Cleveland, OH

Cleveland’s Climate Refuge Status Gets Complicated

Published

5 months ago

December 1, 2025

Cleveland’s Climate Refuge Status Gets Complicated

This article was published through an exclusive content-sharing agreement with neo-trans.blog.

Despite the snowy Thanksgiving holiday, Cleveland’s status as a climate refuge got a warm review thanks to new data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In the last decade, only three U.S. cities’ climates warmed faster than Cleveland’s, according to the new data.

In fact, NOAA’s data showed six Great Lakes cities and four New England cities comprised the top 10 cities that warmed the fastest from 2015-2024. Those cities, from most to least fastest warming, were: Sault Saint Marie, MI; Caribou, ME; Rochester, NY; Cleveland, OH; Columbus, OH; Syracuse, NY; Bangor, ME; Flint, MI; Burlington, VT; Montpelier, VT.

“Cleveland saw average temperatures rise from 51.13°F in 2015 to 55.23°F in 2024, an increase of 4.10°F,” a press statement noted. “Meanwhile, Columbus followed closely behind, warming from 53.21°F to 57.28°F, a 4.07°F spike. These increases place both Ohio cities among the fastest-warming urban areas in the country.”

In Sault Ste. Marie, the average temperature was 41.98°F in 2015. Last year, it was 46.78°F, or a 4.80°F rise. At the low end of the top 10, Montpelier’s average temperature in 2015 was 42.54°F. A decade later, it was 46.31°F or a 3.77°F rise.

Of the 215 locations studied in NOAA’s data, assembled by the National Centers for Environmental Information and Anderson Air, around 78 percent (or 168) have had temperatures increase between 2015 and 2024.

On the opposite end of the study, coastal California bucked the national trend. Los Angeles has cooled by 2.93°F since 2015, marking the largest temperature decrease nationwide. San Diego followed closely behind, cooling by 2.52°F.

Why is climate data in a blog about Cleveland-area real estate, construction and economic development? Because where people want to live drives investments in housing or transportation and utility infrastructure.

And the data offers a challenge to cities like Cleveland. Warmer temperatures put increased stress on cooling systems and electrical utility infrastructure which is already being tasked to handle significant new consumers of electricity, namely data centers.

At the extreme, sudden changes in climate can push people out, like the 1930s Dust Bowl forced farmers to abandon the Great Plains for the relative calm of the West Coast. Today, tropical storms and high insurance rates or even cancelations are causing some people to leave the Gulf Coast states. Wildfires have wreaked havoc across the Western states and Canadian provinces.

It’s not just North America that’s affected, of course. Up to 1.2 billion people worldwide may be displaced by climate change by 2050, according to the Institute for Economics & Peace. Their loss could be Cleveland’s gain.

The Great Lakes region, harboring 20 percent of the world’s freshwater supply, seem like a peaceful alternative to places experiencing climate turmoil — aside from our increasingly rare blizzards or wetter springs that can bring severe thunderstorms and flash floods.

“We have to realize that the southern states are literally not going to be livable in 50 years,” says David Pogue, American technology and science writer and correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning. Pogue is a Cleveland-area native and the author of How to Prepare for Climate Change.

“Where are they going to go?” Pogue asked in a recent article. “They’re going to move North. There’s absolutely no question. This is Cleveland’s game to lose. It’s time to start thinking about attracting a new generation of people who can make Cleveland vibrant, beautiful and safe.”

Cleveland and Cuyahoga County leaders are striving to capitalize on our location on a Great Lake, a shoreline that was turned over to industry in the 1800s. But in post-industrial Cleveland, where someone can work remotely to anywhere in the world, our shoreline is turning residential and recreational.

While Greater Cleveland’s population is edging upward, a lack of new housing inventory is causing prices to surge. In fact, housing prices are rising faster in Greater Cleveland than in most other metros, according to the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Index. The region’s affordability has been one of its greatest draws.

According to job and career search Web site Monster.com, Greater Cleveland was one of the nation’s fastest growing job markets in the third quarter of 2025. The Q3 2025 Monster Job Market Report ranked Greater Cleveland as the 11th-best hiring hot spot in the United States.

Cleveland’s affordability, improving economy and climate safety, like those of Detroit, Milwaukee and others in the Great Lakes region, are causing young people to “boomerang” after leaving home for the promise of coastal big cities.

“Cities like Cleveland, Ohio, and Buffalo, New York faced similar declines as industry left and young people followed,” said Strong Towns staff writer Asia Mieleszko. “But the tides are shifting. Some communities are seeing their children return, ready to raise families where they grew up.”

