, another addict in long-term recovery, grew up in Barberton but now lives in Doylestown.

Like Hardy, Cain said drugs are more prevalent in poorer neighborhoods because selling them is a means to getting by.

“You’re finding it in these places because selling it is their only means to survive,” he said. “It’s a vicious cycle, and until you break the cycle, nothing will change.”

He stressed that drugs aren’t limited to poor neighborhoods, though. He recalled buying drugs from someone living in a $150,000 home while he was still an active user.

Getting to work

After beating their own addictions, Hardy and Cain joined their peers to fight back against the epidemic.

Hardy joined a local grass-roots advocacy group, Akron Say No to Dope. The group opened a thrift shop in Kenmore in January to offer a place to raise money to help recovering addicts reset their lives.

New Beginnings thrift shop stands at Kenmore Boulevard and 13th Street, in the heart of the neighborhood.

Cain joined the Warriors Project, a Canton-based organization dedicated to getting help for addicts and their families.

The two groups are partner organizations. Joining together is the way local advocacy groups make the biggest difference, said Tugg Massa, a recovered addict who founded Akron Say No to Dope.

“We’re making more of a difference than the government ever will,” Massa said. “Grass-roots organizations are filling the gaps.”

Massa, like Cain, said it’s important for those seeking recovery to have hope that they can overcome circumstance.

“People can change their lives,” he said. “It’s just about how much you want it.”

Nick Glunt can be reached at 330-996-3565 or nglunt@thebeaconjournal.com.

CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Fundraiser for judge

AKRON: Judge Annalisa S. Williams is kicking off her campaign to maintain her seat on the Akron Municipal Court with a breakfast fundraiser.

The event will be held 7:30-9 a.m. Thursday at Greystone Hall, 103 S. High Street in downtown Akron.

The cost is $100 per person. Donations are limited to $600 per person.

Donations for organizations and law firms are limited to $3,800. Corporate checks will not be accepted.

Make checks payable to the “Re-Elect Williams for Judge Committee;” John Galonski, Treasurer; 1137 Allendale Ave., Akron, OH 44306.

For more information, call Galonski at 330-780-9133.

COPLEY TOWNSHIP

Insurance costs to fall

COPLEY TWP.: Township health insurance costs will go down slightly under a new agreement with Medical Mutual trustees approved Wednesday.

Under the agreement, which will be effective April 1 of this year to March 31, 2018, insurance will cost $901,417 — a slight reduction of $11,772.48 per year.

In a two-year agreement approved with Lincoln Financial Group from April to March 31, 2019, dental costs will drop by 5.3 percent and vision costs increase by 4.2 percent.

Stormwater meeting

COPLEY TWP.: The Summit County Township Association will hold a workshop at 1 p.m. Monday at the township hall on a proposed Summit County stormwater district.

Trustee Helen Humphrys said last week that representatives from the county engineer’s office are expected to attend.

Under the Surface Water Management District proposal, residential property owners would pay $4 a month, with credits for homestead exemptions and a separate fee for commercial property owners based on the amount of impervious surface. Despite past backing by county leaders, the proposal could face resistance. In November 2014, voters defeated a proposed sales tax, a percentage of which would have gone for stormwater management.

Service Director Mark Mitchell said crews from Barberton Tree will be working on cutting back trees and branches 50 feet from the edge of Summit Road on the Copley side of Barberton Reservoir on Monday.

Trustee Dale Panovich said falling branches along the road have resulted in persistent residential power outages in homes there.

STARK COUNTY

Man jailed in girl’s rape

MASSILLON: Police say a Massillon man sexually assaulted a teenage girl several times and took pictures and video recordings of the abuse, the Canton Repository reported.

Brandon M. Amigo, 29, was arrested Thursday on a rape warrant, according to Stark County Jail records.

He is accused of providing a 14-year-old girl with vodka, sexually assaulting her and recording it.

Police seized his cellphone, on which they found the photographs and video, according to jail records. The records did not say when the assaults took place.

The Repository reported Amigo remained in jail early Friday, held in lieu of a $50,000 bond pending a Massillon Municipal Court hearing.

Safety preparedness event

JACKSON TWP.: Shoppers at Belden Village Mall on April 1 will have the opportunity to learn how to prepare for an unforeseen disaster at the mall’s American Red Cross Disaster Preparedness Day event.

Shoppers at the mall who take a brief pre and post-test to determine their safety/preparedness knowledge will receive a first aid kit that will be filled with safety supplies such as glow sticks, emergency drinking water, a face mask and gloves. Included will be information on what to do in case of an emergency.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dominion East Ohio will make the kits available.

The following debutantes were presented at the Sweetheart Ball:

• Rachel Anne Berlin, daughter of Todd and Kris Berlin, Barberton High School

• Sharay Kinyolla Cawthon, daughter of David Cawthon and Renee Elkins, Barberton High School

• Salena Dana’y Davis, daughter of Shavaunne Davis, Barberton High School

• Macy Sue Debevec, daughter of Michael and Carla Debevec, Barberton High School

• Alyssa Nicole Eckman, daughter of Dr. Jeff and Hope Eckman, Archbishop Hoban High School

• Ashley Corrin Edwards, daughter of Matthew Edwards and Holly Edwards, Manchester High School

• Haven Leigh Ann Foster, daughter of David Foster and Janette Forro, Norton High School

• Kaitlyn Autumn French, daughter of Michael and Patty French, Green High School

• Arora Louise Givens, daughter of Mike and Sarah Givens, Green High School

• Haley Marie Green, daughter of Tyson and Amy Green, Norton High School

• Sydney Anne Hagenbush, daughter of Jon and Stephanie Hagenbush, Norton High School

