AKRON
Weapons charges
AKRON: A Clinton man faces a variety of charges after officers discovered weapons in his car during a traffic stop Friday in Akron.
Aaron Von Bradford, 23, was charged with improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, carrying a concealed weapon and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
Officers say Bradford ran a red light at Cedar and High streets then stopped for the light at Cedar and Broadway. He then “turned and went up onto the sidewalk and finally stopped.”
When he was removed from the car, officers reported “a single bullet was found on the driver’s seat, a magazine with eight bullets was on the floor and the gun was in the back seat.” Also seized were numerous knives, a club and another loaded magazine.
Websites honored
AKRON: The Home Builders Association’s Sales and Marketing Council has recognized MyCommunities.Ohio.com as the Associate Website of the Year.
The announcement was made Thursday night at the HBA’s annual Envision Awards banquet at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Akron/Fairlawn.
The series of 10 community websites, powered by Ohio.com and backed by the Beacon Journal newsroom, launched last March.
The sites were designed to offer focused news coverage for the communities of Barberton, Bath Township, Copley Township/Fairlawn, Cuyahoga Falls, Green, Hudson, Jackson Township, Kent, Stow and Wadsworth.
Fire damages home
AKRON: A West Akron family escaped injury when a fire broke out in their North Portage Path home early Friday.
The fire was reported around 2:30 a.m. in the home in the 100 block of North Portage Path.
The home suffered heavy damage. No one was injured.
Man guilty of rape
AKRON: A Barberton man was found guilty Friday of raping an elderly woman in July.
Joseph R. Litten, 31, of Dean Drive, was convicted of rape and kidnapping.
Prosecutors say Litten sexually assaulted an 86-year-old female acquaintance. Litten’s DNA was recovered from the crime scene and the victim was able to identify her attacker in court.
Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Alison McCarty will sentence Litten on Jan. 23.
Humanitarian award
AKRON: Claudia Coleman, a community activist, will receive the Charles Salem Humanitarian Award at the city’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration Sunday.
The event will be at St. Paul C.M.E. Church, 1233 S. Hawkins Ave.
Coleman was chosen from a dozen candidates. Malcolm Costa, president of the Akron-Summit Community Action Agency, nominated her.
“She has made a tremendous contribution to the community, advocates on behalf of those in need and would make Charlie Salem proud,” Costa said in a news release.
Salem, who died in 1990, was an educator at the University of Akron, a humanitarian and an advocate for social justice and improved human relations.
Coleman has been active in the community for many years, including helping establish the North Akron Community Center Inc. (NANC). As executive director for NANC, she facilitated free workshops for local activists on nonprofit management and other topics.
Coleman also sponsored the first North Akron Carnival, which held its 12th annual event last spring and raises money for the V Dove-Coleman Foundation. The foundation has purchased beds and other furniture for underserved families in Akron, sponsored lunches to support urban youths, established a scholarship program and sponsored tuition to send youths to summer camp.
Open office hours
AKRON: John Valle, the director of neighborhood assistance, will have office hours at two more community centers this month.
Valle will have hours from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at Mason Park Community Learning Center, 700 E. Exchange St., and from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at Patterson Park Community Center, 800 Patterson Ave.
GREEN
Valentine’s event
GREEN: The city’s popular Valentine’s Day Parent/Child Social is 5 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Akron General Health and Wellness Center, 1940 Town Park Blvd.
The event is usually a sell-out for mothers, fathers and grandparents who treat their children ages 1 through 12 to a night of dancing and fun.
The cost per adult/child couple is $20. Additional children are $5 each and adults are $15 each.
The Calypso Gypsies Steel Drum Trio will provide island music and interactive activities during the evening. The event will feature caricature artists, photo booth and door prizes. Dinner will be catered by Charlie Brown Catering and includes a pasta bar buffet, salad, bread, soft drinks and dessert.
Tickets can be purchased in the parks and recreation office from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday or online through the parks and recreation online registration program at www.cityofgreen.org.
KENT
Meth raid
KENT: The Portage County Drug Task Force arrested three Kent residents during a raid in Kent on Thursday night.
Trisha C. Towns, 28, Adam W. Thompson, 34, and Curtis P. Whitmire, 30, face charges of illegal manufacturing of drugs.
Sheriff David W. Doak said the task force received several tips that a methamphetamine lab was inside a home in the 1200 block of Munroe Falls Kent Road.
Officers recovered a gun, chemicals, glassware, meth and other drug-related components. A “sophisticated surveillance system” that monitored the perimeter of the home was also discovered.
Kent firefighters were dispatched to the home to assist in the removal of dangerous chemicals.