“Others are seeing renewed job opportunities, sparked by local entrepreneurship or policy success,” she added. “Some neighborhoods are welcoming people relocating from places affected by hurricanes, wildfires, or floods—whether for the long term or just to get back on their feet.”

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Cleveland, OH

Paint the Town: Sherwin-Williams Opens Massive 36-Story Headquarters in Cleveland – Scioto Post

Published

8 hours ago

May 11, 2026

Press Room

Paint the Town: Sherwin-Williams Opens Massive 36-Story Headquarters in Cleveland – Scioto Post

CLEVELAND, OH — Governor Mike DeWine joined city leaders and executives today to officially cut the ribbon on the new Sherwin-Williams global headquarters, a project that literally changes the skyline of downtown Cleveland.

The grand opening coincides with the company’s 160th anniversary. Founded in Cleveland in 1866, the paint giant is doubling down on its Ohio roots with a sprawling, one-million-square-foot campus.

By the Numbers: A New Hub for Talent

The new headquarters is more than just an office—it is a massive economic engine for Northeast Ohio:

36 Stories: The main office tower now stands as a prominent feature of the downtown landscape.
3,000+ Employees: The tower will house thousands of workers, bringing consistent foot traffic back to the city center.
$37.5 Million: The investment committed by JobsOhio to ensure the project stayed in Cleveland.
1 Million Square Feet: The total size of the campus, which includes a two-story welcome pavilion and a multi-level parking garage.

“Sherwin-Williams has called Northeast Ohio home for 160 years, and today is a celebration of their longtime commitment to Ohio,” said Governor DeWine during the ceremony. He noted that the state-of-the-art facility is designed to keep Ohio’s “best and brightest” students in the state after they graduate.

Investing in the Future

The headquarters is the second half of a two-part expansion. In September 2025, Sherwin-Williams opened its Global Research and Development Center in Brecksville, which currently houses 900 employees. Between the two sites and various other operations, the company now employs more than 6,500 Ohioans.

To keep the “talent pipeline” flowing, JobsOhio is also backing the “Create Your Possible” Career Accelerator at Baldwin Wallace University. The program provides mentorship and internships specifically for STEM and business students, creating a direct path from the classroom to a desk in the new 36-story tower.

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Cleveland, OH

What’s it like being a news anchor at Cleveland’s ABC Channel 5

Published

20 hours ago

May 11, 2026

Press Room

What’s it like being a news anchor at Cleveland’s ABC Channel 5

Note to readers:

The following item is a written record of the Ward 2 council community meeting from April 29, 2026, compiled by Akron Documenter Wittman Sullivan. It is not a reported story.

Documenters are residents who are trained to observe and document local government meetings. Their notes are edited before publication for clarity and accuracy — unless quotation marks are used, all text is paraphrased.

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@signalakron.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.

Summary

Tessa DiTirro, an anchor and reporter from Cleveland television station News 5 (WEWS), talked with community members about local concerns, including traffic issues and community events. She lives in West Akron and graduated from Firestone High School and Ohio State University.
Multiple community events are coming up in Ward 2, including the Ward 2 Baseball Game in July at 7 17 Credit Union Park in downtown Akron and the annual Ward 2 Community Cleanup led by Keep Akron Beautiful at the Patterson Park Community Center on May 9 at 8:30 a.m. Sign up here.
A community member spoke with Ward 2 Council Member Phil Lombardo about traffic safety concerns on Cuyahoga Street, saying his concerns about crashes have been ignored.

Documenter follow-up questions

What is the exact criteria that determines the order of house demolition in Akron?

Ward 2 City Council Member Phil Lombardo started the meeting at 6:01 p.m.
- Ward 10 City Council Member Sharon Connor and Akron Public School Board Member Nathan Jarosz were also present.
- Lombardo said his campaign manager helps to schedule meetings.
Lombardo said the Ward 2 baseball game will be in July at 7 17 Credit Union Park with $8 seating in line with third base and a free hot dog. The first 1,000 fans will get a free Jose Ramirez bobble head.
- Keep Akron Beautiful is looking for a volunteer for a month to water a flower bed at the corner of Dan Street and Glenwood Avenue in North Hill.
- The annual Ward 2 cleanup is May 9 at 8:30 a.m. at Patterson Park Community Center, led by Keep Akron Beautiful, to make “this place look sparkling despite the orange barrels.”

