Displaying items by tag: WAKR

The city of Stow has its share of restaurants are retail complexes, whether it is in the Stow-Kent area off Route 59 or the area near Graham Road and Hudson Drive. But those areas are on the outskirts of town. What about actual downtown Stow?

Sara Kline, the mayor of Stow, says the city plans to change that. Kline joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to discuss the Darrow Road corridor, near the Graham Road intersection, where a plan will be to construct a community entertainment complex. City council will have to approve these plans before Stow can file them to the state of Ohio.

The first step before it reaches council is to draw out concept plans and proposals, and Kline says they look to emulate nearby towns with developed downtowns such as Kent, Hudson, and Cuyahoga Falls.

The city of Barberton continues to tweak and improve their city, and a major part of that is fixing the streets. Through federal grants, Barberton has received over $8 million for road improvements.

Bill Judge, the mayor of Barberton, joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to discuss the grant. Judge believes this is “huge news” and “desperately needed” to fix the streets. The streets getting the facelift to start are Norton Avenue, and Wooster Road North and West. Judge is hoping for additional funding down the road for infrastructure.

As for the current roads and conditions during the winter, Judge says the salt supply is still doing well, and they have when they need for city services.

There's a big high school basketball game in Akron tonight, and two rival teams will take the hardwood.

T.K. Griffith of Hoban spoke with Sam Bourquin ahead of the game.

 

 Dru Joyce of STVM also joined Sam to talk about the Irish side of things. 

 

 

Tonight's game at Hoban's Barry Gymnasium is sold out. 

Pete Fierle, Chief of Staff and Vice President of Communications for the Pro Football Hall of Fame spoke with Sam and Brad Monday to talk about the 8-member Class of 2018.

The nominees were Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, Robert Brazile, Bobby Beathard, Jerry Kramer, and Brian Dawkins. 

Sam and Brad spoke with Ken Thomson of Sports X Radio in Las Vegas to talk about the prop bets and the fun surrounding the Big Game Sunday. 

 

One of the Tribe's most popular and productive players will be enshrined in Cooperstown in July, and had a chance to reflect on his time in Cleveland with the media and fans.

Jim Thome was back in Cleveland to answer questions from the media one week after he recieved his call to the Hall.

He talked about the pride he felt in being a first-ballot Hall of Famer and how he accomplished that feat with the help of his teammates and coaching staff.

"The man gets the honor, but it's so much more than about just the individual honor," he said.

 

 Thome and Bob Feller are the only two players in Indians history to be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

Thome retired with 612 home runs and five All-Star appearances in 22 seasons in the Major Leagues.

One of Jim's mentors, former Tribe hitting coach and manager Charlie Manuel spoke with him before he received the call to Cooperstown. Thome recalled how Charlie helped build up not only his confidence, but the other players around him.

"Charlie's greatest gift is that he could build anybody up to be great, at least make them think they're great, and that's what I love most about him."

Thome is one of six members in this year's Hall of Fame Class, joining Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones, Vladamir Guererro, along with Jack Morris and Alan Trammell, who were elected this past December.

Thome had a sit-down interview with the radio voice of the Indians, Tom Hamilton before he spoke with the media. That interview can be seen on Sports Time Ohio at a later time.

The event was held at the Westfield Insurance Studio inside the Idea Center in Cleveland's Playhouse Square.

He says he does not know who will present him for enshrinement in July, but that he will speak with his wife Andrea, who was in the audience, and decide that at a later time.

In addition, Jim says he will wear the Block C at his induction in light of the news surrounding Chief Wahoo's removal earlier in the week. 

 For the full interview, click below

 

Lauren Lucas from Norton High School is the female Student Athlete of the Week for February 2nd-9th.

Lauren is a senior at Norton, and is a member of the Panther basketball team. Brian Miller’s girls are having a terrific season, going on a terror in their conference, and Lauren is a key player for Norton.

