Akron News
Deadline to Register to Vote Approaches: Ohio Offers Several Voting Methods
By Stephanie Fairchild, Social Media Editor
September 29, 2020
With the Oct. 5 deadline to register to vote in Ohio approaching, there has been a large increase in efforts to get people registered. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 46.1 percent of eligible 18- to 29-year-olds voted in the 2016 election. Although this is higher than previous years, the trend of young generation...
First Instance of COVID-19 Community Spread Confirmed in Stark County
By Megan Parker, Editor-in-Chief
March 11, 2020
One person is in isolation at Mercy Medical Center in Canton after testing positive for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of cases in Ohio to four. This is the first confirmed case of community spread as the patient, a 53-year-old male, did not travel outside of the ...
Three Confirmed Cases of Coronavirus in Cuyahoga County, Ohio
By Megan Parker, Editor-in-Chief
March 10, 2020
Three confirmed cases of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) were announced on March 9, 2020 by Gov. Mike DeWine, just two days after testing for the virus became available in Ohio. Gov. DeWine first made the announcement of the three confirmed COVID-19 cases via Twitter, where he also declared a ...
UA Student Wins Fourth Annual RubberDucks Hot Dog Recipe Challenge
By Kaitee Horstmann, Copy Editor
February 27, 2020
For the fourth consecutive year, The University of Akron School of Nutrition and Dietetics partnered with the Akron RubberDucks baseball team for their annual RubberDucks Hot Dog Recipe Challenge. Four UA student finalists competed in the recipe challenge on Feb. 12, in hopes of having their hot dog recipe featured...
Black History Month at UA Features 14th Annual ‘Rethinking Race’ Event
By Kaitee Horstmann, Copy Editor
February 20, 2020
The University of Akron will be hosting its 14th annual ‘Rethinking Race: Black, White and Beyond’ event in the final week of Black History Month and into March, with a wide array of events spanning from Feb. 24 to March 7. Rethinking Race aims to engage students and attendees in difficult conv...
UA Launches New Fundraising Campaign Celebrating 150 Years in Higher Education
By Elizabeth Heckler and Megan Parker
February 18, 2020
As part of honoring its 150 years in higher education, The University of Akron launched a new fundraising campaign celebrating the school’s sesquicentennial. The new campaign titled “We Rise Together – The Campaign for The University of Akron” aims to raise $150 million for the University in honor of its people, pl...
MotherFood Bakery Fulfills Need for Vegan Option in Akron
By Elizabeth Heckler, Social Media Editor
February 12, 2020
Taylor Dawson went vegan on the day before Thanksgiving in 2019. The sophomore English major says she always had an interest in going vegan, but she did not feel comfortable with making the change until recently. “There were others that didn't respect my idea to even go vegan, so when I did, it was very ...
City of Akron ‘Great Streets Initiative’ Partners with UA, First Energy
By Kaitee Horstmann, Copy Editor
February 12, 2020
A total of 252 LED streetlights are being installed by Ohio Edison, a subsidiary for FirstEnergy Corp., in the South Exchange Street Corridor neighborhood thanks to a partnership between the City of Akron and The University of Akron. The “Great Streets Initiative” aims at brightening the streets ...
Basketball Fans Left in Shock After Kobe Bryant, 13-Year-Old Daughter Die in Helicopter Crash
By Kaitee Horstmann, Copy Editor
February 5, 2020
Basketball fans around the world were left in shock after NBA legend Kobe Bryant, 41, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna “GiGi” Bryant and seven others died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California on Jan. 26. According to an ESPN article, the helicopter departed from John Wayne Airport in Orange C...
‘Educate to Elevate’ Helps FirstEnergy Employees Get Degrees
By Kaitee Horstmann, Copy Editor
December 11, 2019
The University of Akron, Stark State College and FirstEnergy Corp. are partnering on the new program ‘Educate to Elevate’ to assist FirstEnergy employees in getting higher education degrees starting in January 2020. According to a UA press release, this program will give FirstEnergy customer service employees the chance to take classes in hop...
