This past week, we witnessed the utter destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian. When it made landfall in the Bahamas, it was a Category 5 storm and at times, had sustained winds of 220 MPH. Just imagine that!. The death toll is mounting and still many are unaccounted for. Clean up and restoration will be in the millions if not billions of dollars for that impoverished island nation. As of this writing, the winds have died down somewhat but it's still a dangerous storm wreaking havoc on the eastern seaboard of the US. Feeling powerless to help in these times is common but you can turn your good thoughts into monetary help to a worldwide organization which is already "boots on the ground" in hard hit areas. Visit the Red Cross to see how you can help in the Bahamas and on our shores where Dorian is making itself know.
(photo cred: wakeweekly.com)
It began on Monday, Labor Day, when the Cleveland Browns tweeted "Announcement Coming Wednesday" and in the background you could make out the stripes of the Browns Color Rush uniforms. People began to speculate...."Is this going to be an announcement regarding the Browns uniforms"? Some speculated that it was going to be announced that the Color Rush uniforms were going to worn at all home games. Well, in the 3 p.m. hour today the speculation came to an end with a tweeted announcement from the Cleveland Browns, including a :55 second video of highlights from last year of the Browns in their Color Rush Uniforms and in the background, the music of Joe Cocker singing "You Are So Beautiful".
It's official! The Color Rush uniforms are no more. After petitioning the NFL, the Color Rush uniforms are now the Cleveland Browns Primary Colors. In fact, this Sunday, at the Home Opener, against the Tennessee Titans, the Browns will be wearing their new Primary Colors. Plus, we will be seeing the Primary Colors on a more regular basis, too.
After all, the fans loved them and purchased the Color Rush uniform jersey whenever and wherever they could find one. The Coaches saw it, the players saw it, too, considering some of the best games for the Browns last year happened when they were wearing the Color Rush uniforms. Personally, I'm all for it. Out of the current uniform choices for the Browns, the Color Rush was clearly the best.
I will be at the Home Opener this Sunday and I can hardly wait to see the "NEW" Browns in their "NEW" Primary Colors. You can catch all the action beginning with the Pre-game at 11 a.m. and Kickoff at 1 p.m. on Akron's Home of the Browns, 97.5 WONE!! GO BROWNS! BEAT THE TITANS!
To see the announcement from the Cleveland Browns and check out the video, click here.
When I first came to Akron, many moons ago, one of the very first promotions I was involved with was dressing up as Santa Claus and delivering presents to some children in need. Santa didn't have his sleigh or Reindeer, but he did have a Fire Truck and I remember making the ride to school with the lights flashing and the siren blaring. Even as a grown up kid there was just something about riding a fire truck. The ride wasn't long, but the purpose was served and fun was had by all the firemen/women and especially the kids. That's brings me to this blog post.
There is a special event coming this Sunday, September 8th, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It's the Norton Safety Forces First Annual Touch-A-Truck, 4060 Columbia Woods Drive, in Norton. Everyone is invited to this free afternoon of fun and excitement at Columbia Woods Park. On hand will be vehicles of all sizes, inflatables and food provided by Acme Fresh Market.
In addition, if your interested in bringing a specialized vehicle (construction, racing, etc), or would like to volunteer for the event, please contact LT. Krieger at 330-825-7815, ext. 208 or Ptl. H. Bauer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details.
Bring the kids and the kid in you for the Norton Safety Forces First Annual Touch-A-Truck, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Columbia Woods Park, in Norton. Check out their Facebook Page by clicking here.
Remember all the excitement during the Cleveland Brown's quest for a "W" in the win column, that was fueled by the Bud Light Victory Fridges? Every bar and grill wanted one, but only a select few locations in the Cleveland and the Akron area were chosen. Each Victory Fridge was filled with Bud Light aluminum bottles, secured with a chain encompassing the entire fridge and a padlock that couldn't be released until the much sought after Browns victory. Well, that victory finally came on September 20th, 2018 with a win over the New York Jets, with that victory the Bud Light was doled out to the patrons of the various establishments, whom if you didn't know better, had just returned from a parching trek across the Sahara Desert. It truly was a great beer promotion!
