It takes 70 dump truck-loads of dirt to transform Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse into Monster Jam. And not just any dirt. This is special local dirt, free of rocks and debris, with the consistency of the perfect snowman-making snow. The show rents the same dirt every year, since the arena was almost brand new, from a guy who’s known as Mr. Dirt. And you can’t just dump all that dirt on top of the pristine surface of the Cavs’ shiny court. Nor can you pollute the playing surface of the Monsters’ ice. In Cleveland, the ice floor was taken away. Workers started preparing at 2 a.m. Thursday. Road plates and plastic were used to protect the floor and arena’s seats. Concrete barriers were also placed around the FieldHouse to protect fans. Now, it’s ready for Monster Jam weekend, and 12,000-pound trucks with names like Grave Digger and Bigfoot. — Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Light snow expected |
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Mounds of dirt are moved into Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland for Monster Jam. |
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Monster trucks : Monster Jam returns to Cleveland today through Sunday. For the event to take place, consistent soil is important, because the dirt track needs to hold up for multiple two-hour-long events where trucks race and jump, reports Sean McDonnell. Shaker Square: Business owners in Cleveland’s Shaker Square are impatient for change more than three years after the historic property fell into foreclosure, jeopardizing the future of a regional landmark. Steven Litt reports the nonprofits Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and Burten Bell Carr Development Inc. have raised and nearly spent $5.25 million on urgently needed basic repairs, including replacing flat roofs that account for 85% of the total roof area at the square, replacing some of the square’s rotting woodwork, fixing a nasty sewage backup, doubling the intensity of lighting, and repaving the square’s two large parking lots. Police staffing: Cleveland’s short-staffed police department faces a key challenge in the next few years: Scores of officers are headed for retirement. Olivia Mitchell reports the numbers come at a critical time for the force, as it hired just 21 officers from its police academy last year. Nine are expected to graduate from a class in April, though the city received more than 600 applications in the final months of last year. Today in Ohio : The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled it was constitutional for Cleveland and other cities to tax former commuters during the coronavirus pandemic as if they were continuing to drive to work, even as office shutdowns resulted in them working from home instead. We’re talking about the fairness of the ruling, and whether the lawsuit should have been in federal court, on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast. |
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FirstEnergy rates: Ohio’s consumer watchdog agency is arguing that a proposed $2.1 billion FirstEnergy rate increase shouldn’t be considered by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio until indictments against an ex-PUCO chair and two former FirstEnergy executives are resolved, reports Jeremy Pelzer. Challenging democracy : When J.D. Vance told an interviewer he’d have gone along with Donald Trump’s fake elector scheme to help Trump stay in power after losing the 2020 election, Ohio’s newest U.S. senator was following a well-worn path of controversy that goes back to Ohio’s very first U.S. Senator. Sabrina Eaton reports that while Vance is typical of the latest, super-partisan brand of politicians, spurred by what experts call a 24/7 media landscape that rewards the loudest voices, history offers a long legacy of politicians who challenged democracy. Third-party candidate? West Virginia U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin didn’t say he is running for president as a third-party candidate during an appearance in Cleveland on Thursday. But he didn’tnot say it either, reports Andrew Tobias. AI: The state released a guide Thursday to help schools and parents navigate generative artificial intelligence in an ethical manner, reports Laura Hancock. |
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TIF overlay : Hundreds of millions of dollars from Mayor Justin Bibb’s proposed downtown revitalization tax district will be diverted to neighborhoods outside of downtown, reports Courtney Astolfi . Bibb released a joint statement with Council President Blaine Griffin on Thursday, pointing to an apparent compromise reached between the mayor and council president, who until now appeared to be on different pages when it came to how much ought to be spent downtown and how much ought to be used in other neighborhoods. HHS levy : Supporters of Cuyahoga County’s Issue 26 have kicked off their campaign urging voters to renew one of two health and human services levies when they cast their March ballots. Lucas Daprile reports Issue 26, if approved, would extend an existing 4.8 mill tax levy for eight years. Traffic warning: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday introduced the Automated Traffic Queue Warning System, with hopes it will cut rear-end crashes by 16%. The Ohio Department of Transportation has begun installing it at 13 highway sites, including on sections of Interstate 90 westbound and Ohio 176 northbound. Olivia Mitchell reports a camera system will detect slow or stopped traffic and send a signal to a message board miles away. Airport help : Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and Lake County Executive Airport are among 114 facilities in 44 states and three territories that will get $970 million to improve their facilities, reports Sabrina Eaton . Hopkins is getting $4.8 million to fund rehabilitation of its Terminal Building, including the terminal wall, ceiling and tunnel membrane at the intermodal terminus that connects the airport with Greater Cleveland RTA’s rapid-transit rail service, which connects the airport to downtown Cleveland and eastern suburbs. Black History : Shana Black, founder and CEO of Black Girl Media, saw a major gap in news and social events for underserved communities in Cleveland, especially Black women. In 2016, she started Black Girl in the CLE Now and in 2018 expanded to Black Girl Media, offering media consulting, media literacy for schools, community engagement events, podcasts and more. Megan Sims profiles Black as part of The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com’s celebration of Black History Month. Kindland : On any given day, you’ll find Eddie Olschansky floating on the Cuyahoga River in what he describes as a “makeshift garbage truck.” The Cleveland native, known to friends and Instagram as “Trash Fish CLE,” is out there in his kayak as many as five days a week on average — but often not for fishing, strength training or recreational purposes, Peter Chakerian reports in his Kindland series. Price is Right: Sheila Mason, the Woodmere police chief, will appear on “The Price is Right” on Feb. 21, reports Molly Walsh . Mason, who has been the city’s chief for 12 years, said the experience was “an adventure.” |