Annual Wild Lights Open at Akron Zoo
By Jessica Ricks, Arts & Entertainment Editor
December 11, 2019
Throughout the month of December, animal and holiday enthusiasts alike can attend the Akron Zoo’s annual Wild Lights. Taking place every weekend from Nov. 29 through Dec. 30, Wild Lights features lighting displays as well as various forms of entertainment, including ice carvers, local choral per...
Akron Law Offering New Blended Online J.D. Program in Fall 2020
By Megan Parker, Editor-in-Chief
November 6, 2019
Beginning in the fall 2020 semester, The University of Akron School of Law will offer a new Blended Online Juris Doctor (J.D.) program to make law school more accessible to part-time students. The new program allows part-time students to attend classes in person only two nights a week, while completing ...
‘Finding a Better U’ Developed to Help Improve Local Heart Health
By Kaitee Horstmann, Copy Editor
November 5, 2019
Sponsored by The University of Akron Foundation and the College of Health Professions, faculty have developed the free program “Finding a Better U” (FABU) to help local residents improve their heart health starting in November 2019. With heart disease as the No. 1 cause of death in Summit Co...
Western Fruit Basket: Innovative American-Greek Fusion Food
By Katie Shuber, News Contributor
October 29, 2019
In the heart of downtown Akron, near the Akron Art Museum, there’s a 100-year-old Greek-American Fusion food restaurant run by a father and daughter duo. Western Fruit Basket is located at 115 E Market St. and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Greg Megois, the owner of ...
Summit County Probate Court Partners with Jockey Being Family Foundation
By Megan Parker, Editor-in-Chief
October 23, 2019
In supporting adoption in Summit County, the Jockey Being Family Foundation will provide adoptees and their siblings a monogrammed backpack with a blanket and teddy bear inside. In addition to the backpacks for the children, the foundation will also provide a Parent Resource Tote that has resources for post adoption...
Humane Society of Summit County Hosting BARKtoberfest to Advocate for Adoptable Animals
By Kaitee Horstmann, Copy Editor
October 23, 2019
The Humane Society of Summit County (HSSC) is hosting BARKtoberfest, a craft beer tasting event sponsored by Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. as a fun fall event for prospective supporters and adopters from 4 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 26. Featuring craft beer tasting, food from local vendors, games and a basket raffle, prospect...
Annual Adopt-a-Thon Weekend Expanded to Month Long ‘Dogtober’
By Megan Parker, Editor-in-Chief
October 8, 2019
“Dogtober,” a special adoption event hosted by Summit County, will run through Nov. 2 at the Summit County Animal Control Facility as an expansion of the annual fall adopt-a-thon event. Throughout Dogtober, families will have the opportunity to adopt fully vetted animals; meaning blood work, flea trea...
County Officials Cut Ribbon on Summit Liberty House for Homeless Female Veterans
By Megan Parker, Editor-in-Chief
October 1, 2019
County entities worked together to open the Summit Liberty House, located at Arch Street. City of Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan, Larry Moore; director of the Summit County Veterans Service Commission, Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro and several others cut the ribbon on the four-unit apartment bui...
3 UA Colleagues Among Winners of Knight Arts Challenge Akron
By Megan Parker, Editor-in-Chief
September 30, 2019
Among the 16 winning ideas and projects from the 2019 Knight Arts Challenge Akron are three created by colleagues at The University of Akron. Victoria Rogers, vice president for arts at the Knight Foundation, said the projects and ideas in Akron went far beyond their expectations for inspiring the c...
National Museum of Psychology Features Historical Artifacts, Interactive Exhibits
By Enrique Antonio, News & Opinion Contributor
September 30, 2019
As an affiliate of the Smithsonian institution since 2002, the Cummings Center for the History of Psychology offered free admission to the National Museum of Psychology all day Sept. 21. Featuring permanent exhibits with unique items on the history of psychology as a science, agents of social chang...
15th Annual Poynter KSU Media Ethics Workshop Focuses on Activism, Advocacy
By Kaitee Horstmann, Copy Editor
September 26, 2019
Journalism and media professionals joined with students from The University of Akron and Kent State University for the 15th annual Poynter KSU Media Ethics Workshop on Sept. 19 for discussions on ethics in activism and advocacy. Hosted by the Poynter Institute in partnership with KSU, the all-day worksho...
