AKRONVacant-land planAKRON: Keep Akron Beautiful is tackling a new problem: vacant land.The nonprofit association is one of three Keep America Beautiful groups selected to participate in a vacant land stabilization program under the guidance of the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society.The Pennsylvania group has reclaimed and maintained 11,000 vacant lots covering 9 million square feet in Philadelphia. By working with partners, it has built a model for vacant urban land management.Keep Akron Beautiful and the city of Akron’s Planning & Urban Development Department will send representatives to a two-day seminar in Philadelphia.The Akron program aims to track abandoned and vacant properties, develop a method to make vacant lots productive and create a plan for maintaining vacant lots.Life celebrationAKRON: Friends of the late Denis Conley will gather at the Denis Conley Gallery, 1936 W. Market St., from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday to celebrate his life.Conley, a longtime fixture in the local art world, was known for spontaneously bursting into Italian arias.He died May 2 at age 68 from complications of pneumonia and MRSA.For information about the gathering, call 330-836-9044.CAMPAIGN TRAILMardi Gras eventAKRON: The Committee to Re-Elect Judge Annalisa Williams will host a Mardi Gras fundraiser from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Bourbon Street of Akron, 1256 Weathervane Lane.Suggested donation to attend the event is $50.CANTONOil tank burnsCANTON: An oil tank fire at a Canton business early Thursday caused an estimated $200,000 in damage.Canton firefighters used foam to extinguish the fire at the Bowdil Co., 2030 Industrial Place SE, authorities said.The fire in the interior oil quench tank was discovered about 7:30 a.m. and was under control in a few hours.The fire produced a large cloud of smoke visible to motorists on Interstate 77 and U.S. 30.No injuries were reported.The firm is involved in mining equipment, heat treating and job machining.COPLEY TOWNSHIPTwo levies on ballotCOPLEY TWP.: Township trustees on Wednesday placed two levy renewals — 3.3 mills for fire and 2.5 mills for roads — on the Nov. 2 ballot.The fire levy is expected to generate about $1.75 million, and the road levy almost $1.3 million. Both three-year levies expire at the end of this year.Copley has about 58 miles of roads.Fiscal Officer Janice Marshall said the renewals would not increase local property taxes.Since last month’s heavy rains, Trustees President Dale Panovich said that she has fielded “many mosquito complaints.”She is hopeful that spraying by the Summit County Health Department will knock down the pest population. Panovich said the most direct preventative remedy is to ask the county agency for additional spraying.Trustees unanimously approved a request by Service Director Mark Mitchell to deploy six additional trash bins around Copley to aid storm cleanup.He pegged the cost at $3,000 but said he doubts all the money will needed because “calls have been tapering off quite rapidly.”Each bin can hold 40 cubic yards of material.COVENTRY TOWNSHIPOutreach at churchCOVENTRY TWP.: School supplies, personal-care products, food and clothing are among the items to be given away to those in need during the Cornerstone LEAP Community Outreach from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 13.The event will be at Cornerstone Free Methodist Church, 578 Killian Road.Last year, about 2,000 people attended the event. Some 25 social service agencies will be at the event to provide assistance to those who receive help. Those attending will receive a free lunch and can also receive haircuts, vision screenings, health check-ups, utility and foreclosure referrals, job applications and other services. People who wish to donate school supplies, personal care products, book gabs, and other items for the event can call Cornerstone Church at 330-644-3937 or 330-315-2525 to arrange for donation. The LEAP project is in its eighth year. During the week of the event, volunteers will be visiting nursing homes, doing minor home repairs, cleaning houses, conducting building projects and holding blood drives in the Akron area.GREENVintage airplanesGREEN: Vintage aircraft will be on display at the Wings of Freedom Tour at the MAPS Museum at 2260 International Parkway Aug. 12-15.People can take 30-minute flights on two of the vintage aircraft. Participating as part of a nationwide tour will be a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, a Consolidated B-24 Liberator and North American P-51 Mustang. The planes are owned by the Collings Foundation. Visitors can take a 30-minute flight on the B-17 or B-24 for $425 per person. Flights on the P-51 are $2,200 for a half-hour or $3,200 for an hour. The aircraft will arrive at the museum at 2 p.m. Aug. 12 and will depart at noon Aug. 15. The aircraft will be on display from 2 to 5 p.m. Aug. 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 13 and 14 and 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 15.For more information, call Hunter Chaney at the Collings Foundation at 1-800-568-8924 or email hchaney@
ollingsfoundation.org.STARK COUNTYLibrary alters hoursCANTON: The main Stark County District Library, 715 Market Ave. N., Canton, and the North Branch, 189 25th St. NW, will delay opening Saturday until noon.The move will allow traffic congestion from the Hall of Fame Grand Parade to abate.All other library locations will observe regular Saturday hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.For more information, call 330-458-2699.Store to expandPLAIN TWP.: The Raisin Rack store at 4629 Cleveland Ave. NW will expand its retail space and add a loading dock this fall.The Plain Township Board of Zoning Appeals approved two setback variances at its meeting Wednesday that will allow for a 6,470-square-foot commercial addition to the property, owned by Caster Realty LLC. Bryan Ashman of the engineering firm Cooper & Associates told the board the expansion is needed for Raisin Rack’s business. The property is zoned for general business.SUMMIT COUNTYMarrow testingSPRINGFIELD TWP.: The Springfield alumni football team and Teri Walsh Parasson will host a “Be the Match” bone marrow donor recruitment drive at the Springfield vs. Mogadore alumni football game Friday.The game will begin at 7 p.m. at the Mogadore High School football stadium, 130 S. Cleveland Ave.Testing will be available during the game for anyone interested in becoming a bone marrow donor.The recruitment drive is being done in honor and memory of Springfield High School graduate Vince Mealy, who played in last year’s alumni game.Mealy, a former township trustee and a supporter of the Springfield High football program, died of acute myeloid leukemia in December.Diagnosed when he was 42, Mealy’s cancer was in remission for 6› years. He got a chance to fight his illness thanks to a donor in Europe who joined the bone marrow registry, Parasson said.For information about the National Bone Marrow Registry, go to http://www.
BeTheMatch.org.wadsworthHearing setWADSWORTH: The City Council has set a public hearing on a new comprehensive plan for Wadsworth for 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4.The plan is expected to serve as a guide for the growth and development of Wadsworth through 2025.In addition to land use, the plan outlines the projected population growth along with the additional housing which will needed to accommodate the increase.Other factors incorporated in the plan include parks, recreation, open space, economic development, resource conservation, the downtown and community mobility.The planning commission earlier recommended that the council adopt the new plan.The plan has been under review for two years.