However, it has not been all smiles for Lauren, as she spent much of 2017 rehabbing from an ACL injury. That injury also affected her time on the softball field, as she is the catcher for the Panthers. In fact, Lauren says she enjoys basketball, but her passion is softball.

After high school, Lauren won’t stray too far from home, as she will head to the University of Akron. Thanks to her preparation at Norton, she looks to major in special education. "The teachers and staff are great,” she says of Norton High School. “They prepare us to look ahead.”

However, because of her injury, she does not plan to pursue softball in college.

A lifer in Norton, Lauren has enjoyed her time in the school district. "We’re like a big family, and we all support each other.”

When she is not on the court or the diamond, Lauren has her hands full around the school. She is a member of student council, the pep club, peer mentoring, and a part of the prom committee.

Connor Kerr of Mogadore High School is this week's 1590 WAKR Male Student Athlete of the Week.

Connor is a soft-spoken junior who lets his play do the talking on the court, as he along with his teammates have the Wildcats 8-0 in PTC play.

“It's all about hard work," says Connor on playing sports for Mogadore. He has definitely put in that work as a member of the basketball team, as well as the track and football teams. Connor has been a two-year letter winner in both sports and a one-year letter winner in basketball.

​Connor also puts in that same workmen like mentality ​into his studies. He plans on studying Computer Engineering and hopes to attend the University of Akron.

After two seasons as head football coach of the STVM Fighting Irish, Marcus Wattley resigned yesterday to take a position with the University of Akron  and Terry Bowden's staff.

Coach Wattley discussed the decision with Sam Bourquin and Brad Russell.

 

Former Philadelphia Eagle, 14-year NFL veteran, and current analyst for the Pac-12 Network  Eric Allen discussed the upcoming Super Bowl with Sam and Brad Thursday afternoon. 

 

Cleveland Indians Senior V.P. of Public Affairs Bobby DiBiasio spoke at the 1590 WAKR Cleveland Indians Luncheon at the Duck Club.

Bobby D was Canal Park Wednesday to discuss the team as well as the recent news surrounding the removal of Chief Wahoo in 2019.

 

Sam and Brad spoke with NFL Films Senior Producer David Plaut to talk about how he plans on getting his crew out in Minneapolis for the big one on Sunday.

 

"Mr Cavalier" Austin Carr joined the Sam and Brad Show Wednesday to talk about the Cavaliers' loss to the Pistons last night and how they can rebound against the Miami Heat tonight. 

 The game can be heard on 1590 WAKR. 

Austin along with Campy Russell, will be featured speakers at the Shaw JCC Sports Dinner Feb 1. 

Former Canton McKinley Bulldog , OSU guard, and current Color Analyst for the Ohio State Buckeyes Radio Network Ronnie Stokes spoke with Sam and Brad ahead of tonight's game with the Indiana Hoosiers.

Tip-off is at 7pm in Columbus. 

Former New England Patriot and 3-time Super Bowl Champion Troy Brown spoke with Sam and Brad to talk about the Big Game and the Pats' run of success in the 2000's.

Brown played his entire career for the Patriots and is in the team's Hall of Fame.

 

Danny Sheridan from USA Today spoke with Sam Bourquin and Brad Russell to talk odds for the Big Game and the possible legalization of sports betting in America. 

A sad day for softball fans in the area, as the Akron Racers may be no more, at least in 2018. Joey Arrietta, who ran the Racers from top to bottom, joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to sort through the news, which caught her by surprise a few weeks back. Arrietta was ousted as general manager, and now the future of softball remains in doubt. Firestone Stadium will still house high school and collegiate games throughout the summer. An emotional Arrietta says she is fighting to retain the team’s name and the colors, though that is up to the league to decide. As far as the league goes, speculation as to how long it will remain continues to loom.

