A kidnapping, a SWAT standoff, teargas, and a suspect arrested while hiding under a pile of clothes.

That's what went down in Akron Sunday afternoon, starting at around 4:00 PM when a 29 year old mother callied police to report  that her 5 year old son, Carson Eckel, had been abducted by his non-custodial father from her home on Barbara Avenue. This happened, she said, after the three of them got together for a visit, during which 31 year old Sean Eckels allegedly threw punches at her and ran off with the boy.

Akron Police then issued an Amber Alert, and a SWAT team was dispatched to look for the missing child, who was eventually released unharmed by his father from a residence on Sylvan Avenue, and reunited with his mother at about 11:20 PM. 

However, police say 11:45PM, they had to call the SWAT team back, because Eckels had barricaded himself inside the home and refused to come out. After he wouldn't surrender, despite efforts to de-escalate the situation; police say they deployed "chemical irritants" at 1:00AM, went inside, and arrested Eckels, who they say had been hiding under a pile of clothing.

Now, he's in the Summit County Jail, charged with Kidnapping, Abduction, and Domestic Violence.

Gas prices have continued to drop nationwide over the past week, despite concerns about potential disruptions from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East.

Global oil prices have stabilized at a little over $90 dollars per barrel so far today, and Gasbuddy.com reports the price of a gallon of gas dropped in Akron by 13 point 1 cents over the past week to an average of $3.02.

Nationwide, the average price per gallon for gasoline is down by 11.3 cents per gallon, at $3.55, and the average price of diesel dropped by 6.8 cents per gallon to $4.41.

Patrick DeHaan, Gasbuddy.comhead of Petroleum Analysis, says "The downward momentum has indeed gained steam, with the national average declining over the last week with again virtually every village, town, city, region and state seeing gasoline prices fall - with the added bonus that diesel prices have also declined. While the price of oil jumped some 5% last week, I remain steadfast that additional declines are coming to gasoline prices the way the situation stands now, but remain cautious that this depends on actions that are not foreseeable, mainly the conflict in the Middle East."

In addition, he says be believes that "For now, the national average is likely to soon fall to its lowest level in six months. Some areas of the Great Lakes could see a price cycle in the next few weeks, which is typical after long declines as stations often pass along the drops there faster than anywhere else. I believe the national average still has some 15-35 cents of declining to do the way things stand now."

Three years ago at this time, no one had ever heard of COVID-19. But since then, the world has changed, and so has education—in particular— online learning.

Like everywhere else in the country, Akron Public School students were forced to stay home and do their lessons online. They had live teachers leading the virtual class sessions, but then once the COVID case numbers dropped enough; the vast majority of the district's 20 thousand plus students went back to the classroom in person.

Now, though, there are still a small number of students who are still doing all of their classes online, and we wanted to find out what lessons teachers have learned as a result of the pandemic, about how to reach, engage, and inspire them.

So, we talked to Akron Public Schools Online Principal, Cheryl Paradise:

A major renovation project that will greatly enlarge and improve the Patterson Park Community Center on on North Hill is now officially underway, after a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday morning.

The project, which will be paid for with federal funds, will cost $7.8 million dollars, and is expected to be complete by late 2024, or early 2025.

Our morning Show Host, Ray Horner, talked to Mayor Dan Horrigan about the project. Listen now:

In a press release, City officials explain that the existing 8,300 square foot building at 800 Patterson Avenue, will be replaced with a 12,400 sq ft footprint. The larger building will accommodate more recreational opportunities such as indoor volleyball, pickleball, and basketball. The community rooms will allow for more groups to meet at the center and utilize the space to fit their needs. The facility will be one level, with a new ADA accessible entry from a new parking area off of Patterson Ave. 

Community engagement has been vital to these investments. In 2019, the City of Akron Recreation and Parks Bureau presented the results of a community needs survey as well as a Strategic Plan to Akron City Council. The survey had over 1,500 responses from community members. That plan prioritized upgrading community centers, playgrounds, and both outdoor pools.  Community outreach was performed in 2020 with a survey which had over 500 total responses emphasizing Patterson Park as one of the three community centers in need of repair.

The construction is being funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars.  The next center slated for renovations will be Reservoir Park Community Center (1735 Hillside Terrace) with bids expected to go out in early 2024. 

A continuing National blood shortage is prompting an urgent plea from the American Red Cross for donors in our area. 

Donors of all blood types are urged to book a time to give now, especially those with type O blood or those giving platelets.

Officials say your flu or COVID vaccination status is not an issue, and they're offering incentives to encourage donations including a $10 gift card to a restaurant or merchant, for anyone who donates Oct. 21-Nov. 9, plus the chance  to win a $5,000 gift card.

More details now RedCrossBlood.org/Lunch.

To make an appointment, use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).  

