How do you TRULY know you've "made it" in Ohio? When you are cast in butter for the Ohio State Fair!

This year's event featuring the best of Ohio includes the traditional butter sculptures, and the NBA Champions make the grade. The American Dairy Association display is made from over a ton of butter and took about 500 hours of hard work in a cooler to assemble; it showcases the Cavaliers mascots, logo and the Larry O'Brien NBA title trophy. The Ohio State Fair opens Wednesday at the State Fairgrounds north of downtown Columbus. 

(American Dairy Association) Always a highly anticipated Ohio State Fair favorite, the annual butter sculpture display was unveiled today by the American Dairy Association Mideast, and it was a slam dunk. This year, the butter display congratulates the Cleveland Cavaliers for their triumphant and first NBA Championship win for the city.

The 2016 display features the traditional butter cow and calf standing next to the fun-loving and spirited Cleveland Cavaliers mascots "Moondog" and "Sir C.C." Also sculpted in butter is the coveted Larry O'Brien NBA championship trophy. Together, these pieces represent the strength and determination of a team and all of its passionate supporters. The buttery display gives fairgoers a chance to continue the victory party for the Cleveland Cavaliers that came back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals on June 19, 2016. It was a historic and epic win for the city, and it made the entire state proud.

Made from about 2,150 pounds of butter, donated in part by Dairy Farmers of America, the display was completed in about 500 hours, which includes approximately 400 hours of sculpting inside a 46-degree cooler.

The sculptors begin by building wooden and steel frames to support the weight of the butter. From 55-pound blocks, the butter is sliced into manageable loaves and layered on the frames. After many hours of molding and smoothing the butter, each sculpture begins to take shape. Fine details are added last.

The 2016 display was crafted by a group of four Ohio-based technical sculptors including lead sculptors Paul Brooke and Alex Balz of Cincinnati, Tammy Buerk of West Chester, Erin Swearingen of Columbus and Matt Davidson, a dairy farmer from Sidney.

Fairgoers can show that they are really over the moooo-n about this year's display with a new Snapchat geofilter that is only accessible to them. They can milk it for all it's worth by snapping selfies with the app in the Dairy Products Building and then choosing the amazing butter cow filter.

The butter display is a long-standing tradition of Ohio's nearly 2,600 dairy farmers. Each year, the theme of the butter display is always the best kept secret leading up to the fair.

The American Dairy Association Mideast selects an icon or theme to feature in butter that is non-political, non-controversial and reflects optimism and broad audience-appeal. The butter display annually attracts more than 500,000 visitors at the Ohio State Fair and often gains media attention nationwide.

The butter display is in the Dairy Products Building at the Ohio Expo Center, home of the Ohio State Fair. While there, fair visitors can also learn about how Ohio's dairy farmers care for their cows, their land and their communities. The Dairy Products Building is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and offers a variety of Ohio-produced dairy foods including ice cream, milkshakes, cheese sandwiches and milk. The fair will run from Wednesday, July 27 through Sunday, Aug. 7.

A Cuyahoga Falls police officer and the suspect who slammed his vehicle into the cruiser the officer was in -- as well as other police cars -- are both recovering from non-life threatening injuries after the late Saturday morning crashes at the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department's parking lot.

The incident occured around 1:15 Saturday morning at the Department's 2nd Street lot.

The police department says Patroleman Ted Davis, an 11 year veteran of the department, was still hospitalized Sunday following surgery for his injuries. There was no immediate report on the condition of the suspect but first reports said the suspect "intentionally" damaged three vehicles in the police parking lot, then left with other officers in pursuit.

The chase ended when the suspect crossed traffic lanes and slammed into Davis' SUV cruiser as we was providing aid and assistance in the chase. 

In addition to his service on the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, Davis is also a former employee of Rubber City Radio Group, owner of WAKR.net. He worked as a member of the promotions department for WONE-FM/WAKR-AM and also as a sales executive for WQMX-FM. 

UPDATE Wassrman Schultz has resigned her position as chair of the Democratic National Committee, effective the end of the DNC in Philadelphia. The position will be filled on an interim basis by longtime Clinton confidant Donna Brazile.

The embattled chair of the Democratic National Committee -- snared in an email scandal showing party insiders worked to diminish Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders' campaign -- won't be speaking to her national convention. Instead, it'll be Cleveland U.S. Representative Marcia Fudge weilding the gavel in Philadephia.

Just as the Republicans came to Cleveland with a presumptive nominee and running mate, the Democrats move into Philadelphia for their convention with a presumptive nominee and running mate. Both sides will say that's where the similarity ends.

Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine come into the Wells Fargo Center the clear choice of delegates convening in the City of Brotherly Love, poised to show some Sisterly Love and nominate the first major-party woman to lead their ticket. Clinton not only has 2,807 delegates -- far surpassing the 2,383 needed to nominate -- she also has the endorsement of her rivals in the primary, including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

But like the fractures in the GOP, the Democrats also have their own splits; a Wikileaks dump of hacked emails from Democratic National Committee insiders paints a picture of the party apparatus clearly taking sides, even to the point of suggested attacks on Sanders.