• Olivia Marie Mattioli, daughter of Anthony and Angela Mattioli, Manchester High School

• Mikayla Ann McBride, daughter of Damian and Carrie Wagler, Green High School

• Nicole Marie Morrison, daughter of Brian and Laurie Morrison, Manchester High School

• Dorothy Frances Muren, daughter of Henry and Holly Muren, Barberton High School

• Maci Marie Nestlerode, daughter of Kent and Marilyn Nestlerode, Manchester High School

• Chyna Monae Roberson, daughter of Kenneth and Donna Shields, Barberton High School

• Amy Elizabeth Stewart, daughter of Thomas and Tammy Stewart, Manchester High School

• Emma Jene Whitt, daughter of Kelly Whitt, Manchester High School

• Kenidee Kale Zentiska, daughter of Paul and Kristy Zentiska, Barberton High School

This Week

Monday

The Arc of Ohio-Stark County Awareness Dinner — 6:30 p.m. at McKinley Grand Hotel, 320 Market Ave. S., Canton. Celebration of Special Olympics, featuring local athletes. Speaker is Gabe Spiegel of Fox 8 News. $50. For reservations, call 330-492-5225.

Tuesday

Celebrity Cuisine — 5:30-8 p.m. at the Canton Memorial Civic Center, 1101 Market Ave. N., Canton. Presented by the Tri-County Restaurant Association. Sample food from area restaurants, beer, wine, music and silent auction. Benefits Community Harvest. $30. 330-499-7007.

CommQuest Reverse Raffle — 6-9 p.m. at Skyland Pines Rustic Lodge, 3550 Columbus Road NE, Canton. Appetizers, steak or scrod dinner, open bar, chance to win $5,000 grand prize. 330-455-0374, ext. 217, or email sstone@csstark.org.

Thursday

Goodwill Annual Meeting and Celebration of Champions — 5 p.m. at Jilly’s Music Room, 111 N. Main St., Akron. Honoring successful program participants and presentation of service numbers. $30. 330-786-2547 or www.goodwillakron.org/annualmtg.

Friday

Party for the Parks — 6-10 p.m. at Summit Artspace, 140 E. Market St., Akron. Bidding on art photography, music by Zach and the Bright Lights. $50 at www.­eventbrite.com.

Saturday

March Madness Skating/Dance Party — 4-6 p.m. at Springfield Lake Roller Rink, 1220 Main St., Lakemore. Social night for special needs adults. Free, $3 skate rental. Sponsored by the Summit County Providers. 810-308-2471.

Boys & Girls Club of the Western Reserve Aspire! Auction and Dinner — 6-10 p.m. at St. George Family Center, 3204 Ridgewood Road, Copley Township. Dinner, live and silent auctions, “Dessert Dash” and “Mission Possible.” $100, $250 patron includes pre-party. www.wrkids.org.

Ethan Bortnick Concert to Benefit Mothers Against Drunk Driving Ohio — 6:30 p.m. at the House of Blues, Cleveland, 308 Euclid Ave. $50. www.ethanbortnick.com/events.

Sunday

Empowering Epilepsy Akron Purple Day Party — 2-8 p.m. at AMF Riviera Lanes, 20 S. Miller Road, Fairlawn. Bowling, all you can eat pizza, wings, and soft drinks. Time choices: 2-4 p.m., 4-6 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. $15. http://­empoweringepilepsy.org/event/akron-purple-day-party.

Plan Ahead

Camp Kesem Make the Magic — 6-9 p.m. April 1 at the Tudor Arms Hotel, 10660 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland. Three-course meal, testimonials about the impact of the camp for children with parents affected by cancer. $60. For tickets, go to http://donate.kesem.org/cwrumtm.

Girls on the Run Sneaker Soiree — 5:30-8 p.m. April 6 at the University of Akron’s InfoCision Stadium, 375 E. Exchange St., Akron. Wear sneakers and business attire. Cocktails, appetizers, drawings. Speaker is Alisha Perkins of GOTR Twin Cities. $75. www.gotrNEo.org.

Spirits of the Civic: A Rock & Roll Fantasy — 6:30 p.m. April 8 at the Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St. Rock star-themed evening with backstage Green Room experience, sampling of food, beers and whiskey, silent and live auction, live music and dancing, karaoke bar, desserts. $100. 330-253-2488.

Stand Up For Downs Barn Bash — 7 p.m. to midnight April 8 at Mapleside Farms, 294 Pearl Road, Brunswick. Open bar, food, silent and live auction, and music by Sister Sarah. $95. www.standupfordowns.org.

Great Lakes Science Center Yuri’s Night — 7:30 p.m. to midnight April 8 at the Great Lakes Science Center, 601 Erieside Ave., Cleveland. Music from Tricky Dick and the Cover-Ups, open bar with beer and wine, appetizers, scavenger hunt, balloon drop and science demonstrations. $60 before April 8, $70 at the door. 216-621-2400 or www.greatscience.com.

Prostate Cancer Awareness Dinner — 6 p.m. April 13 at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Canton. Speaker is Tony Dorsett. $150. www.profootballhof.com/events/prostate-cancer-awareness-dinner.

Magical Theatre Company’s Trivia Night Fundraiser — 6 p.m. April 18 at Zwisler Hall, 500 Mull Ave., Akron. Teams of up to 6 people. Raffle, gift baskets, gift cards, pizza, pop, beer and wine. $30. Reservations due by April 13. 330-848-3708.

Women’s Board to the Summit County Juvenile Court Luncheon, Silent Auction and Raffle — 11 a.m. April 27 at Guy’s Party Center, 500 E. Waterloo Road, Akron. $20. For reservations, call Barb Mattern at 330-633-7968 by April 15.

Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library Foundation Dessert Extravaganza — 7-9 p.m. April 20 at Roses Run Country Club, 2636 N. River Road, Stow. $50. 330-688-3295, ext. 111.

The Arc of Summit and Portage Counties Reverse Raffle and Auction — 6 p.m. April 21 at Guy’s Party Centre, 500 E. Waterloo Road, Akron. Dinner, reverse raffle, live and silent auction. $80; $45 dinner only. 330-836-5863.

Send information about social and charity events to The Scene, c/o Lynne Sherwin, Features Department, Akron Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309. Or e-mail lsherwin@thebeaconjournal.com with “The Scene” in the subject line. Event notices should be sent at least two weeks in advance. Merits of all organizations have not been investigated by the Beacon Journal, so potential donors should verify the worthiness of a cause before committing.

The Summit County Historical Society announced the Woman of the Year Awards at a luncheon Wednesday at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Dr. Melanie Lynch, breast surgeon and the medical director of the Interdisciplinary Breast Program at Summa Health Cancer Institute, was given the pioneer award. Lynch discussed the milestones in progress of breast cancer treatment as well as the importance of cancer screening. Longtime friends Phyllis Glass and Nancy Davies agreed they were looking forward to hearing Lynch address the crowd.

Other women receiving honors were Patricia Clayton (Innovation), Amber Genet (Creativity), Suzanne Hobson (Integrity), Katy Miller (Courage), Kimberly Young (Inspiration), Judith A. Read (Posthumous) and Tessa Reeves (Women to Watch).

“I’ve been involved with this event for 19 years and am very committed to honoring the women here,” said Dr. Theresa S. Beyerle.

“Having young granddaughters, I like to see good examples of what other women can do,” said Debbie Foster, who attended with co-worker Laura Jo Hawk.

Historical Society President and CEO Leianne Neff Heppner said, “My favorite part of this is sitting down with the honorees and hearing them tell me their stories.”

Other women enjoying the luncheon and program included Margaret Scott, Naoibh Chaplin, Bev Fry, Sylvia Johnson, Delores Juriga and Carol Eubank. Heather Pollock served as the presenter of the awards and emcee.

“This is a unique format to recognize outstanding women in the community, said Theresa Carter, “and one of the women I’ve mentored [Kimberly Young] is being honored today.”

Firestone Country Club was the scene for the 61st annual Sweetheart Ball and Cotillion Saturday evening. Twenty lovely young ladies made their debut on a stage lavishly decorated with flowers from A Blooming Hart. Debutantes were chosen for academic achievement and school and community activities.

Katie Mills, who chaired the event, said, “I’ve come full circle after being a debutante in 2005, to chairing the event.”

Julie Seabrook co-chaired the ball, assisted by committee members Gladys Anderson, Michelle Davis, Carla Debevec, Angie Hall, Sue Hart, Amanda Mills, Karen Schwarm, Patricia and Tom Mills, Kay Stonkus, Laura Wall-Stewart and Timothy Stewart.

Friends and families took photos as they gathered for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before the presentation.

Debutantes Nicole Morrison and Amy Stewart practiced their curtsies. Donna Shields took photos of her daughter, deb Chyna Roberson, before joining family members Caroline Cheatham, Evelyn Goodman and Geraldine Cheatham.

Debutante Alyssa Eckman, one of triplets, posed with her brothers, Brandon and Daniel, as their parents, Dr. Jeff and Hope Eckman, took photos. Her sister, Taylor, was a deb in 2012.

Three-year-old Rebecca Wagler waited patiently along with parents Damian and Carrie Wagler and grandparents Jim and Sue Wagler and Larry Butcher to see her sister, Mikayla McBride, make her debut.

“The girls look beautiful,” observed Thomas Stewart as he waited with his wife, Tammy, and daughter, Stephanie, for the debut of their daughter, Amy Stewart. Deb Arora Givens said she enjoyed the debutante activities, including baking cookies and making ornaments for the Special Olympics Christmas party. She joined her parents, Mike and Sarah Givens, and her sister, Hannah, for the event.

Avid golfers Tony and Linda Tilenni and Anthony Mattioli looked over photos of famous golfers as they awaited the presentation. Janette Forro, Barbara Wilkins and Keith and Barb Luck looked over the silent auction items. In another area, Kelly Whitt and Elaine Oberdorfer admired the beautifully decorated cakes, later served for dessert.

A hush fell over the crowd as emcee Timothy Stewart introduced each debutante and gave a description of their community activities. Angie Hall choreographed the debutantes’ first dance with their escorts.

Following dinner, Katie Mills presented a check to Glen Blakeney and Pam Davis of Special Olympics of Ohio, Area 10. Since 1999, the event has raised more than $82,000 for Special Olympics.

Amanda Mills showed a video of the debs’ community activities over the year, including the mother-daughter tea, baking cookies and making decorations for Special Olympics. Then everyone enjoyed dancing to the music of Rick & The Cutting Edge.

Inside the tiled walls of Amelia Flats, the cycle of life was in full rotation. Newlywed couples moved in, welcomed babies, raised families, entered middle age, retired from jobs and ultimately died there.

The five-story building, which stood on Park Street across from picturesque Grace Park, was one of the city’s earliest apartment houses when it opened in 1901.

Houses were nearly impossible to find as laborers flooded Akron for jobs at the city’s bustling rubber factories in the early 20th century. Newcomers had to rent rooms, live in boarding houses or stay at hotels.

Businessman Horace B. Camp (1838-1907) saw an opportunity to develop upscale suites in a desirable neighborhood where prominent families such as the Barbers, Buchtels, Bierces, Firestones, Howers, Seiberlings and Schumachers maintained beautiful homes. Camp and his wife, Amelia (1852-1938), lived in a 10-room home at North Union and Park streets.

