Cleveland loves Joe Flacco. But how winding was the road to here from tiny Audubon, New Jersey, where the high school quarterback married the captain of the cheerleading squad? Mary Kay Cabot interviewed what she calls the “flock of Flaccos” about what it took to make the out-of-work, 6-foot-6, almost 39-year-old the star of this football-crazy town. His dad, his brothers, his wife, his five kids. Everyone was waiting for a call as Joe took piano lessons, ferried his kids around and threw passes. “You have people come up to you and they’re just kind of like, ‘Oh man, how’s retirement?’” Flacco said. "... Times you’re like, ‘Well, I’m not actually retired. I do want to play.'” The Browns asked Flacco to work out for them after Deshaun Watson fractured his shoulder against the Baltimore Ravens, even though Flacco had gone 18-3 against Cleveland over the previous 15 years. Now, as I return from a long vacation, Cleveland is dreaming of a Super Bowl as the Browns start the playoffs for only the third time since 1999. Flacco's family is cherishing the feeling. “We’ve never experienced anything quite like that,” his dad said. “Not even at the Super Bowl. It’s exciting, but it’s different.” — Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
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Browns quarterback Joe Flacco poses with his wife, Dana, left, and their children after the Browns defeated the New York Jets on Dec. 28 in Cleveland. (Tom Withers, Associated Press) |
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Joe Flacco: If anyone could get Joe Flacco — who saved the 11-6 Browns’ precarious season with a 4-1 record and will start for them Saturday vs. the Texans in the wild-card round — through unemployment this fall after 15 years as an NFL quarterback it was his wife, Dana. Mary Kay Cabot sits with Dana Flacco for an interview. Polar El Niño: El Niño winters are warm and dry, with reduced snow. But we can still see the effects of a polar vortex. Zachary Smith explains how one weather pattern interacts with the other. Gender-affirming care: The Ohio House voted Wednesday to override Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto on a bill that bans minors from gender-affirming care and transgender girls and women from playing on female sports teams in K-12 and college. Laura Hancock reports the Republican-dominated House overrode the veto of House Bill 68 with the required 60% supermajority, 65 to 28, mostly along party lines. Today in Ohio: Ohio’s law that requires social media companies to get parental consent before children under 16 can open accounts is on hold following a ruling from a federal judge. On Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast, we’re talking about the mess and how best to help parents and kids navigate the dangers of social media. |
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Pollution control: U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown wants the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider a proposed rule that would require power companies to install yet-to-be developed pollution control technology on plants that use fossil fuels, saying that failure to do so could hurt rural power providers, reports Sabrina Eaton. Transgender bathrooms: An Ohio House committee plodded forward Wednesday on legislation to prevent schools and colleges from allowing transgender Ohioans to use bathrooms that correspond with their assumed gender identities. Jake Zuckerman reports the Ohio House Higher Education committee adopted amendments to the bill, first introduced last year, creating exceptions for custodial workers, families of young children, emergencies, and aides to the disabled, but retained the restrictions for transgender students’ use of bathrooms. It prevents schools from establishing any nongendered bathroom. Legislative vacancy: Ohio House Democrats filled a legislative vacancy on Wednesday, appointing Beryl Piccolantonio of suburban Columbus to finish the term of retiring state Rep. Mary Lightbody. Jeremy Pelzer reports that Piccolantonio, the president of the Gahanna-Jefferson school board, was already in line to succeed Lightbody, as she was the only Democrat besides Lightbody to file by last month’s candidate filing deadline for House District 4. Jim Jordan: In a hearing Wednesday, a drive by Jim Jordan’s House Judiciary Committee to adopt a report chiding Hunter Biden for not honoring a subpoena in House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry devolved into a debate, reports Sabrina Eaton. Democrats reminded the Ohio Republican of his refusal to honor a 2022 subpoena from the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol. Discounted internet: U.S. Sen. JD Vance has co-sponsored bipartisan legislation that would provide $7 billion to continue a program that’s enabled 22.5 million low-income households, including more than 1.1 million Ohioans, to access free or discounted internet service, reports Sabrina Eaton. The Affordable Connectivity Program established as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law gives eligible low-income households a discount of up to $30 per month on their internet service bills and up to $75 per month for eligible households on qualifying Tribal lands. |
