A Summit County mother began to hear voices and hallucinate, and she thought people were trying to kill her. Clutching her 2-year-old son in her arms, she jumped from the child’s bedroom window, shattering the glass in the process. Bleeding from the cuts, she then ran down the street before emergency personnel subdued her.

Luckily the child was unharmed, but this is one of many cases in the area involving a new designer drug known as “bath salts,” thought to be as potent as cocaine or methamphetamine. With such innocuous names as White Girl, Blue Silk and Vanilla Sky, “bath salts” have been at the center of murder-suicides, high-speed car chases and other serious incidents, posing a troubling health issue.

“The problem with bath salts is that while they’re labeled bath salts, they’re not meant to be used for bathing,” said Dr. Marguerite Erme, medical director of the Summit County Health District, who adds that these substances can cause cardiovascular symptoms like high blood pressure and elevated heart rate, as well as such neurological problems as tremors and problems walking. “They can be very serious,” she said.

Second Baptist Church, 690 S. Main St., in Akron, is now available to assist residents with those little extras for the summer.

With such programs as affordable child care and breakfast and lunch programs, the church offers a few options during the rough economic times.

Summit County Children Services (SCCS) has announced that 50 local youth who leave foster care at age 18 will each receive a package of bus passes valued at $100 from Akron METRO Regional Transportation Authority, thanks to a partnership between METRO and the local Akron chapter of a service organization called Altrusa International, Inc., which specializes in meeting community needs.

A federal Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) grant of $2,500 recently awarded to METRO required a local matching grant. Altrusa member Paula Reese of Fairlawn, a Summit County Children Services volunteer and active member of the Summit County Youth Emancipation Task Force (formed to help youth emancipating from agency custody) secured the required matching funds from the Akron chapter of Altrusa, the Altrusa International Foundation and her former employer, Exxon Mobil, based on her volunteer involvement with the agency.

The Community Job Club of Stow, Ohio recently participated in the Department of Labor Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships roundtable to address the many issues of the unemployed.  The live webinar took place on May 24 and is available on a video link at https://partnerships.workforce3one.org/.

As a result, there is an even greater commitment from the DOL to support and to grow Job Clubs across the county. The Community Job Club of Stow was showcased as one of several stellar examples of volunteers reaching out and providing extensive resources to unemployed individuals in their community. This Club not only supplies its members job search techniques, professional networks, information about careers and programs, and peer support, they also provide emotional support and counseling.