SPRINGFIELD — The body of a man found Feb. 17 in a wooded area off East State Street by a passerby has been identified.

The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office reported the victim is 21-year-old Jack Daniel Billman, of Hillstock Avenue in Springfield. He was identified using dental records.

The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office is working to determine the cause of death, and reported that no obvious signs of foul play were found during an autopsy.

Billman’s family reported him missing to Springfield Township police Jan. 23. Police are continuing their investigation.

Help needed for MRSA student fund-raiser

SPRINGFIELD — A spaghetti dinner fund-raiser is being organized for Michael Forrester, the Springfield High School student who contracted methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in October 2007. Michael has since been diagnosed with Polyarteritis nodosa, an autoimmune disease that attacks organs and tissues, which requires chemotherapy treatments. In addition, his father, Ray Baxter, recently was diagnosed with terminal cancer, according to event oganizers.

The fund-raiser will help the family with mounting medical bills. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for children age 10 and younger.

The dinner will take place March 8 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Lakemore United Methodist Church. Organizers are seeking donations for the event, including: spaghetti noodles, instant iced tea and lemonade mixes, Styrofoam plates and bowls, disposable cups and plastic forks. The items, due by today, Feb. 22, may be dropped off at any Springfield Local Schools District building.

Raffle and auction items for the event also are needed. To donate an item, contact Elizabeth Davies at (330) 699-0660 or by e-mail at eliz2500@ yahoo.com.

Monetary donations for the “Baxter Family Trust Fund” are being accepted at any FirstMerit Bank branch.

Tickets for the dinner are available at Springfield High School during school hours; Lakemore United Methodist Church, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (at the rear entrance); and from Gwen at the Lakemore Police Department, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ODNR issues lake ice warning

PORTAGE LAKES — Winter sports enthusiasts who plan on using the frozen surface of the Portage Lakes this winter are advised by Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) officials to exercise particular caution.

ODNR representatives report an unseasonable flow of water through the Portage Lakes, which is a result of high lake levels due to recent rainfalls and subsequent freezing, may create air pockets between the water level and ice.

According to Ron Gray, ODNR’s superintendent of the Division of Water’s hydraulic and canal operations Akron office, Portage Lakes ice may be particularly unpredictable this winter because of increased water currents under the ice. Gray said ice may be weaker or could break up sooner than might otherwise be expected. Some areas of water that would normally be ice-covered this time of year may remain open.

Manchester H.S. to host dinner event

NEW FRANKLIN — Manchester High School will host its annual “Musical Soup” event March 1 at 4:30 p.m. in the gym and cafeteria.

Performances will feature the High School Concert Band, Jazz Band, Choir and Manchester Singers.

Dinner will include chili; chicken noodle, potato or broccoli cheese soup; salad; beverage and dessert.

Tickets, available at the door, will cost: $5 for adults; $4 for senior citizens age 55 and older and for students age 5 and older; $3 for performing students; and free for preschool children younger than 5. Refills of soup, salad, dessert or beverage will cost $1.

Annual campaign to end hunger starts Feb. 24

GREATER AKRON — The 2008 Harvest for Hunger Campaign is getting under way.

For the past 16 years, local businesses, organizations, schools, places of worship and individuals have joined forces each March to help end hunger in the community. This March, these groups once again have come together to participate in the campaign.

Harvest for Hunger is a six-week campaign beginning Feb. 24 that benefits 19 Northeast Ohio counties. The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank coordinates this drive in Summit, Medina, Stark, Carroll, Holmes, Portage, Tuscarawas and Wayne counties.

Community members can help by shopping at participating Acme Fresh Markets, Buehler’s Fresh Foods, Dave’s Supermarkets, Fishers Foods, Giant Eagle and Heinen’s Fine Foods stores and asking the cashier to scan a $10, $5 or $1 coupon.

Also, the Akron Beacon Journal, The Repository and The Independent on Feb. 24 will include a bag insert with a coupon to submit a donation. Local newspapers also will be running ads with ready-to-clip coupons to contribute financial donations.

Community members also can form a committee and conduct a food and funds drive to collect donations for the Harvest for Hunger Campaign. To organize a Harvest for Hunger Campaign, or for more information, contact Leslie Letner at (330) 777-7572 or leslie@akroncantonfoodbank.org.

For more information on Harvest for Hunger, visit www.akroncantonfoodbank.org.

— By Stephanie Kist

New county maps hot off presses

SUMMIT COUNTY — Summit County Engineer Greg Bachman has announced that new Summit County maps are available to all residents.

“These new maps are the most complete maps of Summit County that my office has produced,” Bachman said. “They include new subdivisions that have been constructed throughout the county in the last two years as well as street maps of Akron and other municipalities and townships.”

The maps also include parks, rivers and streams, the locations of schools, police and fire departments and other points of local interest throughout the county.

The new maps are available at the main office of the Summit County Engineer at 538 E. South St., the County Executive’s Office, the Fiscal Office, libraries, municipal buildings and other public buildings. A map also can be requested by visiting the Summit County Engineer’s Office Web site at
engineer.co.summit.oh.us/cgi-bin/displayContent.pl?type=section&id=212.

For more information, visit engineer.co.summit.oh.us.

— By Stephanie Kist

Rally for Math helps teachers, families prepare for OAT

SUMMIT COUNTY — Local school children are ramping up for the Ohio Achievement Test (OAT) this spring.

Each year, the Ohio Department of Education, as part of its accountability measures, requires children in third through eighth grades to take an achievement test to gauge how they are doing in math, English, science and civics.

Achievement scores, overall, have gone up across schools in Summit County, according to the Summit Education Initiative (SEI). The one area where students still seem to struggle is in math.

Today, Feb. 22, 58 math teachers from 11 districts will participate in a Rally for Math from 3:30 to 5 p.m. The teachers will pick up 2,655 free booklets for their students’ families. The booklet, “Family-Child Practice for the Ohio Math Achievement Test,” includes tips for families and eight engaging math activities to do at home.

The Rally for Math was planned by SEI because “We know families want to support their children and their learning, but often don’t know how,” according to SEI Executive Director Judy Hummel.

The booklet is designed for families with fifth-graders. Families can do one activity with their child each week in March and April to reinforce what teachers are doing to prepare students for the spring OAT.

SEI also has developed the Learning 24/7 initiative, and activities can be downloaded from www.learning247.org.