Three Ohio cities made the cut to earn a spot on a top communities list for 2011.

The city of Hudson joins the America's Promise Alliance's list of 100 Best Communities for Young People. More than 300 communities joined the 2011 list.

The annual competition recognizes cities across the country that make extra efforts to provide student services and reduce high school dropout rates.

"It takes a community to raise a child and we certainly understand that, as many other communities understand that," Bill Currin said, Hudson mayor. "When you support your young people, you support the future of not only your community, their future, their families, but also this great country of ours."

This year, a $2,500 grant will be rewarded to each city honored with a spot on the list. Winners may spend the grant money to help fund programs in town or to pay for a celebration of receiving the award.

 Ohio Cities on the List:

• Hudson
• Cincinnati
• Norwood

The group accepts nominations annually for recognition.

On the Web: America's Promise Alliance

The president and CEO of the AAA Akron Auto Club will represent Summit County members on a national level.

Brian Thomas, president and CEO of Akron auto club, has been appointed to serve on the national AAA board of directors.

“AAA Akron has long benefitted from the leadership and foresight of Brian Thomas as we have addressed both our annual operating plan and our strategic direction," Richard C. Fedorovich said, chairman of the AAA Akron Auto Club.

"We are very pleased that Brian will have the opportunity to bring that same skill set to the AAA national board, and are very confident that he will provide a strong positive contribution."

Press Release:

Local AAA executive appointed to national AAA board
 

Akron, OH -- Brian Thomas, president and CEO of the AAA Akron Auto Club, has been appointed to the national AAA board of directors.

AAA Akron is an independent, locally-controlled affiliate of the national AAA association, and that federation’s policies and practices are governed by the national board.

The AAA association is composed of affiliate organizations of different sizes and geographic scopes. The Akron affiliate operates exclusively in Summit County, serving approximately 102,000 members. By contrast, the four largest affiliates operate in multi-state territories and include more than ninety percent of AAA members in the United States. Thomas was chosen for the board seat that is reserved for a representative of one of the country’s
smaller, independent AAA clubs. This is the first time in AAA Akron’s 105-year history that a local representative was chosen to serve on AAA’s national board of directors.

According to AAA Akron board chairman, Richard C. Fedorovich, “AAA Akron has long benefitted from the leadership and foresight of Brian Thomas as we have addressed both our annual operating plan and our strategic direction. We are very pleased that Brian will have the opportunity to bring that same skill set to the AAA national board, and are very confident that he will provide a strong positive contribution.
 

“AAA Akron is particularly pleased that Brian Thomas will be in the strategic position to be the
voice of smaller AAA clubs as we move into a future where change is about us.”

On the Web: www.aaa.com
 

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CLEVELAND HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AND NORTHEAST OHIO, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES, IN NORTH CENTRAL OHIO: ASHLAND, ERIE, HURON, LORAIN AND RICHLAND. IN NORTHEAST OHIO, CUYAHOGA, GEAUGA, LAKE, MEDINA, PORTAGE, SUMMIT AND WAYNE.

* FROM NOON TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.

* SHOWERS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE NEAR LAKE ERIE. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS LIKELY.

* THE GROUND IS WET FROM RECENT RAINS. ANY HEAVY RAIN COULD PRODUCE FLOODING. FLOOD PRONE AREAS AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS WOULD BE THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON CURRENT FORECASTS. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP. STAY TUNED TO WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES.

With the upcoming winter season just around the corner, Summit County is doing their part to improve emissions that come from snow plows.

Director of Air & Water Special Projects for the Ohio Environmental Council David Celebrezze tells AkronNewsNow.com how the Ohio Environmental Council is helping Summit County take steps towards cleaner air.

"We received a grant to secure $13,000 to put emission controls on four of the county's snow plows."

The retrofitting of the plows will reduce soot pollution by approximately 30%.

Celebreeze says that poor air quality still occurs in the winter and that those who clear our streets need to be responsible.

"We encourage anybody that runs diesel engines to operate their snow plows to do the responsible thing by putting emissions controls on them," he said.

He says he's happy that Summit County has taken a proactive approach to cleaner air.

"We're happy that the Summit County Engineers Office has done their part to improve the air quality within the county by retrofitting these snow plows," he said.

"It shows that they're committed to the environment better."

