The City of Akron is saving $17 million dollars on the cost of its sewer improvement project, through a reduced interest rate on a loan from the Ohio EPA.

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan says the city is committed to meeting environmental obligations and improving water quality, while also finding ways to reduce the cost of sewer projects for Akron rate payers.

Meanwhile, work has begun on Cuyahoga Street, for the Carpenter Sewer Separation project.

The $2.3 million dollar project is part of the city's massive, federally-mandated effort to separate sanitary sewers from storm sewers.

Update: On Wednesday morning, Akron Municipal Court Judge Ann Marie O'Brien denied bond for Stanley Ford, 58, saying she's never seen such a heinous act in her time as a judge. 

Ford is due back in court Thursday morning for an initial appearance with his attorney. He is expected to enter a plea. 

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58-year-old Stanley O. Ford of Akron has been charged with one count of aggravated arson, and seven counts of aggravated murder in connection with the deadly fire on May 15th, that claimed the lives of seven family members on Fultz Avenue in Akron. 

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Cleveland and Federal law enforcement officials are still on the hunt for Steve Stephens, the man who recorded himself shooting and killing 74 year old Robert Godwin of Cleveland apparently at random this weekend, and posting the video to Facebook.

Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams says they do no know where he is, and they have expanded their search outside of the Cleveland area, and throughout the Midwest. He's asking Stephens to turn himself in, and is warning family and friends that they will face charges if they help Stephens hide or evade capture.

The US Marshall's Service and FBI are assisting in the search.

Meanwhile, Robert Godwin's family and friends are asking people not to contribute to any GOFUNDME, or other online solicitations for Godwin's memorial, because they are not behind them.

The 63 year old Streesboro man alleged to have shot and killed 24 year old Keith Johnson of Akron in a dispute over a dirt bike recently, has been indicted on multiple felony charges by the Summit County Grand Jury.

William Knight is charged with two counts of murder, and two counts of felonious assault, for the shooting which ocurred on March 20th. Knight is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges next Wednesday, April 19th, in Summit County Common Pleas Court.

1:39pm Update on Amber Alert:

The Amber Alert has been cancelled and the children were located safely. The suspect in this case remains at large.

An Amber Alert has been issued out of Willoughby Hills, OH.

Willoughby Hills police are looking for a man accused of threatening his girlfriend with a gun, and taking her vehicle--with two children inside.

Be on the lookout for Clarence Davis, who police say is armed and dangerous. He's driving a dark blue HUN-DAY, and has a three and five year old girl with him. 

Davis is described as a 5'9, 215 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair, and is driving a dark blue 2013 Hyundai Sonata with license plate GWS5908. A front license plate has BOB written on it.

During his "State of the City" address today, Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan promised to do more with less, and to continue efforts to revitalize the city of  despite continued economic challenges.

Horrigan pointed to action he's taken over the past year to reduce spending on city health care benefits, to increase collection of funds owed to the city, and to cut the cost of the city's massive sewer improvement project, as examples of progress.

He also pledged that support for basic city services such as police, fire, and road maintenance, will remain strong.

The State of the City event also included an appearance from Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro, who presented a $50,000 check for a law school endowment to University of Akron President, Matthew Wilson.

The money will be used for scholarships, and was given to the University in honor of former County Executive, Russ Pry, who passed away last year.

Long lost recordings of songs sung by holocaust survivors in the years immediately following World War II have been found at the University of Akron.

The songs were part of a collection of material from psychologist David Boder, who recorded interviews with holocaust survivors back in 1946.

Dr. David Baker who is the Executive Director of the University's Center for the History of Psychology, says the recordings have been in their archives since 1967, but were in a mislabeled canister, and not found until recently.

But, because they were so old and recorded on wire instead of tape; they couldn't play them back. So, one of their media specialists actually constructed a new playback device using both old and new parts.

The songs are sung by a woman who had been in a forced labor camp in Poland. One, is a song that Jews would sing to inspire resistance against the Nazis, and another is a song the Germans forced their captors to sing while working in forced labor camps.

Copies of the recordings will now become part of the collection at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.

Long lost recordings of songs sung by holocaust survivors in the years immediately following World War II has been found at the University of Akron.

The songs were part of a collection of material from psychologist David Boder, who recorded interviews with holocaust survivors back in 1946.

Dr. David Baker who is the Executive Director of the University's Center for the History of Psychology, says the recordings have been in their archives since 1967, but were in a mislabeled canister, and not found until recently.

But, because they were so old and recorded on wire, instead of tape; they couldn't play them back. So, one of their media specialists actually constructed a new playback device using both old and new parts.

The songs are sung by a woman who had been in a forced labor camp in Poland. One, is a song that Jews would sing to inspire resistance against the Nazis, and another is a song the Germans forced their captors to sing while working in forced labor camps.

Copies of the recordings will now become part of the collection at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.

Wadsworth City Council is considering ways to improve and revitalize their downtown.

Mayor Robin Laughbaugh says some proposed plans came out of community meetings, and ideas from the town's Chamber of Commerce. What those plans showed, she said, is that what many people want is more green space.

But, since the city doesn't have a big park or other open space downtown; they'll be considering ideas like planting trees, and acquiring some new property.

Right now, Laughbaugh says, City Council is mulling over three conceptual drawings of what the new and improved downtown could look like.

No word yet on how long it might take for the new plan to come together.

Less than 30 days after opening a hornet's nest by firing Emergency Room doctors, the head of Summa Health System is leaving. Dr. Thomas Malone submitted his resignation to the board, saying he didn't want to be a "distraction" in the wake of a no-confidence vote by Summa's doctors and widespread criticism of the hospitals actions. Dr. Jeff Wright, who's with the emergency room doctor group whose contract was abruptly terminated over the holidays talked to us on the Ray Horner Show this morning.