Good news! The Victory Fridges are back, although for a limited time and this time with charity in mind. Here's the story. Anheuser Busch is opening a pop-up shop called B.L. Browns Appliance Superstore, at 1870 West 25th Street, in downtown Cleveland. They will be selling Victory Fridges, both large and small versions, for TWO DAYS ONLY, September 3rd and 4th, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Brown's themed store will have the smaller units from $199.99 to $299.99 and the large units for $599.99.
Net proceeds of all fridge sales will benefit Browns Give Back community partner's programming to support various adults throughout northeast Ohio.
Also, according to Anheuser Busch, any person (of legal drinking age) who comes into the store will be provided a discount code for Bud Light to stock their fridge.
I personally loved this promotion. I thought it was creative, top of mind and on the money. How much money and how successful were the Victory Fridges? You can see the whole story when you click here.
Meanwhile, we count down to the home opener Sunday, September 8th, at First Energy Stadium and prepare to quench our thirst with a cold Bud Light, especially if the Browns can get only their second home opener win since their return in 1999. GO BROWNS....BEAT THE TITANS and have a cold one on me!!
It's here....Labor Day Weekend 2019, the unofficial end to the Summer (say it ain't so) and the Akron Rubber Ducks final homestand of the Summer is this weekend at Canal Park, on Main St. (King James Way), in downtown Akron. Besides Akron's FIRST Pizzafest, at Lock 3, the Rubber Ducks have a huge weekend planned and 97.5 WONE will be a part of it Saturday night.
Not only is Saturday night, August 31st, WONE Night at Canal Park, but it is Frankie Lindor Bobblehead Night. The Ducks are celebrating 30 years in Akron and Rubber Duck Fans were asked to vote for their favorite player and, of course, Francisco Lindor won. Tomorrow night (8/31), the first 1000 fans into Canal Park to see the Ducks take on the Erie Seawolves will receive a Francisco Lindor Bobblehead featuring a split jersey that is half Akron Aeros and half Rubber Ducks, since Frankie was with the Aeros for their final season and the first season of the Rubber Ducks.
You have wonderful food options, your favorite cold beverage, souvenirs and a great family and friend experience. The Akron Rubberducks have games beginning tonight, Friday, 8/30 through Labor Day, Monday, 9/2, against the Erie Seawolves. Put a game for two on your Labor Day Weekend calendar and join us tomorrow night for WONE Night and Francisco Lindor Bobblehead Night. You won't regret it. Check out the entire weekend lineup by clicking here
A Brave New World; The Workforce vs Artificial Intelligence
Written by Tim Daugherty
Here comes another Labor Day Weekend, the day set aside to celebrate the American worker. Many believe however that Artificial Intelligence, or AI for short, will soon put us all out of our jobs, (and many have believed this for years). I've seen big tech change plenty in my industry over the 40 years I've been doing it and I'm sure you have, too. So as some of us "boomers" approach our final years of work, we worry that AI will take our gigs before we're ready to let them go. I want to publish this article I found that offers some comfort but comes with a warning. Yes, AI will take jobs but create new ones as well if you're willing to embrace it and "ride the wave." Happy Labor Day!
If you have read a previous blog post from me called "I Love To Fly", then you already know my love for aircraft of all kinds and I have been fortunate to have flown with some of the best pilots in some very classic aircraft. Well, time to buckle up and get ready for one hell of a ride as the Cleveland National Air Show arrives at Burke Lakefront Airport this Labor Day Weekend.
This Labor Day tradition began in 1964 and regularly attracts 60,000 to 100,000 people over the course of the 3 day weekend, making it one of the regions largest events. This year's show will include a variety of military jet demonstrations highlighted by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the F-35A Lightening II and the A-10C Thunderbolt II. You'll also see vintage WWII warbirds including a B-25 Mitchell Bomber and my personal favorite WWII aircraft, the B-17 Flying Fortress.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbird pilots will put their jets through a choreographed performance each day at speeds up to 500 miles per hour. The F-35A Lightening II demonstration will highlight the aircraft's speed, agility and "high G turning."
Cleveland is one of only 15 cities in North America to host these demonstrations and we should take pride in that. There are numerous ways to view the excitement of the Cleveland National Air Show. Right at Burke Lakefront Airport in the middle of the action, plus I have heard of rooftop watch parties in downtown Cleveland, even the Good Time III has special cruises to see the show from Lake Erie. However, no matter where you view the air show, you are in for a day of excitement and a great family experience. It is truly a show not to be missed, so keep your eyes to the sky and have a great Labor Day Weekend.