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Hopkins guns: Federal officers at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport discovered 38 handguns from travelers last year, a slight increase from 2022, reports Olivia Mitchell. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration screened almost 5.3 million travelers last year at the airport; that’s one firearm discovered for every 138,000 passengers. Youth relationships: The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission collaborated with the CL3 Alliance to host the Cleveland Power of Sport Summit series Tuesday at Cleveland Browns Stadium to discuss strengthening relationships between local youth and law enforcement. Olivia Mitchell reports that students from Cleveland schools, deputies from the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, police chiefs from suburban departments, and representatives from city sports teams all came together. Romanian garden: A statue of George Enescu, considered one of Romania’s greatest musicians, overlooks the rest of the Romanian Cultural Garden. In his series on Cleveland’s Cultural Gardens, Zachary Smith reports the Romanian Cultural Garden was dedicated in 1967 and originally designed to be a green meadow surrounded by evergreens and maple trees. Kindland: As the principal reporter on the cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer Kindland “beat,” Peter Chakerian has no shortage of feel-good stories to share about people making a difference in Greater Cleveland. He'll be back next week with more of them, but first he's calling attention to an initiative that Kindland/Values in Action is undertaking to connect messages of kindness and positivity in partnership with the National Football League. |
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Weight loss drugs: Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have published evidence that suggests the popular weight loss and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic may also reduce a person’s risk for colorectal cancer. Gretchen Cuda Kroen reports the study found that patients taking the class of medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists for diabetes had a lower incidence of colorectal cancer than those patients who had been prescribed other drugs for the same condition. County's disabled: About 15% of Cuyahoga County’s population is disabled, and most are are affected by ambulatory, cognitive and independent living problems, according to the latest U.S. Census data. Julie Washington reports about 14% of Ohioans are disabled. That’s slightly above the 13.4% of the population of the United States who are disabled, according to the Census. Flacco gear: Columbus-based Where I’m From, an apparel company with roots in Northeast Ohio, saw an opportunity with Joe Flacco. Marc Bona reports the company is run by Ryan Napier, a self-described “lifelong Browns fan” who has season tickets and makes it to about half-dozen games a season, and his business partner Andrew VanderLind. They have about 15 to 20 Flacco items, which include fleece, shirts and other items with assorted designs and graphics like “Flacco Fan Since ‘23.” Back wages: The Department of Labor said more than 4,200 Ohio workers are owed more than $1.7 million and it has created a website to try and make it easier to find them. Sean McDonnell reports Workers Owed Wages, a search tool created by the labor department, lets people enter their information to see if they are owed money. The system is available in English and Spanish. Daiquiri bar: The Frozen Daiquiri Bar & Restaurant is moving to a new home this spring, leaving a location in the Flats that the owner previously said he was being pushed out of. The Frozen Daiquiri Bar closed its Old River Road location after Halloween, with a plan to reopen on Bolivar Road near Progressive Field and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Sean McDonnell reports. Rent prices: Rent prices around Cleveland have not shown any signs of slowing down as 2024 kicks off. Megan Sims reports that according to Rent.com, a rental listing site, the average rent in the Cleveland area is up 8-9% for each size category, to $1,015 for studios, $1,525 for one-bedroom units and $2,099 for two bedrooms. Fire chief: Cleveland Fire Chief Anthony Luke was hospitalized briefly on Wednesday after he was involved in a car crash. Public Safety Chief Karrie Howard relayed the news during a Wednesday meeting of City Council’s Safety Committee after visiting Luke at MetroHealth Medical Center earlier Wednesday morning, Courtney Astolfi reports. New chief: Akron is seeking community input in its search for a new police chief. At the first town hall of his administration, Mayor Shammas Malik wants to hear from residents about their views for the department’s next leader, reports Molly Walsh. |
