The Land has been around for more than one year now. In our brief lifetime, we’ve published hundreds of stories, some of which have had rippling impacts through Cleveland. That’s why The Land exists: to provide in-depth, local reporting that fosters accountability, informs the community and inspires action.
Here’s a list of our stories from this past year that have done just that:
Follow the $500M: Cleveland’s ARPA budget includes $2M for problem-plagued NEON Health Services
By Lee Chilcote
NEON Health Services is requesting $2 million from the city’s ARPA budget to provide community health programming and repair the Hough Medical Center, which suffered a fire in May of this year. Yet the agency has been running up deficits, defaulting on its debts, and losing patients and staff for years, leading concerned employees to question the future of the organization.
Facing eviction, residents struggle to find help
By Daniel Polletta
Slavic Village residents face mounds of paperwork and uncooperative landlords as they try to stave off eviction. Housing advocates are trying to keep them from slipping through the cracks.
Bold plan emerges to improve east side’s lakefront access
By Marc Lefkowitz
Since the Cleveland Metroparks took over management of the Cleveland lakefront in 2013, it has made strides at Edgewater. When can the east side expect the same treatment?
“Too big to fail”: Inside the city’s $12M deal to save Shaker Square
By Lee Chilcote
The City of Cleveland wants to spend $12 million to rescue Shaker Square from receivership, turn it over to nonprofits for repairs, and sell it to a new owner. Some critics, though, say the city is overpaying for the center and it’s a waste of precious tax dollars. With repair needs looming and tenants leaving the square, City Council is set to vote on a deal as early as next week.
Cousins who defied the Taliban sell clothes from abroad at Kamm’s Corners
By Grant Segall
Two cousins used to interpret for the U.S. Army in their native Kabul. Now they’re selling Asian and African clothing and housewares at Kamm’s Corners. The cousins opened Asia Star Clothing and Houseware at 17108 Lorain Ave., selling dresses, scarves, headgear, bracelets, carpets, flags, cups, flasks, blankets, clocks and more.
Take a hike: Two Cleveland nonprofits lead city kids into the great outdoors
By Zachary Lewis
Children need more than just food, clothing and shelter. They also need time in nature. For some in Northeast Ohio, though, that’s almost a luxury. They may have the basics of life but are missing or don’t feel welcome to take part in what others around the region routinely enjoy, and probably take for granted — abundant time outdoors.
West Side Market diversifies tenant mix with new pop-up stalls
By Michael Indriolo
The West Side Market’s new day stall vendor program grants local entrepreneurs temporary spots in the produce arcade on weekends. Although this program only runs from Aug. 7 to Aug. 28, the city has eyes on a future long-term day stall program.
Keep it to yourself: Public comment is a city council tradition in many places, but Clevelanders hear “Shhhh”
By Lee Chilcote and Maria McGinnis
At gatherings of Cleveland City Council, members of the public are not allowed to address the council. A group called Citizens for Public Comment is trying to change that in the run-up to the 2021 elections, hoping to foster public participation in decision making at a time when the mayoral race, and all 17 council seats, are up for grabs.
For Slavic Village contractor, restoration is a labor of love
By Lee Chilcote
Anthony Andreoli first moved to Slavic Village when he was seeking treatment for drug and alcohol addiction in a halfway house. Now that he’s gotten clean from substance abuse, the resident and business owner is paying it forward — one rehabbed building at a time.
Can Justin Bibb’s ‘change’ campaign reverse a 15-year slide in Cleveland voter turnout?
By Mark Oprea
With voter turnout down as low as 13 percent in some Cleveland wards, Bibb is vying to vault over the hurdles of the pandemic while also stoking participation where it’s been declining for years. His tactic, even at COVID-19’s close, seems to be old-fashioned retail politics: Show up (masked) where voters are at. Win them with a handshake and a smile. Repeat until the September primary.
EDWINS goes nationwide in teaching prison inmates culinary skills via video tablets
By Daniel Polletta
A new video instruction program will offer 500,000 inmates a chance to earn an online culinary degree from EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute.
$6M Red Line Greenway opens after more than a decade of planning
By Lee Chilcote
Beginning at the eastern edge of Zone Recreation Center and threading through Ohio City before connecting to the Centennial Lake Link Trail, the $6 million Red line Greenway connects the near west side to downtown Cleveland while offering views of industry, nature and the city along the way.
Redevelopment of long-vacant Kmart site could bring coffee shop, grocery store to West Park
By Collin Cunningham
Developers hope the intersection of West 150th Street and Lorain Avenue in West Park will soon be the home of five new national chain retail locations and a new name. The project received final approval from the Cleveland Planning Commission on May 7, but has yet to name new tenants.
Muddy waters: Issue 24 raises heated debate about police accountability
By Michael Indriolo
Issue 24’s supporters, many of whom have lost loved ones to police violence, have spent years advocating for civilian oversight of the Cleveland Division of Police. The amendment’s opponents say it grants too much power to appointed officials to solve issues the Consent Decree is already addressing.
Ohio City and Tremont respond to calls for more affordable housing
By Marc Lefkowitz
Ohio City Inc. and Tremont West Development Corporation have teamed up to form the Near West Land Trust with a mission to increase permanent, affordable housing in the midst of a hot housing market. The two nonprofit community development groups have plans to build 40 new, single-family homes on vacant lots scattered throughout Ohio City, Clark-Fulton and Tremont.
Pitching in: Clevelanders take recycling into their own hands
By Marc Lefkowitz
The revelation last spring that Cleveland had been secreting its recyclables to a landfill for months may have finally met its match: Groups of residents on the city’s near west side are starting their own, albeit much smaller, recycling program.
Entrepreneurs from Ethiopia build Addis View apartments in Hough
By Grant Segall
A couple from Ethiopia provides Cleveland with home health workers, chicken fingers and apartments, including the forthcoming Addis View in Hough.
Organic growth: Rust Belt Riders expands to Heinen’s, becomes worker-owned cooperative
By Lee Chilcote
The composting and soil company Rust Belt Riders recently added Heinen’s as a customer, adding to its growth during the pandemic. Now, it’s converting to a worker-owned cooperative to give its employees more of a say and a share of the profits.
Tonya Griffith Bullard hopes Sweet Tee’s Kitchen will help bring back Buckeye
By Grant Segall
Tonya Griffith Bullard started selling food this year in a parking lot on Buckeye Road to raise money to help fix up her mother’s home, damaged by fire. Now she and her husband, Marvin Bullard, plan to open a takeout restaurant there.
Know Your Neighbors strives to bridge gap between CWRU, surrounding neighborhoods
By Maria McGinnis
The disconnect between Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) students and the surrounding Cleveland community led Delaney Jones to start Know Your Neighbors, a student-led initiative at CWRU striving to create connections between Case students and their neighbors.
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