For a schedule of events and demonstrations, ticket prices and more, click here
Here We Go Brownies, Here We Go! (Woof-Woof)
Written by Tim DaughertyThe Browns are at home to play the Lions in one more pre-season game. It's a 7:30 kick-off. Catch all the action here on 97.5 WONE. They've had a strong pre-season but that's all wiped away after tonight. The real test happens between the final whistle tonight and the Titans game one week from this Sunday. Coach Kitchens and his assistants will make the final determination on the team personnel they will field. Baker and OBJ are a lock certainly as are Landry, Garrett, and Ward. After the dismal seasons we've witnessed the last several years, this one has promise and we're excited to be part of it again. The naysayers will scoff, "Slow down, Browns fans. Don't order those Super Bowl rings yet." They're probably just jealous that it's cool to be a Browns Fan again and we will be out in full force on the national stage a couple times this season. Click here to plan your season accordingly. Go Browns!!
Boxes of Guilt is a term my wife and I call the mountains of pictures we both collected while raising our respective families. These pictures date back to the lives we had with our respective late spouses. Now, we're facing a downsizing move to smaller quarters and we wonder what we should do with all these boxes of photos. They're just photos afterall but they also represent memories. Between us, Sue and I raised five kids so you can imagine all the school pics, first birthday pics, grade school and high school graduation pics, first date pics. And let's just throw in the pics of family members no longer with us for good measure. Do you see our dilemma? Current technology makes it so much easier today. We can snap and save to our phones, post to our socials where they can reside forever, and just as quickly delete the ones we don't like. I guess that is what made it easier for me to sift through all those physical photos and decide which ones I could live without and which ones I need to keep. One solution would be to digitize all these pics but that too would be a daunting task. We've asked the kids if there are any they want to keep and the answer always comes back "no!" I get it. I don't need to see my second grade self ever again. So I'm right on the verge of dumping the box of discards and writing this is my way of asking permission. Let that be noted here so in another 10, 15, or 20 years when my kids or grandkids ask, "where is that one picture you took of me when I lost my first tooth?" I will be guilt free when I tell them I threw it away a long time ago. Who am I kidding. Of course I'll feel guilty
Your news feed may be filled with pictures of pups today. That's because it's National Dog Day. It's celebrated on August 26th in many countries and was created to bring attention to the plight of animals and to encourage adoption. We love our doggos. I don't want to take anything away from friends of felines. I love cats, too. They're all God's creatures and should be treated with kindness and respect. What's cool is to discover what your pet's personality is. Some dogs, (as well as cats), can be quite friendly while others are standoffish but overall, the pets we take in want to be part of the pack and we are their pack. There's a meme I've seen that shows a man and his dog sitting dockside. The picture is taken from behind and it shows a bubble over the man's head filled with a jumble of thoughts of life's troubles & concerns, (i.e. money - jobs - health - love, etc.). Above the dog's head is a bubble that shows only the picture of the two of them sitting dockside, enjoying the company of his master. So hug your dog(s) today. Wish them a Happy National Dog Day with an added treat. Post their picture on your news feed. And don't forget to do the same for your cats when National Cat Day rolls around which is Tuesday, October 29th.
An outstanding weather forecast is going to be an excellent backdrop for a host of events happening in and around Akron this weekend. The 3rd annual Akron Pride Festival steps off Saturday morning at 10am with a parade down West Market Street from Highland Square to Hardesty Park. The day-long event will include performances and vendors. Also going on, the 4th annual Akron Jazz & Blues Festival with numerous bands performing at venues all over town. If this all sounds like something you'd like to attend but transportation is limted, Metro Regional Transit Authority to the rescue. The public transportation provider is offering free rides to make sure you take full advantage of it. We cram a lot of summer into our weekends 'round here so click the links and don't miss out.