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Daycare rape: Federal prosecutors on Wednesday charged a Rocky River man accused of raping a 2-year-old girl at an unlicensed, in-home Parma Heights daycare. Adam Ferrise reports Conner Walker, 20, admitted to FBI agents that he sexually abused the girl, according to court filings. State officials have suspended the center’s license, Molly Walsh reports. Teacher charged: A Lake Catholic High School teacher fired last month after he was accused of inappropriate behavior is now charged with sexually abusing a student, reports Cory Shaffer. A Cuyahoga County grand jury on Tuesday handed up a four-count indictment that charged Andrew Piczer, 54, of Newbury Township, with sexual battery, a third-degree felony. |
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Ballet investigation: The Cleveland Ballet has terminated its relationship with co-founder Gladisa Guadalupe after external legal and forensic accounting investigations confirmed serious operational and financial irregularities within the organization, according to an announcement Wednesday by the ballet’s board of directors. Guadalupe's husband and Cleveland Ballet co-founder, Michael Krasnyansky, resigned in November at the board's request, Paris Wolfe reports. Ask Yadi: What’s the right way to approach a cute dog if you want to pet it? Yadi Rodriguez writes that as adorable as the fur baby might be, you shouldnever just assume that it is OK to pet them. Ask Lucas: Why do so many green highway signs in Northeast Ohio point the way to Erie, Pennsylvania? Lucas Daprile says those aren't highway signs. They're warning signs that you’re nearing Buffalo, N.Y., which is about a two-hour drive from Erie. Azores: The Azores is an autonomous region of Portugal made up of nine islands in the Atlantic Ocean, about 900 miles from Lisbon. It’s affectionately known as the “Hawaii of Europe” for its volcanic landscapes, black sand beaches and lush waterfalls, writes Hannah Drown. But unlike Hawaii, which travelers need to fly more than 11 hours to reach from the U.S. Atlantic coast, the Azores is just a five-hour, 2,200-mile flight from East Coast airports. Cleveland vs. Houston. The Land vs. Space City. This weekend, it’s the Browns vs. the Texans in an NFL wild-card matchup that marks the first postseason meeting between the two franchises. Zach Mentz looks at the history between Cleveland and Houston professional sports teams in the NFL, MLB and NBA. Bloody Marys: Whether it’s because of the height of football season or post-holiday fatigue, Bloody Mary cocktails just feel more appropriate to drink during January. Alex Darus lists 18 Bloody Mary cocktails available at Northeast Ohio bars worth trying during your next brunch. Monster Jam: Monster Jam heats up RocketMortgage Fieldhouse from Feb. 16 to 18 when drivers show off their abilities guiding 12,000-pound monster trucks through competitions of speed and skills. For comparison, the average medium-sized truck weighs about 6,500 pounds, reports Paris Wolfe. Best meatloaf: With cold weather in Ohio, it’s officially comfort food season. The “Best Of Cleveland” team decided to kick January off right by buying store-bought meatloaf from several of the region’s grocery stores and putting them to a taste test. MLK Day: The Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday takes place this year on King’s birthday, Jan. 15. In addition to a variety of events set to take place on and around the holiday, many of Northeast Ohio’s cultural institutions will open their doors for free on Monday. Mike Rose has a list of 21 events taking place in-person or virtually to honor King this year. Orchids Forever: Cleveland Botanical Garden’s annual flower show, Orchids Forever: Golden Hour, is set to run Jan. 27 through March 17, reports Marc Bona. More than 3,000 flowers, from exotic blooms to well-known varieties, will be displayed throughout the indoor gardens and glasshouses. |
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Ohio Lottery warns hackers gained access to info of retailers, customers Read more Atlas Cinemas to reopen former Cinemark movie theater in Aurora Read more Orange High School refresh estimate increases by nearly $1 million Read more New Richmond Heights Schools superintendent to carry on predecessor’s vision Read more Trinity Church adaptive-reuse project under way in Lakewood Read more Lakewood ready to sell rental properties around former Lakewood Hospital site Read more New single-family housing planned at former North Olmsted elementary school site Read more Parma Heights hires Fairview Park native as new athletics coordinator Read more Parma City Schools creates private and community school liaison position Read more Parma Board of Education elects Mark Ruda as new president Read more Lakewood City Council appoints 2024 charter review commission Read more |
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