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Verified release summaries

Every announcement page contains an original summary, resident impact, key facts, FAQ, official source link, corrections path, and share links. Records are sourced from official public releases.

Akron · Parks & river

Akron wins $110,000 Knight Foundation grant for Cuyahoga River conditions tool

The City of Akron was awarded a $110,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, announced by Mayor Shammas Malik on Oct. 20, 2026. The money goes to CUYAC, the Cuyahoga River Conditions Tool, to build LED indicators at river access points that mirror the conditions shown on CUYAC’s online map — giving paddlers and visitors near real-time river and weather information before they enter the water. Akron’s project was one of 29 selected from the 2026 Knight Cities Challenge, a $5 million open call across Knight’s 26 communities.

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Akron · Water

Boil water advisory lifted for 5th Avenue Hill and E. Crosier area

The Akron Water Supply Bureau lifted its precautionary boil water advisory on Oct. 9, 2026, for the 5th Avenue and East Crosier Street area after 18 hours of testing confirmed the drinking water is safe. The affected area included portions of 5th Avenue, Whitney Avenue, Baird Street, and Bertha Avenue, plus Hudson, Elbon, and Winans Avenues, and Hoban High School — 232 customers in total. The advisory had been issued the morning of Oct. 8 after a 12-inch water main break on S. Arlington Street between 6th and 7th Avenues caused depressurization; repairs were completed that afternoon. The city says tests showed normal chlorine residuals and no indication of contamination.

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Akron · City services

Akron leaf removal starts Nov. 9 — leaves go on the devil strip, not the street

Akron’s annual leaf removal program begins Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, with two changes the city says will speed collection and keep streets clear: residents should rake leaves onto the devil strip (the grass area between sidewalk and street) instead of into the street, and the city will no longer publish anticipated start dates for individual wards. Instead, signs go up in each ward about 48 hours before crews arrive. Collection proceeds through the 10 wards in a posted order, starting with Ward 5 and ending with Ward 10; each ward takes several days. A progress tracker lives at AkronOhio.gov/Leaves.

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Akron · Ballot measures

What Akron’s three charter amendments (Issues 11, 12, 13) would do — and the mayor’s stated positions

Akron voters decide three City Charter amendments on Election Day (Nov. 3, 2026), all drafted by the local organizing group Freedom BLOC via petition — not by the city administration. Issue 11 bans landlord application fees and requires security deposits be spread over three or six months, with criminal liability for owners who don’t notify tenants. Issue 12 bars landlords from considering criminal records except for registered arsonists or sex offenders. Issue 13 changes police oversight: Civilian Police Oversight Board appointments partly from the board itself after consultation with a limited set of civic groups; mandatory city responses to Independent Police Auditor recommendations within 45 days with a dialogue process on disagreement; and purported subpoena power for the board, with noted legal questions about conflicts with the police union contract and state labor law. Mayor Malik stated he believes Issues 11 and 12 should be rejected as written (citing rent-increase and public-safety concerns), and said he will not encourage support or opposition to Issue 13, while defending his administration’s record of responding to every auditor recommendation. He committed to introducing council legislation on the housing topics before end of 2026 if 11 and 12 fail.

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Akron · Public safety

Mayor’s statement on Oct. 1 officer-involved shooting; independent investigation pending

An officer-involved shooting occurred the morning of Oct. 1, 2026, in the 500 block of Brown Street in Akron; the Akron Police Department released an incident report the same day. Mayor Shammas Malik’s statement says a life was lost, that the incident placed Akron officers and members of a federal joint task force in dangerous circumstances, that no law enforcement officers were physically harmed, and that an independent investigation will establish the full sequence of events. This record summarizes the official statements only; the investigation’s findings had not been released as of this page’s review date.

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Akron · Public safety

Officer assaulted during Copley Road burglary response; city cites 76% rise in assaults on officers in 2026

On Sept. 28, 2026, Akron Police officers responded to a reported burglary at 914 Copley Road. Per the city’s release, Leotis Daggett exited the building, assaulted an officer, and attempted to take the officer’s firearm during the struggle. He was taken into custody and found in possession of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia. The officer was treated at Cleveland Clinic Akron General and released. Daggett was charged with Aggravated Robbery, Assault on a Peace Officer, Possession of Controlled Substances, Obstructing Official Business, and Resisting Arrest, and held at Summit County Jail on a $100,000/10% bond. Mayor Malik’s statement condemned the assault and criticized people recording and joking about the incident online; he cited Chief of Public Safety Craig Morgan’s report to City Council’s Public Safety committee that assaults on Akron police officers have increased 76% in 2026.

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Akron · Police accountability

City terminates Officer Davon Fields over Jazmir Tucker shooting; strengthens use-of-force review

On Aug. 14, 2026, the City of Akron announced disciplinary outcomes for two officers involved in the November 2024 fatal shooting of Jazmir Tucker. Officer Davon Fields was terminated after findings of multiple policy violations: failing to properly provide medical aid following the shooting (the mayor’s statement cites an almost eight-minute delay before aid was rendered), violating the department’s Body Worn Camera policy, and inability to perform essential duties stemming from a separate criminal allegation. A second officer at the scene received discipline for a separate BWC policy violation. Mayor Malik’s statement says he could not rely on the draft internal investigation because its conclusions were unsupported by the weight of the evidence, and that he reviewed the complete record including the BCI investigation before concluding Fields violated the medical aid policy and that his conduct was unbecoming. The release is titled with the city strengthening its internal use-of-force review process.

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Akron · Police accountability

Akron agrees to $4.75M tentative settlement in Jazmir Tucker civil case

The City of Akron announced Aug. 14, 2026, a tentative settlement of all pending civil litigation concerning the death of Jazmir Tucker (shot by Akron police in November 2024) for $4,750,000, pending approval by a probate judge. Director of Law Brian Angeloni stated the settlement came through a federal mediation process suggested by District Court Judge Pearson, contains no admission of wrongdoing, and avoids the uncertainty and expense of prolonged litigation. Mayor Malik’s statement called the loss tragic, said multimillion-dollar settlements cost Akron taxpayers and divert resources, and committed to continued policy, training, supervision, and accountability changes; the release also references the city’s earlier publication of an independent review by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).

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