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Can DNA tests free ex-Akron captain?
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Green High senior goes extra mile for those who walk and jog the park trails
Community, school and military news roundup
Tragedy to hope: Family creates foundation for bereavement therapy
Visiting new Navy ship brings back memories for Doylestown man serves on USS New York in 1930s
Most Read Stories
Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Can DNA tests free ex-Akron captain?
Browns' roster nearly devoid of consistent players
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
College student mistaken for deer, shot to death
Does it work? Test team returns to try out new products advertised on television
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
Browns vs. Lions live …
Akron Zips:
Hitchens leads Zips in second-half comeback
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Robiskie, Harrison inactive
Kent State Sports:
Kent State blown out in second half, loses to Temple 47-13
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight
All Da King's Men:
The Sunday Sanity Challenge
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (69) The Brookings Institute Study on "Bending the Curve" – Four General Strategies
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
A Random Rant on Testing
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Students raise money at Bolich, St. Francis
By Jewell Cardwell
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Wednesday, Jun 04, 2008
Attention, Summit County senior citizen homeowners. This one's for you.
Rebuilding Together Summit County is again accepting applications for free home safety enhancements for persons at least 60 years old.
The Senior Home Modifications program ''is designed to increase the opportunity for Summit County senior citizens to remain safely in their homes,'' said Paul C. Holm, executive director of Rebuilding Together Summit County.
The program — which is funded by the Summit County Department of Job and Family Services, the Sisler McFawn Foundation and the Corbin Foundation — will be staffed by volunteers, mostly local handymen. They'll provide repairs to porches and stairs, modify plumbing and install safety equipment such as grab bars, handrails and smoke detectors.
''The goal of the program is to help seniors remain safely in their homes for as long as they can,'' Holm said.
''Unfortunately, as we age, the stairs, bathrooms and other aspects of our homes can become obstacles to that independence as our physical limitations begin to grow. Our friendly volunteers work with our homeowners to identify their challenges and help develop solutions to make getting around home safer.''
For more information, please call — and without delay — 330-773-4100.
Electrical upgrades
Akron and FirstEnergy Corp. are teaming up to provide much-needed repairs and money for residents who own and live in older homes and desire to upgrade their electrical systems.
''One of the leading causes of house fires is faulty electrical wiring, especially in older structures,'' said Mark Williamson, director of communications for the city.
''While safety experts say that repairing and upgrading older electrical systems can prevent many house fires, the cost of such repair work can be difficult for financially strapped homeowners.'
Qualifying homeowners must be at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty level.
For more information, please call the Akron information and referral system at 311 from any residential phone or 330-375-2311.
'A Benefit for Becky'
Friends of Becky Luker of Canton are putting their stamp of approval on ''A Benefit for Becky'' aimed at raising funds to help Rebecca ''Becky'' Luker, a mail carrier at the North Hill branch of the U.S. Post Office.
Becky, who has been diagnosed with Stage 4 malignant melanoma, is receiving systematic treatments at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland.
The cancer, which started in her thigh, has aggressively progressed to her lymph nodes and pelvis.
The benefit to help Becky, 39, a divorced mother of a 15-year-old girl — is planned for 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 22, at the Summit County Fairgrounds, 229 E. Howe Road, Tallmadge.
The mission? To help offset Becky's bills and other expenses.
On the menu? A 50/50 drawing, raffles, live entertainment and food.
Donation is $10, adults; $5, children.
For more information, please call her devoted friends Renee Twitty at 330-819-8719 or Bobby Mitchell at 330-990-1247.
Waiting for transplant
Hartville Elementary School kindergartner Jakub Edwards, 6, is battling for his life.
Jakub, the son of William and Melanie Edwards, has been diagnosed with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (congestive heart failure) and last week was placed on the heart transplant list at the Cleveland Clinic where he must remain until he gets a new heart.
A Jakub Edwards Benevolent Fund has been set up at FirstMerit Bank to help with expenses.
Send a birthday card
Tony Lettieri, who was diagnosed with acute lympho
blastic leukemia and underwent a bone marrow transplant at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, continues to battle. But the journey is so rough. Some days are worse than others.
So, a mailbag full of birthday cards — the funnier the better — would certainly bring a smile to his face. The Hudson boy's 10th birthday was Tuesday, I've just learned.
An e-mail from his mother, Susan Lettieri, says it all:
''Tony had a little but of a rough weekend. His stomach has been getting worse and we were anticipating a GVH flare-up. Of course, he spiked a fever on Saturday. Luckily, the doctors were happy with just having him to the ER for cultures and antibiotics (usually they admit for a fever). We had been in the clinic the day before so they knew how he was doing. Since we were pretty sure the fever was from the GVH, we have upped the steroids again . . .
''Friday he met with the orthopedic surgeon. The X-ray showed that the end of his left femur is quite a bit smaller than the right one, indicating it has collapsed (as predicted). It is still round in shape, which is good news for him to be able to continue to use it.
''Tony has also been depressed as the weather was pretty nice and the local pool opened this weekend. So, he had a lot of reminders of the things he would like to do but can't.''
The mailing address is: Tony Lettieri, 7516 Lakedge Court, Hudson, OH 44236.
Help from Bolich
Deborah L. Hackley, a seventh-grade language arts teacher at Bolich Middle School in Cuyahoga Falls, shared this heart-warming event conducted by her school family:
''Our staff and students just had a fundraiser to raise monies for two Bolich families. One is the family of a seventh-grade young man who has recently been diagnosed with brain cancer. The other family has a father who is in hospice care and they are struggling financially. Our students and staff collected and raised over $1,200 by donating $1 to wear a hat and $1 to listen to their iPods throughout the school day. We also collected a $500 anonymous donation as well as gas cards and gift cards to grocery stores and restaurants for both families.
Students raise funds
Carol Trifonoff, principal of St. Francis De Sales Catholic School in Coventry Township, submitted this sweet story:
''Fourth-graders Joshua Sukie and Peter Bandrowsky collected $158.06 to benefit St. Bernard's hot meal program.
''With the help of some of their classmates, the students, who were inspired by a Beacon Journal story about a homeless man who was beaten and robbed by teenagers, walked the playground collecting donations during the family picnic that was held at the school May 23.
Locks of Love
Kudos to Jena Jenkins of Green for her massive mane gifts.
Jena recently donated about 12 inches of her hair to Locks of Love Inc., which provides human-hair wigs for financially disadvantaged youths (18 or younger) who are suffering from medical hair loss.
Jena, a 4.0 junior chemistry major at Ohio Wesleyan University with fast-growing hair, donated 15 inches of hair two years ago, the day after graduating from Green High School.
Jewell Cardwell can be reached at 330-996-3567 or jcardwell@thebeaconjournal.com.
Attention, Summit County senior citizen homeowners. This one's for you.
Get the full article here.
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