UPDATE E-Coli Bacteria In Water Sample

Until further notice, southern Barberton residents need to continue boiling their water.

One water sample tested positive for E-coli, says Utilities Director Jim Stendor.
He believes the bacteria may have formed when the pipe burst on Snyder Avenue that had a little sewage in it.

The water in the area will be retested Friday.

The city is hoping to lift the boil alert Saturday morning.

Residents along Snyder Avenue and between 5th Street SE and South Van Buren Road should boil their water for two minutes before drinking or using it for cooking.

Stendor also says to wait until the boil alert is no longer in effect to do laundry or wash dishes.

Akron Career Fair

Date: Monday, March 2
Location: Hilton Akron / Fairlawn
3180 West Market Street
Akron, OH 44333
Time: 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Bring at least 15 resumes!
Industries Represented

* Accounting/Auditing
* Administrative and Support Services
* Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations
* Banking
* Consumer Products
* Customer Service and Call Center
* Finance/Economics
* Financial Services
* Hospitality/Tourism
* Insurance
* Real Estate/Mortgage
* Restaurant and Food Service
* Retail/Wholesale
* Sales
* And many more...

Community expo set for March 14

The Chamber of Commerce will host its biennial community expo, "Explore Hudson," March 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at East Woods School, 120 N. Hayden Parkway.

Admission and parking is free to this family-friendly event featuring more than 90 exhibitors who will offer giveaways, food samples and drawings.

Representatives from the schools, city departments, non-profit organizations, civic groups and local businesses will participate.

A children's area will feature crafts, balloons and entertainment. The Akron Zoo also will participate.

There will be live entertainment throughout the day and informational seminars regarding health and fitness.

Aid for Homelessness Prevention in Stimulus

Preliminary Provisions Available

February 12, 2009

Barring any changes on the House or Senate floors, the provisions to aid homeless and low-income Americans in the stimulus package are now available as follows:

Homeless Prevention

$1.5 billion to the HUD Emergency Shelter Grant Program

$100 million to the FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Grant Program

Food Assistance

Food stamp benefits will increase by approximately 13%. This increase will phase out over time.

$100 million for formula grants to states for elderly nutrition services, including Meals on Wheels

$150 million for the Emergency Food Assistance Program to purchase commodities for food banks

Education

$70 million for the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program

Disability Payments

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries and veterans receiving disability benefits or pensions from the VA will receive a one-time payment of $250.

Unemployment Benefits

Increases unemployment benefits by $25 per week

Continues the extended unemployment benefits program until December 2009 (the program was due to expire in March 2009).The extended unemployment benefits program provides up to 33 weeks of extended benefits.

Earned Income Credit and Child Tax Credit

Provides additional tax credit to families with three or more children and decreases the marriage penalty for the tax credit

Decreases the annual income required to claim the Child Tax Credit from $8,000 to $3,000

Assistance to Persons Fleeing Domestic Violence

$50 million to the transitional housing program authorized by the Violence Against Women Act to assist individuals and families fleeing from domestic violence

Produce Give Away

Open M and The Akron Canton Regional Food Bank are teaming up for

A Mountain of Food for the Multitude

Any Summit County resident is eligible

No referral needed

Where: 941 Princeton Street

Time: 9:00 a.m. Come early and bring your own bags or boxes

When: Every third Friday of each month

February 20th
March 20th
April 17th
May 15th
June 19th
July 17th
August 21st
September 18th
October 16th
November 20th
December NONE

(Dates and Times May Change without Notice)

The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for the Northeast Ohio area from 7 o'clock Wednesday evening through 10 a.m. Thursday morn

WAKR/WONE/WQMX Weather Channel Meteorologist Tony Jackson describes the winds that will tag along with the storm system as "possibly damaging".

The winds will pick up from 25 to 35 mph in the afternoon to into the afternoon hours, to almost 45 to 50 mph gust tonight.
Just incase the gusty winds are high enough to knock out power, FirstEnergy's crews are prepared and staffed.

"I believe we fully crewed up right now and ready for what ever comes," said Chris Eck, spokesperson for Ohio Edison.

Here’s an important public health message from Community Voice Mail and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administr

"Have you heard about the recall of foods that contain peanuts or peanut butter in them because they may contain Salmonella? Salmonella is bacteria that can make you sick with diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Products on the recall list include cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream that have peanut butter or peanuts in them. Major national brands of jarred peanut butter found in grocery stores are NOT affected by the recall.

To find out if you have food that is on the recall list, call the CDC at 1-800-CDC-INFO… or 1-800-232-4636. You can call this number 24 hours a day and speak to an operator who will look up the food for you. If you learn that food you have IS on the list, do NOT eat it, and throw it away. Also, do NOT feed the recalled food to your pets or other animals, as it can make them sick too. If you have questions about the recall or if you have questions about Salmonella, do not hesitate to call the CDC at 1-800-CDC-INFO."

Poverty talk

A discussion on addressing poverty will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Alpha Phi Alpha, 662 Wolf Ledges Parkway.

The ''Conversations on Poverty Cafe Dialogue'' is sponsored by Akron Summit Community Action and the Governor's Task Force on Poverty.

Refreshments will be served. Those interested in attending may call Veronica Sims at 330-572-8304.

