AKRON
Tiger sent on loan
AKRON: Jae Jae has a hot date lined up in London.
The Sumatran tiger, acquired by the Akron Zoo from San Francisco Zoo in 2008, is being sent to England for breeding purposes.
The London Zoo, participating in the Sumatran Tiger Species Survival Plan, will pair him with a female tiger named Melati in the exhibit it calls Tiger Territory. She comes from Perth Zoo is Australia.
Fewer than 300 Sumatran tigers exist in the wild, according to estimates.
The Akron Zoo still has Berani, a male Sumatran tiger born in 2001.
Union OKs contract
AKRON: A second labor union approved a labor contract with the city of Akron.
Members of the Civil Service Personnel Association (CSPA) voted 79-1 to approve a three-year contract. The vote was announced Thursday.
“Given the uncertainty of the economy, I believe this was the right agreement at the right time and our membership has shown overwhelming support for it by passing the agreement with 99 [percent] in favor,” union President Dave Sladek wrote in an email to members.
On Wednesday, the first of Akron’s four unions finalized its vote, with police approving the agreement 272-6. The fire union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) are expected to announce their votes in the coming days.
The agreements then will go to the Akron City Council for final approval.
All unions received the same proposals: raises of 2 percent in 2013 and 1 percent in both 2014 and 2015, along with potential bonuses of up to 2 percent in 2014 and 2015, that are tied to city income tax revenue.
All other parts of the contracts, including health-care coverage, remain the same under the three-year pact.
Halloween party
AKRON: DeBord’s 17th annual Halloween Party will be held from 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday at 690 W. Waterloo Road.
The free, family-oriented event includes live music, Halloween decorations, hay rides, fog machines and other Halloween activities, along with a pizza-eating contest.
For more information, go to www.debordhalloweenparty.com.
Ward 7 meeting
AKRON: Ward 7 Councilman Donnie Kammer will host a meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Firestone Park Community Center, 1480 Girard St.
Mike Bolas, a project coordinator for the Ohio EPA, will discuss an Urban Setting Designation for an area in Firestone Park.
CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Benefit for McCarty
CUYAHOGA FALLS: The Committee to Elect Common Pleas Judge Alison McCarty to Probate Court will hold a clambake fundraiser from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at Sarah’s Vineyard, 1204 W. Steels Corners Road.
The menu includes clam chowder, roasted chicken and corn.
Cost of $100 per person or $175 per couple can be paid at the door or at www.judgemccarty.com.
Dordea fundraiser
MARLBORO TWP.: The Larry Dordea for Stark County Sheriff campaign will host a skeet-shoot fundraiser at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Sportsman’s Shooting Center, 6501 State St. NE.
Ohio Auditor Dave Yost will be special guest.
Tickets, at $100 per person, provide two rounds of shooting, shells, clays and grilled hamburgers.
For reservations, email JulieJ@DordeaforSheriff.com or call 330-418-1427.
STARK COUNTY
Driver indicted
CANTON: A Lake Township woman, 23, has been indicted on charges related to a fatal crash June 6 on Frank Avenue in Jackson Township.
According to police reports, Hillary Hurtt was driving north about 8:45 p.m. when she struck the back of a motorcycle.
Jackson Township resident Thomas Maguire, 62, was thrown from the Harley-Davidson into oncoming traffic. He was hit by another vehicle and dragged for a short distance.
Maguire was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police reports indicate Hurtt was using her cell phone at the time of the crash.
Police Chief, David Zink referred the case to the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office.
“We wanted to present the case to a grand jury because the cell-phone use may change the situation,” Zink said.
Hurtt was indicted on a charge of vehicular homicide, a first-degree misdemeanor.
Her first court appearance will be at 8:45 a.m. today in Massillon Municipal Court.
Restaurant denied
PLAIN TWP.: A Canton restaurateur’s effort to build an eatery in Plain Township met with strong opposition Wednesday.
Jan Walther, owner of Walther’s Cafe, wants to build at Market Avenue and Schneider Street. She asked the Plain Township Board of Zoning Appeals to consider rezoning the location, at 5901 Market Ave. N, from single-family residential to a neighborhood business district.
About 30 people crowded into Plain Township Hall for the board’s hearing Wednesday evening. They were about evenly split over wanting the zoning change.
After hearing public comments, the township’s Zoning Commission recommend denial of the zone change. That vote followed the Stark County Regional Planning Commission’s recommendation.
The matter goes to township trustees, who will hold an additional public hearing. It will take a unanimous decision to overturn the Zoning Commission vote.
Massillon fall fest
MASSILLON: Spring Hill Historic Home, 1401 Springhill Lane NE, will host its annual fall festival this weekend.
The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Festivities will include interactive and educational fall activities and games, a corn maze, face and pumpkin painting, seasonal food and a scarecrow contest.
Stump Hill Farm and its furry critters will attend from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday.
During the festival, visitors can tour the house and visit the Spring Hill gift shop.
For more information, go to www.springhillhistorichome.org or call 330 833-6749.
STATEWIDE
Recall widens
Velvet Ice Cream products have been added to the list of items recalled for fear of salmonella contamination.
Brand names include Velvet Supreme Butter Cup in the half-gallon and 3-gallon sizes and five different sizes of Velvet Buckeye Classic ice cream.
The products were sold in convenience stores, small independent retailers and ice cream parlors in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
The peanut butter product causing the problem was sold to various makers by Sunland, Inc.
Previous recalls were announced by Smith Dairy Products.
Consumers with questions should call 800-589-5000.
SUMMIT COUNTY
Officers honored
COLUMBUS: Four Summit County law enforcement officers will be honored during the Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Conference in Columbus on Oct. 25 and 26.
Two of the officers receiving 2012 Ohio Distinguished Service Awards serve with the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department: Patrolmen Joel Moledor and Ted Davis, who will receive meritorious service awards for their actions at a Nov. 21 domestic call.
When the officers arrived at a Squires Bend home just before midnight, they heard a woman’s screams coming from the garage.
Without waiting for backup, Moledor and Davis forced their way into the garage and confronted a man who was stabbing his estranged wife.
Cuyahoga Falls Capt. Jack Davis said the actions of Moledor and Davis saved the woman’s life.
Copley Patrolman Ben Campbell will receive the Valor Award for his actions in response to the mass shootings Aug. 7, 2011, in the township.
Summit County Sheriff’s Capt. Dale Soltis will receive the Training Award. He joined the department in 1985 and works at the sheriff’s Training Bureau.
Signs of meth use
AKRON: The Fair Housing Contact Service will offer a free meth lab awareness workshop from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Job Center, 1040 Tallmadge Ave., Akron.
A representative from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office will help participants learn to identify signs of meth use and meth labs and how agencies clean lab sites.
To attend this event, participants must register by contacting Angela Smith at 330-376-6191 or asmith@fairhousingakron.org.