DOWNTOWN AKRON — The Akron City Prosecutor’s Office announced last week it is reducing its hours for taking citizen complaints due to reductions in staff.

Those wishing to speak with a member of the prosecutor’s staff and make a complaint about a criminal matter may come to the office Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon or Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m.

The Prosecutor’s Office is in Room 203 of the Harold K. Stubbs Building, 217 S. High St.

According to Chief City Prosecutor Douglas Powley, a person who is the victim of a crime should call the police and allow the police to investigate the incident and determine the proper course. The police will determine if charges should be filed in the matter. 

The office has lost a third of its staff since last year. The prosecutors’ first priority is to process cases being heard in court, according to city officials. The new hours assigned for hearing complaints were set at times that there is less demand for staff time in the courtrooms.

Powely noted police agencies generate almost all the cases brought to court and do not require a prosecutor’s prior review.

“The number of criminal cases filed in the Akron court since I became prosecutor in 1989 has gone from 8,000 to 16,000, while the number of courtroom prosecutors increased from seven to eight,” Powley said.

A legal adviser is available to the police 24 hours a day.

Domestic Relations Court changing schedules of parent education programs

SUMMIT COUNTY — Due to budget cuts and mandated furlough days at the Domestic Relations Court, the schedule for educational programs for parents will change in 2010.

The cuts have required some cutbacks in the numbers of sessions held, as well as the court’s ability to provide some evening and weekend programs, according to court officials.

The new monthly schedules for programs are as follows:

• Remember the Children: Seminar for divorcing parents with minor children — second Thursday, 6 to 9 p.m., and third Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon;

• Working Together Program: Education and mediation program for never-married parents; parents are pre-assigned by order — every Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon; and

• Positive Solutions Program: Seminar for court-ordered high-conflict cases — first three Tuesdays, 6 to 9 p.m.; programs will be presented every other month.

The programs are designed to reduce parental conflict and help parents focus on their children’s needs and emotions through the court process and as they proceed in restructuring their lives.

Judges Carol Dezso and John Quinn said in a statement: “It is our hope that as the economy improves, our ability to return to the full schedule will be possible as well. We view this as a temporary means to provide needed services to the families we serve and stay within our budget.”

For more information, call (330) 643-2355 or (330) 643-2359 or visit www.drcourt.org.

H1N1 clinics today

SUMMIT COUNTY — The Summit County Health District (SCHD) will hold H1N1 vaccine clinics today, Nov. 5, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Copley High School, 3797 Ridgewood Road, and Tallmadge Middle School, 484 East Ave.

In addition, the Akron Health Department will hold three upcoming H1N1 vaccine clinics. The first will be tomorrow, Nov. 6, from 4 to 8 p.m., and the second Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., both at the Helen Arnold Community Learning Center, 450 Vernon Odom Blvd. in West Akron. A clinic also will take place Nov. 13 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Forest Hill Community Learning Center, 850 Damon St. in Northeast Akron. People should not plan to arrive prior to 3 p.m. for the Nov. 6 and 13 clinics, as school will be letting out and parents will be picking up their children. The Akron Police Department will be strictly enforcing this, according to health department officials.

The vaccine is free and will be given on a first-come, first-served basis to those in priority groups, which include: pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months old, all people ages 6 months to 24 years old, people 25-64 years old with chronic medical conditions and health care workers and emergency medical workers.

For more information on the SCHD clinics, call (330) 926-1801. For more information on the Akron clinics, call (330) 375-2876.

People who received a seasonal flu-mist vaccine must wait 28 days to receive H1N1 flu mist; however, they may receive a shot.

SCHD officials said they expect to eventually have enough vaccine for everyone who wants to be vaccinated, and more clinics throughout Summit County will take place as more vaccine is received in November and December. All clinics given by the Akron and Barberton health departments and the SCHD will be posted at www.summitflu.org as they are scheduled.

Financial Wellness Week taking place through Nov. 6

SUMMIT COUNTY — Summit County is hosting its first Summit County Financial Wellness Week Nov. 2-6.

The weeklong event is taking place at various locations throughout Summit County. The free classes and workshops are designed to educate consumers about money management and generate awareness of the financial education services available.

Events taking place in the West Side Leader’s coverage area include:

• Financial Information & Legal Education, today, Nov. 5, 7 p.m., Akron-Summit County Main Library, 60 S. High St., Downtown Akron. This program offered by Community Legal Aid will cover understanding and improving credit scores, driver’s license reinstatement, expungements and identity theft. For more information, call (330) 983-2513.

• Budgeting and Surviving Debt, tomorrow, Nov. 6, 10 a.m., Akron-Summit County Main Library, 60 S. High St., Downtown Akron, Room 2AB, and 7 p.m., Norton Branch Library, 3930 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road. This class offered by the Summit County Office of Consumer Affairs will help participants create a budget or find a budgeting style to follow. Savings tips and a free calculator will be provided. For more information, call (330) 643-2879; and

• “How Money Works,” tomorrow, Nov. 6, 7 p.m., Primerica Financial Services, 3040 W. Market St., Fairlawn. This seminar will discuss the following issues: Do you know how your life insurance policy works? Are you paying too much for your auto and home insurance? What are mutual funds? What happens when Social Security isn’t enough? Other topics also will be addressed. To register or for details, call (330) 858-1721.

Consumers also can find information on the events at co.summit.oh.us/conaffairs.htm under Your Money & Credit and  Community Outreach/Events, or by calling (330) 643-2879.

