The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 6

Tuesday, December 12, 1989 4 The Beacon Journal B3 ODOT worker faces suspension for her involvement in politics By Eric Sandatrom Beacon Journal staff writer An Ohio Department of Transportation employee could be suspended for three days because of her involvement in Portage County politics, according to William Bunkley, deputy director for the department's District 4. Mary Lohr, a clerical worker at the department's Rootstown Township office, is accused of violating an Ohio law that prohibits civil service workers from serving as officers in political organizations and from working in elections. Mrs. Lohr, 55, of Suffield Township, was a poll worker during the Nov. 7 election.

She also was a member of the Democratic Central Executive Committee. She resigned both posts in November after her Transportation Department supervisor, Thomas Harris, complained, Bunkley said. A departmental hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in Rootstown. Mrs.

Lohr could be fired, but her supervisor recommended a three-day suspension instead, Bunkley said. The penalty must be approved by department Director Bernard Hurst in Columbus before it is imposed, Bunkley said. Mrs. Lohr, a Transportation Department worker for four denied any wrongdoing. She said she had worked elections for 20 years and was not aware that it was illegal for a civil service worker until her supervisor told her last month.

Mrs. Lohr had been granted a personal day off with pay from her job on Nov. 7. She made $55 for 13 hours of work at the polling place that day. "It's something I enjoyed you see all your neighbors," Mrs.

Lohr said of her elec tion job. "I think I'm being discriminated against." Steve Fought, a spokesman for Ohio Secretary of State Sherrod Brown's office, said cases like Mrs. Lohr's are common. Ironically, Fought said, the law was enacted more than half a century ago to prevent civil service workers from being forced by their politically appointed bosses to work for candidates. Portage County Democratic Party Chairman Ted Sapp, who knows Mrs.

Lohr, criticized Transportation Department officials for making a case against her. Sapp, who also is on the county elections board, contends that similar cases in other counties are resolved without job suspensions, and that Mrs. Lohr is being treated unfairly. "There's no reason for the hearing," Sapp said. "It's absurd.

She's one of the best poll workers we ever had." Girl still missing as birthday passes Associated Press REGION AND STATE Car crash in Portage kills year-old child A year-old Ravenna boy was killed and his 3-year-old brother was injured Monday when the car they were riding in spun out of control, went into a ditch and struck a tree. Joseph Soltis of King Street was killed instantly. His brother David Firtik, also of King Street, was at Children's Hospital Medical Center of Akron after being thrown from the car. His condition was not available Monday night. Their mother, Barbara Soltis, 20, who was driving, was treated at Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna and released.

Neither Joseph nor David, who were both riding In the back seat of the car, were strapped into child safety seats, as required by state law. Mrs. Soltis was not wearing a seat belt, also required by state law. According to the Ravenna post of the Ohio Highway Patrol, the accident occurred about 10 a.m. on state Route 305 near Brosius Road in Portage County's Nelson Township.

Mrs. Soltis was eastbound on Route 305 when she lost control of the car on the snow-covered roadway. The car slid across the highway and into a ditch, then struck a tree and was spun 1 times counterclockwise, officers said. STARK AUDITOR WON'T RUN AGAIN: Stark County Auditor William B. Bowman said he will not run for re-election in November 1990.

Bowman said he and his wife, the Rev. Susan Bowman, will be leaving Stark County for Cambridge, where Mrs. Bowman will be the Cambridge dis- trict superintendent for the United Methodist Church East Ohio Conference. She has been serving at the Uniontown United Methodist Church. Bowman, a Republican who lives in Lake Township, has been auditor since 1975.

He said he would complete his term and did not plan to step down, which would necessitate an appointment. DEADLINE FOR GRANT REQUESTS: Stark County will receive about $93,000 from the Ohio Children's Trust Fund to finance programs to prevent child abuse and neglect. The county's Advisory Board will meet from 4 to 5:30 p.m. 'I Thursday in the McKinley Centre, 800 Market Avenue to distribute applications and to outline instructions. The deadline for submitting grant applications is Jan.

26. For more information, call 455-6644. TEEN HURT IN SHOTGUN ACCIDENT: Danny J. Young, 15, of Rootstown was in satisfactory condition Monday at Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna, recovering from a shotgun wound to his left leg. Portage County Sheriff P.

