Today is Election Day in Akron — please remember to go out and vote today! Polls are open between 6:30AM and 7:30 PM. If you are a resident of Ward 7, I would be honored to receive your support today in the Democratic Primary!
http://www.ohio.com/news/tuesday-is-election-day-in-akron-barberton-stow-1.234675
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Allstate Insurance names Cleveland and Akron among safest city drivers in the country
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/09/allstate_insurance_names_cleve.html
According to its seventh annual “Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report” which ranks the nation’s 200 largest cities in terms of car collision frequency, Akron ranks 49th on the list and Cleveland is 59th.
Allstate noted that the average driver in Cleveland will experience an auto collision every 10 years. The average driver in Akron will experience a collision every 10.2 years.
Fort Collins, Colo., is the safest driving city in the nation. Drivers there experience a collision every 14 years. Four other Ohio cities were ranked — Dayton was 16th, Toledo 93rd, Cincinnati 110th and Columbus 127th.
Allstate said in its report that internal property damage claims were analyzed over a two year period from January 2008 to December 2009. An auto crash was defined as any collision resulting in a property damage claim.
“This report is not used to determine insurance rates, but to generate conversation about safe driving,” said Jeff Ormond, spokesman for Allstate Insurance’s North Central Region office in Farmington, Mich. “We reserve commentary on this report, pro or con, for city officials.”
Many factors go into an insurance rate – person’s driving history, the type of vehicle they drive, and where the person lives, he said.
“Crashes are also not the only factor because theft is considered as well,” he said.
Allstate’s glowing report of Cleveland and Akron drew mixed reactions from officials.
Martin L. Flask, Cleveland’s director of public safety, was not surprised at Allstate’s report.
“We are continuing to see a decrease in traffic accidents in the city of Cleveland,” Flask said. “We had 17,379 accidents in 2006, and that number decreased every year through last year, when we had 15,540.”
Flask said Operation Safe Streets, which takes advantage of fixed and mobile red light and speed enforcement cameras, has been a factor in the city’s decreasing number of auto collisions.
But Lt. Anne Ralston, spokeswoman for the State Highway Patrol in Columbus, said her agency has been investigating more crashes in Cuyahoga and Summit County through Aug. 29, than they did through the same date last year.
Ralston said in Cuyahoga County, officers have investigated 324 crashes this year compared to 232 last year, and in Summit County, the numbers are 465 in 2011 compared to 357 in 2010.
“It’s not apples to apples in that we’re comparing county numbers compared to city numbers,” she said, “and we’ve had increased patrols in Cuyahoga County this year…but we’ve clearly had to investigate more crashes this year, and we’ve always been heavily involved in Summit County.
“The good news is the number of fatal crashes in both counties are down this year,” she said.
© 2011 cleveland.com. All rights reserved.
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http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9P6N0PG0.htm
Officials say a Chinese tire manufacturer plans to open a U.S. research and development center and sales offices in Ohio, with an initial 30 employees.
The Triangle Group, based in Weihai, China, will locate in Akron. City Mayor Don Plusquellic says the facility results from f a partnership between Akron and the city of Weihai, in eastern China’s Shandong province.
The group on its web site describes itself as China’s largest tire manufacturer and supplier. Executives plan to launch A3T LLC in Akron on Friday.
The city is also home to Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., the biggest tire maker in North America and third biggest in the world.
Plusquellic and Weihai’s mayor, Dr. Shutao Sun, entered into an agreement Thursday aimed at promoting cooperation in economic and other areas.
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Tina Merlitti City of Akron Council Vice President, Ward 7 Council Member 