West Farmington to meet on water rates
WEST FARMINGTON - West Farmington Village Council will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Monday to give a second reading to water rate adjustments.
Prior to the meeting, the Board of Public Affairs will meet at 6 p.m. and will hold a public meeting on the water rates at 6:30 p.m.
Mayor Allen Patchin said on Friday discussion at the meetings will include going over a new rate structure. He said the village's water department is not quite breaking even and is dealing with the need for maintenance at the water plant and Environmental Protection Agency mandates.
The current rate is a $30 flat rate for the first 2,000 gallons and $1.35 per 100 gallons. Plans are to come up with a new structure with a flat rate for up to 99 gallons and a new cost per gallon for each 100 gallons of water after that.
Patchin said rules and regulations will also be changing for delinquent accounts and tap-in fees.
EGCC will host alumni gathering
STEUBENVILLE - Eastern Gateway Community College graduates of 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979 are invited to attend an upcoming gathering.
The EGCC Alumni Association will host an informal dinner 6 p.m. Thursday at a Steubenville restaurant, where alumni will have the opportunity to greet and enjoy the company of former classmates.
Alumni interested in attending should call the Career Services office at 800-86-COLLEGE, Ext. 113 or Ext. 110.
Trombold chosen for PUCO board
COLUMBUS - Gov. John Kasich has chosen a former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio staff member to fill an opening on that board.
The Republican announced Friday he's appointing 42-year-old M. Beth Trombold, now at the Ohio Development Services Agency. Her appointment must be confirmed by state senators.
Trombold, of Columbus, was the only woman among four finalists. She was appointed to fill the unexpired term of former commissioner Cheryl Roberto and then a full term ending in April 2018.
By law, Roberto's seat can't go to a Republican because the party already controls three of five seats.
Democrats criticized Trombold's appointment, pointing to her voting history.
Resident drops suit over fine sent to Newtown
CANTON - An Ohio taxpayer is dismissing his lawsuit over a $5,000 court fine that a judge directed to the Connecticut community where 26 people were killed in a school shooting.
The taxpayer's attorney says he dismissed the suit Friday after the judge had the money returned to Stark County in northeast Ohio.
Attorney Craig Conley had filed the suit, saying the law didn't allow the judge to send the money to the Newtown school support fund instead of having it paid to the county. Conley says the taxpayer he represents is satisfied his concerns have been addressed.
The money was paid by a former Ohio high school basketball coach convicted of videotaping boys in a locker room shower.
Man acquitted of third count in Batman case
CLEVELAND - An Ohio man who earlier pleaded guilty to two charges for bringing a loaded gun, ammunition and knives to a showing of the latest Batman movie has been acquitted of a third weapons count.
A judge heard evidence on the third charge without a jury in Cleveland on Friday and acquitted 38-year-old Scott A. Smith, of North Ridgeville. The third charge was having a weapon under disability, which prosecutors said was a drug dependency.
Staff, wire reports
Smith pleaded guilty on Monday to two counts of carrying a concealed weapon.
Smith was arrested at an Aug. 4 showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Westlake. His attorney says Smith had the weapons for protection in case someone tried to copy the Colorado theater shooting that left 12 dead three weeks earlier.