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Akron’s history as the rubber capital of the world has been celebrated in books and a documentary. Now the city has a plan to recognize the thousands of workers who made that happen.

It started with a suggestion from a man who worked at B.F. Goodrich in the late 1970s.

“There’s still a rubber pulse in Akron. It’s still beating," said Joel Neilsen of Broadview Heights. He first felt that pulse when he started his career as a 20-something tire development engineer. He recalls interacting with the workers.

The Browns head into their Sunday game against the Balitmore Ravens with a 1-2 record. They lost to the L.A. Rams 20-13 on Sunday. Head coach Freddie Kitchens took the blame for the loss, citing his poor play calling towards the end of the game. WKSU sports commentator Terry Pluto said there were some positives to take from yet another disappointing offensive performance.

The intense fight over a petition drive seeking to overturn Ohio's nuclear bailout law is escalating with a counter petition now circulating around the state. The pro-nuclear bailout group is calling it a grassroots effort which doubles down on their anti-foreign investors’ message.

The Akron Parks Challenge asks the community to envision how to better use the city’s neighborhood parks. In Kenmore, residents are restoring a long-neglected gem.

Akron-Canton Airport is looking to make it easier for travelers to Northeast Ohio to take advantage of the region’s bike trails.

The airport has unveiled its first bike assembly station.

Ren Camacho is the president and CEO of the airport.

“With folks looking to have healthier lifestyles, be more fitness oriented, we’re confident that this amenity will be both used by travelers and employees. So, we’re excited about the opportunity to provide that amenity.”

Negotiations between General Motors and striking auto workers revolve in part around a plant that has shut down. Six months ago, the last Chevy Cruze rolled off the assembly line in Lordstown, Ohio.  

When the UAW last struck General Motors, in 2007, the thousands of members in Lordstown were ready. They packed the two local union halls, signing up for six-hour shifts at the nine gates of the sprawling plant in northeast Ohio. Things are very different now.

There’s a relatively new music festival near Dayton that bears the nickname many political watchers have given Ohio: Bellwether. For author David Giffels, who’s working on a new book about what's on the minds of voters ahead of next year’s presidential election, that was enough for him to include it in his travels around the state. In this month's check-in with Giffels, we talk with him about his recent trip to the Bellwether Music Festival.

The Browns got in the win column on Monday with a victory against the Jets, but the team still has plenty of kinks to work out. WKSU sports commentator Terry Pluto said the defense was outstanding, along with new receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. But quarterback Baker Mayfield and the offense struggled a bit overall. Still, he said a win’s a win.

A three-day, multi-agency, undercover human trafficking sting in Central Ohio has resulted in 104 people being arrested.  This sting is just the latest in statewide efforts to combat human trafficking.

Attorney General Dave Yost says 30 police agencies worked together in this sting, an operation called “Fourth and Goal.” Fifty-three of 104 arrests were for felonies, and 26 arrests involved crimes against children. 

This fall, media outlets, universities and people around the world are remembering the year 1619, the year a ship carrying more than 20 slaves came ashore in what is now Virginia. An exhibition at the Allen Memorial Art Museum in Oberlin looks at how artists are exploring slavery and the African Diaspora.

In this week's State of the Arts, we take a walk through "Afterlives of the Black Atlantic."

Hiram College’s plan to reduce tuition by thirty-five percent for all undergrads could have an impact well beyond the school.

Hiram College President Lori Varlotta says the goal is to reduce the sticker shock of going to Hiram and ease concern when applying. Varlotta says in the past her students rarely paid the full price, which was $37,710.

If you’ve watched a Cleveland Cavaliers game on TV in the past 13 years, you likely heard the voice of Fred McLeod. The Cavs’ play-by-play announcer died suddenly on Monday. He was 67.  WKSU sports commentator Terry Pluto said the longtime broadcaster was about to enter his 14th season with an organization that he loved.

The Browns have less than a week to regroup after their embarrassing season-opening loss to the Tennessee Titans. The team that's been hyped in the off-season was blown out by a score of 43-13. WKSU sports commentator Terry Pluto lists five things the Browns must fix heading into their Monday Night Football showdown on the road against the New York Jets. 

A group fighting to protect the state law bailing out nuclear power plants is plastering the state with fliers. The mailings urge people not to sign a petition that would put a rejection of the bailout before voters, connecting the referendum effort to Chinese government interests.

These fliers are popping up in mailboxes everywhere. A bold Chinese flag draped over a fading American flag, with the message "Don't Give The Chinese Government Your Information."

Working to support wind and solar has become almost standard in states nationwide. Some are even phasing out coal, but not Ohio. It recently passed a law doubling down on subsidies for power plants.  

President Trump is expected to decide Tuesday whether to effectively eliminate a national refugee program credited with revitalizing Akron and other Midwestern cities. 

Additive Manufacturing, better known as 3-D printing, is one of the fastest growing technology sectors.

It’s a printing process where plastic or metal parts are built-up layer by layer.

In this week’s Exploradio, we look at where the industry is headed and how Northeast Ohio is building itself into the nation’s additive leader.

Like many cities in Northeast Ohio, Barberton—known as the magic city-- is facing issues of population loss, job loss, and financial difficulty. While it is a city rich in civic pride, those challenges are playing a role in next week’s Democratic mayoral primary.

Whoever wins will have to bring together a city divided. 

Since the state passed a medical marijuana law in 2016, not many growing sites, processing facilities and dispensaries have been approved by the state. This delay is slowing down the expansion of the cannabis industry. 

Tess Bennett's article "A Budding Industry" in the Devil Strip outlines the state of the medical marijuana industry in Akron. She said the state's not to blame because of how new the regulation process is for Ohio. "Road bumps are to be expected," Bennett said.

Akron recording artist Gabriel Schray, who releases music as G S Schray, has been active in the local music scene for more than 20 years.

Fans are pinning their hopes on a big season for the Cleveland Browns. The hype has been building since quarterback Baker Mayfield led the team’s turnaround last year. They’ve since added star wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. They open the season Sunday at home against the Tennessee Titans.