“Mr. Camp is a very unobtrusive man, of quiet and retiring habits and dislikes any notoriety or publicity very much,” the Beacon Journal noted in a 1902 profile. “He is not at all desirous of parading the fact that he has risen to the position of trust, confidence and esteem he now holds, from a comparatively lowly and meager beginning. He is very reticent about talking concerning his early life or his various business interests.”

The Tuscarawas County native owned the H.B. Camp Co., which manufactured vitrified clay conduits for underground wires for telephones, telegraphs and electric lights.

Camp was president of the Akron Fire-Proof Construction Co., Akron Clutch Co., Akron Coal Co. and Faultless Rubber Co. He built the Ashland & Western Railroad and Lake Erie Terminal Railroad, organized Colonial Sign & Insulator Co. and helped build the Colonial Theater on Mill Street in downtown Akron.

Despite all of those interests, he still found time to develop housing.

Camp purchased “a considerable block” of real estate on Park Street near the railroad tracks and chose a site overlooking Union Depot off East Market Street for his “flats.” Cleveland architects Frank B. Meade and Abram Garfield submitted plans in January 1900 for “a thoroughly equipped, up-to-date apartment house built upon metropolitan principles.”

“The building will be made of hollow brick, such as are manufactured in Mr. Camp’s plants, and the interior will be handsomely finished,” the Akron Daily Democrat reported. “The structure will be provided with an automatic elevator, which does away with the use of the old time elevator boy.”

Building rises

Excavation began in January 1901 on a five-story building 85 feet long and 60 feet wide. Each floor would be divided into two suites of rooms, allowing 10 families to occupy the building. Camp named the complex Amelia Flats after his wife, the former Amelia Babb of Cuyahoga Falls.

The fireproof structure’s exterior walls were built with “hard-burned vitrified tile” and its floors were composed of Sandusky cement and ground wood “troweled down smooth and level.” In addition to ceramic tiling, the building’s most notable characteristic was its bright red awnings over every window.

As Amelia Flats arose, anonymous critics began a whisper campaign that Camp’s building was unsafe. The Akron Fire-Proof Construction Co. derided the “untrue and malicious stories in circulation,” and offered a $100 reward for information leading to the conviction of anyone “guilty of promulgating such reports.”

The apartment house at 218 Park St. began to fill with well-heeled tenants by February 1902. Camp was so pleased that he announced plans in 1903 for a twin five-story building, Campania Flats, at 279 Park St. The sister complex, which featured four suites per floor for a total of 20, was named after a British ocean liner but it also was a play on the family’s surname. The Campania opened in 1904.

After battling heart disease for five years, Horace B. Camp died Nov. 21, 1907, in his North Union Street home with his family at his bedside. The 69-year-old businessman was survived by his wife, Amelia, daughters Grace Armstrong and Laura Mosher, and sons Louis W. Camp and Henry H. Camp. He was buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Cuyahoga Falls.

Properties deteriorate

In 1920, real estate developer A.F. Stuhldreher took a 99-year lease on the Amelia and Campania along with the Camp estate at the northwest corner of Park and Union streets. Amelia Camp sold the property in 1926.

Generations of families lived there. For more than 40 years, vacancies were quickly filled at the apartments, but the buildings fell into disrepair in the 1950s amid changing ownership. Longtime residents began to move out, and many of those who remained were on relief or had criminal records.

The Campania’s owner went to prison in the 1960s for receiving stolen goods and selling marijuana. In 1961, a man leaped to his death from a third-floor window. In 1963, the city evicted 14 families, including 30 kids, “in the interest of saving lives.”

“I could go on all day about that place,” city building inspector Ott Salzwimmer told the Beacon Journal. “It is a menace and a fire hazard. The wiring and plumbing are bad. It is filthy.”

The Campania stood for another 20 years, even serving as the Haunted Apartment House in October 1975. The city condemned the complex four times, citing more than 50 building code violations. Finally, the Akron Wrecking Co. leveled the vacant building in 1981.

The Amelia, renamed Grace Park Apartments, was divided into efficiency apartments and also endured problems. There were stabbings, shootings and muggings. Two men beat and robbed the manager in his office in 1969.

The former Amelia lingered until the late 1980s. Vandals stripped plumbing and wiring, smashed windows and punched holes in walls. Wreckers eventually put the building out of its misery, showering the ground in glass and vitrified tile.

Today, empty lots are all that is left of Horace B. Camp’s dream of upscale suites on Park Street.

Beacon Journal copy editor Mark J. Price can be reached at 330-996-3850 or mjprice@thebeaconjournal.com.

Beacon Journal staff report

NASA’s Glenn Research Center will offer free tours one Saturday each month from April through October.

Parking is also free at the center, 21000 Brookpark Road in Cleveland.

During each tour, visitors will explore one of the facilities where scientists and engineers develop aeronautics and space technology. The tour also will stop by the gift shop, which offers space-themed merchandise including NASA apparel and collectibles.

The tours are open to U.S. citizens with a government-issued photo identification and lawful permanent residents with a green card.

Here’s the schedule:

• April 1, tour bus departing 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.

Proving Grounds for Deep Space: The Electric Propulsion Laboratory houses two huge vacuum chambers that simulate the space environment.

• May 6, tour bus departing 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The 10 X 10 Wind Tunnel and Historic District Tour: For over 60 years, the 10-by-10 foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel has conducted propulsion testing at supersonic speeds ranging from Mach 2.0 to 3.5. Examine the history of this test facility and its connections to NASA’s Apollo program and man’s first step on the moon.

• June 3, tour bus departing 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.

NASA Glenn Hangar: Explore what goes on inside the large hangar with the NASA logo and see how aircraft monitor algal blooms on Lake Erie.

