"He's just a big guy with a big heart," Ashley said He moved to Barberton from Kentucky several months ago and a friend— a woman he worked with at a different job— to live with at a house on 2nd Street SW But an unimaginable tragedy happened at that house around 11:15 Tuesday morning Ashley was told by firefighters that Noah was asleep in a second-floor bedroom when an 80-foot-tall tree suddenly came crashing down in windy conditions RELATED: 21-year-old man dies after tree falls onto Barberton house "Who knew that would be the end of it?" Ashley told News 5 during an interview via Zoom "Who knew that he'd be coming home in a casket?" There were three other people living in the downstairs unit of the house They were not home at the time the tree fell With the house now condemned by the city of Barberton his girlfriend and his brother were those residents Soltis said they are currently staying with a friend He's still stunned by what happened while he was at work my brain really couldn't process it too early yesterday the reality of the situation had settled in as Soltis began moving his belongings out of the house but someone lost their life because of this Two GoFundMe pages have been set up for Hall's family. CLICK HERE and HERE for more information The incident marked the third tragedy to hit Barberton in just two days Police said he was shot multiple times after trying to help a friend who had been in a domestic dispute with her husband RELATED: Family says man killed in Barberton shooting was helping friend Justice Oney was arrested and charged with murder RELATED: 'It's senseless': 25-year-old-man killed while helping friend in Barberton domestic dispute A GoFundMe has been set up to help the Flight family. CLICK HERE for more information firefighters responded to an apartment fire on 2nd Street NW Firefighters said 43-year-old Amanda Crow-Sonntag was found dead in a closet The cause of the fire has not been determined "Three events in two days is something that's pretty unheard of here in Barberton Tragic events— that does take a toll on you emotionally and mentally," said Barberton Mayor William Judge The mayor said there have been early conversations with churches and non-profit groups regarding possibly planning a prayer vigil to honor the victims and to help the community cope with the trio of tragedies "The message to the community is to stay strong These are tragic events that don't define our community," Judge said The mayor also posted a message on the city's Facebook page our community has experienced a series of tragic incidents that have touched us all deeply we extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives and we share in the sadness and grief that surround our community." she's focused on bringing Noah back home to Kentucky and relying on her faith following the tragedy "My faith is guiding me through this because it's not for me to answer God's the only one that has the answer for what happened and why it happened and how," she said Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBARBERTON Ohio (WOIO) - The Summit County Medical Examiner identified the man who was killed Tuesday when a tree fell onto a Barberton home first responders discovered Hall lying in bed in a bedroom with part of the tree on top of him Those who have spoken to Hall’s mother tell 19 News that he was here in Ohio to better his life The medical examiner added an autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday at a home in the 100 block of 2nd Street SW The Summit County Special Operations Rescue Team and Barberton Fire Department were on scene Tuesday we try to learn from it and try to make sure it doesn’t happen again that’s unfortunate,” said Barberton Fire Marshal David Polacek Polacek says a storm likely blew the tree over before noon on Tuesday He’s urging everyone to make sure they have homeowners or renters insurance in case something terrible happens Barberton Tree Service was also on scene to deal with the aftermath “Anytime there is a tree around a property that is close we consider it a target says Lisa Devenport of the Barberton Tree Service Devenport has been in the business for nearly 30 years She witnessed a similar situation last year in Akron when one person also died from a tree into a home She wants people to keep an eye out for trees that might not look healthy or any that are out of the ordinary on a property Talk to your neighbors get out and talk to your neighbors work together communicate work with companies that will work with you and your neighbors to keep everything and your property safe,” says Devenport Other warning signs of unhealthy trees include water pooling at the base If people see these signs they should call a certified arborist to make sure your home is as safe as possible Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Ohio — A full and thriving main street can benefit any town bringing in revenue and improving property values One northeast Ohio city is working to bring their downtown back by finding new tenants to fill empty buildings and helping to revitalize existing businesses Kavé Coffee Bar received more than $2,000 to replace their windows The general manager says the grant made a huge difference “Replacing the windows for our business made everything safer," said Ryan Struckel The coffee shop has been around for a decade and while he knew it was time for some renovations Struckel decided to apply for a grant from the Barberton Community Foundation The grant matched $2,500 to replace six windows “Was something that was really instrumental in our project to replace these windows," said Struckel Thriving downtowns can attract visitors and improve local economy Josh Gordon is the executive director of the Barberton Community Foundation The organization put up $300,000 for seven grants available through two programs The Downtown Building Rehabilitation and Restaurant and Retail Challenge “Barberton downtown or community downtown has a responsibility not just to our own residents to have a great downtown but we also have a responsibility to surrounding communities like Norton and New Franklin and Green that don't have a downtown," said Gordon Gordon said the grant program will encourage new businesses to move downtown But there are some requirements that must be met before the funds are handed out Downtown Building Rehabilitation has two grants available; the established businesses must match the grant up to $100,000 business owners must restore or make big renovations to their downtown building The Restaurant and Retail Challenge has five grants available The established businesses must match the grant up to $20,000 interesting types of businesses for people to come and experience," said Gordon Both Gordon and Struckel agree the 25,000 current residents and countless visitors will have a better downtown experience thanks to these grants and we've been around since 1891,"sSaid Gordon.” But in some ways we're just getting started with how we're revitalizing our downtown and inviting people to it.” “To apply for this grant and receive this grant it can make a huge impact for your business and for the overall look of downtown for both the residents and the visitors here," said Struckel Applications for both grant programs are due by April 1. Click here for more details.  The other partners for these grants are Main Street Barberton City of Barberton and Barberton Community Development Corporation A 25-year-old Canton man was killed in a shooting early Monday in Barberton in what police say was an apparent domestic dispute between the victim and another man and his wife Officers responded to reports of a shooting around 1:24 a.m at the intersection of East Paige Avenue and 3rd Street Northeast discovering the victim lying on the sidewalk suffering from multiple gunshots The victim was identified by Barberton police as Nathan M He was transported to Cleveland Clinic Akron General where he was pronounced dead at 2:19 a.m. chief investigator with the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office Barberton officers located the man suspected of killing Flight a short time after the shooting was apprehended without incident not far from the shooting scene with officers discovering a firearm in the vehicle in which he fled The incident was reportedly a domestic dispute between Flight Oney was transported to Barberton City Jail and charged with murder Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com A 25-year-old man was shot to death in Barberton early Monday morning while trying to help a friend who was involved in a domestic dispute with her husband "It's senseless for something like this to happen," said Barberton Officer Marty Eberhart "He's being a friend and then he ends up dead." near East Paige Avenue and 3rd Street Northeast Officers responded to the area after receiving multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired EMS transported the man to a nearby hospital "He actually pepper-sprayed the guy and then shot him multiple times," Eberhart said Oney was taken to Barberton City Jail and is being held on a murder charge He has an arraignment scheduled on Tuesday in Barberton Municipal Court Police said the woman left the home after getting into an arguments with Oney Eberhart said the woman called Flight who drove up from Canton and met her about a block away from where she lives Oney approached them and shot and killed Flight She ran away and banged on the front doors of several homes to get help The sound of gunfire and the police response was captured on multiple neighborhood doorbell cameras said was unable to fall back to sleep following the tragedy and her heart breaks for the victim's family eight maybe more gunshots and a woman screaming and we don't get that around here," Torres said She also believes the situation could have ended even worse "I'm glad she was able to get away," Torres said "I truly feel that if it wasn't for the help of our neighbors and the quick response of the police there could have been two tragedies last night." Haven of Rest Ministries in Akron confirmed Flight worked there in 2019 taking in donations Ohio (WOIO) - A woman was found dead inside an apartment after a Monday morning fire Firefighters were called out to the 200 block of 2nd Street NW around 9:50 a.m they learned the victim was trapped inside The person was brought out of the apartment but died from her injuries The victim has been