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On the first Saturday of official summer, when the temperature reached a scorching sunny 95 degrees, Clevelanders flocked to Edgewater Park.
Maybe they cooled off in Lake Erie, packed family picnics or chatted during laps around the walking path. Maybe they fished at the pier, licked ice cream cones, searched for beach glass or meandered up to the nature playground.
Edgewater is one of the jewels of the North Shore under the Cleveland Metroparks’ management. It serves a gathering spot for all Clevelanders all summer long.
But as the sun set, 16 troublemakers terrorized the crowd. They brought guns, including an assault rifle.
One 18-year-old was wounded, but you have to think it could have been much worse, as you watch video of police cars swarming the parking lot, their lights flashing red and blue as the sky glows pink.
As the July 4 holiday approaches, police are still searching for suspects
— Laura
Overnight Scores and Weather
Guardians at Kansas City Royals: Guardians lose 2-1 to the Royals in the first of a four-game set.
Northeast Ohio weather forecast: more heat this weekend before cooling off
Top Stories
Edgewater shooting: Sixteen people had guns during a Saturday night shootout at Cleveland’s Edgewater Park that left an 18-year-old man wounded, officials said on Thursday. Olivia Mitchell reports “several” of those who brought guns fired at each other.
Marijuana dispensary: June is coming to a close with no dispensaries open for recreational marijuana consumers, as the state continues to process applications from cannabis businesses, reports Laura Hancock. The Ohio Division of Cannabis Control on June 7 published online applications for existing medical marijuana growers, testers, processors and dispensaries to become dual-use licensees, also serving the recreational market.
Koran binding: After decades of rumors that one of its books was bound by human skin, the Cleveland Public Library can officially set the record straight. Test results show that the notorious copy of the Koran in the library’s special collection is bound in sheep skin, not human flesh.
Today in Ohio: State Sen. Jerry Cirino’s bill banning DEI at Ohio colleges and requiring schools affirm a commitment to intellectual diversity to ensure conservatives don’t self-censor, among other changes, is on ice until the political tide has turned. We’re talking about the bills the House passed and what they didn’t on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast.
Statehouse and Politics
Transgender bathrooms: After 10 p.m. Wednesday on the last scheduled lawmaking day before the 2024 election, House Republicans passed legislation prohibiting transgender students at colleges and K-12 schools from using bathrooms aligned with their assumed gender identities. Jake Zuckerman reports that in a surprise move, lawmakers folded the transgender restrictions into Senate Bill 104, an unrelated bill focused on high school students attaining college credits.
Air pollution: The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday sided with Ohio and several other states and industry groups in a decision that ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to stop enforcing an anti-air-pollution “Good Neighbor” rule in 11 states while legal challenges to the rule proceed around the country. Sabrina Eaton reports the rule issued last year bars states from allowing emissions from power plants and other industries if it would make it harder for their downwind neighbors to meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
Laws passed: Making it easier to appeal local judges’ orders freezing controversial state laws. Toughening penalties for stunt driving. Allowing human trafficking victims to expunge their criminal records. Those are just some of the proposed law changes contained within a slew of bills passed by the Republican-dominated Ohio General Assembly on Wednesday before lawmakers started a months-long summer break, reports Jeremy Pelzer.
Election workers: The Ohio Senate has approved a bill that would remove elections workers’ home addresses from public records, a change the bipartisan bill’s sponsors say is a reaction to rising threats these workers receive. Andrew Tobias reports that lawmakers broke for the summer after a marathon session on Wednesday and aren’t expected back until the fall, leaving little likelihood that the law will be in effect before the November presidential election.
AI: U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown to introduce legislation that would require disclaimers on election-related content generated by AI, and would make it illegal to use AI to deprive or defraud individuals of their right to vote, reports Sabrina Eaton.
Northeast Ohio News
Lorain tornado: In 1924, the deadliest tornado in Ohio’s history slammed the city of Lorain, turning a bustling downtown into a scene of devastation in a mere five minutes. Molly Walsh has photos of the aftermath, after just about the twister struck the Lake Erie shoreline, killed 78 people in Lorain and injured hundreds of others
Algal blooms: Researchers are expecting a “moderate to above-moderate” harmful algal bloom for the western basin of Lake Erie this year. Peter Krouse reports experts have assigned a severity index of 5, which is at the top end of the moderate range, with a broader potential range of 4.5 to 6.