• July 8, tour bus departing 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.

Locomotion on Planets: The SLOPE lab is where rover components are tested for their ability to navigate and investigate planetary surfaces.

• Aug. 5, tour bus departing 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.

The Light of Solar Cells: The Photovoltaic Lab creates energy from light. See how technology can power everything from homes to spacecraft.

• Sept. 9, tour bus departing 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.

Microgravity: See the Zero-G Facility which puts test payloads into a free fall for five seconds, dropping over 400 feet.

• Oct. 7, tour bus departing 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The 8 X 6 Wind Tunnel and Historic District Tour: Built in 1946, the 8-by-6 foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel is testing models for the next generation of supersonic aircraft.

Tours can be made up to 30 days prior to the tour. To register, call 216-433-9653 or send an email to grc-dl-tours@mail.nasa.gov. Registered visitors will receive a confirmation number, which is required for entry.

Special needs guests may use their own vehicles, but must follow the tour bus at all times. Most research facilities are wheelchair accessible; however, some facilities have limited accessibility.

For more information, visit https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/events/tours.html.

Dr. Thomas File, chair of the Infectious Diseases Division at Summa Health, has been selected as recipient of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases’ 2017 John P. Utz Leadership Award. File was selected for the honor “in recognition of his outstanding leadership efforts, including serving as NFID president from 2012-14, during which time he successfully strengthened the organization and expanded its visibility and effectiveness.” In addition, the group said, File is a “national leader in infectious diseases and exceptional teacher, clinician and clinical scientist.”

Mikah Buckner, a fifth-grader at Chapel Hill Christian School, is the first-place winner for the storybook contest held as part of the 30th Annual Child & Family Awareness Month. She will be recognized this week at Summit Artspace. Art teacher Mary Elizabeth Norman has worked with Mikah to develop her talents.

Kent State University Professor William Kist won the 2017 Outstanding Language Arts Educator Award from the Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts. The annual awards were established in 1990 to recognize excellence in language arts teaching at the elementary, middle school, high school and university level.

Francine M. Gordon, an activist and philanthropist who grew up in Akron, is one of the recipients of the annual Kinor Davis Award, presented by the Zamir Choral Foundation. The award honors individuals who contribute to HaZamir, a project of the Zamir Choral Foundation, the only international organization dedicated to fostering Jewish identity across generational, denominational, and geographic lines through Jewish choral music. Gordon graduated from Firestone High School and was an active member of Beth El synagogue.

Robert Smart, a seventh-grader at North Canton Middle School, placed first in the recent 2017 Stark County Area Math Tournament, sponsored by the Greater Canton Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Stark County Educational Service Center. In addition, Robert is a semifinalist who is eligible to compete in the 2017 Ohio National Geographic State Bee. Robert is the son of Robert and Jamie Smart.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has announced the winners of the 2016 Take Action Video Contest, in which Ohio high school students were asked to create 60-second videos about consumer protection topics.

The announcement coincided with National Consumer Protection Week March 5-11, which promotes consumer education. Nickolas Belliveau, a student at Green High School, took first place. He received a $2,500 college scholarship.

A collaborative idea between teachers 13 years ago is still going strong at Holy Family Catholic School in Stow.

Mrs. Gregrich’s and Mrs. Tokash’s fifth-grade classes at Holy Family Catholic School in Stow recently completed their 13th annual Quarter Project. This project consisted of each student performing 56 chores or jobs to earn $14 worth of quarters ­— enough to fill a plastic medicine bottle. Only one quarter could be earned for each chore completed. The students then used their earnings on a shopping field trip to the Kent Road Giant Eagle store, where they bought nonperishable food and pantry items for families in need. The students teamed up with Holy Family’s M.O.M.S. Ministry organization, and the $650 worth of groceries and other items will help many families of the school and parish.

Members of the nonprofit One Tiger organization will host an afternoon award presentation ceremony and an evening celebration to honor former Massillon Washington High School football and basketball coach Nick Vrotsos on April 14. The award presentation will be held in the Washington High School Auditorium from 1:00 to 2:15 p.m. Admission will be free and open to the public. The celebration will take place 5-9 p.m. at the Tiger Town Grille and Pub at 48 Second St. SE in downtown Massillon. The $20-per-person fee includes a buffet and beverages. The fundraiser will benefit One Tiger Inc. and the Massillon Tiger Football Booster Club. Advance tickets are available by sending a check to One Tiger Inc., P.O. Box 701, Massillon, Ohio 44648 or by visiting onetigerinc.org and clicking on “donate now” for a secure credit card purchase. For more information or for advance tickets to the fundraiser, call John Liebermann at 330-445-9250.

The weekly Good News column features awards and recognitions, military and scholastic achievements, civic accomplishments and other good works.
Please fax information to 330-996-3033, email it to goodnews@thebeaconjournal.com or send it to Good News, Akron Beacon Journal, 44 E. Exchange St., Akron, OH 44309. Include a photo if one is available.

Hinckley Twp.: Downtown Hinckley was abuzz for the city’s 60th annual Buzzard Sunday, where locals spent the day celebrating the bird’s return to the area.

The Town Hall was filled with families participating in the day’s festivities. In the park behind the building, Boy Scouts kept close watch for any of the famed birds that might fly overhead. And down the street at Hinckley Elementary School, families started off the day with a pancake breakfast and stuck around for the craft fair afterward.

But the main attraction was the bird of the hour.

Wide-eyed kids and buzzard enthusiasts, clad in vulture-shaped hats, gathered in amazement around two turkey vultures, Paris and Matilda, that the Medina Raptor Center brought in.

“Whoa!” a group of kids exclaimed as Paris stretched out her nearly 6-foot wings.

