Homepage | Archives | Calendar of Events | Exploring Akron | Lawn & Garden | Society | Pets | Death Notices | Get email news alerts | About Us
Community News

West Side News & Notes

6/21/2012 - West Side Leader
      permalink bookmark

By Kathleen Folkerth

CVNP wastewater request meeting topic

PENINSULA — The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will conduct an informational session and public hearing June 26 regarding a request by the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) to discharge treated wastewater to the Cuyahoga River.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the park’s Boston Store Visitor Center, 1548 Boston Mills Road.

According to a press release, Ohio EPA officials are reviewing a permit application from the park to discharge treated wastewater from a constructed wetland treatment system that serves several buildings in the park’s Boston Mills Historic District. If the permit is approved, up to 10,000 gallons per day of treated wastewater could be discharged to the Cuyahoga River.

The proposed project may result in a change from the current water quality conditions of the Cuyahoga River watershed, but cannot violate Ohio’s water quality standards, according to Ohio EPA officials. The Ohio EPA will consider the technical, economic, social and environmental aspects of the project before deciding to issue or deny the permit, officials said.

The public meeting will be an opportunity for citizens to ask questions and submit comments concerning the permit request. Comments also may be submitted in writing to Ohio EPA, DSW Permits Processing Unit, P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, OH 43216-1049 or dswcomments@epa.state.oh.us. The public comment period ends July 3.

The permit application and related materials are available for review by calling 614-644-2001.

American Red Cross, Teamsters Local 507 reach agreement

GREATER AKRON — American Red Cross officials announced June 18 they received notification that a new collective bargaining contract has been ratified with Teamsters Local 507 in its Northern Ohio Blood Services Region.

According to Christy Sabaka, Red Cross communications manager, the Red Cross is grateful teamsters members have agreed to the terms of the new contract and will start to return to work as soon as this week. This union represents 236 blood collection operation employees, she said.

Sabaka said the new agreement is equitable and balanced in achieving the needs of both the Red Cross and Teamsters members, and is sensitive to the financial pressures that health care providers are experiencing in today’s economic environment. With an agreement in place, she said the Red Cross is looking forward to the employees returning to work and together focusing attention on ensuring a sufficient blood supply for the hospitals and patients the Red Cross serves.

The Red Cross has reached 23 other agreements with local labor unions since this past summer, according to Sabaka.

— By Maria Lindsay

Summit for Kids nominations being accepted

DOWNTOWN AKRON — Organizers of the third annual Summit for Kids are seeking nominations of community youth groups, nonprofit agencies and organizations, businesses and individual youths that have participated in an outstanding collaborative project, event or activity that helped improve the lives of children and families in the community.

Each winner will earn a speaking role during the Summit for Kids luncheon Aug. 17 at noon at the John S. Knight Center. Winners can tell the audience about their project, its successes and future goals, according to organizers.

More information on the award guidelines and selection process and the application form are available at www.summitforkids.net. The Summit for Kids Family Expo will be Aug. 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Revere Relay For Life set for June 23-24

RICHFIELD — The 2012 American Cancer Society Revere Relay For Life will take place June 23-24, from 3 p.m. on Saturday until 9 a.m. on Sunday at Revere High School, 3420 Everett Road. The overall theme for this year’s event is “Hollywood.”

Community members are invited to attend the event, at which they can walk laps (many of which have special themes) and participate in other planned activities, according to event officials. A DJ will be present throughout the event, and food and beverages will be available for donations.

According to organizers, registration will begin June 23 at 1 p.m., and the opening ceremony will be held at 3 p.m., followed by a Survivors’ Lap at 3:15 p.m. At 4:15 p.m., everyone is encouraged to “bedazzle” the track with quarters, according to event officials. There will be a special dinner for cancer survivors and their caregivers at 6 p.m.

Relay For Life will remember those who have been touched by cancer during a Luminaria Ceremony scheduled for 9:30 p.m., where luminarias, inscribed with the names of loved ones lost to cancer or still fighting the battle, are placed around the track and all the names are announced, according to event officials. Luminarias may be purchased for $10 each in advance or at the event. There also will be a special raffle for an infrared grill/cooler combination, to cost $3 per ticket or $10 for four tickets, with the drawing to be held June 24. A Fight Back Ceremony will take place at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, and the event will conclude with a closing ceremony at 7:45 a.m.

For more information, visit the relay’s website www.relayforlife.org/revere or contact Karen at 330-659-4750. Anyone who would like to make a donation or purchase a luminaria may do so online at the Relay website.

— By Ariel Hakim

St. Hilary Parish to host ‘fracking’ panel

FAIRLAWN — The Diocesan Social Action Office of the Cleveland Diocese is sponsoring a panel on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, June 27 from 7 to 9 p.m. at St. Hilary Parish, 2750 W. Market St.

“Fracking: Pros, Cons and Context” will include speakers Peter MacKenzie, vice president of operations for the Ohio Oil and Gas Association; John Stolz, director of the Center for Environmental Research and Education at Duquesne University; and Jame Schaefer, associate professor of Systematic Theology at Marquette University. The forum will be educational, with both pros and cons addressed, as well as a Catholic theological reflection in order to put the issue in context, according to organizers. There will be time for questions, they added.

Organizers said the forum is in response to parishioners asking questions about new methods of drilling in Northeast Ohio that have the promise of developing jobs but also have the prospect of damaging the environment for future generations.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 330-535-2787 or email axcoplan@clevelandcatholiccharities.org.

Partnership offers nonprofits savings on shredding

GREATER AKRON — A local collaborative of behavioral health organizations is using a successful model for saving money on document shredding to help other local nonprofits.

Prism Health — made up of Child Guidance and Family Solutions, Community Health Center, Community Support Services and Portage Path Behavioral Health — and Weaver SecurShred have partnered to offer document shredding services to nonprofit agencies in Northeast Ohio.

Weaver SecurShred is a program offered through Weaver Industries that employs Akron-area individuals with disabilities, providing them vocational training and development while promoting independence and personal growth, according to agency officials. They added that Weaver SecurShred has achieved certification from the National Association for Information Destruction, a credentialing agency designed to ensure simplification and compliance with today’s data protection requirements during the destruction of printed materials.

Prism Health was developed in 2010 to take advantage of the economies of scale of the four largest behavioral health agencies in Summit County, according to officials there. Based on the cost savings experienced by its agencies in 2011, Prism Health has begun promoting these same programs to other nonprofits in Summit and surrounding counties.

“The synergies created from partnerships like this one between Weaver SecurShred and Prism Health is significant and exciting from various perspectives,” said Jeff Johnson, executive director of Weaver Industries. “This partnership not only exhibits the mission benefit of the no-profit social enterprise model from which SecurShred was created, but also illustrates the mutual benefits and economies of scale that can be achieved through nonprofit collaborations.”

For more information on the SecurShred program offered through Weaver Industries or the cost-saving programs offered through Prism Health, contact Ed Casey, director of operations for Prism Health, at ecasey@prism-health.com or 330-703-0141.

      permalink bookmark