Residential Support Specialist - Part Time

Would you like to make a difference in the lives of others and earn extra money? You can at United Disability Services. We are a non-profit, social service agency providing care to adults with MR/DD. We have several part-time, direct care positions (support specialists) in our group homes in West Akron and Macedonia. Shifts include evenings and weekends.



Job duties include providing support in areas of daily living, personal care, money management, health/safety and socialization. Experience is preferred, but not required. Training will be provided. Requirements include proof of HS/GED; BCI; references and drug screen. Must possess valid driver�s license with 5 yrs driving exp; MVR w/2-yr good driving record.



Interested candidates should submit cover letter & resume with desired location and evening/weekend hours available to: United Disability Services, Attn: HR (SS), 701 S. Main St., Akron, OH 44311 or jobs@udsakron.org. EEO.

Super Refund Saturday

The Akron Summit Community Action, Inc, KeyBank, the Akron Summit Earned Income Tax Credit Program, the City of Akron, the County of Summit and the IRS will partner to provide free tax preparation for eligible taxpayers.

"Super Refund Saturday's" is a one-day event that provides free income tax preparation to people who earn less than $42,000. "Super Refund Saturday" will be held at the

Akron Summit Community Action, Inc.
670 West Exchange St.
Akron, Ohio
9:30 am-3:00 pm.
For more information, call 330-376-6660.

Free medical care for all comes to Cuyahoga County -- for 2 days in May

Hundreds of doctors, nurses, dentists, X-ray technicians and other medical personnel are planning a massive free health clinic for Ohio's largest county in May.

The event will transform the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds into a giant medical clinic on May 2 and 3. For two straight days, starting at 6 a.m., they will provide health care to as many people as they possibly can -- for free.

This event in Cleveland is open to all on a first-come, first-served basis regardless of income or citizenship.

Medical staff will offer tests for heart disease and diabetes, check vision and make eye glasses, provide dental exams and pull teeth, and make X-rays and ultrasounds available.

Organizer Zac Ponsky, whose father and two brothers are doctors, says no one will be turned away.

Ponsky says he modeled the event on the Remote Area Medical organization that has conducted similar clinics around the world and in the United States, including Tennessee and Kentucky.

The 2010 Census – A Great Way to Earn Extra Money

Click on the picture to find out more information

Health/Safety Fair and Screenings

What: Helping children learn the importance of good dental care, nutrition, sickle cell, internet and road safety. The event is supporting the Akron/Canton Regional Food Bank by participating in a food drive. Their will be door prizes, activities and contests. The fair is FREE of charge.

When: Saturday, February 28, 2009 10 am - 2 pm

Where: 881 E. Exchange St. Akron, Ohio 44306

For more information contact Svette Rushing at 330-208-1100 or email srushing@smallsmiles.com

Nearly 10K Job Seekers Helped By Goodwill

Looking for work and facing adversity are difficult obstacles. Valuable resources, like those provided through Goodwill of Akron, helped to give 9,666 people a hand-up this past year.

With the mission of helping individuals prepare for, find, and retain employment, the nonprofit agency provided a variety of services to individuals looking for a new or better job, or the opportunity to advance toward gainful employment.

Most known for assisting individuals that have disabilities and operating a well-established donation and resale operation, Goodwill is so much more. The agency has been in the business of meeting the needs of job seekers and extending those services to the entire population for 82 years. In 2007, the agency achieved a record service number of 6,291 individuals, but surpassed that figure by an unprecedented 53.6% in 2008. Although not everyone who receives services is seeking immediate job placement assistance, the agency boasts a placement rate of 80.0% for 2008. Also, its 81% retention rate for 2008 means that most of the 1,047 individuals Goodwill placed into jobs in 2008 were still on the job after 90 days, and it is probable that their employment will continue.

In 2008, Goodwill impacted the local economy as the value of the first year's wages of individuals placed was almost $19.5 million "“ dollars that purchased food and services, and paid taxes in local communities. Beginning in 2006, Goodwill began more formally measuring its satisfaction level of participants receiving services, and in each of the last three years, it has achieved at least 93% participant satisfaction.

It is also important to note that Goodwill's business lines, which include its Contract Services and Retail Operations, are the perfect training ground for many of the participants receiving services. More than 320 program participants worked within these business operations for a total of 111,188 hours gaining valuable skills, and more importantly, an enhanced feeling of confidence and self-worth to help them become more successful in relation to their employment goals.

Goodwill Industries would not have been able to achieve these record numbers without the support and encouragement from the public's donations and its many referral sources and funding agencies including:

"¢ Summit County Department of Job and Family Services and County of Summit Board of MR/DD

"¢ Medina County Office of Workforce Development; Medina County Department of Job and Family Services; and several Medina County School Systems

"¢ Portage County Board of MR/DD; and Maplewood Career Center

"¢ Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission, its Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation, and its Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired

"¢ Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services

"¢ Bureau of Worker's Compensation

"¢ Veterans Health Administration

"¢ United Way of Summit County

"¢ Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board of Summit County, and its Community Support Services

"¢ Summit County Children Services; Akron Summit Community Action, Inc.; Babcock and Wilcox; The City of Stow; The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; and many other community partners