Ken Howe said the boy was leaving his Muzzy Lane home at 7:23 a.m. Monday when he slipped on an ice-covered porch, caus- ing a 12-gauge shotgun he was carrying to discharge. FIRES CAUSE $4,000 DAMAGE: Two house fires caused a total of $4,000 in damage Monday afternoon, the Akron Fire Department reported. The first fire occurred about 2:15 p.m. in the 900 block of Hamlin Street and was blamed on children playing with a lighter.

The fire caused $2,500 damage to a bedroom. The second fire occurred about 4:10 p.m. in the 200 block of North Arlington Street and was blamed on careless smoking. The fire caused $1,500 to an attic bedroom. No injuries were reported.

JUDGE TO TOUR CHICKEN FARM: Stark County Common Pleas Judge John Haas said he will tour a chicken farm in Marlboro Township on Saturday before hearing evidence in a lawsuit filed against Park Poultry Inc. by the township's trustees. Haas said attorneys may be able to agree on many facts and he will hear evidence on the controversial points. A hearing is scheduled for Dec. 20 at 2 p.m.

Trustees have asked the court to rule whether six barns the company is building constitute agricultural usage, which is exempt from local zoning, or industry. Park Poultry plans to build as many as 70 bams housing 15,500 chickens each as part of a $13.7 million expansion. RUSSELL HEARING CONTINUED: Alliance attorney Joanne Russell's hearing before the Ohio Elections Commission was continued to Jan. 22 because Guy Cicchini was not able to testify Monday. Donald McTigue, the commission's attorney, said Cicchini was subpoenaed to testify at a civil trial Monday in Stark County.

The commission is trying to determine whether election laws were violated when Mrs. Russell did not list what she said was a $20,000 loan from Cicchini as a campaign contribution. Mrs. Russell lost her bid for Stark County Family Court judge in 1988. Reports were circulated just before the election that she and her husband, Ronald, smoked marijuana.

1 niil A' Mmm.mummrM 4 Iff zitS mM 5jli 4 i 3 Two "hope trees" on the grounds of a school will show optimism that an 11-year-old Bay Village girl who has been missing since Oct. 27 will return to her family and friends, the principal said Monday. Her classmates and others marked the 11th birthday of Amy Mihaljevic by signing white ribbons and attaching them to an artificial, 11-foot spruce in front of Bay Middle School in this Northeast Ohio community five miles west of Cleveland. The school also planted a live crab apple tree on the grounds Monday during an evening candlelight ceremony. Churches were asked to ring bells during the ceremony.

"We're referring to both these trees as our hope trees," said middle school Principal David Wilson. "It's all tied into our hopes that things will work out for the positive," Wilson added. "It signifies that, lust as a tree stavs alive and grows, so are our hopes that things will work out." Also Monday, a large birthday card to Amy was posted on a wall at Bay Village City Hall. The card was signed by Amy's parents, Mark and Margaret Mihaljevic, and her brother, Jason. Since Amy was reported missing, about 45 FBI agents and others have followed about 3,000 leads but so far remain stumped.

Amy disappeared from a shopping center. Police said Amy had received a telephone call earlier from a man who told her that he knew her mother. Authorities said the man apparently enticed Amy to accompany him on a shopping trip, supposedly to get her mother a gift. Fliers bearing Amy's photograph have been distributed nationwide, and her story has been chronicled on at least two television crime and news programs. In addition, a composite drawing of her suspected captor has been distributed.

sr vv if fiis V4 Beacon Journal photoEd Suba Jr. Gather he must IN OHIO Kenneth Whitfield, an employee at the Twin help protect himself against Monday's subfreez-Valn store on Howe Road In Cuyahoga Falls, ing temperatures as he brings In shopping carts wears a ski mask among other warm duds to from the store's parking lot. MEETINGS OF NOTE OHIO JUSTICE TO SEEK SECOND TERM: Associate Supreme Court Justice Craig Wright will visit nine Ohio cities this week to announce his plans to seek a second six-year term. Wright, a Columbus Republican, will hold a news conference on Wednesday in Columbus, with appearances slated later in the day in Canton, Akron and Youngstown. He will appear at similar events in Cleveland on Thursday, followed by news conferences Friday in Toledo, Lima, Dayton and Cincinnati.

Two of the court's seven seats are at stake in the 1990 statewide elections. The other is held by Associate Justice Andy Douglas of Toledo, also a Republican. Douglas has not announced his plans, but he also is expected to seek a second term. He said Monday that he will announce his decision soon. Republicans control the court 4-3.

