To cap off a week where unionized members of the University of Akron faculty have been holding a strike authorization vote -- an update that changes the entire story. The University of Akron and University chapter of the American Association of University Professors have reached a tentative agreement on "all issues" relating to ongoing contract talks. Members of the AAUP will begin voting on the new contract as proposed next Wednesday; Trustees of the University must also ratify any agreement reached by negotiators, who are recommending passage.

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(University of Akron) Joint Release: Tentative Agreement Reached by The University of Akron and Akron-AAUP

The Administration of The University of Akron and the University of Akron Chapter of the American Association of University Professors have reached tentative agreement on all issues pertaining to contract negotiations. The tentative agreement now must be ratified by the University's Board of Trustees and by the membership of the Akron-AAUP. The timetable for ratification is being established.

For the Akron-AAUP, the chapter membership will begin voting after an informational meeting on Wednesday, March 16th.

Both parties recommend ratification to their respective constituents.

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(Canton Repository Robert Wang) Michelle Snook suffered a devastating layoff from her job in 2011, believes she has not been hired due to age discrimination and has worked a series of short, temporary jobs that paid low wages as the cost of living has risen.

With only about $91 a week from a part-time cleaning job, Snook, 60, is now living with a friend in Osnaburg Township and can't afford to rent her own apartment.
Amid her anger and frustration, Snook, a former supporter of President Barack Obama, said she has narrowed her choice for president in the March 15th primary to two candidates.

Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump.

Sanders, who's seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, "seems to be a people person, and he's all about trying to get businesses to stay in America," said Snook, who supports his plan to raise taxes on the wealthy because "if they've got the money, they can help pay just as much as we have to pay."
Snook said she hopes Trump, who's seeking the Republican nomination, can fulfill his promise to bring jobs back to America and make Apple manufacture iPhones in the U.S.

"People have become so sensitive (about) people speaking their minds and him, he's not. He tells it like it is," said Snook. "He's just very outspoken, and he's not a politician but he's a businessman, and I think that's what we need now."

Snook is one of many voters in Ohio fed up by stagnant wages and the disappearance of local blue-collar jobs during the past decade who are drawn to anti-establishment presidential candidates.

According to the U.S. Census' survey between 2010 and 2014, Stark County households' median income, adjusted for inflation, declined more than 18 percent since 1999. The median household income dropped $10,313 in that 15-year period. That 18 percent decline is worse than the state's 16 percent drop, and is nearly double the national percentage.

Neighboring Carroll and Tuscarawas counties had a decline in median household income of roughly 10 to 12 percent. The declines were not as sharp as in Stark County, perhaps because they had fewer jobs to lose than more highly populated Stark County and because of the development of the fledgling oil and gas hydraulic fracturing business.

Jack DeSario, a political consultant and political science professor at the University of Mount Union, said the perception of a declining standard of living is sparking significant anti-establishment sentiment in favor of Sanders and Trump.

"This is the ultimate way to say 'screw you,' to the political process," he said.

Laid Off

Snook is a divorced mother of four. She said she never received her diploma from McKinley High School because she got pregnant with her first child. She said she was laid off from her job making signs for LSI Graphics Solutions in Lake Township in 2011. She said she worked there six years, starting at $7.50 an hour and eventually getting $9.50 an hour.

"I went into deep depression after that," she said.

Snook's job was among the thousands of jobs in the area that evaporated between 2000 and 2015.

In 2000, Stark County had 178,426 jobs covered by unemployment insurance, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. By 2010, that number declined 16 percent to 149,684 jobs. The county lost 18,575 jobs since 2000, sixth-most in the state. Nearly all of the losses came from a 34 percent plummet in the number of goods-producing jobs from nearly 53,000 jobs to about 35,000 in 15 years.

After being laid off, Snook spent years getting low-paying jobs through temporary agencies. She worked in factories and farms. She laid roofs on buildings. None of the jobs lasted more than three months.

"I don't get to go shopping or do (anything). I live literally paycheck to paycheck. I've sold a lot of things in order to survive," Snook said. "The heating prices have gone up. Electric's gone up. Food has gone up. You keep raising stuff and people just don't have it to spend."

Snook, who ran unsuccessfully to be the Canton Ward 3 councilwoman as a Democrat in 1993, said she voted in 2008 for Obama "because he sounded good." She said that while she still likes him personally, she's disappointed in Obamacare. She said even with federal subsidies, the lowest premium she could find was $76 a month, which she can't afford.