Several Universities Team Up with JCPenney For 2019 “Suit-Up” Event
By Kaitee Horstmann, Copy Editor
September 16, 2019
Career Services at The University of Akron and JCPenney are teaming up for another “Suit-Up” Event on Sept. 22, where UA and Stark State faculty, students and alumni will get exclusive deals on professional attire. Students with a valid Zip Card will have a unique opportunity to receive up to ...
Research by UA Professor Shows How Companies Use ‘Selfie-Marketing’
By Megan Parker, Editor-in-Chief
September 8, 2019
Think twice before sharing those selfies on social media, as companies are now starting to use those self-portraits for marketing efforts. As defined by the online Merriam-Webster dictionary, a selfie is “an image that includes oneself (often with another person or as part of a group) and is take...
Celebration of the 19th Amendment Anniversary at UA
By Veronica Janosek, News & Sports Editor
September 8, 2019
The University of Akron School of Law will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment by bringing together national experts to discuss how the effects of women’s suffrage have changed America’s present and future. These experts will be at this year’s annual Center for Constitutiona...
UA Engineering Professor Studies Mars Terrain for 2020 NASA Mission
By Kaitee Horstmann, Copy Editor
September 3, 2019
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is currently counting down the days until another trip to Mars in 2020 with plans to send a new and improved rover to collect soil samples. Space travel is often related back to astronauts and spaceships, but people often forget all of the l...
City of Akron Sponsors First Pizza Fest at Lock 3
By Jessica Ricks, Arts & Entertainment Editor
September 3, 2019
Sponsored by the City of Akron, Akron’s first ever Pizza Fest showcased eight local pizza vendors, cornhole, inflatables and live music performances at Lock 3 throughout Labor Day weekend. According to the Pizza Fest website, the three-day food and music festival featured several different pizza parlors from the Akron area that so...
Swensons Celebrates 85th Anniversary, Offers Special Customer Promotion
By Megan Parker, Editor-in-Chief
August 5, 2019
Swensons’ story began when Wesley T. “Pop” Swenson started selling fresh-ground hamburgers from the back of his station wagon in 1934. Now, the drive-in restaurant chain is celebrating 85 years of service committed to Pop’s ideals of serving fresh food, milkshakes and crispy sides with a special c...
Akron Zoo to Celebrate Earth Day
By Amanda Piekarz, Arts & Entertainment Editor
April 16, 2019
The Akron Zoo is celebrating Earth Day on April 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with 25 vendors throughout the park sharing information on conservation, green energy and sustainable living efforts in the Akron community. Doug Piekarz, President and CEO of the Akron Zoo, said that “Party for the ...
Stan Hywet to Open for 2019 Season on April 2
By Sala Wier, Copy Editor
April 1, 2019
“Lasting Impressions” aims to celebrate Gertrude Seiberling's passion for painting through having her paintings on display in the Manor House of Stan Hywet during the 2019 season starting on April 2. Gertrude Seiberling (1866-1946) was married to F.A. Seiberling (1859-1855), who would later beco...
Police Search for Suspects, Offer Solutions Following Off-campus Robbery
By Amanda Piekarz, Arts & Entertainment Editor
March 18, 2019
An armed robbery took place off campus on March 5, around 10:30 p.m. The three victims were students at The University of Akron, two 20-year-old men and one 21-year-old man. The robbery took place in the 300 block of Sumner Street at the University Edge apartment complex. Three men allegedly...
Medical Marijuana Expo Heading to Akron
By Megan Parker, Copy Editor
February 25, 2019
With the success of the Ohio Marijuana Expo in Cleveland on Jan. 26, Ohio Marijuana is expanding its cannabis event series to the John S. Knight Center in Akron on March 23 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In June of 2016, a law allowing the use of medical marijuana, House Bill 523, was passed by Gov. John...
Stan Hywet’s “Deck the Halls” 2018 to Host Winter Wonderland
By Sala Wier, Copy Editor
November 21, 2018
Starting on Nov. 23, Stan Hywet will be hosting their “Deck the Halls” event where on select nights, guests will be able to visit the grounds and view inside the manor house that will be decorated for the holiday season. According to Stan Hywet's website, ticket prices for non-members on Sunday t...
