Love is in the air for one of our favorite local mascots... Well, TWO of them...
Tuesday afternoon a man walked into the PNC Bank at 181 Massillon Road, armed with a knife, demanding money. He jumped the counter and proceeded down the line of tellers, taking money from each of the cash drawers and stuffing it into a backpack he was wearing on his chest.
After the robbery, the suspect got into a black Chevy Malibu and drove away from the bank.
Not too long after the robbery, Akron Police Officers spotted the Malibu pulling into a parking lot in the 500 block of Sherman Street. That's when they arrested 22-year-old Darrion L. Powers (pictured) of Akron, who is now charged with armed robbery and more.
Addiitonally, Police Detectives charged Powers in connection to the January 4th robbery of the Huntington Bank on South Arlington Street. Both robberies played out the same.
Powers has been booked in the Summit County Jail, and according to Akron Police Lt. Rick Edwards' press release, he's likely responsible for several other robberies in Cuyahoga Falls. So far he's charged with two counts of aggravated robbery.
(Akron Zoo) The Akron Zoo is sad to announce the passing of their male river otter, Porthos. Porthos went into cardiac arrest during a routine exam and passed away after CRP efforts were not able to revive him. From the results of the necropsy (an animal autopsy) and related analysis, it appears Porthos had a congenital condition that lead to his passing.
Porthos was a favorite among zoo guests. He would interact with guests when they slide down the otter slide which goes through the otter habitat. He was born on March 19, 2010 at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. He arrived at the Akron Zoo in 2013 from the Dayton Boonshoft Museum for the opening of the Mike & Mary Stark Grizzly Ridge. The median life expectancy for North American river otters is 12 years.
“We are heartbroken over the sudden loss of Porthos,” said Doug Piekarz, president & CEO at the Akron Zoo. “Porthos was a wonderful ambassador for his species and we will all miss him. Thank you to our veterinary care staff for their heroic efforts in this difficult situation.”
As an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Akron Zoo participates in the River Otter Species Survival Plan (SSP). The SSP works to ensure the long-term survival of North American river otters through breeding and population management programs. Thanks to local conservation efforts to clean up pollution in rivers and streams, North American river otters are listed as least concern in Ohio as the population has rebounded in the past two decades.
The zoo’s female otter, Molly, will remain in the river otter habitat daily.
UPDATE: Multipe reports from news outlets are that both Skylar Williams and her alleged abductor Ty'rell Pounds are dead following a possible shootout with police in, or near Louisville, Kentucky on Tuesday.
A recent Facebook post from Pounds indicates the two were in a relationship and having trouble, including a possible custody battle over their child. A portion reads, "Your mother kept me away from you and I was fighting for you through the court system..."
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A statewide manhunt is underway for Ty'rell Pounds, who police say abducted Skylar Williams from an OSU-Mansfield parking lot Monday morning, around 11:45.
News 5 says OSU's Department of Public Safety reported that Pounds stole a dark-colored 2019 Dodge Caravan at gunpoint around 2 p.m. That vehicle's license plate is FMZ-9621.
Anyone with any information on the whereabouts of Williams, Pounds, or the vehicle is asked to call the Mansfield Post of the Highway Patrol.
This Week in Tech with Jeanne Destro-2-8-19 Featured
Written by Jeanne Destro
This week, recovering from a cyber attack, electronic surveillance, and digital license plates. We'll also hear about how cryptocurrency investors may have just lost millions of dollars, and a hedgehog inspired football helmet.
***Please note: This show is now available as a podcast on Apple and Android devices. To find out how, follow these links: Apple, or Android.
More...
Student Athletes of the Week Kylee Beaty and Eric Auffenberg
Written by Aaron ColemanThis week our 1590 WAKR Female Student Athlete of the Week is Kylee Beaty a senior basketball player from Wadsworth High School.