2018 is nearly a month old, and the mayor of Akron, Dan Horrigan, addressed some of the needs and visions in the community on the Ray Horner Morning Show. Topics discussed: *The Akron Racers not playing in 2018, and how that will affect Firestone Stadium and the area of South Akron *What is left of the Rubber Bowl, which looks to cost about $400,000 to demolish *The area surrounding the Rubber Bowl, including Akron-Fulton Airport. *Continued development of the 31 acres that once made up the Innerbelt *Issue 4 and the upgrades to the city’s roads and firehouses *The sewer project

Sam Amico caught up with Sam Bourquin and Brad Russell ahead of the Wine & Gold's contest against the Indiana Pacers tonight.

 You can hear the game on 1590 WAKR at 7:30pm with coverage beginning at 7pm. 

This week, our 1590 WAKR Male Student Athlete of the Week is Matt Waskey, a junior bowler from East CLC.

Matt says it was family that got him into the sport of bowling and gave him the foundation to enjoy the sport in high school.

“My father got me into it at a young age,” Waskey said. “I started bowling at the elementary school level and it was a fun program to get into.”

A captain on the bowling team,Matt says he enjoys working with his coaches and teammates day in and day out, saying the team is like a family.

Waskey is a member of the 3.0 club and a student ambassador at East. In addition to his love of bowling, Matt also enjoys music and is a member of both the Jazz Band and Concert Band.

Matt plays the saxophone, and plans on studying music at either the University of Akron, Kent State University or The Ohio State University upon graduation in 2019.

We here at 1590 WAKR wish Matt the very best in all of his future endeavors.

The kid out of Peoria, Illinois is headed to Cooperstown, by way of Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Baltimore, and, most notably, Cleveland. Jim Thome, the Indians’ all-time home run leader, is the newest member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, picked on his first try.

Bob DiBiasio, VP of the Tribe, joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to talk about the heart of Thome’s Indians career, which began in 1991, ended in 2002, and had a brief homecoming in 2011. DiBiasio talked about what Thome did off the field, which was where he showcased both his work ethic and his humble personality.

Sheldon Ocker, who covered the Tribe for decades, also came on WAKR to remember Thome. Ocker had the chance to see the lanky infielder grow to become one of his generation’s greatest power hitters. Ocker also shared his thoughts on Omar Vizquel, who had a nice showing in his first time on the ballot.

Chris Broussard of FS1 spoke with Sam and Brad Tuesday night to talk about the Cavaliers and their problems as of late.

 Catch the game on 1590 WAKR with coverage beginning at 7:30pm

Executive Director of the Reese's Senior Bowl Phil Savage joined the Sam and Brad Show to talk about this year's game and some of the notable names you may hear on Sundays.

  

Radio voice of the Ohio State Buckeyes Paul Keels spoke with Sam and Brad Monday to talk about the surging Ohio State Buckeyes basketball team and their success under first year head coach Chris Holtmann.

 

The Buckeyes will take on Nebraska tonight 8pm tip-off on 1590 WAKR with coverage beginning at 7:30pm. 

Tyler Dawson of Springfield High School is this week’s 1590 WAKR Male Student Athlete of the Week.

Tyler is in his senior year at Springfield, and is a key member of the football and basketball teams. H recently knocked down two clutch free throws late to push the Spartans over the Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders, 41-40, and give Springfield their first win of the season.

"Make sure you act like we have been here before,” Tyler told his teammates after the win. “It's the first one, but it wont be the last."

If Tyler isn't on the football field or the court, he is a member of the National Honor Society and CCP.

Tyler plans to continue his education at the University of Akron. He is currently taking classes and looks to study accounting, with the hopes of getting his CBA.

Madison Haywood from Barberton High School is the female 1590 WAKR Student Athlete of the Week for January 19th-26th.

Madison is a swimmer for the Magics, and is currently in her senior season. Though the team is not large, the Magics are competing at their highest level, and Madison is part of the heart and soul.

Though she played other sports such as basketball growing up, Madison fell in love with swimming at a young age. When the local YMCA came to town, she jumped into the pool, and for the last decade, has not looked back.

"I’ve dropped a lot of time this year, and I’ve been placing first, which is really about dropping times and your accomplishments,” says Madison about her senior season.