Snook has ruled out supporting Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton because she believes she is somewhat responsible for the deadly terrorist attacks against the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya in 2012.

"I don't trust she's going to do what needs to be done. I think she's all talk," Snook said.

She said politicians "need to stop pampering the billionaires and millionaires. Start making them pay the taxes like we have to pay taxes. They need to listen to everybody. ... They need to stop letting our businesses go to our foreign countries. They're so concerned about the foreign countries, they're forgetting about the people in America. What about us?"

She's also receptive to Trump's promise to reduce the number of illegal immigrants here. While she said she has mixed feelings and wants everyone to succeed, she's concerned some immigrants could be terrorists or competing with her for work.

Snook said she's furious at both Republicans and Democrats.

"They fight. They can't agree on nothing. Ever since Obama took office, there's been nothing but bickering back and forth," she said.

Not in Trump's Orbit

However, other local voters facing economic stress are resistant to Trump's appeal.

Shawn Daum, 36, of Plain Township is a bus driver for the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority, and president of the union that represents most of the employees.
He said he started at SARTA 10 years ago, earning about $15 an hour. After a decade of annual raises of 1 to 2 percent from SARTA, he now earns $17.56 an hour. (Daum stressed that he's not criticizing SARTA, with which the union is in negotiations with on a new contract).

His wife was laid off around 2008 from a job selling home warranties. She was out of work for more than two years before she worked as a coffee shop barista, and then she became an office manager at a massage therapy clinic in Hartville, he said. They have a daughter and son.

Grocery store visits cost $60 to $70 a decade ago, he said. Now it's $70 to $90. Rent is $100 more a month than five years ago. Utilities have skyrocketed.

Daum said the family hasn't had a vacation in three years. They've cut back on going out to dinner and movies. And they have to carry a balance on their credit cards.

He said he will support the Democratic presidential nominee because he's concerned the nomination of a conservative Supreme Court justice by a Republican president could result in the court eliminating unions' ability to impose fair-share fees on non-union employees.

Sanders' message about income inequality speaks to Daum.

"I'm leaning toward Bernie Sanders at this particular point, just to wait and see what happens with Hillary and her email fiasco," he said.

Different Considerations

Kathy Lopez, 47, of Plain Township said she was laid off in August from her job as an office manager with Nationwide Insurance's Canton office, which will be closed. She's close to completing her master's degree after getting a business degree from Walsh University in 2013. Still, she's had a difficult time finding work because she feels employers prefer younger workers and they've told her she's overqualified.

Before her layoff, she said whatever raises she got were offset by increases in her health insurance premiums, in addition to grocery costs and her student loans.
Despite her situation, she said, the economy will play no role in how she votes for president.

"Companies do what they want. Even as a president, you can't control decisions companies make," she said, adding that technology has replaced many workers. "(Politicians) don't control the wages an employer will pay their people. They don't control who they hire, how many they will hire or whatever."

She's concerned about Medicare and Social Security, the country's campaign against Islamic State, school funding and health care.

"I want to be able to know that when it's my time to retire ... I'm going to get a Social Security check, and I will be able to get Medicare, or will I have to work until I'm 85?"

Lopez said she will vote for Clinton over Sanders in the Democratic primary because "I just don't believe he can make it happen" when it comes to addressing income equality and "she is very down to earth. She doesn't see herself as better than you and I, and she does not come out saying derogatory negative things about others the way Trump has."

Lopez, whose father was from Mexico, said she is offended at Trump's comments about Mexicans, Muslims and immigrants and that "he's going to say what people want to hear. ... I don't believe anything he says."

However, in a general election, Lopez would consider Gov. John Kasich if he were somehow to become the Republican presidential nominee because "he's very direct, and he does try very hard to help the people in Ohio."

But Trump's message of "Making America Great Again," resonates with Snook.

"Things were simpler. You could afford to take your kids out to do things, and people weren't so angry," Snook said about the 1980s and 1990s. "I would like to see America be great again. I miss it."

Reach Robert at 330-580-8327 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. On Twitter: @rwangREP

This project examining the direction of Ohio’s economy was produced by Ohio  news organizations that have joined together to deliver stories that citizens identify as most important to their lives in 2016. More  than  30  newspapers,  radio  and  television  stations  agreed  in  December  to  cover  the presidential  election  in  a  way  that  best  represents  the  concerns  of  Ohioans,  and  holds  candidates accountable to those concerns.

