Events Calendar
In This Section
Carousel pockets kangaroo sponsor
Union rejects furlough proposal
Crowd protests salary of fund leader
Store owners recovering after shooting
Councilman to forgo 10% of county salary for 2 years
Highland school district plans to trim staff, charge for sports
Body found outside nursing home identified
Anger flows over sewer rate hike
Most Read Stories
Chiropractor charged with health-care fraud
Indians conditioning coach leaves for MLB job
Woman lay dead in bed for months despite visits
Boy, 4, caught with beer, stolen gifts
Two people shot near Summit Lake
Teacher on leave for taking choir to Hooters
Lockdown smells like teen dispirit
Anger flows over sewer rate hike
Blogs:
Pets:
Army man wins grand prize for a litter love letter
The Heldenfiles:
TCM Sets Jennifer Jones Tribute
Patrick McManamon:
Blog break
Akron Zips:
Bunbury named Soccer America Player of the Year
Tribe Matters:
Strength coach leaving Tribe
Cleveland Browns:
Vrabel brags on Rob Ryan
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – December 16
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. New Jersey Nets
Buckeye Blogging:
Bucks Meet Ducks for Rose Bowl Crown
Varsity Letters:
Report: RB to visit Akron
All Da King's Men:
The Debt Bomb
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Kill The Bill
Akron Law Café:
It is easier than ever to find legal sources on the web!
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
Car Chase:
PLUG-IN ELECTRIC CARS ARE NOTHING NEW
Let's Talk Real Estate:
All I want for Christmas…..
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Sharon wants to know if the Christmas Story House is open all year.
Sound Check:
On the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
Genetic Discrimination
Akron Gamer:
Trailer: 'UFC 2010 Undisputed'
Published on Wednesday, Dec 12, 2007
AKRON
Man gets 14 years for armed robbery
AKRON: A Cuyahoga Falls man was sentenced to 14 years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to aggravated robbery with a gun specification, kidnapping and other charges, the Summit County prosecutor's office said.
Ellis Mayfield, 23, of Rockybrook Road, was found guilty in the Sept. 19 robbery at Best Value Auto Sales, 1425 S. Arlington St.
The prosecutor's office said Mayfield entered the business under the pretext of buying a car, pulled out a gun and robbed the owner and three employees before locking them in a room.
The victims were able to escape the room. The owner got into a car and followed Mayfield, who had driven away in a sport utility vehicle. The owner rammed Mayfield's vehicle repeatedly until it was disabled.
Mayfield ran from the SUV into woods, where police found him. They recovered the gun and cash in the same area and found money and Best Value Auto Sales receipts in Mayfield's possession.
Stolen vehicles used in vandalism spree
AKRON: Police recovered two vehicles that were involved in a vandalism spree in the Firestone Park neighborhood of Akron early Tuesday.
Police said a citizen reported a vehicle struck a stop sign at Lindenwood Avenue and Beardsley Street around 2 a.m.
The driver continued to ram street signs and parked cars in the area. Several other people reported seeing a similar vehicle of a different color also ramming traffic control devices and parked cars in the area, police said.
Vandalism also occurred on Aster, Highview and Sunset avenues, police said.
A maroon 2000 Jeep Cherokee that was stolen from Collinwood Avenue in North Hill and a red 1997 Jeep Cherokee stolen from Darrow Road in East Akron were recovered by police.
No suspects in the vandalism have been identified.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 330-375-2490.
Police say man bit woman, crashed car
AKRON: Police arrested a man on domestic violence charges Monday.
According to Lt. Rick Edwards, Clarence Banks, 46, of Lucy Street, was seen fighting with his girlfriend in a car. The woman, who had bite marks on her hands and cheek, fled the vehicle and Banks drove away. Police chased the car.
Banks was apprehended after he crashed the vehicle. He was also charged with willful fleeing, menacing and auto theft.
Banks, who has a conviction for domestic violence, is in the Summit County Jail.
Zoo's gift shop open
late on Thursdays
AKRON: The Akron Zoo's gift shop will stay open late for the next two Thursdays for Christmas shoppers. This Thursday and Dec. 20, the regular closing hour of 4 p.m. will be extended to 7:30 p.m.
This Thursday, visitors can get a picture taken with Santa.
The 3,100-square-foot store offers animal-decorated items — everything from pillows to slippers to backpacks, plus stuffed animals ranging from snakes to giraffes. This year's holiday ornament is an African lion. Visitors also can adopt a penguin, join the zoo and buy Zoo Bucks.
The gift shop is at the entrance to the zoo.
For more information, call the zoo at 330-375-2550.
Justice Center to get upgraded security
AKRON: The vestibule to the Harold K. Stubbs Justice Center is about to get a $317,000 safety upgrade.
City Council on Monday approved spending the money to shore up the lobby and enhance the security checkpoint that citizens pass on their way to the Police Department and Akron Municipal Court.
Included in the plans are relocation of the X-ray machine and metal detector station to improve the flow of hundreds who enter the building every day.
City officials told members of council's public service committee that the current arrangement, with essentially only roped-off access, is ineffective and a potential hazard. The work was requested by police.
The city will seek bids in January and reconstruction is to begin in February.
CANTON
Man now in prison
charged in slaying
CANTON: A Canton man already in prison was brought back to the Stark County Jail and charged with aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary in the June 21 shooting of 42-year-old Steven J. Hight.
Raymond C. Byrd, 20, of Gilbert Avenue Northeast, was arrested Monday afternoon at the Belmont Correctional Institute by Stark County deputies. He had been in the prison since Oct. 11 on a four-year sentence for robbery.
