AKRON
Man seriously injured by car
AKRON: A pedestrian suffered possibly life-threatening injuries after being struck by a car at 4:45 a.m. Wednesday on Triplett Boulevard in the city’s Ellet neighborhood, police said.
The victim apparently walked southbound across the road near the intersection of Lansing Street when he was struck by an eastbound car.
He was taken to Summa Akron City Hospital.
The driver of the vehicle is cooperating with the investigation, police said.
Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call police at 330-375-2490.
Mayor sets town hall talks
AKRON: Mayor Dan Horrigan will continue his 2017 town hall series with the next stop at Innes Community Learning Center (CLC) May 16. The meeting was originally scheduled for Thursday.
All of the town halls will run from 6 to 7:15 p.m. The upcoming schedule includes Forest Hill CLC, 850 Damon St., May 23, David Hill CLC, 1060 E. Archwood Ave., June 15; Schumacher CLC, 1020 Hartford Ave., June 27; Resnik CLC, 65 N. Meadowcroft Drive, July 25 and Seiberling CLC, 400 Brittian Road, Aug. 17.
Mother’s Day dinner
AKRON: The Polish American Citizens Club of Akron will host its annual Mother’s Day Dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday.
Swiss steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, dessert and coffee will be served.
Cost is $14; $7 for children ages 12 and under.
Call 330-253-0496 for reservations. The club is at 472 E. Glenwood Ave.
CANTON
Officers hurt in struggle
CANTON: Two Canton police officers were injured in a struggle with a suspect at a 10th Street home, Beacon Journal news partner News 5 Cleveland reports.
One of the officers suffered a minor head injury, while the other hurt his hand and leg.
The suspect, Roy Koury, 31, is facing charges of aggravated robbery, abduction, assault and obstructing official business. He was shot with a Taser during the arrest, which took place Monday night.
“When you respond to a domestic violence situation as an officer, it’s very dangerous,” Capt. Dave Davis told the television station. “There are so many unknowns that are possible during a situation like that. In this instance, it could have been very dangerous for the officers.”
COPLEY TOWNSHIP
Flower sale starts Thursday
COPLEY TWP.: The Copley-Fairlawn Kiwanis Flower Sale is from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Copley and Jacoby roads.
The sale will be held in a tent, which will be filled with a variety of plants, flowers and hanging baskets. Customers will be able to choose from a standard 10-inch hanging basket containing either one or more plant varieties. In addition, there will be 12-inch hanging baskets and more.
The Kiwanis Club will continue to offer various flowers in flats and in pots from 4 to 5 inches to two gallons. A supply of vegetable plants will also be available.
All major credit cards, personal checks as well as cash will be accepted. Also, there will be complimentary coffee and doughnuts available.
KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
Gift to fund retention program
KENT: KeyBank Foundation has granted $1 million to Kent State University to support programs to increase the recruitment, retention and graduation rates of underrepresented students.
The grant will support Kent State’s Dynamic Education and Engagement for Diverse Students (DEEDS) program which was launched in September.
“We are grateful to KeyBank Foundation for its partnership with us to ensure that all students succeed and reach the ultimate goal of college degree,” said Kent State President Beverly Warren. “The funding provided by KeyBank Foundation will open doors for diverse students and will elevate Kent State as a national leader in student success initiatives.”
RICHFIELD
Dogs find drugs in car
RICHFIELD: The Ohio State Highway Patrol says it seized 2,080 Oxycodone pills worth $68,000 during a traffic stop last week on the Ohio Turnpike.
Authorities, who announced the bust Wednesday, said they stopped an eastbound, rented 2017 Cadillac XTS with an Illinois registration for a lane violation at 3:18 p.m. May 2.
The pills were discovered concealed within the spare tire compartment thanks to a drug-sniffing canine, the patrol said.
Driver Shirnina M. Bates, 35, and passenger Zevon R. McCurdy, 38, both from Detroit, Mich., have been charged with possession and trafficking in a schedule II controlled substance, both first-degree felonies.
SUMMIT COUNTY
Teen sex lands man in prison
AKRON: Michael Herdman of Barberton was sentenced to prison Wednesday for 18 months after pleading guilty to videotaping sexual activity between himself and a 17-year-old girl and soliciting sexual activity from an undercover officer who he believed was a 15-year-old girl.
Summit County Common Pleas Judge Alison McCarty labeled Herdman a Tier I sex offender, which means he has to register his address annually for 15 years.
According to the court, Herdman met the 17-year-old victim on the social media website, Whisper.
During the course of their relationship the victim alleged that he provided her with drugs, and videotaped their sexual activity. Uncomfortable about the video, the girl questioned what Herdman was telling her about himself and found that Herdman, who had told her he was 27, was actually 42.
She contacted Barberton police who staged an online sting operation to see if Herdman would solicit an underage girl, which he did.
COLUMBUS
New state rep sworn in
COLUMBUS: Tavia Baxter Galonski, a Summit County Juvenile Court magistrate, was sworn in Wednesday to serve the 35th House district in Columbus. The oath was administered by retired federal bankruptcy court Judge Randolph Baxter, her uncle.
Galonski is filling the seat formerly held by Greta Johnson who resigned to become the deputy law director for Summit County.
Galonski received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Emory University in Atlanta. After attending the University of Nottingham in the U.K., she completed her Juris Doctorate at the University of Akron School of Law in 1995. Galonski worked as a judicial attorney in Summit County for several years before being appointed as a magistrate.