Last year, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank served a record 424,000 Northeast Ohioans. And this year the organization could possibly see greater need. “We are in some hard times right now and people are hurting,” said the assistant production manager. “For some kids, this is their best meal of the day or their only meal of the day.” Food insecurity affects 25% of children in the food bank’s service area, which includes Cuyahoga, Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Ashland, and Richland counties. The need only grows in the summer when kids aren’t getting breakfast and lunch at school. But that’s when federal cuts will hit. The U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled 20 semi-truck loads slated for delivery to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank between April and July. Trump’s elimination of the Local Food Purchase Assistance program stripped another 1 million pounds of food starting June 30. Food bank executives say they don’t know of any food that spoiled. But they worry about how they can feed the need. — Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
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A Greater Cleveland Food Bank worker gathers items for delivery. (John Kuntz, cleveland.com) |
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Food banks: The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank is losing 450,000 pounds of food and the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio will be short 148,000 pounds, reports Molly Walsh. NEON: Two FBI investigations in recent years put the same Cleveland nonprofit at center stage: the Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services, reports Adam Ferrise. Authorities said NEON, which seeks to provide healthcare to some of the city’s poorest minority residents, was ripped off by former Cleveland City Councilman Basheer Jones, who was sentenced Tuesday to more than two years in prison for stealing some $90,000 from the nonprofit. Terminated grants: Local health departments that have lost millions in terminated COVID-19 federal grants are bracing for possible layoffs, higher expenses and reduced community services. Health officials say the CDC cuts will make it harder to investigate COVID-19 spread, address health disparities, promote vaccination and educate the public about infectious diseases, reports Julie Washington. Today in Ohio: Congressional Republicans led by Ohio’s Jim Jordan are attacking federal judges blocking some of President Donald Trump’s 100 executive orders. We’re talking about Jordan and the checks and balances of government on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast. |
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Sin taxes: In the latest bout of a yearslong clash on tobacco policy, House Republican lawmakers dumped tax increases and new enforcement mechanisms that Gov. Mike DeWine has long sought against the tobacco industry. In state budget revisions unveiled Tuesday, House Republicans also slashed funding from the state’s Tobacco Use Prevention, Cessation, and Enforcement fund, which operates Ohio’s tobacco cessation hotline and enforces age requirements for vendors, reports Jake Zuckerman. Execution moratorium: Ohio lawmakers are trying to end the state’s years-long moratorium on executions by compelling state prison officials to seek federal help with obtaining long-sought lethal-injection drugs. Under language added to the state’s massive budget bill Tuesday, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction would be directed to “make every effort to acquire lethal injection drugs” in collaboration with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, reports Jeremy Pelzer. Kevin Coughlin: Former GOP Ohio legislator Kevin Coughlin announced Tuesday that he’s running for Congress again in the 13th Congressional District currently represented by Akron Democrat Emilia Sykes. After winning a three-way GOP primary last year, Coughlin, of Bath Township, won 48.9 percent of the vote against Sykes in November, reports Sabrina Eaton. |
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Browns stadium: Lawyers for Cleveland and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office on Tuesday asked a judge to block the Browns from updating the team’s lawsuit over a planned move from the city to Brook Park. Adam Ferrise reports the lawyers also said in the filing they would seek sanctions against the team’s counsel for attempting to file an updated lawsuit which, if granted, could send the months-old lawsuit back to square one. Heights meeting: Cleveland Heights City Council planned to hold a special committee meeting Wednesday night to discuss the concerns that former City Administrator Dan Horrigan raised in recently released emails about the role that Mayor Kahlil Seren’s wife plays at City Hall, reports Cory Shaffer. Opportunity Corridor: The vacant land once destined to be Cleveland’s new police headquarters on Opportunity Corridor may soon find a new purpose. Economic development officials say the property might be part of a land swap between Cleveland, the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund and an unnamed developer who’s interested in the land, reports Sean McDonnell. Flooding: A flood watch for much of Ohio, including parts of Greater Cleveland, went into effect at 8 p.m. Wednesday and is expected to last until 8 a.m. Sunday, reports Peter Krouse. Cuyahoga, Summit, Medina, Lorain and Stark counties are included in the watch. Beat the Streets: Since 2016, Beat the Streets Cleveland has used the sport of wrestling as a way to mentor thousands of young people, teaching them about leadership, discipline and integrity. But Kaitlin Durbin reports it hopes to be able to do even more after a $2 million renovation of its facility in Slavic Village, where it plans to shrink the wrestling area and add breakout rooms. Elyria chief: Elyria appointed James Welsh as the new police chief in a swearing-in ceremony Tuesday, reports Hannah Drown. Welsh, a 26-year law-enforcement veteran, previously served as captain for the Elyria Police Department. |
