AKRONMan is shot AKRON: An argument early Wednesday over comments made about a woman led to an Akron man being shot and another man being arrested on a charge of felonious assault, police say.The 24-year-old victim was treated at Summa’s Akron City Hospital for a gunshot wound to the abdomen after he was injured during a fight about 2:30 a.m. outside a pizza shop in the 600 block of North Main Street.Darius Brown, 23, is accused of shooting the victim during the argument. Police say he was angry over comments the victim made to his girlfriend just before the fight.The man’s injury is not life-threatening, Akron police Lt. Rick Edwards said.Akron police found Brown about two hours after the shooting at his girlfriend’s house on Marview Avenue. He was being held in the Summit County Jail pending an appearance today in Akron Municipal Court.Attorney disciplinedAKRON: An Akron attorney has been disciplined for mishandling a client’s appeal and trying to mislead an investigator looking into the man’s complaint.Attorney Jana DeLoach received a six-month license suspension. However, that suspension was stayed and she will be monitored on probation for two years instead, the Ohio Supreme Court announced Wednesday.The case stems from her handling of a man’s appeal in 2008 for a burglary conviction. According to court documents, DeLoach failed to file some documents related to the appeal, causing the client’s case to be delayed. He later obtained another lawyer but lost his appeal.During an investigation into the client’s 2009 complaint, DeLoach re-created a document and told the investigator it was the original. She later admitted it was not. She then supplied the original, blaming the error on poor record keeping.The court ruled that DeLoach showed remorse for her actions, has changed her record-keeping methods and has had no prior infractions.Appeal deniedAKRON: A former Akron man serving life in prison for the 2009 murders of an elderly woman and her son was denied a state appeal Wednesday.In a 3-0 decision by the 9th District Court of Appeals, the judges found that Johnnie Cook’s convictions and life sentence with no parole should stand.Cook, 33, was convicted of murder, robbery and burglary in the deaths of Julianna Grna, 85, and her son, Alan Grna, 43. The mother and son were found beaten to death in July 2009 inside their Johnston Street home.A jury rejected a potential death sentence after the trial and instead opted for a life sentence without the possibility of parole.In Wednesday’s decision, the court found that Summit County Common Pleas Judge Mary Margaret Rowlands was correct in denying defense motions to suppress evidence and dismiss the indictment.The appellate judges ruled there was sufficient evidence of Cook’s guilt. The evidence included Cook’s DNA on items inside the Grna residence.North Street closingAKRON: North Street will be closed under the All-America or Y-Bridge while contractors make concrete repairs to the underside of the bridge.The road will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily starting Tuesday. The work is expected to be finished by Sept. 8, but may end sooner.Traffic will be detoured via Dan Street, Glenwood Avenue and Howard Street.CAMPAIGN TRAILMeet the candidateBARBERTON: Councilman-at-Large William Judge, a candidate for mayor, will meet with city residents Saturday to discuss Barberton’s future.Topics for discussion will include the conditions of the city’s streets, flooding, jobs and educational opportunities.The meeting will begin at 12:30 p.m. in the lower level of Barberton Public Library, 602 W. Park Ave.KENTKSU ambassadorKENT: Kent State University has named Roxia B. Boykin as its second annual President’s Ambassador.The one-year position brings minority professionals to the university to share their professional expertise. She will be paid $10,000.Boykin, vice president of community benefit and diversity at Summa Health System, is a Kent State graduate. She has been a top administrator at major health systems as director of nursing, vice president for patient-care services and chief operating officer.She has been with Summa since 2007.The President’s Ambassadorship, now in its second year, is part of the university’s ongoing diversity mission. KSU and the ambassador will agree on activities to be conducted, which could include speeches, seminars, teaching and other appearances at Kent State campuses.The ambassador for 2010-11 was Andre Thornton, former Cleveland Indians star, entrepreneur and owner of one of Ohio’s largest minority-owned businesses. He taught entrepreneurial skills to business students, spoke at university events and in other venues on behalf of Kent State, and took part in KSU diversity and business seminars.MINERVACleaner busesMINERVA: The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is giving the Minerva Local School District $19,179 to clean up its school buses.The grant will enable the district to install idle-reduction equipment on nine buses.In all, the state awarded $276,863 to Minerva and five other districts.JACKSON TWP.Marauders reunion
JACKSON TWP.: Merrill’s Marauders, the first American troops to fight the Japanese by land in Asia during World War II, will have their 65th annual reunion starting today.The reunion will run through Sunday at the Holiday Inn in Belden Village, 4520 Everhard Road N.W. About 100 people, including family and guests, are expected to attend.The Marauders, now in their 80s and 90s, marched almost 1,000 miles behind enemy lines with only what they could carry on their backs or on pack mules — going farther on foot than any other American unit in the war. They trudged through the Himalayan mountains and jungles of Burma to capture a Japanese-held, all-weather airstrip and open up supply lines into Asia. Suffering from disease, malnourished and exhausted, less than 300 of the remaining 1,310 Marauders were considered well enough to fight for the airstrip.Retired Brig. Gen. Thomas P. Luczynski, who served in numerous command positions in the Ohio National Guard, will be the keynote speaker at the reunion. He was responsible for training the Ohio contingent in the 38th Infantry Division.STOWGolf outingSTOW: The Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition is holding its eighth annual Towpath Classic golf outing Sept. 16.The event will be held at the Roses Run Country Club, 2636 N. River Road, with a shotgun start at 10 a.m.The price is $100 a person and includes continental breakfast, lunch, steak dinner and a special gift.The deadline to register is Sept. 9.To register, contact Debby Rolland at 330-374-5657 or go to http://www.oecctowpathclassic.
dojiggy.com.PLAIN TWP.Crash injures two PLAIN TWP.: A 21-year-old West Salem man was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash just before noon Wednesday on U.S. 250, west of Silver Road in Wayne County’s Plain Township.Corey A. Layton was driving a 2002 Mazda Protege west when he went left of center, striking a 2008 Freightliner semi going east. Layton’s car went off the north side of the road and flipped onto its right side, according to the Wooster post of the State Highway Patrol. The semi, which was carrying 6,800 gallons of crude oil, went off the south side of the road and caught fire. No oil burned or spilled.New Pittsburg firefighters took Layton and Jay D. McClain, 43, of Bowerston, the truck driver, to Wooster Community Hospital. McClain had minor injuries. Layton, who had serious injuries, was flown to Summa Akron City Hospital. The crash remains under investigation.