Upcoming blood donation opportunities Oct. 21-Nov. 9:

Summit County

Akron

Summit Blood Donation Center

501 W. Market St., Akron

Sundays, Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Tuesdays: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

10/25/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, 714 North Portage Path

10/31/2023: 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., Ellet High School, 309 Woolf Ave

10/31/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Harold K Stubbs Municipal Bldg Akron Police Dept., 217 High Street

11/2/2023: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., St Vincent St Mary High School, 15 North Maple Street

11/2/2023: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Akron Childrens Hospital, 215 West Bowery Street

11/7/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., University of Akron Rec & Wellness Center, 382 Carroll Street

11/9/2023: 1 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Bath United Church of Christ, 3980 Bath Road

Barberton

11/1/2023: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Summa Barberton Hospital, 155 Fifth Street NE

Cuyahoga Falls

10/27/2023: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., Western Reserve Hospital, 1900 23rd Street

Hudson

10/29/2023: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., St Mary Catholic Church, 340 N. Main Street

Macedonia

11/2/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, 9080 Shepard Road

Peninsula

11/7/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Woodridge Middle School, 4451 Quick Rd.

Stow

10/23/2023: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Acker Moore Memorial Post, 3733 Fishcreek Road

10/25/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., SYB Hall, 4157 Hudson Dr.

11/7/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Holy Family Parish, 3450 Sycamore Drive

Tallmadge

10/24/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Summit County Fairgrounds, 229 E. Howe Rd

Medina County

Brunswick

10/26/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Brunswick United Methodist Church, 1395 Pearl Road

10/30/2023: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Cleveland Clinic Family Health Center Brunswick, 3574 Center Road

11/2/2023: 3 p.m. - 8 p.m., Saint Ambrose Church, 929 Pearl Road

Litchfield

11/5/2023: 7 a.m. - 12 p.m., Litchfield Township Fire Station, 9487 Norwalk Road

Lodi

10/23/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., First Congregational Church, 114 Church Street

Medina

10/27/2023: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Holy Martyrs Church, 3100 S. Weymouth Rd.

10/28/2023: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., St Matthew Lutheran Church, 400 N. Broadway St.

11/9/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Medina Community Recreation Center, 855 Weymouth Road

Wadsworth

11/6/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Trinity United Church of Christ, 215 High Street

_______________

Portage County

Aurora

11/1/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., The Church in Aurora, 146 S. Chillicothe Road

Kent

11/1/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Kent State Univ Student Center, 1075 Risman Dr

Mogadore

10/27/2023: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Field High School, 2900 State Route 43

Ravenna

10/21/2023: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Ravenna Elks Lodge, 776 North Freedom Street.

11/8/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Immaculate Conception Parish, 251 West Spruce Avenue

Rootstown

11/9/2023: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Northeast Ohio Medical University, 4209 State Route 44

Streetsboro

10/23/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Chapel at Tinkers Creek, 9709 Page Rd.

_______________

Stark County

Alliance

11/2/2023: 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Alliance Comm Hosp East St, 200 East State Street

11/7/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Aldersgate Family Methodist Church, 11394 Edison St. NE

Canton

11/4/2023: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Church of the Lakes, 5944 Fulton Drive NW

11/8/2023: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Stark Library - Main Library, 715 Market Ave N

Massillon

10/25/2023: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Paul & Carol David YMCA of Jackson Township, 7389 Caritas Circle NW

10/30/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Paul Lutheran Church, 127 Cherry Road NE

11/9/2023: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., RiverTree Jackson, 7373 Portage Street NW

Navarre

10/25/2023: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Towpath Trail YMCA, 1226 Market St. NE

11/3/2023: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Richville United Church of Christ, 6125 Richville Drive SW

North Canton

10/30/2023: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Stark State College - Business & Entrepreneurial Center, 6200 Frank Ave NW

Uniontown

11/3/2023: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Harmony Springs Christian Church, 3891 S Arlington Rd

11/9/2023: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Lake Community YMCA, 428 King Church Ave SW

11/9/2023: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Grace United Church of Christ, 13275 Cleveland Avenue NW

Cuyahoga County:

Warzel Blood Donation Center
3747 Euclid Ave., Cleveland

Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Parma Blood Donation Center

5585 Pearl Rd., Parma

Monday – Thursday: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Fridays and Saturdays: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The City of Akron says the water is safe to drink without boiling now for all customers along the Akron Peninsula Road corridor north of Bath Road.

This included some Akron water customers in Cuyahoga Falls and Boston Township.

The City Water Bureau reports a water main that broke Sunday morning and repaired Sunday afternon, actually ruptured again that night. But, those repairs were complete by Monday afternoon, and now the water in the affected area is safe to drink and use normally,

Akron Police are still asking for your help to catch the hit-skip driver who was likely speeding early last Thursday morning, October 5, when they hit a 62 year old woman who was crossing the street in the 200 block of East Market Street.

The woman, who has now been identified as Deborah Weihrauch, was severely injured and died Friday afternoon at the hospital.

Witnesses told police they believe she was hit by a silver SUV, though they could not identify the make or model of the vehicle which continued Eastbound, without stopping.

