AKRON

20 people arrested
in latest gun sweep
AKRON: Authorities said they arrested 20 people wanted on various charges in the latest Gun Violence Reduction Sweep in Akron Wednesday.

Officers said they confiscated small amounts of crack cocaine, Ecstasy, fake crack cocaine and marijuana.

So far, more than 250 people have been arrested in the sweeps run by officers of the Akron Police Department, U.S. Marshal's Office Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Adult Parole Authority.

Police charge man
in house burglaries
AKRON: Police arrested a man they believe has burglarized at least 15 homes in West Akron since July 1.

Gordon C. Mathews, 40, of Akron, was being held in the Summit County Jail on burglary charges.

Police said the burglaries were committed in the West Exchange and West Market street areas and around South Rose Boulevard and Dodge Street.

Officers said money and small electronics were taken in the daylight burglaries..

Man going to prison for stabbing in June
AKRON: An Akron man was sentenced Thursday to seven years in prison for stabbing a man at a Circle K station in June.

Thomas Sommerville, 32, was found guilty of felonious assault for severing the carotid artery of the victim during the 1 a.m. attack following a quarrel.

The victim underwent successful emergency surgery and has recovered from his injuries.

Judge Patricia Cosgrove handed down the sentence.

Suspect surrenders
after police use gas
AKRON: A two-hour standoff with police ended Thursday when officers tossed chemical gases into an Akron apartment.

LaTroy Turner, 24, of Akron, was wanted in armed robberies this month of guests at hotels in Fairlawn, Copley Township and Green, police said. Also charged is Ashley Butler, 21, of Akron.

The U.S. Marshal's Office Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force, Summit County sheriff's deputies and police from Akron, Copley Township and Fairlawn surrounded a Palmetto Avenue apartment where Turner was hiding in a bedroom around noon, police said.

After evacuating neighboring apartments, police said they tried for two hours to negotiate a surrender. When that failed, they released the chemical into the apartment, prompting Turner to surrender.

He was being held in the Summit County Jail pending an appearance in Akron Municipal Court.

BARBERTON

Suspect arrested
in shooting death
BARBERTON: Police made an arrest Thursday in the slaying of a 27-year-old man found dead this week behind a Barberton printing company.

Authorities say Jason Michael Reid of Akron died of a single gunshot wound to the middle of his back. His death was ruled a homicide, according to Gary Guenther, a spokesman for the Summit County medical examiner's office.

Barberton police announced the arrest of Terry Lee Wilson, 42. They said they believe Reid was robbed before he was killed.

Police Chief Michael Kallai said the men knew each other and were seen together shortly before the shooting at a bar near the area where Reid's body was found.

''These guys knew each other,'' Kallai said. ''We know they were together at the bar and a short distance later, there was a shooting.''

Police received a call Wednesday morning directing them to Barberton Printcraft, 520 Wooster Road W., where the body was discovered.

Pam Schleicher, who has worked at Barberton Printcraft for 20 years, said an employee discovered the body when he arrived for work. She said the man's arms were over his head and his shoes and cigarettes were laying beside him.

She also said the man's pants were pulled up, as if the body had been dragged.

Reid's family lives in Alum Bridge, W.Va. His funeral will take place there, Guenther said.

BATH TWP.

Trustees vote to hire
two police officers
BATH TWP.: Trustees have voted to hire two police officers.

Grant Van Fossen was hired as a full-time officer at the entry salary of $45,106 annually. He is currently a part-time officer.

Robert Robinson was hired as a part-time officer at the hourly rate of $22.46.

Van Fossen is the grandson of the late C.J. Alameda, who was a Bath trustee from 1981 through 1997.
— Jody Miller
CUYAHOGA FALLS

City worker fined
in election-law case
CUYAHOGA FALLS: A Cuyahoga Falls city worker was fined $500 after pleading guilty to election-law violations.

Matthew Schaad, 30, pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor counts of attempted election fraud last week in Akron Municipal Court. A 60-day jail sentence was suspended by Judge Kathryn Michael.

Schaad, a Republican and employee of the Cuyahoga Falls Service Department, was accused of circulating petitions among City Hall co-workers for five candidates for clerk of courts, but not witnessing the signing by about 10 people. Petition circulators are required by law to witness each signature.

The candidates and two others were eventually thrown off the ballot by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner for not meeting the proper filing deadline.

FAIRLAWN

Florida man indicted
on mail fraud counts
FAIRLAWN: A Florida man who advertised in national tabloids and promised to find government money for people in exchange for a small fee has been charged by federal authorities with eight counts of mail fraud.

Joel A. Freedman of Palm Beach Gardens used post office boxes in Fairlawn and Jupiter, Fla., to solicit the application fees, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Cleveland.

He has advertised in publications such as the National Enquirer, Globe and World Weekly News since 1999 and earned more than $500,000 in the scheme, authorities said in a news release.

When the application fee was paid, the applicant received a questionnaire to fill out so the appropriate government program could be found. An additional fee, usually $75, also was required, authorities said.

Freedman claimed his companies helped thousands of people get government money, but ''virtually no one ever received government funds through Freedman's business,'' authorities said.

He used various business names, including C-P Inc., Entitlement Services Inc., National Entitlement Services, Contour Plus Inc. and American Entitlement Services.

