Cedar Point's Classic Ride: A Sad Farewell
Akron School Board
A recent Akron podcast dives deep into the issues plaguing the Akron Public Schools, particularly focusing on the school board's budget dilemma. The board recently rejected a proposal to cut 17 staff positions, which was supposed to save the district about $1.66 million, leaving many to wonder what comes next. Superintendent Mary Outley emphasized the need for substantial cuts, suggesting at least $11 million needs to be trimmed from the $386 million budget. While some board members are keen on making cuts to avoid state fiscal watch, others are hesitant, demanding more data on how job losses would impact students and staff. The episode reveals the tension between immediate financial necessity and long-term educational quality, leaving listeners questioning the future of education funding in Akron.
The discussion is not just limited to numbers but looks into the human aspect of these decisions, highlighting the roles of deans, special education staff, and art therapists, who are at risk of losing their jobs. As the deadline approaches for a final budget plan, the stakes are high for the community, and the board's next steps are critical in determining the course of education in the area.
Other Stories:
- The Akron school board faces budget challenges after rejecting cuts that could save millions.
- A new Head Start program in Akron is set to improve early childhood education access.
- Community safety in Akron is being enhanced with a new Safe Passes pilot program initiative.
- A data center proposal in Ravenna raises concerns about environmental impact and community costs.
- Cedar Point has removed a classic ride, reminding us that time, much like amusement parks, moves on.
- The Firestone Tower demolition plan aims to preserve parts of the building's history amidst redevelopment.
Links referenced in this episode:
Mentioned in this episode:
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00:00 - Untitled
00:18 - Untitled
00:58 - School Board Budget Denied
02:22 - Headstart Buildings
03:31 - What's Goin on at Buchtel?
05:02 - Data Center Response
10:24 - Ceder Point Monster
11:08 - Baby Almost killed
13:21 - Kim Georgeton For LT Govner
16:58 - Firestone Tower
18:28 - Mudbrook Greenway Trail
19:37 - EMT Being Punched
20:36 - Events Calendar
Speaker A
You it's the akron podcast for April 13th.
Speaker A
Today we've got things about the school board budget.
Speaker A
We've got some comment from a potential lieutenant governor for Ohio.
Speaker A
Ravenna had a great comeback about these data centers.
Speaker A
We've got news about Cedar Point and a bike path in the falls.
Speaker A
We've got somebody getting punched the Firestone Tower.
Speaker A
Yep, we're still talking about that and more.
Speaker A
It's the Akron podcast.
Speaker A
Our website, akron podcast.com well, we've got an update from Bill about the Akron School Board.
Speaker B
Akron Public Schools is facing some uncertainty after the school board rejected part of a cost cutting plan aimed at avoiding a budget shortfall next year.
Speaker B
In a 5, 2 vote on April 13, board members declined to approve eliminating 17 positions, a move that would have saved about $1.66 million.
Speaker B
Superintendent Mary Outley had proposed cutting at least $11 million from the district's $386 million budget.
Speaker B
But some board members said they need more information before approving job cuts, especially regarding how those decisions would impact students and staff.
Speaker B
The rejected cuts included positions like student deans, special education paraprofessionals, library staff and an art therapist.
Speaker B
While some board members support the reductions and warn the district must act to avoid being placed on fiscal watch by the state, others say they're not ready to move forward without clearer data.
Speaker B
Now, it's unclear what happens next.
Speaker B
The board could revisit the proposal or request changes, but they're on a deadline, needing to finalize a plan by June 30.
Speaker B
Meanwhile, the superintendent says she's waiting on direction as the district works to close the budget gap before the new school year begins.
Speaker A
Thank you, Bill.
Speaker A
Next up, we've got some news about the Head Start program where they're going to take some old buildings in Akron and do something good with them.
Speaker B
Two vacant buildings in East Akron are set to be transformed into early childhood education centers, thanks to a $4 million federal investment.
Speaker B
Community Action Akron Summit will renovate former daycare facilities on South Arlington street and Wylie Avenue to expand access to Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
Speaker B
The upgraded sites will serve more than 90 young children, including preschoolers, infants and toddlers in a neighborhood with higher than average poverty rates.