If you have any information that can help police find out who did it, they're asking that you call the Detective Bureau, at 330-375-2490, or 330-375-TIP.

If you're a classic rock fan, you may remember an old Eric Clapton tune called "It's In The Way That You Use It", which seems to be an apt description for the pros and cons of technology that relies on rapidly developing, and ever more frequently-deployed Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools.

Over the past few months, I've talked to college professors who are concerned about their students cheating, cybersecurity experts who worry that it will fuel criminal activity and disinformation that could be very bad for democracy, and a well known Akron attorney and former law professor, discussing the complete folly of using it to write accurate, reality-based legal briefs. 

But, I've also talked to a Purdue University researcher working on advanced, new, AI-powered thermal imaging for the defense and automotive industries, and today; to Cleveland Clinic Radiologist, Dr. Brian Xavier, about how AI is helping them more easily and accurately detect breast cancer in cases which even in the recent past using older technology, may never have been discovered.

So indeed, whether AI is a boon to society, or the potential bane of our existence, seems to depend–at least so far– entirely on the way that you use it.

Today, during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month; we're focusing on the positive.

Dr. Brian Xavier, Cleveland Clinic

Akron Police say a 62 year old woman was thrown 80 feet and critically injured by a hit-skip driver who was probably speeding in the 200 block of East Market Street, a little before 1:00AM Thursday morning.

The woman is in the hospital now, and her name is being withheld pending notification of relatives, and further investigation.

There was a witness to the incident, though, who told police that the vehicle who crashed into the woman and then continued heading eastbound, was a silver SUV– though they were not able to identify the make or model.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Akron Police Detective Bureau, at 330-375-2490, or 330-375-TIP.

You can also provide anonymous information by calling Summit County Crimestoppers: 330-434-COPS, or you can text TIPSCO with your tips to 274637.

In addition, you can download the Akron Police app, and submit information by texting Tips411, or by visiting the Akron Police website: www.akroncops.org.

The government is not setting up special bank accounts where you can keep your money even safer than it is in the bank.

In fact, if somebody tries to convince you that is the case; that's when you really do need to contact the government; pronto!

The FBI is warning that seniors, in particular, are being targeted by hackers, who con them out of in some cases; their entire life savings, through what they're calling the "Phantom Hacker Scam".

In a press release; FBI officials described how it works:

Step 1 – Tech Support Imposter

In the first step, a scammer posing as customer support representative from a legitimate technology company initiates contact with the victim through a phone call, text, email, or a pop-up window on their computer and instructs the victim to call a number for “assistance.”

Once the victim calls the phone number, a scammer directs the victim to download a software program allowing the scammer remote access to the victim’s computer. The scammer pretends to run a virus scan on the victim’s computer and falsely claims the victim’s computer either has been or is at risk of being hacked.

Next, the scammer requests the victim open their financial accounts to determine whether there have been any unauthorized charges – a tactic to allow the scammer to determine which financial account is most lucrative for targeting. The scammer informs the victim they will receive a call from that financial institution’s fraud department with further instructions. 

Step 2 – Financial Institution Imposter

In the second step, a scammer, posing as a representative of the financial institution mentioned above, such as a bank or a brokerage firm, contacts the victim. The scammer falsely informs the victim their computer and financial accounts have been accessed by a foreign hacker and the victim must move their money to a “safe” third-party account, such as an account with the Federal Reserve or another U.S. Government agency.

The victim is directed to transfer money via a wire transfer, cash, or wire conversion to cryptocurrency, often directly to overseas recipients. The victim is also told not to inform anyone of the real reason they are moving their money. The scammer may instruct the victim to send multiple transactions over a span of days or months.

Step 3 – U.S. Government Imposter

In the third step, the victim may be contacted by a scammer posing as the Federal Reserve or another U.S. Government agency. If the victim becomes suspicious, the scammer may send an email or a letter on what appears to be official U.S. Government letterhead to legitimize the scam. The scammer will continue to emphasize the victim’s funds are “unsafe” and they must be moved to a new “alias” account for protection until the victim concedes.

Victims often suffer the loss of entire banking, savings, retirement, and investment accounts under the guise of “protecting” their assets.

Tips to Protect Yourself

The FBI recommends that the public take the following steps to protect themselves from “The Phantom Hacker” scam:

• Do not click on unsolicited pop-ups, links sent via text messages, or email links or attachments.
• Do not contact the telephone number provided in a pop-up, text, or email. Do not download software at the request of an unknown individual who contacted you.
• Do not allow an unknown individual who contacted you to have control of your computer.
• The US Government will never request you send money to them via wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift/prepaid cards.

Reporting Suspected Fraud

The FBI requests victims report these fraudulent or suspicious activities to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov. Be sure to include as much information as possible, such as:

The name of the person or company that contacted you.
Methods of communication used, to include websites, emails, and telephone numbers.
The bank account number where the funds were wired to and the recipient’s name(s).