Swenson's Listed in National Poll

Today on the Akron Podcast, we've got some climate conversations.

We've got blood drives, data centers, safe street surveys.

We've got dancing coming to Akron.

We got some talk about the police oversight system, more water main breaks.

We're talking about three, one, one, if you ever use that service.

And some great news for the people at Swensons.

It's the Akron podcast for Monday, August 3rd.

Our website, akron podcast.com.

Well, here's something that we all know, and that is Swensons makes great burgers to the point that they made a list of a USA Today 10 best.

And it's local flavors, 10 best regional fast food restaurants in the U.S. and standing at number six is Akron's own Swensons Drive In.

It's a staple, they say, for Ohio residents.

It's been serving classic American fare since 1934.

The Galley Boy, a double cheeseburger slathered in two special sauces.

The one is tartar sauce and the other one is barbecue sauce.

For the record, I used to work at Dilly's, which was owned by the nephew of the guy that started Swenson's.

But beyond burgers, guests can also look forward to a wide assortment of other beloved dishes, including fried bologna sandwiches, really hot dogs, and an exciting assortment of milkshakes.

Well, congratulations to Swensons.

All right, this one might set you off.

This was from the City of Akron Mayor's office.

On Facebook, it says, introducing climate conversations.

The city of Akron encourages community groups to hold many climate conversations of their own as a way to broaden and amplify input gathering efforts for the climate action planning process.

These ideas will help inform the city's first formal climate action plan.

Groups that hold climate conversations will be provided a toolkit for facilitating the conversation and a $200 stipend to support their efforts.

So we're paying people to talk about the climate.

If you're interested, community group should email melanie@@nutterconsulting.net so we're paying a consultant who came up with a brilliant idea of let's pay people to talk about the climate.

And not that that's not important for some, but we got a whole lot of other issues that we could use that $200 for.

Here's something I just picked up from the Summit County Executive's office, and that is August 11th.

There are a ton of blood drives going on in Akron, in Twinsburg, in Cuyahoga Falls.

Those are on the 4th.

Some are going on the 13th.

If you're in Stowe August 3rd and the 12th Hudson Fairlawn, Richfield.

And it's one of those things where we don't think about blood until we need it.

And when you need it, you really need it.

So I'll put a link to this out in the show notes and if you've got the time, you know, you can basically go into it.

Turns out they have a blood donor app.

If you visit redcrossblood.org, all sorts of ways that you can get involved.

And thanks to the Summit County Executive office for bringing this to our attention.

Because like I said, when you need blood, you really need it.

I know we've talked about data centers in the past, but the mayor's office put out this statement.

So this week, Akron took an important step to protect our city and residents in relation to the development of the new data centers.

Under these new rules, future data center proposals will require additional review under our conditional use process and and developers will have to provide information about impacts on our electric grid, water use, sewer system and noise.

This ordinance is about creating more transparency, more accountability, and ensuring the community has a voice in the process.

Now they say this is just the beginning.

We'll continue studying the best practices, learning from other communities and gathering input from residents and stakeholders over the next six months, including and continue to refine this process.

Pretty cool.

We were talking about the Safe Streets initiative, the meetings that were going on.

Well, the mayor's office has announced that if you couldn't attend all these, you can now take a survey online.

It allows the community members to identify locations where they feel unsafe and share ideas for improving streets, intersections, sidewalks, bicycle facilities and other transportation infrastructure.

Feedback from both the survey and public meetings will be directly to inform the city's Safety Action Plan.

So if you want to participate, you know, we can all complain, but if you really want to be heard, they've now made it one click away.

One of Akron's favorite summer traditions is back.

It's the 52nd annual Hines Pole Summer Dance Festival, and it's bringing free professional dance performances to neighborhood parks across the city.

And we've already had one this past weekend.

They were at the Goodyear Heights Metro park and then later at the Firestone Park.

That's August 7th and 8th.

There's going to be dancing there.

The show begins at 8:45 with a free interactive children dance program that starts at 7:45.

So if you want to get your kids involved in dance, here's a way to do it.

You are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, a blanket, a picnic, and even your dog for an evening of world class dance under the stars.

And the beautiful thing is it's all free and I'm sure everyone bringing their dog won't cause a problem at all.

Links are in the show notes hey, this in from Ward 9 council person Tina Broad.

Boys, I believe that's how you pronounce that.

She said did you know that Keep America Beautiful removes graffiti from public property across the city and they need our help.

On Sunday, a passionate resident reported to me graffiti he had seen on the Manchester Road bridge.

