AKRON
Police seize cocaine
AKRON: Akron police narcotics officers say they seized more than 7 pounds of cocaine and more than $50,000 while closing two drug cases.
The first case involved searches this month at houses on Shadybrook Avenue and Jefferson Avenue, where police say narcotics detectives recovered about 3 pounds of cocaine, $8,000 and a loaded handgun.
Damond Dixson, 35, of Merton Avenue, was arrested on weapons and drug-trafficking charges.
On Wednesday night, police monitored a drug deal outside a Medina Road shopping center in Bath Township involving the purchase of 4 pounds of cocaine. Police say one suspect led them on a car chase that ended when the driver crashed into trees and broke his leg.
He was being treated at an Akron hospital.
Arrested on cocaine-trafficking charges were Cleveland residents Wilson Dominquez, 30; Jose Rosado, 22; Giovanni Santana, 28; and Ramon Alvarado, 28.

County office looted
AKRON: Burglars broke into the Summit County Engineer’s Office on East South Street late Tuesday or early Wednesday and stole four laptop computers, cell phones, digital cameras, a portable heater and cash, authorities said.
It was clear the thieves were looking for portable electronics, said Heidi Swindell, a spokeswoman for Engineer Al Brubaker. The office wasn’t ransacked or vandalized.
None of the items taken contained personal or confidential information, she said.
“We’re grateful that nobody was there and nobody was hurt,” she said. “We’re also grateful that they bypassed a lot of expensive survey equipment.”
The thieves cut through a fence to gain access to the property, then broke into the office through the only door without a security camera monitoring activity.
“We’re looking into some different security measures,” Swindell said.
Officials estimated that $300 was taken from the workers’ coffee fund.

Meeting in Ward 8
AKRON: Phil Montgomery, the Ward 8 councilman, will have a ward meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Northwest Community Center, 1730 Shatto Ave.
John Eaton from the city’s Customer Services Bureau, will discuss services available to residents and will answer questions.

CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Benefit for Martucci
AKRON: A spaghetti dinner will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday to benefit the campaign of Frank Martucci Jr., a candidate for Summit County sheriff.
The event will be at Todaro’s Party Center, 1820 Akron-Peninsula Road.
Tickets at the door or in advance are $25.
For more information, call 330-858-9348.
CUYAHOGA FALLS

Water bill amended
CUYAHOGA FALLS: Drink it, wash or cook with it, or flush it, and the city will continue to pay for it.
Just don’t water the lawn.
An amendment to the free water accounts will keep water free for public and private schools and the library – although the library has not taken advantage of the program.
The only difference is the free water can’t be used for landscaping.
City taxpayers have paid the water bill for city building, public and private schools for decades.
Now that the belt has been tightened on the budget, Falls officials are looking for places to cut.
Council at-large Kathy Hummel suggested this year that the council look at free water accounts for ways to save money.
Some council members considered eliminating free water accounts, but decided against it because all of the accounts are paid with tax dollars, whether by the city not charging or the nonprofit sending a check to the utility department.
A suggestion to eliminate free water for private schools was considered and quickly dropped, since the majority parents whose children go to those schools pay taxes in the Falls.

FAIRLAWN
Assault alleged
FAIRLAWN: A 71-year-old Fairlawn man, accused of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl, was scheduled to have his case heard by a Summit County grand jury this week.
Joseph Lemire of Dowling Road is charged with one count of gross sexual imposition.
He is accused of fondling the girl in April of 2008.

NORTHEAST OHIO
Gun charges filed
AKRON: Five Akron felons are among a dozen suspects accused of federal weapons violations.
The arrests were announced this week by Steven Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. The charges are based on investigations by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm are: Damond Dixson, 35; Deriel A. Mixon, 31; Charles D. Taylor, 36; D’Andre Thomas, 25; and Michael A. Welch, 25.
Also charged are Youngstown residents Michael C. Rodriguez, 21; William A. Keyes, 32; and Stacey D. Mahone.
Others charged include William Marshall Fenshaw, 40, of Middlefield; Anthony Jackson, 41, and Ellis Cobb, 33, both of Cleveland; and Richard H. Wortman, 35, of Madison.

Schools honored
Three Akron-area schools were honored Thursday as national Blue Ribbon Schools.
They were among 305 schools nationwide to receive the designation from the U.S. Department of Education based on overall academic excellence or for success in closing achievement gaps.
The local schools honored are Lake Elementary in Hartville, St. Barnabas in Northfield and St. Francis Xavier in Medina.
The 256 public and 49 private Blue Ribbon Schools nationwide will be recognized in November in Washington, D.C.

WADSWORTH
FAA grant accepted
WADSWORTH: The City Council has accepted a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The $29,094 grant is a 95 percent reimbursement of the cost for land the city purchased for the city’s municipal airport.