Good morning, Akron.

City officials and residents rededicated Schneider Memorial Park on Oct.

28 to honor hundreds buried there from the Summit County Infirmary, with a wreath ceremony and carnations at 370 Schneider Park Drive to preserve the site's history and recognize the poor and infirm who were interred there.

Schneider Memorial Park will be dedicated in Akron to honor the hundreds of Summit County Infirmary residents buried there, and organizers say the ceremony will recognize their lives and the site's history.

After a News 5 story in August, volunteers from New Beginnings of Akron cleaned up a long-vacant house on 7th Avenue, neighbors say.

City has approved demolition with no date yet, and the parcel will be listed for sale in the coming days.

Ashley Steele will become president and CEO of Akron nonprofit United Disability Services, effective Nov.

2, taking over for retiring leader Brian Thomas; she brings more than 15 years of nonprofit experience and is currently chief of staff at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (she previously led Urban Mission Ministries).

Merriman Valley Pizza at 640 Portage Trail Extension W. is offering chef-driven pies like a street corn pizza, plus new build-your-own pasta and risotto and a house-made peanut butter pie the chef once declined $10,000 to sell; it operates Tue–Thu noon, Fri–Sat 4 p.m., Sun noon until sold out.

Nordstrom Rack will open to the public today at 9 a.m. at 3977 Medina Road in Montrose Plaza, unveiling a 29,000 sqft store with discounted designer clothing, shoes, and cosmetics.

The grand-opening celebration will include a local coffee cart + giveaways.

Crumbl Cookies has closed 57 U.S. stores so far this year as sales fell, and the chain still operates about 48 locations in Ohio (several near Akron) while operators warn more closures could come and leadership changes are planned.

Akron-based FirstEnergy said contracted data-center demand climbed to 7.9 GW by the end of Q3 2026 and lifted total demand to 27 GW (including pipeline), with CEO Brian Tierney saying about 4 GW more is in active negotiations.

Akron Early College will hold a parade at 1 p.m. Nov.

5 to celebrate topping the state report card, starting at East Buchtel and South Main, moving via Bowery and Lock 4 to end at Lock 3 for a community rally (speakers include Superintendent Mary Outley, Mayor Shammas Malik, and Principal Tom O’Neil).

The 2026 Ohio high school football playoffs will begin this weekend, with eight Akron-area teams playing at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct.

30, and six other local teams holding first-round byes (Week 10).

Woodridge beat Cuyahoga Falls 37-7 and will host Poland Seminary in the first-round playoff game on Oct.

30 at 7 p.m.; Highland finished 9-1 and Walsh Jesuit finished 7-2, and both earned first-round byes.

At Rocket Arena on Oct.

28, the Cavaliers beat the Wizards 121-111 after rallying from a 10-point halftime deficit; Evan Mobley had 24 points, Peyton Watson 22, Donovan Mitchell 19, and Washington rookie AJ Dybantsa debuted with a team-high 19. The Cavs improved to 3-1.