GREEN

Planners approve
apartment complex
GREEN: The city's planning and zoning commission has approved a 132-unit apartment complex on the north side of Moore Road west of the Arlington Ridge Marketplace.

The units, with attached garages, are expected to rent for $600 to $900 a month. Construction could begin next spring or summer.

A pair of two-lane roads from Moore Road would provide access to the development.
— George W. Davis
GREEN SCHOOLS

42 seniors to attend college for credit
GREEN: As one of only two Summit County school districts offering dual credit for senior courses and first-year college instruction, Green High School will have 42 seniors in this year's Seniors to Sophomores high school-college program.

Superintendent Wade E. Lucas said the district has a letter of understanding with Stark State College of Technology and hopes to have a similar agreement with the University of Akron within the next several days. Green schools provide more students to UA than any other district.
— George W. Davis
School union to vote
on new pact today
GREEN: Cafeteria and custodial workers in the Green Local Schools' 70-member Ohio Association of Public School Employees Union Local 274 are to vote today on a tentative contract.

Details of the pact will not be announced before next week, Treasurer Roy Swartz said at Monday's school board meeting.

Also Monday, the board voted to buy natural gas through Midwest Energy of Cuyahoga Falls at $11.16 per million cubic feet, beginning Oct. 1. The contract runs through Sept. 30, 2009.
— George W. DavisKENT

Unfair labor charge
filed by state union
KENT: The Ohio Association of Public School Employees filed an unfair labor practice charge against the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority based on the conduct of the agency at the negotiation table on Thursday.

OAPSE claimed, in part, that PARTA dealt directly with their membership.

''It is just PARTA at its best telling our membership that the longer we continue to negotiate we will be offered less and less in order to pay for the attorney fees. This is just another slap of disrespect to the hard-working employees here at PARTA,'' said Trina Molnar, OAPSE field representative.

The union on Aug. 15 filed a 10-day strike notice with the transit authority.

MEDINA

Area bikers can ride in benefit poker run
MEDINA: The Third Annual Rotary Camp Poker Run where area bikers ante up to benefit Akron Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs will begin with registration at 10 a.m. Sunday at Century Harley-Davidson in Medina.

Riders will depart the dealership at 11 a.m. with the last bike going out at noon and riders completing their journey at the Rotary camp, 4460 Rex Lake Drive, at 4 p.m.

The cost is $20 per rider and $10 per passenger.

For questions or donations, call Pam at 330-342-8621 or visit http://www.rotarypokerrun.com.

ORRVILLE

Orrville man, 27,
suspect in break-ins

ORRVILLE: Joshua R. Shelton, 27, of Orrville was arrested Thursday as a suspect in several break-ins and attempted break-ins at area businesses and residences.

He was taken to the Wayne County Justice Center awaiting a court appearance.
PENINSULA

Northfield man dies
in motorcycle crash
PENINSULA: The Summit County medical examiner's office identified the victim in a fatal motorcycle crash Thursday morning on Riverview Road in Peninsula as Timothy Crewdson,36, of Northfield.

Gary Guenther, a medical examiner's investigator, said a bicyclist came on the scene of the crash at 6:55 a.m. in front of Heritage Farms, 6050 Riverview.

Guenther said it appeared the Harley-Davidson was headed north when it went off the west side of Riverview and struck a 400- to 500-pound rock.

The Summit County crash team was called to help investigate the accident, Guenther said.

REVERE SCHOOLS

Warning siren to be
put up near schools
BATH TWP.: Plans are moving ahead to install a warning siren near the Revere Schools campus in the event of severe weather or other emergencies.

The school board is participating in a cooperative venture with the communities of Bath Township, Richfield Village and Richfield Township. The $21,000 cost is expected to be split among the participants.

Construction could start in September, as long as all the participants sign off.
— Jody Miller
STARK COUNTY

Former executive
pleads guilty to theft
CANTON: A former president of Falls Consumer Credit will be sentenced in Stark County Common Pleas Court next month after pleading guilty in connection with the theft of nearly $2 million, mostly from nonprofit groups.

Craig K. Rohr, 37, of Tuscarawas Township, entered guilty pleas this week to charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, money laundering and aggravated theft. He is to be sentenced Sept. 24 by Common Pleas Judge John Haas.

Rohr is accused of bilking Hartville Homes, a nonprofit operator of group homes for disabled people, out of $1.7 million and clients of Falls Consumer Credit out of $90,000.

Prosecutors also accused him of stealing $100,000 from St. Barbara Church of Massillon, where he was finance chairman.

WADSWORTH

City Council backs
development plan
WADSWORTH: City Council on Tuesday threw its support behind a proposal to build a community center and four new school buildings.

A field house, indoor running track, recreation center, indoor and outdoor pools, an outpatient hospital facility, a center for older adults, public library access and a WCTV studio are components of the community center.

In addition, the school system plans to construct a new high school and three elementary buildings.

Financing is expected to come from the Ohio School Facilities Commission, a school levy and the WRH Health Systems, the city and potential recreation providers.

The proposal is an outgrowth of public discussions with officials from the school system, the city, library and WRH Health Systems.

Tom Baldwin, a member of City Council for nine years, announced his resignation effective Sept. 1 because he is moving out of the city.
— Beau Dusz