The Sanders campaign says they are "disappointed" and would like to see those connected to the anti-Sanders strategies held accountable, and the chair of the Democratic National Committee, Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, won't be speaking at the convention in marked contrast to her Republican counterpart. The leaked emails show Wasserman Schultz as taking sides in the primary as both leading candidates fought for the nomination. Cleveland Democratic Congresswoman Marcia Fudge will instead chair the convention after the DNC Rules Committee decided to scrap Wasserman Schultz.

160 delegates from Ohio are making the trip for the week-long political convention; the makeup splits into 93 selected at the district level, 31 selected at large, 19 are pledged party leaders and elected officials, 11 are DNC members, one is a former DNC chair and five are elected Congressional representatives.

The list includes former Governor and U.S. Senate candidate Ted Strickland and Akron State Representative Emilia Sykes; Sanders delegates include Akron City Council's Tara Mosely-Samples. So-called "super delegates" include Senator Sherrod Brown, Congressman Tim Ryan, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, State Representative Kathleen Clyde and State Chair David Pepper.

The gavel drops at 3:00 p.m. with prime time speakers Monday including First Lady Michelle Obama. Former President Bill Clinton speaks Tuesday, President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are scheduled for Wednesday and Hillary Clinton is scheduled to be introduced by daughter Chelsea Clinton on Thursday. 1590 WAKR will have live coverage on Wednesday and Thursday evening starting at 8:00 both nights. 

The security arrangements leading into the 2016 Republican National Convention were just plans before this week, but WAKR's security consultant Tim Dimoff of SACS Security Consulting and Investigations says the Cleveland model may be the plan setting the standard for future conventions.

Dimoff has been on scene throughout the RNC, and tells WAKR's Jasen Sokol the advance planning paid off with only 27 arrests by his count as of lunchtime on Day 4 of the Convention. The worst day came yesterday, when 17 people were arrested following a flag-burning protest outside the north security gate entrance to the secure zone around Quicken Loans Arena.

Dimoff credited law enforcement as well as protesters for the much-calmer activities in Cleveland during the RNC to date; he says the decision to blanket the area with police on foot, bicycles and horses proved valuable and a decision to spotlight those groups of opposing viewpoints to keep them away from each other, while allowing for their First Amendment rights, was a big success.

The "Media Row" section of the RNC has been busy -- even more so with advocates who are competing with Republicans and the Trump message. Today was Gary Johnson's turn; he's the Libertarian Party candidate for President. Johnson is the former Governor of New Mexico; his running mate is former Massachussets Governor Bill Weld. They need to reach nearly 15% in the polls to secure a spot in the Presidential Debates.

It was a quick "media scrum" directly in front of 1590 WAKR's position in the CBS area of Media Row, in the Quicken Loans Arena East Garage. Johnson said he didn't buy the "Make America Great Again" slogan because he thinks America is already great, and the Libertarian Party has a more positive viewpoint to express to voters. Johnson said if he had to choose a word to describe Democrat Hillary Clinton it would be "beholden"; for Republican Donald Trump, he was more diplomatic and noted he was at the Republican National Convention and would just offer congratulations to Trump on securing the nomination.

U.S. Senator Rob Portman fielded questions from Ohio-only reporters and advised them to watch what Governor John Kasich would do in this convention; it's the most talked-about item among the delegation as Kasich stands as the 600-pound favorite son.

So far, Kasich has been a frequent attendee of the web of social events that mark such national conventions, including speaking with committees and delegations from other states including national groups. But he hasn't made it to Quicken Loans Arena yet, and says he won't citing the differences between him and Donald Trump.

U.S. Senator Rob Portman believes there's already more talking than yelling at each other developing in this campaign, even among the delegation from Ohio which is overwhelmingly pro-Kasich but also has a keen eye targeting Hillary Clinton as a candidate to beat in November.

Portman says he believes the Party will have to come together, much as the nation needs to come together and stop being so divisive.

Portman is enjoying the time in Cleveland, spending a period yesterday on the floor. He's organized a volunteer group to help Habitat for Humanity in Cleveland, will be enjoying the waterways as part of a kayak expedition but most importantly: tonight he and wife Jane will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in a local restaurant that has been a center of helping former inmates rejoin society.

An early morning single vehicle wreck on Triplett Boulevard Saturday left a 41-year old Springfield Township man dead. Akron police have not released his name pending notification of relatives. The man was in a 1998 Mercedes Benz driving at a "high rate of speed" near the intersection with Staeger Street when he lost control and hit a fire hydrant, then slammed into a utlity pole. 

Police say he was killed on impact.

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(APD) The Akron Police Department Traffic Reconstruction Unit is investigating a fatal accident that occurred on Saturday, July 16, 2016 at 2:50am.

A 1998 Mercedes Benz E­-class was traveling at a high rate of speed eastbound on Triplett Boulevard approaching Staeger Street, when the driver lost control, drove left of center on to the northwest corner of the intersection and struck a fire hydrant.

The vehicle continued eastbound, flipped onto its right side and came to rest against a utility pole.

The driver was killed on impact with the utility pole. The Summit County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an autopsy. The victim's name is being withheld pending positive identification and family notifications.

