The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 8

THE EEACON JOURNAL SATURDAY, MAY 2 1.1988 A8 Ohio EPA seeks sanctions against Polysar By Susan Smith Beacon Journal staff writer The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is asking Attorney General Anthony J. Celebrezze Jr. to take legal action against Polysar Inc. for alleged water pollution violations at the company's plant in Copley Township. But officials of the Akron plastics maker disagree with the EPA, saying the agency has set "unreasonable and unnecessary" standards for water pollution control.

"We welcome the opportunity to discuss with the Ohio attorney general charges by the Ohio EPA of water pollution violations at Polysar's Copley plant," said Greg Klapp, manager for the plant at 1122 Jacoby Road. "We believe the charges are unreasonable and unnecessary and have no bearing on the public health." Celebrezze's office is investigating the dispute but has yet to file a lawsuit, according to Mike Webb, a spokesman for the attorney general. The disagreement began nearly two years ago, according to Ohio EPA spokesman Al Franks. In September 1986, the Ohio EPA or Klapp, however, says the Ohio EPA has been kept informed about the progress of the effort. "Polysar Copley has invested several million dollars in the most advanced water treatment technology and plans to spend a great deal more over the next two years," Klapp said in an interview after conferring with the company's attorney.

Klapp said the firm had asked the Ohio EPA to revise the standards. Franks said companies commonly attempt to challenge water pollution standards set by the agency. dered Polysar to improve waste water treatment operations to bring the plant into compliance by March 1987 with the plant's discharge permit, Franks said. In addition, the firm was required to construct a ground-water recovery facility needed because of soil contamination that had been caused by spills, overflows and leaks from storage tanks, Franks said. The firm makes polystyrene used in plastic cups, toys and refrigerator liners and discharges treated waste water into a tributary of Pigeon Creek.

The new facilities were completed on time, according to Ohio EPA officials. However, Franks said the EPA has found several violations since April 1987 in which Polysar exceeded permit limits on the discharge of methylene chloride, ethyl benzene, styrene and phenol. The state agency also contends the company has failed to provide adequate information on the extent and rate of soil contamination. "We asked them several times why they were having violations but they never provided a sufficient explanation or explained how they would correct the problems or prevent future violations," said Franks. One for practice Property tax hike a record Ohio's total at $4.4 billion Mock raid teaches real lesson Associated Press m-f wm MsSAv By Marilyn Miller Roane Beacon Journal staff writer "Police.

Open the door." "I didn't call the police," a voice shouts back. Swiftly, the men dressed in black use a long, heavy, steel bar to knock down the front door. "Freeze. On the floor," they say, and two suspects succumb without incident. Seconds later, shots are fired from atop the stairs and a member of the Special Weapons And Tactics team takes the lead with a body guard shield.

The scenario, which sounds like it might be from any number of current television dra- mas, was live in Akron on Friday as police re-enacted a drug raid on Euclid Avenue. The bullets were fake, but police hope the training was realistic enough. Akron police Lt. George Reuscher said the first-ever practice drug raid was set up because of increased drug activity throughout the country and a desire to teach Akron police the proper techniques for such busts. The 35 Akron police officers who participated in the three-day training session that concluded Friday managed to: Secure a house in 20 seconds.

Arrest a man who took a woman hostage without harm to the hostage. Cover all sides of the house without being noticed until they were inside. But, when a couple of officers let their guard down and didn't know someone was hiding in the closet, the officers were hit. The training was coordinated Beacon Journal photosEd Sub Jr. Columbus Individuals and businesses across Ohio were hit with a record $296.6 million increase in their total property tax bills during 1987, the Ohio Public Expenditure Council said Friday.

Real estate, public utility and tangible personal property taxes reached $4.48 billion last year, and would have been much higher had it not been for a series of tax-relief measures previously enacted by the General Assembly. The $296.6 million increase from 1986 to 1987 was the largest dollar boost in the state's history, a council report said. But there have been higher percentage increases than the 7.1 percent in 1987. Charles Calhoun, president of the private, non-partisan tax-study organization, said increases in property taxes stem from a variety of sources. "It would be a combination of voter levies, reappraisals, updates of property values every three years and new construction," Calhoun said in an interview.

"A combination of all those will give you a pretty significant increase in taxes." Also helping to increase the overall total would be property tax increases approved by voters in large urban school districts. The 1987 figures would reflect tax levies adopted in the previous year. "Statewide, 70 percent of the local property tax dollar goes for public education. That'll vary from district to district," Calhoun said. Of the total property tax bill, businesses and public utilities paid $2.4 billion, or 53.6 percent.

Agricultural and residential taxpayers paid slightly more than $2 billion in local property taxes last year. At the same time, the council said business and individuals received $497.1 million in property tax relief in 1987, an increase of $31 million or 6.7 percent over 1986. Schools and local governments were reimbursed for the revenue loss by the state, with payments coming from a fund financed chiefly by the income and sales taxes. "Since the first property tax relief program went into effect in 1972, over $4.6 billion in property tax relief has been granted Ohio's business and individual taxpayers," the report said. Members of the Akron police SWAT team (from left, above) Tom Wolfe, Charles Brown and Mychal Brown storm house off Euclid Avenue In a simulated drag raid Friday.

