AKRONGunmen rob storeAKRON: Police are looking for two armed men who robbed an Akron retail store at closing time Saturday night.Workers at the Dollar General, 1770 Merriman Road, said the masked men entered the store about 9 p.m. and ordered them at gunpoint to surrender cash from the registers. The men left with at least $300, according to a police report.Police describe the men as black and in their late teens or early 20s. One wore a black fleece coat with a red emblem on the left side, black pants and large winter gloves. The second wore black clothing with a lighter colored shirt.Anyone with information is asked to call Akron police at 330-375-2490. Anonymous tips may be left online at http://akronohio.gov/asp/tip.html .Pizza, cash takenAKRON: Police arrested two teens accused of robbing a pizza delivery driver Sunday afternoon.The Akron teens, ages 16 and 17, are being held in the Summit County Juvenile Detention Center on charges of aggravated robbery. A third suspect has been identified but has not been charged.The driver, a 22-year-old Akron man, told police he was sent to a Marcy Street home near Cole Avenue to make a delivery about 12:30 p.m. Outside the vacant house, the driver was confronted by the teens, two of whom were carrying handguns. The teens took the pizza and $30 and ran off, firing a single shot as they fled.The driver was not injured.Police found the suspects at a home two blocks away on Andrus Street, according to the report.Retailer robbedAKRON: A man armed with a knife robbed workers Sunday night inside the Family Dollar on East South Street in Akron, police said.No suspects have been identified and none of the three female workers was injured.The robbery happened about 9 p.m. at the store located at 266 E. South St. A clerk at the store told police the man wearing a white mask entered with a knife, approached a cashier and demanded money. The worker placed an undetermined amount of cash on the counter and the man fled.He is described as a black male in his early 20s. His black-hooded sweatshirt had white stripes on the bottom.Anyone with additional information is asked to call Akron police at 330-375-2490. Anonymous tips may be left online at http://akronohio.gov/
asp/tip.html.Fire dept. rating upAKRON: The Akron Fire Department’s public protection rating has been elevated from a Class 3 to a Class 2, with classifications ranging from Class 1, which is the best, to 10 that indicates no recognized protection.The Insurance Services Office Inc., the largest agency of its type and the one used by the vast majority of insurance companies when underwriting fire insurance premiums, evaluated Akron’s ability to respond to structure fires in its jurisdiction. The agency assessed Akron’s water supply, dispatching and fire department staffing, equipment and training.Mayor Don Plusquellic said the rating boost shows that Akron, even in tough economic times, is still “providing a superior level of protection to our citizens.” He said the rating won’t trigger an automatic rollback of the city’s insurance premiums, but he hopes it will cut costs in the future when policies are reviewed.Interim Fire Chief Rob Ross said there are 61 Class 1 fire departments nationwide, with none in Ohio, and 592 Class 2 fire departments, with 31 in Ohio. He said most of the Class 2 departments are in smaller, affluent cities.FAIRLAWNCancer support FAIRLAWN: The Physician’s Urology Lecture Series and American Cancer Society’s Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support and Education Group will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Stewart’s Caring Place, 2955 W. Market St., Suite R.Dr. Brian Canterbury will make a presentation and answer questions about urological and prostate issues.MEDINA COUNTYRaffle for dinnerMEDINA: The Medina County Historical Society is sponsoring its annual Victorian Feast Dinner Raffle.The winner will enjoy a dinner on Dec. 3 for six people in the center parlor of the John Smart House Museum at 206 N. Elmwood St. The evening includes hor d’oeuvres, a gourmet dinner and a private tour of the museum.Tickets are $2 or six for $10. Proceeds will benefit the historical society.To get tickets, contact Brian or Carole Feron at 330-722-5549 or bferon@zoominternet.net or the historical society at 330-722-1341.NORTHEAST OHIOSpay/neuter clinicsAKRON: The Animal Protection Guild has launched a low-cost spay/neuter program, Prevent a Kitty Litter, to help ease pet overpopulation.During the campaign, a cat spay is priced at $40 and a cat neuter is $30 — each reflecting a $10 discount off the usual fee for the surgeries.All other veterinarian fees, including shots, are the responsibility of the pet owner.Surgery appointments must be made before Dec. 31 by calling 330-649-0443.For additional information about the guild, go to www.apgspayneuter.org.PORTAGE COUNTYMotorist killedRAVENNA: A Newton Falls motorist died Sunday afternoon after hitting a deer crossing Interstate 76 and crashing her car, according to state troopers.Colleen Milhoan-Smith, 49, died at Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna. The driver of a tractor-trailer also involved in the crash was treated for minor injuries.According to the State Highway Patrol, Milhoan-Smith was eastbound in a Honda CRV about 5:45 p.m. when a deer crossed I-76 just east of state Route 14 in Palmyra Township.The SUV hit the deer, then swerved to the right, striking the truck before going off the highway and down an embankment. The vehicle then crashed into a tree and flipped on its side.Milhoan-Smith was not wearing a seat belt, troopers said.The crash remains under investigation.SUMMIT COUNTYBoard to buy PCsAKRON: The Summit County Board of Elections voted Monday to buy 36 new computers and related software to get ready for next year’s presidential election.The board will make the purchase from Dell for about $32,000 with money already in its budget, said Ron Koehler, the board’s director.In other business, the elections board is looking into an Akron City Council advertisement that appeared in the Saturday edition of the Beacon Journal. The two-page spread included a voter guide, with suggestions on how to vote on some state and local issues.The board plans to subpoena the Beacon Journal and council to determine who authorized and paid for the piece. A hearing might be held on the matter for later this month, Koehler said.