AKRON
Restaurant robbed
AKRON: Workers at an Akron fast food restaurant were forced at gunpoint to return to the store at closing time and empty a safe, police said.
The robbery happened about 11 p.m. Sunday at Church’s Chicken, 700 S. Arlington St. No injuries were reported.
The workers told police they were in the parking lot after closing when five teens approached with guns and ordered them back inside. The robbers demanded the restaurant safe be opened and they then fled with an unspecified amount of cash.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Akron police at 330-375-2490.
Break-in suspect
AKRON: An Akron man awaiting trial on charges of breaking inside a business now is suspected in a rash of break-ins in recent weeks.
James J. Kilmire, 37, was arrested Friday in connection with four Akron business break-ins that took place in North Hill last week.
Police say he is also a suspect in more than 20 similar cases in Tallmadge, Cuyahoga Falls, Wadsworth, Green, Coventry, Springfield, Norton, Stark County and Medina County.
Kilmire was already free on bond for an earlier breaking-and-entering case in Norton.
Police say Kilmire was wearing an electronic monitoring device when he was arrested by detectives in the 3700 block of West Market Street. He was given the ankle device when he was freed on a $2,500 bond last month in Barberton Municipal Court.
The cases remain under investigation and additional charges are expected.
City lands grant
AKRON: Keep Akron Beautiful, which runs public beautification and other programs, is getting $20,000 from Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation.
The grant will pay for 10 combined recycle/trash bins in six Akron parks heavily used by sports teams.
The grant also will be used to buy supplies for painting, mulching and planting to be done in the parks by Lowe’s volunteers, said Paula Davis, president and CEO of the nonprofit Keep Akron Beautiful.
The grant was awarded through the national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful and is one of 75 grants for community improvement projects awarded by the charitable arm of the North Carolina-headquartered retailer. Programs nationwide received $20,000 or $5,000 grants. The other Ohio program to win a $20,000 grant was Keep Cincinnati Beautiful.
For more information about Keep Akron Beautiful, visit www.keepakronbeautiful.org.
AKRON SCHOOLS
Early kindergarten
AKRON: Parents of exceptional children, whose fifth birthday falls between Oct. 1 and Jan. 1, can apply to have their children admitted early into the Akron Public Schools’ kindergarten program.
Parents who feel their child is intellectually, socially and emotionally advanced may request an evaluation for early kindergarten admission by contacting the Child Study Department at 330-761-3065 for an appointment.
Early kindergarten admission testing will be held the week of Aug. 12.
CUYAHOGA FALLS
Meeting on project
CUYAHOGA FALLS: Mayor Donald L. Robart is inviting the public to a meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday to hear plans for a new pedestrian-friendly project along Front and Second streets.
Dubbed the Gorge Terrace Trail and Greenway Plan, the project includes Front Street from Chestnut Boulevard to the Akron city line — a stretch that includes Gorge Metro Park — and Second Street from Chestnut Boulevard to the Front Street intersection and the Gorge Terrace neighborhood.
A $5,000 grant from the Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition is paying part of the project’s cost.
The meeting will be held at the Falls River Square Pavilion, 2085 Front St.
The project’s consultant will present the design plans, which include a new trailhead, park and gorge overlooks, and townhouses.
Those who attend can view the plans from 6 to 6:30 p.m. A formal meeting will follow, with a question-and-answer period beginning about 7 p.m.
GREEN
Democrats to meet
GREEN: The monthly meeting of the Green Democrats Club will be 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Green Branch Library, 4046 Massillon Road.
It will feature a representative from the AFL-CIO who will speak about right-to-work legislative proposals.
KENT STATE
Appointments made
KENT: Kent State announced three appointments to top-level jobs Monday.
Robert Sines was named interim dean of the College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology through June 2015. He is making $208,000.
Sine was formerly dean and chief administrative officer at KSU’s Trumbull campus.
Melody Tankersley was named associate provost for academic affairs, where she has oversight of curriculum, accreditation and academic initiatives. She is making $177,000 a year.
Fashaad Crawford was named assistant provost for accreditation, assessment and learning. He makes $130,000.
WADSWORTH
Free choir concerts
WADSWORTH: Five Wadsworth High School choirs will present a free program for the community at 8 p.m. Friday in the Performing Arts Center at the high school, 625 Broad St.
Director Linda McNamara said the 55-member Concert Choir will present a medley from the Lion King, and the 70-member Elite Choir will perform a medley from Les Miserables.
The 32-member Show Choir, the Women’s Group and the Guys’ Group, 14 members each, will perform various selections, McNamara said.
The program will finish with a tribute to 38 graduating seniors.
Seating is limited to 750.
Public reception
WADSWORTH: The Wadsworth Public Library board of trustees will host a public reception from 4 to 6 p.m. May 28 for C. Allen Nichols, who is retiring as library director.
Nichols, who has served the Wadsworth community for 16 years, has been hired as the executive director of the Akron Bar Association. His last day at the library will be May 31.
STATE NEWS
Fatal fall in park
LOGAN: Officials say the second deadly fall in three days in the Hocking Hills region of southeastern Ohio occurred near a waterfall.
An Ohio Department of Natural Resources spokesman said a fatal fall occurred Monday afternoon near Cedar Falls in Hocking Hills State Park, about 45 miles southeast of Columbus. No other details were immediately available.
A Dayton-area man died Saturday afternoon when he fell about 130 feet from the top of a cliff while rappelling in Hocking Hills State Forest. A report released Monday identified him as 52-year-old Peter Livingston of Centerville.
ODNR spokesman Mark Bruce said Livingston had accompanied a Boy Scout troop and was rappelling in a rock-climbing area when he fell.
Last month, a young man fell from a cliff at the state park and died.
— Associated Press