Hair Geek Studio Holds Thanksgiving Food Drive
By Amanda Piekarz, Arts & Entertainment Editor
November 9, 2018
In association with Band of Barbers, the Hair Geek Studio and Distinguished Gents Tonsorial are holding their second annual Thanksgiving Food Drive until Nov. 18 to provide food to the homeless and others in need throughout Akron. The list of foods that are being asked for include: corn, macaroni and chees...
Akron Zoo Announces Pride of Africa, Exhibit Expansion
By Amanda Piekarz, Arts & Entertainment
November 9, 2018
The Akron Zoo announced a $17 million expansion for a new exhibit, Wild Asia, featuring lions and tigers that will replace Tiger Valley and the Pride of Africa that will be on three acres of newly developed land. The Pride of Africa and Wild Asia will be the largest expansion so far for the Akro...
‘Adopt-A-Thon’ Gives Families Opportunities to Adopt for Less
By Brooklyn Dennison and Megan Parker
October 24, 2018
Summit County is holding their ninth annual Adopt-A-Thon on Saturday, Oct. 27, where all available animals from the Division of Animal Control can be adopted for $10. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Summit County Animal Control Facility, located at 250 Opportunity Parkway in dow...
Midterm Elections: Voting Information
By Amanda Piekarz, Arts & Entertainment Editor
October 15, 2018
Voting is the best way to exercise your basic human rights while making sure your voice is heard. Since the deadline to register for voting in Ohio was Oct. 9, 2018, voters are now responsible to find their polling place and vote for the candidate that best matches their own views. To find your pollin...
Akron Zoo Nationally Recognized as Sensory Inclusive
By Amanda Piekarz, Arts & Entertainment Editor
October 10, 2018
The Akron Zoo is the first zoo in the state of Ohio and only the second in the country to become sensory inclusive as it maintains measures to ensure safe and quiet places for guests with invisible disabilities impacted by sensory. Nationally recognized by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums at...
Goodyear Welcomes Wingfoot Three, Celebrates History
By Jake Herron, Online Editor
September 12, 2018
During an already historic moment for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, which recently celebrated its 120th anniversary, the Akron-based Fortune 500 corporation welcomed Wingfoot Three to the company’s fleet of airships on Aug. 30, 2018. The new blimp was christened by record-breaking pilot Shaesta Wai...
Shya Designs: Helping Rwandan Women, Giving High Schoolers Experiential Learning
By Brooklyn Dennison, Editor-in-Chief
September 11, 2018
Students from Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy School of Business and Entrepreneurship help women in Rwanda while simultaneously earning real-world experience by running Shya Designs. Shya Designs is a non-profit organization that imports bags and other accessories that were sewn by the widows o...
‘Hands On Exchange’ Project Tests New Bikeway Infrastructure
By Sala Wier, Copy Editor
September 5, 2018
Akron residents volunteered from Aug. 11 to Aug. 15 to help build a new, two-way protected bike lane on Exchange Street The University of Akron's website describes how this "hands-on" project will demonstrate how Exchange Street could transform into a “complete street.” This means it is designe...
Akron Zoo Welcomes Two Baby Animals
By Amanda Piekarz, Arts and Entertainment Editor
September 5, 2018
On Aug. 24, 2018, the Akron Zoo introduced and announced the publicly-voted names for their two new babies during a naming ceremony. Akron Children’s Hospital sponsored the “Oh Deer! Waddle We Name Them?” contest in order to give the public a say in naming a baby Humboldt Penguin and a Siber...
Late Night Fire Damages Former UA Ballet Center
By Jake Herron and Megan Parker
April 23, 2018
One of The University of Akron’s historic buildings went up into flames late Wednesday, April 18, 2018, in a fire that caused a building nearby to close due to poor air quality and took hours for emergency responders to put out. Around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, the University of Akron Police and ...