identified as Amanda Crow-Sonntag The State Fire Marshal will assist in the investigation The victim of the Monday, April 14 Barberton apartment fire has been identified as Amanda Crow-Sonntag chief investigator of the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office The Barberton woman's cause of death is pending further testing and investigation Barberton fire crews originally responded to fire reports at about 9:49 a.m crew found and extinguished the first floor fire was discovered after firefighters extinguished the flames The investigation into the cause and origin of the fire is ongoing Ohio — A devastated family is opening up about its loss and a loved one's legacy Police say that 25-year-old Nathan Flight was shot and killed while simply trying to help a friend who'd been in a domestic disturbance with her husband RELATED: 25-year-old-man killed while helping friend in Barberton domestic dispute but believe his final actions proved what a big heart he had "He was so selfless and he wanted to protect someone he cared about," Kathlene Flight said about her son Flight told us how proud she was of her son Family members said that early Monday morning Nathan Flight got a call from a friend who told him she had been in an argument with her husband and he made the ultimate sacrifice for her," his sister Sarah Flight said His sister said he asked her to drive him to Barberton from Canton never imagining she wouldn't see her younger brother again "This is one of the most tragic moments that this family has ever experienced," Flight said Police said that about half an hour after being dropped off Oney found Flight and his wife on East Paige Street a few blocks away from where the domestic dispute started Oney allegedly pepper sprayed Flight before shooting him several times It has left Flight's sister with haunting questions said her son was "just the most wholesome person." Relatives also said that Flight was an amazing uncle Flight's family stressed it was not unusual for him to help people If a friend or a family member needed help He belonged to a Bible study group who supported each other through difficult times "He would go out of his way to help anybody he could," his sister said The family is now forced to focus on memories and markings "He was strong like a lion," his mother said take on a special meaning now—the family believes Nathan showed a lot of strength helping a friend in need before losing his life and that's what he was to a lot of us," his sister said He's being held in lieu of a $1 million bond Ohio (WOIO) - The 24-year-old Barberton man accused of fatally shooting another man during a “domestic dispute situation,” was arraigned in Barberton Municipal Court Tuesday via video The judge entered a not guilty plea for Justice Oney “Based on the serious nature of this offense and aft er reading the police report I believe a high bond is necessary to protect the community,” said Judge Diana Stevenson because he said Oney has no prior criminal history “He has no prior criminal history has been a Northeast Ohio resident for life he’s a fulltime worker as a machinist has a ability to be a productive member of society we’d ask the court to consider all these things when considering a bond,” said Oney’s public defender Wyatt Nolker Oney was arrested by Barberton Police shortly after the shooting early Monday at E laying on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds EMS rushed Flight to Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center The Summit County Medical Examiner said the completed autopsy showed Flight was shot in the head and torso According to Barberton Patrolman Marty Eberhart the domestic situation was between Oney and Oney’s wife “He was just there to talk to her because she was obviously upset and was just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Patrolman Eberhart Ohio (WOIO) - A 25-year-old man died early Monday after being shot at an intersection in what police are calling a “domestic dispute situation.” according to the Summit County Medical Examiner was located a short distance away from the scene and taken into custody without incident Police added a firearm was found in the vehicle Oney was in Oney is now charged with murder and will be arraigned Tuesday in Barberton Municipal Court Ohio — Firefighters and police responded to a home in Barberton on Tuesday afternoon after a tree fell onto a house It happened in the 100 block of 2nd Street a 21-year-old man was seen lying in a bed in a bedroom with part of the tree on top of him Ohio (WOIO) - The Summit County Medical Examiner confirms one person has died after a tree fell into a home The tree fell onto the Barberton home before noon Tuesday Barberton officers are asking people to avoid the area of Second Street and Wooster Road as crews work to clear the scene The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office remains on the scene One person died in a Barberton apartment fire Monday The department responded to reports of a fire at about 9:49 a.m fire was coming from an apartment on the first floor The victim was discovered after firefighters extinguished the blaze The victim's name is being withheld pending family notification the State