Some of the events she participates in are the 50 freestyle, the 100 backstroke, and the 200 relay because she enjoys the teamwork.

Madison has won swimming awards in the Suburban League, but she takes great pride in her schoolwork. All four years of high school, she has had a grade point average at or above 3.5.

A Barberton lifer, Madison enjoys her time in the Magic City. "I love it here,” she says. "Obviously, I’ve been here for a long time, so it’s small and we all know each other. And we have a lot of lifelong friends here."

When she is not in the pool, Madison is all over the place in the community. She is a member of the ski club, student council, and National Honor Society, and on the day of this interview, she volunteered her time at the blood drive at Barberton High School. She is also active in her church and has been seen helping out at a local soup kitchen for Thanksgiving.

After high school, Madison plans to head a half hour to the east and attend Kent State University. She says she will hang up her swimsuit in favor of the books, and she is currently undecided on a major, though she is intrigued by Kent’s exploratory program.

Head basketball coach of the Green boys baksetball team, Mark Kinsley spoke with Sam and Brad Wednesday after their 52-49 win over Lake Tuesday night.

Junior guard Kaleb Martin scored 30 points in the win for Green. The Bulldogs are 7-3 on the season. 

Cleveland native, World Heavyweight Champion, and "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Stipe Miocic spoke with Sam Bourquin and Brad Russell ahead of UFC 220 this weekend. 

 

 

Jim Chones, former Cavalier and color analyst for the Cavaliers Radio Network, spoke with Sam and Brad at the Q.

 

NBA TV Host Matt Winer joined the Sam and Brad Show live from Quicken Loans Arena on Monday, as the Cavs prepare to take on Golden State.

 

Charles Davis FOX Sports NFL Analyst and NFL Network College & Pro analyst spoke with Sam and Brad on a Feel Good Friday to discuss the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs. 

 

It has been a half-century since Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. King’s message has resonated with the people for generations, and that continues to this day.

On January 14th, the day before what would have been Dr. King’s 89th birthday, the Akron-Summit County Public Library will host a lecture, which features hall of fame player and coach Lenny Wilkens. “Coach Lenny” joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to not only talk about King, but how Jackie Robinson really affected him while growing up in Brooklyn, New York, in the shadows of Ebbets Field.

Wilkens also talked about LeBron James, coaching the 1992 Dream Team, and what coaches influenced him throughout his career. Wilkens’s speech will be at 2 PM on Sunday, and it is free to the public.

This week's 1590 WAKR Student Athlete of the Week is David Heath from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

David is a standout wrestler for the Irish, and he is having a spectacular senior season thus far. Wrestling won’t stop for David in high school, as he plans on donning the leotard next year at Brown University.

A solid athlete and just as strong in the classroom, David is a member of the National Honors Society, and is involved in Senior Service at St. V.

The family atmosphere at St. Vincent-St. Mary really appeals to David, and he is appreciative of his teachers and peers.

When he has some free time, David enjoys being around his family and spending time with friends.

Continued success, David, and congratulations!

This week, our 1590 WAKR Female Student Athlete of the Week is Lexi Petit, a junor basketball player for Stow-Munroe Falls High School.

Lexi says that team chemistry is one of her favorite things about playing basketball for coach Bob Podges at Stow, but also a key to success for the Lady Bulldogs on the practice floor and on game nights.

“My teammates are my best friends,” Petit said. “Our whole team dynamic gets along very well, and we're like a huge, big family.”

As of this writing, the Bulldogs are 11-1 on the season.

Lexi is a team captain for the Lady Bulldogs, in addition to being a 3rd year letter-winner, and 2nd team All-Suburban League.

Petit is a two sport athlete playing both basketball and golf. She said one of her memorable moments was setting a school record with 11 assists in one game against Brecksville last week.

In her spare time, Lexi likes to play basketball, spend time with her family, and read.

We here at 1590 WAKR wish Lexi the best in all of her future endeavors.

Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted appeared on the Jasen Sokol Show Thursday to talk about being named in a lawsuit regarding the trimming of voters from the rolls.

Oak Harbor Mayor Joe Helle, who was removed from the voter rolls, also spoke about the issue with Jasen.

 

For more information on this ongoing story, click here. 

Chris Holtmann, the Ohio State men's basketball coach talked about his team's successful run on the hardwood,  as the Buckeyes defeated Michigan State and Iowa in their last two contests.

Holtmann joined the Sam and Brad Show Wednesday.  The team plays Maryland at 7pm Thursday in Columbus. 

Steve Dies spoke with Sam and Brad to talk about the 31st Bill Dies Memorial Wrestling Tournament at Firestone CLC.

The tournament will go from January 12 through the 13th and will feature 40 teams.

For more information, click here.

Tickets are just $9 at the door for adults, $7  for seniors and students, and an all session pass is just $25. 

 

Alabama radio play-by-play man Eli Gold spoke with Sam and Brad the day after the Crimson Tide won the National Championship over Georgia last night in Atlanta.

 

It was announced Monday from the mayor’s office than Dan Horrigan will be eliminating three positions in his cabinet. Those positions are in communications, health and education, and community relations.

Horrigan, the mayor of Akron, joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to discuss why he made this decision. With the revenue falling short, Horrigan says he wanted accountability to start with his office. The layoffs, according to the mayor, are “purely for economics,” as this will free up close to $430,000.

Speaking of economics, Horrigan also touched on the dollar allocation from Issue 4. He explains Issue 4 is an 11-month collection, and that will not begin until February.

2018 has been met with chilly weather all across the United States. In the Akron area, temperatures have frequently hovered in the single digits. With these temperatures, what are some tips for folks on how to beat manage during the cold?

Dr. James Libecco, dermatologist at Allied Dermatology and Skincare in Fairlawn, joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to talk about how to take care of one’s skin in this climate. Dr. Libecco warns listeners of frostbite, which has the feel of a burn, so one should be aware.

As a dermatologist, Dr. Libecco also talks about the cracking and dry skin that comes in the winter. Some tips he gives to avoid dry skin are to cut down on the water temperature in the shower, use a gentler soap, and to lather up with lotion within minutes of drying off after a rinse.

2018 has begun, but not for a lot of schools. With the extremely low temperatures, schools across Northeast Ohio have canceled classes for students, thus extending their winter breaks. But how will these dates be made up?

David James, superintendent of Akron Public Schools, talked to the Ray Horner Morning Show about schools’ protocol in calling off classes. In the past, the local districts had five allotted days to play with, but now high school students must have 1,001 hours to complete.

James says if Akron Public Schools has to miss more than the given calamity days due to weather or power outages, students will have to make up the time either after the school year or during spring break.

Scotty D picked against the spread in college and pro football for entertainment purposes only.

He's going with Iowa State over Memphis (+3 1/2) in their bowl game, and UCF and Auburn going over the 67 total points.

 Stay tuned to the rest of the conversation!

This week's 1590 WAKR Male Student Athlete of the Week is Isaiah Johnson from Tallmadge High School.

Isaiah is a sophomore and plays wheelchair basketball for both the Blue Devils and the Junior Cavaliers wheelchair basketball team.

Isaiah enjoys attending Tallmadge, and he attributes a lot of his mental toughness to his mother. He says she has helped him overcome adversity, as well as the overall life challenges on a daily basis.

A long-time fan of LeBron James, Isaiah attends as many Cavalier games as he can.

Best of luck to Isaiah and his career at Tallmadge and in the future!

The 1590 WAKR Female Student Athlete of the Week is Lauren Davis, a junior basketball player from CVCA High School.

Lauren says she got into basketball at an early age and how the camaraderie of her coaches and teammates is something special.

“It started in second grade and I played because all of my friends were playing so I decided to join in,” she said.

“I stuck with it because I like the team aspect of it and how we work together for a common goal.”

