AKRON
Ward 6 meeting
AKRON: Bob Otterman, the Ward 6 councilman, will have a ward meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Ellet Community Center, 2449 Wedgewood Drive.
Speakers will be Julia Mothersbaugh of Summit County Children Services, Linda Higgins of the Information Line and Nathan Eppink of Metro Parks, Serving Summit County.

Ward 7 meeting
AKRON: Tina Merlitti, the Ward 7 councilwoman, will have a ward meeting at 7 p.m. today at Firestone Park Community Center, 1480 Girard St.

Ward 2 meeting
AKRON: Ward 2 Councilman Bruce Kilby will host a ward meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Forrest Hill school, 850 Damon St.
Guest speaker will be a representative from the city administration who will give an update on the Combined Sewer Overflow problem in Akron.

CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Fundraiser planned
AKRON: The campaign to elect Joy Oldfield as judge on Akron Municipal Court this fall will hold a fundraiser at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 6.
Supporters will gather at Paolo’s Bar and Restaurant, 1 W. Exchange St., Akron.

Free concert
MUNROE FALLS: Three candidates for elected offices in Munroe Falls are offering a free concert for supporters from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Waterworks Park in Cuyahoga Falls.
Cathy Laubaugh, who is running for mayor, and two council candidates, Robert Pitz (Ward 2) and John Hegnauer (at large), said the concert is aimed at bringing family and friends together to enjoy music from oldies band The Belairs.
Spectators should bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic food.
For more information call 330-688-3159 or go to www.cathylaubaughformayor.com.

CANTON
New look proposed
CANTON: City officials are proposing to rebuild two aging downtown streets with improved access for walkers, bicyclists and bus riders.
The larger goal is to make the city more livable and improve the quality of life for its citizens, City Engineer Daniel Moeglin said in a news release.
The “complete streets” design concept would be applied to work planned for Cherry and Walnut avenues at various points between 12th Street Northeast and Third Street Southeast.
Work would include improved stops for Stark Area Regional Transit Authority buses on both streets.
Walnut would be reduced from three lanes to two. Bike lanes would be added in each direction. Parking would be reconfigured to make room for buses and bikes.
Paving bricks, trees and nostalgic lighting would be added to improve the look of the affected areas.
A public meeting to discuss the proposal will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, 222 Market Ave. N.
Individuals unable to attend the meeting may view related materials and make comments at www.cantonohio.gov. Comments also can be submitted to engineering@cantonohio.gov.

Vendor fee plan
CANTON: A proposal to raise the fee charged to downtown street vendors to $250 a day will be the subject of a special City Council work session at 5 p.m. today in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 218 Cleveland Ave. SW.
The current fee is $125 a year.
City Council twice has delayed voting on the measure in the face of opposition.
Restaurateurs told council Monday the vendors are unfair competition to brick-and-mortar sites that can cost $350 to operate daily.
Vendors said $250 a day is too high. Some said they sell on private, not public, property.

LAKE TOWNSHIP
Recycling grant
LAKE TWP.: Township trustees on Monday agreed to apply for the 2012 Manning Group Recycling Grant.
The grant of $2,400 would be contributed to Scouting troops that volunteer at the township recycling center on Saturday mornings to assist residents with recycling.

NEW PHILADELPHIA
Shore erosion
NEW PHILADELPHIA: The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District intends to spend $2 million on projects to reduce shoreline erosion at five lakes in east-central Ohio.
The district’s plan calls for 11 projects at Atwood Lake, six at Clendening Lake, one at Pleasant Hill Lake, five at Piedmont Lake and three at Seneca Lake.
The work will be done over the winter when the lakes’ levels are lowered, officials said.
The district kicked off the erosion-reduction program last winter. The work is paid by assessments paid by landowners stretching from Akron to the Ohio River.

Manager hired
NEW PHILADELPHIA: Sean Logan, former director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, has a new post with the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District.
Logan, a former state legislator from Columbiana County, will oversee natural resources and conservation programs for the district that stretches from Akron south to the Ohio River. He also will oversee management of 54,000 acres of land as chief of conservation.
The district has been looking at allowing drilling for natural gas on its lands.

STARK COUNTY
Drivers needed
CANTON: Volunteers are needed for the American Red Cross Stark County Chapter to drive clients to medical and dialysis appointments in the county.
Day and evening drivers are needed on weekdays.
Red Cross vans, training and insurance are provided.
For more information, call 330-453-0146, ext. 121.

SUMMIT COUNTY
Anti-pollution plows
AKRON: Four county snowplows are getting fitted with new anti-pollution equipment.
Summit County Engineer Alan Brubaker worked with the Ohio Environmental Council and the Mid-Ohio Planning Commission to get a $13,000 federal grant.
The diesel-powered trucks will be equipped with new emissions controls to curtail particulate, or soot, pollution by 30 percent.

Office hours
AKRON: Staff for U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton, D-Copley Twp., will hold office hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at the Northwest Akron branch library, 1720 Shatto Ave.
Her staff will answer questions about federal agencies or pending legislation.
Reservations are not required.

WAYNE COUNTY
Remains found
RITTMAN: Human remains have been found in an isolated wooded area of the village, Rittman police said Tuesday.
Police did not disclose any more details about the location where the remains were discovered.
The identity, gender, age and other description of the remains were not immediately known, nor were how long the remains had been at the scene or the cause of death, police said.
The Wayne County coroner and the state Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation Crime Scene Unit were on the scene, police said.