Speaker B
Plans include modern classrooms, enhanced security, updated kitchens and restrooms, and improved outdoor play areas.
Speaker B
The Arlington street location will host preschool aged children, while the Wylie Avenue site will focus on infants and toddlers.
Speaker B
Both centers will also expand parking to accommodate families, as parents are required to walk children inside for daily check in.
Speaker B
City planning officials have recommended approval of the project, with construction expected to begin soon.
Speaker B
Community leaders say the investment will help bring critical early education services directly to families who need them most.
Speaker A
What is going on with the people in the orange vests Outside of Booktol.
Speaker B
High School, Akron has launched a new pilot program called Safe Passes.
Speaker A
And of course, this is at Buktul Learning center, not high school, where trained.
Speaker B
Community volunteers stand along student routes before and after school to help keep kids safe.
Speaker B
Led by Marcel McDaniel of Non Stop Growth and supported by a $30,000 grant from the GAR foundation, the initiative focuses on reducing conflict, building trust and connecting students with community resources.
Speaker B
The program, which started April 6, is based on a nationally recognized model shown to reduce crime and improve attendance.
Speaker B
Trained in mental health and safety strategies, aim to create a consistent, positive presence while also gathering feedback from students about their concerns.
Speaker B
City leaders and school officials support the effort, and there are hopes to expand it to other neighborhoods.
Speaker B
If successful, the goal is to build safer routes to school and stronger community relationships, especially heading into the summer months when conflicts often increase.
Speaker A
Look, I get that we need to keep our kids safe, but I guess they're gathering feedback.
Speaker A
My guess is they're there to de escalate when things start to escalate.
Speaker A
Anytime I see two junior high or high school kids get in a fight, instead of somebody breaking it up, everybody just grabs their phone.
Speaker A
So anything to keep things peaceful.
Speaker A
I'm all for that.
Speaker A
We've all heard about AI, but AI requires a lot of power and so there was a proposed data center to be built in Ravenna.
Speaker A
I realize Ravenna is not really Akron, but close enough our neighbors and there was a great rebuttal at a board meeting and I wanted to play this here.
Speaker A
This is great.
Speaker A
Check this out.
Speaker C
Mr. Hollingsworth, I know that you had your hand up to talk.
Speaker C
Hello, my name is Will Hollingsworth.
Speaker C
I work at Reed Memorial Library, and thank you all for hearing me today.
Speaker C
I'm not a cynic when it comes to technology.
Speaker C
My love for it started when my uncle first sat me down at a beige Windows 95 computer and began teaching me HTML.
Speaker C
I will never forget the first thing I Googled.
Speaker C
It was an image search for pigs flying.
Speaker C
I wanted to see if the Internet could make the impossible real.
Speaker C
This love of the digital shaped my career as I went on to become a programmer and a professional content creator.
Speaker C
For the last decade and a half, I have been in service of learning burgeoning technology.
Speaker C
In my last job, I was the digital artist they trusted to do that kind of work.
Speaker C
I was the one feeding midjourney prompts to create the perfect commercial training.
Speaker C
The very machine that would eventually replace me as three months later they would lay me off.
Speaker C
I didn't just watch it happen.
Speaker C
I was holding the tools when the tools were turned on me.
Speaker C
I want to stress I don't stand here as an enemy of progress.
Speaker C
The thing is, when I look at the data center proposal, I don't see progress.
Speaker C
I. I see a gamble where the big tech companies get the gold while Portage county foots the bill.
Speaker C
Now I know there are good faith arguments for this project.
Speaker C
There are people in our community, informed, honest people who will tell you that the modern data centers use what's called a closed loop system.
Speaker C
They say the water is filled once and recycled forever in a laboratory.
Speaker C
That might be true, but we aren't living in a laboratory.
Speaker C
We're living in Ohio.
Speaker C
I can tell you that as the chips get smaller and AI demands get larger, the heat these machines generate and is outstripping the closed loop theory.
Speaker C
To keep the servers from melting, a data center has to bleed the lines to remove toxic sludge, AKA forever chemicals.
Speaker C
And bleeding water needs to be evaporated.
Speaker C
It does not stay in the loop.
Speaker C
It evaporates into the sky by millions of gallons.
Speaker C
The very place that laid me off was an organic mattress company.
