AkroNBurglary ringAKRON: Akron police believe they have stopped a suspected burglary ring in the North Hill area of the city that allegedly involved a city woman and three of her sons.Police officers were called to a burglary Sunday afternoon in the 800 block of Carpenter Street and after a neighborhood canvass they were able to locate the suspects in the 500 block of Blaine Street. Those arrested included: Rashonda F. Croom, 37, charged with receiving stolen property; her sons, Jalen D. Dukes, 16, charged with burglary and receiving stolen property; Nathan D. Clark, 21, charged with receiving stolen property; and Damon Bowman, 17, also charged with receiving stolen property. Also charged was Robert L. Lewis, 17, who authorities say is not related to Rashonda Croom. He is charged with receiving stolen property.A search of the family’s Blaine Street home uncovered a large amount of suspected stolen items.Akron detectives are now reviewing a number of daytime or early evening burglaries that have been reported recently in the North Hill area. The victims reported their homes were entered through a first-floor window, usually unlocked, and electronic game systems, jewelry, money, laptop computers, iPods and guns were stolen.Distribution issueAKRON: The Akron Beacon Journal is investigating the unauthorized delivery of campaign literature included with the Sunday newspapers delivered to about 260 homes in the Ellet area.The campaign piece for Akron Municipal Judge Tom McCarty was inserted in a separate sleeve into the bags with the newspaper.The insertion wasn’t authorized, and the Beacon Journal is looking into who was responsible, said Jim DeLuca, vice president of circulation for the newspaper.McCarty said Monday that he understood a campaign supporter planned to distribute the literature at a cancer walk. He said it was “not my understanding at all” that the fliers would be stuffed into newspaper bags.McCarty faces opposition in the Nov. 8 election from Joy Oldfield.The race is nonpartisan.BARBERTONWard 4 meetingBARBERTON: Ward 4 Councilman Craig Megyes will host a ward meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Active Adult Community Center of Lake Anna Y, 500 W. Hopocan Ave.Guests will include:• Barberton school board President Joe Stefan, who will discuss Issue 16, the district’s operating levy on the Nov. 8 ballot.• Ward 3 Councilman John Wagner, the executive secretary-treasurer of the Tri-County Council AFL-CIO, who will discuss state Issue 2.• William Judge, the Democratic candidate for mayor.• Larry Lallo, executive director of the Barberton Community Foundation.Anyone needing a ride to the meeting or who has questions should call Megyes at 330-745-4577 or 330-753-4958.CAMPAIGN TRAILFunny fundraiserCUYAHOGA FALLS: The Mary Nichols-Rhodes for Cuyahoga Falls School Board Committee is holding a “Comedy Night Fundraiser” on Thursday at the Funny Stop Comedy Club, 1757 State Road.Doors open at 7:30 p.m., with the show beginning at 8:30.Tickets are $10 and can be ordered at info@nichols-
rhodesforschoolboard.org or by calling 330-928-5347.Cuyahoga fallsTaxing issueCUYAHOGA FALLS: The City Council will vote next week over whether to contract with the city of Cleveland to help collect its income tax.If approved, the Falls will become a “special member” of the Cleveland-owned Central Collection Agency (CCA).CCA will link local tax records to federal records to find those who are either not filing locally or under-reporting income. The agency will keep 5 percent of whatever it collects from Falls taxpayers.The federal records are only available to cities with populations over 250,000. Finance Director Joe Brodzinski said the Falls receives only lists of residents who file state taxes.stark countyFatal crashCANTON TWP.: An Alliance man died Sunday night when the pickup truck he was driving went off the right side of state Route 800 in Canton Township and struck a tree.Karl A. Atherton, 46, sustained serious injuries in the wreck about 10:33 p.m. He was transported to Mercy Medical Center in Canton, where he later was pronounced dead.According to a news release from the State Highway Patrol, Atherton initially was a passenger in a vehicle New Philadelphia police had stopped for a traffic violation. He exited the vehicle and fled on foot.It was learned that Atherton had felony warrants for a sex-offender registration violation, the patrol said.Atherton had a 1989 Nissan pickup parked several blocks from the initial stop and continued fleeing police in it. The pursuit continued north on Route 800, approaching the Stark County line, the patrol said.Troopers from the Canton post used a tire-deflation device near 49th Street to puncture the pickup’s right front tire. Atherton continued for about 1,000 feet before leaving the roadway, the patrol said.It is unknown if alcohol contributed to the crash, which remains under investigation.Finalists namedJACKSON TWP.: Stark State College on Monday announced four finalists for its presidency.A presidential screening committee of board members, faculty and staff selected these candidates: Quintin Bullock, president of Schenectady County Community College in New York; Laura Coleman, president of Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba, Mich.; Dorey Diab, provost and chief academic officer of Stark State; and Para Jones, president of Spartanburg Community College in South Carolina and former vice president for advancement, planning and college relations at Stark State.Former Stark State President John O’Donnell resigned in July to take the top post at MassBay Community College in Wellesley Hills, Mass.Stark State is a tax-supported college that primarily provides programs leading to certificates and associate degrees.WADSWORTHFree tech classesWADSWORTH: Wadsworth Public Library and the Salvation Army of Wadsworth are offering four free technology workshops — Bridging the Digital Divide — to introduce patrons to the wide assortment of devices available from the library’s new technology collection.Purchase of the devices, which include iPods, iPads, portable DVD players, Kindles, Nooks and digital cameras, was made possible through a federal grant.Sessions run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and will include:• Monday, Nook eReader and Apple iPad.• Oct. 27, MP3 players, digital cameras, Flip video cameras and portable DVD players.• Nov. 3, Kindle eReaders, digital voice recorders and iPod Touch.• Nov. 7, ELMO and LED projectors, GPS units, language translators and digital photo frames.Library staff will teach the classes at the Salvation Army, 527 College St.To register, call 330-335-2327.WOOSTERRemains identifiedWOOSTER: Human remains found Saturday afternoon appear to be those of a Wooster mother who has been missing for more than a year, Wooster police said.Police recovered photo identification of Susan Annette Ryan and a small caliber handgun with the remains, which were found about 4:30 p.m. Saturday in dense brush just south of the Wooster fairgrounds, off Kemrow Street. Ryan has been missing since June of last year. The Wayne County coroner collected the remains. Positive identification through dental records is pending.The police said in a news release that foul play isn’t suspected, though an official cause of death hadn’t yet been determined.“We ask that you keep the family in your thoughts during this difficult time,” the statement said.Ryan’s family members never gave up hope of finding her, holding a vigil, picnic and balloon release in June to mark the first anniversary of her disappearance. Helen Ryan Zimmel of Erie, Pa., Ryan’s daughter, said at the time that she hoped to re-introduce Ryan’s story and call attention to other missing Ohio residents.Susan Ryan moved from Elyria to Wooster about four months before her disappearance.