Officer Ben Campbell is scheduled to receive the Congressional Badge of Bravery next week for his heroics in stopping the mass murderer in Copley Township August of 2011.
Campbell was the first officer on the scene of the mass shooting and without waiting for backup Campbell encountered the shooter. After ordering the gunman to drop his weapon, the shooter refused, pointing his weapon at Officer Campbell. Campbell then shot and killed the man.
U.S. State Senator Sherrod Brown will present the medal to Campbell Monday in Copley.
The sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform will be commemorated in several ceremonies on this Memorial Day 2012.
Some of the areas that will be honoring local servicemen and women include Copley Township, who will be hosting the 80th annual Memorial Day Parade and Ceremonies at the Copley Veterans' Cemetery.
Event organizer Kathi Fundak Corathers says that they keep things simple and dignified while honoring veterans.
"We keep it simple, it's local organizations involved with the ceremony, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Honor Guards from both the Copley Police and Fire Departments among many others," Carothers says.
The parade starts at Copley-Fairlawn Middle School at 10a.m., while ceremonies at the cemetery begin at 10:20 a..m.
The event features the Copley high school band who will be in attendanace playing patriotic songs and keynote speaker Major Raven Bukowski, a 1999 Copley High grad who graduated from West Point in 2003.
In Bath, they too will be giving the public an opportunity to show their thanks to the men and women in uniform that have defended our freedom.
Bath Township Administrator Bill Snow says local veterans are well represented during ceremonies at the Bath Veterans Memorial Park.
"During the service we have our veterans who are present stand and be recognized," Snow said.
"I think it's important that we see our soldiers who fought bravely for us througout our country's history."
The weather is going to be a factor, with temperatures rising, so it is advised to bring an umbrella, a hat and sunscreen if you choose to attend any of the ceremonies.
Snow tells AkronNewsNow.com many veterans have come to the Bath Township observance over the years from all branches of the military to unite with the community in remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Services at the Bath Veterans Memorial Park start at noon, complete with the Revere High School band and various colorguards.
Keynote speaker for the Bath Township service will be Captain Brandon Calhoun, who served two tours in Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq.
Fairlawn city officials have reached agreement with Copley Township to delay Fairlawn's deployment of concrete barricades to block through traffic on Rothrock Road. Copley Township Trustee Helen Humphrys tells AkronNewsNow " Our attorney Irv Sugerman and Fairlawn's attorney Steve Funk negotiated this and thought the best route now is to wait until the April 30th when the judge is supposed to have the next hearing."
Humphrys is hoping this delay will lead to a judge's ruling keeping the permanent barricades from going up in Fairlawn's dispute with Copley about Wal-Mart moving from Fairlawn to a new location on Rothrock Road in the township.
" It is good news for the time being. I'm still concerned about the thought process in going through this with what is being reported about fear of people driving through their neighborhoods. If someone would just go out there and see, there would be no reason to drive through that subdivision," says Humphrys.
Humphrys says 73 residents of Copley Place,a senior apartment complex on Rothrock Road, have signed a petition urging that Fairlawn take the barricades down and leave the roadway open.
Helen Humphrys believes that even if permanent barricades eventually go up on Rothrock Road Wal-Mart will go ahead with plans to build a new store and Sam's Club in Copley because there will still be access to the stores from Route 18 and Cleveland-Massillon Road.
Fairlawn has already placed temporary barricades trying to block through traffic in its dispute with Copley over Wal-Mart's decision to build a new store and Sam's Club on Rothrock Road in Copley, thereby eventually resulting in Wal-Mart closing its two stores in Rosemont Commons in Fairlawn.
The proposed plan to move Walmart and Sam's Club from Fairlawn into Copley Township has ruffled feathers.
News Channel 5 reports Rothrock Road at Sawgrass Drive in Fairlawn will be blocked by a concrete barrier starting April 10. Copley Township says that this poses a safety risk to its residents.
Fairlawn Deputy Director Ernie Staten says motorists will be alerted to the closure starting Thursday, March 22.
"This will be a total road closure and there will be no opportunity to pass by," he said.
A meeting took place Wednesday morning at Fairlawn City Hall to discuss the issue.
Copley Fire Chief Michael Benson is strongly opposed to the proposal.
"Please don't do it," he said. "Don't do it."
Benson says response times will be increased with the barrier, causing probelms for Copley residents who need help.
The wall will eventually be replaced by gates to be used only by police, fire and school buses. The plan is to move the stores to an undeveloped section of land on Rothrock Road.
Fairlawn Mayor Bill Roth says that Walmart's income taxes are less than 5 percent of the city's tax revenue and the barriers are about safety, not money.
Some Fairlawn residents support the barriers, such as Tom Lorini.
"People would be cutting through to go over to Walmart, which would bring up traffic. It would just be almost a nuisance," he said.
A trial date between Fairlawn and Copley Township regarding the closure is scheduled for April 30 at Summit County Common Pleas Court.
Some residents have also filed lawsuits in an attempt to re-open the road.
On the Web www.newsnet5.com
Copley Township firefighters battled an early morning house fire on Rothrock Circle.
Fire officials say it happened around 2 a.m. where they found smoke and a fire behind the home.
