Maybe it would be news if another record had NOT been broken. Akron-Canton Airport is celebrating the best April in history, with a total of 147-Thousand, 650 passengers flying in and out of CAK. It marks the 24^th record-breaking month out of the last 25...with passenger numbers up on almost all the airlines. US Airways led the way with a 20-percent jump in passenger numbers.

A Canton man who claimed false income tax refunds totaling nearly 5.5-Million dollars has been sentence to more than six years in prison for the crimes. 35-year-old Brandon Mace was up on a two-count indictment in Federal court, alleging that he filed false returns in 2008 and 2009. He was charged with the crimes last November, after setting-up a post office box for delivery of the refund checks while he was jailed on unrelated charges.

As his trial was going-on in Stark County Court, a Canton man decided to end it early and plead guilty to eight robbery charges involving a string of hold-ups late last year. 18-year-old Kenneth Bradford, who was 17 at the time of the crimes, admitted he and a co-defendant who has already pleaded guilty pulled the jobs in November and December last year at a pizza shop, a gas station and several ATM's. The judge hearing his case immediately sentenced him to 18 years in prison Wednesday afternoon.

An effective ban on Internet cafes targeted as illegal gambling operations has cleared the Ohio Legislature after more than two years of wrangling. The Ohio Senate passed the measure on 27-6 vote Wednesday, less than a year after blocking passage of a similar bill. Governor Kasich is expected to sign the measure.

An Akron Federal judge will allow the last of five bridge bomb-plotting suspects to represent himself at trial. Judge David Dowd ruled Wednesday there's no reason to deny the request by 23-year-old Joshua Stafford of Cleveland, whose trial is scheduled to begin on June 10. Last month the judge ruled Stafford mentally fit for trial after hearing from psychologists who said Stafford is suicidal, depressed and wary of a dangerous world. No bomb went off and no one was injured in the plot last year in which the intended target was the Route 82 bridge over the Cuyahoga Valley National Park between Cleveland and Akron. The other four defendants have pleaded guilty and landed prison terms of six to 11 years.

The City of Akron has extended the available days for residents to meet with reps from the Law Department in the wake of last Thursday's cyber-attack on the city website. City attorneys will be available from 10AM – 3PM at six of the city's community centers on Thursday and Friday, after officials in downtown and satellite locations were deluged with questions from people worried about their personal or banking information.

Lawton Street – 1225 Lawton Street

Patterson Park – 800 Patterson Avenue

Firestone Park – 1480 Girard Street

Kenmore – 880 Kenmore Boulevard

Ellet – 2449 Wedgewood Drive

Reservoir Park – 1735 Hillside Terrace

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH - IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR GEAUGA, MAHONING, PORTAGE, STARK AND TRUMBULL COUNTIES.

The decision by IRS representative Lois Lerner to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights on Capitol Hill Wednesday raised more questions and got under the skin of Portage County TEA Party Executive Director Tom Zawistowski. Lerner first denied any wrongdoing, then took the Fifth, which angered Zawistowski...who says there are a number of questions which have as yhet gone un-answered, and so far no one in Washington has taken ownership of the problems or admitted to prior knowledge of the IRS targeting of conservatives. The biggest question in his mind is: Why did the practice of throwing roadblocks in the way of conservative groups begin in 2010.

A 17-year-old boy accused of killing two other teens earlier this month has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder charges in Putnam County Juvenile Court. Michael Aaron Fay was arraigned Tuesday on the delinquency charges after 17-year-old Blake Romes and his 14-year-old brother Blaine were shot to death in their family’s trailer home in Ottawa May 9. Both had been shot in the head, their bodies dumped elsewhere before police in Columbus found Fay driving a stolen car. When Fay was busted, he told authorities where to find the bodies.

On Tuesday, dozens of rallies took-place outside IRS offices around the nation as members of the TEA Party and other conservative groups protested the admitted targeting of conservatives by the government. In Cincinnati, where the tax-exempt status applications were handled, protestors gathered at Fountain Square and walked about two blocks, then filled the sidewalks across the street from the IRS office.

Despite the fact he’s up on charges he violated the Federal Clean Water Act, the operator of a Youngstown injection well is petitioning the Oil and Gas Commission to resume drilling operations. Ben Lupo and his D&L Energy had existing injection well permits and applications for others suspended after the firm allegedly dumped drilling wastewater into a storm sewer last year. Whatever decision the commission makes, it won’t be made overnight and is expected to take months to be decided.

 The Akron Board of Education voted this week to fire middle school teacher Melissa Cairns over a picture on Facebook showing duct tape covering eight or nine of her students' mouths. Board members said she showed a lack of good judgment and her conduct was unbecoming of a teacher. A caption under the Facebook picture read, “Finally found a way to get them to be quiet.” Earlier, cairns told Newschannel 5, she regretted the post and it was meant to be a joke. The incident took place last October at Buchtel Community Learning Center where Cairns was a 7^th and 8^th grade math teacher.  

 An effective ban on Internet cafes targeted as illegal gambling has cleared an Ohio Senate committee and is headed for a floor vote later today. Testimony by employees of the storefront sweepstakes parlors failed to persuade a majority of the State Government and Oversight Committee that the cafes are legitimate businesses supporting Ohio families. Proponents contend the cafes are legal.  

 The three women held captive in a Cleveland house for about a decade say they are doing fine. That was a message in a letter released by their attorneys that also noted a charity fund to help the women has now raised more than $650,000. Attorneys representing Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight say the women are happy and safe and continue to heal, a process that requires time and privacy.  

 A 60-year-old Massillon man receives probation after investigators found images on his computer of young children engaged in sexual activity. John Hatt pleaded guilty to the charges in Stark County Common Pleas Court. He must register as a sex offender for 25 years and was ordered to continue counseling. The investigation was initiated by the FBI two years ago.