AKRON

Jury convicts man of domestic violence

AKRON: An Akron man was convicted Tuesday in a jury trial on two counts of domestic violence and other offenses in connection with an attack on his live-in girlfriend in April, prosecutors said.

Michael E. Whitmire, 43, will be sentenced next month by Summit County Common Pleas Judge Brenda Burnham Unruh.

On April 16, according to prosecutors, Whitmire pushed his girlfriend, jumped on her, choked her, then punched her 18-year-old son when he came to his mother's defense.

Whitmire also was convicted of two counts of misdemeanor menacing.

Foundation begins search for president

AKRON: The Akron Community Foundation has begun a search for a new president to replace Jody Bacon, who will retire in 2008.

The foundation has retained Waverly Partners LLC of Cleveland as its executive search firm. Former foundation board chair and Roetzel and Andress attorney George Sarkis will head a seven-member search committee.

The foundation is a $142.8 million philanthropic endowment that has awarded more than $65 million in grants since its founding in 1955.

Audubon group selling birdseed

AKRON: The Greater Akron Audubon Society is accepting orders for birdseed.

Six options are available.

The prices start at $8.50 for 20 pounds of seed.

The order deadline is Nov. 2.

Pickup will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 10 at Copley Feed and Supply, 1468 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road, Copley Township.

Order forms are available at http://www.akronaudubon.org. For information, call 330-920-9138.

Village Network gets national award

AKRON: The Village Network was the recipient of the Agency of the Year award from the Alliance for Children and Families.

The organization received the award Oct. 17 at the Alliance National Conference in Anaheim, Calif.

The Village Network was cited for its inventive programming and willingness to change with the times. The organization had 18 percent revenue growth and 23 percent program growth in 2006.

The organization treats troubled youth at 11 Ohio locations.

Councilman plans Ward 2 meeting

AKRON: Councilman Bruce Kilby will have a Ward 2 meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Patterson Park Community Center, 800 Patterson Ave.

Ward 7 meeting will be Wednesday

AKRON: Ward 7 City Councilwoman Tina Merlitti will hold a community meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Firestone Park Community Center, 1480 Girard St.

Mark Watson, Akron's central services manager, will discuss the city's building code.

There will also be representatives from other city departments.

BATH TWP.

Old Trail School to hold open house

BATH TWP.: Old Trail School will host a ''Drop-in Day'' for prospective parents and students.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday.

The school is at 2315 Ira Road, Bath Township.

Anyone seeking to learn more about the school is encouraged to attend and meet with admissions staff and teachers.

Tours of the school will be available.

Old Trail School is an independent, coeducational day school for students from toddler age through eighth grade. Jody Miller BOSTON HEIGHTS

Meeting will answer vote issue questions

BOSTON HEIGHTS: The village of Boston Heights will hold a public meeting Monday to answer residents' questions on two ballot issues seeking to overturn council actions on the rezoning of the former Boston Hills Country Club.

Village Solicitor Michael Cassetty and the village's insurance attorney will answer questions about potential impacts of overturning the council on the rezoning as well as the issue of allowing big-box structures on the site.

A group of residents filed referendum petitions on the two issues with the Summit County Board of Elections.

They will appear on the November ballot as Issues 51 and 52.

Village Council earlier this year voted to rezone approximately 66 acres of the former golf course from residential to retail. The panel also approved a zoning-code change that would permit big-box retail of 125,000 square feet on one floor, and up to 215,000 square feet for structures with two floors.

The project developer filed a lawsuit against the village seeking $10 million in damages in response to the petition effort.

The proposed development is in the area of Hines Hill Road and state Route 8.

Kimberley Sirk BRIMFIELD TOWNSHIP

Candidates' night to be at high school

BRIMFIELD TWP.: A candidates' night will be held Thursday in the Field High School cafeteria, 2900 State Route 43, Brimfield Township.

The doors will open at 6 p.m., giving people the opportunity to talk with candidates in the Nov. 6 election. Candidates and representatives for issues on the ballot will speak at 7 p.m.

The event is sponsored by the Lions Clubs of Brimfield and Suffield townships.

CUYAHOGA FALLS

Council endorses countywide levy

CUYAHOGA FALLS: Cuyahoga Falls City Council unanimously passed a resolution in support of Issue 20.

The issue, which will appear on the Summit County ballot on Nov. 6, will replace the current levy that supports 30 agencies that provide mental and behavioral health services in Summit County.

Gina Mace FAIRLAWN

Slaying verdict to be revealed today

FAIRLAWN: An Ottawa County Common Pleas Court jury reached a verdict Tuesday afternoon in the murder trial of Scott A. Speer of Fairlawn, but announcing the verdict was delayed until today.

