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Some people favor holding parents liable for the crimes of their children.  Here in Akron, landlords are accountable for their tenant's inability to get along with others.

If the police receive over 3 nuisance calls about loud noise, barking dogs, and such, the landlord is warned in writing and then fined $200 for each subsequent call.

Akron Police Chief Michael Matulavich says,"Sometimes we respond within a year's period over 100 times to a single residence."   Tenants willing to turn up the volume mignt have a negotiating advantage here.

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This is the Beacon Journal clock tower.  It is a landmark in the vital heart of downtown Akron.  The  Beacon Journal was purchased by Canadian media guy, David Black, for a reported $165 million.

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Cartoonist, Chip Bok, urgently asks Beacon Journal publisher, Jim Crutchfield, "who is the Prime Minister of Canada?"

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Akron voters turned down a levy to fund the public schools on the May 2 ballot.  The Ohio Supreme Court has ordered the legislature to come up with a funding method for schools other than property taxes.  The legislature and the court have agreed to ignore and be ignored respectively.

Ohio government makes FEMA look nimble.

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The YMCA has completed a lengthy and expensive pool renovation. Unfortunately Akron water smells really bad these days. It doesn't taste so hot either.  It is, however, considered safe for swimming.

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People are hot under the collar over the $150 and $250 speeding tickets being issued by the Know All See All Nestor Traffic Systems Camera. Faced with the withering wrath of Akron's fast trackers, City Council reduced the fines to $35.  Head hot head, Mayor Don Plusquellic announced, "Anyone on this council floor who accuses me of doing something underhanded, I'm ready to go to battle right now." Sensitive Councilman Michael Williams,  reflected that people ought to be able to "…express concerns without being ridiculed or called names by the mayor of the city."   "Furthermore, Mr. Mayor, I'm getting real tired of anyone who disagrees with you on anything being labeled a crazy or right-winger." The  mayor accused  Williams of pandering. Third man in and mayoral nemesis, Warner Mendenhall, filed suit.

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How's my driving? Call 1-800-BIG-BROTHER.

The City of Akron has contracted with Nestor Traffic Systems to photograph speeders. Like othe high tech enterprises, your ticket arrives by mail, presumably untouched by human hands. In 19 days 2600 speeders in school zones never knew what clicked them. It's being done to protect the kids, same as metal detectors and drug sniffing dogs. The civil fines of $150 to $250 a pop fly under the radar of BMV. It doesn't matter who is driving. Your car is guilty.

The stealth system which is billed as "a deterrent, not a revenue producer", has raised $451,500 in fines. Tax cut to follow, right?

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My dictionairy shows two definitions for "complicity": 1. being an accomplice 2. (Rare) complexity. Both applied to Akron beauty queen Cynthia George. She was convicted of complicity in the 2001 execution style murder of her secret lover, Jeff Zack. The actual shooting was performed by her other secret lover, John Zaffino. Mrs. George's husband, prominent local restaurant owner, Ed George, stood by her throughout the trial. Three of her 7 children, including Zack's daughter, watched as she was sentenced to life in prison.

There was no smoking gun. Cindy George was convicted mostly on circumstantial cell phone call records. 

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If the proposed public smoking ban passes, Akron addicts will be denied their right to associate with like minded wheezers in restaurant and saloon smoking sections. No similar assault is planned on the Ohio concealed weapons law. Keep an eye out for the twitchy trigger fingers.