With the girls and new coach Andy O'Keefe, it's been a positive experience both on and off the court, despite the day to day grind of competing, winning, and losing.

“We're all kind of like a huge family,” Davis said. “We all pick each other up and we work together really well.”

As the team's point guard, she directs the action on the floor and helps put her teammates in position to make plays scoring the basketball.

Lauren says that her team goal is for her teammates including her to get better each and every day on the court.

In her spare time, Lauren says spending time with family is one of her favorite things to do.

We here at 1590 WAKR wish Lauren the best in all of her future endeavors.

Longtime play-by-play voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers Bill Hillgrove spoke with Sam Bourquin Wednesday ahead of the Steelers and Browns game on Sunday, New Years Eve.

Hillgrove also discussed the Steelers' playoff chances and a possible rematch with New England and new addition, former Steeler (and Akron native) James Harrison. 

 

As 2017 wraps up, the Ray Horner Morning Show caught up with a handful of local mayors to recap the year that was, as well as a preview for 2018.

Dan Horrigan - Akron

Bill Judge - Barberton

Don Walters - Cuyahoga Falls

Gerard Neugebauer - Green

Al Bollas - New Franklin

Sara Kline - Stow

David Kline - Tallmadge

Scotty D in Vegas returned with his picks in college and pro football against the spread for entertainment purposes only.

In the college football realm, in the Dollar General Bowl,  Scotty likes Appalachian State (+7 1/2) against Toledo, he also likes Duke and Northern Illinois in the Quick Lane Bowl (under the 48 total points).

In the pros, Scotty D has a two-team NFL teaser with Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles.

 

This week, the 1590 WAKR Female Student Athlete of the Week is Ashley Forret of Manchester High School.

Ashley is a member of the Panthers basketball team, and will alternate between playing guard and forward on the floor. However, her bread and butter is defense.

"I like to hustle on defense and get rebounds," Ashley says.

Her love of sports is not just sequestered to basketball. During the fall season, Ashley is the water girl for the Manchester football team.

When she is not on the court or football sidelines, Ashley is a member of the Spanish Club, and is also the treasurer of the National Honors Society at Manchester.

After high school, Ashley is looking to stick around the state of Ohio. As of this writing, it is a toss-up between Tiffin University and the University of Cincinnati. No matter which school she chooses, Ashley wants to major in criminal justice.

Wadsworth senior Jordan Earnest is the male 1590 WAKR Student Athlete of the Week for December 22nd-29th.

Jordan is a member of the famed Wadsworth wrestling program, and has his share of accolades to take home. He is a team captain for the Grizzlies, and in his junior year, he was named first-team All-Medina County.

He may not appear to be an intimidating presence in the heavyweight division, but Jordan is more than holding his own against opponents who tip the scales about fifty pounds heavier. Jordan has a solid training method, and though he eats what he pleases, he points to his agility for his success.

first place in North Canton Hoover, coincidentally where he spent his early years

What makes Jordan different from other high school athletes is his focus and passion is on wrestling and wrestling only. “I played football, and that’s how I got into wrestling,” he says. "I played football all the way up to my freshman year, but I just wanted to focus on wrestling, and getting better [at the sport].”

Recently, Jordan took home first place at a tournament at North Canton-Hoover, which just so happens to be the area in which he spent his early years. Since he is not a lifelong resident of Wadsworth, Jordan may have a different perspective on the school than his peers. On Wadsworth, he says he enjoys “the togetherness [of the student body], and how everyone helps each other.

When he is not on the mats, Jordan is studying hard in the classroom, and he is also a student ambassador. He will be making his way to Ohio University in the fall of 2018, and plans on wrestling for the Bobcats.

New Kent State University head coach Sean Lewis spoke with Sam Bourquin on a Thursday afternoon shortly after he was announced as the 22nd football coach in school history.

Lewis comes to Kent from Syracuse University, where he served as offensive coordinator.  He will be taking over for coach Paul Haynes, who was the coach of the Golden Flashes from 2013-2017.