Auroraadvocate.com - In The Region

United Way struggling

to reach its yearly goal

The United Way of Portage County continues to seek additional pledges as it strives to close in on its 2009 campaign goal.

Last year the organization surpassed its goal and successfully raised $1,025,000 during a shaky economic season. Its goal this year was $1,029,000.

"To date [this year], about $850,000 is either in or on its way in," said United Way CEO/President Steve Kleiber. "We are doing everything we can to close this gap by approaching past and potential new contributors."

United Way's top contributing organizations are Kent State University, Davey Tree Expert Co., the Step2 Co., Deluxe Corp. and Robinson Memorial Hospital. New workplace campaigns were run at Custom Pultrusions in Streetsboro and H & M Rubber in Kent.

Chili donations sought

The American Red Cross is accepting financial donations for a Chile earthquake relief fund.

Donations are possible by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-REDCROSS or by texting "Chile" to 90999.

For more information about the local Red Cross, call 330-296-9991.

Metal products firm's

building is lost in blaze

Firefighters from more than 10 Portage County fire departments fought a blaze at Schaeffer Metal Products Inc. in Ravenna for more than four hours March 5.

The company's large sheet metal building was the scene of a massive fire first reported around 1:45 a.m.

Kent Fire Chief James Williams was injured while fighting the blaze when a hose nozzle struck him in the face. He was treated at Robinson Memorial Hospital and released.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation by the state fire marshal's office, according to the Ravenna Fire Department.

A Schaeffer employee at the scene said the company repairs and rebuilds tank trailers. At least two witnesses reported hearing or seeing explosions at the scene.

Mantua's ex-treasurer

awaits theft sentence

Village of Mantua former clerk/treasurer, found to have stolen village funds following a state audit of village finances, has pleaded guilty to one fifth-degree felony count of theft in office.

Betsy M. Woolf, 60, pleaded guilty, according to Portage County Common Pleas Court records. She remains free on bond pending sentencing.

Portage Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci said the matter has been set for a pre-sentence investigation. Woolf faces a maximum one year in prison and a $2,500 fine.

Woolf was indicted Oct. 27, 2009, by a Portage County grand jury on six felony and misdemeanor counts alleging that between Jan. 4 and Feb. 22, 2008, she used her position as clerk/treasurer to commit a theft.

Last two sent to prison

for death of area man

Jonathan H. Dukes will spend 25 years in prison before he is eligible for parole in the July 2009 death of Richard A. Lowther of Rootstown.

Portage County Common Pleas Judge John Enlow handed down the sentence March 3 after an hour of testimony by Dukes' family and friends and victim impact statements read by the Lowther family.

Enlow sentenced Dukes, 23, to 15 years to life on a charge of murder and 10 years each on charges of aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery, with the sentences for those two charges to run concurrently, but consecutive to the murder sentence.

Meanwhile, for being the getaway driver in the plot that led to Lowther's death, Darrell L. Dukes, 21, will serve 15 years in prison.

Cortez Oliver and Jodi L. Fetty previously were sentenced for the crime.

Major crimes in Kent

fall, annual report says

Reports of assaults, robberies, burglaries and other major crimes in the city of Kent decreased 6.6 percent from 2008 to 2009.

Overall, major crimes decreased by 26 percent across the city in the past 10 years, according to the Kent police department's annual report.

Police Chief James Peach said it's difficult to identify the factors contributing to the decline in the eight major crimes, which are identified by the FBI as criminal homicide, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny, auto theft and arson.

The number of major crimes cleared by the identification and arrest of suspects increased to nearly 31 percent -- a rate almost double the national average.

Still, a priority for the department's 42 officers remains violent crimes, which dropped 2.1 percent in 2009 and fell 22.2 percent overall since 2000.

Brick orders are due

The deadline for placing new orders for bricks to be placed at the Portage County Veterans Memorial is March 22. They will be in place for Memorial Day.

Cost of bricks are either $100, $250 or $1,000 depending on the size. For details, contact Charlene Badger in the county commissioners office at 330-297-3603 or cbadger@portageco.com.

More charges against

man in student's death

A Portage County grand jury has indicted Ronald G. Kelly, one of two University of Akron students accused in the Nov. 15, 2009, assault and subsequent death of Kent State University student Christopher Kernich, on three additional misdemeanor assault charges.

Kelly, 20, already is charged with two counts of murder and one count of second-degree felonious assault in Kernich's death.

According to court records, a supplemental indictment recently was handed down, charging him with assaulting three other KSU students the night of Kernich's assault.