Northeastern Ohio Life

Goodyear Cuts Deal To Keep Local Jobs

Akron-- Several government agencies are working together to keep nearly three thousand jobs in Akron. Goodyear has cut a deal for public assistance with upgrades to its internal power systems. Officials with the tire maker say the current power plant is from the 1920s, and is in need of an $18-million upgrade to save on the costs of heating and lighting Goodyear's headquarters and factory in Akron. The public share of the project is expected to be announced tomorrow, along with Goodyear's announcement to keep its local jobs in Akron for the next three years.

Suburbs Brace For Illegal Gaming

Cleveland-- The rise of poker through televised tournaments is fueling the growth of illegal gambling in northeast Ohio. Cleveland's anti-gambling ordinance is considered one of the strictest, calling for Social Security numbers of all volunteers and setting a curfew for so-called Vegas Night events. It's forcing organizers to move to the suburbs, and police in those communities say they're ready to shut down gaming that is not for charitable purposes. Several cities have casino-night laws, and several others say they are writing similar ordinances. State law says all gambling proceeds must go to a charity. But in recent weeks state agents have raided a pair of poker tournaments where the winnings were allegedly not all helping non-profit groups.

Some Parts Of Area Remain Powerless

Millersburg -- Some areas of northeast Ohio remain without power today after last week's winter storm. In Holmes County, hundreds of people remain in shelters, while others brave the weather with a fireplace and a generator providing limited power. Ice and snow brought down trees and power lines across Ohio, and American Electric Power officials say crews are working long hours to have the lights on for everyone as soon as possible

Police Say Strip Club Shooting May Have Been Planned

Brunswick--The investigation into last week's shooting at a Medina County gentlemen's club continues, as police believe the crime may have been premeditated. Brunswick police say they're getting that impression from evidence seized from the home of William O'Neal. O'Neal allegedly shot Tina Harrell inside Christie's Cabaret in an apparent rage over a bad business deal. O'Neal was later shot by police. Harrell and O'Neal are still in the hospital recovering from gunshot wounds

Flap Over "Fahrenheit 9/11" Ended At Library

Elyria -- There will be no public screenings of the controversial film "Fahrenheit 9/11" at the Elyria Public Library. The showings have been postponed after a library customer went to court to stop the screening. James Pengov says since the library is taxpayer-funded, it should not engage in political activity. Library officials plan to show the Michael Moore documentary, but only after getting permission to air another movie that's critical of Moore's work.

Phantom School Bill Sent To Ohio State

Sheffield Lake -- Officials in the Sheffield-Sheffield Lake Schools say district finances have become so bad they want to tell state lawmakers who's to blame. They have sent a phantom bill to the state, for the amount of money they feel has been shorted them by Ohio's school funding formula. The bill is for $1.6 million. School officials say state laws setting a cap on the amount of property taxes they can collect is a critical flaw in the system. The Sheffield-Sheffield Lake schools are facing state receivership if voters say no to a levy try next month.

United Way Benefits From Republican Gaffe

Akron -- United Way of Summit County is reaping the rewards of publicity surrounding a recent political error the GOP party head called partisan politics. Summit County Republican Party chief Alex Arshinkoff called for a boycott of United Way after a scavenger hunt for the charity directed participants to John Kerry's campaign headquarters. The publicity resulted in a wave of cash and checks from sympathetic donors. At this point, the Summit County United Way is 38-percent of the way toward its funding goal, which is better than any other United Way office in this region.

Lorain Power Outage Affects Customers

Lorain- An equipment malfunction caused a four-hour power outage in Lorain and some nearby suburbs on Sunday. As many as 75-hundred FirstEnergy customers were affected. The malfunction is being blamed on wind bringing down a cross arm that propped up power lines. The outage caused some fire and burglar alarms to go off. Fire and police crews attended to those but reported few other problems.

Akron Punch Card Ballots Challenged

Akron - The Ohio Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union will be in an Akron Federal courtroom today. It's trying to stop the use of punch card ballots in the state, and hopes to have the system changed before the November elections. The ACLU argues the punch card system is unreliable, and causes errors in counting minority group votes. This will be the first trial of its type centering on punch card ballots. Similar lawsuits in other states were settled with agreements to change the system.

Lines Drawn in Akron Hotel Boycott

Akron The heated dispute between the Akron-Summit Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Greater Akron Lodging Council continues. Convention officials say they'll use their upcoming retreat to hash out problems with local hotel operators threatening to boycott bureau business September 1st.

Retired Dentist Trains to Swim English Channel

Canton - A 68-year-old dentist from Canton plans to swim the English Channel next month. Joe Van Horn retired two years ago and now trains for the event full time. If successful, Van Horn will be the oldest person ever to swim the channel. He's also run the Boston Marathon and will train in the frigid waters of San Francisco Bay this week to build up his endurance in cold water.