Fire Marshal’s Office and other agencies assisted at the scene The Summit County Medical Examiner's Office has identified a man who was killed Tuesday, April 15 when a tree fell on a home in Barberton as Noah Hall The 21-year-old from Barberton was in a home in the 100 block of 2nd Street SW when Barberton Fire responded to calls of a large tree that fell on the house at about 11:15 a.m they discovered Hall in a bedroom lying in bed with part of the tree on top of him He was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:58 p.m Ohio — Barberton firefighters are searching for a cause after an explosion leveled a home Tuesday evening According to Barberton Fire Chief Steve Ionno there were no injuries and the house was unoccupied at the time Norton and Copley assisted the Barberton Fire Department Ionno said the house was recently sold and paperwork had been signed on the same day as the explosion Firefighters are returning to the scene Wednesday morning to sift through the debris and search for a cause Investigators with the Ohio State Fire Marshals Office are assisting in the case Ionno said part of the investigation will focus on the possibility of a gas leak Crews from Enbridge were on the scene Wednesday and wrapped up a gas meter for further inspection "They have different types of equipment in the ground that would detect any spike that would be of concern," Ionno said Enbridge Gas Ohio sent the following statement regarding the explosion: This story will be updated once more information is available One person has been reported dead after a tree fell on a house Tuesday Firefighters are attempting to remove the tree at a Second Street Southwest home The National Weather Service in Cleveland issued a hazardous weather outlook early on April 15 stating that winds could gust up to 45 mph in the region Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannet.com Members of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested a 28-year-old woman Tuesday who was wanted in connection with a shooting in Barberton early that morning Barberton police originally responded to reports of a shooting in the 400 block of South Van Buren Avenue around 2 a.m and saw a vehicle fleeing the area at a high rate of speed The vehicle then was stopped in the Summa Barberton Hospital lot where officers located a man suffering from three gunshots He was initially treated at that hospital before being transported to another local hospital for further treatment Police determined the victim and the suspect knew each other and got into an argument at Washington Square Apartments Germany returned to the apartment after the confrontation and shot the victim A felonious assault warrant was filed for Germany who was arrested by the task force in Garfield Heights before being turned over to Barberton police She was being held in the Summit County Jail and a hearing was set for Thursday morning in Barberton Municipal Court Information from court records was used to update this story Ohio (WOIO) - A 49-year-old man threatened to blow up a house in Baberton after police were called to the home for a domestic dispute Tuesday afternoon officers were called to a house in the 400 block of 15th Street Northwest for a domestic dispute A 49-year-old man resident was found acting erratically and a strong odor of natural gas filled the neighborhood The man said that he had cut the gas line in the house and threatened to blow it up Officers secured the house and evacuated neighboring residences Officers and an Enbridge technician were able to turn the gas off to the residence and continued to engage with the male who threatened violence to himself and officers The Barberton SWAT Team was called up and responded to the scene After a little over two hours of talking to officers and the SWAT team negotiator the male came out of the house and was taken into custody without incident He was treated on the scene by Barberton Fire Department personnel and taken to Summa Barberton Hospital for treatment and evaluation The Barberton Fire Department made sure the house and scene was safe and boarded up Residents were informed that it was safe to return home and the roads were opened back up at 7:50 pm ALLIANCE — Some high school boys basketball games are played close to the vest where it feels like a possession or two can make all the difference Friday night's Barberton at Alliance Division III sectional final wasn't that kind of contest 28 seed Barberton (12-12) led for most of the first two quarters but went to the half down 41-35 after Alliance's Henry Scheible and Kam Burton hit back-to-back 3-pointers Magics coach Chad Hazard preached patience at the break 'There are going to be a million more possessions 13 seed Alliance (15-8) led by as many as 11 points in the third quarter and took a 55-45 lead into the fourth quarter But an Aviators team that had one senior (Scheible) and missed its second-best player — 6-foot-5 sophomore Samuel Hays — because of illness Friday lost all momentum as the final period played out Alliance went scoreless over the final 4:49 with a mix of sloppy turnovers and missed 3s against Barberton's zone The Aviators were outscored 26-6 in the quarter overall "Our youth definitely played a part in that in a tournament environment," Alliance coach Chet Harper said We just had some blunders down the stretch that we normally don't do."  