Inside the house, Wolfe (In right photo) holds A mock suspect after the house Is secured by SWAT team ing targets, weapons and contraband." Reuscher said Akron's SWAT team, which has been in existence since 1974, has been on 12 raids so far this year. Last year, he said, the SWAT team was called out 28 times, including 17 drug raids. Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic heartily endorsed the training. "The drug problem in Akron is not nearly as bad as in most areas, but in any community, small or large, this type of training helps to prepare our people to do the job with minimal risks," said Plusquellic, who has added two officers to the narcotics unit as part of his administration's drug enforcement efforts. Akron Patrolman Charles Brown said the training was "good practice, because there were mistakes." Added fellow officer Ervin Odom, "It's really something when you think you did well and you look down and see the (cotton) bullets on your chest.

You realize then if this was a real situation you would be dead." by the state Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation in Richfield and London. Mike Surber, law enforcement coordinator for BCI in London, said members of his agency go around Ohio setting up the raids. "We try to set things so that the police can win if they do things right. If they don't, they lose and get shot," he said. "In these type of situations, you must secure everything quickly.

The whole thing is a judgment call. You constantly have to make the right decisions, whether to shoot, identify- NUGGETS Stow mother argues for graduation tickets WWWE's Fig Newton quits job after report of child porn charge By Terry Oblander Beacon Journal staff writer By Bob Dyer Beacon Journal staff writer Erin Brew returns A new beer with an old Cleveland label is being marketed as Cleveland's, although the suds will be brewed in Pittsburgh. Erin Brew went on sale Friday at bars and restaurants in downtown Cleveland and will be available next week in suburbs. David Low-man and Craig Chaitoff are peddling Erin Brew, a beer with a name familiar to Clevelanders who frequented local taverns decades ago. "People say Cleveland's been experiencing a renaissance," Chaitoff said.

"But something was missing, and that was beer." If successful, Erin Brew would become the only beer marketed as Cleveland's, although it is being brewed by Pittsburgh Brewing Co. As a Cleveland label, Erin Brew replaces P.O.C, Leisy and other beers that died off in the face of competition from large, national brewers. also have two graduating seniors. He said he is quite sure Mrs. Phillips would get her tickets if she would just follow the procedures for obtaining surplus tickets.

The first step, he said, is for Mrs. Phillips to write to the school asking for two more tickets. If there are any leftover tickets, they will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis. Mrs. Phillips said she won't make the written request.

"It would be like admitting I'm wrong," she said. She'll get a lawyer if she has to, she said, and will seek to recover at least half of her sons' graduation costs if she doesn't get the tickets. Kunkler said it's a matter of ruins and fairness. "Why can't this person follow the same procedure everyone else is following?" he asked. "You just can't be giving out an unlimited supply of tickets to everyone who asks for them." four years' probation on the condition he receive counseling.

KSPZ, a Top-40 music station in Colorado Springs, declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding Newton's departure. But Catherine Goodwin, the U.S. attorney who handled the case, told the Beacon Journal that Newton lost his KSPZ job because of the matter. She said the maximum sentence for the offense is 10 years in jail and a $250,000 fine, but that the judge did not impose a specific sentence to be invoked if Newton violates probation. During Channel 8's report, investigative reporter Carl Monday confronted Newton with the charge on-camera in WWWE's studio.

Newton did not deny the allegations but declined to comment at length. WWWE General Manager Har vey Simms issued a statement late Friday afternoon announcing Newton's resignation. A spokeswoman said the decision was entirely Newton's. A few hours earlier, the station had announced that Newton was being suspended pending a station investigation. Substitute host Jack Reynolds was on the air when Newton's normal 2 p.m.

Friday shift began. Newton's real name is David E. Newton. A native of Illinois, he began his radio career in Canton in 1973. A year later he moved to WGAR in Cleveland, where he stayed until WWWE first beckoned in 1982.

Newton moved to Colorado in 1986. He returned to WWWE's lineup April 11. Newton could not be reached for comment Thursday evening or Friday. If one Stow-Munroe Falls High School senior gets five graduation tickets for his family, then two seniors should get 10, right? Wrong. The graduation tickets are at the center of a dispute between one Stow family and high school administrators.

Glenda Phillips says she should get 10 graduation tickets because she has two sons graduating, Ronald and Thomas. She says she has paid twice for all the graduation costs and should get the extra five tickets so that her friends and family including her seriously ill father can attend the June 10 graduation at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall in Akron. Principal John Kunkler says, however, that Mrs. Phillips has to be treated like the parents of the other 440 graduates, Including eight or nine other families who Cleveland radio personality Fig Newton resigned Friday in the wake of a report that he was convicted last year of buying child pornography.

WJW (Channel 8) reported Thursday night that Newton, the afternoon announcer at WWWE (1100-AM), pleaded guilty to purchasing a videotape showing sexual encounters between two boys, ages 11 and 14. Newton was one of 89 people indicted last summer after a nationwide sting operation run by postal officials in Cleveland, Channel 8 said. At the time, Newton was working for a station in Colorado Springs, Colo. A spokeswoman for the U.S. District Court in Denver told the Beacon Journal that Newton pleaded guilty to receiving the tape and was placed on.