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East Cleveland lost nearly half of its population between 2000 and 2020. It owes tens of millions of dollars in legal judgments and is so broke that some lawyers won’t even file suit against the city since they’re unlikely to ever see a payout. Three of its last four mayors have been charged with crimes. So has the former chief of the police department, which is down to about three officers per shift.
Council President Antwon Billings has even gone before Cuyahoga County Council’s Justice and Public Safety Committee to beg for more officers to patrol the city’s streets.
So why hasn’t the city merged with its more prosperous neighbors?
There were talks in 2016, but Cleveland shut down the idea after East Cleveland City Council demanded they continue receiving their salaries as members of an “advisory council” with control over a community development corporation and all of the publicly owned land in the new ward.
Now Mayor Brandon King – who survived recall elections in 2022 and 2023 – is charged with two counts of theft in office and two counts of having an unlawful interest in a public contract, all fourth-degree felonies.
— Laura
Guardians at Detroit Tigers: Guardians spit in the eye of elimination, force ALDS to five games with 5-4 win over Tigers
Browns at Philadelphia Eagles: 1 p.m. Sunday, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia. TV: WJW Channel 8. Radio: WKRK FM/92.3, WNCX FM/98.5, WKNR AM/850.
Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Warm start, rainy finish to weekend
Mayor indicted: East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King on Thursday was indicted on charges that accuse him of using more than $75,000 in city money to pay companies he or his relatives owned and giving a city-owned car and gas card to a former councilman. Adam Ferrise reports that the charges paint a picture of a mayor who ran roughshod over City Council and cut checks to his family’s businesses despite repeated attempts by council to stop the payments.
Officials react: Elation. Caution. Indifference. Adam Ferrise and Lucas Daprile report those are some of the reactions from current and former East Cleveland officials after a Cuyahoga County grand jury handed up an indictment charging Mayor Brandon King with felonies and misdemeanors regarding city contracts with companies that prosecutors say he or his family owns.
Gun laws: Ohio voters, including those who own guns, support red flag laws and expanding background checks, according to a new poll from Baldwin Wallace University. Lucas Daprile reports the findings place Ohio voters at odds with state lawmakers, who have loosened gun laws in recent years by approving a Stand Your Ground law and allowing people to carry concealed firearms without a permit or training.
Racism in education: The vast majority of Ohio voters continue to support – and have even strengthened support for – teaching in schools the history and impact of race and racism and sexual orientation in the United States. Kaitlin Durbin reports voters also prefer to keep parental opinions out of the classroom.
Today in Ohio: A federal appeals court ruled that Ohio can enforce its ban on non-citizens giving to statewide ballot campaigns. We’re talking about the ruling that limits green card holders’ First Amendment rights on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast.
Democratic Judge Lisa Forbes will face Republican Judge Dan Hawkins for a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court.Provided
Supreme Court: Lisa Forbes, a Democrat and judge on the Cleveland-based Eighth District Court of Appeals, is running against Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Dan Hawkins, a Republican, for the Ohio Supreme Court. Jake Zuckerman reports three seats on the court are up for grabs this cycle. The results could give Democrats a 4-3 majority or a 6-1 minority.
Budget review: Cleveland City Council is taking its pre-budget hearings on the road this year with a special first meeting slated next week at Stella Walsh Recreation Center, reports Courtney Astolfi. On Oct. 18, council’s Committee of the Whole will head to the Slavic Village rec center at 10 a.m. to kick off what it calls its “operational review” hearings on the 2025 city budget.
Drought: While the Southeast is dealing with too much water from back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton, drought conditions across Ohio persist with little change since the modest improvements shown last week, reports Peter Krouse.
COVID: The number of new COVID-19 cases in Ohio fell sharply for the fourth week in a row, from 4,219 last week to 2,921 this week, reports Julie Washington.
Laketran hiring: Laketran will host an in-person hiring event Wednesday at Lakeland Community College, Megan Sims reports. Laketran hopes to hire up to 16 part-time bus drivers for its Dial-a-Ride service, which provides transportation services to seniors and people with disabilities across Lake County. These part-time positions have the potential to become full-time positions.
18-year-old killed: A Cuyahoga County grand jury handed up an indictment Wednesday that accused two brothers of killing an 18-year-old man at a clothing store in Cleveland, Olivia Mitchell reports.
Ask Yadi: Is it normal for estheticians to ask/suggest you should have more areas treated? Yadi Rodriguez writes that the esthetician should have dropped it after the customer said she was just in for her eyebrows.
Stan Hywet: Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens’ annual Deck the Hall is scheduled to start its monthlong run in November, reports Marc Bona.
Neil Diamond: The perfectly pompadoured Nick Fradiani effortlessly captured Neil Diamond’s vocal timbre and haunted soul of depression in “The Neil Diamond Musical: A Beautiful Noise” at Playhouse Square.
Food truck: Empanadas Errthang is one of the newest food trucks in Northeast Ohio looking to expand folks’ idea of what an empanada can be. Alex Darus reports owner Alexander Barros came up with the idea for his food truck when he lost his job working at an orthodontist’s office.
Best breweries: Whether you’ve been a local your entire life or just visiting the area, cleveland.com’s Best Of team detailed the 30 highest-ranked breweries in Ohio as reviewed by users on the popular Tripadvisor website.
Ritz restaurant: Manikandan “Mani” Ramalingam is the new executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland, reports Paris Wolfe. He oversees TURN Bar + Kitchen, the signature restaurant “hidden” on the sixth floor, and manages the hotel’s food and beverage program.
Chicago food: If you’re looking to add a more local epicure angle to your dining and drinking experiences in Chicago, Peter Chakerian shares some tried-and-true spots.
Tribe: One of the most innovative and pioneering groups of early hip hop — A Tribe Called Quest — will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, writes Malcolm X Abram.
Things to do: If music is your thing, a ton of concerts are coming up in Cleveland along with comedy shows, a lot of family activities, sporting events and assorted performances. Marc Bona has 40 things to do.
Don’t forget, you can always find the latest Cleveland news by visiting cleveland.com. If you value the hard work of Cleveland journalists, consider becoming a cleveland.com subscriber.
— Curated by content director Laura Johnston with contributions by by Cliff Pinckard.
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