Speer, 41, is accused of pushing James Barnett, 39, of Barberton off a boat into Lake Erie in August 2002.

The jury was to decide charges of aggravated murder, murder, aggravated vehicular homicide and involuntary manslaughter.

Speer could face life in prison if found guilty.

The jury began deliberating Monday and continued Tuesday.

The verdict wasn't announced because the visiting judge handling the case wasn't available. The verdict was placed in a sealed envelope to be opened today.

GREEN

Massillon Road is open again

GREEN: The long-awaited reopening of Massillon Road through Green, also known as state Route 241, occurred Monday afternoon, city engineer Paul Pickett said.

But he said not all the work is done at the Massillon Road-Greensburg Road intersection and urged caution by motorists.

In other city action, City Council appointed Gerald Alessia to the three-member Civil Service Commission. He succeeds Randall Monteith, who resigned this summer after being named Green service director. George W. Davis HUDSON

School zone signals approved by council

HUDSON: City Council has agreed to appropriate additional funds to add two school zone signals near a new elementary school.

The council allocated $12,500 for two new flashing school zone signals to be installed along Stow Road to slow traffic at appropriate times near Ellsworth Hill Elementary.

Two signals were included in the original traffic control plan near the facility, but city staff determined a need for two additional signals, said City Manager Anthony Bales.

Kimberley Sirk RAVENNA

Mentalist to drive car while blindfolded

RAVENNA: Mentalist Brent Webb will attempt to drive a car while blindfolded across Ravenna's City Park at 4 p.m. today. Kevin Poland, the mayor of Ravenna and apparently a brave man, will ride along.

The stunt promotes Webb's appearance at the Brown Middle School gym, 228 S. Scranton St., Ravenna, at 7 p.m. Oct. 31, at a benefit for Ravenna's Friends of the Park. The group is trying to raise $350,000 to build a playground at the former Chestnut Hills golf course.

Admission to the Halloween event is $10, with tickets available at the Ravenna Chamber of Commerce on Main Street or by calling 330-296-9694 or 330-296-6665.

SUMMIT COUNTY

Fair Housing to host luncheon, seminar

AKRON: The Fair Housing Contact Service will hold its 42nd annual luncheon and continuing-education seminar Thursday at Guy's Party Centre, 500 E. Waterloo Road.

The topic for discussion will be tearing down obstacles for people with disabilities.

Featured speakers will include attorney Stephen Dane of Washington, D.C., attorney Andy Margoilus of Cleveland, attorney Nancy Holland Myers of Akron and Ronnell Tomlinson of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

The luncheon starts at 11 a.m. and costs $30 per person.

Call the Fair Housing Contact Service at 330-376-6191 or send an e-mail to info@fairhousingakron.org for further information.

Cleveland to supply water during repairs

AKRON: Northern sections of Summit County will get water from Cleveland this week while Akron performs maintenance on a water main.

The main provides water to a portion of Hudson and to the Chrysler plant in Twinsburg.

Akron spokesman Mark Williamson said H.M. Miller Construction Co. will repair the 20-inch main beneath the Wheeling & Lake Erie railroad on Ravenna Road east of Season Road in Streetsboro.

The work began Tuesday and should be completed by Monday.

There should not be any interruption or change in water pressure, supply or water quality, Williamson said.

Customers who experience problems during the repair period should call 330-375-2420.

Children Services gets reaccredited

AKRON: Summit County Children Services has been reaccredited by the Council on Accreditation.

The accreditation will run through July 2009.

''This successful reaccreditation process provides us with a set of accepted industry standards that allow us to measure and demonstrate to the public just how well we deliver those critically important services designed to protect children and strengthen families,'' Children Services Executive Director John Saros said.

The agency has been accredited by the COA since 1981 and is one of only 18 child welfare agencies accredited in the state. COA is an international, not-for-profit child and family service accrediting organization.

WADSWORTH

Allowing signs along I-76 studied

WADSWORTH: The Wadsworth Planning Commission started discussion over whether to allow highway signs along Interstate 76.

Highway signs, prohibited for more than two decades, have become an issue in attracting businesses to Wadsworth Crossings, the roughly 500,000-square-foot retail complex under development at the Akron Road and I-76 intersection.

Mayor Jim Renacci said the contention that businesses are not locating at the site because highway signs are prohibited is a ''bunch of malarkey.''

Under Planning Director Jeff Kaiser's plan, signs would be allowed within 200 feet of the interstate if the lot is at least two acres with 150 feet of frontage along the highway. Beau Dusz