AKRON
Ward meetings
AKRON: Two Akron council members will host ward meetings in the next week.
Bob Hoch, Ward 6, will meet constituents at 6 p.m. Thursday at Ellet Community Center, 2449 Wedgewood Drive.
Donnie Kammer, Ward 7, will meet the public at 7 p.m. Oct. 24 at Firestone Park Community Center.
BARBERTON
Loya sentence
BARBERTON: A public defender arrested on alcohol-related charges after police say she was drunk while in a parked car with an Akron Municipal Court judge was given a suspended jail sentence.
Catherine Loya paid fines in Barberton Municipal Court totaling $839 and will have her driver’s license suspended through Feb. 4, according to the court’s online docket.
Judge Christine Croce suspended a 180-day jail sentence and ordered Loya to attend a three-day intervention program, complete an outpatient alcohol program and have her alcohol use monitored electronically for 180 days.
Loya, 31, was convicted at trial of being under the influence of alcohol while in physical control of a car. She was arrested Feb. 5 by Copley police, who said they found Loya and Judge Joy Malek Oldfield drunk and in a state of undress in the back of the public defender’s car.
At the time, Loya was assigned as an assistant Akron public defender to Oldfield’s court and continued practicing in the courtroom for weeks afterward.
Oldfield. 36, has never commented on the incident. Through a lawyer, she denied any inappropriate conduct.
The Akron Bar Association launched an investigation. Those results have not become public.
HIGHLAND SCHOOLS
Positive balance
GRANGER TWP.: Highland Board of Education members approved the five-year forecast Treasurer Neal Barnes presented Monday night.
Figures show the district will remain in the black until at least fiscal year 2015.
Barnes said there are many variables and that he tried to be conservative in his estimates.
Granger Elementary Principal LeAnn Gausman gave a presentation on the third-grade reading guarantee the state passed in July. Beginning this year, retention could be recommended for students who do not pass the reading achievement test in the spring.
MEDINA COUNTY
Wildlife program
LAFAYETTE TWP.: The Ohio State University Extension will host a workshop Thursday on dealing with nuisance wildlife.
The workshop will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Medina County Park District’s Krabill Shelter, 7597 Ballash Road near Chippewa Lake.
The fee is $35 per person. The session is for ages 16 and up.
Registration and payment information is available at http://woodlandstewards.osu.edu.
Ramp closing
WADSWORTH: The Interstate 76 eastbound exit ramp to state Route 94 will close Monday for work as part of the I-76 rehabilitation project.
The ramp is expected to reopen Nov. 5, but all work is weather-dependent.
Additionally, the Route 94 entrance ramp to I-76 east will remain closed through mi -November.
The work is part of a $17.7 million project to improve I-76 from state Route 57 to the Summit County line. The project includes resurfacing, improved drainage and modifications to the entrance ramps to I-76 from Route 57 and Route 94.
The project is scheduled to be complete in late September.
MUNROE FALLS
Dedication plans
MUNROE FALLS: The city scheduled an 8:30 a.m. dedication ceremony today for its new Lehner Community Center.
The center, at 35 S. River Road, is located in a residence that was donated by the founding family of Lehner Screw Machine Co.
It opened earlier this year for senior citizen activities, receptions and community meetings.
NORTH CANTON
Store robbed
NORTH CANTON: Police are seeking information to help them identify the man who robbed a Spee-D Foods store early Monday.
The suspect entered the store at 953 S. Main St. about 6:07 a.m.
He is described as a thin, black man in his early 20s, about 5-foot-4 to 5-6.
He was wearing a blue hooded jacket with gray sleeves and “New York” spelled out in white lettering across the front. He left the scene in a small silver or gold car with damage to the right front fender.
Anyone with information about the robbery should call 330-499-5911.
PORTAGE COUNTY
No bill to Obama
RAVENNA: Portage County will not bill President Obama’s campaign for costs associated with providing security during Obama’s visit to Kent last month.
County Commissioner Tommie Jo Marsilio, a Republican, asked county safety officials to track the total cost of security and asked the other two commissioners to join her in asking for reimbursement.
“Since the president’s visit is political in nature, I would not expect the citizens of the county to pay for the extra cost,” Marsilio said at the time.
In a 2-1 vote on Tuesday, commissioners Maureen Frederick and Chris Smeiles voted against preparing a bill.
Labor pacts
RAVENNA: Tentative contracts covering 107 union employees with the Portage County Sheriff’s department will freeze wages in the first year, with 2 percent increases in each of the following two years.
Portage County Commissioners voted to accept the terms on Tuesday. Members of the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association (OPBA) still need to vote to make the contracts official.
The OPBA negotiated the contracts for six different units covering dispatchers, corrections officers, deputies, and each of their respective supervising groups.
Commissioner Tommie Jo Marsilio said she was pleased the contracts were more closely aligned with raises being given in the private sector, as opposed to traditional expectations of 3 percent yearly raises.
“I am pleased to see cooperation between labor and management to resolve a new three-year contract [without] dragging out the process and spending thousands in legal fees,” she said. “This is progress.”
SUMMIT COUNTY
Town hall event
AKRON: Summit County Executive Russ Pry will speak at 10:30 a.m. Thursday during the Town Hall Series at the Akron Woman’s City Club, 732 W. Exchange St.
A question-and-answer period will follow the program.
Tickets are $10.
For additional details about the event, call 330-762-6261.
Teen exhibit
NORTON: Summit County Councilman Tim Crawford and the Norton Police Department are sponsoring an exhibit and presentation called “Hidden in Plain Sight” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 24 at Norton Middle School, 3390 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road.
Bath and Copley police designed an interactive display designed to resemble a teenager’s bedroom.
Adults can view items that might indicate a teenager is involved in high-risk behavior, such as substance abuse, underage drinking, eating disorders and sexual activity.
The exhibit will open at 6:30 p.m., with the presentation starting at 7 p.m.
There is no charge to attend. No youth will be admitted.
For additional information about the exhibit, call 330-643-2725.
STATE NEWS
Report cards soon
COLUMBUS: Officials have rescheduled the release of Ohio school and district ratings that have been delayed amid a statewide review of student attendance data.
The Ohio Department of Education now tentatively plans to release the report cards today. Results are still considered preliminary as Ohio Auditor Dave Yost investigates enrollment and attendance irregularities around the state.
The Ohio Board of Education voted to release the eagerly awaited information, in part because Election Day is approaching and many districts are pursuing levy and bond issues.
The reports typically are published in August.
— Associated Press