Following Florida School Shooting, Students Unite to Say ‘Enough’
By Pam Duncan, Guest Writer
April 6, 2018
One month after a gunman took the lives of 17 students and faculty members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County, Florida, a nationwide school walkout took place on March 14, to memorialize the lost and advocate for legislative action to limit access to automatic weapons. UA freshm...
Rock Mill Hosts Ladies’ Night to Invite Women to Climbing Community
By Emily Bower, Special Editions Editor
March 13, 2018
On Saturday, March 10, the Rock Mill, located on Carroll Street, hosted their second Ladies’ Night. The goal of this event was to introduce women to the world of rock climbing and to get them excited about the sport. The event was held after the Rock Mill’s normal closing time on Saturday, and ...
NOBS to Host 35th Antiquarian Book & Paper Show at John S. Knight Center
By Brooklyn Dennison, Editor-in-Chief
February 21, 2018
The Antiquarian Book & Paper Show by the Northern Ohio Bibliophilic Society, the biggest Antiquarian book show in Ohio and the second largest in the Midwest, will take place at the John S. Knight Center in Downtown Akron. The book and paper show will take place on Friday, March 30 from 3-8:30 p....
Mesa Hispana Offers a Judgement Free Zone for Learning Spanish
By Megan Parker, News Contributor
February 15, 2018
Want more opportunities to practice using the Spanish language with fellow students, community members and others? Sponsored by the Department of Modern Languages, Mesa Hispana allows people to practice Spanish and more through an informal gathering. Freshman Gregory Holmes, a mechanical engineering major, s...
Northside Marketplace Offers UA Students a Sampling of Akron’s Small Businesses
By Emily Bower, Correspondent
January 31, 2018
A newcomer has appeared in the ever-changing facade of downtown Akron, and it is certainly not one to be missed. Located near Luigi’s Restaurant on Furnace Street in downtown Akron, Northside Marketplace is a relatively new installment for the city. According to the Downtown Akron Partnership...
First Night Akron Celebrates 22 Years of New Year’s Fun
By Julian Curet, News Contributor
December 30, 2017
On Dec. 31, from 6 p.m. to midnight, Akron will usher in the new year with First Night Akron 2018. This will be the 22nd year for Akron’s New Year’s Eve celebration which spans several blocks of the downtown area. The festivities include live music and dance performances, interactive activities for adul...
Shooting Reported Near UA Campus; At Least One Injury
By Robert Barrett, Jr., Copy Editor
November 12, 2017
At approximately 12:45 a.m., Nov. 12, there was a shooting on the 600 block of Kling St. This incident was witnessed at a party on Kling St. At least one individual was injured in the leg by a gunshot; he is not in critical condition, an Akron police officer said. The victim was taken by ambulance. It...
Yappy Hour: Getting into Halloween Spirit while Learning about Humane Society
By Brooklyn Dennison, Editor-in-Chief
October 12, 2017
The Humane Society of Summit County will be hosting their annual Yappy Hour fundraiser on Oct. 26, where visitors will be able to tour and learn about the Humane Society’s facility while meeting adoptable animals. Tickets for the fundraiser are $20, and includes two beers from the Thirsty Dog Br...
Black Male Summit Celebrates 10th Anniversary
By Julian Curet, Contributor
September 28, 2017
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Black Male Summit. The two-day event will be held on Friday, Sept. 29 and Saturday, Sept. 30 at the John S. Knight Center and the Student Union at The University of Akron. As described on the BMS University website, uakron.edu/bms, participants will be broken up ...
Love Akron to Host Sixth Annual Awards Breakfast
By Emily Bower, Correspondent
September 25, 2017
Love Akron will host their sixth annual awards breakfast at the John S. Knight Center on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 6:45 a.m. The Love Akron Awards are held each September in memory of the late Brenda Burnham Unruh. The awards breakfast is meant to honor two distinguished servant leaders in the Akron...
Fact or Fiction? Fighting Fake News Panel at Highland Square Library
By Brianna Cramer, Social Media Editor
September 25, 2017
Highland Square Library is hosting an event that will dive into the topic of fake news on Monday, Sept. 25 at 6:00 p.m. Experts from The University of Akron and the Akron community will be panelists who will “look at the issue of fake news, the role that social media plays, and the impact that it has socially a...
