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Ohio Headlines: Potato Stock 2014, Blimp Takes Flight, Lebron and Sprite Team Up for Park Makeover

Hundreds of people enjoyed music, beer and potato salad Saturday in downtown Columbus, Ohio.

Zack Danger Brown, known as the potato salad guy, is the man behind the event. It all started when brown asked for $10 on a crowd-funding website and ended up raising $55,000 dollars. So, he used the extra money to throw a party for a good cause, helping organizations feed the hungry and homeless in central Ohio. Three hundred pounds of potato salad were made for Saturday’s event.

The newest addition to the Goodyear’s blimp fleet gave a lift to the woman who came up with its name.

The Goodyear tire and rubber company gave 76-year-old Charlotte White a ride Friday in the blimp that will help replace the company's aging fleet. White won the airship naming contest with her entry of "Wingfoot One." Akron-based Goodyear’s corporate symbol is the Wingfoot, invoking mercury, the speedy roman god of commerce, trade and messages. The Akron woman said the smooth flight from Goodyear’s blimp base in northeastern Ohio was like riding in a boat.

Also in Akron this week, LeBron James teamed up with the soft drink brand sprite to give kids in Akron a brand new park to play in.

They looked at about six different parks in the area and they chose Patterson Park on Akron’s north side. People who live in the neighborhood knew they were getting a new park, but they didn't know they would get to see the basketball star. This three day project cost upwards of tens of thousands of dollars, and for the kids who will be practicing there every day, they may be a little more motivated knowing they're shooting hoops on a court LeBron James helped build.

stephanie.jarvis@ideastream.org | 216-916-6340