Barberton's senior leaders rose to the occasion De'Arion Holley scored a game-high 24 points and grabbed six rebounds before fouling out with 1:57 left Kardiay Tyler scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter including the go-ahead baseline floater with 1:16 left that gave Barberton its first lead since late in the second quarter Holley and Tyler won 20 games with Hazard at Akron East as sophomores then helped their coach win 19 games last year in his first season at Barberton "I just hoped we had enough help for them."  Junior Joey Ondo hit three 3-pointers and scored 13 points while grabbing seven rebounds one of two ninth graders in the starting lineup for Barberton along with Jamil Johnson Reynolds made two free throws with 57.3 seconds left to push the Magics' lead to 64-61 who spent much of the second half hounding Alliance star JR Jackson helped put the finishing touches on the win then batted a long outlet pass to Tyler for a transition layup and a 68-61 lead with 25 seconds left Barberton's bench and crowd erupted in celebration as the reality set in that the Magics were moving on 9 Beford in a district semifinal Wednesday "We've had a lot of adversity this year from transfers to ineligibility to kids quitting," Hazard said We knew coming into the game all six were going to have to play really well scored all 23 of his points in the first three quarters to go with a game-high eight rebounds for Alliance scored all 16 of his points in the first three quarters to go with six assists Harper could only shake his head at Friday's result with Jackson as the only returning starter from last year pull out plenty of close games this season The Aviators earned a share of the EBC championship with Carrollton and won four straight games to end the regular season Then it all unraveled in one bad fourth quarter against the Magics They came in here and scrapped it out and pulled out a victory But our guys fought and we won 15 games."  You're leading all game and all of a sudden you lose control of it Then you hit the panic button and the underdogs are playing loose I feel for Chet and those guys because they had a helluva year."  Reach Josh at josh.weir@cantonrep.com  Barberton police arrested a 49-year-old man Tuesday night after his threats to blow up a residence led to an hours-long standoff with SWAT Officers responded to reports of a domestic dispute at a residence in the 400 block of 15th Street Northwest at about 5:16 p.m officers discovered the male suspect acting "erratically" and found the neighborhood to have a strong smell of natural gas The man reportedly told officers he cut the gas line in the house Officers subsequently secured the home and evacuated neighboring residences An Enbridge technician was dispatched to the residence Barberton SWAT eventually arrived at the scene as police officers were continuing to talk with the suspect who continued to threaten violence to himself and others Officers were able to get the man to exit the home after two hours of negotiating He was taken into custody without incident and transported to Summa Barberton Hospital after being treated on the scene for medical issues Residents were informed it was safe to return home and local roads were opened back up after the Barberton Fire Department made sure the scene was safe at about 7:50 p.m More than 2,000 Barberton residents are without power this morning According to FirstEnergy, 2,332 residents are experiencing a power outage A crew has been dispatched to investigate the cause According to the outage map provided by FirstEnergy the power outage includes part of West Hopocan Avenue to the north the intersection of Eastern and Fairland roads to the south and 2nd Street Southwest to the east Power is expected to be restored later Sunday afternoon Four buildings in Akron and Barberton will be rehabilitated with the aid of historic preservation tax credits from Ohio the old Barberton Herald building and an adjacent commercial structure are among 37 projects that will receive $56 million to preserve 42 buildings across the state The projects are expected to draw $715 million in private investments The Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program provides financial incentives for the private redevelopment of Ohio historic buildings that stand vacant or generate little economic activity The state issues the tax credits to developers after project construction is complete “By preserving our historic buildings, we’re retaining the unique identity of Ohio’s communities,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in announcing the credits we’re ensuring that future generations can experience the character and stories that shaped our state in the spaces where they happened.”  