1590 WAKR, The Toledo Blade and other news organizations in Ohio are part of a collaborative effort to share stories and information leading up to the 2016 primary and general elections. In this report, Tom Troy of the Toledo Blade reached out to the various Presidential campaigns with a series of questions relating to Ohio's economy. This report contains the responses from those who answered his query.

LINK Troy's full report "Kasich, Sanders, Rubio offer ideas for Ohio's economic conceerns" 

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(Toledo Blade) Two candidates responded by the deadline – Sanders and Rubio. Kasich responded in writing a day later, but not to the question, and also asked for a conversation on the phone with the reporter, Tom Troy at The Blade.

Troy’s letter to candidates:

Dear Candidate:

The Ohio Newspaper Organization is preparing a package of stories about the Ohio economy for use in member newspaper, radio and television reporters this coming weekend, March 5 

This email is to invite you to comment. The deadline is noon on Thursday. The responses will be made available to our member organizations, which are the Akron Beacon journal, The (Dayton) Daily News, The (Cincinnati) Enquirer, The Columbus Dispatch, The Canton Repository and The (Toledo) Blade newspapers, Ohio Public Radio, and television stations in Dayton and Columbus. These new organizations cover communities with population of about 8 million people.

The findings that we will report show that:

• Ohio is down more than 250,000 jobs since 2000 and still down nearly 80,000 since 2007.

• In 2000, Ohio ranked 19^th in the nation for median household income, and today is 35^th, making the second-biggest drop in the nation.

• Our biggest workforce loss has been in the goods-producing sector, which also was our highest paying sector.

• Polls show the economy is the No. 1 issue for Ohio voters. 

Please say how you propose to shape U.S. policy to bring back to Ohio high-paying jobs that will restore economic security. You may include in your answer what you think are the reasons for the decline in median income in Ohio. In addition to whatever industrial or trade policies you think relevant, you may also address those issues that you think are relevant to economic security, such as tax policy, health care affordability, education, labor policy, international trade agreements and regulation. We ask that you provide us detailed policy analysis as possible.

Thank you,

Tom Troy,

Politics Writer, The Blade

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida:

The economy is the #1 issue for Ohio voters, and for good reason: employment, wages, and median incomes have fallen, while the costs of health care, education, and living expenses have gone up. To reverse these trends, we need a president who not only understands the challenges of the 21st century economy, but a president with a comprehensive plan to address them.

It is impossible to address Ohio’s economy without discussing manufacturing. Over the last two decades, technological advancements have led to machines replacing workers; globalization has led to factories moving overseas; and the rise of information technology has led to a shift in demand away from producing products and toward performing services. No one knows these fundamental changes better than Ohio workers.

The future of manufacturing – and the Ohio communities that depends on it -can be very bright. But to make it so, we have to embrace the economic changes of our time – something few in Washington seem willing to do. 

We can start by revolutionizing higher education and skills training. We rely on a higher education system that looks down its nose at skilled trades. It tells our kids that if they grow up to work with their hands instead of a computer they’re somehow less accomplished. I promise you this: I will be the vocational education president. I will make skills training more widespread, more accessible, and more affordable. I’ll expand apprenticeships so education can come out of the classroom and into the real world. I’ll allow students to begin learning a trade as early as high school, so they can graduate ready to enter a good paying career without taking on mountains of student debt.

For example, I’ll help establish more programs like the one in Cleveland where high schoolers can work at GE’s manufacturing plant to gain practical experience and mentoring. The graduation rate for these students is 95 percent, compared to just 60 percent for Cleveland public schools.

We must equip today’s workers to fill today’s manufacturing jobs, but we also need to ensure new manufacturing jobs are created tomorrow. We can’t do that unless and until we fundamentally reform our tax code. Large companies in Ohio typically pay the corporate tax rate, which at a combined rate of 39.2% puts our companies at a significant disadvantage with our global competitors. My tax plan cuts taxes for all businesses to 25%, which will benefit not only larger companies, but the small businesses that employ over 2 million workers in Ohio. My plan also allows businesses to immediately expense every dollar they invest in the economy, helping them expand. For middle-class families, the plan creates a $2,500 Child Tax Credit to ease the costs of raising children in the 21^st century. According to nonpartisan estimates, my plan will create millions of jobs, result in a massive increase in investment, and boost after-tax income for all Americans.