Charges are pending against three others arrested by Canton police: Michael V. Hall, 20; Elvis W. Wooten, 25; and Zabe J. Jenkins, 20.
Police said Hight was shot three times, including one shot to his head, while he was in his carport on 20th Street Northeast.
KENT
Area team to assist
minority businesses
KENT: The Akron Urban League, Akron SCORE and Kent State University have formed a collaboration to spur minority business growth in Northeast Ohio.
The Partnership for Minority Business Accelerator will provide training, support and networking to help minority-owned businesses grow and succeed.
The two-year program will provide individualized support to African-American and Hispanic owners of small to medium businesses in Medina, Portage and Summit counties.
Businesses must be for-profit and at least 1-year-old and have gross revenue of $50,000 to $2.5 million.
Each business owner's needs and goals will be identified through evaluations, counseling and workshops. The partnership will provide management assistance, help in securing business loans and business education or training.
The program is funded by $345,580 from the GAR Foundation.
LAKE TWP.
Trustees will buy
radios for cruisers
LAKE TWP.: Trustees have approved the purchase of radios and other items for three new police cruisers for the Uniontown Police Department.
The cost is not to exceed $49,000.
The board also accepted the resignation of part-time officer Lee Allen. He is taking a full-time job with the Brimfield Police Department in Portage County.
— Betty O'Neill-Roderick
NORTHEAST OHIO
Kent service director
to lead AMATS board
AKRON: Kent Service Director Gene Roberts will be the 2008 chairman of the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study's governing board.
Boston Heights Mayor Bill Goncy will be vice chairman.
AMATS is the transportation planning agency that oversees federal grants for Summit and Portage counties and Chippewa Township in Wayne County.
Cuyahoga Falls Engineer Tony Demasi will chair AMATS' technical advisory committee, and Michael Ondecker of Tallmadge will chair AMATS' Citizens Involvement Committee.
STARK COUNTY
Commission ends company's tax deal
CANTON: Stark County commissioners have terminated a tax-abatement deal given to a Canal Fulton factory in 2000.
The county reports that FormTech Industries LLC has apparently closed its metal-forming plant at 567 Elm Ridge Ave.
The commissioners' action, taken Tuesday, ends the 10-year, 100 percent abatement on improvements to real estate. The company's closing means it did not meet job creation and retention promises.
Commissioners previously told the prosecutor's office to attempt to collect taxes that the firm would have owed if it had not been given the tax break.
— Nancy Molnar
STREETSBORO
Wal-Mart emptied
after bomb threat
STREETSBORO: Police evacuated shoppers and employees from a Wal-Mart SuperCenter Tuesday after a bomb threat was phoned into the store.
Police responded to the store at state Route 14 and Singletary Drive about 5:30 p.m. after a caller said the occupants had 30 minutes to evacuate.
Officers assisted in evacuating the building before they checked the interior. Police said they found nothing suspicious inside.
A police dispatcher said the store reopened about an hour later.
SUMMIT COUNTY
Billboards get
credit for arrests
AKRON: Ten billboards plastered with the faces of deadbeat parents that went up throughout Summit County last summer have resulted in five arrests, according to Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh.
Walsh said the first billboards were so successful that another round is being unveiled this week.
She said the 10 new billboards, which will replace the ones put up in August as part of Child Support Awareness Month, will again feature the county's ''most wanted fugitives for failure to pay child support.''
Walsh attributed the arrests directly ''to the efforts and cooperation of citizens who take the time to do the right thing by calling the 800 number posted on the billboard and providing information about the fugitive.''
The individuals pictured on the August billboards and subsequently arrested were Mark Amos, who owed $9,201, pleaded guilty to felony nonsupport and was placed on two years of community control; Samuel Bennett, who owed $43,177, pleaded guilty to felony nonsupport and was placed on three years' community control; and Jose Romero ($8,798), Karl Dovich Jr. ($12,370) and John Summerville ($23,333), whose cases are pending.
''My office works with parents who are willing to put forth an effort to meet their obligation to their children,'' Walsh said. ''However, when our repeated efforts fail and the parent is unwilling to support his or her children, we have to step up our efforts.''
County Council aids
games for teens
AKRON: Summit County is giving the Shaw Jewish Community Center $6,000 to help with the JCC Maccabi Games, an Olympic-style sporting event for Jewish teenagers.
The Shaw JCC and Akron are one of three hosts for the 2008 Maccabi Games. The competition will be Aug. 11-15 and is open to Jewish athletes ages 13-16.
''It is an economic boom,'' Councilwoman Ilene Shapiro said. ''These families come and stay in our city and spend money here.''
County Council approved the spending Monday.
The Akron games will feature basketball, soccer, golf, tennis, bowling, track and field, and an NFL flag football competition at various area sites. The gathering includes a community service project as part of a Day of Caring and Sharing.
WADSWORTH
Planners approve
subdivision phase
WADSWORTH: The planning commission has approved Phase 1 of the Westchester Subdivision at state Route 57 and College Street.
That phase is expected to have two commercial lots fronting College Street and 34 residential lots.
— Beau Dusz
WAYNE COUNTY
Businesses warned about security calls
WOOSTER: Wayne County Sheriff Thomas Maurer says someone has recently been calling area businesses posing as a security-company representative in attempts to gain security pass codes to business alarm systems.
Maurer said the caller requests alarm pass-code access numbers.
''This was obviously an attempt to obtain private, unauthorized information . . . I would warn all employers to speak with their employees and to not release any information pertaining to the security status of their business,'' Maurer said.
Anyone receiving a call of similar nature is requested to call the sheriff's office at 330-287-5701.
AKRON
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