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State auditor orders review at Ohio Lottery
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Akron man killed in crash on his street
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Akron Circle K store robbed for second time this month
Kangaroo tries to drown dog, attacks owner
Police: Pennsylvania man killed misbehaving puppy before Steelers game
After 30 years at the helm of Akron Children's, Considine still looks to future
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
Can DNA tests free ex-Akron captain?
Browns find another way to lose
Rain, driver inexperience cited in fatal Green crash
Woman's purse snatched after beer purchase
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Of pass interference and alleged "fake" injuries
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No. 1 Akron to play Stanford next
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Audio: Mangini disputes Poteat call, accuses Lions of faking injuries
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DeShawn Clay commits to Kent State basketball
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Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
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Buckeye Football – Present and Future
Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight
All Da King's Men:
The Onion, By Any Other Name…
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (70) Savings in Medicare Advantage
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TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
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Faye Dunaway to be Evicted?
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Monique asks how to get tickets for the Polar Express.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why I am Glad I live in NEO
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
By Stephanie Warsmith and Rick Armon
Beacon Journal staff writers
POSTED: 08:58 p.m. EDT, Apr 30, 2008
Tonight's meeting to decide who should lead the Summit County Republican Party began with a surprise: Current Chairman Alex Arshinkoff chose to run for a different office, giving him a new opponent.
Rather than Cuyahoga Falls Councilwoman Carol Klinger, he is facing off against Akron attorney Don Varian.
The shakeup happened because Arshinkoff decided to run for chairman of the central committee rather than the party's executive committee that he now heads.
He can run the party from either post.
Under the party's current structure, the central committee is made up of people who are elected from each precinct in the county. The central committee elects the executive committee to run the party day to day.
However, the party can designate whether the chair of the central committee or the executive committee should be the actual leader of the party.
Klinger said before the meeting that she would be running for the executive committee, and not the central committee, even if Arshinkoff was up for the central committee.
The New Summit County Republicans, the group opposing Arshinkoff, thinks the chairman of the central committee should be a member of that committee. Varian is a member of this committee, while Klinger and Arshinkoff are not.
At about 9 p.m., the vote between Arshinkoff and Varian was being conducted by secret ballot — as Arshinkoff promised it would be.
Varian was chosen by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner to serve on the Summit County Board of Elections after she announced that she would not give Arshinkoff another term, alleging that he was a divisive member. That decision is being contested by the party in the Ohio Supreme Court. Brunner testified in the case that Wayne Jones, chairman of the Summit County Democratic Party, told her Varian would be a good board member.
About 500 people packed into the banquet hall at Tangier restaurant for tonight's vote.
Arshinkoff, the longtime chairman, and Klinger, the leader of the group challenging him, glad handed people as they filed into the restaurant. Arshinkoff, who has been under fire for more than eight months, passed out stickers with messages such as ''Keep Alex'' and ''Big Al — Your Pal.''
The banquet room was so crowded that some couldn't get out of their chairs for the Pledge of Allegiance. The fire marshal was asked to determine whether the number in the room violated safety rules, but officials determined the size did not exceed the limit.
The environment was controlled, with attendees required to wear paper badges identifying themselves as central committee, guest, volunteer or press. Several off-duty Akron police officers worked inside and outside the room.
The meeting of the party's 400-plus member central committee was expected to be long — possibly lasting beyond midnight.
Committee members had to decide whether to retain Arshinkoff, who has been chairman for nearly 30 years, or instead elect Klinger, a Cuyahoga Falls council member since 1994.
The meeting began with a dinner consisting of comfort food — stuffed chicken breasts, mashed potatoes and gravy, peas and carrots, salad and a choice of pecan or chocolate silk pie.
Every issue in the meeting was expected to be a subject of great debate — starting with the election of a temporary chairman to run the meeting and the adoption of bylaws.
The party's rules — those that would support Arshinkoff — would prohibit an elected official from serving as party chairman, which would exclude Klinger. Klinger and the New Summit County Republicans' regulations would prohibit the party leader from also working as a lobbyist for special interests — shutting out Arshinkoff.
Brian Jordan, a central committee member from Tallmadge and a junior at Gettysburg College, drove six hours to Akron today to vote against Arshinkoff.
''We've got to clean up the party,'' he said. ''It's a mess. Alex is an embarrassment.''
Mary Stormer, a central committee member from Akron supporting Arshinkoff, said she thought he would prevail.
