3/4/2010 - South Side Leader
     

Pry to address state of county

DOWNTOWN AKRON — Summit County Executive Russ Pry will present his State of the County address March 16 at the John S. Knight Convention Center, 77 E. Mill St., at an event hosted by the Akron Press Club.

A buffet luncheon will begin at 11:45 a.m.

Reservations are being accepted. The cost is $15 for members and $20 for others.

Parking will be available in the Convention Center deck for a $3 cost.

Reservations are due by March 12. For details, call (330) 564-4211, send an e-mail to RSVP@CMOResearch.com or visit www.AkronPressClub.org/EVENTS.

Soap Box Derby installs new board members, expands honorary board

AKRON — The International Soap Box Derby Inc. installed six new members to its Board of Directors Feb. 26 and expanded a realigned honorary board, which will be in charge of maintaining the Derby’s legacy and traditions.

New board members are Steven Marks, co-president and chief executive officer of Main Street Gourmet; Richard Merolla, director of public service for the city of Akron; Richard Grigg, executive vice president at FirstEnergy Corp.; Roger Rydell, vice president of global business communications at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.; Leonard Foster, director of human resources for Summit County; and William Ginter, principal of the Akron Legacy Group.

These six join current board members William Evans, attorney and president of PolyTech Associates Inc.; Paul Jackson, attorney at Roetzel & Andress; Robert Cohen, chief executive of the Centrus Group; Michelle Tomer, a private practice attorney; Cinda Jenney, retired executive assistant at the Northeast Ohio Universities College of Medicine and Pharmacy; Robert Troyer, a consultant; James Honsberger, a certified public accountant; and Todd Gullium, a financial adviser at Wells Fargo.

Evans remains president of the board; Ginter was named vice president; Cinda Jenney is the board’s secretary; and Honsberger was named treasurer.

Former board members Mark Damon, Jack Engelke, Roy Hartz, Rebecca Heimbaugh, Frank Horn, Alan Howe, Doug Jenney and George Rodenbaugh — who together represent more than a century of service to the Derby — agreed to continue to serve the Derby as honorary board members in nonvoting positions.

“As members of our expanded honorary board, they remain a vital and vibrant part of the Derby family,” Evans said. “I’m sure we will often draw on their years of experience and expertise.”

Evans said the Derby’s new board is dedicated to carrying out plans to establish long-term sustainability for the youth racing league and exploring new avenues for stability and growth.

Public comment sought on wildlife issues

GREATER AKRON — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife is inviting the public to annual open houses in five communities, including the Akron area, March 6 from noon until 3 p.m.

The Akron area meeting will take place at the Northeast Ohio Wildlife District Three Office, located at 912 Portage Lakes Drive in Coventry.

“At each open house location, fish and wildlife biologists, along with law enforcement officers, will be on hand to answer questions,” said David Graham, chief of the Division of Wildlife.

This year’s topics include fishery management changes for walleye, saugeye and sauger in some of Ohio’s inland waterways. Changes to rules concerning the taking, possession and propagation of native Ohio amphibians and reptiles also will be considered.

Season dates and bag limits of game species will be available, including white-tailed deer. 

Participants also will have the opportunity to comment on the draft version of the Division of Wildlife’s Strategic Plan.   

The Ohio Wildlife Council will vote on the proposed rules during its April 7 meeting.

For details, visit www.wildohio.com or call (800) 945-3543.    

— By Maria Lindsay

Green extends natural gas aggregation program

GREEN — City of Green officials announced the natural gas aggregation program will continue for two more years with Vectren Source as the city’s selected supplier.  Residents and businesses currently participating in the program will remain in the program unless they respond to the opt-out letter to be mailed out March 15.

“We’ve sought feedback on the program and made some changes this time around that we hope you find beneficial,” said Mayor Dick Norton. “Our goal is to give our residents more options and more control over when they might like to set their specific gas rate.”

Norton urged residents to read the material carefully before making decisions.

Greg Collins, president of Vectren Source, stated newly eligible accounts will receive an opt-out letter from Vectren Source and will be added to the program unless they contact Vectren Source and ask not to be included.

Residents and small-business owners who are served by another supplier may seek enrollment in the city’s aggregation program by calling Vectren Source at (866) 200-5419. Those accounts served by other suppliers are encouraged to review the terms and conditions of their current supplier agreement before enrolling, according to city officials. New customers to the program must be in good standing and cannot be part of the utility’s Percentage of Income Payment Program. 

For additional information about Vectren Source, visit www.vectrensource.com.

    — By Maria Lindsay

National Consumer Protection Week coming next week

DOWNTOWN AKRON — The 12th Annual National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) will run March 7-13.

This coordinated consumer education campaign encourages individuals across the county to take full advantage of their consumer rights. This year’s theme — “Dollars & Sense: Rated ‘A’ for All Ages” — highlights the importance of using good consumer sense at every stage of life, from grade school to retirement.

In recognition of NCPW 2010, the Summit County Office of Consumer Affairs and its partners are promoting free resources to help people protect their privacy, manage money and debt, avoid identity theft, understand credit and mortgages and avoid frauds and scams.

Summit County Executive Russell Pry and Summit County Council President Jon Poda (D-at large), of Green, will host a kickoff celebration of NCPW March 8 at 10 a.m. in Summit County Council Chambers at 175 S. Main St. on the seventh floor.

Participants this year will include the Summit County Executive’s Office, Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Office of Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, Better Business Bureau of Akron, Federal Trade Commission, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Consumer Credit Counseling Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Summit County Prosecutor’s Office and U.S. Postal Service, among others.

Presentations are scheduled for all ages. For questions regarding an event, contact the Office of Consumer Affairs at (330) 643-2879 or visit www.co.summit.oh.us/conaffairs.htm.

• Committee holds off on Copley subdivision request
• Kelly Miller Circus returning to Richfield
• Copley trustees hire architects to assess police facility
• Granger trustees working on resolving zoning issue
• Bath, Copley, Richfield hosting community festivals
• Weighty issues force special meeting
• APS district cuts administrative jobs
• Revere board OKs levy for November
• Falls Council reduces police management staffing
• West Side News & Notes
• Peninsula Council approves items for November ballot
• ACF celebrates grants, new officers at annual meeting
• New Franklin takes steps to create park
• Officials mark start of Green Akron General site
• Green Council resumes work with full agenda
• Springfield woman a friend to the feathered
• South Side News & Notes
• County Council supports bog preservation projects - SSNL