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Casino Control: The Ohio Casino Control Commission has issued cease-and-desist letters to three companies, ordering them to immediately stop offering sports betting products in the state without a license. Molly Walsh reports the state sent notices on Monday to KalshiEX LLC, along with Robinhood Markets Inc. and Foris DAX Inc., which operates Crypto.com. Fairview demo: Cleveland Clinic’s plan to tear down the cancer center at Fairview Hospital in order to build a new one could receive a green light to move forward this week. Megan Sims reports the Cleveland Planning Commission is expected to decide if the healthcare giant can demolish the Moll Cancer Center at its Fairview campus. The teardown is part of the Clinic’s planned $150 million project to expand the hospital’s footprint. |
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Library shooting: The Shaker Heights Public Library remained closed Wednesday as authorities investigated the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old in the building, reports Olivia Mitchell. Authorities said Charles Shanklin was shot about 4:40 p.m. Tuesday in the main branch of the library, located at 15600 Van Aken Blvd., near Lee Road. The high school was also closed. A 15-year-old boy was charged Wednesday. Hawken teacher: A former coach at Hawken Upper School in Chester Township has been charged with sexual battery of a student, reports Lucas Daprile. Prosecutors filed charges against Devin Hernandez, 30, in Chardon Municipal Court after they said he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student from at least March 2023 to the end of May 2023. Murder trial: A Euclid man on trial this week for murder threatened his co-defendant’s mother and warned him not to testify, reports David Gambino. A Cuyahoga County jury on Wednesday heard opening arguments in the aggravated murder case of Augustus Frazier. |
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Beard award: Brandon Chrostowski, founder of Edwins Leadership & Restaurant Institute, has won a prestigious 2025 James Beard Foundation Impact Award, reports Marc Bona. Film Fest: This year’s Cleveland International Film Festival showcases more than 300 films from 60 countries, spanning a variety of genres — from drama to comedy and everything in between — along with an array of inspiring and thought-provoking documentaries. The toughest part? Deciding what to watch. Joey Morona lists 10 standout films to check out in person or online before the festival wraps up. Herbie Hancock: Grammy Award–winning composer and jazz musician Herbie Hancock will perform at Severance Music Center on Nov. 4, reports Peter Chakerian. The 84-year-old Hancock pioneered groundbreaking sounds in jazz music as a member of the Miles Davis Quintet, uniting jazz and electronic music with “Rockit” and “Future Shock,” and as an iconoclast with “Headhunters.” Matcha: Matcha is a vibrant powder made from finely ground Japanese green tea leaves. The powder is whisked with hot water or milk to create an earthy beverage. Greater Cleveland cafes have totally hopped on the matcha trend and Alex Darus lists 17 unique matcha lattes worth trying. Best cafes: Whether you’re looking for a quick breakfast on-the-go, a leisurely lunch or something resembling high tea, a café promises an oasis and reprieve. Yadi Rodriguez and Peter Chakerian detail the 20 highest-ranked cafes in Cleveland, as reviewed by users on the ever-popular Tripadvisor website. Steak & Hoagies: The first 100 people to walk through the door of the new Original Steaks & Hoagies in Mentor will receive a certificate good for one free hoagie per month for an entire year, reports Paris Wolfe. Mary J. Blige: Mary J. Blige last performed on the stage of the Rocket Arena a scant six months ago when she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Tuesday night, Blige returned to Cleveland with her “The For My Fans Tour,” and gave several thousand of those fans a 100-minute trip back through her music catalog, which dovetails with her life, reports Malcolm X Abram. Breakthrough: Cleveland’s own Durand Bernarr won “Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist” Friday at the 36th annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles, reports Peter Chakerian. Quilt show: The Original Sewing & Quilt Expo at the I-X Center this weekend brings three days of shopping, demonstrations and amity with a bevy of boutique retailers with all the latest sewing, quilting and embroidery technolog, independent patterns, notions, creative kits, supplies and (yes) fabric, reports Peter Chakerian. Fair preview: Miss fair food? A preview of the Cuyahoga County Fair in May highlights favorite midway foods with more than a dozen concessionaires/vendors, reports Marc Bona. Plus there will be assorted entertainment, midway arcade games, ax throwing and more. Angkor Wat: At 400 acres, Angkor Wat (“temple city” or “temple that is a city” in Khmer, the language of Cambodia) is considered the largest religious structure in the world. Yet despite its size, Susan Glaser reports it feels surprisingly intimate when you’re walking around inside it. Common Currents: Does the Great Lakes region agree on sense of place? “Common Currents,” a joint presentation from visual artists of Northeast Ohio and Western New York, endeavors an answer. Peter Chakerian reports the lofty thought experiment pairs Artists Archives of the Western Reserve and The Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo and opens here April 11. |
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Fairgrounds will be ‘hopping’ during Medina Beer Fest Read more Medina County Children’s Home sheds light on child abuse prevention with Pinwheel Walk Read more Highland Heights asks residents to take priorities survey by April 4 Read more Akron approves $798M operating budget; see expenditures and cuts Read more Longtime CH-UH School Treasurer and CFO Scott Gainer announces retirement Read more Debate over Brook Park Circle K drags on as council revises permit conditions Read more Unity Spiritual Center to host community Easter Celebration of Renewal Read more Parma Heights continues moratorium on vaping/e-cigarette businesses Read more Brooklyn City Council reviewing city’s board of control Read more |
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