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Do you live in Akron, Ohio? Want to keep up with what is going on in your city? This podcast is for you. We will cover local news (the good and the bad), Entertainment schedules, Updates on what your local representatives are up to (in a "just the facts / Non-biased fashion), and whatever else you'd like to hear.

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Police Union Willing to TalkAt an Akron City Council meeting, Brian Lucey, representing Akron's Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, stated the union's willingness to engage in discussions on police reform, offering to meet with anyone at any time for this purpose. Lucey's remarks were prompted by Councilman James Hardy's suggestion to pause discussions on a new police headquarters until reform is achieved. Councilwoman Jan Davis echoed the need for dialogue on policing in Akron. Hardy expressed support for Davis' call for reform-oriented conversations, indicating his intention to vote against funding for a new police department until meaningful reform discussions take place. He emphasized the importance of involving all stakeholders in these talks and advocated for a new standard for police-community relations. Lucey accused Hardy of supporting police defunding, which Hardy refuted, citing his past support for police funding increases. Hardy emphasized the necessity of rethinking the current approach to policing and promoting constructive dialogue rather than divisive rhetoric. Both Hardy and Davis emphasized the importance of involving Akron's underserved communities in reform discussions and expressed readiness to collaborate with the union and other stakeholders to initiate proactive conversations aimed at positive change. Parasson's Closing All But One Location Parasson's is closing all of their locations except for the on on Waterloo road. The Stow location on Darrow Road closed last Saturday, and the Barberton location at 234 Wooster Road. So if you want some of their yummy garlic bread, you need to visit the Waterloo road location.Will Akron Have to Deal with Cicadas?Fortunately, according to the University of Connecticut, Ohio is not in the path of the two broods set to emerge across much of the Southeast and Midwest.Construction Updatesaccording to the Ohio Department of Transportation. Beginning 5 a.m. Wednesday, South Street eastbound from state Route 93/Manchester Road will be closed through early September. The detour will be Thornton Street to Rhodes Street to Lakeshore Boulevard to South Street. Beginning 7 p.m. Friday, SR 93/Manchester Road at South Street will be closed until 7 a.m. Saturday morning for a bridge deck pour. The northbound detour will be Kenmore Boulevard to Lakeshore Boulevard to Thornton Street. The southbound detour will be Thornton Street to Rhodes Street to Lakeshore Boulevard to South Street. Other New traffic patterns According to the Ohio Department of Transportation. Beginning 5 a.m. Wednesday, South Street eastbound from state Route 93/Manchester Road will be closed through early September. The detour will be Thornton Street to Rhodes Street to Lakeshore Boulevard to South Street. Beginning 7 p.m. Friday, SR 93/Manchester Road at South Street will be closed until 7 a.m. Saturday morning for a bridge deck pour. The northbound detour will be Kenmore Boulevard to Lakeshore Boulevard to Thornton Street. The southbound detour will be Thornton Street to Rhodes Street to Lakeshore Boulevard to South Street. Other new traffic patterns At 8 p.m. Friday, state Route 21 northbound under Interstate 77 in Copley Township will be closed through 5 a.m. May 6 for bridge work. The detour will be I-77 southbound to Ridgewood Road to I-77 northbound. State Route 303 east of I-77 is also closed for pavement repairs. The detour is Interstate 271 to I-77 to state Route 176 to SR 303.Andre Bernier is Retiring in MayFox 8 meteorologist Andre Bernier will give his final forecast on May 22, retiring after more than 36 years with the television station. Andre Bernier announced his retirement on the same day as his birthday.Rubber City Heritage Trail Phase 2The second phase of the Rubber City Heritage Trail will include 10-foot...

Councilman James Hardy Fights For Reform

Welcome back to the Akron Podcast, where we tackle the tough stories affecting our community. Today is April 11th, 2024, and we have a difficult topic. This isn't an April Fool's Day prank—it's a serious incident involving Tavion Koonce-Williams, a 15-year-old East High School student whom an Akron police officer shot under contentious circumstances. Reports indicate that Williams was carrying what appeared to be a gun—but was later revealed to be a toy—as he was walking home. A concerned citizen's call to the police led to a confrontation that ended with Williams being shot in the hand by Officer Ryan Westlake, a cop with a checkered past, including being previously fired and reinstated. The bodycam footage is out for public scrutiny and raises alarming concerns. Why do our teens feel the need to carry fake guns for protection? And why was Officer Westlake, with a history of unprofessional conduct, allowed back on the force, only to be involved in another controversial shooting? We'll delve into Westlake's disciplinary record, examine the city's handling of the case, and look at how this repeats patterns we've seen in previous incidents. It's a tragic story with far-reaching implications, and it leaves us asking hard questions about police accountability, community safety, and the deep-seated issues that lead to such incidents. Join us as we explore this crucial matter on the Akron Podcast. Sources: https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2024/04/08/akron-police-officer-who-shot-teen-was-fired-reinstated-in-2021/73242042007/ Mentioned in this episode: Start Your Podcast Today Join the School of Podcasting
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Akron Community Questions: A Young Life Altered by Police Fire

