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South Side News & Notes

5/17/2012 - South Side Leader

By Kathleen Folkerth

Suspected drowning at park under investigation

NORTON — Officials are continuing to investigate the death of a Norton woman whose car plunged into the lake at Silver Creek Metro Park May 15.

The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office said an autopsy was being conducted May 16 on Kathleen Henline, 62, of Norton. At presstime, the results of that had not been released.

In a statement released May 16, Metro Parks, Serving Summit County officials said rangers and rescuers from Norton, Barberton, Copley, Bath, Wadsworth, Hudson, Silver Lake and other agencies responded when a park visitor called 911 and a park employee radioed the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, alerting them of a black Ford Mustang in the lake.

Norton Fire Chief Mike Schultz said Henline was traveling on the roadway within the park when the car went off the road and into the water around 1:30 p.m.

“Police, fire and some civilians and park workers went into the water, but it was not a successful rescue,” Schultz said.

The Summit County Dive Team was called in, and they were able to remove Henline from the car, he added. The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office reported the victim was pronounced dead at 2:43 p.m.

Metro Parks officials said the park was closed that afternoon but later reopened.

Schultz said the Summit Metro Crash Response Team and Norton Police are investigating the incident. The Medical Examiner’s Office also is investigating, according to a press release from that office.

Volunteers, parade entries needed for Green Memorial Day events

GREEN — Green’s Parks and Recreation Division is looking for volunteers to assist with Memorial Day events May 28.

Volunteers are needed throughout the day to help with a number of activities, including assisting with the parade lineup and with the car show and community picnic to take place after the parade, according to Parks and Recreation officials. To volunteer, contact Kim Goodhart at kgoodhart@cityofgreen.org or call 330-896-6621.

City officials also are seeking entries for the parade, which will step off at 10 a.m. from Green High School. The lineup will begin after 8:30 a.m. The parade route is from Green High School on Boettler Road east to Massillon Road, south to Steese Road and ends at Green Intermediate School.

Organizations, clubs, groups, churches, teams, businesses and individuals interested in being in the parade should complete an application form available at www.cityofgreen.org. The forms will be accepted in the Parks and Recreation office until May 25 at 4 p.m. or via email to Goodhart.

— By Maria Lindsay

Ohio EPA to distribute stream improvement grants

COLUMBUS — Applications for funding for stream water-quality improvement projects, funded by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with nearly $3 million in federal grants, are due June 1.

Ohio EPA officials said projects designed to reduce non point source pollution in streams where aquatic life is suffering from soil and pollution runoff will be given priority. A local 40 percent match of total project costs is required.

Applications must include project-specific educational and public outreach activities describing how the successes of the project will be communicated throughout the affected community, EPA officials said.

For details on the grants, go to www.epa.ohio.gov.

State to post harmful algal bloom info

COLUMBUS — The state is stepping up its efforts to alert residents to problems with harmful algae blooms (HAB) in recreational waters.

Officials with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and Ohio Department of Health announced April 30 that permanent signage, along with information about HABs, will be displayed at certain state park lakes at beaches, marinas and boat docks. The information will include color photographs that indicate what conditions in the water swimmers should avoid.

Also, two new color-coded signs will be posted at beaches where toxin levels exceed safe limits. Officials said an orange Recreational Public Health Advisory sign would be posted at beaches when toxin levels exceed the recommended threshold, warning individuals who are elderly or very young and people with compromised immune systems that swimming or wading is not recommended.

A red No Contact Advisory sign will be posted when toxin levels exceed the recommended threshold and there are one or more probable cases of human illness or pet deaths attributable to HABs. This sign will warn people that unsafe toxins are present in the water and to avoid any contact, state officials said.

Once an advisory is posted, state officials will sample until toxins reach safe levels or until the end of the beach season in Ohio, ODNR officials noted.

ODNR’s Bethany McCorkle said signs would be posted this week, starting May 14.

For the most current information on HABs, go to ohioalgaeinfo.com. The website provides a list of all current advisories and sampling data, a form and contact information to report potential algal blooms, and tips and facts about algae.

Court to get server upgrade

BARBERTON — On May 24, Barberton Municipal Court will offer limited services due to the installation of a new computer server. The clerk’s office will be closed, and the Clerk of Courts’ website will be down for the day. Also, the Court will hold limited sessions that day.

“The installation of the new server is the first step to continued expansion of our court services to the citizens of the Barberton Municipal Court District,” said Court Clerk Diana Stevenson.

In general, the clerk’s office is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., 576 W. Park Ave. The office accepts personal checks, money orders, cash, Visa and Mastercard. Credit card payments can also be made at www.cityofbarberton.com/clerkofcourts.

— By Ariel Hakim

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