Have you ever been to a block party? One where the street is actually blocked off and music is being played and people walk around and chat with each other in a way that suggests friendly neighborhoods are alive and well in America? I’d daydreamed about attending a block party like this for years, and it finally happened last Tuesday on Goodyear Boulevard between Newton Street … [Read more...]
Kenmore battles negative community perceptions (Part IV in a series)
Let’s address some of the negative perceptions people have of Kenmore. I’ve heard the terms “hillbilly” and “white trash” thrown around. I’ve heard complaints about unkempt front yards debasing the neighborhood’s appearance. Some think the young kids have no Kenmore pride, that they just want to get the hell out. Some associate Kenmore with the current heroin epidemic, … [Read more...]
Noted authors George Saunders, Rob Sheffield visit Akron this week
If you consider yourself a fan of literature, this is a good week to live in Akron. A reading and Q&A session with author George Saunders will take place at the the Akron-Summit County Public Library's Main Library Thursday, April 6, 7 p.m. On April 7, author Rob Sheffield will be giving a reading and Q&A on the University of Akron’s campus at 7 p.m. in the Olin Hall … [Read more...]
A historic detour through Kenmore’s salt mines, buffalo trails and lost fire trucks (Part III in a series)
Let’s have a history lesson. If you are standing, say, in the Kenmore Branch of the Akron-Summit County Public Library (located in what was once Kenmore’s city hall, which housed the police department, fire department, doctor’s office, dentist, court and library), you’re above a salt mine, or what used to be one. Kenmore was once a town of salt miners and rubber … [Read more...]
Could the Rialto Theatre kickstart Kenmore as an Arts District? (Part II of a series about Kenmore)
(Read Part I here) Quick Kenmore Fact: A New York Times article published May 10, 1920 lists Kenmore, Ohio as the country’s fastest-growing city, according to then-recent census data. Kenmore was not technically a city until 1922, but regardless, it is listed in the article, the subheader of which reads, “Census Returns Show Gains Ranging Up to 712.5 Per Cent In … [Read more...]
What’s up with Kenmore?: Documenting the people and places of a changing neighborhood (Part I of a series)
Kenmore is Akron’s underappreciated little sibling. At least this is how some residents feel. Although the neighborhood has been part of the city since its annexation in 1928, it has the essence of a place left to itself. People talk of Kenmore as if there’s nothing here besides a steady crime rate and abandoned buildings, which isn’t true. Kenmore Boulevard, with its … [Read more...]
Tracey Thomas takes Jilly’s stage with Ralph Carney, Terry Hynde
You’ve heard of Tracey Thomas, right? She’s that girl who sang for Unit 5, an underrated post-punk band that busted out in the early '80s, back when the term “Akron Sound” was being used to describe a bunch of forward-thinking rock bands hailing from our fine postindustrial city. Thomas is still around and making music, but don’t think she only plays rock (although she still … [Read more...]
First Nerds’ Night Out event combines nerd culture, barbecue, Thirsty Dog beer
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, one definition of the word “nerd” is “a person who pursues an unfashionable or highly technical interest with obsessive or exclusive dedication.” Nerds' Night Out is a series of events celebrating Akron’s nerdy heritage (think Devo, David Giffels, etc.) and targeted at the city’s nerd demographic. The first Nerds' Night Out, a free … [Read more...]
Taylor Carano brings swagger, brand of ‘rusty barn rock blues’ to Empire Concert Club
Taylor Carano is a whiskey kind of guy. You can hear it in his music, which he describes as “alternative folk/funk rock,” but is probably better described as “brown liquor music” or “rusty barn rock blues.” Carano has been releasing music under his own name and with former bands The Bleeding Feathers and The Fleecers since his teens. He’s rocked many local venues, … [Read more...]
‘Native son’ reflects on wild boy past, helping young people recover from substance abuse
Packard Institute founder uses outdoor adventure, unconventional techniques in recovery journey -- Raynard Packard describes himself as “a native son with a split pedigree.” This seems accurate coming from a man who has, at different points in his life, been a Dogtown-era skateboarder, Olympic torch-bearer, drug addict, paratrooper, doctoral student, dedicated … [Read more...]