A New Dawn for the City of Akron
By Bryce Chekan, Correspondent
August 30, 2017
Akron, a city once built on rubber production, is now being revived through art and the ideals of millennials. Akron reached its industrial peak in the 1950s where it dominated in rubber production after World War II, Brett Rosenstein, an Akron Beacon Journal journalist said in an article call...
Akronites Stay Entertained at Lock 4
By Celeste Houmard, Arts and Entertainment Contributor
August 29, 2017
Not only are there many great opportunities and fun things to do on The University of Akron campus, there are also so many things to do in the city of Akron. In downtown Akron, there are plenty of events for students to take part in, some of which are held at Lock 4. One of the major events held ...
Travel Fast for Free
By Brooklyn Dennison, Editor-in-Chief
August 29, 2017
Students at The University of Akron can travel around Akron for free by using the Roo Express, the METRO Regional Transit Authority and a new bike share program. The Roo Express is a transportation service that can take students around campus and to neighborhoods near campus. The shuttle currently ...
Charity event to honor Zak Husein
By Zaina Salem, Editor-in-Chief
February 1, 2016
Students are taking the initiative to honor Zak Husein — the UA International Business student who was killed over a month ago in an armed robbery — by planning a charity event to commemorate his life and friendships. The idea came about during a conversation between student Justin Cohen and Asso...
Akron-area millennials could transform the electorate — if they vote
By Zaina Salem, Israa Eddeb, Sofia Syed, Samantha Hickey, and Julie Yockey
November 11, 2015
News Outlet Interns As the country moves quickly from this month’s focus on local elections to next year’s presidential election, there looms ahead a change in campaigns and elections that could be cataclysmic in proportions. The entire millennial generation — a transformational segment of the p...
Annual Holiday Tree Festival lights up city
By Alicia Finch
December 3, 2013
The halls were decked and the trees were shining bright in Akron at the John S. Knight Center, where people of all ages embraced the holiday spirit by joining in the 32nd annual Holiday Tree Festival. The uniquely decorated tree donated by The University of Akron’s Society of Women Engineers cau...
Cleanup on Sumner Street
By Katelyn Freil, News Editor
September 24, 2013
The College of Education organized a cleanup of Sumner Street on Thursday in an effort to clear any trash remaining after Sumner Fest. “We need to remember that children live in the neighborhood,” said Elizabeth Kerns, an academic adviser for the College of Education. “How can they play outside...
Three charged in Sumner Fest riot
By Heather Beyer, Editor-in-Chief
September 10, 2013
Police said Monday that three arrests have been made involving the riots at Sumner Fest held on Labor Day weekend on Sumner Street near The University of Akron campus. Two of those arrested were University of Akron students, police said. As partygoers celebrated the last weekend of summer, police...
Despicablimp floats into Akron
By Megan Bodenschatz, Arts & Life Editor
September 5, 2013
Whether you are despicable enough to steal the moon or defeat El Macho, your day is sure to be brightened by the bright fluorescent 165-foot-long and 55-foot-high “minion” floating all across the United States’ skies. The “Despicablimp” has been on tour since March 23 in order to pr...
Police seek Sumner Fest evidence
By Katelyn Freil, News Editor
September 5, 2013
As partygoers celebrated the last weekend of summer, police responded to riots at the 400 block of Sumner Street around midnight Saturday, where the partiers had trashed and flipped a parked car. The party, known by many University of Akron students as Sumner Fest, was broken up by police officers....
Things are looking grizzly at Akron Zoo
By Beau Brown, Copy Editor
August 28, 2013
A zoo typically acts a citizen’s way of experiencing the animal world on a small-scale. The zoo is a mirror to the public that reflects the vastness and variation of all the world’s habitats and the fauna and flora that occupy them. The Akron Zoo is our own mirror of the world, and with the new Grizzl...
New luxury off-campus student housing to open for fall 2014
By Katelyn Freil, News Editor
August 26, 2013
The Depot, the latest in off-campus student housing for The University of Akron, is currently under construction and is slated to be finished in time for the 2014 fall semester. Located on East Exchange Street, this $30 million, 624-bed housing community from student property management company Asset...
