More than 600 animals have been rescued by the PAWSibilities Humane Society of Greater Akron since the beginning of July. Among the most recent rescues are 56 purebred miniature Schnauzers.

The dogs were raised by a breeder who no longer could care for them. Instead of selling the animals, the breeder decided to surrender the Schnauzers to the humane society in order to find a proper home.

While some of the dogs are available for adoption, officials said "others need additional medical care before they are ready for their forever homes."

"Although we are so very full right now, we knew we had to help these Miniature Schnauzers embark on their new lives," said president and CEO Diane Johnson in a news release. "We are relying on the community members to open their hearts and homes over the next few weeks for these Schnauzers and all the other animals currently in our care. Please consider adopting or donating to help us in this lifesaving work of caring for these rescued animals."

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(PAWSibilities®, Humane Society of Greater Akron) PAWSibilities®, Humane Society of Greater Akron (PHSGA) has rescued over 600 animals since the beginning of July. Among the most recent rescues are 56 purebred Miniature Schnauzers, raised by a breeder who became unable to continue caring for them. Rather than sell these full-bred dogs, he chose to surrender them to the PAWSibilities, Humane Society of Greater Akron to ensure that they receive proper care and are placed in loving homes.

These hypoallergenic dogs range in age from one year to fourteen years are a variety of colors, including white, black, salt and pepper as well as black and silver. Some Schnauzers are available for adoption today, while others need additional medical care before they are ready for their forever homes. Each Schnauzers' adoption fee includes one free seminar on socialization by a certified trainer. Prior to adoption each dog will be spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated, de-flead, de-wormed and microchipped as well as behaviorally accessed to ensure the best placement in their forever homes. At this time, PHSGA is looking for big-hearted adopters with low traffic, adult only homes willing to invest the time and understanding into these shy "diamonds in the ruff".

President/CEO Diane Johnson says, "Although we are so very full right now, we knew we had to help these Miniature Schnauzers embark on their new lives. We are relying on the community members to open their hearts and homes over the next few weeks for these Schnauzers and all the other animals currently in our care. Please consider adopting or donating to help us in this lifesaving work of caring for these rescued animals."

PHSGA is in immediate need of community support and funds to help care for the Schnauzers and the hundreds of other animals waiting for forever homes. Monetary donations help us provide critical care, shelter, food and vet services for these animals and all the others in our care. Donations are desperately needed and can be made securely at summithumane.org or can be mailed to 7996 Darrow Road in Twinsburg, OH 44087.

The Akron Zoo will be closing its Journey to the Reef exhibit this November.

The indoor exhibit hall is designed to change and offer a new exhibit every 3-4 years, according to officials at the Akron Zoo.

Journey to the Reef opened in May of 2012 and has hosted over 1.4 million people. The last day for the exhibit will be November 19th.

No replacement has been named, but it is expected to open in the spring of 2017.

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(Akron Zoo - Press Release) The Akron Zoo's popular exhibit, Journey to the Reef, will be closing November 19, 2016. The reef exhibit is located in an indoor exhibit hall in Komodo Kingdom which was designed to change exhibits every 3-4 years. Journey to the Reef first opened on May 26, 2012 and hosted over 1.4 million people. Its replacement exhibit has yet to be named, but will open in the spring of 2017.

To commemorate the closing of Journey to the Reef the zoo will host a Bon Voyage party on November 19. Journey to the Reef features 18 aquariums and over 40 aquatic species that live on or near the reef, and live coral. This area also includes several interactive education areas for kids, like our stingray touch tank, to learn about ocean life and conservation.

Many of the animals that are a part of Journey to the Reef had never been exhibited at the zoo before, such as: octopus, eels, seahorses, venomous lionfish and clownfish. The exhibit also included a couple of species of jellyfish, starfish, schooling fish, crabs and more.