Boz Scaggs is coming in concert to his hometown when he plays the Canton Palace Theater October 29th. He didn't spend much time there as the family soon moved out of state. He was born William Royce Scaggs but a friend in school nicknamed him "Bosley" which was later shortened to "Boz." Another school mate, a guy by the name of Steve Miller, (yes - THAT Steve Miller) met up with Boz and the two began playing the blues together at the age of 12. I like Boz Scaggs. My brother turned me on to him and it didn't hurt that one of his big albums, "Silk Degrees," came out the summer I got my drivers license. I mean how good is "Lido Shuffle" or "Georgia?" And it didn't hurt that the girls seemed to like "Harbor Lights" and "We're All Alone" if you get my drift. Tickets go sale beginning Friday 8/23 if you want to check him out. And a pro tip here; if you want to check out some of his bluesy stuff and you've got some time to spare, check out "Loan Me a Dime" from 1969 featuring Duane Allman on guitar.
(Photo Credit: Raffi Kirdi / Getty Images)
Splash pads are coming to Akron just in time for the kids who will be heading back to school soon. It seems oddly timed but better late than never. Mayor Dan Horrigan was on hand for the unveiling at Joy Park Community Center on what turned out to be a sunny, hot day. Made for a good photo op. The city says a recent survey made it very clear to construct these free, cooling areas in a local wards. Construction on the Joy Park splash pad began in June. Another one is set to open next spring in North Hill's Patterson Park. The ultimate plan is to put one in each of Akron's ten wards. Read more here and let's hope hot, summery weather continues well into the start of the school year so the kids at Joy Park can enjoy some wet fun before it has to be shut off for winter.
Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a real treasure for northeast Ohio and the world. Every time I have been to the Rock Hall I have discovered something that I hadn't seen or heard before. In fact, I would like to see more Ohioans take advantage of this iconic museum. Just like other types of museums,exhibits come and eventually go, so when I heard today that 2 blockbuster exhibits at the Rock Hall are scheduled to close, I thought I would give you a "head's up" and a reason to spend some quality time at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
If you are a "pinball wizard", then you don't want to miss this interactive exhibit called "Part of the Machine: Rock & Pinball". In fact the Rock Hall is setting these pinball games to FREE PLAY until the official end date on September 4th. You can demonstrate your pinball expertise on rock-centric machines featuring legends such as Alice Cooper, Elton John and even Dolly Parton.
Also coming to a close is the multi-floor exhibition, "Stay Tuned: Rock on TV". You'll find the exhibition on levels 4, 5 and 6 at the Rock Hall until September 9th. View Paul Shaffer's keyboard used on the Late Show with David Letterman, stage designs from the Beatles appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show and contracts between artists and American Bandstand and much more.
Other exhibits are coming to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this Fall and Winter and other exhibits will continue like "Woodstock at 50". I think my main point to get across is that the power of Rock and Roll has shaped our world and to have such a museum as the Rock Hall so close, it is a waste not to take it all in. I invite you to take your family, take your friends and make a day of it. The History of Rock is on display just up the highway and more history is being made everyday. It's the story of our lives. To find out more click here
I was a little surprised last week when my trash got tagged. It said my recycle bin contained things they would not take such as plastic bags. I know some people put their recyclables in those blue plastic bags. If you do, don't waste your money. Most municipalities don't take them. I don't do that so I was a little miffed at that accusation. They also don't like grease-stained pizza boxes. Okay, I'll cop to that but I try hard to be environmentally conscious. I hope and believe the little extra effort I take has a positive effect on our world but recycling has become tricky of late. For instance, Akron Recycling no longer accepts glass as recyclables. This is sad because glass was the original recyclable/reusable thing. Maybe we need to go back to the days of returning bottles and glass for a small monetary return. As a boy, my Mom let me take the pop bottles back to the store and I'd parlay the return into candy bars and bubble gum. It was a good arrangement. I will close with the latest news on what's going on with Akron's recycling program as reported by the ABJ/Ohio.Com's Betty Lin-Fisher who's been keeping a close eye on this. Thanks for reading and remember; Reduce-Reuse-Recyle but do it correctly.
I revisiting an event that took place yesterday, because I think the results of this wonderful charity event are worth sharing. Let me first say that I am not a "Biker". The only true experience I've ever had was riding a dirt bike on the beaches of Daytona Beach when I was a kid and they had governors to control the speed. So, I am not a "Biker", but yesterday, I witnessed the arrival of 1139 motorcycles and 1639 "Bikers" to the parking lot of Rubber City Harley Davidson, Howe and Main, at Chapel Hill. I was there to emcee the beginning of the 10th Annual Bikers for Boobs, to benefit Stewarts Caring Place, in Fairlawn, in the continuing fight against Breast Cancer.
