Joshua Repp, Author at Signal Akron

Angel Falls Coffee Co. barista Chewy S. (center) prepares a drink at the Highland Square coffee shop.

Arts and Culture

Best coffee/tea: Angel Falls Coffee Company is longstanding hub of Highland Square

by Joshua Repp August 18, 2026August 19, 2026

Under the colorful sign for Angel Falls Coffee Company, visitors sip coffee as they enjoy the view of Highland Square’s retail district. Inside, the coffee house’s circa 1996 cozy interior is inviting, filled with comfortable armchairs and spare books that encourage an unhurried visit. The cafe’s cozy atmosphere and long history in Highland Square might be a hint as to why it was voted Akron’s best coffee and tea location by Signal Akron readers.

Akron artist and lifelong skater Jay Croft helps get the transitions poured on a quarterpipe during a DIY build day for a new permanent outdoor skate park that is actively under development at Prentiss Park in Kenmore. Backed by a $150,000 Akron Parks Challenge grant, the community-designed space is being built on the park's unused tennis courts. The Prentiss Park skate park project was championed by Ward 9 Council Member Tina Boyes and is spearheaded by Gary Dean, who also operates the local First Glance indoor park. Designed by and for the local skateboarding community, construction is in progress on the old tennis courts and will feature a variety of obstacles, smaller quarter pipes, smaller banks, smaller ledges and smaller flat bars. The goal is to eventually have something there for everybody, big ramps and small ramps.

Arts and Culture

Kenmore’s new ‘living, breathing’ skate park is part of hoped-for skateboarding revival

by Joshua Repp August 12, 2026August 12, 2026

A tick crawls on the hand of Andrew O'Leary, volunteer program manager at the Conservancy for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, as he walks through CVNP's Kurowski Field on Monday, July 13, 2026.

Ick! It’s a tick! Stay protected in the Akron area with these tips

by Joshua Repp August 10, 2026August 10, 2026

Firefighters from all over the world competed Thursday in the Northeast Regional Firefighter Challenge Classic outside 7 17 Credit Union Park in downtown Akron. This tower was built in the middle of South Main Street. Competition continues Friday and Saturday and is free to the public.

Firefighters climb stairs, drag dummies as endurance is put to the test in Akron

by Joshua Repp July 24, 2026July 24, 2026

Andrew O'Leary, volunteer program manager at the Conservancy for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, inspects a tree planted in CVNP's Kurowski Field on Monday, July 13, 2026.

Energy and Environment

33,000 new trees planted in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, thousands more to go

by Joshua Repp July 21, 2026July 21, 2026

A map shows the areas affected by a precautionary boil advisory issued by the City of Akron's Water Supply Bureau for all customers in the West High service area that includes parts of Sherbondy Hill, Highland Square and Kenmore. A water main on Superior Avenue at Leonard Street broke overnight, affecting about 10,000 customers.

Boil alert issued for parts of Kenmore, Sherbondy Hill and Highland Square

by Joshua Repp July 17, 2026July 20, 2026

Air quality readings in Northeast Ohio dipped into the 'very unhealthy' range due to high levels of particulate matter — pollutant particles that can enter the lungs and cause health issues — from the smoke. From the Great Lakes to parts of the East Coast, visibility for commuters was reduced and some outdoor activities were canceled or moved indoors as warnings about the air quality increased. The Ohio EPA issued an air quality advisory for the state on Thursday.

Akron closes pools, cancels concert due to ‘very unhealthy’ air quality from Canadian wildfires

by Associated Press and Joshua Repp July 16, 2026July 20, 2026

This undated photo taken through a microscope provided by the CDC shows Cyclospora cayetanensis oocysts found in a fresh stool sample which had been prepared with a formalin solution and stained with safranin.

The parasite that causes explosive diarrhea is here in Akron

by Celia Hack and Joshua Repp July 15, 2026July 14, 2026

Scott Reisberg, executive director of the Akron Blind Center, introduces Ayauna Edwards Bush at the Akron Blind Center on Wednesday, July 8. Bush is joined by her son Jaiveon, left, who is 11 years old.

Gun violence survivor advocates for Akron’s visually impaired

by Joshua Repp July 10, 2026July 9, 2026

Containers used for rapid testing of PFAS contaminants in water in a lab at the University of Akron's Olson Research Center.

Energy and Environment

PFAS in Akron? What you should know about ‘forever chemicals’

by Joshua Repp July 9, 2026July 8, 2026