GRANGER the foster program. Medina Medical Auxiliary has offered a $1,650 donation to the foster program, and corporate gifts total $700. Foster parents may use Christmas checks distributed by the county to purchase gifts for program children or give the money to the foster children to buy presents for others, Johnson explained. Public funds cannot be spent on foster program Christmas items. The plan was presented by the Fairlawn architectural firm of Hasenstab McCarthy.

The board voted unanimously to authorize the treasurer to determine how much millage would be needed to finance the project, which could possibly be on the May ballot as a bond issue. Board members said they hoped the bond issue could replace a public library levy that expires next year and could be promoted as no hike in taxes. WORTH NOTING village park on South Mill Street for the site. Council members pointed out that construction of a Hardee's across from the park is to begin soon. They expressed concern about traffic congestion on South Mill if two fast-food restaurants were built in the same area.

Council members also announced they have been informed that the dumping fee at the Wayne County Landfill has been increased 25 cents a ton, to $18.13. The fee had been raised $1 a ton since last summer. Council members have not discussed passing the hikes on to village residents, who have municipal trash pickup. Bids accepted for road work The Granger Township trustees Monday night accepted bids for road work for next year from these companies: Lytle Construction of Wooster, Medina Supply of Medina, Lang Excavating of Granger, Herrmann Brothers of Granger and Max Dean of Brunswick. The trustees also appointed Jeff Weaver a member of the Granger Fire and Rescue Squad, giving the squad three paramedics.

Ed Kraus was reappointed to the Board of Zoning Appeals and his wife, Carol, was reappointed to the zoning board. ORRVILLE WADSWORTH MEDINA VEGETARIAN CLUB OFFICERS: Tim Ramsburg of -Uniontown has been elected president of the Vegetarian Club of Canton for 1990. Other new officers are Barb Nieder of Bolivar, vice president; Kathy Russo of Massillon, secretary; Dotty Brown of Manchester, treasurer; and Darlene Everett of Canton, librarian. SQUARE DANCE: The Lads and Lassies Square Dance Club will hold a square dance at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Happy Valley Barn, 15113 Stanwood St.

S.W., Tuscarawas Township. Gene Hammond will call the squares and Bill Hart will cue the rounds. For more information, call 830-2120. STARK BOOK DRIVE: Radio station WDJQ-FM and Stark County Pizza Hut restaurants have teamed up to collect children's books for foster children served by the Stark County Department of Human Services. Books may be dropped off before Dec.

22 at six Pizza Hut restaurants: 2200 W. State St. and 708 S. Union Ave. in Alliance; 2151 Wales Ave.

N.W. in Jackson Township; and 5021 Whipple Avenue N.W., 4526 W. Tuscarawas Ave. and 3714 Cleveland Ave. N.W.

in Canton. HARTVILLE LIBRARY CHRISTMAS PARTY: The Hartville branch of the Stark County District Library will have a Christmas party and present a puppet show, Cinderella, at 10 a.m. Saturday. In addition, the costumed Talking Christmas Tree will be on hand. Call 877-9975 for details.

DALTON Chlorine level too low in water The Orrville utilities board on Monday night announced that the city has been notified by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency that it is not maintaining the required chlorine level in its drinking water. The EPA has given the city seven days to advise the agency how it will solve the problem. Utility board members said they will be able to correct the problem. Information for the above meetings was supplied by Paula Wojciak, Wendi Fetty, JoAnn Boruvka and Candact Ifutton. Board sees plans for arts facility The Wadsworth school board Monday night was given plans for a proposed performing arts facility at Wadsworth High School.

The project would cost an estimated $3.5 million, including renovation of the school's science area. The arts facility would be about 44,000 square feet in front of the school to the west of the school library. It would include an auditorium to seat 700, a stagecraft area and practice rooms and storage for the instrumental music programs. The school does nothave an auditorium. Foster parents in short supply Foster care money for children's Christmas toys may be adequate this season, but Medina County has a shortage of foster homes, Human Services Director Russ Johnson told county commissioners Monday.

The county is recruiting volunteers for parenting, he said, and will soon set up booths in Buehler's markets to explain Park possible site for a McDonald's Canton real estate agent Fran Shields told the Dalton Village Council on Monday night' that McDonald's officials are looking at the possibility of building a restaurant in the village and are interested In the.