What has impressed me the most in the 3 years I have been involved with this event is the "Bikers" themselves. They come with open hearts and pay $20 per person to participate. In return, they get a Biker's for Boobs T-shirt (If they registered early), breakfast in the parking lot, then a four hour ride with various "Poker Run" stops, usually at watering holes along the predesignated route and then following the ride, it's the "after party", this year at the Summit County Fairgrounds Arena, because this ride has outgrown most other venues. At the Fairgrounds, dinner and beverages are provided as part of their $20 fee, prizes are awarded for the best "Poker Hand", there was a 50/50 drawing and some raffle prizes, too, along with live music.
These "Bikers" joined the fight against Breast Cancer, not because they had to, but because they wanted to. They spent their entire day Sunday, burning their own gas and doing what they love. They love to ride and in this case, they loved to help in the fight against Breast Cancer. I can guarantee you this, Stewart's Caring Place is going to be getting a BIG CHECK, 100% of the proceeds as a matter of fact. Money that will be put to use immediately, educating and offering support to the victims of this disease, to the survivors and to the families, because cancer doesn't just attack the victim, it attacks the family and friends, too.
You know it wasn't that long ago, when the term "Bikers" was thought of as a derogatory term regarding motorcycle riders, but the people that made up this ride are parents, grand parents, brothers and sisters and spouses of cancer victims and survivors, all remembering those whose lives were taken from us too soon. Perhaps "Bikers" means "Angels on Two Wheels", because that's what they are to me. God Bless them and their efforts in the fight against Breast Cancer and you can bet that God willing, they and myself will be back there next August for the 11th Annual Bikers for Boobs. To see the Akron Biker's for Boobs Facebook page, click here
Twelve and a half years ago, on April 9th, 2007, I was cured of Prostate Cancer. The disease was caught very early and at age 52, the best chance of the cancer not to return was to have a nerve sparing radical prostatectomy. One week later, my surgeon called me at home and told me he had good news, "the Lymph Nodes are negative and there is no need for further treatment"! Wow....no chemo, no radiation and to this day no sign of any Prostate Cancer. I was one lucky guy.
I recall my cancer experience because this Sunday, I will be Emceeing an event that will feature cancer survivors, those currently dealing with cancer and receiving treatment and remembering those that cancer took from out lives. The type of cancer we will be focused on is Breast Cancer and beginning at 9 a.m. this coming Sunday morning, at Rubber City Harley Davidson, at Howe and Main Street (Chapel Hill), thousands of bikers, riders, survivors, families and more will come together for Bikers for Boobs, to benefit Stewart's Caring Place, an organization that offers support and so much more to Breast Cancer victims, survivors and their families.
It all starts with breakfast for the participants in the parking lot of Rubber City Harley Davidson. Stewart's Caring Place will have a booth set up and will be available to answer questions, talk about medical options and more. There will also be vendor tents set up in the lot and 97.5 WONE will be there, too, to provide some music and to help with announcements prior to the Poker Run.
If you haven't registered for the ride, NO WORRIES! You can still sign up to participate this coming Sunday morning. Here are some of the particulars. The cost is $20 per rider and $10 per person for just the after ride dinner and entertainment. First Bike out at 10:30 a.m. Last bike out at 12:30 p.m. Last bike in at 4 p.m. Dinner and entertainment begins at 3 p.m. featuring the Buck Naked Band, at the Summit County Fairgrounds. 100% of the proceeds benefit Stewart's Caring Place, in Fairlawn.
There will be a FREE photo booth, a 50/50 drawing, raffles and door prize and prizes for the "best hand". Bring a new or gently used bra to donate to Breast Oasis and receive an extra door prize entry.
