Ray Horner Show

The summertime sun and heat are upon us, and in Akron, Ohio, that also means it is "orange barrel season."

Justin Chesnic is with ODOT District 4, and he joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to talk about the latest projects happening throughout the area. The $161 million project at the Kenmore Leg is about replacing the pavement, and the plan is for that stretch to be closed for 150 days.

Other projects include widening and repaving Interstate 77 between the Central Interchange and Arlington Road, the repaving of a stretch of Route 8, and finishing the ramps and surfacing on I-76 in the Barberton/Norton area.

The days of contact hitting in baseball are long gone, and old school baseball fans yearn for the days of the Rod Carew or Wade Boggs opposite field slap hit.

ESPN baseball analyst Tim Kurkjian joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to talk about the changes to Major League Baseball these last few years. Kurkjian mentions the "three true outcomes" for hitters, which are home runs, strikeouts, or walks. Lots of home runs are being hit, too many strikeouts are occurring, and not nearly enough singles are being hit. That also plays into how dominant the pitching has been, and some have openly questioned the use of foreign substances on the baseballs.

Kurkjian also talked about the American League overall and how he is surprised by the first two months of the Francisco Lindor-less Cleveland Indians.

Once the calendars flipped to 2021, there was a major demand by the American people for vaccines. As the year went on, availability of it increased, and those who want to get a vaccine can do so without issue. But vaccinations have stalled, and mass vaccination sites have shut down.

Donna Skoda is the commissioner of the Summit County Health Department, and she joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to answer some questions about the vaccines, why there is still hesitancy about them, and how to educate the younger population about the importance of the inoculations. Skoda also talked about natural immunity, which some figures have said those who have had COVID-19 can be immune anywhere between 90 days and 10 months.

Last week, Firestone Stadium house the OHSAA softball tournament, and this week, baseball moves up Main Street to Canal Park.

Jim Pfander is the general manager of the Akron RubberDucks, and he joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to talk about his excitement for the return of the tournament after last year’s pandemic-affected hiatus. Aside from alcohol, which will not be for sale, fans catching the baseball tournament will get the same experience one gets from a RubberDucks game.

Three local teams will participate in the tournament. Canton Central Catholic in Division III plays Thursday, as well as Archbishop Hoban in Division II. Walsh Jesuit in Division I is set to play Friday evening.

Robert Dodaro - Prism Wealth Management

David James - Superintendent, Akron Public Schools

Ty Higgins - Ohio Farm Bureau

Dan Horrigan - Akron Mayor

Donna Skoda - Summit County Health Commissioner

Citizens of Akron woke up Thursday morning to some sad news, as long-time Ward 1 councilman Rich Swirsky lost his battle with leukemia. He was 68 years old.

Akron mayor Dan Horrigan joined the Ray Horner Morning Show for his usual Thursday radio visit, and he said Rich was a "true champion" in the city. He says Swirsky was very passionate about his duties in his ward, and that a city like Akron needs more people in public service who shared his passion.

The mayor also touched on the police auditor position as far as enforcement goes, as well as the new corridor for Akron Children's Hospital and the future of the Chapel Hill Mall area.