More than 5,000 conference leaders and meeting planners will converge on downtown Cleveland next weekend for the American Society of Association Executives convention. Rap star Nelly will put on a private concert on Saturday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Destination Cleveland will host parties at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the East Bank of the Flats. A themed light show will illuminate Public Square. And volunteers will greet attendees at the airport, in hotel lobbies and even on downtown streets. The group will be the first to use the newly expanded Huntington Convention Center, with its $50 million spruce up of the former Global Center for Health Innovation. The goal: Show off Cleveland in hopes of many more conventions to come. — Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
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The Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland is hosting the influential annual gathering of the American Society of Association Executives next weekend. (Chuck Crow, Plain Dealer file photo) |
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Super Bowl conference: The annual conference of the American Society of Association Executives is often referred to as the Super Bowl of meetings because of its outsized importance in the industry. Susan Glaser reports that nearly half of the 5,000-plus attendees are executive-level meeting planners themselves – with the ability to bring their own groups to Cleveland in the coming years. Lakefront plan: After two years of planning and public engagement on the lakefront, Cleveland is ready to propose how to surmount barriers between downtown and Lake Erie, including rail lines, a 70-foot drop in elevation and the 50-mph Ohio 2 Shoreway. Steven Litt reports plans still center on the idea of a 120-foot-wide “land bridge’' that would extend north from the downtown Mall across the Shoreway, as well as a new lakefront transit hub serving Amtrak and the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. The unveiling comes after the city created new financing mechanisms and management systems to support a massive waterfront infrastructure project. State Fair impact: It’s hard to find numbers from the Ohio State Fair that aren’t large. There are 6,800 different classes of competition that people can enter and more than 27,000 entries this year into those competitions, which range from livestock and agricultural events to fine arts. But Sean McDonnell reports that for most of the year the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds is something other than a fair, whether that’s a home and garden show, a banquet or a hockey venue. Today in Ohio: Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb went public Thursday with a $461 million offer to publicly finance lakefront stadium renovations. Why now? We’re talking about the Browns’ idea of a dome in Brook Park and Bibb’s idea of negotiating in public on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast. |
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State IDs: About 75,000 Ohioans have uploaded their state identification to their iPhones in the first two days since state officials rolled out the technology, reports Jake Zuckerman. Ohio found itself on the front end among states on the innovation curve, becoming the fifth in the nation to partner with Apple in engineering a system to allow government-backed identification and verification through Apple Wallet software. Recreational sales: The Ohio Division of Cannabis Control was notifying medical marijuana dispensaries on Friday that they will receive certificates of operation to begin recreational sales on Tuesday. Laura Hancock reports that this means the wait for Ohioans who voted for the initiated statute to legalize marijuana for adults aged 21 and older will soon be over. What to expect: With legal cannabis sales ready to launch Tuesday, what can consumers expect to see at dispensaries? Long lines? High prices (no pun intended)? Zach Mentz gives you the 101. Fortunately, each dispensary is staffed by customer service representatives, more casually known as “budtenders.” Coast Guard: U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce sent a letter to express concerns that the U.S. Coast Guard's decision to stop staffing the Ashtabula station full-time is affecting response times for regional search and rescue operations, reports Sabrina Eaton. |
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Climate change: Weather is becoming a difference-maker in people’s lives. It’s always dictated to some extent where people live, at least when they retire, but with climate change turning up the heat in already steamy locales, Great Lakes regions like Northeast Ohio are becoming potential havens for people of all ages, reports Peter Krouse. Cleveland Moves: The city of Cleveland is seeking public input and engagement on its ambitious five-year transportation initiative that aims to enhance the safety, comfort and convenience of walking, biking and using public transit across the city. Courtney Astolfi reports the city said it hopes to harness the feedback and build upon the multimodal transportation plan, dubbed “Cleveland Moves.” Our Best Life: It feels like the younger you are, the less likely you are to be skilled with your hands. Yet Millennials say they’re handiest generation. Laura Johnston can handle the grunt work of home improvement, but there’s no way she’s changing a faucet or a light fixture. |
