Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Unusual sports bar to be sold at auction
Motorcyclist killed, wife injured in Stark County crash
Family found dead in Ohio home
Man says he was punched, robbed by 3 people in parking lot
Circle K on Brown Street robbed
Bank helps more save their homes
Man gets 3 years in prison for having sex with horse
Woman says clinic refused to help her get pregnant because she's not married
Blogs:
Pets:
Officials: NYer Had 20 Dead Dogs Buried in Yard
The Heldenfiles:
Monday Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
Time for Kokinis, Browns to agree and part ways
Akron Zips:
Zips tip off tomorrow
Tribe Matters:
Indians announce spring dates
Cleveland Browns:
Mangini doesn't name a quarterback
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – November 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Shaq: It’s All About Winning Championships
Buckeye Blogging:
Weekly ‘B’ Deck Report – New Mexico St.
Varsity Letters:
Louisville’s Bobby Swigert headed to Boston College
All Da King's Men:
If It Looks Like Islamic Terrorism…
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Dems Message To Women: Don't Enjoy The Sex
Akron Law Café:
Abortion Analogies
See Jane Style:
Muffle Your Muffler
Car Chase:
Clock Tender- Extending the Life of Collector Car Clocks
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Rumors: Akron Starbucks Closing
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jack is looking for a trip to Southern Ohio the week of November 16.
Sound Check:
The Black Keys to perform benefit concert at Musica on November 27
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio
Akron Gamer:
New 'Call of Duty' could set entertainment record
Sherrod Brown hears calls for help with job losses, foreclosure, financial literacy
By Marilyn Miller
Beacon Journal business writer
Published on Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008
Twenty-three black community leaders focused on Akron and Summit County during an economic development meeting Tuesday with U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.
They represented city and county government, higher education, the Akron Public Schools, health care, local agencies and businesses, nonprofit organizations, a foundation, banks, churches, unions and courts.
The leaders met for nearly two hours at the Akron Urban League and aired their major concerns about education, job losses and climbing home foreclosures in hopes that the federal government will be able to offer help.
''It's an opportunity for leaders to work together and
create a synergism that will be ongoing and gives me an opportunity to gather a list to take back to my office and see what we can do,'' Brown said.
Akron school board President Linda Omobien pointed out that the schools are trying to find ways to teach children how to be better prepared for college and give them the support they need at a younger age. Programs like Project Grad and Upward Bound give students the resources they need to expose them to college at a younger age, she said.
College education costs have skyrocketed and students are getting into debt early.
''It is amazing that 21-year-olds aren't old enough to drink, but have credit-card debt up to their eyeballs,'' said Candace Campbell-Jackson, an administrator at the University of Akron.
''College students get loans and grants, move out and get a car and plenty of credit cards. They take on all these responsibilities and many eventually get overwhelmed and drop out of college and then they can't get a job because they've got bad credit, so college turns out to be one of the worst experiences in their life.''
She wishes there was financial counseling for college students.
''There were about 4,000 foreclosures in Summit County last year and those homes are not being recycled, many are vacant or abandoned. It's like a war zone out there,'' said Louise Gissendaner of Fifth Third Federal Bank, who said her bank offers a program called First Home, First Loan.
Attorney Lewis Adkins described the meeting as ''polite conversation,'' calling economic empowerment a key.
''A job goes a long way in solving many of the problems we are discussing. The jobs that used to be here are gone and we have not fully embraced the kind of transformation we are going through,'' he said.
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.
Twenty-three black community leaders focused on Akron and Summit County during an economic development meeting Tuesday with U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
