The Akron Symphony Orchestra season opens on Sept. 15 with its first Classics Series concert featuring some of the best loved music of the stage. Maestro Christopher Wilkins will launch the 2012-2013 season of the Akron Symphony with an energetic opening night program featuring Beethoven's Leonore Overture No. 3, Strauss's youthful tone poem, Don Juan and Tchaikovsky's popular 5th symphony. The concert takes place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15 at The University of Akron's EJ Thomas Hall. Previews from the Podium, a program discussion with Maestro Wilkins, will precede the concert at 7 p.m.

"All three works fit easily into the category of best loved music of all time," said Maestro Christopher Willkins, music director and conductor of the Akron Symphony Orchestra. "One thing you can count on at opening night is that the musicians of the Akron Symphony will create the wow factor all night long."

Have you ever dreamt of having your own farm? How about your very own garden? Maybe you live in an apartment and it’s just a matter of not having the space... Well, a solution to that problem may be right around the block.

Your garden dream can become a reality through Akron Grows, a community gardening program managed by the city of Akron. Before you know it, you can grow your very own fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and/or colorful flowers.

The program uses vacant city lots to provide an opportunity for Akron residents, and residents in any of the surrounding communities, to grow their own food.

The city of Akron will commemorate the events of Sept. 11 for the 10th straight year with ceremonies that will also memorialize the Akron Marine corporal who died in Afghanistan last December.

"The events of Sept. 11, 2001 touched something deep in all of us," said Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic. "Over the years, many residents have joined with us annually to be sure that we never forget the horror of that day and that we remember the bravery of the first responders who put themselves in harm's way to serve others, as well as the men and women who still serve in uniform overseas." More than 3,000 people died at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and on Flight 93 over Pennsylvania on that single day.

Akron's official commemoration will take place Sunday, Sept. 11, at 2 p.m. at the baseball field in Goodyear Heights adjacent to the Reservoir Park Community Center at 1735 Hillside Terrace.

Free performance this weekend is part of Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival

Neos Dance Theatre, of Mansfield, will perform two different programs this weekend at Goodyear Heights Metro Park as part of the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival. Featured this year is Heinz Poll's Schubert Waltzes, a recent addition to the Neos repertoire. Performances Aug. 12 and 13 begin at 7:45 p.m. with a children's program.

Schubert Waltzes, based on the music of Franz Schubert, will be accompanied live by Ohio Ballet's long-time music director David Fischer. Other pieces in the program include selections from Poll's Eight by Benny Goodman, Alejando Cerrudo's Lickety-Split and Bobby Wesner's own setting of Appalachian Spring. Seating will take place on the lawn. Participants are asked to bring chairs or blankets.

In 2001 the City of Akron Recreation Bureau opened a skate park next to Derby Downs and the Blimp Hanger where skaters could legally practice their craft without damaging private property.

It’s a 19,000 square foot sweet spot of fiberglass-reinforced concrete with pyramids, rails and quarter pipes that give local gals and guys a great place to thrash.

The park has some fantastic street art, including the Cobra logo seen above, but unfortunately some punks have sullied this spot, spray painting racial epithets and depositing a ton of litter around the site.

Little infielders, outfielders, pitchers and catchers will be lined up on South Main Street this Saturday for the annual All American Baseball and Softball Parade in downtown Akron.

Leagues from around the city -- Goodyear Heights, North Akron, Ellet, Kenmore, West Akron Little League and West Akron Baseball League -- will send a total of 1,200 youngsters to parade down Main Street and be cheered on by family and fans Saturday morning beginning at 11 a.m..

The route begins at Cedar and Main streets, heads north on Main to Bowery and then west on Bowery to finish at Lock 4.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company officially broke ground on its new global headquarters complex earlier this week.

Goodyear Chairman, CEO and President Richard J. Kramer, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic, and Summit County Executive Russ Pry made brief remarks, then were joined by a number of federal, state and local officials – all who helped negotiate the deal – and together, shovels in hand, they helped start construction at the worksite.

“This was truly a remarkable team effort and a good example of the public and private sectors working together for the common good,” said Kramer. “Goodyear is proud to be a global company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Both Goodyear and the city have changed and grown over the years, but our commitment to Akron remains constant. Goodyear will continue to be a vital part of this community’s future.”

There are a host of commonly misunderstood diseases within the minority community, like cardiovascular disease, prostate and breast cancer and diabetes, among others.

To help combat these afflictions while offering education for community members, LINKS Community and Family Services is hosting a FREE, two-day neighborhood health and wellness fair, April 1, from 1 to 7 p.m., and April 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Open Door AG Church, in the Fellowship Hall, at 745 Upson St., in Akron. Call (330) 794-5230 for info.

Navigating the legal system as a male offender can be overwhelming, but when child custody rights are added to the equation, the frustration can easily mount for the would-be parent. And some of these same men admit they may not even be incarcerated if they had positive male role models early in their lives.

In order to help them become better fathers and positive examples for their children and break the cycle of destructive behavior, residents of Summit County’s Community Based Correctional Facility were recently given a vital legal education regarding custody and parenting rights. The “Connected Conversation” took place in the East Crosier Street Oriana House facility, where residents spoke with Ron Cable, magistrate of the Summit County Domestic Relations Court, via a teleconferenced Skype conversation.

As northeast Ohioans experience yet another winter-driving season, safety is of the utmost importance. Drivers, especially those with small children, take every precaution to avoid accidents. But one area agency recognizes that not all drivers have the knowledge or the means to fully protect children, and it is working hard to change that. Summit County Safe Kids Coalition, one of 280 Safe Kids programs nationally, works with local agencies to protect children from preventable, unintentional injuries.