Speaker C
And while working for them, I actually learned a lot about forever chemicals.
Speaker C
I got to see how the sausage gets made.
Speaker C
I saw the inside of those so called regulations.
Speaker C
I saw how rigorous studies are often self funded.
Speaker C
A pay to play model where if you've got the cash, they'll give you the certificate.
Speaker C
If a trillion dollar company is funding the study that says their forever chemical runoff won't hit our water table, they aren't giving us the science, they're giving us a sales pitch.
Speaker C
We're told that we have to accept this because we need big employers.
Speaker C
We're told that if we don't say yes, we're driving away the future.
Speaker C
But that's a false choice.
Speaker C
A big employer who uses the water of 50,000 people, which by the way is a combination of both Kent and Ravenna only hires about 10 people, is not an employer, they are an extraction.
Speaker C
We are being asked to fund a 21st century luxury with a 19th century resource heist.
Speaker C
We are being asked to sacrifice the lifeblood of our city so a trillion dollar company can save a fraction of a cent on its margins.
Speaker C
We are being asked to drain our reservoirs so a chatbot can write a poem.
Speaker C
Or so our sheriff can generate a picture of himself Standing next to Bigf, which by the way, of course he made himself look taller.
Speaker C
They want us to trust a trillion dollar industry that tells us with a straight face that they can suck 5 million gallons of water out of our ground a day, use it as a liquid heat sink, and return it to our rivers without a single consequence.
Speaker C
They are asking for a measured approach while they hide their actual usage behind secret contracts and NDAs.
Speaker C
Ohioans have seen this trick played before.
Speaker C
We know what happens when massive utility interests and black box energy deals gets fast tracked behind closed doors.
Speaker C
We're still paying the bill, literally, for the first energy scandal.
Speaker C
We were told these bailouts were essential and measured too.
Speaker C
And it turned out to be the largest racketeering plot in the history of our state.
Speaker C
So when a trillion dollar company asks for our water, our electricity and our silence, we shouldn't just be asking for the facts.
Speaker C
We should be asking who's really getting the kickback and why is it our reservoir that's on the line?
Speaker C
There is a reason the Ohio house just voted 88 to 0 to pause and study this industry.
Speaker C
It wasn't an act of cynicism.
Speaker C
It was an act of stewardship.
Speaker C
They realize we cannot let these ghost towns move in then before we understand the damage they do to our grid and our water table.
Speaker C
We are the county seat.
Speaker C
We are the stewards of the Great Lakes Basin.
Speaker C
Let Ravenna be the city that had the wisdom to say no to the bubble and yes to the basin.
Speaker C
I am not a cynic when it comes to technology.
Speaker C
I am a believer in community.
Speaker C
I believe that a drop of clean water for a raven, a child, is worth more than a billion AI generated images.
Speaker C
Let us choose the child.
Speaker C
Let us choose the community.
Speaker C
Let us choose to keep our water where it belongs.
Speaker C
Thank you.
Speaker C
Thank you.
Speaker C
All right, who wants to follow that?
Speaker A
I love that.
Speaker A
I'm not anti AI, but I believe there is a bubble on the horizon and I think we're going to eventually see a lot of these data centers get built and then not get used because just like we used to have mainframe computers and now we all just have computers on our phones, basically.
Speaker A
I think in the end it's going to be.
Speaker A
It's just going to be interesting to see where AI takes us.
Speaker A
Oh, we've got some somewhat sad news from Cedar Point.
Speaker B
The classic monster ride at Cedar Point is being removed.
Speaker B
A classic ride is gone from Cedar Point.
Speaker B
The park has officially removed the longtime spinning attraction known as the Monster, which had been in operation since 1970.
Speaker B
According to spokesperson Tony Clark.
Speaker B
The ride reached the end of its serviceable life with replacement parts becoming increasingly difficult to find.
Speaker B
The monster, known for its six spinning arms and multiple rider pods, had been a staple near the Gemini Midway for decades.
Speaker A
Yep, until it just basically got too old, which is kind of sad.
Speaker A
So if you grew up riding that ride, preserve your memories.
Speaker A
That's all we got left.
Speaker A
Next up, NYA has a story about a baby that was almost killed.