Ceci Benko, 6, with a buzzard painted on her cheek, stood by the bird as her mom, Michele, snapped a picture.

“We come for the activities, the breakfast and the birds,” said Michele Benko, who has been attending the festivities almost 10 years. “It’s just a fun community get-together, and it’s well-organized.”

Springtime ritual

The buzzards’ fame in Hinckley all started back in 1881, when farmers in Medina County were fed up with ravenous wildlife consuming their livestock.

A day before Christmas, they rounded up men from across the state and set out for the Great Hinckley Hunt, going after wolves, bears and any other threat to their farms.

Buzzards caught wind of the excess carcasses and engorged in the feast, which was apparently so memorable that they’ve returned to Ohio in the spring every year since.

“People can’t believe how big they are up close,” said Annette Piechowski, a volunteer with the Medina Raptor Center who stood by with Paris on her arm and provided an ongoing stream of buzzard facts.

The precursor to Buzzard Sunday is Buzzard Day, which is celebrated every March 15. Official buzzard spotters and residents flock to Hinckley Reservation, where they wait for the first buzzard to fly overhead. This year’s came at 1:16 p.m.

“It’s just a place for people to come and have fun,” said Melinda Mallari, the secretary of the Hinckley Chamber of Commerce, which organizes Buzzard Sunday every year. “It’s a way for folks to come and hang out in Hinckley.”

Mallari said this year was the first to have sponsors, including AAA Medina, Dairymens, Fosters Tavern and Western Reserve Plumbing.

Proceeds each year go toward the Ehrbar Memorial Scholarship fund, so Mallari said adding sponsors allowed more money to go toward education.

The celebration has also expanded to include a variety of other festivities in Town Hall the past few years, including carnival games, booths with local vendors, a pet contest and an exotic petting zoo from Our Zoo to You.

Norm Westphal posed for a picture with a corn snake from the petting zoo around his neck while his granddaughter, 9-year-old Caitlin Ruby, stood by with her two friends, Shianne Moore, 10, and sister Trinity Moore, 9.

“I don’t really do snakes,” Caitlin said.

Despite some creepy-crawlies and less-than-beautiful birds, the girls agreed the activities were a good way to spend a Sunday.

“This is my first time and it’s really fun here,” Shianne said. “I want to come back here again.”

Theresa Cottom can be reached at 330-996-3216 or tcottom@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @Theresa_Cottom .

Local history lovers know well Akron’s role as a portaging corridor for American Indians.

The city sits atop a continental watershed divide, with water on the south side flowing toward the Ohio River, and water on the north end flowing up toward Lake Erie.

This rare geographic circumstance was an obstacle to Indians paddling their way through the state, forcing them to carry (or “portage”) their vessels 8 miles between the southbound Tuscarawas River and the northbound Cuyahoga in order to continue their journey.

But it took an outsider to say: “Come on, guys! This is cool. Why aren’t you re-enacting this?”

After a couple of years of doing everything from researching history to pulling permits to coordinating with boundary-crossing agencies, Minnesota transplant Tom Crain has organized the first Akron Portage ’n Paddle.

On May 20, participants will follow part of the historic portage path on water before getting out and racing the rest of the distance lugging crafts that could weigh 45 pounds or more.

Crain settled in Akron six years ago to be closer to his kids, who had moved with his ex-wife when she returned to her roots in Canton. He took a job teaching at Imagine, a charter school in Akron.

An avid outdoorsman, he was hiking the towpath when he came across a life-size statue of an Indian carrying his canoe where Merriman Road descends into the valley, the famed portage path’s northern terminus.

An identical statue marks the southern limits off Manchester Road, and 50 large arrowheads mark the route between the two figures.

Crain read the historical inscription, but no one had to explain to him what “portaging” meant. After all, he grew up in a state nicknamed “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” He often had to carry his canoe between lakes.

“I just thought, ‘Oh my gosh, there has to be an opportunity to do canoeing and portaging here,’ ” Crain said. “There are all these signs but nobody’s actually doing it.”

There may have been good reason for that, as Crain soon found out. The path crosses many quasi-jurisdictions, with dozens of groups that needed to become partners in such an enterprise.

Needed clearances

He and a committee of passionate volunteers talked to the city of Akron to pull permits and ask for the use of the downtown trolley. They spoke with Summit MetroParks to get access to the canal, Summit Lake and Nesmith Lake.

They needed clearances from Downtown Akron Partnership, Cuyahoga River Restoration, Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition and Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development.

They connected with history experts from the Summit County Historical Society and Lippman School, and met with neighborhood organizers in Kenmore, Firestone Park, Summit Lake and North Hill.

They lined up Canal Fulton Canoe Livery to be the official canoe outfitter, Summit Cycle to help arrange bicycle rentals so the race could be expanded to folks who wanted to stay on the ground, and worked with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to acquire boating licenses.

They brought the Akron Fire Department on board for race-day emergency assistance and hired an event attorney to make sure all the proper waivers and license requirements were met.

They arranged for racers to pick up their packets and get a history lesson at Perkins Mansion the day before the race, and for activities to celebrate the conclusion of the race at historic Mustill Store.

Crain even had to get a special insurance policy written.

“They said this is so weird. We have policies that cover a canoe that is in the water, but we never insured anyone for carrying a canoe down the street,” Crain said.

Organizers got a $2,500 Neighborhood Partnership Program grant from the Akron Community Foundation to get things going. Registration fees and sponsorships will pay for the rest.

Hoping to be as inclusive as possible, the nearly 6-mile race was opened up to canoes, kayaks and paddle boards. Competitors can enter as individuals or as part of two-member or four-member teams.