21-Year-Old Male Shot at Drive-ThroughAkron police and EMS were dispatched to the scene at about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday. They found the victim, an employee at the store, with an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at 11:38 p.m. The shooting occurred after a man approached the drive-thru window on foot seeking to buy black and mild cigars, Akron police Capt. Michael Miller said. He handed the clerk some cash that was in poor condition, possibly with soil or blood, Miller said. A dispute quickly broke out over the condition of the money. The suspect then pulled out a long-barreled rifle. That's when the clerk returned the cigar to the suspect and asked him to leave with it. Before fleeing on foot, the suspect fired at least two shots through the window at the group of employees inside the drive-thru, striking the 21-year-old at least once. Shattered glass may have injured others standing nearby, Miller said. See the Akron Shootings app to see other murders in our city https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/Akron-KillingsUpdating Towpath TrailThe National Park Service plans to close a large section of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail to visitors. A 1.5-mile section of the popular trail just north of the Station Road Bridge Trailhead in Brecksville will close on weekdays beginning Dec. 18 through May 3. Park officials say the closure is needed while crews continue to work on stabilizing the river bank inside of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The trail will be open to visitors on weekends. This is part of a two-phase project with work shifting to south of Station Road at a later date. The construction is part of a $14 million effort to stabilize the trail and tracks for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad along the Cuyahoga River.Businesses Open During Street ClosureBusinesses in the area affected by the road closure are open & still accessible, including the Peanut Shoppe of Akron (Hours until Dec. 24th: Monday - Friday 10 am - 5 pm, Saturday 10 am - 4 pm, & Sunday 1 pm - 4 pm.), ChillandIndulge (see the 2nd picture for some of their holiday offerings), Crave, Unknwn, and others. Don't forget: The Peanut Shoppe has seasonal round tins & boxes for gift-giving, & will also take your order by phone & ship it to anywhere in the U.S. of A. 330-376-7020) Okay, now the road closure information  The affected area is S. Main St., between Church St. and University Ave. WHEN: This stretch of road will be closed on Monday, December 11 through Friday, December 22 WHY: The closure is for Emergency Sewer Repair. On Monday, December 11, Kenmore Construction Co. and the City of Akron plan to close S. Main St. to all traffic between Church St. and University Avenue as they begin emergency sewer repair work. STILL OPEN: Businesses in the road closure area will still be open and accessible. Park on Church St., University, or in the Summit County or State St. parking decks. DETOURS: Southbound traffic will be detoured using E. Bowery St., S. High St., and University Ave. Northbound traffic will be detoured using University Ave., S. Broadway, and E. Bowery St. This work is expected to be completed by Friday, December 22. See the attached image for a map of the detours. For all downtown traffic advisories, visit https://bit.ly/TrafficAdvisoriesDowntownAkronChristmas Bells Stolen From ChurchChristmas chimes won’t be playing at...

