Panhandlers Reportedly Threaten Woman in Acme Parking Lot

The following was obtained from Bath police reports dated Feb. 10. It does not indicate a conviction.

On Feb. 10 at 7:15 a.m., Bath police were called to the Acme Fresh Market parking lot after a woman was reportedly being harassed and threatened by a pair of panhandlers.  When officers questioned the panhandlers regarding the incident, they denied the allegation and became agitated and uncooperative, according to the Bath police report.  The beggers were given a trespassing warning and were told to leave the property. 

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Hottest Topics in Fairlawn-Bath for 2012: Panhandling

In the next few days we'll look at three important news topics for Fairlawn and Bath Township in 2012. Here's the first installment.

There's a lot happening in Fairlawn and Bath at any one time, but there are three topics that people buzzed about most this year: panhandling, Rothrock Road and crime. In this three-part series, we'll break down these three topics, starting first with panhandling. Check back tomorrow for a recap about Rothrock Road. Panhandling The issue of panhandlers in Fairlawn first came up at a February city council meeting. Mayor William Roth said residents had approached him with concerns about feeling uncomfortable sitting in their cars at intersections. Others said the panhandlers were aggressive. To fix the problem, Roth and city council members created an ordinance to regulate panhandlers.  The ordinance requires panhandlers to register with the…

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The Editor

5:29 pm on Monday, March 25, 2013

This is a businness, not individuals in need. Sadly, I feel contempt for these individuals, not sympathy. They panhandle right outside a business with "Help Wanted" signs. They can make more money by deviding up their "winnigs of the day" with the rest of their group, then working for it. I've seen them getting into cars and "changing shifts" with others. I just want to tell them to get a job! I'…   more ›

Summit County Council Plans Crackdown on Panhandling

Summit County Council plans to pass legislation that would regulate panhandlers, similar to Fairlawn's ordinances.

At the request of Bath Township officials, Summit County Council has drafted legislation to regulate panhandling, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. Two months ago, Fairlawn City Council passed legislation that regulates panhandlers and requires them to register with the Fairlawn Police Department. The panhandlers are not allowed to stand at corners or within 25 feet of an intersection, business entrance or exit, bus stop, bank, church or school. As a result, several of the panhandlers who worked in Fairlawn moved over to the Montrose area, which is mostly comprised of Copley and Bath Township. The Bath Township border starts at the intersection of West Market and Cleveland-Massillon Road, at the Speedway gas station. This intersection…

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Local Panhandlers Worried About Pending City Legislation

These Akron men are OK with registering for licenses, but express concern about restrictions on where they can stand.

Three Akron men who regularly panhandle at busy Fairlawn intersections have no complaints about pending city council legislation that would require them to register for licenses. But one man questions whether the ACLU of Ohio will challenge the second piece of legislation dictating where panhandlers cannot stand to beg for money. Leonard Wilson, 59, says he is permanently disabled and struggling to support his family of four on Social Security benefits supplemented by donations from strangers. The former landscaper is well-versed in the finer points of panhandling laws in a number of area cities, which is why he’s familiar with the ACLU’s challenges to laws that unfairly restrict the activity. Wilson — who wears his Akron panhandler’s ID …

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Panhandlers Will Be Required to Register in Fairlawn

After receiving safety complaints, the city wants to regulate where panhandlers can operate in the city, and require registration.