On Wednesday, Mayor of Akron Shammas Malik gave his first State of the City address. The occasion also marked Malik’s 100th day in office, and his 33rd birthday.
Malik went into the speech with a sense of optimism, discussing his 100-day plan, as well as laying out what he hopes to accomplish as mayor.
The speech comes at a complex time in terms of public safety policy, as the City of Akron is looking for a new chief of police. That search has been bumpy, with critics of the mayor saying that the process should be paused and opened to a more diverse pool of applicants.
Along with the search for a new chief, the city is also wrestling with a new officer involved shooting. On April 1, a 15-year-old was shot while holding a fake gun.
Thursday on the “Sound of Ideas,” we’ll recap the State of the City address, dig into the search for a new police chief, and get the latest on the shooting with our Akron/Canton Reporter Anna Huntsman.
Also on the program, we’ll meet Tony Kost, a long-time service industry employee who has found a mission in discussing his journey to sobriety and helping others along the way to getting sober.
Finally, our Kabir Bhatia speaks with Cuyahoga County Public Library’s Bill Kelly about a new book from best-selling author James Patterson. This one eschews his normal crime novels for a work about “The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians.”
GUESTS:
- Anna Huntsman, Akron / Canton Reporter, Ideastream Public Media
- Tony Kost, Bar Manager, Immigrant Son Brewery; Ben's Friends Cleveland Chapter Leader
- Bill Kelly, Librarian, Cuyahoga County Public Library
- Kabir Bhatia, Senior Arts Reporter, Ideastream Public Media
