Press Release De Jour

Press Release title that just came across my email: "Democratic Candidate Joe Finley To Have Opposition in Democratic Mayoral Primary September 11." That may be the funniest release I've seen in ages. As if there was any doubt that Don Plusquellic would file his petitions to run again.

Email of the day comes from a nice gentleman in East Akron with a pretty valid complaint about drivers who blare their music so loud that others can hear them a block or so away: "There IS an intimidation factor with these 'Boom Cars' due to the rise in gangs in Akron. A lot of these cars could be 'gang related' and that certainly puts 'fear' into your average law abiding and tax paying citizen like me. The sound and noise that these make has got so bad on and near my area that I am considering moving. I already know of several friends that have already done so specifically due or in part to this growing and ever present problem in Akron. But, I believe, that until it actually is a problem for someone of 'importance', like the Mayor or someone on City Council or any of the above mentioned, it is not even a consideration for them. And, even though I pay my taxes and am a very good citizen of Akron, I am certainly NOT considered an 'important person' ! I guess there are more important 'fish to fry.'"

This writer also took the time to get stats on how many times APD has cited drivers for loud music. 149 in 2005, 109 in 2006, and 15 through the first 100 days of this year. I'll bet this is the type of violation that picks up during the summer months. Anyone else having these type of problems in their neighborhoods?

You probably never noticed on the evening news, but there were several quick changes during our liveshots from Canton last week. The background is that reporter Chris Tye and I are each about 6'3" but reporter Maureen Kyle is barely 5'4". There were several nights that the three of us shared the same camera for our live broadcasts with very little time in between our reports. We kept a metal box right next to the camera for Maureen's shots and had to keep sliding it in and out so she could stand on it. The height of the on-air folks is one of those things you just can't tell from watching at home.

Can someone please tell TV5 where Akron is? Last night, they had reporter Bob Jones live at the House of the Lord with "Lake Township" on the screen. Tonight, Davis was standing with a nice Akron skyline behind him but "Stark County" for a graphic. Certainly TV3 isn't perfect. We once showed an Ohio map that had Akron where Toledo is.