Latest news with #BeaconJournal
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Canton native, third-round draft pick Harold Fannin Jr., Browns agree to terms on contract
The Browns and another draft pick have come to an agreement on a deal. Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. and the Browns have agreed to a four-year, $6.7 million deal, a league source confirmed for the Beacon Journal. Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz was the first to report the deal. Advertisement Fannin, the Canton McKinley High School and Bowling Green State University product, was taken with the No. 67 pick in April's draft. He becomes the third draft pick to have agreed to terms with the Browns, joining second-round pick (No. 33 overall) Carson Schwesinger and fourth-round pick (No. 126 overall) Dylan Sampson. The Browns still have four draft picks still unsigned: first-round pick Mason Graham, second-round pick Quinshon Judkins, third-round pick Dillon Gabriel and fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders. They can participate in the offseason program without a contract, but must be signed by the start of training camp in July. Fannin comes into the league off one of the most impressive individual college seasons by a tight end in history. He led FBS Division I college football in receptions (117) and receiving yards (1,555), with 10 touchdowns. A 2022 graduate of McKinley High School, Fannin was an All-Ohio safety for the Bulldogs as a senior. He converted to tight end at Bowling Green, where he had 80 career catches for 2,396 yards and 17 touchdowns. Advertisement Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@ Read more about the Browns at Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Harold Fannin Jr., Browns agree to terms on rookie deal
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Yahoo
I-77 murder case to get second trial in July after jurors could not reach verdict
A new trial date was set on Tuesday for two Akron men accused of ordering and carrying out the deadly Interstate 77 shooting that killed 23-year-old Marquise Banks in 2023. Jury selection for defendants Ahmere Williams, 21, and Sirvonte Suggs, 19, will start July 11. Openings are tentatively expected to be delivered July 14. Following their first trial in early January, a jury found Suggs guilty of having weapons under disability, which means he had a weapon when he was legally prohibited from having one. Jurors could not reach a verdict for any of their other charges. Retrial: Court may have to retry I-77 shooting case after Summit County jury can't reach verdicts Williams still faces aggravated murder, murder, felony murder and felonious assault charges with associated firearm specifications, which can result in additional prison time if found guilty. Suggs faces aggravated murder, murder, felony murder, felonious assault and discharge of a firearm over a public roadway, plus associated firearm and driveby shooting specifications. Attorneys Jeff Laybourne and Noah Munyer represent Williams, who is charged in two other murder cases. Attorney John Greven represents Suggs. A third defendant in the I-77 shooting case, Giovanni Porter, is charged with murder and felonious assault, but he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and a firearm specification in exchange for his testimony in the first trial. Attorney Imokhai Okolo was retained to represent Porter, but on Tuesday, Okolo requested he be removed from the case. Porter then requested a court-appointed defense attorney. Presiding over the case is Summit County Court of Common Pleas Court Judge Kelly McLaughlin. Bryce Buyakie covers courts and public safety for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at bbuyakie@ or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @bryce_buyakie. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Second murder trial of Marquise Banks scheduled for July
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cincinnati native killed by Akron police was successful but struggled with mental illness, sister says
Marcus L. Smith, the 39-year-old man who was shot and killed by Akron police on Monday morning, was successful and loved people and sports but struggled with severe mental illness, his sister shared in a statement with the Beacon Journal on Wednesday. Smith's sister, Ashley Ivory, wrote that her brother taught sociology at the University of Cincinnati and was dismissed in spring 2023. Afterward, she said, he frequently tried to get help for his mental illness and depression. "Marcus recognized his weaknesses, so he took matters into his own hands," Ivory wrote. "He admitted himself into the hospital for mental evaluation, partly because of his bouts with paranoia. He twice sought medical help, but there were no plans to deal or cope with his situation following his treatment. "As a consequence, his life slowly unraveled. He lost his support system: a caring stepfather, who served as his confidante; a grandmother who was his best friend. Ultimately, he was forced to rely on medications that only worsened his condition." Smith's depression increased after he received a buyout from the university, Ivory wrote. Smith was born in Akron and grew up in Cincinnati, according to the family statement. He played on the 2002 state championship-winning Roger Bacon High School basketball team that beat LeBron James and St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. He was a published author and a college coach. Ivory called Smith, who held multiple master's degrees, "a remarkably accomplished young man." In 2015, Smith was a graduate assistant for the University of Akron. He also worked as an Olympic staff coordinator from 2015 to 2017, and during that time worked with Olympians such as the late NBA basketball player Kobe Bryant. "Marcus was a devoted family man and friend who always supported others who were in need. Yet, he talked about ending it all because he couldn't get the help he needed," Ivory wrote. "We implore everyone to make an effort to recognize the signs of mental health, which is often difficult. "My brother was an intelligent man who struggled with identifying his illness. Our family asks everyone in the Akron community to check on your loved ones and support them, sometimes when they can't help themselves." Officers originally responded to reports of a stolen Toyota Camry at about 8:45 a.m. on Monday, finding the vehicle near Ira Avenue and Lakeshore Boulevard. As officers tried to stop the vehicle, Smith reportedly fired at them, according to police. The officers returned fire, striking him at least once, police said. Smith was transported to a local hospital where he later died. No officers were injured during the shooting. The three officers involved have been placed on administrative leave while the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Akron police auditor conduct separate investigations. An autopsy was scheduled for is a developing story. Check back for updates. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Marcus L. Smith, shot by Akron police, had mental illness, family says
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Joann Fabrics stores closing across the country. How did the craft store giant get here?