Unfortunately the battle against Breast Cancer is not over, but with Biker's for Boobs, we can continue to help make strides to find a cure for this deadly disease. I personally hope to see you Sunday morning, at 9 a.m., at Rubber City Harley Davidson. For more information simply click here
Growing up in Mid-Missouri and living in the County Seat of Audrain County, I always loved going to the county fair. In a town of 10,000 people the fair was a BIG DEAL. There were the rides, the fair food and always something going on in the Grandstand. Back in the day, Mexico, MO was horse country and as part of the fair there was always Harness Racing and Show Jumping. My Father's grocery store was a major sponsor of the Grandstand Events and when I was around 5 or 6 years old, I was the one who brought the trophies to the winning riders. Dressed in a little suit and tie, I would bring the Silver plaques and trophies out on the course with horses around me that appeared to be eight feet taller than me. It was a part of the fair and I loved the Audrain County Fair until changing times took the fair away during my high school years. But the memories of the County Fair are still with me as part of my youth growing up. Riding the Tilt-A-Whirl, the Scrambler, the Ferris Wheel, the games and the food. The County Fair was alive with people and fun. Do you want to revisit those days? Well, you can, next week.
The 161st Portage County Randolph Fair opens at the Fairgrounds in Randolph, on St. Rt. 44, this coming Tuesday, August 20th and runs through Sunday, August 25th. The Fair is loaded with activities for the entire family. In the Grandstand you'll see Demolition Derbies, Truck, Semi and Tractor Pulls and live entertainment every night. Check out the new 22,000 square foot Livestock Complex, full of animals. The Corner Stage has nightly live music and the Midway is full of games, rides and of course, you can fill your plate with the best food this side of Portage County. As a matter of fact, you can join me for a broadcast from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., this coming Wednesday, August 21st for A Taste of the Fair, where you can sample for FREE some of the food being served by the Vendors at the Portage County Randolph Fair.
Get your family together or gather your friends and step back in time for a good, old fashioned County Fair. The 161st Portage County Randolph Fair opening next Tuesday and running though Sunday at the Portage County Fairgrounds, Route 44, in Randolph.
For all the details, grandstand events and more click here
This popped up on my news feed this morning. It was taken five years ago today. The Crue was at Blossom with Alice Cooper opening . Tommy Lee declined the meet & greet but I was happy to hang Vince, Nikki, and Mick. There were a number of reasons why I wanted to get into radio. First and foremost was my love of music and the people who make it. I'm in awe of their musical skills and lyrics and how their songs made me feel. For better or worse, rock stars were my gods. I have no musical ability to speak of but I love talking about it. Growing up listening to radio, (including Jeff Kinzbach at his legendary Cleveland gig), I was also totally geeked by radio jocks' access to the artists. I'm happy to say in my, ahem - many years in this job, I too have had some memborable back stage moments. For the most part, they are just people like you and me. I know it sounds cliche but generally they're happy to meet the middlemen & women who were the conduits to bringing and championing their music to the mass audience via the airwaves. I'm aware some super fans would give anything for an experience like this so I'm grateful for this opportunity when it comes around.
In our never ending quest to get one year's worth of outdoor events into the 3 months we in northeast Ohio call Summer (remember Mother Nature robbed us of June), here is a new festival to add to the list of outdoor things to do. This one will happen Labor Day Weekend at WONE's home away from home, Lock 3, in downtown Akron.
(Trumpet's Fanfare) Please welcome Akron's FIRST Pizza Fest. beginning on Friday, August 30th through Sunday, September 1st. It all kicks off in conjunction with 97.5 WONE and the City of Akron's Rock The Lock and admission is FREE on Friday night, August 30th. Headlining the opening night of Pizza Fest will be Lotus Land, a tribute to Rush, on the Lock 3 stage, at 8:30 p.m. and opening at 7 p.m. it's Nate Lupi. Gates will open at 6 p.m.
Now, to Akron's FIRST Pizza Fest where you can purchase sample slices to 10 Pizzerias and enjoy live music, a Cornhole tournament, Pizza Eating Contests and more. Akron's FIRST Pizza Fest continues on Saturday, August 31st and Sunday, September 1st at 12 Noon with a $5.00 admission Saturday and Sunday. There will be bands performing on the Lock 3 stage all afternoon both days. Saturday night concludes with a special edition of WONE's Rock The Lock featuring Simply Queen, A Tribute to Queen at 8:30 p.m.