Several fire departments helped with getting the fire under control including crews in Fairlawn, Norton and Sharon townships.
No injuries were reported. Officials say the home was not a total loss and are still assessing the damages.
The fire is still under investigation.
An 86-year-old Copley Township man convicted of killing his wife of 67 years has died.
The Akron Beacon Journal reports Glenn Burbridge died of natural causes on Dec. 29 at the Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus.
Burbridge pled guilty for the murder of his wife, Alice Burbridge, 83. He was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison on Aug. 16.
Burbridge shot and killed his wife after an argument on March 24. He called 911 and admitted to shooting his wife in the face.
On the Web: www.ohio.com
Some Copley Township business leaders are branching off to form their own chamber of commerce.
Scott Shields is among the organizers. He says many of the 350 Copley Township businesses are part of the Fairlawn Chamber of Commerce, but they want something that caters more specifically to the township.
They did do wonderful things and they did bring the business community together, but it wasn't specifically oriented to just Copley Township and that's really what we wanted to create," said Shields.
Copley Chamber - Chris Keppler by Akron NewsNow
He's apparently not the only one who believes that. There are already 17 people on the steering committee and at least 15 others have come forward to say they will be interested in membership.
"It's been phenomenal," said Shields.
Shields says he's planning to formally launch the organization in January.
The barriers in place to close Rothrock Road will likely become permanent as talks continue to build a Walmart Supercenter in Copley Township.
News Channel 5 reports Fairlawn City Council had a second reading of the ordinance involving the barriers Monday night. City officials say the ordinance will more than likely pass at the next council meeting.
On the Web: www.newsnet5.com
Previous Coverage:
Summit County Judge Alison McCarty has turned down a bid from Copley to have a ruling asking for a preliminary injunction that would halt plans by Fairlawn regarding road closures and controls associated with Wal-Mart's move from their current location to one in the Township.
McCarty early ruled against Copley Township, freeing Fairlawn to construct a gate at Rothrock Rd. and Sawgrass Drive. Fairlawn has since changed it's plans regarding the specific construction of the access controls with a barricade, but McCarty ruled the changes weren't overwhelming or substantive to bring back Copley's request for an injunction halting construction.
Ruling - Copley v Fairlawn, request for reconsideration
This cause is before the Court upon Plaintiff, Copley Township’s ("Copley"), Motion to Reconsider this Court’s October 3, 2011 Order denying Copley’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction. As a basis for this motion, Copley alleges a change in the underlying facts and circumstances of the case. Defendant, City of Fairlawn ("Fairlawn"), acknowledges that some of the circumstances have changed, but contends that a motion to reconsider is improper, and, ultimately, should be denied because Copley still has not established the proper grounds for a preliminary injunction. The Court will consider the motion, including the briefs and supplements thereto, briefs in opposition and briefs in support.
Once this Court denied the preliminary injunction, Fairlawn was free to move forward with the installation of the gate system and the closure of the road. Time and weather constraints made it unfeasible to install the gate system this year. Nevertheless, Fairlawn intends to move forward with the road closure through alternate means - placing a Type-III barricade to the immediate west of the intersection of Rothrock Road and Sawgrass Drive. The plan allows for a minimum of twelve feet on either side of this barrier for the safe passage of emergency vehicles and permitted traffic. Fairlawn also intends to post all mandatory, as well as certain optional signage, both inside and outside of Fairlawn, advising motorists of the road closure. This would include three Portable Changeable Message Signs, and various stationary signs with statements such as: "Road Closed – Local Access Only", "Road Closed – To Thu Traffic", "Road Closed At Sawgrass Drive", "Road Closed 500 FT.", "Road Closed 250 FT.", "Rosemont Ridge Residents Only".
Evaluating Copley’s arguments regarding the changed facts and circumstances in light of the four factors relevant to a preliminary injunction motion, this Court finds that the decision to deny the injunction should remain undisturbed. It is true that the safety and precautionary measures discussed in this Court’s October 3rd Order are no longer applicable to the planned closure. However, it is also true that the barricade and signage Fairlawn now plans to use in closing the roadway does not present the same problems and concerns presented by a permanent gate obstructing the entire roadway. Therefore, the Court finds that injunctive relief remains inappropriate.
Plaintiff’s Motion for Reconsideration is denied.
Some Copley Township residents are dealing with a number of flooding issues as a result of this morning's storms.
A handful of neighbors on Kibler Road are trapped: Here's some perspective: The water is nearly covering some mailboxes at the end of driveways. Neighbors say that flooding in the cul-de-sac happens once or twice a year, but this is the worst ever with floodwaters inching up into a few basements.
Police Chief Michal Mier says while all the main streets in the Township are open, a number of secondary roads are closed because of high water.
"There's got to be something with the drainage system, I think, because shouldn't do that," said Kathy Forzing of Kibler Road.
Chief Mier is asking folks in the Little Farms area of the city to consider leaving their homes because excess rain water is expected to flood that area later today.
Local insurance agent Chad Summers says his phone has been ringing since 4 o'clock this morning from clients who want answers. Plus, residents are starting to press the township on plans to prevent flooding in the future.
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