Subscribe to the Wake Up, cleveland.com’s free morning newsletter, delivered to your inbox weekdays at 5:30 a.m.
In the newsroom, we use the idiom “turn of the screw” to mean a small development in an ongoing story. You see, if you’re using a screwdriver to secure an object, it requires many turns of the screw. The term surfaces mostly in government and development stories, and depending on the day, we may choose to cover that small news – or not.
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb’s announcement Thursday that the Browns are leaving Cleveland is a turn of the screw with a really big headline.
The Browns are one of Cleveland’s biggest topics of conversations, so of course we’ll write a story. But it has zero detail – not for our reporters’ lack of effort.
Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam have said they want taxpayers to foot half the $2.4 billion bill for a domed stadium. But Cuyahoga County and the state of Ohio haven’t promised a dime.
Taxpayers deserve facts from the Browns. To use another idiom, that would be breaking news.
— Laura
Guardians vs New York Yankees: Guardians beat Yankees, 7-5, on David Fry’s walk-off homer in 10th
Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals: 1 p.m. Sunday, Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland. TV: WOIO Channel 19. Radio: WKRK FM/92.3, WNCX FM/98.5, WKNR AM/850.
Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Sunny and mild this weekend
Browns move: The Browns intend to leave the city of Cleveland for a new stadium in Brook Park, reports Courtey Astolfi. The team’s owners, Jimmy and Dee Haslam, have long sought for taxpayers to cover half the cost, but it’s unclear how much the public would pay.
Big weekend: Even before baseball was on the itinerary for the middle of October in Cleveland, this weekend was poised to be one of the busiest in the city this year, reports Susan Glaser. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony is back in Cleveland this Saturday for the first time since 2021, bringing a long roster of A-listers to town, including Ozzy Osbourne, Cher, Mary J. Blige, Foreigner, Julia Roberts and others.
Today in Ohio, the daily news podcast of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
Today in Ohio: Car crashes overall, as well as those attributed specifically to distracted driving, have fallen statewide in the past year and officials say it’s because a new state law prohibits most phone use while driving. On Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast, we’re talking about how data shows there were 15,400 fewer car crashes in the past year compared to the prior year.
Absentee voters: More than 551,000 voters have cast ballots in Ohio so far as of Thursday, with the 2024 elections less than three weeks away, reports Jake Zuckerman. Data from the Ohio Secretary of State’s office shows that about 169,000 of the 1.1 million absentee ballots requested by Ohio voters already had been returned. Another 382,000 voted early in person at their local board of elections since early voting began on Oct. 8.
Vance denial: After repeatedly refusing to say whether he thinks ex-President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance of Ohio on Wednesday took the plunge into election denialism by telling a Pennsylvania crowd that he does not believe Trump lost. Sabrina Eaton reports Vance insisted he’d “answered this question directly a million times.”
Alcohol issues: Communities across Ohio will vote on local options deciding whether particular businesses are able to sell a certain type of alcohol at a specific location, whether they can engage in regular sales, or whether they can sell alcohol on Sundays. Molly Walsh reports the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Liquor Control has created an online Local Option Election Guide to explain why voters may see alcohol-related questions on the ballot.
Marijuana sales: Ohio adults aged 21 and older purchased $11.1 million in recreational marijuana product from Oct. 6 through Saturday, pushing sales figures above the $100 million mark. Laura Hancock reports that dispensaries have rung up a total of 1.4 million transactions totaling $109.5 million since the beginning of recreational sales on Aug. 6.
East Palestine: East Palestine, Ohio, where a train derailment spilled toxic chemicals last year, is getting nearly $16 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build a new public safety complex, Sabrina Eaton reports.
Downtown traffic: Big events in downtown Cleveland this weekend mean the potential for big traffic tie-ups, reports Susan Glaser. The city of Cleveland Thursday announced a series of road closures and parking restrictions in effect this weekend in an effort to keep traffic flowing and pedestrians safe.
Poll monitoring: If you’re waiting to vote on Election Day, expect to see Election Protection volunteers – including area college students – among those helping monitor the polls, Kaitlin Durbin reports. At a time when some voters remain concerned about election transparency and security, the volunteers are meant to serve as an extra watchdog and resource.
While drought conditions continue to slowly improve in northern Ohio counties, southern counties remain stagnant with more than a dozen still in exceptional drought conditions.U.S. Drought Monitor
Drought: Cuyahoga County is now the third county in Greater Cleveland to return to normal conditions typically seen outside of a drought. Zachary Smith reports that while conditions improved in Northeast Ohio, they worsened in Northwest Ohio and remained stagnant in the worst affected parts of the state, according to new data released Thursday by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Avon Lake plant: The city of Avon Lake could be the owners of over half of the lakefront property at the former Avon Lake Power Plant site. Megan Sims reports an agreement between the city and the Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group, or ALERG, which has been facilitating the redevelopment of the site, could designate 23.22 acres of the 43.23 acre site as public park land.