Although the new exhibit has yet to be announced it will include some aquatic and terrestrial animals along with carnivorous plants. The new exhibit will be announced
early in 2017. The Akron Zoo is open 361 days a year. Zoo hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and admission is $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens, $9 for children (ages 2-14). Children under two are free and parking is $3.00. For more information visit www.akronzoo.org or call (330) 375-2550.

Founded in 1953, the Akron Zoo is a non-profit, world conservation Zoo with over 700 animals from around the world. Located just west of Downtown Akron, the Zoo
strives to provide a dynamic, financially responsible, guest centered animal experience that is energized by innovation and fun. The Akron Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats.

When it comes to the heroin epidemic, there are a number of different ways treatment organizations, law enforcement and city leaders are working to tackle the issue. The court system is no different.

"The only way to get these very dangerous and deadly drugs off the streets is to lock up the supplier," said Margaret Scott, deputy chief of the criminal division at the Summit County Prosecutor's Office.

So far this year, 11 people have been charged with manslaughter in connection with heroin overdose deaths in the area.

"These drug dealers, they know exactly what they're doing," said Scott. "They are selling these drugs to people who they know physically have an addiction, and have to have it and feel they have to have it, they're taking their money and they know that it's likely that they will die."

READ Akron Police Chief Adds New Heroin Unit

"Within the past three years, we started to see an increase in actually charging the trafficker with a homicide, and hopefully getting them locked up for a long enough time to keep the product off the streets."

Scott said there are also court programs in place to help connect those battling an addiction with local treatment centers.

As our week-long series on the heroin epidemic comes to an end, it's just the beginning for those who have high hopes to make a difference in the community.

Take for example Travis and Shelly Bornstein who lost their son two years ago. They want to open a treatment center on the same vacant lot in Akron where their son, Tyler, died from a heroin overdose.

"The person [Tyler] was with took him to a vacant lot at the corner of Arlington and Alfred and left him there to die," said Travis. "That was on Sept. 28 of 2014. Ever since then, our family has been trying to work to try to bring positive change to the heroin/opiate epidemic."

Shelly Bornstein and her sister, Laura Broyles, officially launched the non-profit program, Breaking Barriers - Hope is Alive, to raise awareness and money to build a new treatment center in the city.

"It's not going to be an easy solve," said Travis. "We cannot get into the blame game. We all have to come together as a community to work together to solve this."

Travis, the current president of Teamsters Local 24 in Akron, attended the union's international convention in Las Vegas in June with hopes of raising awareness about the new non-profit organization. It didn't take long for the donation pledges to roll in -- totaling around $1.4 million.

While it may seem like a lot of money, Travis say much more is needed to build a fully operational facility in the city.

"We can probably build a building, but we can't operate, fund and staff a state-of-the-art facility like we would like to have with $1.4 million."

Breaking Barriers continues to hold fundraisers and has launched an online crowdfunding page to raise money to carry out the goal of building a new treatment center in Akron, but Travis says it's also about building partnerships with city leaders and community members.

"A big part of our hope. A big part of our mission is to offer hope. We need to offer hope to our community."

The man who shot and killed Canton police K-9 Jethro has been sentenced to 45 years in prison.

The Canton Repository reports Kelontre D. Barefield, 23, accepted the sentence after pleading guilty to the charges in two cases, including the shooting of Jethro.

Barefield shot Jethro three times and exchanged fire with officers during a burglary at a supermarket in southwest Canton earlier this year.

On the web: www.cantonrep.com

The funeral service for Canton police K9 Jethro included video and photos -- as an officer and a best friend. pic.twitter.com/ksJc1TuRF9

— Amani Abraham (@AmaniAbraham) January 14, 2016

Previous Coverage: 

Report: Alleged K9 Killer Indicted

Hearing Set For Man Accused Of Killing Canton K9

VIDEO End Of Watch: Canton Police K9 Jethro

Bond Set at $5 Million For Alleged K9 Killer

AUDIO: Jethro Donations Pour In

UPDATE Canton Police K-9 Jethro Passes Away

An Akron police sergeant has been charged in connection with a crash that left his wife seriously injured.

