The city of Akron will invest about $3.2 million in the reconstruction of the outdated Cascade Plaza after news that FirstMerit will be keeping its headquarters in Akron.

City Council approved legislation Monday to improve the building and parking deck following the announcement of a merger between FirstMerit and Citizens Republic Bankcorp of Michigan.

"During this merger process, there was the potential we were getting ready to lose 2,000 full-time jobs," said Gary Moneypenny, president of Akron City Council.

City officials say the improvements are an incentive for FirstMerit to remain in Akron and create an additional 150 jobs in the city.

The city says Cascade Plaza, which also acts as the roof of the underground parking facility, has deteriorated over time. It was built in the 1970's.

Moneypenny says renovations made to Cascade Plaza will include improvements to the parking deck.

"We're going to reseal that parking deck. Also, turn that parking deck into more of a 'park-like' atmosphere and that's also along with part of our 'going green' downtown," said Moneypenny.

The city will also provide a Job Creation Incentive in the form of income tax credits to FirstMerit that will provide the company with help towards the cost of their relocation, expansion and new employee training.

Construction of a new critical care tower at Akron Children's Hospital is set to bring some changes for patients.

The changes will begin on April 22 when crews start building the new $200 million expansion project, which includes a new critical care tower on Locust Street. But those plans will require a permanent closure of the road.

The emergency department at Akron Children's Hospital will remain open, but drivers will have to get around construction by paying attention to street signs - not their GPS.

Hospital officials say free valet parking will also be provided to patients.

The critical care tower will include a new emergency department, neonatal intensive care unit and outpatient surgical suites.

Click here to find updated traffic conditions and maps for Akron Children's Hospital.

*Editor's note: The total cost of the expansion project stands at $200 million. The story previously suggested that the number was for construction on the new critical care tower.

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Press Release: Beginning April 22, patient families, visitors and others coming to Akron Children’s Hospital can expect traffic interruptions as construction of the hospital’s new critical care tower begins.

The new tower will be built on Locust Street, and the plans call for a permanent closing of Locust Street between Exchange Street and Buchtel Avenue.

Here are some key points regarding changes in traffic flow and access to the hospital.

Akron Children’s Emergency Department, which fronts Locust Street, will remain open at all times during the construction. The hospital offers a free valet parking service for ER patients.

Visitors should disregard their GPS instructions once they near Akron Children’s and pay attention to street signs.

Street signs directing patients to the Emergency Department will feature large red directional arrows and will say “Emergency.”

Signs with black arrows will direct people to the hospital’s Bowery and Locust Street parking decks and the hospital’s main entrance.

Patients and visitors to the Locust Professional Building will still be able to access the Locust Street Parking Deck from Locust Street by way of West State Street.

With increased traffic on Bowery Street and other surrounding streets, patients, staff and visitors are encouraged to use the walkways connecting the hospital and its professional buildings rather than attempting to cross the streets.

Maps and updated traffic conditions can be found online at akronchildrens.org/traffic.

Troopers are investigating a fatal car crash that happened Wednesday afternoon in Massillon.

The Canton Post of the State Highway Patrol reports Gary Herring, 62, of Akron was killed after he drifted left of center on State Route 241 (Wales Avenue) and struck a truck head-on.

Herring was taken to local hospital where he later died from his injuries.

The driver of the truck was not injured.

Troopers say both drivers were wearing seat belts. Authorities do not believe drugs and alcohol were a factor in the crash. The crash happened during rainy conditions on the roads.

Troopers say this is the 9th fatal crash in Stark County in 2013.

It's about that time when drivers begin to notice more orange barrels popping up throughout the area as construction season begins for the Ohio Department of Transportation.

The construction kick-off event for ODOT District 4 was held near State Route 93 (Manchester Road) where crews are already working on a roadway widening project.

District 4 Public Information Officer Justin Chesnic says ODOT is going door-to-door to let businesses and residents know about how construction in the area will impact their commute.