We also need a regulatory environment that allows Ohio businesses to prosper without unnecessary mandates from Washington. Rules like the EPA’s Clean Power Plan will result in massive energy cost spikes and have a disproportionate impact on Ohio manufacturers. One estimate from the National Association of Manufacturers found the annual cost of federal regulations to be over $2 trillion. We all want our air and water to be clean, but in many ways, President Obama has used his regulatory agencies to pursue an ideological agenda instead of one focused on keeping us safe. I have proposed enacting a National Regulatory Budget, which lets Congress put an annual cap on federal regulations so that agencies like the EPA cannot operate without checks and balances.

Energy production is a bright spot in Ohio’s economy, and I strongly believe we need to fully utilize all of our energy resources, including coal, natural gas, and renewables. When I released my comprehensive energy plan in Salem, Ohio, I laid out three guiding principles: optimize our resources, minimize government bureaucracy, and maximize private sector innovation. My plan will increase domestic production of energy both onshore and offshore, approve the Keystone XL Pipeline, and increase exports of natural gas. It will stop harmful regulations like new rules designed to impede hydraulic fracturing, and it will modernize our outdated education system to encourage high-paying jobs of the future. When I am president, we will not have a cap-and-trade system or a carbon tax, which would hammer Ohio’s economy.

Education, tax, and regulatory reform will provide a huge boost to Ohio’s economy and increase prosperity for all. There are many other issues that must be addressed. Obamacare is raising costs and hurting the ability of employers to hire. That’s why I have put forward a consumer-centered alternative that provides individuals with a refundable tax credit to purchase health insurance if they do not receive it from their employer. I am strong proponent of free trade, but trade deals must be fair to American workers. And I believe our labor laws must reflect the economy of the rapidly changing economy and provide flexibility to workers.

Ohio has felt the impact of our struggling economy firsthand, but it is not too late to restore prosperity here and across the nation. To do so, we need a change of course from the failed policies of the last seven years. As president, I am committed to pursuing a pro-growth platform that will create jobs, boost wages, and make America the most innovation and business-friendly country in the world. If we do these things, we can make the 21^st century a New American Century.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vermont

“There is no doubt in my mind that the devastating loss of jobs and income in Ohio over the past fifteen years is due in large part to our failed trade policies. These bad trade deals, like NAFTA, CAFTA, and PNTR with China, have destroyed good-paying manufacturing jobs in Ohio by incentivizing companies to ship jobs overseas. I have consistently opposed these bad trade deals in Congress. As President, I will work to reverse these trade agreements that have proven so costly to Ohio workers.

Adding to the burden of lost jobs and reduced income is the high cost of health care in this country. I am proposing a Medicare-for-All plan that will guarantee health coverage for all Americans, and lower the costs of healthcare for both individuals and businesses. This would provide an important measure of economic security for Ohio families.

While Ohio families have seen their median incomes fall, they have also had to worry about the rising cost of sending their kids to college. I am proposing a plan that will allow every American who studies hard in school to go to college regardless of how much money their parents make and without going deeply into debt. My plan will make tuition free at public colleges and universities throughout the United States. Ohio, with its many fine public colleges and universities, will benefit from a workforce that is not constrained by the high price of a great education.

Finally, to create more jobs in Ohio and across the country, I am proposing a jobs program that would put 13 million Americans back to work by investing $1 trillion in modernizing our infrastructure.”

Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio

The John Kasich campaign responded a day late, and framed the answer around his term as governor. The Kasich campaign spokesman also asked for time on the phone with the reporter.

Job Creation

Ohioans have created 400,700 new private sector jobs since January 2011. That ranks Ohio 8^th among all states for total private sector job creation, up from 47^th over the previous four years. Currently, there are 4.7 million Ohioans with a private sector job; putting Ohio more than 65,000 jobs over the November 2007 pre-recession level.

Per the BLS CES Survey, from 1990-2010 Ohio ranked 46th in private sector job growth rate. This ranking emphasizes the historical disadvantage dealt John Kasich when he came into office in January 2011. In an effort to disrupt and improve upon this two-decades long trend, John Kasich worked to improve the environment for job creation by cutting unnecessary bureaucratic red-tape, privatizing economic development, getting the state budget under control and cutting taxes by more than any sitting governor. In response, Ohio's private sector job creation growth rate ranking has skyrocketed 24 places to 22nd from January 2011 to December 2015. That is a stronger improvement than all but three states. 