West Nile Viris Bird Found

Medina-- The Medina County Health Department has determined a dead crow found in Westfield township was infected with West Nile virus. As many as 15 birds have been found with the virus statewide, though no human cases have been reported in Ohio.

Cain Park Art Festival a Success

Cleveland Hts.- As many as 80 thousand people toured the exhibits at the Cain Park Art festival in Cleveland Heights this past weekend. Some 150 artists displayed their works, with more than 800 applying for spots. This was the 28th year for the Cain Park event.

May Day Festivities

Akron -- It's that time of the year again and Akron Police are gearing up for May Day, a celebration for University of Akron students. In years past, police dealt with destructive activities and outrageous student behavior. However, authorities say things have improved in recent years due to students cooperating with police. Officials say outsiders are usually to blame for most of the troubles

FirstEnergy Cited For Alleged Nuke Safety Violations

Akron-- The FirstEnergy Corporation has been cited by federal regulators for safety problems at the Perry Nuclear Plant. The government is also sending inspection teams to look into the plant's equipment problems and ability to staff emergencies. Three violations were issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for low to moderate safety significance. The NRC will hold a public meeting next Tuesday in Painesville to discuss that report.

Geauga Lake Ticket Price Lowered

Aurora -- Geauga Lake Park, formerly known as Six Flags, will open soon. The park was recently purchased by Cedar Fair, owners of Cedar Point in Sandusky Ohio. The good news is officials have slashed $5 from the the admission price. There are no more animal acts, but the park is making plans for a water ski show.

Akron and Kent State Tuition Increases Coming

Akron -- If you're planning to attend the University of Akron or Kent State, be prepared to dig a little deeper in your wallet. Officials say there is talk about increasing tuition for the fall semester. It is not clear exactly how much more students will have to pay. Cleveland State University has also mentioned that it will raise tuition for the summer and fall semesters

Avon To Get New Emergency Room

Avon-- The city of Avon will soon be the home of a free standing emergency room. The $4 million facility is expected to be built by EMH Regional Healthcare System. The building will be near the Detroit Road and the Route 83 intersection. The 16-thousand square foot emergency room will also include a trauma center.

Police Sell Drunk Driver's Car On eBay

Vermilion-- If you drink and drive in the city Vermilion Ohio, it could cost you more than a ticket and a night in jail. The Vermilion police department is selling a car taken from a repeat DUI offender on eBay. The bids are open on a 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible. The auction lasts through April 1st. The funds will benefit the police department.

Lorain Community and University Partnership To Hold Annual Fair

Elyria, -- Lorain Community College's University Partnership will soon hold its annual UP Fair on the college campus. Representatives from numerous colleges will be on hand to answer questions and provide information offered through the University Partnership. The partnership program allows a student to earn an associate degree and look to earning higher degrees from a university. The fair will be held April 1st.

Investor Has Plans To Update Euclid Square Mall

Euclid -- An investor says he's got plans to revitalize part of Euclid Square Mall. According to NewsChannel5, Ted Lichko, the owner of United Furniture, bought part of the mall property and plans to turn the space into an outlet gallery. Lichko also owns the space that used to be the mall's Kaufmann's store.

Amish Angry Over Reality TV Show

Geagua County -- Members of northeast Ohio's Amish community say a new reality TV series which puts Amish teenagers into modern urban settings is insulting to their culture. The UPN network has plans to film "Amish in the City," as it follows teenagers deciding whether they want to continue that lifestyle into adulthood. One Amish leader says the producers want to make his people look "naive and ignorant." Ohio's Ralph Regula was among 50 members of Congress who wrote UPN officials asking that the show be dropped.

Annual Buzzard Get-Together Yesterday

Hinkley -- If you like pancakes and buzzard sightings, then the Hinkley Reservation was the place to be Sunday. About two-thousand people turned out yesterday for the annual Return of the Buzzards celebration at Cleveland Metroparks' Hinkley Reservation. Officials say the sightings were few because of the cold temperatures. Buzzard lovers enjoyed all kinds of festivities while visiting the reservation. People start looking for the return of the buzzards on March 15th.

Phil's Inn Spaghetti Sauce To Remain Secret

Port Clinton -- The spaghetti sauce they serve at Phil's Inn in Port Clinton is a secret recipe, and an Ottawa County judge has ruled it will stay a secret. A lawsuit filed by the former owners of the restaurant against the current proprietor says their grandmother developed the recipe and they were entitled to share it. The judge ruled that when the restaurant was sold in 1970 the recipe came as part of the deal. The Gill family had a dispute with the Magi family which currently owns Phil's Inn over the way the sauce was advertised. The Gills had plans to share that recipe with friends, but the judge has decided that should not occur.

Looking for something specific?

Search below to find it on Cleveland Press.com