Aerosmith will make an appearance on this Sunday's Grammy Awards show but they will be without their long-time drummer Joey Kramer and he's pissed about it, too! So much so that he's suing them. Kramer's lawsuit claims that after he suffered some minor injuries in spring 2019 that forced him to miss some shows, the other Aerosmith members asked him to basically audition to prove he was "able to play at an appropriate level" before they would allow him to perform with the band again. Reluctantly he did but the other band members decided to not allow him to rejoin the group, telling him he "did not have enough 'energy' in the recordings." Wow, seems harsh, right? The band has issued a statement saying, "Joey Kramer is our brother; his wellbeing is of paramount importance to us. However he has not been emotionally and physically able to perform with the band, by his own admission, for the last 6 months. We have missed him and have encouraged him to rejoin us to play many times but apparently he has not felt ready to do so." The message continues, "Joey has now waited until the last moment to accept our invitation, when we unfortunately have no time for necessary rehearsals during Grammys week. We would be doing a disservice to him, to ourselves and to our fans to have him play without adequate time to prepare and rehearse." Aerosmith plans to play without Kramer at this Friday's MusiCares Person of the Year gala honoring the band and at Sunday's Grammy Award ceremony. In an attempt to smooth things over the group is inviting Joey to attend both events. I guess this is what the business side of Rock & Roll looks like.
A follow up: A judge didn't find Kramer's defense convincing enough to let him rejoin Aerosmith for the band's two performances: Saturday's MusiCares Person of the Year gala, where the band will be honored, and Sunday's Grammy performance.
(Photo Credit:Robb Cohen/Invision/AP/Shutterst)
Matthew Cherry, a former University of Akron student, has been nominated for an Academy Award for an animated short called "Hair Love." Cherry got his degree at UA and also played some football for the Zips, catching passes thrown by then QB Charlie Frye. He went on to play professional football and now is only the second former professional athlete in history to be nominated for an Oscar. It's a good story. Check it out here.
Remember Killer Brownies from the West Point Market? Well, they're back! For many years, the Vernon family ran the upscale grocery store catering to an uppper crust clientele on West Market Street in the Walhaven area. Lucky for us, it was conveniently located next door to the WONE studios. The market was known for many high end items but those brownies were stand-out. They were the bomb. Sadly, the West Point Market closed and Whole Foods moved in. WPM attempted to make a go of it with a smaller scale store on Shiawassee but it just didn't seem to catch on. But you could buy those brownies there. Then that location closed too and left brownie fans wondering if that sweet treat would ever again cross their lips again. Well step back because just like everything else these days, you can order online and have them delivered to your door. Stop salivating and read on.
Akron's Edgar's Restaurant to Appear on The Food Network
Written by Tim Daugherty
A local eatery gets some national exposure on this Thursday's episode of the Food Network's "Restaurant: Impossible." It's Edgar's Restaurant, a favorite for golfers at the nearly century old Good Park Golf Course on Akron's Nome Avenue. Golfing may be the farthest thing from your mind right about now, except for those counting the days until they can hit the links, but Edgar's is a year-round full service classy restaurant that's undergone some changes, some of which will be discussed on the show. I dined there last week and chatted with Head Chef Glenn Gillespie. He made a spicy New Orleans' inspired chicken sandwich for me while my wife Sue enjoyed a spectacular grouper salad. Paired with a couple of craft cocktails and a great playlist, we enjoyed our meal thoroughly. Check out this recent Cleveland.Com article about the Food Network appearance and stop by Edgar's sometime. I recommend it.
Is there anything better than seeing a video of a soldier surprising a family member with a unexpected return home or in this case, a young man ringing a bell of victory after enduring years of chemotherapy? Congrats to 19 year old Matt Driscoll who has been battling Leukemia for over three years. His treatments done, Matt received a hero's welcome as he strode down the hall of Akron Children's Hospital to proudly ring the bell signifying an end to his chemotherapy. Videos such as these have a special effect on folks like me whose lives have been forever changed by cancer. So congratulations Matt! Here's to years of good health to you. Cut & paste the URL below into your browser, grab a tissue, and watch the video. It's OK to say funny things like "must be something in my eyes!" Yes, they're called tears and they are tears of joy for this young man, his family and friends.
https://www.facebook.com/akronchildrens/videos/2563433033933795/
When did you learn to drive? For me, it was the summer of 1976, the year I turned 16, and I'd been itching to drive for about 4 years before that. My school didn't offer Driver's Ed classes so I had to take private lessons. They paid off because I passed both the written and driving test the first time. I remember hearing stories of schools that did offer those classes and God bless the teachers who climbed in a car with two or three students. It also seems it's been a while since these classes were offered maybe because of budget cuts from failed school levies. Well, they're returning to some Akron schools. Read more here. Here's hoping they catch on again and after a comprehensive course in the classroom and time behind the wheel, they turn out a new crop safe and conscientious drivers.
