The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page B001

CCYYMK Sikora Wagner Linn Sheldon minutes www.ohio.com/news Local Espy A nimal control director says she will make a difference Christine Congrove, 23, confident in her new role By Katie Byard eaconJ ournal staff writer hristineC ongrove ,2 daughter of Summit County Councilman Da nC ongrove was hired Fe b.2 7as ummitC ounty sanimal control director ountyEx- ecutive James Mc- arthyappointed her to the postthat pays about 63 500 a year. riticismover ongrove sfamily connection lack of a college degree ands i animal care experience continues. A nimal rights activists, unhappywith the animal control sopera tions under previous directors, first called for a reversal of the Congrove hire and have now joined with unions to explore a recall of arthy ongroverecently answeredques tions Ho wdid you get the job? ord of mouth. Everyone talks in the county. Wh a scom ing open just by word of mouth I heard.

I asked, spoke with arthymyself Di dyou fill out an application? leasesee ongrove Obituary ormer local TV star beloved by children Linn Sheldon, 86, actor behind elf Barnaby, dies with family at his side By Sandra M. Klepach eaconJ ournal staff writer Th echaracter Barnaby defined a television star for countless area children during local infancy ost everyone who grew up in ortheastO hioduring the 1950s, 0sand 0sprobably remembers the 6 foot tall elf and the catchphrase he used to end his show for 32 years: anybody calls them arnabysaid hello that I think you are the most important personin the wholeworld just utbetween the lines, Lin nSheldon actor behind the elf, also encouraged his young viewers to leave the television and play outside. leasesee arnaby allmadge digs into new school project Community kicks off start of construction; building to resemble traffic circle By Katie Byard eaconJ ournal staff writer tudentsa tTallmadge new high school may have a feeling of deja vu. chool district officials and community members gathered Saturday to break ground on the long discussed building that will feature a rotunda at the center of four wings. designed in part, toreflect allmadge famed trafficcircle which has roads extending like spokes in a wheel.

allmadge has a real sense of history sense of school board President Thom Craig said before aturday sceremony think we respected that by involving the community in the Th ecommunity link will continue even when the buildingo nNorth unroeR oad is up, he said. he622 seat auditorium inone wing and nearly 1 400 seat gym in another will be available for community use when not booked for school activities lassroomswill be in the two wings closest to North Munroe oad hese wings will be the only portion of the school to feature a second floor Th erotunda will house the cafeteria which also will be available for community events. leasesee chool ainful memories still fresh at vigil for victims Tears unite families By Bet hRankin eaconJ ournal staff writer ackets of tissues were placed at the ends of each pew in anticipation of tears that for some, stopped flowing for years. Th eV ictimA ssistanceP rogramcan dlelight vigil, now in its 16th year, was held Sunday night at St. Pa pisco pal Church in A kron eevent opened a week of activities forN ationalC rime ictims ightsWe k.

ore than two dozen survivors and family members attended the vigil, each with a painful story to tell. A kron resident Sonya Merchant lost her daughter, Malissa homas 11 years ago alissa was 13 years old whenh body was found in a vacant house on astA venue her hands and feet bound with shoe strings by an unknownassail ant ehad been raped and strangled. In January just days before the 11th anniversary of alissa sdeath kron police charged Donald Craig with aggravated murder, kidnapping and rape in connection with that crime. olice said they used DNA evidence to charge raig is in prison awaiting execution for raping and killing 12- year oldR oseannaD avenporto fAkron in 1996. His trial on the new charges is set for July 17.

leasesee igil andidates seek inside advantage Democrats Espy, Sikora hope to change policies, image of high court By Dennis J. Willard eaconJ ournalC olumbusB ureau LUMBUS: a tough jobb e- ing the lone Democrat on the hioS upremeC ourt but with usticeA liceR obieR esnickstep ping down, two candidates are willing to try it. uyahogaC ountyJ uvenile ourtJ udgeP eterS ikoraand former Senate Minority Leader Be nE spywill vie in the emo cratic primary to run against Republican Robert upp a former state senator who is a judgeon the 3rd District Court of A ppeals othE spy and Sikora believe they would offer a distinctive and contrasting viewpoint to the court conservative makeup. ikora touts his years onthe bench while Espy promotes his diverse experience as a lawyer, legislator and city councilman. firmly believe judging is something that you Sikora said, it is an art more than it is a science, that you can become much better at itover time if you study and you work at spy points to his law school days atH owardU niversity college deeply rooted in civil and constitutional rights, wherea sign urges: for the a never knew what that sign meant I think this is the day they were talking about; preparing yourself throughout the years so when opportunitycomes can take advantage of he said.

Th eO hioS tateBa rA ssocia tion recently granted Espy its highest rating highlyrecom mended the Supreme ourt ikora was recommended othcandidates are critical of the court. Be nE spy spy was minority leader in 1997 when the court ruledthat the way the state funds public schools isunconstitutional snick wrote the majority opinion. heS enateD emocraticcau cus fought the Republican re- leasesee ench ampaignfunding reform center stage takes dramatic stand, but Wagner agrees in principle By Dennis J. Willard eaconJ ournalC olumbusB ureau COLUMBUS heirreasons for running for theO hioS upreme ourtare like their judicial philosophies ut when it comes to campaigns and cash, A.J. Wagner and William i lhave divergent ideas.

i judge on thestate 11 thD istrictC ourto fAppeals not taking a penny from anyone. money from eillsaid ajudge who cannot be agner Montgomery ounty common pleas judge in ayton i ism is laudable, but Wagner is raising money with the goal of winning the primary andulti mately unseating Republican errenceO onnelli nNovem ber i llost to onnellin 2004 both believe thatspe cial interestmoney in campaigns is out of Wagner said eonly difference is i lwill not raise any money will raise money operating under the belief that if you money, egoing to lose. And if you wantto change the system, you haveto win the race first in ordert ob ea voice for eill said he is forgoing leasesee unds ELECTION 2006 Congrove High school photo PHIL MASTURZO A kronB eaconJ ournal yanK aufman ,5, scoops a shovelful of dirt at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Tallmadge High School on orthM unroeR oado nSaturday To a ich districts leave poor students behind. Federal budget plan puts parks at risk damVa Ho in the 42 ndO hioH ouseD istrict emocraticprimary B3 JOCELYN WILLIAMS A kronB eaconJ ournalphotos ackieK night(l daughter died in an arson, leans on Barbara Cowans at a vigil in Akron on unday udyA rvayo fBarberton and Mike ratto fWarren take part in unday vigil for crime victims. On the lookout for little herons Yo ucan hear the baby chicks more easily than you can see them right now at the heronry.

B4 innS heldon the actor behind local arnaby encouraged his young viewers to leave the television set and play outside. SEC heB eaconJ ournal onday A pril2 4,2006 5 Minutes With is a chat with someone making news or behind the scenes Story 4-24 b14x System AKRE by TGOOD Time 23:11:44 Date Color layer: Black 14X Pg. Date 4-24 b14xTopic: 4-24 met Keyword 4-24 b14xPage 1 B1, Black, EDITION 4X, DAY 24.