"That has actually helped a lot of businesses prepare," said Chesnic. "It's actually cut back on our complaints that we've gotten and kind of helps them to understand what's coming their way."

Chesnic says one of the biggest projects in Summit County is a $53 million pavement replacement project on Interstate 271.

"It's a highway that's 50 to 60 years old. Not just the pavement, but the base underneath it, the concrete, is starting to fail - so we have to go and rebuild the road completely."

Chesnic says even though it's a busy construction season, no major closures will impact drivers on the interstates.

Click here to find the full list of construction projects in your county.

Bond has been set at $2 million for the 18-year-old arrested in connection with the murder of a New Franklin couple.

Shawn Ford Jr., 18, of Akron appeared in Barberton Municipal Court Friday morning.

He is facing two counts of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, among other charges for the deaths of Jeffrey Schobert, 56, and his wife, Margaret, 59. Ford was the boyfriend of the couple's 18-year-old daughter, Chelsea.

Authorities say Ford used a sledgehammer to kill the couple in their home Tuesday afternoon. The Summit County Medical Examiner's Office says the couple died from blunt impacts to the head.

Ford's next appearance in court is scheduled for April 10 at 1 p.m.

Previously Coverage:

• Suspect Arrested In New Franklin Murders

A crash on East Cuyahoga Falls Avenue sent a car into a utility pole early Friday morning.

Police say it happened around 2 a.m. The impact knocked down the pole, but there was never a loss of electricity.

There's no reports of any injuries yet. A crash last week on the same road caused a closure and a power outage.

The Summit County Medical Examiner's Office has released the cause of death for the New Franklin couple found dead inside their home Tuesday afternoon.

The report released says the cause of death for both 56-year-old Jeffrey Schobert and 59-year-old Margaret Schobert is blunt impacts to the head. The case is being investigated as a double homicide.

Construction workers found the couple dead in their bedroom at their Rex Lake Drive home Tuesday afternoon. New Franklin police has scheduled a press conference for Thursday at 2 p.m..

Authorities say the couple's daughter was assaulted a week earlier. New Franklin police and the Akron Police Department are working together to determine if the cases are related.

Previous Coverage:

• New Franklin Couple Found Dead

Drivers are beginning to feel the effects of this year's winter weather with potholes popping up on the roads.

Akron Public Works Manager Paul Barnett says they've already made one round through the city to patch some of the craters in the ground.

"Some of these potholes will stay patched for quite a long time. Some of them, it doesn't really matter what you put in it, it's going to come up in a very short time," said Barnett. "That's why we have to make numerous rounds through the city."

Barnett says pothole season is worse than last year, but it's still better than the average year.

Individuals can file a claim with the city if their vehicle was damaged by a pothole, but the chances of receiving compensation is pretty slim.

"We have to have prior notice and then a reasonable amount of time has to pass, to show that we were negligent in patching that pothole. So, if we don't have prior notice of that, then we're not held responsible."

Out of the 12 claims submitted last year, no one received compensation for damages because they failed to prove the city was negligent. 

Barnett says repairs are usually made within 24 hours of the report. Drivers can report a pothole by calling 3-1-1. Repairs are usually made within 24 hours of the report.

It’s the beginning of a new era for Goodyear with the first steps of construction taking place on their new high tech airships.

A longer, sleeker look makes a subtle change to the still recognizable blimp.

(Aerial footage courtesy of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.)

Construction will happen over the next six years at Goodyear’s Wingfoot Lake Hangar with the help of the German Zeppelin Corporation.

Goodyear is replacing all three of its current blimps with the new fleet. Some of the major differences between the old and the new airships include: 

• an increase of a maximum speed to 73 mph from 54 mph.
• the addition of an engine on each airship bringing the total to three per blimp. 
• the addition of internal framework
• an added length of about 50 feet

The familiar buzzing sound you usually hear when the Goodyear blimp is above you will also be a little quieter.

Construction of the new airship will take about 6-7 months, including the structural build and the installation of advanced on-board avionics and flight control systems