AKRON
Grant to buy buses
AKRON: Metro Regional Transit Authority in Akron has been awarded a federal grant of about $1.47 million to buy 15 buses.
The Federal Transit Administration grant is part of the State of Good Repair Program, and recipients were selected on a competitive basis.
The funds are aimed at modernizing and repairing the nation’s transit buses and facilities and promoting sustainable, clean fuel practices.
MEDINA COUNTY
Benefit golf outing
MEDINA: The Society of Handicapped Citizens will host a golf outing and silent auction Aug. 19 at Medina Country Club.
The event will offer a four-player scramble and offers inclusion of accessible golf for individuals with special needs.
Eight special-needs golfers have been sponsored by local businesses and are paired with golfers to assist them throughout the outing.
Players of all levels are welcome.
Entry fee is $125 per person and includes the driving range, cart, boxed lunch, beverages on the course, dinner, tee gift and entry into golfing contests.
For more information or to register, call 330-722-1900, ext. 196, email kgregg@shc-medina.org or visit www.shc-medina.org.
Tutors needed
MEDINA: Project LEARN is seeking volunteer tutors from Medina County to help adults improve fundamental skills in math, reading and English as a second language and to earn their GED.
Prospective tutors should possess a college education and at least some teaching or training experience.
Tutor training is offered Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Medina Library in Community Room B, 105 W. Liberty St. Sessions are Sept. 6 for reading tutors, Sept. 20 for English as a second language tutors and Sept. 27 for GED tutors.
Training is free, and lunch will be provided.
For more information, call 330-723-1314.
NORTH CANTON
Old school to fall
NORTH CANTON: The North Canton Board of Education recently approved contracts for the demolition of the city’s first high school.
B&B Excavating will take down North Canton High School on Charlotte Street. LIPI will handle hazardous materials abatement, including asbestos.
Widely known as NoCaHi, the school was built in 1929.
Future use of the property has not been determined.
Also, Edward Kosek was named associate principal of North Canton Middle School. The board approved a two-year administrative contract.
Kosek comes to the district from R.B. Chamberlin Middle School in Twinsburg, where he was assistant principal. Previously, he served as principal of Greene Middle School in Smithville.
STARK COUNTY
Wandering tot found
PLAIN TWP.: A 6-year-old child who wandered outside in the middle of the night was located a block away from home about 2:15 a.m. Wednesday.
The Canton Repository reports that 45 minutes later, police arrested two people at the girl’s residence in the 2300 block of Ivy Way Northeast.
The child’s 40-year-old mother and a 56-year-old man were charged with child endangering. They were booked into the Stark County Jail.
The police report noted the man failed to watch over the girl, thereby allowing her to leave the residence for several hours.
Police said the living conditions inside the home could not meet the basic needs of the child and was an unsafe environment.
The girl left the residence through an unlocked back door.
Nuisance properties
HARTVILLE: The Village Council is considering legislation that would allow properties to be declared nuisances if they are sites of repeated offenses such as disorderly conduct, drug abuse, illegal gambling, open burning, weapons crimes or unsanitary conditions.
Two violations within six months would lead to the property owner being notified of the risk of a nuisance declaration. A third offense would result in a property being declared a nuisance.
Fourth and subsequent offenses would lead to the village taking action to abate the nuisance, with the cost of the work being assessed to the property.
A $100 service fee would be charged for each of the first five nuisance violations. The fee for each subsequent offense would be $200.
The legislation was introduced Tuesday. If it follows the normal course of consideration, council would vote on it Sept. 17.
The measure is patterned after laws enacted in Wadsworth, Kent and Orrville.
In other action Tuesday, Councilman James Sulllivan apologized for overstating the cost of the street commissioner and police chief driving work vehicles to and from their homes. The actual cost is estimated at no more than $6,500 annually.
Dog license change
CANTON: Stark County dog owners will have options for buying licenses for a longer term beginning with 2014.
County commissioners set rates Wednesday that will allow three-year licenses to be bought for $42 and permanent licenses for $140. The cost of a one-year license will stay at $14.
In other action, commissioners granted easements at Cook’s Lagoon to allow the city of Canton to smooth out the curve as 12th Street Northeast becomes Mahoning Road. The county park will lose 0.04 of an acre to the road work scheduled to start in 2016.
Commissioners also:
• Agreed to advertise for bids for a $1.5 million Minerva sewage treatment plant improvement set to receive $110,000 from the county’s federal Community Development Block Grant.
• Entered into an agreement with the Stark County Community Action Agency for a Right Path for Fathers program, including education, computer training and job placement, at a cost of $179,700 for one year retroactive to Aug. 1.
• Awarded a contract for office space for the Stark County Department of Job and Family Services in the Renkert Building at $10 per square foot for 2½ years beginning Oct. 1; $10.25 per square foot for two years beginning April 1, 2016; and $10.50 per square foot for two years beginning April 1, 2018.
SUMMIT COUNTY
Get rid of medicine
CUYAHOGA FALLS: Home health-care provider Comfort Keepers will collect old, unused medicine from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug 19 through Aug. 23 at its Cuyahoga Falls office, 727 Graham Road.
At the end of the collection period, the drugs will be turned over to police for disposal.
Medicines in pill and liquid form can be turned over. Needles will not be accepted.
For more information, call 330-922-4721 or 330-604-5311.
Benefit 5K run
HUDSON: Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio and Allstate Insurance are combining to stage the inaugural 5K for JA race Saturday morning.
The race, from 8 to 10 a.m., will cover a route in downtown Hudson in the First and Main area.
Registration cost is $25. Proceeds will benefit local Junior Achievement programs.
For more information, go to: http://www.active.com/running/hudson-oh/5k-for-ja-2013.
Volunteer training
CUYAHOGA FALLS: Heaven Can Wait Rescue and Adoptions will conduct a volunteer orientation at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the business room at Panera Bread, 689 Howe Ave., Cuyahoga Falls.
Volunteers are needed to help in the mission of rescuing and finding homes for animals in Summit County. Volunteers must be 18 years old, have Internet access and be able to volunteer at two events per month.
To sign up, visit www.heaven-can-wait.com by Monday.
For more information, call 330 328-8699 or email adoptions@heaven-can-wait.com.
WADSWORTH
Tech staff approved
WADSWORTH: The City Council on Tuesday approved the addition of $58,794 to the information technology budget for the year to add more IT staff.
Jim Kovacs, the city’s human resources manager, told the council’s Finance Committee at its meeting last month, “IT needs were ever-expanding and growing at a fairly alarming rate.”
He said IT personnel work with various services throughout the city, including the Internet, electric water meters, substation automation, Voice Over Internet Protocol, cable television, police and fire.
Funding for IT personnel is spread over the departments for which the personnel work.
The council also approved the purchase of property at 223 Baldwin St. at a cost of $124,900.
Service Director Chris Easton said the land is next to a drainage area that has had flooding problems.
The property is necessary to make improvements to the storm sewer, sanitary sewer and the street.