Portage County authorities are continuing investigate a robbery that took place Thursday afternoon.

Portage County Sheriff David Doak tells AkronNewsNow.com they got the call around 3:45 p.m.

"We responded to the First Merit Bank on East Main Street just outside of Kent for reports of a robbery," Doak explained.

Doak says there was a single suspect alleged to have committed the robbery. He handed the teller a note demanding money and took off eastbound from the bank on foot.The man left with an undisclosed amount of money.

The suspect is described as a white male, about 5 feet,10 inches tall with a thin build. He was wearing dark clothing and a scarf around his face during the time of the alleged incident. Sheriff Doak also said the suspect was wearing Aviator-type sunglasses and a dark hat.

Authorities are still looking for the suspect in this case. Anyone with information on the robbery can call the Portage County Sheriff's Office.

Three Kent residents were arrested as part of a drug raid Thursday night.

The Portage County Drug Task Force arrested 28-year old Trisha Towns. 30-year old Curtis Whitmire, and 34-year old Adam Thompson in connection with operating a meth lab inside a  Kent home.

The Beacon Journal reports Portage County Sheriff David Doak and the Drug Task Force received numerous tips that the trio was allegedly cooking meth inside the house over on Munroe Falls- Kent Road.

Officers found a gun, chemicals used to manufacture meth, glassware, methamphetamines, and other components commonly used in the making of the dangerous drug.

Kent firefighters were also called to the scene to assist in the disposal of the chemicals found inside.

On the Web: www.ohio.com

Police are searching for a suspect after a teenager was shot in Kent early Wednesday morning.

Kent police said it happened shortly after midnight in the 700 block of Silver Meadows Boulevard.

Authorities said the 17-year-old boy was found with multiple gunshot wounds. Captain Jayme Cole of the Kent PD tells AkronNewsNow.com that the boy's injuries are not considered to be life-threatening.

He also says authorities are working on figuring out a possible motive for the attack.

Police said the suspect fled the scene and was armed with a handgun. Only a vague description of the suspect has been released.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kent Police Department. at 330-673-7732.

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Looking for some bright colors in the sky to light up your Independence Day?

Here's a list of communities offering fireworks and entertainment:

Akron - July 4, Lock 3 at 9:45 p.m.

Canton - July 4, Memorial Park at dusk

Kent - CANCELED due to dry conditions

North Canton - July 4, Memorial Stadium parking lot on 7^th St at dusk.

Wadsworth - July 3, Memorial Park at dusk (Rain date July 5) 

A company closing in Kent will mean 84 lost jobs.

NewsChannel 5 reports H&M Rubber Company is closing, according to a notice filed online Friday with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

The notice stated workers will be laid off in two phases. 49 workers are expected to lose their jobs in late July. The rest of the workforce will say goodbye in late January of 2013.

H&M is located on Mogadore Rd. in Kent.

The reason for the closure is so H&M Rubber can transfer to its parent company King Systems in Noblesville, Indiana.

King Systems manufactures and distributes airway management, anesthesia and respiratory medical devices, equipment, products and supplies.

 On t On the Web www.newsnet5.com

Call it "College Bust".

Last Saturday, some 3,000 partygoers crowded College Street in Kent, and thrown bottles and punches resulted in over 30 arrests.

What a difference one week makes.

This week's "College Fest" event featured more police than partygoers.  The Record Courier reports that police walking around in riot gear kept away non-residents and put up a parking ban on College Street...a definite buzz-kill for would be partiers.

"College Fest" is an impromptu event not connected with Kent State University or any official student organizations.

Dozens have been arrested in past years when "College Fest" got out of hand.

With basically no partying on Saturday, there are no reports of any arrests on College Street.

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On the Web: Kent-Ravenna Record Courier, www.recordpub.com

College Fest got out of hand again this year in Kent, forcing police to break up the impromptu event which drew a crowd of more than 3,000 people.

After a number of large fights broke out on East College Avenue, and many beer bottles were thrown, the Record Courier reports that police dispersed the crowd using smoke bombs, flash bang grenades and pepper gas.

The situation was under control by about 9 PM Saturday night, with Kent police getting help from many other law enforcement agencies.  Student media site KentWired.com reports that at just before 9 PM, police in riot gear told those remaining on College Avenue to "take it inside or leave."

Students tell the Record Courier that one reason that College Fest may have been smaller this year was unseasonable weather, with chilly temperatures and rain.

There's no word yet on the number of arrests at College Fest this year.  In 2009, 65 were arrested.

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On the Web: Record Courier, www.recordpub.com

KentWired (Kent State University student-run news site), www.kentwired.com

A car crash in Kent sent three people to the hospital Thursday afternoon.

Police say the vehicle overturned after the driver lost control of the car on River Bend Boulevard near Rustic Bridge Drive shortly after 2:30 p.m.

The driver and two passengers were taken to Akron area hospitals for treatment.

News Channel 5 reports the three victims were students at Kent Roosevelt High School.

On the Web: www.newsnet5.com

The city of Kent has suspended their free rock salt program because some residents were taking advantage of the offer.

Kent City Manager Dave Ruller posted the announcement in his blog on Sunday.

The city found some private contractors were loading up their trucks rather than filling an empty bucket.

The free salt offer has been suspended until the city can find a better way to monitor the program.

On the Web: www.kent360.com 

It's an even swap that will benefit both Kent State University and the city of Kent.

Kent State trustees voted unanimously Thursday to send about a half-acre land on South Depeyster Street to the city, in even exchange for just over a half acre of land from the city near Erie Street.

"The properties were exchanged at face value," KSU spokesperson Emily Vincent tells AkronNewsNow.com, "at no additional cost to the university and the city."

Vincent says the university will use the land it gets from the city to expand the Esplanade into downtown.

The city needs the Depeyster Street land for the city's downtown development, which Fairmount Properties is getting underway.

Kent City Council is expected to put its final stamp of approval on the project next week.