From the Office of Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan:
Members of Mayor Dan Horrigan’s cabinet have a demonstrated commitment to giving back to the greater Akron community by volunteering their time and talent to diverse non-profit organizations. As just one example of this commitment, Randy Briggs, Deputy Mayor for Labor Relations for the City, was recently elected to his sixth term as the President of the Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board (“Summit DD”).
Originally appointed to the Board by late County Executive Russ Pry, Mr. Briggs has been working to advance the mission and vision of Summit DD since January 2009.
“I’ve had some of the most rewarding experiences of my career through this volunteer position,” Briggs said. “Working with my fellow board members and our leadership team to find ways to better serve our clients and ensure that each of our neighbors are treated with respect, dignity, and equality, regardless of ability, has become a true passion for me. This work has made me a better professional and a better person, and I’m grateful for this opportunity to give back, while gaining so much in return.”
The volunteer service of City staff complements the work they do for the City every day. “I’m proud to say that my cabinet, and so many other City employees, know the value of community service,” Mayor Horrigan said. “It is important to me that I am surrounded by leaders and advisors who ‘walk the talk’ and truly care about making Akron a better place – both in their official positions, and through their personal pursuits.”
For more information about Summit DD, please visit http://www.summitdd.org/ or contact Billie Jo David, Director of Communication, at (330) 634-8073 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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Written by Tony MazurSummit Seeking Public Input on Hazard Prevention
Written by Ryan LangSummit County Executive Ilene Shapiro's office is circulating a survey to local residents and businesses, asking them for input to update the county's Hazard Prevention Plan.
The 26-question Community Hazard Survey asks things like whether or not residents know if their home or office is vulnerable to floods, tornadoes, other natural disasters, power outages, and more. Furthermore, the surveys ask whether or not residents know the proper response to the previously mentioned disaster situations.
So that we have a better understanding of what people know; if they know what the resources are, if they know how to take the steps that they need, in the event of a natural disaster," Summit County Assistant Chief of Staff Greta Johnson told the Jasen Sokol Show. "It is essentially asking for our community to help us help them."
You can read and complete the survey here; it will be available through March 9th.
Soon, you will be able to check out a piece of local art like you can any library book, movie, or piece of music today.
Through a partnership between the Akron-Summit County Public Library and the Akron Art Museum, beginning later this month, anyone with a library card will be able to check out local art for up to four weeks. Like any other item you can borrow from the library, you can renew the art, provided no one else has reserved it, for another four more weeks, up to 5 times.
As of right now, there are 27 pieces of art that users can check out.
Akron Art Museum Director of Education spoke with Cleveland.com saying, "We want to show we can trust the public with works of art."
Having said that, the library says the fine for not returning a piece of art is $500, and late fees are a little heftier; 50 cents per day.
UPDATE: This alert has been cancelled.
Mr. Herndon returned home on his own last night.
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A Missing Adult Alert has been issued for 87-year-old Arpad Herdon of New Franklin out of Summit County. Mr. Herdon is described as a white male, 5 foot-9, about 200 pounds, with grey hair and hazel eyes.
About 8 o'clock Monday morning, Mr. Herdon walked out of his home and hasn't been seen since. He does not have his medication, according to authorities.
An Akron toddler who managed to get outside of the apartment she lived in at Willow Run Apartments on Doty Drive in Ellet Friday afternoon, and was later found by her mother, died at the hospital.
Officials identified the young girl as 2-year-old Wynter Parker. Her mother, who found her out on the porch, called 911 around 3:30 Friday afternoon. She was taken to Akron Children's Hospital where she later died. She told Akron Police that she wasn't sure how the young girl got outside.
The Summit County Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy on Monday to determine the cause of death.
No charges have been filed.
1590 WAKR Student Athlete of the Week: Lauren Lucas
Written by Tony Mazur1590 WAKR Student Athlete of the Week: Connor Kerr
Written by Tony MazurFacing a nearly $29 Million budget shortfall, the University of Akron is looking for more innovative ways to bring in more revenue.
With that in mind, UA President Matthew Wilson is looking to the sports side of the school, and says that with in-state recruitment of athletes lies more fiscal opportunity.
The state provides public universities with subisidies for completion of credits and graduation of in-state students. The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that "Course completion, based on a calculation of full-time Ohio students and the total number of credit hours taken, generates $1,800 to a school for every 30 credit hours completed."
Not including the funding from the state, President Matthew Wilson says there are other factors involved when considering bolstering the university's efforts on Ohio recruitment, including fans that you might attract, controling costs, locations where the team plays, and more. President Wilson makes a point to say that it's not about making Akron football or basketball or baseball, that's recently been restored at the school, ALL Ohio, but more about a balance. "Preserving our competetiveness (in the MAC and in the region), but in terms of our competetiveness across the country, we don't want to lose that, but at the same time Ohio really has a great talent base to draw from," President Wilson commented on the Jasen Sokol Show.
More...
Lockdown after Threat Scrawled on Wooster HS Wall
Written by Ryan LangWooster School District officials, along with Wooster Police, are investigating after a threat was written on a bathroom wall of the High School Tuesday. It was discovered by the janitorial staff after school hours, and the school, along with the rest of the district, has since been operating under a lockdown protocol.
According to multiple reports, the threat read, "Kill Them All. 2/1/18. For the motherland."
Dr. Michael Tefs tells the WAKR Newsroom that while they don't believe there is any credibility to the threat, it is being taken very seriously. "This is an act that most people do not realize the amount of anxiety it causes," Dr. Tefs said. "It just takes one incident like this; one individual, very selfless and insensitive, to really cast a cloud over a community and a district... and it is very, very frustrating."
School was in session across the district, as normal, on Wednesday. As for Thursday, the date that was specified in the threat, Dr. Tefs says they will continue coordinating with Wooster PD and will make a decision later in the day Wednesday.
Dr. Tefs adds that the responsible party, or parties, will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Akron Police looking for Courtney Marie Magrell, 21, of East North Street for allegedly beating up her mother, and breaking her arm.
Police were called to the home on Kingsley Avenue about 4 p.m. Tuesday, where the victim says she was dragged out of a UHaul truck by her daughter, and then repeatedly punched and kicked. The victim told police she put her arm up to block a kick to the face and that's when her arm broke.
Magrell is reported to have broken the victim's cellphone and then stole her ID before leaving the home.
The victim was taken to Akron General and treated for the broken arm.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call Akron Police.
Former Akron Fire Department Union Treasurer Joseph Ruhlin, 41, has pled guilty to embezzling nearly half-a-million dollars from the Union while he was in charge of the funds, according to a release from Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh's office.
Ruhlin, who was treasurer of the department's Union Local 330 from January of 2011 through March of 2017, admitted to stealing about $500,000 during his time in office.
When he was charged with Theft in Office, Ruhlin fled Akron to North Carolina. Authorities eventually caught up with him and he was extradited back to Summit County.
Ruhlin, who is charged with Theft in Office and Tampering with Records, both 3rd degree felonies, is due in Summit County Common Pleas Court on March 13, 2018 at 1 p.m. for a restitution hearing and is scheduled to me sentenced by Common Pleas Court Judge Alison Breaux immediately following.
A Copley Police Officer was involved in an accident Tuesday morning.
According to multiple reports, a woman's vehicle was alongside 77 North at 21 North and was hit by a passing semi truck. That woman's car was then propeled into the police cruiser. Neither the other driver nor the Police Officer were injured in the accident.
The driver of the semi truck reportedly kept driving, but was later found at the Ohio Turnpike exit.
The investigation into the crash is reportedly ongoing.