It’s Opening Day at Progressive Field. The tradition isn’t just about baseball here. The milestone marks the unofficial start of spring, as daffodils bloom and dog walks get a whole lot more pleasant. This year, the fanfare of the 30th annual home opener at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario honors nostalgia, as well as optimism for the future. Players will wear a jersey patch honoring legendary drummer John Adams in the game against the Seattle Mariners. Two-time Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce of Cleveland Heights and his mother, Donna, will throw out ceremonial first pitches at 4:10 p.m. And the team will unveil its 2022 American League Central Division pennant, the 11th title in franchise history, more than any other club in the division. Let’s play ball.
-Laura
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Overnight Scores and Weather |
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The Guardians' home opener is this afternoon against the Seattle Mariners. (David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com) |
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Home opener: When it comes to baseball, Cleveland has always been an Opening Day town, writes Terry Pluto. For many of us of a certain age, the home opener was the best day of the season – even when the weather was the worst. Cleveland players are no longer strangers to the big stage and they’re not taking anything for granted, writes Joe Noga.
Tax issues: Thousands of voters in Cuyahoga County will decide on tax issues May 2, as schools, cities and a library have levies or bond issues on the primary election ballot, reports Cliff Pinckard. Early voting has started at Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.
FirstEnergy: In the wake of the criminal conviction of a former Ohio House speaker for taking a bribe, two top executives with FirstEnergy Corp. face “looming potential indictments,” their attorneys said in a civil court filing. Jake Zuckerman reports that attorneys for former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and the company’s top lobbyist, Mike Dowling, are arguing to delay their long-sought depositions in the case until September. Today in Ohio: Less than four months after statehouse Republicans purged most August elections from Ohio’s calendar, they’re trying to square that opposition with a rushed effort to schedule an August election this year. We’re talking about hypocrisy on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast.
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Abortion laws: Gov. Mike DeWine said he wants the General Assembly to make Ohio’s abortion bans stronger to hold up to court review ahead of a possible abortion-rights amendment vote targeted for November. Laura Hancock reports that DeWine said Ohio voters need a contrast between existing abortion laws – many of which have been tossed out by the courts due to issues such as vagueness, being overly broad or not explicit in their exceptions – and the constitutional amendment proposal that would generally guarantee the right to an abortion until viability, which is around 22 to 24 weeks. Gas drilling: Environmental advocates filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking to block a new state law they say could force state agencies to lease their lands to oil and gas companies looking to drill under state parks. Jake Zuckerman reports the Ohio Environmental Council, Ohio Valley Allies, Buckeye Environmental Network and the Sierra Club filed the lawsuit, naming the state and Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Mary Mertz as defendants. Trump case: House Republicans on Thursday subpoenaed one of the former Manhattan prosecutors who had been leading a criminal investigation into Donald Trump before quitting last year in a clash over the direction of the probe. The Associated Press reports Rep. Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, ordered Mark Pomerantz to testify before the committee by April 30. |
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East Cleveland: City Council members went to court Thursday and accused the mayor and the finance director of dereliction of duty for failing to follow the city’s budget, Molly Walsh reports. In allegations filed in East Cleveland Municipal Court, council members accused Mayor Brandon King and Finance Director Charles Iyahen of spending $10 million more than the approximate $26 million budget council approved. MOCA: The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, an institution in recovery mode, is improving in condition this spring after emerging from a prolonged crisis that started three years ago, reports Steven Litt. Controversies over exhibition programming and a sense of disconnectedness from Cleveland’s Black community resulted in the cancellation of two national touring exhibitions in 2020 and 2021, and the resignation in June 2020 of former director Jill Snyder. |
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Smart tires: It isn’t just cellphones and homes that are getting smarter. Tires are getting more intelligent, and with electric vehicles and even autonomous vehicles down the road, Goodyear says putting tech into tires is becoming more and more important, reports Sean McDonnell. Ohio tourism: State officials want to change the name of the agency tasked with attracting more visitors to Ohio and broaden its mission. Susan Glaser reports the Ohio Department of Development, which oversees TourismOhio, has proposed that the agency be called the State Marketing Office and that its mission be expanded to include not only attracting visitors to Ohio, but also workers, residents and students. Free ice cream: Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream is opening its 100th store on April 20 in Rocky River. The first 100 guests that day at the 19935 Center Ridge Road location will receive free ice cream for a year,reports Paris Wolfe. COVID-19 cases: The number of new COVID-19 cases in Ohio continued plunging, from 6,354 last week to 5,214 this week — lower than at any point since April 2022, reports Julie Washington. Wedding cost: Jane Morice determined that her wedding (ceremony and reception) will cost about $40,000, about $10,000 more than the national average. She went through a range of emotions: genuine surprise, a severe sense of anxiety and then, suspicion. |
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Solon shots: A Solon elementary school was placed on lockdown Thursday after a police officer fired shots at a man who led authorities on a chase in a stolen vehicle, reports Olivia Mitchell. The pursuit began about 10:30 a.m. after police attempted to pull over a Honda minivan that had been stolen Tuesday in Cleveland. 5-year-old murdered: Two Cleveland residents are facing murder charges in the death of a 5-year-old in March, reports John Tucker. Collyn Green, 32, and Janicea Brooks, 24, were arrested on Wednesday and charged in Cleveland Municipal Court. Stealing pills: A former Cleveland Clinic pharmacy manager has been indicted on charges that accuse him of stealing thousands of prescription antidepressant pills from the Hillcrest Hospital pharmacy. Cory Shaffer reports David Reamensnyder, 38, of Cleveland, is charged with deception to obtain a dangerous drug, drug possession and theft. Officer impersonation: As Cleveland police piece together a spate of armed robberies committed by thieves posing as police officers, one of those crimes has been put into a clearer view following a man’s arrest. John Tucker reports the victim in this case wasn’t a random target. He was lured to the scene under the belief he would be buying cellphones. |
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Kennedy Space Center: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, the vast exhibition of space memorabilia and attractions on Florida’s east coast, has been a tourist destination since late 1963 – almost as long as it’s been a center for space flight – drawing millions of visitors annually. Susan Glaser reports the experience is at times dramatic and jingoistic, other times emotional and somber. Cleveland Ballet: Cleveland Ballet dancers will prepare for their summer appearances when they finish the season on Playhouse Square in mid-April. Paris Wolfe reports the performances are scheduled for outdoor venues around Northeast Ohio, with the goal to build community awareness, improve appreciation for the art of ballet and offer cultural events. Springsteen concert: Bruce Springsteen has not played arenas or Cleveland in more than six years. But his return to both Wednesday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse was beyond triumphant and welcomed by the soldout crowd. Malcolm X Abram reports the Boss disseminated the spirit of rock n’ roll to the masses who gathered to both worship BROOOSE! and his kickass revival band hailing from the Holy Land known to all as “E Street.” Things to do: It’s a big weekend for Northeast Ohio and not just because we’re in the middle of Easter, Passover and Ramadan. Today starts the weekend with the Guardians’ home opener against the Seattle Mariners. Paris Wolfe has more than 20 things to do, including Dyngus Day events on Monday. |
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Ashtabula man gets life in prison for raping young children Read more Robber wearing mask tries to steal basketball from girl in Berea Read more Kiwanis groups gather to help foster kids Read more Berea’s former St. Mary School eyed for historic landmark designation Read more New Dairy Deli building to transform Middleburg Heights corner Read more Berea Board of Education urges state to act in public schools’ best interests Read more Zimmerman extols Cleveland Metroparks’ community connections Read more Solon resident takes city to task for its response to ‘environmental disaster’ Read more |
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