Racers will put in at Nesmith Lake off Manchester Road, paddle through the canal and Summit Lake, then exit the water behind the Spaghetti Warehouse in downtown Akron. They will then carry their crafts down the towpath, through downtown and to the Mustill Store at Cascade Locks Park.

If some racers find that too strenuous, they can do a light version, putting in at Summit Lake and carrying their vessels to Lock 3 Park for a 2.5-mile route.

Heck, you can even participate if you don’t want to get in the water at all. Participants can also pedal their bikes, walk or jog along the route, Crain said.

“The whole point is to have you appreciate what Native Americans did here and give you a connection to this path,” Crain said.

Geographic changes

Local historian Dave Lieberth loves the idea. The closest thing Akron has had to an active celebration of the path was a couple of organized walks, including the one that dedicated those Indian statues and arrowhead markers in 2000.

Otherwise, Akron has only ever acknowledged the feature by name: Portage Path and Portage Trail, Portage Path elementary school and Portage Country Club. There was a historic Portage Hotel, and a Portage Newspaper Supply.

Even the county was once named Portage, only breaking off and renaming itself Summit County in 1839 and ceding the name to what is now the Portage County to the east, Lieberth said.

While the exact portage path is known thanks to early surveyors who bore witness to the worn route, geographic changes make it impossible to mimic the entire journey.

But Crain’s re-creation is close enough to be an appropriate celebration, Lieberth said.

American Indians didn’t have significant settlements in the area. For most of them, Akron was a rest stop along the water highway.

“Since we didn’t have native people living in a tribal setting here, consequently, we didn’t fully appreciate the landmark, that big scar, 8 miles long,” Lieberth said.

“Tom stepped up to say, ‘Well, you have this history, so now what are you going to do about it?’ ” Lieberth said.

To register, visit www.active.com and search for “Akron Portage ’N Paddle.”

The West Hill Neighborhood Community Development Corporation is the event’s official sponsor, and profits from the race will be used by the organization for green projects and improved access to the Towpath Trail.

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

AKRON

Judicial investiture planned

AKRON: The judicial investiture for Ann Marie O’Brien will be held at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Akron Bar Association, 57 S. Broadway.

O’Brien was appointed as an Akron Municipal Court judge in February by Gov. John Kasich. She replaced Joy Malek Oldfield, who was elected to Summit County Common Pleas Court in November.

O’Brien must run in November to retain the seat.

Apply for Statehouse post

AKRON: The Ohio House Democratic Caucus is accepting letters of interest as it prepares to appoint a replacement for a lawmaker from Akron who is stepping down.

Rep. Greta Johnson is leaving her legislative role at the end of March to become deputy director in Stark County’s law department.

The minority caucus will appoint someone to finish her term that runs through December 2018.

A statement from House Democratic Leader Fred Strahorn says a screening panel of five Democratic lawmakers will interview applicants and make a recommendation to the whole 32-member caucus.

It’s accepting resumes and letters from interested applicants through the end of the month.

SUMMIT COUNTY

Property value complaints

Taxpayers who do not agree with the new valuation of their property can file a complaint with the Board of Revision by March 31. The Board of Revision, a department of the Summit County Fiscal Office, will then schedule a hearing, review testimony and possibly alter the valuation.

Complaint forms can be obtained by calling 330-643-2631 or visiting fiscaloffice.summitoh.net. Notarized submissions can be made in person or by mail to Summit County Fiscal Office, 175 S. Main St., Room 302, Akron, OH 44308 or to the Summit County Board of Revision, 1180 S. Main St., Suite 250, Akron, OH 44301.

Complaints filed online need not be notarized. Upon submission on or before 4 p.m. on March 31, the e-filings will receive confirmation of receipt by the Board of Revision.

Schmidt sets office hours

CUYAHOGA FALLS: District 2 Summit County Councilman John Schmidt will hold public office hours from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Cuyahoga Falls Public Library. The library is at 2015 Third St.

Schmidt will answer questions and hear concerns from constituents.

District 2 includes most of Cuyahoga Falls, Munroe Falls, and parts of Akron that include East Akron, Goodyear Heights and North Hill.

For more information, call the County Council office at 330-643-2725.

UNIVERSITY OF AKRON

Black Male Symposium

AKRON: The University of Akron will host the Black Male Symposium from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 7 designed to share the best practices that address educational needs for Ohio’s African-American male students.

High school and university students will participate. The one-day symposium will feature two tracks, one for university and community members and one for high school and university students.

Speakers include educator and researcher Luis Ponjuan, who holds a doctorate in higher learning from the University of Michigan; author, theorist and researcher William E. Cross Jr., who holds a doctorate in psychology with a focus on African-American studies; and Dru Joyce, head basketball coach at Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, a USA Today Coach of the Year, director of the Northeast Ohio Basketball Association and author of Beyond Championships: A Playbook for Winning at Life.

The April symposium is an extension of UA’s Black Male Summit, which will mark its 10th anniversary with a two-day event Sept. 29 and Sept. 30.

Register at https://www.uakron.edu/ie/bms2017. For more information, contact Antoinette East-Jenkins at east@uakron.edu or 330-972-6700.

Barberton Municipal Court Judge Jill Flagg Lanzinger has been appointed by Gov. John Kasich to fill a vacancy on Summit County Common Pleas Court.

She will assume office on April 3. She must run in November 2018 to retain the seat for a full term. Lanzinger replaces Judge Thomas A. Teodosio who has been elected to Ohio’s Ninth District Court of Appeals.

Lanzinger received her bachelor’s degree from Heidelberg University and her law degree from the University of Akron. She currently serves as a municipal judge in Barberton. She is a member of the Akron Bar Association, city of Green Opiate Task Force and a board member of the Portage Lakes Advisory Council.

CANTON: The first phase of the long-awaited Hercules development downtown should be completed in November, the Canton Repository reports.