The Young Women’s Christian Association branch athletic facilities and meeting spaces for young women the YWCA sold the building to architect Tony Rodriguez who named it CitiCenter and turned the top six floors into office space Akron purchased the building for $6.9 million in 1992 and later added city offices The CitiCenter Athletic Club closed in 2018 Welty Development, a subsidiary of Welty Building Co. bought the CitiCenter earlier this year for $1 million and plans to convert the property into 114 apartments The rehabilitation will include repairing all masonry work installing new historically compatible windows and retaining all historic decorative plaster ceilings where they remain The building is on the National Register of Historic Places The developer reapplied for additional tax credits after the state awarded $3.1 million for the project in 2020 The landmark stands along a busy corridor of Akron’s Middlebury neighborhood It was built as a fireproof warehouse for the Cranmer-Perrine Co. Worley moved their Ford Model T dealership The three-story structure gained a one-story office and showroom and merged with Universal Motor Co the building was home to such companies as Market Motors The Well Community Development Corp., which acquired the vacant building from the Summit County Land Reutilization Corp. in 2019 is working with Prospectus Architecture to renovate the structure as a multiple-tenant food hall Historic preservation efforts will include masonry repairs and the installation of historically accurate windows This project is for two adjacent buildings in downtown Barberton Tuscarawas was named for businessman William W the building housed such businesses as Russ Motor Sales Bill’s Home Improvement Service and Barberton Home Medical Supplies built its newspaper office next door at present-day 467 W The Barberton Herald began printing in the Magic City in 1923 as a sister publication to the Kenmore Herald The weekly newspaper moved to Fourth Street Northwest in 1967 the Herald ceased publication in December 2022 citing rising costs and a shrinking advertising base after the COVID-19 pandemic Developer Steve Coon of Coon Restoration plans to turn the first floor of the two buildings into a commercial space and add residential units on the second floor Other site work will include redeveloping the outdoor concrete paved area into patio spaces More about tax creditsThe Historic Preservation Tax Credit program is administered in partnership with the Ohio History Connection’s State Historic Preservation Office The preservation office determines if a property qualifies as a historic building and whether the rehabilitation plans comply with the U.S Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation In addition to Akron and Barberton, other Ohio communities receiving tax credits are Cincinnati For more information, visit  development.ohio.gov or ohiohistory.org Mark J. Price can be reached at mprice@thebeaconjournal.com Vintage photos: 50 memorable Cleveland TV personalities The walls are tumbling down at the historic Barberton Masonic building at Fifth Street Northwest and West Park Avenue near Lake Anna Mayor William Judge said April 21 that developers who toured the building determined that renovating it wasn't a viable option The building sits next to the Barberton city building on West Park Avenue "The building has outlived its useful life," Judge said The space made available by the demolition will aid the city's $30 million justice center and city hall project the extra room will help the city make the justice center compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act the West Park Avenue building's public entrance is up a flight of outside stairs to the second floor Judge said a schematic design for the former FirstMerit building should be completed in the next couple of months "(We're) playing that chess game of who goes where in the buildings," he said He expects details on the bonds package to come later this year (we'll be) working on the bond financing," he said The mayor said all parties affected by the project are working together for the best outcome for a project that's been years in the planning "We don't want the Taj Mahal," he said "We're being good stewards of the money we have." Judge said he keeps track of the demolition from his office in the Barberton city building feel free to stop in my office and you'll hear it and feel it," he said when it was constructed in the early 1950s the Akron Beacon Journal reported that the city had acquired a one-inch frontage on West Park Avenue from the Barberton Masonic Temple Corp "Mayor (Theodore) Parker says the new city building's east wall will be laid up tight against the Masonic building water-proofed as it goes," the article said More: Barberton Masonic Temple fixtures and furniture go to auction, with demolition coming soon Council President Justin Greer said at the meeting the city hall wall next to the Masonic temple has never seen the light of day Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj or Facebook at www.facebook.com/alan.newsman Ohio (WOIO) - A body was discovered in a Barberton apartment that caught fire early Tuesday morning The Barberton Fire Department was sent to 1st Street SE for a report of smoke in an apartment at 7:38 a.m Firefighters arrived to find smoke coming out of multiple units The flames were found in an apartment on the floor below the address of who reported the fire Barberton police said Wednesday the death is a suspected suicide The cause of the fire was