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Summerween: Halloween decor is in the stores already. Call it “Summerween,” and love it or hate it, many companies are taking advantage. Does this mean that seasonal items will be arriving earlier and earlier each year? In many places, yes, reports Megan Sims. Expect Christmas in September. Casino revenue: Months into 2024, Ohio’s casinos and racinos are within a rounding error of record-breaking revenue they reported in 2023, reports Sean McDonnell. Through June, the state’s 11 casinos and racinos reported $1.2 billion in gambling revenue, according to data compiled from Casino and Lottery Commission. They were also at $1.2 billion at the halfway point of 2023, but 2024’s total is about $4 million less. |
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St. Malachi shooting: Felonious assault charges have been filed against three suspects accused in Monday’s shooting outside St. Malachi Catholic Church that police say wounded three. John Tucker reports the shooting took place as volunteers were preparing a free meal for residents. Witnesses heard about 20 shots that sent people scrambling. 10-year-old killed: A Cuyahoga County grand jury on Friday handed up an indictment accusing three suspects in a shooting that killed 10-year-old Gracie Griffin on Cleveland’s West Side on the Fourth of July, John Tucker reports. Bibb’s driver: Six weeks after video showed Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb’s driver ran through a red light and collided with another car, no citations have been issued. Lucas Daprile reports that the June 13 accident happened when Bibb’s driver, who was taking the mayor to an “emergency meeting,” flashed the lights on the unmarked police car and ran through a red light at roughly 20 mph on Superior Avenue. Bank fraud: The son of the Agora founder is charged in connection with a yearslong and sprawling bank fraud investigation that prosecutors say bilked people out of some $5 million. Adam Ferrise reports Henry LoConti Jr., 63, is charged in federal court in Los Angeles with racketeering and bank fraud. |
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DineDrink: In the latest episode of “DineDrinkCLE: The Podcast,” hosts Josh Duke and Alex Darus are joined by Marc Bona, who got a first look at the soon-to-open Steak restaurant in Tremont. Aside from a trendy aesthetic and playful menu, former Guardians manager Terry Francona is an investor in the restaurant. Pro Football Hall of Fame: The Pro Football Hall of Fame campus came alive Saturday morning and into the afternoon as sports fans from around the country visited for the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony, Kaylee Remington reports. Twins Days: Twinsburg began The Twin Days Festival in 1976 as part of its bicentennial celebration, but it grew to become the destination weekend for almost 85,000 sets of twins and other multiple siblings from across the world, with more than 2,000 sets of twins expected this year. Zachary Smith reports on this year's festival. SummerSlam: Wrestling took over Cleveland Browns Stadium on Saturday night for the WWE SummerSlam. And, in typical Cleveland fashion, the stadium was booming with smoke, lights, fireworks and a raucous crowd. Joshua Gunter has photos from the event. 'SNL': Cleveland native Molly Kearney will not return for “Saturday Night Live's” 50th season in the fall, reports Joey Morona. Cedar Point: Cedar Point's Snake River Falls will close for good at the end of the current season to make room for future expansion, reports Joey Morona. The amusement park won’t tell you what the expansion will be. Music fest: Thousands gathered Sunday in Wickliffe for fellowship and fun as top Christian music artists hit the stage to perform at the 24th annual Fest, Olivia Mitchell reports. Rood Food: Rood Food & Pie in Lakewood has new ownership: Vessel Hospitality, led by Cory Hajde. While its menu and artisan cocktails say “fine dining,” Rood is really known for its over-the-top pies, reports Paris Wolfe. That, like everything else, will continue. City Club: Chef Jeremy Umansky will talk about “Reclaiming Our Sustainable Food Ecosystems” at the City Club of Cleveland’s 2024 Summer Outdoor Series on Wednesday, Paris Wolfe reports. House of the Week: Custom designed by Tony Paskevich in 2011, the contemporary home in Gates Mills is a “countryside paradise” on 11 acres surrounded by woods and wildlife overlooking the Chagrin Valley. Joey Morona reports that priced at $3,699,000, the home has six bedrooms and nine bathrooms (six full) in over 13,300 square feet of living space and comes with a four-car attached garage. |
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1 dead, 1 injured in shooting on Cleveland's East Side Read more Carl Maduri, Clevelander with a knack for signing artists to national record deals, dies at 89 Read more Man who inhaled nitrous oxide goes to NASA, flees from police in Brook Park and Medina County Read more Concerts return to Medina County Fair after COVID hiatus Read more Medina Salvation Army hopes fundraising softball tournament will be a ‘hit’ Read more Orange resident seeks to disrupt process that would send rezoning issue to voters Nov. 5 Read more Brad Rice art show at Medina Library features cultural icons Read more Orange puts rezoning of New Song Church property on Nov. 5 ballot Read more |
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