AKRON
Meeting on campus assault
AKRON: The Akron Roundtable Luncheon speakers on Thursday will talk about the epidemic of sexual assaults on college campuses.
The guest speakers are Beverly Guy-Sheftall and Anna Julia Cooper, professors at Spelman College in Women’s Studies, and Sofie Karasek, the education director of the D.C.-based nonprofit End Rape on Campus, which she co-founded.
The luncheon will be held at the Quaker Station, 135 S. Broadway St., noon to 1:15 p.m. Tickets are $20, which includes lunch. To make a reservation go to: https//www.akronroundtable.com or call 330-247-8682.
Free prom dresses
AKRON: Every girl deserves to feel like a princess at least one night in her life.
That’s why Altrusa International of Akron is hosting its 16th Princess Night Project to give free prom dresses to girls from area high schools from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Family of Faith United Methodist Church, 800 E. Market St.
Any girl from a local high school can attend to pick out a dress from nearly 1,000 selections sorted by size. Altrusa, a volunteer service organization, will only ask for the name of the school and how the girl heard about the event.
Assistants are available to act as “personal shoppers” and help girls pick out their dresses, while seamstresses will be there to make minor alterations.
Girls can also pick out shoes and accessories. To top it all off, Altrusa will give out complimentary makeup and fragrance samples.
Altrusa is accepting donations of new or gently used prom gowns, shoes, jewelry, purses and wraps. Donations can be brought to the Family of Faith United Methodist Church from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.
To donate at any other time, call Linda Rittenour at 330-733-1353 or Alice Luse at 330-869-5161.
Ward, block meeting
AKRON: Councilman Russ Neal will host a Ward 4 meeting Tuesday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Zwisler Hall on the St. Sebastian campus, 476 Mull Ave. This month’s meeting will feature an update from officials overseeing the $1.1 billion Akron Waterways Renewed Project.
For more information, contact 330-212-3034.
The ward meeting will be preceded by a Block Club captain meeting for all Block Club captains and people interested in starting a Block Club from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.
RAVENNA
Triple-murder trial scheduled
RAVENNA: A relocated trial has been scheduled next month for an Ohio man accused of setting a fire that killed a 10-year-old and her grandparents on the day he was set to be tried on charges alleging he sexually assaulted the girl.
A Mahoning County judge moved the potential death penalty case from Youngstown to Portage County, where jury selection is set for mid-April.
A mistrial was declared in September for Robert Seman Jr.’s initial murder and arson trial. Potential jurors were questioned for a second try, but Seman’s attorney argued pretrial publicity made it difficult to find impartial local jurors.
Prosecutors allege Seman set the fire in Youngstown in March 2015 hours before his scheduled rape trial while free on bond. He pleaded not guilty.
WAYNE COUNTY
Fire department grants
The Ohio State Fire Marshal is handing out $3 million in Multi-Agency Radio Communications Systems grants to 165 fire departments throughout Ohio, including many in Wayne County.
The program helps offset the cost of radio equipment, as well as user fees associated with using the system.
The following Wooster-area departments will receive funding: Apple Creek East Union Township ($4,560), Canaan Township ($4,320), Paint Township ($4,320), Orrville ($4,560), Central Fire District ($6,960), Clinton Township ($4,320), New Pittsburg ($4,560), Wooster Township ($7,200), Chippewa Township ($13,920), Kidron ($240), Town & Country Fire District ($8,400) and East Wayne Fire District ($12,000).