Finally, since 2010 Ohio’s ranking in Forbes' Best States for Business study showed the Buckeye State improved from 38 to 15. That is the largest jump of all states from 2010-2015. Ohio scored its highest marks for its regulatory environment (No. 5 in the U.S.) and its quality of life. Source: Dayton Business Journal

Real Median Household Income

https://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=3Eb8

Goods Producing Jobs

According to BLS data, goods producing jobs in Ohio shrank by 35.4% from 2000 to 2010. From 2010 to 2015, those jobs have grown by 89,600, or 11.1%. By comparison, from 2010 to 2015, good producing jobs nationwide have increased by 10.6%. 

This project examining the direction of Ohio’s economy was produced by Ohio  news organizations that have joined together to deliver stories that citizens identify as most important to their lives in 2016. More  than  30  newspapers,  radio  and  television  stations  agreed  in  December  to  cover  the presidential  election  in  a  way  that  best  represents  the  concerns  of  Ohioans,  and  holds  candidates accountable to those concerns.

An Akron fugitive is making the Most Wanted list issued by the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force. Police are looking for Antoine "Bird" Bennett, 31, wanted for the shooting and murder of Gabriel Rios after a fight on Valentine's Day during a North Howard Street party. Bennett is described as armed and dangerous and is believed to be hiding out in Cleveland.

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(U.S. Marshal's Office) The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force is offering a reward for information which would lead to the capture of fugitive Antoine 'Bird' Bennett. Bennett is wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Akron Police Department for homicide. According to Akron Police, Bennett was at a house party on February 14, in the 500 block of Howard St., when a fight broke out Bennett allegedly shot and killed Gabriel Rios. Bennett was quickly identified as the shooter, and has been on the run ever since. 

Bennett is a 31 year old black male standing approximately 5'10" and weighing 245 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. Bennett is believed to be hiding in the area of East 30th and Cedar in Cleveland. Bennett should be considered armed and dangerous. 

If you have any information in reference to Antoine 'Bird' Bennett, please contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1­866­4WANTED or Text keyword WANTED and tip to 847411 (tip411) Tipsters can remain anonymous and reward money is available.

An alum of the University of Akron caught up in Cuyahoga County's corruption cases is now officially disbarred. Steven J. Terry was convicted of taking campaign contributions in exchange for judicial favors as part of the deals that caught Auditor Frank Russo and Commissioner Jimmy Dimora.

The Ohio Supreme Court disbarred Terry insted of the indefinite suspension he sought.

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(CourtNews) The Ohio Supreme Court today disbarred former Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Steven J. Terry, who was convicted in federal court of providing judicial favors in exchange for contributions to his 2008 election campaign.

Terry was appointed to fill a vacancy on the court in 2007, and in 2011, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and two counts of honest-services mail fraud in connection with his judicial duties. In a majority per curiam opinion, the Supreme Court adopted the recommendation of the Court's Board of Professional Conduct to disbar Terry, who had argued an indefinite suspension was a more appropriate sanction.

Terry Connected to County Auditor, Commissioner Scandal
Terry's federal conviction was related to his association with former Cuyahoga County Auditor Frank Russo, who along with former County Commissioner James Dimora, are servings federal prison sentences on numerous charges including trying to improperly influence county judges. In its complaint against Terry, the Ohio Disciplinary Counsel alleged he violated provisions of the Code of Judicial Conduct and the rules governing attorneys.

Terry inherited numerous pending court cases when he took the bench, including a foreclosure case involving American Home Bank, and a couple, Brian and Erin Lane. The bank sought $190,000 in damages from the Lanes, and the bank asked for summary judgment in March 2008. Joseph O'Malley, a friend of Russo, represented the Lanes. Russo sent a note to Terry directing him to deny the bank's motion. Terry called Russo, who made substantial and continuous donations to Terry's election campaign, and advised O'Malley that he had denied the motion. Terry did not disclose to the others involved in the case that he spoke to Russo and O'Malley. The bank agreed to settle the case with the Lanes for $27,000.

The federal charges against Terry stemmed from the favorable treatment to O'Malley in this case. He was sentenced in October 2011 to 63 months in prison, ordered to serve two years of supervised release, perform 250 hours of community service, and to pay $27,880 in restitution.

Court Found Conduct Warranted Disbarment
The Court agreed with the board's finding that among the rules governing judges Terry violated several including failing to uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary, requiring a judge to respect and comply with the law at all times, requiring a judge to disqualify himself or herself in a proceeding where the judge's impartiality might be questioned, and requiring a judge to avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.