Amid its second round of Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in one year, struggling craft retailer Joann announced plans this week to close about 500 of its roughly 850 stores as it seeks a buyer. The list of closing Joann stores includes 33 in Ohio and six stores in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. The company also announced possible plans to lay off more than 1,100 employees in Ohio, most of whom are based at its Hudson headquarters. The retail chain, founded in Cleveland in 1943, has served as a major employer and source of various crafting items for residents of Northeast Ohio and beyond. Daleena Fredrick-Banks, an Akron seamstress and former Joann employee who has done clothing alterations for four decades, told the Beacon Journal last year: "If I need to run out and get a purple zipper or some fabric to match I can do it immediately, rather than place an online order and wait for it to come." Here's a look at Joann's journey from powerhouse specialty retailer to a troubled brand in a tailspin. An era of shrinking bricks-and-mortar retail hastened by the rise of online commerce caught up with Joann just as the country was starting to ease from the grip of the COVID-19 much of the decade before the pandemic, traditional retailers were succumbing to changing shopper habits, heavy debt, stiff competition from online retail and investor pressures to reduce their physical footprints. A raft of specialty retailers that were household names — including Borders, Blockbuster, Dressbarn, Payless ShoeSource, HH Gregg, Gymboree and The Limited — disappeared in that time. In Joann's sector, Pat Catan's went out of business, with competitor Michael's acquiring its assets. Joann's public image remained positive. Newsweek named Joann one of "America's Most Trusted Companies" in 2022 and one of the "Greatest Workplaces for Diversity" in 2023. In 2023, Joann was on Forbes' "America's Best Large Employers" list, ranking No. 431. But its financial outlook soured as supply and shipping costs rose, sales slumped and its stock suffered a steep decline. In October 2023, Joann was put on notice by the Nasdaq stock exchange that it would be delisted in April 2024 if its common stock could not sustain a closing price of at least $1 per share for 10 consecutive trading days during that period. With shares languishing in penny stock territory, CreditRiskMonitor that month listed Joann among U.S. companies at high risk for filing bankruptcy. On Nov. 1, 2023, the closing price was 56 cents. By March 4, 2024, with closing prices falling below 30 cents, Bloomberg reported that bankruptcy talks were underway. In March 2024, Joann filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, then emerged from the proceedings the following month as a privately owned entity. When Joann first declared bankruptcy last year, the company noted in a court filing that sales had slumped and, following the COVID-19 pandemic, customers' "demand for fabric and mask-related products abated." Cost increases in 2018 and 2019 stemming from increased tariffs on Chinese imports, competition with ecommerce retailers and tightening margins after COVID lockdowns lifted were all major drains on Joann's finances, the company explained in the 2024 filings. "At the same time, supply chain issues, in particular rising ocean freight costs, inflated inventory costs by over $150 million between fiscal years 2021 and 2023," said a court filing. "While these conditions affected the retail sector broadly, JOANN's heavy reliance on imported goods meant these conditions caused, and continue to cause, outsized impacts on the Company." Joann sourced 44% of its purchases from foreign suppliers in its 2023 fiscal year, according to the filing. "More than one-third of the Company's foreign-sourced products come from China," said the filing, which listed other supplier countries as India, Pakistan, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey and Vietnam. It was a moment of hard truth as a company that proudly touted its Northeast Ohio roots battled with global pressures. Joann was founded in Cleveland as Cleveland Fabric Shop in 1943. In the 1960s, the name changed to Fabri-Centers of America. The company also announced plans to add operations in Beachwood, according to a Cleveland Press article. Fabri-Centers established headquarters in Beachwood. Hudson became home to the company's headquarters in 1990. In February 1998, Fabri-Centers announced plans to purchase a West Coast-based competitor, House of Fabrics, for about $100 million, the Beacon Journal reported at the time. Also at that time, Fabri-Centers reported having 907 stores in 48 states, $970 million in revenues and 17,100 employees, per the Beacon Journal. In June 1998, Fabri-Centers announced its name change to Jo-Ann Stores. Joann experienced financial swings during the Great Recession period between 2007 and 2009, but the setbacks were minor compared to the company's current situation. Joann lost $1.9 million in its 2007 fiscal year, but made a profit of $15.4 million the following year. Joann executives said in March 2008 the company benefited from competitor Walmart's decision to reduce its fabric inventory. In