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Microgrid: Mike Foley has been named administrator of the Cuyahoga County microgrid utility that he had a big hand in developing while serving as the county’s director of sustainability. Peter Krouse reports the utility, which goes by Cuyahoga Green Energy, is the county’s effort to provide reliable and mostly green electricity from sources that can operate independently of the larger electrical grid that serves the region. Teen health : Cleveland Department of Public Health and Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s Responsible Sexual Behavior Department are presenting a Teen Summit 2024 on March 5, Gretchen Cuda Kroen reports . This is the first of several events designed to immerse students from Cleveland high schools in engaging discussions about crucial aspects of teen reproductive health, the organizers said. Summer sprinkling : There’s a low-effort way to save money on garden and lawn watering that you can take action on now to be ready for the summer: The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s Summer Sprinkling Program. Sean McDonnell reports that for gardeners, water use tends to go up in the summer. But if you sign up, the Sewer District will assume your extra usage isn’t going into the sewers. And they’ll change your bills to reflect that. Plant idling: Cleveland-Cliffs announced Thursday that it will indefinitely idle its tinplate plant along the Ohio River this April. The closing means about 900 employees will either be laid off or relocated to other Cliffs’ plants, reports Sean McDonnell. Amusement attendance : Cedar Fair, which owns Cedar Point, Kings Island and more than a dozen other amusement and water parks, reported that attendance and revenue were both down in 2023, a result of lousy weather and a dip in season pass sales. Susan Glaser reports the company’s planned merger with rival Six Flags is expected to be complete by June, despite an antitrust investigation underway by the U.S. Department of Justice. COVID week: The number of new COVID-19 cases in Ohio barely changed this week, going from 7,197 last week to 7,199 this week. Julie Washington reports the slight uptick halted a five-week run of falling weekly case numbers. |
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Parma deaths: Police are investigating the deaths this week of two Parma men who lived on the same street, Olivia Mitchell reports . Richard Jolley, 45, stabbed his wife during a dispute at a home in the 5700 block of Luelda Avenue, police say. He later died by suicide. At 5:35 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a home in the 6400 block of Luelda Avenue, where Christopher Lee Skubovious, 40, was found dead. Road rage : North Olmsted officers arrested a 22-year-old man and accused him of shooting at a driver Wednesday after an altercation at a gas station in the city, reports Molly Walsh. Elijah Otero of North Olmsted is charged with felonious assault in what authorities are calling a road-rage incident. BB charges : A grand jury has indicted a Rocky River man on multiple felony charges after police said he used an automatic BB rifle to shoot out windows of businesses, homes and cars in multiple Westshore suburbs last Christmas. Foster Lesko-Dixon, 22, is charged with four counts of vandalism, one count of possessing criminal tools and one count of inducing panic, Cory Shaffer reports. |
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Fan vote: The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has opened up the Fan Vote for the 2024 inductee class, reports Malcolm X Abram . For the first time, the Rock Hall is requiring potential voters to log in to its site at vote.rockhall.com before casting a ballot, a possible deterrent to hacking or gaming the system. Rock Hall exhibits : The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Thursday announced a few of the big exhibits coming to the museum in 2024, including “Revolutionary Women In Music: Left of Center,” which opens to the public on March 8, Malcolm X Abram reports. DineDrink: On the latest episode of “DineDrinkCLE: The Podcast,” hosts Josh Duke and Alex Darus are joined by reporter Marc Bona to talk about Greater Cleveland’s chain restaurants. From Barroco Arepa Bar to the Winking Lizard, there are plenty of examples of local businesses that have blossomed into multiple locations. Hollie Strano: Meteorologist Hollie Strano will return to WKYC Channel 3 this weekend. Joey Morona reports that after a leave of absence, Strano will forecast the weather on the weekend morning shows, airing at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and at 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. Sunday. Her new schedule also includes “Front Row,” the station’s 7 p.m. newscast, on Mondays and Tuesdays. J Lo: Pop icon Jennifer Lopez is about to heat up your summer concert schedule, reports Pete Chakerian. One of the most influential entertainers of her generation, Lopez will slide into Cleveland for a performance at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Aug. 20. Concert fundraiser: Cleveland Institute of Music students and faculty are performing at 7:30 p.m. on March 4 to raise money for the University Settlement. The free concert, at Mixon Hall at CIM, includes some members of the Cleveland Orchestra and is the fifth annual in the Music for Food benefit series, reports Paris Wolfe. CLE Ballet : As the Cleveland Ballet’s troubles fade and a new regime puts new business processes in place, the organization’s creative side is moving ahead with a new artistic director. Paris Wolfe reports they’re also preparing for the April 25-27 productions of “Sleeping Beauty.” Cabbage Key: What you’ll find on tiny Cabbage Key, Florida, is an historic lodge, nature trails, a terrific restaurant that (perhaps) inspired Jimmy Buffett, and most strikingly, an old-time Florida vibe that’s fading fast elsewhere around the state. Susan Glaser reports on the small island – just 112 acres – located in Pine Island Sound, west of Fort Myers. Things to do: It's President’s Day weekend and Mike Rose lists 25 things to do this first week of Lent. |
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Unified Special Olympics games create lasting bonds between Northeast Ohio students Read more Online town hall meeting set for Feb. 19 to discuss Orange issue on primary ballot Read more Security improvements coming to Orange Village Hall Read more Orange High School team places second in Academic Challenge Read more Medina County Home and Garden Show spotlights solar eclipse Read more North Olmsted City Schools Superintendent David Brand resigns Read more Rust Belt Riders touts composting effort at Lakewood’s Cove Community Center Read more Tuxedos to bubble tea: Great Northern Mall announces half-dozen new tenants Read more |
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