FYI: The $600 million in state-backed bonds for Browns stadium in Brook Park (which will cost Ohio taxpayers $1 billion+ after interest) will not be *repaid* by Browns in the way that you or I repay a loan.

Tanmay Shah, an Indian immigrant attorney and organizer, is running for Cleveland City Council in the new Ward 12. It's the most explicitly leftist campaign to date in 2025. www.axios.com/local/clevel...

Austin Davis, a policy advisor to Mayor Justin Bibb, has announced his candidacy for Cleveland City Council in the new Ward 7 (the seat to be vacated by Kerry McCormack). www.axios.com/local/clevel...

25-3: Iron Flame, by Rebecca Yarros

25-2: The Incendiaries, by R.O. Kwon

Cleveland Public Library CEO Felton Thomas sent memo to staff instructing them not to intervene in ICE arrests at local branches. Actions "could be viewed as obstruction of justice or harboring an undocumented immigrant, both of which are serious criminal offenses." www.axios.com/local/clevel...

Just got this tip from an airline pilot

Pay dirt alert. Insane trove of Redwall titles at the Little Free Library at Franklin and W. 65th.

Cleveland will open its first seasonal shelter of the year Sunday. Next week's forecast and public pressure from NEOCH accelerated plans. www.axios.com/local/clevel...

There is only one Fortune 500 company with "Cleveland" in its name, but that could change if Cleveland-Cliffs' bid for U.S. Steel is successful. www.axios.com/local/clevel...

That seems bad. arxiv.org/abs/2412.06288

Cuyahoga County Exec Chris Ronayne met w/ Jimmy Haslam + Browns leaders Monday and reaffirmed preference that stadium remain on lakefront. When I asked him if he could envision scenario where county dollars go to Brook Park, he said, "not at this time." www.axios.com/local/clevel...

Who says no? #NBA #JimmyButler #Heat #Suns #Pistons

Cleveland City Council has voted to pass the new ward map introduced last month (reducing council from 17 seats to 15, in accordance w/ charter). Councilwoman Rebecca Maurer and Councilman Brian Kazy vote No.

Mike Roberts, one of the most important Cleveland journalists of the 20th century, has died at 85. He was The Plain Dealer's Vietnam correspondent & city editor; went on to edit Cle Mag for 17 yrs, turning it into one of the country's best regional titles. clevelandmagazine.com/in-the-cle/t...

Sad to read the Boardwalk is now closed. The Boardwalk. 16011 Waterloo Rd. Collinwood. Cleveland.

24-20: The Message, by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Situation is similar in Cleveland. Obvious explanation that nevertheless is lost on the media personalities / podcast hosts talking about rule changes, uniform aesthetics and attributes of European vs. American stars.

Everyone should be cackling at notion that the Haslams — currently seeking $1.2 billion in public subsidies to move from an existing publicly funded facility to an even gaudier one — "won't respond to extortion." neo-trans.blog/2024/12/15/a...

24-19: Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan

24-18: The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine, by Rashid Khalidi.

Cleveland City Council's huffing and puffing but ultimately voting in favor of a $20 million handout for stadium repairs reminded me of a similar vote in 2020, when they OK'd a 60-year TIF for the Flats East Bank project.

🥺🥺🥺

A Taco Bell in Middleburg Heights is one of five locations nationwide where drive-thru customers can pose for photos and earn a spot in the chain's upcoming Super Bowl commercial.

The city is working to move Fire Station No. 23 to the former CVS site at Madison and West Boulevard, which would put an end to a controversial gas station proposal.

Just read this book. Any of you guys ever heard of it?

Welcome to the Cleveland City Council redistricting wars. In one corner: Ward 12 Councilwoman Rebecca Maurer. In the other corner: Everybody else.

Was just going to post this, on the occasion of former councilman Basheer Jones getting charged with bribery and fraud in federal court.

I enjoyed attending "Dolphin Tank" at Rust Belt Riders this week and learning about a few aspiring worker-owned cooperatives in Ohio. Stunned to discover that Parma (~80,000 residents) doesn't have a locally owned coffee shop!

Journalism doesn't always produce results, but immediately after I wrote this blog post in 2019, the City Hall comms department changed its practices for event press releases. (One of my proudest moments and all-time great Scene kickers.) www.clevescene.com/news/clevela...

Cleveland planning director Joyce Huang is joining the Cleveland Foundation, where she'll serve as "Chief Impact Officer." Major blow for city.

Akram Boutros has refiled a breach of contract and defamation lawsuit against MetroHealth and its board of trustees over his 2022 termination. Says the hospital orchestrated a "late-night smear campaign" against him after hiring local crisis comms firm Hennes Communications.

The centerpiece of Bedrock's Cuyahoga Riverfront megaproject will be a 17-story building called "Rock and Roll Land" with a hotel and music venue. www.axios.com/local/clevel...

Jenny Spencer made up her mind months ago, but waited until after the election to formally announce she won't be seeking reelection on Cleveland City Council next year. Sounds like she's pooped. www.axios.com/local/clevel...