When considering a sanction, the board compared Terry's conduct to that of former judge Bridget McCafferty who was convicted on 10 counts of making false statements to the FBI about her involvement with Russo and Dimora. A board panel noted that Terry acknowledged the severity of his violations in contrast to McCafferty, who insisted she told the truth during her prosecution despite audio recordings that proved otherwise. The panel recommended Terry receive the same punishment as McCafferty, an indefinite suspension.

Noting the sentencing judge in Terry's case found he lied during his trial, the board did not accept the panel's recommendation and instead recommended the Court disbar Terry.

"Because his misconduct occurred in the performance of his core judicial duties, we find that it is substantially more egregious than McCafferty's misconduct," the Court stated.

Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor, Justices Paul E. Pfeifer, Judith Ann Lanzinger, Sharon L. Kennedy, and Judith L. French agreed with the majority opinion.

Justice Lanzinger also concurred separately with the majority with Chief Justice O'Connor and Justice French joining the concurring opinion.

Justice Terrence O'Donnell concurred in judgment only.

Dissenting Judge Would Have Indefinitely Suspended Terry
In a dissenting opinion, Justice William M. O'Neill wrote the majority gave Terry "the functional equivalent of the death penalty for a lawyer," and that while he does not condone the acts of Terry or McCafferty, they should both suffer the same consequences.

He noted McCafferty repeatedly lied to FBI agents in a "justice-for-sale" scheme while Terry was caught perjuring himself in court about his involvement in a justice-for-sale scheme with the same parties. He questioned why the penalty is less severe for lying to federal agents than lying under oath in court.

Justice O'Neill wrote that Terry is paying for the mistake he made, and he sees no reason to deny Terry a chance to be reinstated to the practice of law in Ohio.

"For all practical purposes, it will be another five years before Terry could even consider applying for reinstatement. He would then have the formidable task of convincing the majority of this court at that time that he has changed his life and has something positive to offer the people of this state," he concluded.

FirstEnergy and Rubber City Radio Group -- the parent company of WAKR -- teaming up to become one of the first all-alternative electric broadcast operations in the midwest through the utility's "Switch Is On" program. 100 percent of the electricity used by 1590 WAKR, 97.5 WONE-FM and 94.9 WQMX will come from a western Ohio wind farm located near Van Wert, Ohio west of Toledo. The power generated by the advanced wind turbines at the Blue Creek Wind Farm is used by FirstEnergy, American Municipal Power and The Ohio State University, according to the company's website.

Dennis Chack, Senior Vice-President of the utility, says FirstEnergy has close to 1,700 megawatts of renewable energy available to it's system. FirstEnergy controls nearly 17,000 megawatts with more than a third from carbon-free sources including wind, solar and hydroelectric.

When the wind farm reaches full capacity, Chack notes, it allows for development of additional renewable resources to meet the growing need for "green" energy. The electricity generated though the program helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and is certified as part of the Green-e Energy verification program.

FirstEnergy is also making the same green energy choice available to homeowners. The utility says it costs an extra four dollars a month, on average.

Additional information is available at TheSwitchIsOn.com. 

Three people have been arrested in connection with a Stark County AMBER Alert.  Stark County Sheriff's deputies say one woman took another woman's child and left without permission after a fight at a residence on Oak Avenue NW.

Police recovered the child with three adults about 90 minutes later; she's unharmed and back with her mother.  Police found the child in a vehicle on 14th Street NW in Canton.

27-year old Raina Becker faces Abduction and Domestic Violence charges; both 27 year old Brandon Ramsey and 37 year old Jason Ramsey also face Abduction charges. All three are being held in the Stark County Jail.

Akron police say a 51-year old woman was killed when she lost control of her car early this morning on NOrth Portage Path near Marks Drive, then hit a tree. Her name was not released pending family notification. Police say she was not wearing a seat belt and airbags in the 2005 Dodge Neon did deploy. Speed "appears to be a factor."

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(APD) The Akron Police Department Traffic Bureau is investigating a traffic fatality that occurred sometime between 3:00am and 4:00am this morning in the 1100 block of North Portage Path. A 51 year old female, driving a 2005 Dodge Neon, was traveling southbound on North Portage Path when she lost control and drove up over the southeast corner at the intersection of Marks Drive. She then struck a tree in the yard at 1108 North Portage Path.

The victim was pronounced dead on scene. The Summit County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an autopsy. 

The airbags were deployed; however the driver was not wearing a seat belt. Speed does appear to be a factor in the accident. The victim's name is being withheld pending positive identification and family notifications.