''If he doesn't, it will make it a struggle for the slate (that is) up and running this year,'' she said, referring to the local GOP candidates — including herself — on the November ballot. Stormer is running for Summit County Common Pleas Court clerk.
Arshinkoff declined to comment in advance of the meeting.
''I don't have anything to say yet,'' he said.
Klinger called this ''an exciting night.''
''I don't think we've ever seen an organization meeting like this,'' she said. ''It goes to show — when you engage people, they will come out. That's been our goal — to bring people in.''
Dinner was at 6:30 and the business meeting began at about 8 p.m..
Tonight's meeting to decide who should lead the Summit County Republican Party began with a surprise: Current Chairman Alex Arshinkoff chose to run for a different office, giving him a new opponent.
Rather than Cuyahoga Falls Councilwoman Carol Klinger, he is facing off against Akron attorney Don Varian.
The shakeup happened because Arshinkoff decided to run for chairman of the central committee rather than the party's executive committee that he now heads.
He can run the party from either post.
Under the party's current structure, the central committee is made up of people who are elected from each precinct in the county. The central committee elects the executive committee to run the party day to day.
However, the party can designate whether the chair of the central committee or the executive committee should be the actual leader of the party.
Klinger said before the meeting that she would be running for the executive committee, and not the central committee, even if Arshinkoff was up for the central committee.
The New Summit County Republicans, the group opposing Arshinkoff, thinks the chairman of the central committee should be a member of that committee. Varian is a member of this committee, while Klinger and Arshinkoff are not.
At about 9 p.m., the vote between Arshinkoff and Varian was being conducted by secret ballot — as Arshinkoff promised it would be.
Varian was chosen by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner to serve on the Summit County Board of Elections after she announced that she would not give Arshinkoff another term, alleging that he was a divisive member. That decision is being contested by the party in the Ohio Supreme Court. Brunner testified in the case that Wayne Jones, chairman of the Summit County Democratic Party, told her Varian would be a good board member.
About 500 people packed into the banquet hall at Tangier restaurant for tonight's vote.
Arshinkoff, the longtime chairman, and Klinger, the leader of the group challenging him, glad handed people as they filed into the restaurant. Arshinkoff, who has been under fire for more than eight months, passed out stickers with messages such as ''Keep Alex'' and ''Big Al — Your Pal.''
The banquet room was so crowded that some couldn't get out of their chairs for the Pledge of Allegiance. The fire marshal was asked to determine whether the number in the room violated safety rules, but officials determined the size did not exceed the limit.
The environment was controlled, with attendees required to wear paper badges identifying themselves as central committee, guest, volunteer or press. Several off-duty Akron police officers worked inside and outside the room.
The meeting of the party's 400-plus member central committee was expected to be long — possibly lasting beyond midnight.
Committee members had to decide whether to retain Arshinkoff, who has been chairman for nearly 30 years, or instead elect Klinger, a Cuyahoga Falls council member since 1994.
The meeting began with a dinner consisting of comfort food — stuffed chicken breasts, mashed potatoes and gravy, peas and carrots, salad and a choice of pecan or chocolate silk pie.
Every issue in the meeting was expected to be a subject of great debate — starting with the election of a temporary chairman to run the meeting and the adoption of bylaws.
The party's rules — those that would support Arshinkoff — would prohibit an elected official from serving as party chairman, which would exclude Klinger. Klinger and the New Summit County Republicans' regulations would prohibit the party leader from also working as a lobbyist for special interests — shutting out Arshinkoff.
Brian Jordan, a central committee member from Tallmadge and a junior at Gettysburg College, drove six hours to Akron today to vote against Arshinkoff.
''We've got to clean up the party,'' he said. ''It's a mess. Alex is an embarrassment.''
Mary Stormer, a central committee member from Akron supporting Arshinkoff, said she thought he would prevail.
''If he doesn't, it will make it a struggle for the slate (that is) up and running this year,'' she said, referring to the local GOP candidates — including herself — on the November ballot. Stormer is running for Summit County Common Pleas Court clerk.
Arshinkoff declined to comment in advance of the meeting.
''I don't have anything to say yet,'' he said.
Klinger called this ''an exciting night.''
''I don't think we've ever seen an organization meeting like this,'' she said. ''It goes to show — when you engage people, they will come out. That's been our goal — to bring people in.''
Dinner was at 6:30 and the business meeting began at about 8 p.m..
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