AKRON
Killer gets life term
AKRON: An Akron man was sentenced to life in prison on charges of murder with a gun specification, tampering with evidence, domestic violence and other offenses in the 2011 shooting death of his ex-girlfriend.
John W. Pritchard, 53, was sentenced Friday by Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Paul Gallagher.
On Oct. 9, 2011, Pritchard shot his ex-girlfriend after a housing dispute. Prosecutors said he then took her car and fled to New Mexico.
He will be eligible for parole after serving 18 years in prison.
Salute to Lieberth
AKRON: Deputy Mayor David Lieberth will be honored at 7:30 a.m. Nov. 5 at the John S. Knight Center.
Lieberth will retire from the city on Dec. 1.
The program, Celebrating the Art of Dave Lieberth, will include a buffet and the presentation of the inaugural Lieberth Community Vision Award.
Tickets and sponsorship information are available at www.leadershipakron.org/lieberth or call 330 436 5291.
Reservations are due by Oct. 26.
CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Romney-Ryan rally
KENT: The Portage County Tea Party will hold a Romney-Ryan Road Rally throughout Portage County from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today.
The event will feature as many as 100 cars and trucks decorated with signs and slogans supporting not only the Romney-Ryan ticket, but also other federal, state and local candidates endorsed by the local tea party.
The road rally will cover 100 miles within the county and will pass through nearly every township, city and village.
Film to be screened
TALLMADGE: The League of Women Voters of Tallmadge will host the viewing of the award-winning movie Patriocracy at 7 p.m. Thursday in the auditorium of Tallmadge High School, 140 N. Munroe Road.
The movie explores the forces that drive the rhetoric and polarization in America today.
Following the movie, there will be a group discussion moderated by Dr. Steven Brooks from the Bliss Institute of Politics at the University of Akron.
The event is nonpartisan and is free to the public.
CLEVELAND
Buses to casino
CLEVELAND: Horseshoe Casino Cleveland and Lakefront Lines are teaming up to offer weekday bus service to the casino from 10 area cities, including Fairlawn and Canton.
The bus trips start Monday. The round-trip fare is $10 and riders will receive $15 in free slot play.
The bus will depart from Summit Mall at 2:15 p.m. and return at 7:25 p.m., according to the Lakefront website. The site doesn’t list a pickup location for Canton, although it says it will depart at 1:40 p.m.
The casino and Lakefront didn’t return phone calls seeking comment.
To make a reservation or for more details, call 800-638-6338 ext. 5 or go online to www.lakefrontlines.com.
CUYAHOGA VALLEY
Grant awarded
The Akron Community Foundation’s W. Bishop and Elizabeth C. McIntosh Fund is aiding the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
The foundation’s $20,000 grant will support general operations of the conservancy, the friends-of-the-park group.
Since 2001, the foundation has provided more than $318,000 in grants to the conservancy.
STOW
Man’s claim denied
STOW: Resident William Bettio will not receive payment from the city for a claim arising out of a disorderly conduct citation from May.
Judge Kim Hoover dismissed the charges, which allegedly stemmed from an incident involving school buses.
On Sept. 13, Bettio submitted a moral claim to the city for “attorney fees and inconvenience.”
Bettio appeared at Thursday’s council meeting, and said that he has suffered personally as a result of the incident, and that his daughter is being home-schooled instead of attending school in Stow.
Stow law provides that “moral claims in excess of $1,000 shall be reviewed by the Board and submitted to the Council for action within [60] days of recommendation of such Board.”
The Board of Control recommended that the claim be denied.
The majority of the council voted against paying the claim. Only a single council member, Brian Lowdermilk cast a vote in favor.
SUMMIT COUNTY
Book sale at library
FAIRLAWN: Friends of the Fairlawn/Bath Library will hold its annual fall book sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 20.
A preview sale for group members will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Friday and 9 to 10 a.m. Oct. 20. Individual memberships to the group can be purchased at the door for $5.
The group’s bag sale will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 22.
The library is at 3101 Smith Road, just north of Summit Mall.
STATE NEWS
Crossing to change
BRUNSWICK: Transportation officials plan to reduce the steep incline at a railroad crossing where a car went airborne in a graduation-day crash that killed four high school students and injured a fifth.
Crews will raise the road to reduce the incline on both sides of the crossing near Brunswick. They’ll also reduce the depth of nearby ditches.
An Ohio Department of Transportation spokeswoman says federal safety funds administered by the state will pay for most of the estimated $450,000 project. It’s scheduled for next summer.
Investigators determined the car involved in the fatal June 3 crash raced at 69 mph over the crossing.
New warning signs have been posted nearby.