My Trip To Stan Hywet

Akron Council Limits Public InputAkron City Council has implemented new rules, effective January 3, 2024, to restrict public comment during meetings. In an 8-5 vote, the council decided to move the meeting start time to 6:30 p.m. and shift the public comment period to the beginning. However, the most significant change is limiting public comment to 10 speakers per meeting, with individuals allowed to speak only once every 30 days. Residents must fill out an online form by 4 p.m. on the day of the meeting to request to speak, potentially concluding public comment within 30 minutes. Previously, there were no restrictions on the number of speakers or their frequency, only requiring advance sign-up. The recent weeks had seen over two dozen speakers at council meetings, prompting the new limitations. The council also implemented a ban on backpacks, bags larger than 12” X 6” X 12”, banners, flags, posters, signs, and “noisemakers of any kind.” While some view the move positively for promoting efficiency, others criticize it as limiting citizen participation, with activist Fran Wilson describing it as "fascist." Council President Margo Sommerville, who proposed the legislation to enhance meeting efficiency and professionalism, stated that the changes address decorum issues and do not intend to limit community perspectives. The decision reflects an effort to balance the need for orderly proceedings with citizens' right to express concerns.Akron Police Keep Punching People In The FacePolice were called for disorderly teens. So if you don't want to get punched in the face, behave. This happened at 1200 block of Lawton Street.  With that said, Terrelle Harris-Malone was doing what he was told. He was walking away. Video shows he had his hands up as multiple policemen tackled him to the ground, jam his face into the ground, punched him and in general took it to far. In one shot you see him with his one remaining arm still up, not resisting.  19 News obtained Akron Police bodycam of this incident. The video shows the 19-year-old suspect leaving the scene and encouraging the rest of the group to also leave. The video does not specifically show the 19-year-old hitting an officer’s arm. The suspect has his hands in the air and does not appear to be resisting the arrest in the video. So that task force we created to review the police? This is what you were made for and you need to do something.  Harris-Malone was arrested earlier this year on October 27 and now faces charges of riot, resisting arrest, obstructing official business, and criminal trespass. Harris-Malone is set to go to trial on February 6. His lawyer says they plan to file a civil suit against the Akron officers involved. Three other teens were arrested during the incident. Akron Police are now investigating the use of force during the incident.IN RELATED NEWSThe Akron Police Department has quietly updated its internal policies about police shootings and now lists the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation as the default “preferred agency,” instead of its own detectives, to investigate after APD officers kill or seriously injure someone. While the APD has regularly called on the BCI’s Crime Scene Unit to process scenes of police shootings, Chief Steve Mylett caught the ire of the police union in 2022 when he asked the state agency to conduct the entire investigation into Jayland Walker’s killing. The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 7 filed a grievance that alleged bringing in an outside agency...

Akron Police Keep Punching People In the Face

Jury Duty ScamBeware of a jury duty scam circulating in Summit County, as authorities issue a warning about fraudulent calls threatening fines and arrest for alleged failure to appear. Scammers may demand payments in Bitcoin, falsely claiming that judges accept cryptocurrencies. Summit County government offices do not accept such payments. The scammers may pose as deputies, using real names and ranks of law enforcement personnel, along with spoofed phone numbers to mimic authentic Summit County Sheriff's Office calls. Residents are urged to hang up immediately, verify the call's legitimacy by contacting dispatch at 330-643-2181, and be cautious as the Sheriff's Office does not make such calls regarding warrants or fines.Almost Shooting a BuchtelA 15-year-old was arrested by Akron police outside Buchtel CLC after a fight. Safety team members observed three male teens in a fight, and one, not a student at the school, was seen with what appeared to be a concealed firearm. The school resource officer and safety team struggled to restrain the armed teen, who reportedly tried reaching for the firearm during the scuffle. The recovered weapon was identified as an AR-style airsoft gun with a loaded magazine containing live .223 caliber ammunition. The 15-year-old, sustaining minor injuries, was taken to Akron Children's Hospital, and charges are pending based on the investigation. SourceHe Got Shot in the Face For Not Sharing His Potato ChipsThis story has been updated. Akron police arrested a man in a nonfatal shooting that left a 31-year-old man hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the face after he declined to share a bag of potato chips, according to an Akron Police Department news release. Soon after the Tuesday night shooting on the 40 block of Stanton Avenue, investigators identified a 42-year-old as a person of interest. The next day at about 6:30 p.m., officers spotted the man boarding a bus at the Metro Transit on South Broadway Street. With help from a Regional Transit Authority officer, police stopped the bus at South Broadway Street and East Thornton Street and took the man into custody. He was found in possession of a firearm, which may have been used in the shooting. Officers charged him with felonious assault and weapons under disability.Free Art Every ThursdayFeel free to break that early winter funk by visiting AAM to see some funky art! We are free every single Thursday. Keep in mind the parking may not be free.Hower House MuseumThe Hower House was completed in 1871 and was built by John Henry Hower, a leading Akron industrialist who was active in the milling, reaping, and cereal industries. Hower would become known as the “Father of Akron Industry.”  The house has three floors with a ballroom and servants’ areas on the third floor. Two and a half acres of lawn and stately trees provide a green island of tranquility for The University of Akron campus community.  Today, Hower House remains one of the finest and best-preserved examples of its style in the country. It is supported by private donations, the Hower House Museum Guild, and The University of Akron. The house has become a lasting symbol of an era of elegance in America. Tours are Friday and Saturday 12-3 and Sundays 1-4. Tickets are $10 with discounts for students, seniors and kids For more information see https://www.uakron.edu/howerhousemuseum/the-house/Akron Schools Join Banning PhonesAkron schools have joined the national trend of...

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