not confirmed at this point in the investigation BFD did not specify if the victim died as a result of the fire and State Fire Marshal’s Office assisted on scene Ohio (WOIO) - The Barberton Police Department and the U.S Marshals Service arrested a Virginia man accused of scamming an elderly resident out of over $100,000 told an elderly Barberton resident to pay him over $130,000 because her computer was allegedly hacked and her financial accounts were compromised Patel was arrested on a felony theft from the elderly charge Investigators identified Patel and tracked him to an address in Virginia he was arrested and later extradited to Barberton Judge Todd McKenney set his bond at $500,000 and he was taken to the Summit County Jail Patel is the subject of multiple scamming investigations across the U.S Barberton Police also stated in the release that Patel is not a U.S citizen and that the Department of Homeland Security placed an immigration detainer on him Two buildings across the street from Barberton's planned new city hall have received $1.9 million in tax credits from the state for what Mayor William Judge is calling a significant piece in the city's efforts to revitalize its downtown area The Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits for the 459 and 467 West Tuscarawas Ave buildings will help a planned $11.6 million renovation of the structures by a private developer The buildings are deeply rooted in the city's history a commercial auto sales company and a residential apartment building with boarded windows and weathered exteriors Summit County property records show the building at 459 W which will continue the positive momentum we’ve seen throughout town especially downtown," Judge said Saturday via email Plans call for the the Herald and Powell buildings to be redeveloped with commercial space on the first floor and market-rate apartments on the second Mayor calls Herald and Powell project 'exciting'The buildings are located just north of the former FirstMerit building which the city intends to renovate into a new city hall The current municipal building will be renovated into a justice center housing Barberton Municipal Court and the Police Department More: 'So close to reality': Barberton council takes another step toward new city hall Judge said the tax credits are one example of renewed interest in downtown Emilia) Sykes office for the visitors center at Lake Anna Park the city-justice center project is moving along in a positive direction there are new businesses looking to move into downtown and we’re seeing a lot of interest in the city-owned vacant lots we’re selling throughout town," Judge said "As we continue to redefine the Magic City these important developments are electrifying our community." Judge said the tax credits don't take effect until the project is complete He said the city is working with the developer with work on the project expected to begin "in the coming months." "The developer cannot be issued the credit until construction is complete and all requirements are confirmed complete," he said He said the historic preservation tax credits from the state are a first for Barberton although common in cities like Akron and Canton Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj or Facebook at www.facebook.com/alan.newsman Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBarberton Ohio (WOIO) - A house was flattened by an explosion in a Barberton neighborhood Tuesday evening The call came into the fire department about 630pm The house is located in the 1000 block of Belleview Avenue but the fire department has been unable to search the house because it is too dangerous for them to enter the State Fire Marshal was called to the scene The ATF was able to search the house and firefighters on scene told 19 News they did not find anyone inside the structure Chief Ionno said it will take time to determine what caused the explosion “At this point we’re always thinking it could be intentional “We have Embridge here to take care of the gas stuff.” Neighbors who heard the blast said it sounded like a sonic boom from an airplane jet actually the whole house shook,” recalled neighbor “I got my wife and I told her to get your coat on and get out of the house because we didn’t know what was going on Come out here and the whole house across the street was laying in the road Check back with 19 News for the latest information on this story Barberton native and Detroit Lions defensive lineman John Cominsky announced his retirement from the league Monday afternoon Cominsky made the announcement in an Instagram post “After 6 years in the NFL, I am officially medically retiring. I am proud of the career I had, but have accumulated a combination of injuries that are overwhelming my desire to continue playing,” he wrote in part. “Thank you to the Atlanta Falcons for believing in me and drafting an under the radar DII prospect Thank you to the Detroit Lions for grabbing me off waivers and giving me a second contract and allowing me to show what I can do as an NFL starter Thank you to the front offices and coaches that helped build me up and believed in me Who would have thought a small town Barberton Ohio QB would find his way to sacking NFL