The project involves 90 market-rate apartments and there are plans to offer retail and office space.

“I believe that the Hercules project ... will serve as a catalyst for additional downtown development,” Deputy Mayor Fonda Williams said.

Read the full Repository report here.

Twenty-three inmates currently housed at the Summit County Jail don’t have beds.

Instead, they are sleeping on cots, including some that resemble large rubber sleighs.

The use of cots is a result of the jail’s overcrowding problem that has been exacerbated by a funding shortage, coupled with higher arrests from the heroin epidemic.

A new program aims to ease the jail’s overcrowding by giving people charged with nonviolent, low-level felonies a summons to appear in court rather than putting them behind bars while they wait for their initial court appearance.

The eligible charges include drug possession, receiving stolen property, theft and other similar non­violent crimes.

The effort has been piloted in Akron with positive results, with plans to expand it to the rest of the county with the help of a $50,000 grant from the MacArthur Foundation.

Not everyone is on board with the idea, however. Some police chiefs in the suburban parts of the county are concerned about this departure from the normal practice of putting people charged with felonies in jail.

“Summonsing felons? Aye yai yai,” said Barberton Chief Vincent Morber, the president of the Summit County Police Chiefs Association. “A lot of times, these are the people who need jail the most to get screened and assessed.”

Those pushing the effort will be working to change the minds of Morber and the other chiefs in the next few months, with the hope of expanding the program by this summer.

“We were over capacity a couple of days this month,” said Chris Csonka, the Summit County Sheriff Department’s jail population control coordinator. “That’s not a good sign for summer. When the weather is warmer, we have more arrests. When we are over capacity, people end up on cots. It gets tight.”

Summit County isn’t alone in its effort to find alternatives to putting people behind bars.

Other communities nationwide are looking for alternatives to jail because of concerns about overincarceration disproportionately impacting minorities and low-income people and the link between incarceration and recidivism.

A report released last week by a special committee of the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission recommended numerous changes to the state’s bail and pretrial processes. This included establishing a risk-based pretrial system and adopting alternatives to jail, such as diversion programs.

These are the types of changes the nonprofit MacArthur Foundation is supporting through its $100 million Safety and Justice Challenge, an initiative to decrease over­incarceration and change the country’s mindset about jails.

Program wins grant

Summit County, in partnership with Akron, was among 20 communities across the country — and the only one in Ohio — to receive funding in the latest round of grants from the MacArthur Foundation.

“We thought the Summit County application was quite interesting,” said Evelyn McCoy of the Urban Institute, a research organization assisting the MacArthur Foundation with the implementation of its grant projects. “It looked at diverting people from pretrial detention. It’s also an opportunity to build that knowledge for the field.”

To bolster its case for the MacArthur grant, Akron and Summit County launched a pilot project last June in which the city prosecutor’s office and police department decided on a case-by-case basis which defendants charged with fourth- and fifth-degree felonies should be given a summons, rather than wait in jail for their court appearance.

Csonka said the results were impressive. Of the approximately 100 people given a summons, 86 percent showed up to court. He said the shift resulted in a 30 percent drop in jail bookings.

Next steps for jails

Matthew McCullough, a University of Akron student accused of killing his roommate’s cat by throwing it against a wall, is among the defendants who have been summonsed rather than put in jail through the new process.

McCullough, the first person in Summit County charged under a new law that made it a fifth-degree felony to harm a pet, was given a summons to appear March 3 for an arraignment in Akron Municipal Court. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered to go to the jail to be booked. He will remain free while his case proceeds through the court system, with a presentation to the Summit County grand jury expected this week.

Akron Prosecutor Gert Wilms was pleased with the results of the pilot and is excited about the prospect of it being expanded. Wilms is part of a group that has been regularly meeting to discuss the jail’s space issues.

“We are trying everything we can to address jail overcrowding,” Wilms said. “We need everybody to contribute. Akron is doing its part. We want to make sure everybody is comfortable.”

Csonka said the next step will be developing the criteria and process for officers to issue a summons in lieu of putting someone in jail.

Having fewer people charged with low-level felonies in jail could open more beds for defendants charged with misdemeanors like domestic violence and assault — an option that’s now only offered to Akron because of space constraints at the 679-bed county jail.

Akron Chief James Nice said the new effort has worked well, but he understands the hesitancy by other chiefs.

“I think, historically, you made arrests for a felony,” he said. “To me, it makes sense for someone to be concerned about not taking someone into custody who should be in custody. That doesn’t mean we can’t change and look at what works or doesn’t work.”

Cuyahoga Falls Chief Jack Davis said he thinks the idea may have merit, if it frees space for defendants charged with violent misdemeanors.

“I’d rather be able to put someone in jail that I’m worried will go out and cause harm than somebody who stole over $1,000 and that made it a felony offense,” said Davis, whose city has its own jail with 10 beds, which it has made available to other northern communities.

Barberton also has its own jail with seven beds that it shares with southern Summit County communities. Morber said Barberton will use its beds to house people charged with low-level felonies if needed. He said Lisa Miller, Barberton’s law director, has said, “We’re not going to summons. Not at all. Ever.”

Morber thinks the summons shift is a small fix to a much larger problem that he thinks Summit County should address by providing more funding for the jail.

“We need to look at the big picture,” Morber said. “We’ve got issues.”

Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705, swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj .

Motorists may encounter temporary lane restrictions on the North Main Street Bridge, also known as the High Level Bridge, this week as workers inspect the span, Summit County Engineer Al Brubaker said.

Traffic will be maintained but delays are possible. The work will take place Monday through Friday.

The bridge connects Akron and Cuyahoga Falls.

For updates on the project and others throughout the county, go to http://summitengineer.net.