financial results for the second quarter of Joann's 2009 fiscal year, announced in August 2008, the company reported a net loss of $11.7 million, compared to a $18.4 million loss for the same period the prior year, per the Beacon Journal. Three months later, in a third-quarter report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company acknowledged: "We performed better than many retailers, but we are not immune to the current market conditions." Later in the report, the company said, "If we are unable to procure products and services when needed, or if we experience further deterioration in sales traffic in our stores over an extended period of time, our sales and cash flows could be negatively impacted in future periods." But those fears quickly dissipated as Joann proved resilient during that economic crunch. In the first quarter of its 2010 fiscal year, Joann announced earnings of $8.6 million, a year-over-year increase of $3 million. The company said in the first quarter report for its 2010 fiscal year: "We believe that the customer is seeking affordable activities to enjoy with her family and friends during the current challenging economic environment. The customer traffic within our stores seems to be reflecting this trend." Darrell Webb, the company's then-chairman, president and chief executive, said the company ''grew sales, expanded margins, improved earnings and continued to reduce our debt.'' In May 2010, Joann reported a debt-free first quarter. The company announced "record financial results" with net income reaching 66 cents a share, twice the value from a year earlier. In 2011, private equity investment firm Leonard Green & Partners purchased Joann for about $1.6 billion. At the time of the purchase announcement, industry experts said such acquisitions were attractive; investment firms viewed steady retail operations as stable and safe risks as consumer spending began to pick up again in the aftermath of the Great Recession. In February 2015, the company brought Jill Soltau aboard as CEO. In October of that year, the company announced it was eliminating 103 jobs as part of a strategic reorganization of its support center in Hudson. Soltau was a prominent opponent of President Donald Trump's plan in his first term to place tariffs on Chinese imports, telling Business Insider in an August 2018 interview that 42% of all goods sold at Joann stores would be subject to tariffs and that small businesses that heavily rely on the company's retail products would be especially punished. Within two months of that interview, Soltau left the company to become CEO of J.C. Penney. Soltau also oversaw the rebranding of the stores from Jo-Ann Fabrics to 2017, Joann had grown to the point where the company was on Forbes' 2017 America's Largest Private Companies list with $2.4 billion of annual revenue and employing about 23,000 people. It then had more than 867 locations across the country. Wade Miquelon was named interim president and CEO of Joann in October 2018, then in February 2019, was named president and CEO of the company and a member of its board of directors. Leonard Green & Partners still owned a majority stake in Joann in 2021, when the craft retailer went public with shares initially priced at $12. For its second quarter of fiscal year 2023, Joann in September 2022 reported a loss of $56.9 million compared to a profit of $5.2 million for the second quarter of fiscal year 2022. Miquelon said at the time: "Despite persistent inflationary pressures and an ongoing volatile operating environment for discretionary categories, I am very encouraged by the quality of inventory, our strong in-stock position, and improving sales cadence as we head into the back half of the fiscal year.' Miquelon retired in May 2023. Chris DiTullio and Scott Sekella were appointed to lead the interim Office of the Chief Executive Officer. The company then appointed Michael Prendergast as interim CEO in June 2024, with DiTullio remaining as chief customer officer and Sekella as chief financial officer, Retail Dive reported. In a court filing from its ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, Joann said it now employs about 19,000 people. The Joann stores closing in Northeast Ohio are: 1500 Canton Road in Lakemore. 3977 Medina Road in the Montrose shopping area of Bath. 5381 Darrow Road in Hudson, on Joann's headquarters campus. 5005 Grande Boulevard in Medina. 26337 Brookpark Road in North Olmsted. 1533 Golden Gate Plaza in Mayfield Heights. 15765 State Route 170 in East Liverpool. 400 Mill Ave. SE in New Philadelphia. 5555 Youngstown Warren Road in Niles. 441 Boardman Poland Road in Youngstown. Throughout Ohio, 33 Joann stores will close, according to court filings. The store at the Belden Park Crossing shopping plaza in Jackson Township was not among those listed. USA Today has compiled a full list of stores that Joann plans to close, available at Patrick Williams covers growth and development for the Akron Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at pwilliams@ or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @pwilliamsOH. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Joann Fabrics stores closing nationwide amid craft chain's bankruptcy
