Ray Horner Show

From the administrative end in the city of Akron, leaders have promised transparency. They plan to live up to that, especially when it comes to public safety.

Margo Sommerville, president of Akron City Council, joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to recap Monday’s council meeting, which brought forth a new safety report that will have the administration work alongside the police department with recommendations of improvement. Some of those recommendations include a larger police presence in the community, getting the proper training for officers, and having a citizens review board, as the residents can suggest what more can be done locally as it pertains to public safety.

Sommerville also touched on the local businesses that have been hit hardest during the pandemic, and she mentioned the different areas of funding they can or have received, as well as creative ways of getting the word about their business out.

It has been a month since the COVID-19 vaccines were getting shot into people’s arms. But is the vaccine rollout going according to plan at the federal and state levels, or are there mixed messages and information muddying up the process?

Summit County health commissioner Donna Skoda joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to address any concerns the listeners may have when it comes to the local rollout of the vaccine. In Summit County, Skoda says they are doing “good” with the rollout, especially when the shots can’t just be administered in a car or outside on a chair. She also touched on the vital importance of the second shot of the vaccine.

As for the numbers in the area, Skoda says they have seen them tumble due to the mandates and restrictions, and she praised those in the county for staying the course and not gathering in large numbers for the late December holidays.

Ideally, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine would like to see students back in their classrooms by March 1st. Although that is more than a month away, that is not a lot of time for school faculties, staff, and students to be up to date on safety protocols and even vaccinations.

Akron Public Schools superintendent David James echoes those concerns on the Ray Horner Morning Show. James has been mentioning the “remote plus” model, a hybrid practice of students in classrooms and virtually from home alternating days, but for the kids to be back full-time would take a lot of measures, from the continued masking and social distancing to the deep sanitization of desks, floors, and lockers.

James says APS continues to work with the state and the county health department when it comes to following the proper protocol, especially with getting their staff inoculated by the March 1st deadline.

With a new administration taking over in Washington D.C., this time of the Democrat end of the spectrum, many are wondering about changes in policy in regards to federal funding and the vaccine rollout.

One of those who is curious is Akron mayor Dan Horrigan, who joined the Ray Horner Morning Show, for his weekly visit. Horrigan touched on the continued need for monetary assistance, especially for the small businesses who have suffered the last year. The area of the vaccine rollout, Horrigan hopes, will have better direction from the federal level with Joe Biden as president.

The mayor also talked about the sale of The Tangier to the LeBron James Family Foundation and how that complex will look in the coming years.

For the first time in nearly three decades, a president of the United States will not serve a second term. President Trump will leave the White House on January 20th and hand over the keys to Joe Biden and his administration.

Dr. John Green, former interim president of the University of Akron and still a part of the Bliss Institute, shared his expertise in political science on the Ray Horner Morning Show. Dr. Green believed there were positives from the Trump administration, most notably improving trade deals with China, a stable economy prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rapid speed of the vaccine production.

Dr. Green also previewed what to expect from a Biden administration, which he says may be a mix between the newer wave of Democrats in Barack Obama and the more traditional, old school version of Bill Clinton.

On January 20th, Joseph R. Biden will become the 47th president of the United States. With the pandemic and threats of violence and insurrection in the air, this inauguration will be unlike the others, especially the more recent gatherings.

As for the inauguration itself, which some have suggested should be moved indoors to a safe place, CBS News military analyst Jeff McCausland discussed the beefed up security presence at the Capitol.

On January 20th, Joseph R. Biden will become the 47th president of the United States. With the pandemic and threats of violence and insurrection in the air, this inauguration will be unlike the others, especially the more recent gatherings.

After serving just one term as president, what will be of Donald Trump’s legacy? Dr. David Beer, professor of political science at Malone University, discussed Trump’s positives, which are the three Supreme Court justice appointees, as well as the negatives, most notably the two times being impeached by the House and the COVID-19 response.

On January 20th, Joseph R. Biden will become the 47th president of the United States. With the pandemic and threats of violence and insurrection in the air, this inauguration will be unlike the others, especially the more recent gatherings.

For a little background on the Inaugural Address and some of the more famous speeches to come from it, from Franklin D. Roosevelt to John F. Kennedy, history professor at the University of Akron, Dr. Kevin Kern, shared his expertise.

Today, January 18th, is the celebration of the life and words of Martin Luther King Jr. While the United States has made strides as far as racial and societal progress, there are still plenty of hurdles to tend to, and many were on display in real time in the last year.

Judi Hill is the president of the Akron NAACP chapter, and she joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to touch on Dr. King’s words and speeches and how timeless they are, especially when applied to today.

The NAACP president also talked about how the organization continues to help in the community in any way possible, especially with the threat of COVID-19 still looming.

How much of a role is social media playing in the violence and divide in our country? A lot, and it could get worse if we do not act now.

Dr. Amber Ferris is an associate professor of communications at the University of Akron, and she spoke of the potential dangers and the warning signs of social media harassment. One of the issues online, according to Dr. Ferris, is the rise of echo chambers, where individuals join a likeminded group, rather than seeing different points of view. Her advice is to be openminded and be willing to listen to opposing viewpoints, and to avoid having arguments with others online.