AKRON
Drug conviction upheld
AKRON: An appellate court this week upheld the conviction of a girl who was found guilty of involvement in providing drugs to a woman who died of an overdose.
Following her conviction on charges of complicity to involuntary manslaughter and trafficking in heroin, the girl was committed to the Ohio Department of Youth Services for a year or more.
On appeal, the girl’s attorneys argued the evidence wasn’t sufficient enough to merit a guilty verdict, according to a decision by the 9th District Court of Appeals.
The case began Jan. 13, 2015, when 33-year-old Brandy Amaro asked the juvenile, who was her cousin, for help finding heroin. The girl asked a friend, who knew someone who sold heroin. Amaro arranged to buy $40 in heroin through the chain of contacts, and her cousin helped arrange a ride to get the drugs.
Amaro later died of an overdose on the heroin she purchased.
Two others involved in the chain of contacts were also convicted. Brandon Bartoe, 20, of Barberton, was sentenced to four years in prison. Tydon Beaver, 20, of Akron, was sentenced to three years.
No injuries in basement fire
AKRON: Firefighters extinguished a basement fire Wednesday morning in a home at 188 Tudor Ave. in the city’s Ellet neighborhood.
Firefighters were called to the fire at 7:55 a.m. The fire was knocked down quickly, according to a news release. No additional information was available.
Polish Club dinner, dance
AKRON: The Polish American Citizens Club of Akron will host a swiss steak dinner and dance Saturday in honor of Tomasz “Tommy” Wyszynski, a longtime member of the club who died June 10.
The event is open to the public. Doors to the club, at 472 E. Glenwood Ave., will open at 4 p.m. with the dinner beginning at 4:30 p.m. and dancing from 7 to 9 p.m. The Moonlight Serenaders, a traditional jazz big band, will play.
Tickets are $15; children under 13 pay $7.50.
Tickets will be available at the door or the bar. For information, call 330-253-0496 or 330-603-1250.
CLEVELAND
Ex-officer indicted in rape
CLEVELAND: A former Montville Township police officer has been indicted on two counts each of rape, gross sexual imposition and kidnapping of a 7-year-old girl, according to court documents.
Beacon Journal news partner NewsNet5.com reported that Carl Kannenberg, 34, is accused of raping the girl Feb. 2 while at University Hospitals, according to the documents.
Another incident of rape occurred in his Medina home between Sept. 1, 2015, and Jan. 31, 2016, according to the documents.
Kannenberg was charged with rape, gross sexual imposition and kidnapping for each incident.
Cleveland police arrested him July 12. He was to be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, but the defense filed a motion for continuance.
GREEN
Park to hold 80-plus artists
GREEN: The city’s 12th art-A-palooza fine-arts show will take place Saturday at Boettler Park at 5300 Massillon Road.
Sponsored by the Green Arts Council of the city’s Parks and Recreation Division, the free gathering will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More than 80 local and regional artists are scheduled to participate along with several food and drink vendors.
Artists will be available throughout the show to answer visitors’ questions about their creations.
Paintings, fiber, glass, ceramics, jewelry, outdoor garden art and photography will be on display.
A children’s activity tent will also be available.
A raffle of more than 60 donated art pieces from the various exhibitors will be available in the Green Arts Council’s tent at $1 each, six for $5 or 15 for $10.
Proceeds will benefit the council’s scholarship fund.
TALLMADGE
Man arrested in shooting
TALLMADGE: A Tallmadge man was arrested on charges of attempted murder stemming from a May shooting in which he allegedly fired at two people with whom he was feuding.
Quashane Varner Jr., 21, of the 200 block of North Thomas Road, was arrested Monday during a traffic stop by Akron police. He was driving a stolen vehicle, Tallmadge Police Chief Ronald Williams said.
Varner is being held at the Summit County Jail while his case goes before a grand jury.
The shooting occurred May 22. One person was shot in the lower back and the other in a leg. Both have recovered from their wounds, Williams said.
WADSWORTH
Three charged in meth raid
WADSWORTH: Three Wadsworth residents were arrested Tuesday night on methamphetamine-related charges.
Dakota Lemmon, 20, Johnny Brooks, 21, and Jade Slusher, 18, were arrested by Medina County Drug Task Force agents. Lemmon and Brooks face third-degree-felony charges of drug trafficking. Slusher faces a third-degree-felony charge of drug possession and a fifth-degree-felony count of permitting drug abuse. All three were being held at Medina County Jail.
According to agents, the investigation began when police stopped Lemmon, who they reported was acting suspiciously. Police searched him and found several grams of meth and almost $3,000 in his possession.
After an interrogation, police searched a home in the 100 block of Mills Street. There they discovered Brooks and Slusher, both of whom had warrants for their arrests. Police reported finding several more grams of meth, syringes and other drug paraphernalia.
Street project grant OK’d
WADSWORTH: The City Council on Tuesday authorized the service director to apply for a $350,000 grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission to improve Broad Street.
Service Director Robert Patrick said the project is expected to cost $700,000 and is planned to improve Broad Street from North Lyman Street to the eastern boundary of the city in 2018.
The council also authorized the service director to enter into a contract to purchase a front-loader refuse truck for the sanitation department with an expected cost of $226,000.