Benefit dinner will memorialize Norton woman

SPRINGFIELD — A benefit dinner and celebration of the life of Sierra Thomas will take place Nov. 7 from 2 to 7 p.m. at Home Missionary Baptist Church, 1922 Oakes Drive. Thomas, 22, of Norton, died after a skydiving accident Sept. 19.

The dinner will include spaghetti, salad, rolls and drinks, as well as baked items for sale, a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. The cost is $10, but dinner is free for children younger than 10.

Thomas was born in Canton and was a 2005 graduate of Highland High School. She was studying pharmacy at Brown-Mackie College and was a home health care provider. She is survived by her 2-year-old son, Kaiden; mother, Kim Gibbs, of Norton; father, Hershal Thomas, of Norton; sister Season Snider, of Akron; brothers Wayne Thomas, of Norton, Randy Thomas, of Florida, and Ryan Thomas, of Norton; and grandparents Vera and Don Ledford, of East Sparta, and Richard and Carol Berger, of Akron.

Memorial donations also may be made to the Sierra Thomas Trust Fund at any Key Bank location.

For more information, call Kim at (330) 780-0026.

Libraries closed Nov. 11 for staff training day

SUMMIT COUNTY — All Akron-Summit County Public Library locations will be closed Nov. 11 for Staff Development Day.

There will be no Bookmobile or library delivery services.

Fines will not be assessed, and no library items will be due that day. Customers will have access to the online catalog.

All locations will reopen Nov. 12 during regular business hours.

The library system has 18 locations in Summit County. For details, call (330) 643-9000 or visit www.akronlibrary.org.

Revere Relay For Life getting ready for 2010

RICHFIELD — Members of the Revere Local Schools community are invited to participate in the 2010 American Cancer Society’s Revere Relay For Life (formerly known as Bath-Richfield Relay For Life), which will take place June 18-19 from 6 p.m. to noon at the Revere High School stadium, according to event organizers.

Relay For Life is a team event during which participants walk on a track relay-style during an 18-hour period. When team members are not walking the track, they have the opportunity to take part in activities and contests. The goal of Relay For Life is to raise money to help support the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) efforts in its fight against cancer while at the same time educating the public about cancer as well as the many programs the ACS offers.

The Relay planning committee is recruiting members from the Revere community, and no prior experience is required. The next planning committee meeting is scheduled for Nov. 16 at 6:15 p.m. at the Richfield Recreation Center, 3333 Brecksville Road. All interested individuals can attend.

In addition, Musketeers Bar & Grill, 3027 Brecksville Road, will sponsor monthly Revere Relay For Life Nights from which they will donate a percentage of the evening’s profits to the ACS. The next one will take place Nov. 12 from 4 to 9 p.m.

For further information about the 2010 Revere Relay For Life, how to become a member of the event planning committee, how to form a team and/or how to become a sponsor of the event, call Karen at (330) 659-4750.

Hospice hosting celebration, awards dinner

COPLEY — Hospice of Visiting Nurse Service (VNS) will host a Celebration and Awards Dinner in honor of its 30th Anniversary and the 15th anniversary of the opening of the Justin T. Rogers Hospice Care Center.

The dinner will take place Nov. 18 at the Hilton Akron/Fairlawn, 3180 W. Market St. A patron champagne reception will start at 5:30 p.m. Seating begins at 6 p.m., with dinner at 6:30 p.m. and words of tribute and the awards presentation at 7:15 p.m.

A silent auction will run throughout the evening. Proceeds benefit end-of-life patient care and supportive services.

Hospice of VNS will honor heroes who choose to help terminally ill patients and their families through compassionate care, advocacy and philanthropic support. 

The following individuals and organizations that embody the spirit, quality and compassion of hospice and the value it holds for all will be honored, according to Hospice of VNS:

• Justin T. Rogers Spirit of Hospice Award: Summit County Executive Russell Pry and Drs. David Peter and Molly Kramer Scantling;

• Charles M. Billow Quality of Life in Hospice Award: Sisler McFawn Foundation and Westminster Presbyterian Church; and

• Charles and Margaret Schreiner Hospice Compassion Award: Copley-Fairlawn Middle School and Hospice Soup Ministry of Faith Lutheran Church.

Event tickets are $65, $95 and $900 for corporate tables.

For more information, go to www.vnsa.com/Newsroom/HospiceHero.aspx.

UWSC reports on fund-raising effort

SUMMIT COUNTY — The 2009 United Way/Red Cross campaign in Summit County has raised $4.42 million, or 39 percent, toward its goal of $11.3 million, according to United Way of Summit County (UWSC) officials.

Many of the major companies participating in the effort are starting their internal campaigns later this year than they have in the past, believing that the economy would improve and more employees would contribute, UWSC officials noted.

On an individual basis, UWSC research is finding that despite economic uncertainty, returning donors who are giving are increasing their gifts.

“Early returns are very encouraging, and we are so proud of the sacrificial giving by so many people this year — more than 46 percent of our first 6,100 donors have actually increased their contribution level from the prior year,” said UWSC President Bob Kulinski. “In addition, more than 1,700 new donors have pledged so far this year, and their gifts total $202,076.”

“Almost every one of our workplace campaign leaders have promised to work hard to do at least as well as last year, even though for many of them significant reductions in employment will make that challenging,” said William Lowery, 2009 United Way campaign chair.

For more information on how to make a donation, on programs and services in the community, or to volunteer, visit www.uwsummit.org, call (330) 762-7601 or stop by the UWSC offices at 90 N. Prospect St.