Like many cities since the pandemic, the city of Akron is hoping to make downtown a destination for residents and businesses, some of whom have struggled to stay in their brick and mortars in recent years.
Other businesses have left, like FirstEnergy, that announced it was relocating its headquarters from downtown to West Akron in 2023, citing in part a post-pandemic workforce that didn't need to report to an office to do their jobs.
Meanwhile, Akron's population is on the rise, from 1,800 in 2019 to 2,800 in 2024 according to the Downtown Akron Partnership, and there's hope for continued growth due to new investment and redevelopment efforts like in Cascade Plaza, and the sale of the PNC building.
The man driving development is Christopher Hardesty, the inaugural executive director of the Downtown Akron Development Corporation, who just began his new gig this month, and previously ran the ship in Canton.
We'll discuss Akron's future with Hardesty to start Tuesday's "Sound of Ideas."
Later this hour, cases of Lyme disease, spread by ticks, are outpacing last year, part of an overall upward trend across the state. Cases have more than tripled in the last several years. And, experts want people to stomp on the invasive species, spotted lanternflies, on sight. We'll talk about why there is concern about the growing spread of this insect.
Finally, a Cleveland author shares his story about life, family, and grief, following his battle with pancreatic cancer.
Guests:
-Christopher Hardesty, Executive Director, Downtown Akron Development Corporation
-Mark Willis, Ph.D., Biology Professor, Case Western Reserve University
-Rachel Kappler, Ph.D., Forest Health Collaborative Coordinator, Holden Forests & Gardens
-Dan McNamee, Author, "Everything That Makes Me Happy Makes Me Sad"
- Stephen Langel, Reporter/Producer, Ideastream Public Media