He was upset, had been there since Thursday.

My first question to him was this, did you report it to 31 1?

He indicated he had not so I reported it first thing Monday.

In less than two days the graffiti was gone with not a trace of it left.

Had it been reported Thursday, it may have been gone by the weekend.

311 Is the system that communicates to Keep America Beautiful that we need their help.

I'm grateful to their hard working staff at Keep Akron Beautiful for helping to address trash, litter of graffiti and many other issues across the city and to all the residents who remain diligent in reporting their concerns.

Keep it up.

You can do so anonymously via the 311 app or by calling 330-375-2311.

And if you're concerned that your 311 issue is not being handled, call your council representative who is eager to help.

And so I just want to report that when I needed to get a hold of some people in akron, I used 311 and it worked like a charm.

So it's one thing to complain.

You can be part of the solution by just going to your phone and dialing 31 1.

The signal had a great article talking about how Akron voters may get a chance this November to decide whether to strengthen the city's civilian police oversight system.

And when they say strengthen they mean basically redo the whole thing.

It says a coalition led by a freedom Bloc that's bloc and local clergy say it has collected enough signatures to place a charter amendment.

And by amendment we mean redo the whole thing on the ballot.

If approved, the the measures would require police and city leaders to formally respond to recommendations from the independent police auditor, establish deadlines that could automatically implement those recommendations if officials don't act, grant subpoena powers to the oversight system, and change how members of the Citizens Police Oversight Board are selected.

Other than that, it's fine.

The petition signatures must first be validated before the measure can appear on the ballot.

But I like the one hey, we're going to recommend something and if you don't do it, it'll happen automatically.

So on one hand, kudos for getting the signatures and trying to make change.

I just think it's interesting that it seems to like.

What part are you keeping?

Look, if I've told you once, I've told you twice, quit flushing that stuff down the toilet.

What am I talking around?

Akron is on pace for a record breaking year.

Yay.

But it's really not the kind of record we want.

City officials say Akron could see as many as 500 water main breaks in 2026.

And that shattering last year's record of 403.

Way to go.

As of late July, the city has already experienced 345 breaks.

Officials blame the problem on aging water systems.

Didn't we just redo a whole like, didn't we dig a tunnel and stuff?

Anyway, with more than a third of the City's pipes over 90 years old, along with the changes to the water system after the Britain Road reservoir was taken out of service last fall, the city has budgeted 4.3 million for planned water main replacements this year.

Well, that's good.

While emergency repairs continue to be handled as breaks occur, with most repairs completed within one to two days.

So it really, to me, I think the thing 90 years old, we need to find a way.

Do you just go around replacing pipes just because they're old?

I guess you should, because if you don't, well, you end up with 345 water main breaks.

But congratulations, record setting year.

A bunch of people, and by that I mean probably 20 people went down to the Akron Canton airport and protested because there were flights of illegal immigrants that had been basically being deported from ice.

And they were like stop ice flights.

And I would agree with that if those people weren't in the country illegally.

That's the part.

Look, I'm not here to tell you how to think.

And do I think that they could handle things a little more better?

Sure.

But there is a part of me that goes, if only there was a legal way to come into the country.

Oh, wait, there is.

Let's go over and look at what's happening in August here.

Chicago and sticks.

The Windy City tour will be at Blossom Music Center.

That's August 5th.

Riley Green, the Cowboys as it Gets tour will be at Blossom Music center on the 7th.

Lainey Wilson will be at Tom Benson hall of Fame Stadium.

That's down in Canton.

That's August 9th.

She will also be there.

Actually.

I'm sorry, it's just the 9th and then the 6th annual back to School Shoe Giveaway that's going to be at north high school on August 22nd.

So if you're having issues trying to find money for Back to School stuff, that's a great event.

We talked about that a couple weeks ago.

Galia Volt will be she's a blues singer.

She's going to be at the Kent stage.

That's August 22nd.

Motley Crue, Tesla and Extreme will be at Blossom Music center on the 24th.

The wallflowers bringing down the house.

The 30th anniversary tour will be at the Kent stage on August 24th.

And Brett Young, who's a country singer, will be at Lock three.

If you happen to see the Tom keefer show at Lock 3, I saw videos that he had taken from the stage.

Man, that place was packed.

And you are very lucky because I believe it was the next day or maybe two days later, he's canceled his tour.

He had some sort of voice problem.

Again.

Poor Tom's always having issues, and so you were very lucky to be able to see that.