The Summer clock is ticking and there are still so many festivals and events to attend. So get off your duff and add Akron's FIRST Pizza Fest to the list of things to do OUTDOORS, before Mother Nature and Old Man Winter send us back inside. For more information click here
Sometimes you need to look no further than the headline of a story to get the jist of what's going on. For more complicated matters, it's always best to take the time to keep yourself fully informed. But in this business, I amuse myself by searching out the weird of the world - some of which I share on air. Some are so descriptive and funny that imagination fills in the blanks. Here are some examples: Man arrested after picking his butt, then picking a fight with state trooper. It's just as disgusting as you can imagine and didn't end well for the guy. Man steals credit card, signs purchases as "thief". It's like a cry for help - "please catch me." OK, one more: Naked, bike-riding Florida man allegedly steals butt-less underwear from adult novelties store. Apparently this guy is well known for this and yes, he's from FLA. He was arrested for the theft as well as indecent exposure but give him credit for at least attempting to "cover up" a little and still leave his butt hanging out. I mean let's meet the guy half way. If you've enjoyed these, I'll look for & bring you more in later blogs so watch this space and hey, let's be careful out there.
I love to fly. From turboprop passenger planes in the 1960's, when the cockpit doors usually were open and kids like me had a chance to meet the pilots while they were in flight. I will always remember one pilot who explained the radar screen as "Cowboys and Indians". Then in my later years, after I began my career in radio, I've had the chance to fly often. 13 times in hot air balloons, a trip up with the U.S. Army's Golden Knights Precision Parachute Team, in Chicago, where I watched the team jump from the aircraft and then later a dive in the jump plane to do a wing wave over the crowd in the grandstands as the pilots were introduced following the jump. I've flown with stunt pilots and many retired military pilots. One particular stunt pilot, at the Budweiser Air and Water Show, in Chicago introduced me to some real stunt flying. We took off from Meigs Field on Lake Michigan and we proceeded to do some stunts (he always asked me if I wanted to, before we did them). Upside down at 200 mph flying next to Lake Shore Boulevard, a barrel roll (he did it slow) and then he asked me if I wanted to do a 4G turn (4 X Gravity), of course, I said YES!! Right stick and right rudder and I could feel my whole body being pushed into the seat by the force of gravity (by the way, it was tandem seating, I was in the front). I've mocked strafed girls in bikini's on Sullivan's Island. South Carolina's beach with a pilot flying a T6, Korean War Era training aircraft, followed by a wing wave to the girls. Flown in the World War Two B17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber, in helicopters and more. I have a passion for flying and jump on the chance anytime I get one,to go up. I bring all this up because this weekend, August 17th and 18th, right here in Akron, at the Akron Municipal Airport, there is a family friendly show with aircraft, cars, motorcycles and more.
It's the Props and Pistons Festival, an affordable and fun experience for the whole family. You can see flying demonstrations, aircraft on display and even an automobile and custom motorcycle show. Plus, for the first time in over a decade Aerobatic aircraft will perform in the skies over Akron.
Props and Pistons will give visitors the chance to get up close and personal through airplane tours, warbird, biplane and helicopter rides. You'll see dozens of displays ranging from current military, WWII warbirds, commercial and specialty aircraft as well as other non-aviation displays. At this show you can see massive Air Force transport planes, such as the C-17 Globemaster or C-130 Hercules, plus there will be a FREE Kid's Zone, live music and food trucks.
Free parking and shuttle buses are available at Derby Downs parking lots.
I can tell you one thing for sure, if I can smooth talk my way onto one of those WWII warbirds for a flight around Akron, I surely will. I love to fly and as the stunt pilot said to me as the wheels left the runway at Meigs Field, Chicago, many years ago......."I have a parachute......you don't!"
Is there anything more tasty or a food pairing more perfect than beer and pizza? Go ahead, fight me! It was my college sustenance and the taste combo has stuck with me since then. That's why I am all about an event at the Akron Civic Theater this October 11th. It's the annual Pints & Pies Craft Beer and Pizza Festival. Up until this year, this event was just a craft beer festival but some smart minds at the Civic decided to add pizzas, too. All kinds of pizzas; both savory and sweet. Advance tickets can be bought through this Thursday, August 15th and they're offering discount tickets if you are the designated driver. Hey, that'll leave more room for pizza and you can put on a good pizza buzz. Click here for all the details and I'll see ya there!