One thing not missing from most newscasts is bad news. There's an old adage that states, "if it bleeds -- it leads." Sadly that's true. It's why we rubber neck past the scene of an accident. Wouldn't it be nice if you could strip away the bad news of crime, murder, and anything that makes you lose faith in humanity? Cleveland.com has done just that. Click here to read a list of the top ten most read stories about the Akron area in 2019.
Well, another Browns' season has ended and not in the way we had hoped or how it was predicted last summer. On paper and in some sports magazines, it looked like they had what it took to at least be looking for some post season action and maybe their first ever Super Bowl berth.
I'm a Homer so I like when the local teams win and when they don't, I lose interest in the process so don't look to me for any answers as to why the team disappoints us each season. But I have to ask, how can the same mistakes continue to be made? Freddie Kitchens was the scapegoat this time and yeah, he probably wasn't ready for the head coaching job. You're probably saying out loud, "Ya think?!" But we've had lots of coaches. How is it that none of them was the one to lead us to the promised land? Blame the Haslams? Maybe but again, we've had other owners since the Browns came back as a new (old) expansion team in 1999.
The Cleveland Browns were a power house team back some sixty years ago but I was four years old when the won their last championship. I cannot remember the excitement of that time but I've slept since then! After the 1966 NFL merger, championship games became the Super Bowl and our beloved Brownies are one of only four teams to have never appeared in that big game, much less win one.
So as I approach the end of my sixth decade on this earth and in northeast Ohio, the "homer" in me is grateful to have seen the Indians in three World Series and the Cavaliers WIN an NBA championship; things I thought I'd never see so yes, I'm going to exhale and assure myself the law of averages will eventually come around and smile on the Cleveland Browns. It's a feeling summed up into the old phrase we're so used to falling back on around these parts ... "maybe next year."
Go Browns!
The Highland Square Film Festival is back and the works of local filmakers will be shown at the Highland Theater on West Market Street on Saturday (12/7). In all, about twenty short films will be screened, each one no longer than five minutes. There is $4,500 in prize money for the top vote getters including a $500 prize for the one film voted as the audience favorite. So if you are a cinephile and you'd like to witness the talents of some up & coming, fresh & local talent who someday maybe giving Akron a shout-out while accepting their Oscar, head to the Highland Theater tomorrow. Read more here.
Unwanted phone calls! We all get them and I'm willing to guess 99% of us don't like them. They're a nuisance but the power to stop or at the very least limit them is right at your fingertips. I recently heard about this and later saw a video. Basically, it says answer the calls, even the ones you don't recognize as one of your contacts. If you get a live operator on the other end, be polite and say "Please put my number on your Do Not Call list." You can then hang up and no further communication is necessary. Be direct but polite as the person on the other end is just that, a person just trying to make a living even if it's one that rubs you the wrong way.
My question is how to stop the robo-calls from auto-dialers with no live operator. You may want to check out this site from the Federal Communications Commission which gives some tips. If they still persist, Google "ways to stop robo-calls." There is an abundance of sites to look at and apps to put on your mobile to hopefully, "stop the madness."
The Akron Mayor's office has sent out an early Christmas gift to those who are having trouble paying their water bills. Water service disconnections due to non-payment will be stopped until after the holidays. If you're behind on your bill, you now have until January 6, 2020 to send off your payment. Water service disruption will resume soon after that date. Read the full story here.
Thanksgiving is coming to a close so, what's next? Christmas is just under four weeks away and the City of Akron is putting on her winter best with the opening tomorrow of Winterblast at Lock 3 where you will find outdoor activities for the family. This Saturday the Welcome Santa Parade steps off at 10am with a new route because of the downtown Akron construction. Click here so you can see where you need to get a front row seat. The parade's topper will be Santa's appearance which usually comes just in time for the kick off of the OSU / Michigan game. Might I make a suggestion? If you're downtown anyway, stop in at the Barley House on Main at State and join TK O'Grady for some OSU-Flick-'Em. You can win prizes and cheer on the Buckeyes! Akron's Home of Rock & Roll wishes you the best of holidays. Take us along wherever you go.