According to the EPA, diesel exhaust can cause lung damage, asthma attacks, cancer, and sometimes early death.

The number of Summit County residents who are skipping out on paying their bills are on the rise.

The Akron Beacon Journal reports that nearly 5,000 sewer customers, about 11 percent, are delinquent on their accounts with the Department of Environmental Services.

In total the amount adds up to $2.9 million, up 12 percent from last year.

County Council will be asked to certify the delinquencies Monday night.
The county doesn't shut off service but gives a financial penalty if bills are not paid.

On the Web: www.ohio.com

A man found hiding inside a vacant home was arrested by Stow police Tuesday morning.

Michael Korn, 43, was found by an officer and his K9 partner, Colt around 9:20 a.m. Korn told police that he was homeless.

The seller of the house and a potential buyer was  visiting the home in the 4000 block of Stow Road. They found the lockbox on the door had been forced open.

Korn has been charged with safecracking, burglary and resisting arrest. He was transported to Summit County Jail.

An Akron man has been arrested for issuing handgun training certificates in Summit County without proper courses.

Summit County Sheriff's Inspector Bill Holland explains that NRA-certified trainer Alvin Bagley did not meet the state requirements to properly issue handgun certificates.

"The state requires 12 hours of training. Basically that's broken down into 10 hours of instruction and another 2 hours of experience shooting a handgun and he was not having the students complete these minimum requirements but was still providing them with a certificate," says Holland.

Holland says that there could be certificates issued to those who have never handled a gun.

"If they don't receive their range time, basically their going to get a licences to carry a dangerous weapon, with never handling that weapon before, not being familiar with not only how it operates but what it can do," says Holland.

Over 200 National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Course Certifications were issued in Summit County including 25-year-old Mathew Warmus of Green, who was found guilty of the murder of a Cleveland parking lot attendant before a Cleveland Cavs game in April.

All concealed carry licenses will be suspended for those that were issued certificates by Bagley. Licenses may be reinstated once each case has been reviewed.

Bagley was transported to the Summit County Jail and charged with Tampering with Records. Additional charges are pending the outcome of the investigation.

A man is facing charges after he barricaded himself inside a home Wednesday.

It happened around 6:45 p.m. when Springfield Township police were dispatched to 2119 Beach Drive for a domestic disturbance.

Steven Lee Mihal became agitated as officers approached the suspect and he then barricaded himself inside the home.

Police at the scene determined that multiple knives may be in the residence with Mihal and the Metro SWAT team responded to the scene.

After several attempts at negotiations, they entered the residence and subdued the suspect by using a less than lethal "sponge" round.

A martial style knife was found on the suspect and he was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries.

Mihal was booked into Summit County Jail and charged with domestic menacing, inducing panic, and resisting arrest.

A Coventry man says that sheriff deputies confused his epileptic seizure for an attack causing them to use a stun gun on him four times.

The Akron Beacon Journal reports that Casey Stack, 38, spent the weekend in Summit County Jail after being arrested for assault on Friday.

Stack believes that charges should be dropped and deputies should have better training to detect medical conditions.

Sheriff's officials say they were unaware that Stack had an epileptic seizure and deputies simply acted quickly in defense.

Deputies believed Stack was attacking them after being issued a citation for a car crash. He was being cited for reckless operation, assault and having a fictitious licence plate.

Stark told the Beacon Journal that he was denied medication for more than a day while in jail and suffered two more seizures.

He was released on a $3,000 bond after he appeared in Barberton Municipal Court on Monday.

On the Web: www.ohio.com

The mother of the 23-month-old girl who died while in the care of her Green baby-sitter is now facing charges of heroin possession and driving while intoxicated.

The Akron Beacon Journal reports that a state trooper stopped Gabrielle Marie Moneypenny, 21, for an alleged traffic violation on Raber Road in Green.

The trooper found a small amount of heroin during the stop. She was arrested and then taken to the Summit County Jail.

During an interview, she stated that Tiffani Calise was the one who killed her daughter.

She posted a $5,000 signature bond and was released the next evening.

Moneypenny testified during the Tiffani Calise murder trial in June and is the mother of Aaliyah Ali. Aaliyah was the 23-month-old girl who died while in the care of 21-year-old Calise.

Calise was found guilty of the murder on June 15 and was sentenced to life in prison.

On the Web: www.ohio.com