The city that gets the least coverage at UO has been getting a lot of attention from the Knight Foundation.  They have something called the "Soul of the Community" project that is working in various cities, Akron among them....link

 

A new study of Akron and 25 other cities shows what people are passionate about in their communities. The three-year “Soul of Community” study focused on places where John S. and James L. Knight were passionate about their newspapers. The Gallup and Knight Foundation concluded people in Akron are passionate about openness and beauty and social life more than leadership and safety. Gallup researcher Katherine Laughlin says the survey offers new approaches for communities to organize themselves for economic growth.

 

Akron, Ohio

 

(with links to .pdf reports and zipped spreadhseets and media coverage)

 

 

 

 

Interesting.  The Knight Foundation certainly is one of the big players here, of course.  I'll have a look at that report later.