Speaker D
An Akron mother is recovering after a frightening ceiling collapse during an Easter celebration left her and her infant daughter temporarily displaced.
Speaker D
Storm McDonald says she had just enough time to shield her nearly nine month old daughter of Aubriella moments before the ceiling in their Summit Lake apartment gave way, sending insulation, drywall and debris crashing into the baby's nursery.
Speaker D
McDonald had previously reported a crack and leak in the ceiling days earlier and believes recent heavy rains may have contributed to the collapse.
Speaker D
While much of her daughter's belongings were destroyed, she says the community quickly stepped in to help, replacing essentials like diapers, clothes, clothing and formula.
Speaker D
The family is currently staying in a hotel in Copley while repairs are underway.
Speaker D
The Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority says it responded promptly, is covering temporary housing costs, and expects repairs to be completed soon.
Speaker D
McDonald is now urging other renters to speak up and push for repairs when they notice problems, saying the situation could have been much worse without quick action in the moment and strong support afterward from the community.
Speaker A
Oh, that makes you warm and fuzzy when you hear about a community chiming in.
Speaker A
I'm so happy that that baby wasn't hurt.
Speaker A
But yeah, if you see things, you know, you just let them slide and then everything falls apart.
Speaker A
We've got more ACRO News coming up right after this.
Speaker A
One of the things I love to hear is someone in politics that kind of throws the whole Democrat Republican thing out the window and they just talk about things that are good or bad for the state.
Speaker A
And I saw this clip on social media.
Speaker A
It's from Kim Georgetown, and she's running for lieutenant governor and she's a Republican and yet is saying some things that apparently Republicans are doing that she's not happy about.
Speaker E
Ohio politicians made it a crime for government employees to tell you how your tax dollars are being spent, and they hid it in the budget bill.
Speaker E
This is what Congress does.
Speaker E
This is called a moral turpitude, a phrase that describes wicked, deviant behavior constituting an immoral, unethical or unjust departure from ordinary social standards such that it would shock a community.
Speaker E
In criminal law, the law sorts criminal activity into categories of crime, either involving or not involving moral turpitude.
Speaker E
There is a law in Ohio called the Public Records Act.
Speaker E
It says as you are a citizen, you have the right to see what your government is doing with public money.
Speaker E
Economic development deals, tax breaks, who got what and why.
Speaker E
That's been the law for decades.
Speaker E
However, in June 2025, they passed a giant budget bill, House Bill 96, over a thousand pages.
Speaker E
And buried inside it is a section called RC966D.
Speaker E
They quietly made all economic development records, applications, contracts, who got incentives, how much, Completely confidential, off limits, not public.
Speaker E
It went into effect here in March 2026.
Speaker E
And here's the part that should make you mad.
Speaker E
It doesn't just seal the records.
Speaker E
It makes it a criminal offense for a government employee to even explain an economic development application to you or a reporter.
Speaker E
Your city council member could face criminal charges for answering your questions.
Speaker E
Who passed it?
Speaker E
Well, the primary sponsor was Republican Representative Brian Stewart.
Speaker E
The Senate Conference Committee.
Speaker E
The people who put the final version together included the following Senators, Andrew Brenner, Jerry Serino, Theresa Gavarone, Terry Johnson, George Lang, Christina Rogner and Mark Romanchuck.
Speaker E
This isn't abstract.
Speaker E
If a company gets a giant tax break to come to our town and you can't know who they are, what they promised, or if they kept their word, and if a government employee tells you they could be prosecuted, that's not protecting business, that's protecting corruption.
Speaker E
Here's what you should do right now.
Speaker E
Number one, go to ohiohouse.gov find your representative and call or email them asking them to repeal section RC9 66D.
Speaker E
2.
Speaker E
Share this video 3.
Speaker E
If you had a public records request denied, drop it in the comments because we're building a case they did this quietly.
Speaker E
The least we can do is be loud about it.
Speaker E
And don't forget to vote on or before May 5th for Casey Putsch for governor and Kim Georgeton for lieutenant governor.
Speaker A
And so when I heard that, I'm not really a political person, but it sure sounds like they're doing some stupid stuff.
Speaker A
And if Kim is blowing the whistle on people doing stupid stuff, I say we give her a shot.