USA Today
31-01-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Rep. Emilia Sykes creates tip sheets in several languages for residents targeted by ICE
Rep. Emilia Sykes creates tip sheets in several languages for residents targeted by ICE U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, and her staff have created a series of tip sheets in various languages for immigrants living in the 13th Congressional District who are concerned about the threat of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sweeps. President Donald Trump has pledged to carry out such raids nationwide, saying they are vital to the security of Americans. But ICE operations since Trump returned to office have included detentions of American citizens, leading to worries from refugee resettlement organizations and other aid groups that people who are legally residing in the United States will be unfairly targeted. During an interview with the Beacon Journal on Wednesday, Sykes said she believes it is appropriate to deport those who have committed crimes after entering the country without permission. On Jan. 22, she joined 45 other House Democrats in voting with the Republican majority to approve the Laken Riley Act, which requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain anyone who is "unlawfully present in the United States or did not possess the necessary documents when applying for admission" and has been "charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admits to having committed acts that constitute the essential elements of burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting." Trump signed the bill into law Wednesday. Sykes emphasized the new law should not be enforced in a way that infringes on the legal rights of American citizens, but also recognized that Trump has the prerogative to protect the country from potential dangers. "If that is what the president wants to carry out, he should carry that out," she said, "but he also has to remember that living amongst all these folks are American citizens who also have rights and don't deserve to be caught up in this inadvertently because this is a haphazard raid that they might do." Sykes' district, which includes all of Summit County and parts of Stark and Portage counties, has seen significant growth in refugee communities thanks in part to assistance programs provided through agencies such as the International Institute of Akron. Now, people who fled crises in other countries and either naturalized as American citizens or are on the path to citizenship face the prospect of chaos once again. Sykes said her tip sheet, which she provided to the Beacon Journal, can help residents to prepare for unwanted attention. Go to to see versions of the document in English, Burmese, Spanish and Nepali. The tip sheet "allows people to be able to protect themselves and some best practices we picked up from colleagues across the country that we can share with folks," Sykes said. With fears and rumors spreading about possible ICE raids, Sykes said the issue of fairly conducting these operations should be important to everyone. "Really, anyone who may look like an immigrant, whatever that means, is subject to this and American citizens should be concerned. Do you keep your birth certificate on you at all times? How would you prove that you're an American citizen if you were to be swept up in a raid?" Sykes said. Here is the advice contained on the tip sheet: How should I prepare? Ensure that all important documents are in a safe place where family members can access them. Make a plan with family in the event you or a family member is detained by ICE, including identifying a caretaker for your children. Memorize important phone numbers. Consider consulting with an immigration attorney. But, do I have rights? You have the right to remain silent and contact an attorney. You have the right to due process and to have your case heard before a judge. You have the right to say no to being searched or having your home searched unless ICE has an arrest warrant (not removal order, etc.). Agents do not have the right to search you or your belongings without your consent or probable cause. You have the right to ask ICE to leave. What should I do if ICE approaches me? Do not volunteer any information. You do not need to provide your immigration status or place of birth. If ICE enters your home without your permission, probable cause, or a warrant, clearly state that you do not give them permission to enter or search your belongings. Do not lie or present any false or fraudulent documentation , including a fake name. including a fake name. You do not have any obligation to sign any document without speaking to an attorney. Do not sign a document you do not understand. If you feel safe, document the event using your phone (via video or audio recording). If ICE shows up to your home or place of work, ask to see a warrant before you open the door. ဤသည်မှာ 'Know Your Rights' ၏ အကြံပြုချက်စာရွက်၏ မြန်မာဘာသာပြန်ဖြစ်သည်။ यहाँ 'आफ्नो अधिकार जान्नुहोस्' सुझाव पत्रको नेपाली अनुवाद छ। Aquí está la traducción al español de la hoja de consejos 'Conozca sus derechos' Here is the English version of the 'Know Your Rights' tip sheet