QBs.” The Falcons drafted Cominsky in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Division II Charleston (W.Va.) He spent three seasons in Atlanta before being released prior to the 2022 season at his request Cominsky made an impact with the Lions before he signed a two-year contract extension in 2023 with Detroit worth $9.5 million with $4 million guaranteed he suffered a torn medial collateral ligament in 2024 and did not play He cited medical reasons for his retirement from the NFL Giving back to Barberton is important to John CominskyIt was extremely important to Cominsky that he didn't forget his roots He's made an effort over the years to give back to the community returning to Barberton for youth football camps The youth is the focus of The Cominsky Family Foundation and Cominsky stays involved as much as possible with the Barberton High School football team “I've always kind of rooted for the underdog myself not many scholarships out of high school and going the long hard way,” Cominsky told the Beacon Journal at his 2023 camp they're excited and they believe that maybe it's a possibility for them or just [an example of how they can] achieve their dreams." Thomas covers a myriad of things including sports and pop culture expanding and rebuilding a comics and collectibles empire A key part of that empire is Magic City Comics and Collectibles situated on Tuscarawas Avenue in downtown Barberton Other components include Rubber City Comics on Mill Street in Akron and the Akron Comicon 8 and 9 at the Emidio's Expo Center in Cuyahoga Falls The Rubber City store will celebrate its 50th anniversary on April 11-13 action figures and even a life-sized head-and-shoulders figure of Spider Man super villain Venom The store is a shrine to superheroes and supervillains and the worlds they inhabit Part of the reason it exists at its current storefront is a little help provided by the Barberton Community Foundation Heroes help out Magic City ComicsAt a recent interview at Magic City Comics Miller said he was able to renovate lighting the HVAC system and store fixtures at his shop thanks to funding from the foundation a couple of years ago who owned Stuff Genie Emporium downtown for several years said he found himself without a lease at the former store Magic City Comics might never have materialized "I had to move out of that space and didn't have a space," Miller said The assistance he received from BCF and others "That was the only way I could do it," he said Restaurant and Retail Challenge provides matching grantsThe BCF is hoping Miller's experience will spur other business owners or entrepreneurs that haven't quite gotten into the game with $20,000 matching grants through its Restaurant and Retail Challenge program The grants can be used to expand existing restaurants and retail establishments or start a new one with tenant improvements "We want people to be able to thrive here (with) initial support that's meaningful," said Josh Gordon BCF partner Main Street Barberton can continue helping out with marketing and promotion has compiled a comprehensive list and map of downtown buildings and businesses we found over 30 units available," Amato said Gordon said the community foundation has tweaked its grant assistance as its understanding of the needs of restaurants and retailers downtown has evolved Amato said the matching grants are designed to get fence-sitters to make the leap the goal is to provide financial support to get these businesses activated," she said Gordon said Barberton's downtown is unique in southern Summit County and he hopes it can be revitalized in similar fashion to Cuyahoga Falls' Front Street downtown district to the north More: What to know about Main Street Barberton's new executive director and her plans "They are about five to seven years ahead of where we are," he said "We're putting the building blocks in place to do that." Gordon said the time is now for prospective business owners to act "This is the spring and summer if you're going to do anything," he said To apply for a Restaurant and Retail Challenge grant or discuss options for opening an establishment downtown contact Amato at melanie@mainstreetbarberton.com or call 330-510-1335 Police: Canton man shot to death following 'domestic dispute' in BarbertonCanton RepositoryBARBERTON ‒ A Canton man was killed early Monday morning in an apparent domestic dispute, city police said Police responded to a call of gunshots at 1:24 a.m in the area of East Paige Avenue and Third Street NE and found Nathan M on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds He was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General where he later died from his injuries He was found a short distance away and was taken into custody without incident A firearm was found inside the vehicle he was in "The incident appears to be a result of a domestic dispute situation between Flight Oney and Oney’s wife," police said in a prepared statement Police said no other information would be released on Monday Oney is expected to be arraigned at 8:15 a.m The investigation is ongoing and is being handled by the Barberton Police Department Detective Bureau and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.