Firestone Racing Committed to Akron Through 2025
Written by Ryan LangINDYCAR and Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (Bridgestone) today announced a five-year partnership extension for the Firestone brand to continue serving as the sole tire supplier and Official Tire of the NTT IndyCar® Series through 2025. The agreement, which includes continued rights for Firestone as the Official Tire of the Indianapolis 500®, furthers the brand’s storied history in open-wheel racing and its longstanding commitment to tire innovation.
In support of this extension, Bridgestone also announced plans to build a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Akron, Ohio that will serve as the future home of Firestone race tire manufacturing. The Bridgestone Advanced Tire Production Center (ATPC) will be located across the street from the Bridgestone Americas Technical Center and less than a mile from the Bridgestone Advanced Technology Workshop, where race tires are currently produced. Plans for the ATPC include both new construction and the full renovation of an existing structure.
The news was shared at a special event in Indianapolis that included INDYCAR and Bridgestone leaders, racing legend Mario Andretti, and veteran INDYCAR driver and team owner Ed Carpenter. A second event also was held at the Bridgestone Americas Technical Center in Akron with two-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Jr.
“Champions have relied on Firestone tires for more than a century, and racing has always been the ideal proving ground for new technologies that help us evolve and advance our company’s passenger tire offerings,” said Philip Dobbs, chief marketing officer, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. “As the NTT IndyCar Series continues gaining momentum, we are introducing new fans to the Firestone brand and strengthening our relationship with the drivers who use our durable, dependable Firestone tires.”
“Firestone has long been a great INDYCAR partner and is making a huge investment to the NTT IndyCar Series with its new facility in Akron,” INDYCAR president Jay Frye said. “This extension also reflects Firestone’s commitment to helping to shape INDYCAR’s paddock-wide, five-year plan.”
Firestone is entering its 20th consecutive season as the sole tire supplier of the NTT IndyCar Series. It will produce and deliver more than 26,000 Firehawk race tires to teams across the upcoming 2019 schedule, including more than 6,000 tires for track activities related to the Indianapolis 500 alone. The brand’s roots in the sport date back to 1911 when the inaugural Indianapolis 500 was won on Firestone tires. In all, “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” has been won on Firestone tires 69 times – more than double all other tire manufacturers combined.
“I started driving on Firestone tires 55 years ago, and they were on my car for the 1969 Indianapolis 500 when I took the checkered flag,” said Mario Andretti. “The trust I have always placed in Firestone was cemented that day 50 years ago when I drove on the same right rear tire for the whole race – and it never let me down. Firestone has always been a dependable partner, and I am excited to see its partnership with INDYCAR continue.”
The new ATPC will continue a legacy of tire manufacturing in Akron that began with the founding of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in 1900. A team of more than 50 expert tire builders and manufacturing professionals at the Advanced Technology Workshop currently keeps that tradition alive through the production of more than 60 unique race tire specifications for the NTT IndyCar Series season. All race tire manufacturing will move to the new facility over the next four years, and early plans are for the site to produce its first Firestone Firehawk race tires for testing in the NTT IndyCar Series by the end of 2020.
“The Akron community and race tire development have each played significant roles in our company’s past, and they will continue to drive innovation for us in the future,” said Nizar Trigui, chief technology officer, Bridgestone Americas. “We are proud to ensure that Firestone race tires will be built in Akron for many years to come, soon in a new facility that will be as cutting-edge as the tires it produces.”
In addition to providing tire technology and on-track support, Firestone will continue to be a key partner in the marketing and promotion of the NTT IndyCar Series. The brand’s comprehensive, season-long activation includes fan engagement, sponsorships and signage at multiple venues, robust social and digital media programs, traditional media, and hospitality.
The 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season kicks off March 10 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, which will be broadcast live on NBCSN at 1:00 PM ET. Firestone also recently announced it will serve as title sponsor of the season-ending Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech® Raceway Laguna Seca, which will be broadcast live on NBC on September 22 at 2:30 PM ET.