Vince Yurick is facing a list of charges including aggravated vehicular assault, operating a vehicle while impaired.

Akron police say Yurick was driving his car Canterbury Circle on Aug. 7 when he lost control, went left of center, and hit a tree. Yurick was injured and his wife suffered serious injuries. Authorities say speed and alcohol are both factors in the crash.

Yurick is scheduled for an arraignment hearing in Akron Municipal Court on Tuesday, August 30. Yurick is currently on paid administrative leave per the union contract

Jackson Township Police say an investigation revealed that an abduction and assault that was reported at Stark State College in July never happened.

On July 14, police say a woman reported that she was taken from a parking lot and driven to the Akron area where she had been assaulted. Following an investigation, authorities determined that the incident never occurred.

The Stark County Prosecutor's Office is expected to review the case for possible criminal charges for filing a false police report.

A 27-year-old Akron woman has been sentenced to five years in prison for severely burning her young child.

Monique Smith pled guilty to child endangering and felonious assault after her two-year-old suffered first and second degree burns in July of 2015. Investigators said the burns were "consistent with someone being held in 124 degree water" for several minutes.

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(Summit County Prosecutor's Office) Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh announced today that Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Amy Corrigall Jones sentenced Monique Smith, 27, of Laffer Avenue in Akron, to five years in prison for severely burning her young child.

On May 25, 2016, Smith pled guilty to the following charges:

Child Endangering – a felony of the 2nd degree
Felonious Assault – a felony of the 2nd degree

In July of 2015, Smith's two-and-a-half year old daughter was brought to Akron Children's Hospital where she was treated for first and second degree burns to her buttocks and feet. Because of her injuries, the toddler spent nearly a week in the hospital. Investigators determined the burns were consistent with someone being held in 124 degree water for between five and ten minutes.

There are steps being taken to address some of the community concerns surrounding the heroin epidemic in Akron. The Akron Police Department has started training officers on using Narcan to help save the lives of those who may have overdosed.

"We want to do everything we can to save lives," said Akron Police Chief James Nice. "So the next step is to put in into the police cruisers. In case the cruiser does get there before EMS, we're given every opportunity to save a life."

Nice said it's not often that police officers arrive on scene of an overdose before EMS, but he still believes it's important to have officers equipped with the drug to offer help.

At this point, Nice said carrying Narcan does not come with a cost for the department. The first shipment of the supply will come from the hospitals and the Summit County Health Department. Nice said grants are expected to help pay for additional supplies when needed.

Nice expects Narcan to be in every police cruiser beginning this Friday.

Help for those struggling with a heroin addiction can come from a number of different places -- including right inside jails. Dr. Debra Walsh with Summit Psychological Associates works directly with the Summit County Jail offering Vivitrol to inmates battling a heroin addiction. The drug works to reduce cravings and block the high.

According to Walsh, the Vivitrol program is not just about reducing a person's craving for the drug -- but also about connecting the person with an outpatient treatment when they are released from jail.

"Right when they get the injection, they are hooked, specifically, with our outpatient program so that they can leave the jail and start right up with our mental health (services), our substance treatment, and the monthly injections," said Walsh.

The program offered to inmates includes Vivitrol, but it's just one component to the recovery phase.

"So we really do come at it from all three perspectives, instead of just looking at as medication. And that's really how we're addressing the overdose piece because just being on the medication does not prevent them from using other drugs. It also doesn't help solve everything in their lives."

While some inpatient treatment facilities may be at full capacity, Walsh says they are still accepting people for the outpatient program. They are opening up "walk-in" hours every Friday (between 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.) to reach out to those who want to learn how they can get involved with the program.

Summit Psychological Associates will also be hosting a free educational event discuss treatment options and complementary resources that are available in the area on Sept. 16.

A panel of speakers will be available including law enforcement, judges, and representatives from Oriana House and Summit Psychological Associates. Click here to register for the event.