The driver is a 41 year old male from Springfield Township, Ohio.

While Cleveland welcomes the world to the North Coast for the 2016 Republican National Committee, Akron bid goodbye to the world's top soap box racers as the 79th FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby drew to a close.

Among local racers, Emily Harmon of Stow placed fourth in the Rally Masters division, while fifth place was taken by North Canton's Stephanie Gest. 

There was some controversy in the Local Masters Race, as the first-place finisher's car was disqualified after a review found the front mounting plate had been drilled, a violation of the rules. That moved the next round of finishers up one slot.

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(All-American Soap Box Derby) World champions were crowned Saturday at the 79th running of the FirstEnergy All­-American Soap Box Derby at Derby Downs Track. Champions were crowned in the Local, Rally, Ultimate Speed, National Super Kids Divisions and Mayor's Cup Race. The champions are as follows:

The list of speakers for next week's Republican Convention is out -- who's who in the Trump camp, but not exactly a full who's who of national Republicans. No Romney, no Bush brothers or father, no Governor Kasich from the host state but primary opponents Cruz, Christie, Walker, Carson and Huckabee are on the list.

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The list:

(RNC) Jeff Larson, CEO of the 2016 Republican National Convention, today released a partial list of the speakers who will participate in the week-long, all-star event starting July 18th. The convention's theme, "Make America Great Again," will focus on the core themes of Republican Presidential Nominee Donald J. Trump's campaign: national security, immigration, trade and jobs. A final list of speakers and information on convention themes will follow.

Pastor Mark Burns
Phil Ruffin
Congressman Ryan Zinke
Pat Smith
Mark Geist
John Tiegen
Congressman Michael McCaul
Sheriff David Clarke
Congressman Sean Duffy
Darryl Glenn
Senator Tom Cotton
Karen Vaughn
Governor Mike Huckabee
Mayor Rudy Giuliani
Melania Trump
Senator Joni Ernst
Kathryn Gates-Skipper
Marcus Luttrell
Dana White
Governor Asa Hutchinson
Attorney General Leslie Rutledge
Michael Mukasey
Andy Wist
Senator Jeff Sessions
Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn
Alex Smith
Speaker Paul Ryan
Congressman Kevin McCarthy
Kerry Woolard .
Senator Shelley Moore Capito
Dr. Ben Carson
Co-Chair Sharon Day
Natalie Gulbis
Kimberlin Brown
Antonio Sabato, Jr.
Peter Thiel
Eileen Collins
Senator Ted Cruz
Newt Gingrich
Michelle Van Etten
Lynne Patton
Eric Trump
Harold Hamm
Congressman Chris Collins
Brock Mealer
Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn
Governor Mary Fallin
Darrell Scott
Lisa Shin
Governor Rick Scott
Chairman Reince Priebus
Tom Barrack
Ivanka Trump
Attorney General Pam Bondi
Jerry Falwell Jr.
Rabbi Haskel Lookstein
Chris Cox
Senator Mitch McConnell
Tiffany Trump
Governor Chris Christie
Donald J. Trump Jr.
Governor Scott Walker

Zips fans have new rules for tailgating at football games -- with some parking lots open at six in the morning on game days, small gas grills on open surface lots and charcoal grills in some others.

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The following are the tailgating guidelines applicable to The University of Akron football games played at InfoCision Stadium- Summa Field. These guidelines are relevant to University owned surface lots, parking decks, and campus owned green space designated for tailgating. The University of Akron tailgating policy is designed to ensure:

• The comfort and enjoyment of game day patrons.
• The safety, security and well-being of all people associated with game day activities.
• The safeguarding and preservation of all public property under the management of the University.

All guests on campus are required to comply with applicable University policies and State of Ohio laws and regulations. Possession and consumption of alcohol on the property of The University of Akron, including its buildings, facilities, grounds, and parking areas is subject to the laws and regulations of the State of Ohio. Overnight parking, including recreational vehicles, is permitted only in designated parking lots with the prior approval of Parking and Transportation Services (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 330.972.7213). 

Lots 6, 8, 9 and 10 will be open at 6 a.m. on game days. All other campus parking lots will open four (4) hours prior to each game. Vehicle and related tailgating activities can occupy no more than one (1) parking space and must not interfere with traffic lanes and vehicular or pedestrian movement. Saving spaces for other vehicles is not permitted. The unauthorized distribution or sale of merchandise, food or beverages is prohibited. Outside caterers are prohibited without prior application and approval from Aramark.

The use of small gas grills is permitted in open surface parking lots. The use of charcoal grills is permitted in Lots 8, 9, and 10. Grills are prohibited in parking decks. 

Tents larger than 10'x10' are not allowed in tailgating areas. The use and location of larger tents must be approved by the University prior to the day of game and may require special permits. Tents or other raised structures cannot be secured directly into the ground or pavement. Tents must be attended at all times.

Guests are required to bag and dispose of all trash and recyclable products. Portable rest rooms will be available adjacent to designated tailgating areas on game day. University buildings and restrooms are available per each building's game day guidelines.

The University of Akron reserves the right to restrict tailgating at its discretion due to game time, weather conditions, etc.