Akron city officials had hoped to add deeper pockets of diversity in the ranks of city safety forces with a recent round of applications for positions in both the police and fire departments.  Mayor Don Plusquellic stated more than once in 2012 that the safety forces, particularly the police department, should reflect diversity within the city.

About 1,500 people applied for the 40 open police officer positions.  Most are male.  Most are white.  It's a similar story for the fire department, where 1,807 people applied for 36 firefighter/medic jobs.  All applicant data were provided by the city, including calculation of percentages. 

*not Hispanic or Latino

The applicants' racial data, compiled and released by the city represents slightly fewer applicants than the overall number.  We assume that's because some applicants did not complete that portion of the application.  It's also important to consider the relevancy of some of the numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau.  The percentages do not necessarily correlate with the number of eligible applicants because some are likely to be too young or too old to apply.  The numbers do, however, remind us of the racial make up of the city of Akron and allow us to attach a number to the people - young and old - who are served by the police and fire departments.

At this point, the data really offer no indication of what the racial make up of the safety forces may be when the select few are actually handed a gun or a hose and sworn-in.  There is no way to accurately predict which of the candidates will score higher than others on civil service tests and which of the highest scoring candidates will pass a background check. 

Applications were due Friday.

Fans have suspected it for weeks.  Strong rumors were surfacing last night.  Some media reported  it earlier this morning and now the Browns have made it official:  Cleveland Browns Head Coach Pat Shurmur has been fired.  General Manager Tom Heckert also got a pink slip today from team owner Jimmy Haslam. 

(Cleveland Browns release) Tom Heckert and Pat Shurmur were relieved of their duties as general manager and head coach, respectively, of the Cleveland Browns today, the team announced.

“We felt that these moves were in the best interests of the Cleveland Browns and our future,” said Browns Owner Jimmy Haslam. “I enjoyed getting to know Tom and Pat over the past several months, and want to thank them, not just for their contributions to the Browns, but also the insight they were able to provide. They are both fine men and hope they have the best of success as they move forward with their careers.” 

“This decision was not an easy one because of my relationship with Tom and Pat and the fact that they are both quality people,” said Browns CEO Joe Banner. “Ultimately our objective is to put together an organization that will be the best at everything we do. On the field, our only goal is trying to win championships. I have a great deal of respect for Tom and Pat, and I want to wish them and their families nothing but the best.”

“I leave the Browns feeling very good about many of the things we accomplished here and the direction in which I believe this team is headed,” Heckert said. “Having been around this franchise growing up, I was really excited for the opportunity to come here three years ago, and I want to thank Randy Lerner and Mike Holmgren for making that possible. I also want to acknowledge many of the hard-working people in the Browns organization, especially our player personnel staff, who are outstanding at what they do and supported me immensely in my role. I wish the team nothing but the best as they move forward.”

“I am extremely proud of the players on this team, who I felt made tremendous strides and helped to make the Cleveland Browns relevant again,” Shurmur said. “I want to thank them, as well as my entire coaching staff for making the past two years enjoyable. My coaches are outstanding teachers and even better men. They helped me lead these players through a unique time of transition. This group of players will achieve success soon, and there will be a part of me that will feel very good when that happens.

“I want to thank Randy Lerner, Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert for bringing me in and having the faith in me to lead this football team. I am disappointed that we did not win more games, but I do know the Browns are on their way to becoming a consistent winner. I appreciated the time spent with Jimmy (Haslam) and Joe (Banner), and wish them all the best as they provide a new vision for the Cleveland Browns.”

Warm temperatures are credited for record breaking attendance at First Night Akron last year, but organizers say admission button sales last week had outpaced sales in 2011 when an estimated 18,000 people showed up.

"There's rock bands, acoustic bands, dancing, theater,so it really runs the gamut of whatever someone's interest is, we've got it down here," said Communications Director Sharon Gillberg. 

Gillberg is particularly anxious for people to see "Air Aquarium," a new attraction this year. 

"It's going to have a full-sized inflatable Blue Whale that people can walk through and kind of just get a grasp the enormity of this creature and then there'll be other activities, themed aquatically, around that display," said Gillberg.

Another change is that each floor of Greystone Hall features a different type of performance, including ballroom dancing and a harp workshop.  Standard First Night events aren't going anywhere, according to Gillberg, who says people always look forward to at least one of the two fireworks shows. 

A long day and a long night for road crews, even though the winter storm wasn't as stubborn as predicted.  In Akron,

"The primaries or main roads have all been plowed and salted," said Akron Snow and Ice Control Supervisor Keith Harpster.  "There's a little bit of re-coverage in them and through the night, we've been plowing out the secondaries and trying to get some salt down."

Harpster says they've been able to treat about 80% of the secondary streets.

That's why parking bans are still in effect in Akron and many other communities, including Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, Green and Kent. 

It could have turned out differently if snowfall predictions of 8 - 12 inches had been realized.  Instead, according to "spotters" reporting to the National Weather Service, snowfall totals came in less than the minimum amount that we expected with about 5 - 6 inches throughout Summit County, 5.4" at Akron-Canton Airport, 4" in Alliance, 6.5" in Kent, 7" in Wadsworth, 5" in Doylestown and 6.2" in Wooster.

Harpster says his drivers are still on duty as a slight amount of additional snow is expected today.

What do you do when the weather forecaster calls for about a foot of snow?  High-tail it to ACME or Giant Eagle or Target or any store that sells the essentials.

The ACME on West Market Street was bustling this morning, just as the snow was beginning to fall. 

"Everybody is picking up bread, milk, alcoholic beverages and salt," said Store Director Russ Fern, who described the atmosphere as "panic mode."

Ross says he appreciates the business, but it's hard to imagine the store being closed and as long as it's open, people will find a way to get there if they need something.  He says the only time he remembers being completely shut down was the day after the blizzard of 1978.

Matt Clark stopped by for milk, toilet paper and a couple of donuts.

"So we don't have to go tomorrow," said Clark.  "It's going to be all snowed in, might as well get it over with."

His wife Angela is working second shift today, but didn't seem worried since she works very close to home.

Fern was happy to see people buying snow shovels - a lot of them are left over from last year, when we barely needed one.  Toy McDonald of Akron was there to exchange her new snow shovel for a bigger one.  She's a first-time buyer because she just bought her first house, but she does not plan to use it herself.

"No, definitely not, no, no, no.  I'm eight and a half months pregnant," said McDonald.  She says the "men in the house" can take care of the shoveling.