AKRON

Drug raid
AKRON: Akron police seized cocaine and cash after raiding a house Wednesday morning.
Police say they had received several citizen complaints and conducted a monthlong investigation into drug trafficking taking place at a home in the 800 block of Avon Street. During a search of the residence at 7 a.m., police say they confiscated more than 80 grams of powdered cocaine, 40 grams of crack cocaine and more than $3,000 in cash.
Resident Letroy Graham, 28, was charged with trafficking in crack cocaine, trafficking in cocaine and drug abuse. April Stoyer, 20, also of the residence, was charged with drug abuse. Both were being held in the Summit County Jail.

Son charged
AKRON: A Barberton man accused of firing shots at his father was arrested Wednesday night.
Michael S. Spears Jr., 19, is charged with felonious assault, domestic violence and discharging a firearm within the city limits.
He was arrested about 11 p.m. near the intersection of West Thornton Street and South Rhodes Avenue by Akron police and members of the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force.
Spears was taken into custody without incident and was being held in the Summit County Jail.
According to police, Spears was involved in a dispute with his father Monday in the 200 block of Nicholas Court. At some point, Spears pulled out a gun and fired several shots, police said. Spears’ father then chased him, and the son fired more shots, police said. The father was not injured.

Postal talk
AKRON: No definitive action came out of a meeting earlier this week, but Akron leaders say postal officials were at least open to listening to other alternatives to closing Akron’s mail processing center.
“There was a receptive and open exchange,” said Akron Councilman Jeff Fusco.
Fusco, Mayor Don Plusquellic, Council President Marco Sommerville and Economic Development Director Bob Bowman met with U.S. Postal Service officials Tuesday to discuss other potential cost-savings measures. Fusco said they “will be talking to them further.”
The postal service may close 250 processing centers by next spring, laying off nearly 30,000 workers as part of a plan to make $3 billion in reductions and spare the struggling federal agency from bankruptcy. The plan technically must await an advisory opinion from the independent Postal Regulatory Commission, slated for next March.
The postal centers in Akron and Canton would be among the centers that would close. The two centers together employ about 600 full-time workers.

Farmer’s market
AKRON: The 5th Annual Winter Farmers Market will be held this weekend in the basement of the old O’Neil’s Department Store, beside Lock 3 in downtown Akron.
Fifteen growers and 14 craft-food makers will join the nine other merchants who are selling hand-made items in the holiday market this holiday season.
The market will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, visit www.lock3live.com or call 330-375-2877.

COPLEY TOWNSHIP
Heritage Day set
COPLEY TWP.: Daryl Warner, chairman of the township’s Heritage Day Committee, is already looking past winter to August.
Township trustees Wednesday approved his recommendation to mark Aug. 4 as Copley Heritage Day, canceled last year by the economic downturn.
Tentative plans are for an event from 1 to 8 p.m. with vendors, food and crafts on Copley Circle. There will be a parade, and a car show will be held at the Copley Methodist Church.
To offset the costs, in the meantime, “we will be doing some fundraising,” Warner said.

Praise for athletes
COPLEY TWP.: Township trustees on Wednesday honored the 21-member Copley High School boys soccer team for reaching the state final four and “making it a memorable season for all.”
The team ended the season with a 15-3-4 record.
In presenting the resolution, board President Dale Panovich said a perk of her position is “being able to honor and recognize talent in our community.”
Other resolutions honored two Copley High seniors: Sasha Haverchak, for landing a spot on the All American High School Girls Soccer team, one of only four players from Ohio; and Nick Pupino, a cross country runner who finished fourth at the Division I boys state meet.
In other business, a 6 p.m. Dec. 21 board of trustees meeting has been canceled and rescheduled for the same time Dec. 28. The township administration building will be closed Dec. 26 and Jan. 2 for the holidays.

PLAIN SCHOOLS
Students get turn
PLAIN TWP.: The Plain Local Board of Education held its regular meeting Wednesday afternoon at GlenOak High School in order for students to ask questions and learn about the inner workings of the board.
Their questions, however, were routed through teachers and presented by Superintendent Brent May. Questions included information about snow days, class schedules, parking passes, exam exemptions and the daily work of board members.
The board also accepted donations from area organizations that totaled $276,044.88 for a variety of programs and equipment, including more than $100,000 from district Parent Teacher Organizations to support field trips and classroom instruction, and $87,200 from the Golden Eagle Athletic Association for the installation of turf and new bleachers at GlenOak Stadium and installation of a hall of fame recognition wall.
The board set its organizational meeting for 7:30 a.m. Jan. 11 with board President Nick Campanelli as president pro tem.

PLAIN TOWNSHIP
Restaurant OK’d
PLAIN TWP.: Plain soon will have a new Taco Bell restaurant.
The township’s Board of Zoning Appeals approved a setback variance that will allow a new commercial building on property at 3600 Regent Ave. NE, where previous restaurants Denny’s and Big Boy were located.
Adam Macke of GPD Group told the board the existing restaurant building will be torn down. The new Taco Bell will include a drive-through and is expected to open by late summer.

PORTAGE COUNTY
Filings in 76th
PORTAGE COUNTY: Five candidates filed petitions this week to run for the new Ohio House 76th District, which includes the northern part of Portage County.
The candidates are: Matt Lynch, Republican; Mary E. O’Toole, Republican; Kristina Port, Republican; Mark E. Porter, Republican and Tom Warren, Democrat.
The filing deadline for the March 6 primary was Wednesday.

STATE NEWS

Record haul
COLUMBUS: State Highway Patrol troopers Wednesday seized more than $3 million worth of heroin, a record amount for the agency.
The 17 pounds of drugs were uncovered inside a vehicle during a traffic stop on the Ohio Turnpike in Wood County in the western part of the state.
Marco Rene Criollo, 46, of Woodhaven, N.Y., was being held in the Lucas County Jail. He is facing federal drug charges, troopers said.
Criollo was driving a 2011 Dodge Caliber when he was stopped for following too close to another vehicle. During the traffic stop, troopers said “criminal indicators were observed” and Criollo allowed troopers to search the vehicle.
The heroin was wrapped and concealed in an inner wall of a refrigerated cooler.
Troopers say their previous record seizure for heroin came in November 2004, when 12 pounds were seized.

STOW
Stow schools hire
STOW: Kristy M. Stoicoiu has been hired as the new assistant treasurer for Stow-Munroe Falls Schools. She has served as substitute personnel in the treasurer’s office since May and is a former assistant treasurer from the Green District.
Stoicoiu is licensed as a school treasurer with the State of Ohio, and will receive $62,000 per year under the three-year contract signed this week.
In other board action, Christina Gary, an attorney, was appointed as a Stow Library Trustee for a seven-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2012.