Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How will Akron’s new AI assistant change your next police call?

And on the Akron Patch calendar - Music at Bath: Burning River Brass Christmas Concert

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Wednesday December 17th Patch AM
Wednesday December 17th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Hello again Akron! We’re bringing you the latest town highlights. Don’t miss out, keep going! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • How will Akron’s new AI assistant change your next police call?
  • How new polymer funding could reshape Greater Akron’s innovation economy
  • Why an Akron daughter is taking a group home to federal court

Also on today's calendar: Music at Bath: Burning River Brass Christmas Concert and 9 more events.

Find out what's happening in Akronfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Akron? Post it to Akron photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️

Today's riddle: The doctor told me to drink carrot juice after a hot bath. - Did it help? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Find out what's happening in Akronfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Weather forecast:

  • Wednesday: Clouds giving way to some sun, with a high of 38 and low of 28 degrees.
  • Thursday: Cloudy and breezy; p.m. rain, temps: high: 52, low: 23.
  • Friday: Flurries; windy, much colder, with a high of 31 and low of 22 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Akron police implement AI-powered assistant for non-emergency calls known as 'Ava': Here's how it works (wkyc.com) — Akron residents will now reach an AI assistant named Ava when they call the police non-emergency line, with human dispatchers still reviewing all information and handling urgent cases. The Akron Police Department says the system should free up staff to focus on 911 calls while keeping non-emergency help timely. Nearby Summit County communities have already reported positive results with the same technology.
   

2. Polymer Cluster adds new projects to receive funding through innovation hub (crainscleveland.com) — New funding through the Greater Akron Polymer Innovation Hub is backing 13 research and commercialization projects, including a major sustainable polymers initiative at the University of Akron. Local leaders say this investment will help transform the region’s polymer ecosystem, support workforce development, and drive new economic growth tied to advanced materials and recycling technologies.
   

3. Daughter sues after Akron mother is killed in group home facility (beaconjournal.com) — An Akron caregiver’s fatal stabbing at a Shaw Avenue group home has led her daughter to file a federal lawsuit accusing the home’s operators and the Summit County Board of Developmental Disabilities of negligence. The suit claims inadequate background checks, training, and supervision allowed a resident with a violent history to live with and allegedly kill 56-year-old Diane Bell in November 2024.
   

4. Review: Shows on view at Akron Art Museum reveal creative soul of a 200-year-old city (ideastream.org) — Akron’s Art Museum is using several major exhibitions to explore the city’s 200-year identity, from a powerful retrospective of Akron native Alfred McMoore to vivid Haitian tapestries and historic Cuyahoga Valley landscapes. On view through the holidays, the shows highlight Akron’s creative grit, natural beauty, and evolving sense of place, all inside the museum’s striking downtown building.
   

5. Premature baby born away from Bowling Green heads home (wbko.com) — A Bowling Green couple unexpectedly welcomed their son while visiting Akron, where he was delivered at Akron General and cared for in Cleveland Clinic Children’s NICU. After 63 days in intensive care, the baby is healthy enough to head home, highlighting the critical role Akron’s advanced neonatal services played in his survival.
   

📸 Around Akron

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Akron

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Akron Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Looking for Loving Home for Sweet Senior Dog – Luna 🐾
    We’re searching for a new forever home for Luna, a gentle 17-year-old mixed breed who still has a few golden years left (estimated 3 years). She’s a… (Nextdoor Akron)
  • Don't let your pets suffer in freezing cold
    like this. Keep them inside where they can stay warm. It's the right thing to do! (Nextdoor Timber Top)
  • MyJobsCorner posted a job opening for Inventory Control Jobs: Hiring Immediately! Full Time / Part Time - $18-$36/Hr in Akron. Apply here.
  • Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. posted a job opening for Doughnut Decorator in Akron. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Akron here.

Ok Akron! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don’t know. I can never finish drinking the hot bath!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Akron