REGIONAL BRIEFS
Boy who drowned in Portage Lakes identified as Barberton 6-year-old
The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office on Monday identified the boy who drowned Friday at Portage Lakes State Park.
Sebastian Johnson, 6, of Barberton, died at Summa Barberton Hospital after he was found in about 4 feet of water following a report that he was missing, the New Franklin Fire Department said.
According to his obituary, Sebastian is immediately survived by his parents Wayne and Maria, eight siblings and an unborn baby brother.
A page at givesendgo.com has been set up to assist the family.
Arrangements are being coordinated through Hummel Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at St. Sebastian Church, 476 Mull Ave. in Akron. A funeral Mass will be held at at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Sebastian. Due to family allergies, in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Embrace Clinic and Care Center, 180 1st St. NW, Barberton 44203.
Airgas lays off 87 workers at Independence facility
Around 87 employees at the Independence facility of Airgas will be laid off, according to the state Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice filed on Wednesday.
Airgas supplies industrial, medical and specialty gases, plus welding hard goods and related products.
A company representative could not be reached for comment.
The permanent layoffs will begin Oct. 31 and are expected to conclude in September 2025, according to the WARN notice. The bulk of the terminated positions were in accounting or cash applications. None of the employees are represented by a union.
Airgas has stores in Akron, Streetsboro, Bedford Heights, Medina, Alliance, Brookpark and Canton. A 42,000-square-foot facility on Dutton Drive in Twinsburg opened in August 2022.