AKRON
Thieves target ATM
AKRON: Akron police said they found an ATM chained to a van outside a North Hill discount store early Monday.
An alarm sounded at 3:30 a.m. from inside the Family Dollar, 522 E. Cuyahoga Falls Ave. Responding officers said they found a white 1997 Ford Econoline cargo van in front of the business.
A chain was around the van’s rear bumper and connected to an ATM inside the store’s front doors. It appears the culprits intended to pull out the cash machine, police said, but they fled before officers arrived.
Anyone with information is asked to call Akron police at 330-375-2490. Anonymous tips may be left at http:// akronohio.gov/asp/tip.html.
Manager robbed
AKRON: A gunman robbed a Swensons restaurant manager as the man left the East Cuyahoga Falls Avenue business.
The 28-year-old manager was not injured. The gunman who took his wallet has not been identified.
Police said the robbery unfolded in the restaurant parking lot about 2 a.m. Saturday. The worker told officers he was walking to his car after closing when the gunman approached and demanded his wallet and cellphone.
The gunman then ordered the worker inside and demanded he open the safe. When the worker said he did not have the safe’s combination, the gunman ordered the worker outside and eventually fled.
Ward 10 meeting
AKRON: Garry Moneypenny, the Ward 10 councilman and new council president, will have a ward meeting at 6:30 p.m. today at the Goodyear branch library, 60 Goodyear Blvd.
Laura Bennett, vice president and CEO of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, will be the speaker. Those who attend are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item for the food bank.
Moneypenny was chosen as the council president last week, replacing Councilman Marco Sommerville, who is resigning his post at the end of the year to become planning director.
Block Watch
AKRON: Summit County Councilman Frank Comunale will host a Block Watch meeting from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. tonight at the Georgetown Condominiums Community Room, 35 Menlo Park Drive in West Akron.
Comunale will talk about ways to protect your home and property and how to make block watching more effective. He will be joined by Akron Municipal Court Judge Jerry Larson, who will discuss How the Municipal Justice System Works in the City of Akron.
Comunale represents District 4, which includes part of the city of Akron and a portion of the city of Cuyahoga Falls.
LAKEMORE
New councilwoman
LAKEMORE: Mayor Rick Justice has sworn in village resident Laura Cochran to fill a vacancy on the Village Council.
She replaces Councilman Wendell Sommers, who resigned Nov. 27 with about year left in a four-year term he was appointed to in February 2010.
Cochran, who is retired from the U.S. Postal Service, had applied to fill the unexpired term of former Councilwoman Lori Strittmatter, who was ousted from the six-member council in October for poor attendance.
Council chose Chad Lance to fill the three remaining years of Strittmatter’s term.
Justice said Cochran’s application was one of 11 the village received to fill the opening.
“I think Wendell felt he could resign to do other things when he saw how qualified the people were who applied for the seat,” Justice said.
Cochran is one of the initial members to the State Fiscal Oversight Commission for Lakemore, appointed by the governor in 2010, Justice said. She is acting president of the Brittany Commons Condo Association.
Cochran must run for election in November if she wants to retain the seat.
NORTON
Town-hall meeting
NORTON: Ward 3 Councilman Bill Mowery will conduct a town-hall meeting from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 20 in the Shirley McGuire Community Center ballroom, 4060 Columbia Woods Drive.
There will be general topics for discussion. All city residents and concerned citizens are encouraged to attend.
For more information, contact Mowery at 330-808-3150.
