Lee Chilcote

City recycling hiatus is an opportunity for a “fresh start,” solid waste district director says

By Lee Chilcote

When a Fox 8 I-Team story revealed last month that the city of Cleveland had been dumping all of its recyclables into the landfill for several weeks without telling anyone, many residents and city leaders were deeply angry and frustrated.

Need to Know: Bop Stop explores outside concerts, Rust Belt Riders rolls on, library offers online programs

Bop Stop manager Gabe Pollack says it's too early to restart the concert venue, which could open as a bar or restaurant on May 21st but still can't provide live music. However, he's looking into other creative ways to get things bopping again. He's researching holding outdoor concerts, possibly in the Bop Stop parking lot or the small park along the Shoreway, to provide socially distanced live music.

Need to Know: City announces recovery plan, a call for participatory budgeting, riders say RTA could do more to keep them safe

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson released details of the city’s ReStart CLE plan last week and held a telephone town hall meeting to answer questions. The city’s Department of Public Health is working on public health education, direct prevention support to at-risk populations, and expanded community outreach. The city is also offering assistance and support to businesses that have closed or are at risk of closing.

“We’re not going back”: Success of curbside pickup at West Side Market spurs talk of other changes

By Lee Chilcote

Change doesn’t happen quickly at Cleveland’s West Side Market, where vendors and city officials have been wrangling for years about whether the city-run institution should be overseen by a dedicated nonprofit. Yet during the Covid-19 crisis, the city and vendors came together quickly to roll out curbside pickup, and now it may offer a model for moving forward as the market seeks to adjust to this new reality.