COVID cases: The number of new COVID-19 cases in Ohio decreased slightly from 2,921 last week to 2,874 this week, the state reported Thursday. That’s a week-to-week drop of fewer than 50 cases. Julie Washington reports it was the fifth week in a row that COVID-19 case numbers dropped.
Home prices: Median home prices in Cuyahoga County have decreased for the second straight month as the real estate market enters its slowest season of the year, Megan Sims reports. The September median home price for the county was $188,800, according to data collected by cleveland.com. This was $5,200 lower than August.
Fairview lockdown: Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital was briefly placed on lockdown Thursday after two people were transported there following a shooting, reports Lucas Daprile. At 2:15 a.m., Cleveland police responded to the 4500 block of West 174th Street after reports of a shooting. As police drove to the scene, a car arrived at the hospital carrying two gunshot victims.
Fentanyl charges: Six people were charged Thursday in a drug ring that shipped fentanyl pills from Arizona to Akron, Adam Ferrise reports. Sedale Jackson, 34, is accused of leading the Akron drug-dealing ring and coordinating the distribution. He has not yet been arrested, according to court records.
Lorain lockdown: Two Lorain schools were placed briefly on lockdown Thursday after two youths were seen outside carrying firearms near the buildings, police said. At about 1 p.m., staff at Lorain High School on Ashland Avenue saw two former students cutting through the parking lot and noticed one of them carrying a weapon, reports Lucas Daprile.
Dumpster fire: A suspect admitted to setting a dumpster fire Wednesday outside of a gas station in Elyria after a clerk refused to sell him alcohol, reports Olivia Mitchell. Michael Fafard, 49, of Toledo, is accused of torching the garbage container at about 12:18 p.m. at the Valero Gas Station on East Avenue.
Ask Yadi: Is it OK to have your bachelor/bachelorette party in a remote city, even if some friends can’t afford to attend? You can’t feel guilty because you can’t afford to attend, but neither should you sacrifice your own household expenses to make the trip, writes Yadi Rodriguez. If you can afford it, then go have a good time.
Classic CLE: A good Italian sub is hard to beat. And yes, friends, Peter Chakerian reports that The Land is chock full of them. What’s not to love?
Christmas Ale: Great Lakes Brewing Co. held its annual First Pour party to kick off the release of Christmas Ale on Thursday, reports Marc Bona.
Rock Hall snubs: Peter Chakerian gives you a gift that keeps on giving, a list of the biggest snubs for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Public Theatre: Playwright Francisca Da Silveira calls “not-for-profit (or the equity, diversity and inclusion play)” her “calling-card play.” She often has her agent send it to theaters and television producers interested in getting to know her as a writer. Joey Morona reports that her persistence has finally paid off as “not-for-profit” will have its world premiere at Cleveland Public Theatre on Oct. 24, running through Nov. 9.
Browns rock: The Cleveland Browns and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame have announced the details on some of the special “branded takeover elements” and “activations” that fans will be able to enjoy at Sunday’s home game against the Bengals, including a halftime performance by 2024 inductees Foreigner, reports Malcolm X Abram.
Arts Prize: Winners of the 2024 Cleveland Arts Prize will be honored at the Annual Awards Event, presented by the Cleveland Museum of Art, reports Peter Chakerian. Continuing a 64-year tradition, the celebration of Northeast Ohio’s premier artists and cultural leaders will feature performances by Ohio Contemporary Ballet and world-renowned harpist Yolanda Kondonassis.
‘Frost’: “Frost: An Ice-Capped Garden Experience” returns to the Cleveland Botanical Garden just before Thanksgiving this year, reports Paris Wolfe. The winter exhibit will be bigger than 2023.
Longest noodle: Help Ohio City Pasta make the longest noodle in Cleveland at the West Side Market Halloween Festival on Oct. 26, reports Paris Wolfe.
Pizzabar: La Pecora Pizzabar is the newest restaurant option coming to Larchmere, aiming to bring a different late-night food option while honoring a neighborhood legacy, reports Alex Darus.
Pumpkin carving: In 2023, the Unknown Pumpkin Artist dropped a detailed carved pumpkin in front of Patterson Fruit Farm market on Caves Road in Chester Township. There was no note, no phone call, no clue to its origin. Paris Wolfe reports that this week a new carved pumpkin mysteriously appeared.
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.
Heights High student found to have had loaded gun in classroom Read more
Cleveland Heights police deal with rash of car thefts, reports of auto damage over three day-period Read more
ATM service technician robbed at gunpoint outside South Euclid bank Read more
Man arrested for inducing panic with a gun in Walmart parking lot Read more
Medina superintendent explains levy details to council Read more
Northeast Ohio road construction: Bridge over Ohio Turnpike to close for 1 year Read more