Dome traffic: During busy travel periods, traffic regularly backs up on Ohio 237, as Northeast Ohio travelers queue up to access Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Add to that as many as 70,000 Browns fans every other Sunday in the fall. It’s a scenario that worries the airport, reports Susan Glaser.
Cafe Honeycomb: Stone Oven at Eton in Woodmere is now Café Honeycomb, reports Paris Wolfe. The Woodmere location is owned by Chuck Klein.
Euclid treasurer: Euclid’s school board on Wednesday officially accepted the resignation of the district’s longtime treasurer, Steve Vasek. Cory Shaffer reports Vasek, who spent 25 years running the district’s books, will remain on the job until his current contract ends on July 31.
Healthcare and Business
COVID numbers: For the fourth week running, the number of new COVID-19 cases in Ohio increased, moving from 1,489 last week to 1,745 this week, reports Julie Washington.
Clinic app: Cleveland Clinic and diet app developer FitNow, Inc. have joined forces to launch the Cleveland Clinic Diet app. Gretchen Cuda Kroen reports the app combines personalized health and diet advice along with advanced AI tools for tracking food and fitness activities.
CDC: The Northwest Neighborhoods CDC, a nonprofit community development corporation that covers the Cudell, Detroit Shoreway and Edgewater neighborhoods on the city’s West Side, has promoted its interim director to the role of new executive director, reports Megan Sims.
Development deal: City officials hope a deal announced Thursday between a New York development company and the owner of Severance Town Center is the first step to breathe new life into the downtrodden retail center, Cory Shaffer reports.
Mortgage rates: U.S mortgage rates are at their lowest point since early April, according to new data released Thursday. And there’s reason to believe that they’ll keep trending downward. The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage was 6.86% Thursday, reports Sean McDonnell.
Crime and Courts
Son shot: A domestic violence dispute in Olmsted Falls turned deadly on Wednesday when a man fatally shot his 29-year-old son, reports Olivia Mitchell. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner said Corey R. Varga died in the shooting. Police arrested Varga’s 63-year-old father.
Whiskey scam: A London man avoided prison on Wednesday for his role in a $13 million scheme that bilked some 150 people by promising high returns on rare wines and whiskeys that didn’t exist. U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver sentenced Casey Alexander, 27, to three years on probation and pay $202,193 in restitution, reports Adam Ferrise.
Baseball cards: Two men accused of playing a role in the theft of approximately $2 million worth of vintage baseball cards from a Strongsville hotel pleaded not guilty Thursday, reports John Tucker. Jacob Paxton, 27, of Brunswick, and Jason Bowling, 51, of Cleveland, were indicted earlier this month for crimes related to the theft of 54 cards in the runup to the Strongsville Sports Collectors Convention in April.
Arts & Entertainment
Judaica: The Cleveland Museum of Art prides itself on representing diverse cultures, religions and aesthetics from across the globe and more than 5,000 years of human history. For most of its 108-year history, however, the museum has given virtually no explicit attention to Jewish art, religion and history. Steven Litt reports that’s changing this summer. In late May the museum installed seven examples of Judaica — ritual objects used in Jewish religious observance. They’re on view where they mingle with Islamic art, European art from the 17th to the 19th centuries, and Korean art.
Ask Yadi: Is it too late for people to stop expecting the worst out of strangers? Yadi Rodriguez writes that she understands kids’ fear of strangers, but that we could use more “good mornings”…from adults. There is nothing wrong with a friendly smile or acknowledgement when one adult passes another.
Classic CLE: The legendary Higbee’s Chocolate Malted at the Frosty Bar called to Peter Chakerian from “the bottom of the escalator,” as every fan of a certain age waxes nostalgic. In his Classic CLE Eats column, Pete tries two different family-run ice cream stands offering their takes on a custard purportedly made from the Higbee’s recipe.
Canned cocktails: For cocktail drinkers, it’s not always easy to enjoy your drink of choice while engaging in on-the-go summer activities. Ready-to-drink options have exploded on the market, with many tasting like freshly made versions of bar classics. Whether you’re looking for a stiff Old Fashioned in a can or a light spiked seltzer for sipping, Alex Darus lists 20 different canned cocktails worth drinking before the end of summer.
Superman actors: David Corenswet is the current actor to don the iconic blue suit and red cape. Joey Morona looks back at all the actors who were once faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
Things to do: High summer and you’re thinking baseball, beer, ballet and so much more. Paris Wolfe has 21 things to do this weekend – and that’s aside from July 4 fireworks!
You’re all caught up.
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 Molly Walsh
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