You'll be hearing us talking a lot about the Harry Donovan, Jr. Valor Home in the coming weeks. It will all be a part of our week-long fundraiser we're calling "Operation Heroes." The staff had a chance to visit their Akron facility on Exeter Road today to learn more about what they do. Valor Home is a transitional housing program for homeless male veterans. The residents there take part in "structured therapies such as art, music, and life skills." Valor Home's mission is to "support homeless veterans who are looking to achieve self sufficiency as they seek to secure and maintain permanent housing." WONE's Operation Heroes fundraising campaign will be held the week of December 9th and will culminate with our two-day live broadcast from our lobby on December 13th and 14th. As in year's past, we will be asking for donations but unlike before, the donations we need will be strictly monetary and/or gift cards which really come in handy. And rest assured, 100% of the money you give will go directly to programs that help feed and house homeless veterans and provide transportation to those seeking employment. "Support Our Troops" is a statement we see a lot these days. This will be a great opportunity to do just that. Stay tuned to 97.5 WONE for further details on this event that we here are all excited and humbled to take part in.
Don't look now but the holidays are upon us. Thanksgiving is next week and it's a late one so can Christmas be far behind? NO! Some of us need some prompting to get into the spirit. You may find it in Hallmark Channel movies while others find it in Christmas music. A light dusting of snow can add to the mood. But locally, we've got an annual event that sets the pace for me. It's the Holiday Tree Festival, which benefits Akron Children's Hospital, now in it's 38th year. It's hard to not get into the spirit walking around the hundreds of meticulously decorated trees, wreaths, and miniatures all of which are for sale. There are also some raffle trees. The Holiday Tree Fest opens to the public this Saturday, November 23rd and stays open through next Sunday, December 1st. Admission is FREE! Thanks to some great volunteers, they'll also be open on Thanksgiving Day if you want to walk off the too much turkey and all the trimmings. I highly recommend it. Click here for more details.
The Geek Critique - Black Friday Buying Guide
Holiday shopping season is upon us and I'm here to make sure you don't miss a deal! I've handpicked my favorite deals from all the major local Black Friday sales going on and listed them below. Whether your shopping for a video game fanatic or looking to make your home smarter, I've got you covered.
Video Games | Consoles | Televisions | Laptops | Tablets | Smart Home | Flyers
See my complete sortable spreadsheet here
Prices on hottest video games this year are all over the map. It seems nowhere has them at the same price. Rather than listing the best deal on a game I've listed the prices at 4 major video game retailers in the area. You may notice that GameStop is not listed as their Black Friday ad has not been posted yet (11/20). I will update soon as it's available. Some highlights below include Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey both at $30 at Walmart and Target. Both games are must-own games for Nintendo Switch owners. For PS4 owners Shenmue 3 for $35 is a steal that just came out on 11/19. For Xbox One owners The Witcher 3: Complete Edition for $19.99 is a great price for one of the greatest games of this generation.
For the second year in a row, the Nintendo Switch is the system on everyone's list. Sadly, there is not much in the way of deals on the system due to the high demand. If Mario Kart 8 is already on your list $299.99 is a good price as you are essentially getting the game for free with the system. The problem is this model has been replaced by a new model with better battery life. It is unclear what version of the switch you will get with the Kohl's deal, but if you plan on doing shopping at Kohl's this holiday season getting $90 back in Kohl's cash is enticing. The $199 Playstation 4 deal at Best Buy and Walmart is one of the better deals this holiday season. You get 3 amazing games included, though none of them very young child-friendly. Not to be outdone the Xbox One S deal at Best Buy and Walmart is also a great entry to the system if you want to stay digital-only on games (It does not have a disc drive). The Kohls Xbox One X price of $350 + $105 back in Kohls cash is by far the best value I've seen on the beefed-up Xbox One.
I've decided to only list the 4K TV's as the price on them has come down so much I would not recommend anyone getting 1080p TV. There far too many TV deals to list them all, so I've decided to just highlight some really good deals in different price ranges. In the possible deal of all Black Friday deals both Walmart & Best Buys have 58" TV's for only $199.00. You can not go wrong with either TV at that price. If you wanted something a little more named brand there are several Samsung TV deals that are as cheap as I've ever seen them.
