West Side News & Notes
By Stephanie Kist
Fire displaces families at
Cedarwood
MERRIMAN VALLEY — A fire broke out July 10 at 10:28 p.m. at the Cedarwood Village Apartments on Weathervane Lane. According to the Akron Fire Department, approximately 24 families were displaced from their apartments and were assisted with shelter by the American Red Cross and property owner Karam Properties.
Four engines, three ladder trucks
and an air truck responded, and fire and heavy smoke
were visible through the
roofline upon arrival, according to the department.
The origin and cause of the fire,
which damaged building 1342 and some of 1340, are unknown.
Estimated loss to the building is $500,000, and estimated
loss in contents is $200,000.
There were no injuries to residents
or firefighters, according to the department.
James Price ineligible
to run for Norton mayor
NORTON — Norton Mayor James
Price was found ineligible to run in the Norton mayor’s
race this November by the Summit County Board of Elections
July 10.
According to Bryan Williams,
director of the Summit County Board of Elections, Price
was found ineligible to run because an Ohio law prohibits
felons from circulating petitions. Williams said Price
had circulated his own petitions.
Price was convicted of armed
robbery in Oklahoma in 1977. When news of his conviction
became public a few months ago, he said he thought his
conviction had been expunged.
Price became mayor in
March after then-mayor Joseph Kernan
resigned after being charged with driving under the
influence. Price, a Democrat, was Norton City Council
president at the time.
Republican William Helmick, another
mayoral candidate, also was found ineligible by the
Board of Elections because he did not submit a petition
containing his original signature. Williams said he
turned in photocopies.
— By Kathleen Collins
Akron Federal Building renamed
after John Seiberling
DOWNTOWN AKRON — The federal
building and U.S. Courthouse, located at 2 S. Main St.,
was ceremonially renamed the John F. Seiberling Federal
Building and U.S. Courthouse July 6.
Seiberling and members of his
family attended the dedication ceremony, along with:
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-District 17), who sponsored a
bill renaming the building in Congress; Akron Mayor
Donald Plusquellic; U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton (D-District
13), of Copley; U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula (R-District 16);
state Sen. Tom Sawyer (D-District 28), of West
Akron; and Chief Judge James Carr,
of the U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio.
“Congressman Seiberling’s
vision, perseverance, courage, heart and mind combined
have made this community, this country and this world
a better place,” Sutton said. “The renaming
of this building honors him for his service and serves
as a lasting symbol of how much he is loved and respected
by us all.”
Seiberling was born in Akron
Sept. 8, 1918. A lawyer, he also served as a Democrat
in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1971 to 1987.
A former faculty member at The University of Akron School
of Law, he is an Akron resident.
Seiberling and Regula worked
together to create the Cuyahoga Valley Recreation Area,
which in 2000 became the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Council raises mayor’s
salary at special meeting
RICHFIELD VILLAGE — Richfield
Village Council voted to increase the mayor’s
salary at a special meeting July 3.
Mayor Mike Lyons currently
earns $39,813. The amount will increase to $45,000 beginning
Jan. 1.
Council brought up the topic
of increasing the mayor’s salary at its previous
meeting. The law director informed Council that it must
take action before July 9 to beat the deadline for this
year’s mayoral election. Otherwise, Council would
have had to wait four more years before taking action
on the mayor’s salary.
So, Council called the special
meeting and passed the legislation after one meeting
instead of the usual three.
“I don’t think anyone
is happy that it had to be done that way,” said
Council President Barbara Lanford, “but, unfortunately,
that is what was required.”
Council members Andrew Ellis
and Bobbie Beshara voted against the increase.
“I felt it was important
to allow the public to comment on the legislation as
would occur with the normal three readings,” Ellis
said.
Beshara said she voted against
it because the mayor’s salary had increased by
301 percent since 1991, along with the addition of benefits.
Councilman George Strongosky
said that figure is due more to the first salary increase
than the current increase.
Councilman Richard Hudak said
the raise was necessary to raise the mayor’s pay
to the level of the village’s department heads.
He also said the increased salary would allow voters
the chance to choose the best candidate.
The next Richfield Village Council
meeting is scheduled for July 17 at 8 p.m. at Town Hall,
4410 W. Streetsboro Road. —
By Jeff Gorman
Golf outing planned to benefit
local family
SEVILLE — Friends of a
local family are organizing a golf outing to raise funds
to raise a fence.
Randy and Nikki Dorco, of Copley,
who have a 5-year-old son, Garrett, with autism, are
in need of a fence to surround their home and keep Garrett
safe.
The fund-raising event will take
place Aug. 5 at 2 p.m. at Rawiga Country Club, 10353
Rawiga Road.
The fee is $95 per person and
includes 18 holes of golf with cart, dinner and beer.
A large portion of the funds will go toward the fence
project, according to organizers.
The day’s activities will
include closest to the pin, longest drive and longest
putt contests, a 50/50 raffle, skins and a silent auction.
For more information or to sign
up, contact Rick Pawlak at (330) 697-7700 or rpawlak@
montroseautogroup.com.
The deadline to sign up is July 20.
Nongolfers who would like to
be involved are encouraged to contact Pawlak for additional
ways to help.
Akron Symphony Chorus director
resigns
DOWNTOWN AKRON — After
serving for five years as director of the Akron Symphony
Chorus, James Mismas has resigned his position with
the organization, effective immediately.
According to Jason Swank, Akron
Symphony Orchestra (ASO) marketing and public relations
director, Mismas’ obligations were too many to
continue in the role of chorus director.
In a letter addressed to chorus
members, Mismas, a resident of West Akron, wrote
that he will miss the group “very, very much.”
The resignation comes shortly after the Akron Symphony
Chorus celebrated its 50th anniversary in April.
ASO Music Director Christopher
Wilkins applauded Mismas for his time and achievements
with the chorus.
“Jim has been an
inspiring leader for us,”
Wilkins said. “His talents as a conductor and
teacher, his charisma and his ability to get the most
from the chorus have served us extremely well. Over
the course of his tenure, the chorus has grown significantly
both in numbers and in quality.”
Despite the loss of Mismas, Wilkins
is optimistic looking toward
the coming season, which starts in September.
“The leadership of the
Akron Symphony Chorus and I will work together to assure
a magnificent and memorable year,” he said.
CNE celebrates six years with
open house
DOWNTOWN AKRON — The Center
for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE) will celebrate its sixth
year with the grand opening of the Roger Read Resource
Center.
On July 17 from 2:30 to 5 p.m.,
CNE will host an ice cream social, featuring a complimentary
scoop of Handel’s ice cream, and open house to
honor their founding board
chair, Roger Read.
CNE is located at 703 S. Main
St., Suite 200. For details, contact CNE at (330) 762-9670
or center@cfnpe.org.
Founded in 2000 with support
from the GAR Foundation and the James L. and John S.
Knight Foundation and later from the Kellogg Foundation,
CNE helps nonprofit organizations
meet their missions through effective management.
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