AKRONBank robbery arrestAKRON: Akron police have arrested a suspect in Monday’s robbery of a South Canton Road bank.Nicole Matanin, 28, of Warren, was arrested Wednesday after police received several tips following the release of surveillance photos of the robbery inside the KeyBank branch at 548 S. Canton Road.Police say the robber handed the teller a note demanding money and left with an undisclosed sum of cash.Matanin was arrested Wednesday at her Warren home on robbery charges.She was being held in the Summit County Jail pending an appearance today in Akron Municipal Court.Town hall meeting AKRON: State Rep. Vernon Sykes, D-Akron, the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus and the Coalition for a Safer Community will host a town hall meeting Nov. 10 to discuss the future of the Akron Police Department.“We believe the best way to improve the relationship between elected officials, police and the public is to engage in direct dialogue,” Sykes said.The meeting will be at Founders Hall, 662 Wolf Ledges Parkway, at 6 p.m. Presenters will include Akron police auditor Phillip Young, Councilman Russel Neal Jr., and state Reps. Sandra Williams and Tracy Maxwell Heard.Charity fundraiserAKRON: A fundraiser will be held Friday for Pain Into Power Inc., a nonprofit that works with those affected by domestic violence.A portion of sales at The Front Porch Cafe, 798 Grant St., from 5 to 9 p.m. will be donated to the group. For information, go to www.painintopower.com.CAMPAIGN TRAILVoter guide onlineThe Beacon Journal’s online Voter Guide provides information about the more than 1,000 candidates in the five-county Akron-Canton area on Tuesday’s general election ballot.The guide, which can be found at www.ohio.com/
voterguide, contains candidates’ personal and employment backgrounds, civic involvement and political histories, as well as statements spelling out their goals.The candidates are vying for 528 municipal, township and school board offices in Summit, Stark, Portage, Medina and Wayne counties.HARTVILLESales tax supportHARTVILLE: A majority of Village Council has approved a resolution supporting a 0.5 percent sales tax for Stark County’s justice system.Councilman Robert Blythe voted against the measure Tuesday. He said he is not sure council should tell citizens how to vote.His council vote does not necessarily reflect how he will cast his own ballot, Blythe said.Councilman Thomas Hough abstained.He said he had to change his earlier vote in favor of the measure to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest.Hough works for the Multi-County Juvenile Attention System. The jail for young offenders is among the agencies the eight-year sales tax would support.RITTMANFamily fun dayRITTMAN: Premier GMC will host a Family Fun and Safety Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.The dealership’s event, at 2000 Eastern Road, will feature free inspections of car seats, child fingerprinting, vehicle inspections, car washes and visits from the Rittman fire and police departments.There also will be games and activities, including a bounce house and complimentary refreshments and food.STARK COUNTYHomes for veteransCANTON: Four or five foreclosed houses will be bought, remodeled and sold for use by low-income veterans through Stark County’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program.County commissioners allocated $500,000 for the project Wednesday.The Regional Planning Commission will oversee the purchase and rehabilitation of the homes, which then will be turned over to a nonprofit organization. The houses could be sold or leased to military veterans.Money for the project comes from revenue from the resale of properties already processed by the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. It has earned $1.3 million.The program started with nearly $4.2 million from the federal government. It was intended to counteract the negative effects of real estate foreclosures.SUMMIT COUNTY15 years in prisonAKRON: Two men who broke into a Northfield home last spring and attacked a resident have each been sentenced to 15 years in prison.Robert Linde, 26, of Diamond, and Angelo J. Santamaria, 54, of Northfield Center, were sentenced Wednesday by Summit County Common Pleas Judge Tom Teodosio on aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary charges.They pleaded guilty to the charges Oct. 4.Sheriff’s deputies arrested the men inside a Butternut Lane home after interrupting their attack on the 50-year-old homeowner during the early morning break-in May 17.The homeowner had noticed the men outside and called 911 just before they forced their way into his house.At one point, Linde and Santamarie, armed with a knife and metal cable, wrestled the homeowner to the floor and had him in a chokehold. Deputy Wes Dobbins arrived at the home and ended the attack.The homeowner was treated for face and neck injuries.Fundraiser for petsAKRON: A fundraiser for Heaven Can Wait Rescue and Adoptions will be held Wednesday at Ripper Owens Tap House, 491 E. Waterloo Road.A portion of proceeds raised from 5:30 to 9:30 plus tips to guest bartenders will be donated to the group that rescues dogs and cats from Summit County Animal Control.For more information, call 330-328-8699 or go to www.heaven-can-wait.com.WOOSTER SCHOOLSPollution reductionWOOSTER: The Wooster Board of Education is getting $37,611 to clean up pollution from its school buses.The grant, announced Wednesday, came from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. It was among seven grants totaling $295,733 that will cover 134 buses.Wooster will use the grant money to install idle reduction equipment on 13 buses to reduce diesel exhaust pollution.The grants come from federal and state grants plus penalties paid to the Ohio EPA by polluters.