With the number of laptops advertised on Black Friday increasing each and every year, there is simply no other piece of electronics that has this level of competition. From $100 Chromebooks to fully loaded gaming laptops there is a little something for everyone. The clear winner in terms of value is the Dell Inspiron for $349.99 at Best Buy. With an SSD, 8GB of RAM, and a touchscreen, it has the specs usually reserved for high end and high priced laptops.
If you are in a market for a tablet it's hard to beat the value you get in the $30 Amazon Fire 7. In terms of value, nothing even comes close. The Fire 7 Kids Edition is a decent price also for peace of mind. If your child breaks this tablet at all in 2 years after purchase Amazon will replace it for free, no questions asked. If you wanted an iPad Walmart and Best Buy's $250 for the 10.2" iPad is a great value.
This category really comes down to what ecosystem you want your smart devices to live on, Google's or Amazon's. There are great prices all around on both sets of devices and just comes down to personal preference.
Flyers
Walmart
Best Buy
Target
Meijers
Kohls
Today we honor veterans, the brave men and women who answered the call to serve their country whether in time of war or peace. Here's a brief history of my own father who did just that.
Bob Daugherty was born in Coshocton, Ohio and enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating high school in 1943. After basic training, he was sent to serve in the Pacific Theater. He held the rank of Sergeant and was a rear gunner. He saw action in Okinawa, Iwo Jima, and the Philippines and would spend another year in China after the war ended. He tried some college on the GI bill once he returned stateside. Later, he applied to be an Ohio State Highway Patrolman but failed the height requirement by one inch, (he was 5'6"). He went to work in a factory to support his family; my mom, brother, sister, and me, (I was the youngest).
He gave up some bad habits and changed his life around when I was in junior high. Always the flying enthusiast, he became a private pilot. He would joke and say, "During wartime I was always seated backwards watching where I had been. Now I get to sit in the front seat to see clearly where I'm going!" When I think back on that, I fully realize there was a deeper meaning to that statement.
One day at work, his department was eliminated and he was out of a job. This came just weeks after I had started college. I told him I would quit school and get a job to which he replied, "The hell you will! Stay in school and get an education." He did find other work and was able to spend more time on his passion of flying. He also become a Private Pilot Ground School Instructor and shared his knowledge and love of flying with aspiring pilots.
With his kids growing up and out of the house, it seemed like his life with my mom was transitioning into that happy "empty nester" phase but sadly, his life was cut short by a heart attack at the age of 55. I completed my education as he would have wanted. He was supportive of the career path I was on and hoped to hear his son on the radio someday but never got that chance. He also missed out on knowing his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
So today I say "thank you" out loud to the veteran in my life from that greatest of generations who did what needed to be done back then and throughout his short but impactful life. Those thanks stay in my heart everyday of the year.
I'm honored to once again be the Master of Cermonies for the annual Safety Kids Calendar Contest awards presentation tonight at the downtown Akron-Summit County Public Library branch. It's an event I look forward to doing each year and this marks the 18th year that Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh has sponsored it. 6th, 7th, and 8th graders from Summit County schools are invited to submit posters based on the "12 Rules for Staying Safe." Their artwork is fantastic and their messages resonate. There is a different rule for each month of the year and the winners' posters are reproduced on one of the twelve calendar pages for the upcoming year. The grand prize winner's art goes on the calendar's cover. The rules of safety are also depicted on billboards across town throughout the year and in public service announcements on WBNX -TV 55 during the holiday season. Click here to see last year's submission and maybe I'll see you and your talented children tonight.
Fall Back, Spring Forward, Or Leave It Alone?
Written by Tim Daugherty
We set the clocks back this weekend and returned to Standard Time but in another six months, we'll adjust the time again and push them one hour forward. And when we do this, our "body clocks" have to adjust, too. What do you think? Should we just scrap this idea entirely? Some states don't do it and even some sections of other states don't bother either. That's confusing! Some Ohio lawmakers think it's time has come to do away with the twice yearly time change. Read more here.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th. We know it is important to exercise your right to vote but this blog is not about that. It's also not about how a national election day should qualify as a national holiday, (which I think is a great idea). This has a more local angle that I want to pass along. Metro RTA is offering free rides to people wishing to get to the polls next Tuesday. In addition to that, they're offering free rides to Vets one week later on Veterans Day. Thanks Metro RTA! That's awesome. Click here to read more.