Speaker A
I don't know.
Speaker A
I'm not really endorsing her, but I just love like I love when Bill Maher, who is primarily leaning left, calls out the left.
Speaker A
Cause he always calls out the right, but he also calls out the left.
Speaker A
So I love it when Republicans call out Republicans and you know, when they.
Speaker A
The idea is to do what's right for the city, for the state and for the country.
Speaker A
And that caught my eye and I was like, huh?
Speaker A
I might have to vote for her.
Speaker A
Believe it or not, we are still talking about the Firestone Tower even though they're tearing down the building and then blah blah.
Speaker A
Well, here's an update and I believe this will be our final story on the Firestone Tower.
Speaker D
Akron is moving forward with demolishing the historic Firestone plant number one, but plans to preserve part of its legacy.
Speaker D
The city will salvage elements from the top of the iconic clock tower, like bricks and clock components to build a commemorative structure on site.
Speaker D
The plan, approved unanimously on April 7, comes after community pushback to save parts of the building.
Speaker D
Officials say the memorial will serve as an architectural marker honoring the site's history even as the rest of the plant is removed.
Speaker D
The demolition is driven by practical challenges.
Speaker D
The building isn't suitable for modern use, and environmental restrictions limit redevelopment options.
Speaker D
Cleanup costs alone could reach up to $15 million.
Speaker D
In addition to the memorial, the city will document the site's history, review preservation policies and archive materials with the Library of Congress.
Speaker D
If approved by the state Historic Preservation Office, demolition and salvage work will move forward with state and local funding support.
Speaker A
So we're gonna take pieces of it and turn it into some sort of plaque.
Speaker A
Okay, I guess we can move on now.
Speaker A
Other things that are being built is some updates on a path in Cuyahoga Falls.
Speaker B
Design work for Phase two of the Mudbrook Greenway Trail in the falls is nearly finish, with about $600,000 secured so far to move the project forward.
Speaker B
The expansion will extend the trail from East Bath Road and Old Mill Drive down to People Care Park Drive, adding a limestone path, a raised boardwalk and a 200 foot bridge over Old Mill Pond.
Speaker B
The total cost is estimated at $3.3 million, including a $500,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Speaker B
City leaders are still working to secure the remaining funding, with a target completion date of summer 2027.
Speaker B
Officials say the first phase, completed in 2022, is already heavily used and this next phase will improve connectivity, expand access to greenspace and potentially link into a broader regional trail network.
Speaker B
City Council has shown support, with final approvals expected soon to move the project toward construction.
Speaker B
Link in the notes@akronpodcast.com which includes a map.
Speaker A
Next up, we have Nya who is talking about someone who has allegedly punched an EMT in the face.
Speaker D
An Akron woman, Kevlin Evans, is facing assault and drug charges after allegedly punching a paramedic in the face during a late March emergency call on Byers Avenue.
Speaker D
Paramedics had responded to assist her father but determined he didn't need hospital transport.
Speaker D
Police say Evans became upset, approached the ambulance and struck the paramedic, causing a serious eye injury.
Speaker D
Evans claims the paramedic pushed her first, leading to a physical altercation, but authorities say the paramedic's injuries were clearly visible.
Speaker D
The incident temporarily pulled emergency resources off the streets while police responded and investigated.
Speaker D
Akron officials, including Fire Chief Leon Henderson, condemned the assault, emphasizing that first responders should not face violence, violence while helping others.
Speaker D
Evans is scheduled to be arraigned in Summit county on May 1st.
Speaker A
Hey, I finally got around to updating the events calendar, so if we look at what's going on here in April, we got stuff you should know.
Speaker A
That's a podcast.
Speaker A
It's a comedy show.
Speaker A
It's going to be at the Goodyear Theater on April 18th.
Speaker A
Tim Hawkins Live, another comedy show that's going to be at the Civic.
Speaker A
That's also on April 18th.
Speaker A
So a lot of comedy going on in in April on the 18th.
Speaker A
And then Kenny Wayne shepherd will be doing a Ledbetter Heights 30th anniversary.
Speaker A
Thanks.
Speaker A
That makes me feel old.
Speaker A
That's at the MGM Northfield park on April 25.