Channel 5 anchor graduated from Firestone High School

DiTirro said she graduated from Firestone High School, Akron School for the Arts Visual Art program, and participated in choirs and musicals. She studied TV Broadcasting at Ohio State University and has worked in broadcasting in Wheeling, Cincinnati, Grand Rapids and now in Cleveland since July 2023.
- She said she has long ties to Akron and lives in West Akron, her parents live in West Akron, and she loves Dontino’s in Akron.
- She hosts Good Morning Cleveland on Channel 5 on Saturdays at 8 a.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m. Stories come from her listening to residents and reading social media, the Akron Beacon Journal and Signal Akron posts. She works with a photographer and producers to write 90-second to two-minute segments. Lombardo gives her some stories, she said, like the street light outage story.
- She works from 3 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday through Friday and 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends.
Lombardo asked if she works on investigative or feel-good reporting
- DiTirro said News 5 has an investigative team that she’ll sometimes pass ideas to. Still, she has the freedom to focus on community stories and accountability pieces as a morning news anchor.

Join the movement for transparency

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DiTirro fields questions about news decisions

A community member asked her to cover the National Night Out against crime on Aug. 4.
A community member asked what her favorite story has been.
- DiTirro said in 2024, they covered the recycled Cleveland E-Scooters that were refurbished at Summit E-Waste Recycling (the company no longer rehabs scooters), which led to people across the country buying all of them.
Lombardo asked how hard it is to switch between sad and feel-good stories.
- Ditirro said, “It is tough,” but her producer helps her write a balanced show with smooth transitions.
A community member asked if she goes to churches and communities that read to children.
- DiTirro said she goes but doesn’t usually make stories out of it.
A community member asked how community concerns turn into a story.
- DiTirro said she’ll take larger community concerns to a team of producers and executive producers. Stories come from curiosity usually, but timely news such as crime usually takes precedent. She said the E-Scooter story came from curiosity.
A community member asked her to cover speed tables.
Connor asked how community members can spread good news.
- She said that community members elevating good news to her helps.
A community member with Progress Through Preservation said they need more time to find investors to save Firestone Plant #1. She said Tony Troppe hasn’t been given enough time for projects like saving St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in University Park.

🗓️ New events calendar! From block parties to concerts and kids’ activities, find fun around Akron and Summit County all year long. Dive into the calendar and start planning.

Residents raise concerns about Cuyahoga Street safety, vacant houses

A community member asked for a plan for Cuyahoga Street and asked why Sackett Avenue has a speed trap trailer.
- Lombardo said it was added after resident requests.
- The community member said his 31 calls have been ignored even after a family was killed on the 1600 block of Cuyahoga Street. He said he’s been asking for help since 2025, and a dead-end road got action before a street with an issue of head-on collisions and deadly speeding issues.
- An Akron Police Department (APD) officer said there were multiple resident complaints on Sackett.
A community member said they are putting a permanent speed table next to his house on Gorge Boulevard and said people will speed after passing it.
- Lombardo said the maintenance with the rubber tables is too much, but if anybody has concerns about asphalt speed tables, they can speak to the city council on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. during the public comment period.

Issues with vacant houses, potholes also raised to council member

A community member asked Lombardo about a vacant corner house in the community.
- Lombardo said the house should have come down. He doesn’t know the schedule since about 50 homes are demolished annually, but the city can’t schedule them since fire-damaged homes always take top priority.
- He said when he was riding with the police once and they checked on a vacant house at 857 Gorge Blvd., and when they knocked on the door, they were greeted by a squatter who had removed the condemnation sign.

Go deeper: Read our full explainer on how Akron decides which derelict houses to tear down next.

A community member said panhandlers near state Route 8 are getting close to cars.
- An Akron Police Department officer said they need a vendor’s license and may not go beyond the curb, but people shouldn’t pay them because it will be spent on drugs.
- A community member said people could give out “blessing bags” with toiletries and basic needs.
A community member said kids have been hiding money in hole in a rotted tree in her yard. She asked when the city would remove the tree.
- Lombardo said there isn’t a schedule, but if he gets an address, he can check with the municipal arborist.
- A community member said it can take up to six months to remove a tree.
- A community member asked why the city removes devil strip trees.
  - Lombardo said it is usually a disease or sidewalk damage.
- A community member asked who’s liable for damage if a devil strip tree falls on their house.
  - Lombardo said that is what home insurance is for.
A community member said a pothole keeps reopening near North High School on Tallmadge Avenue.
- Lombardo said they are looking for repaving grants in 2027, but it also needs utility work.

May speaker will be Akron Chamber of Commerce president

Lisa Mansfield from Vantage Aging said the Senior Summit Expo on May 6 at St. George’s Fellowship Hall in Fairlawn will have more than 75 vendor booths.

Lombardo said Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce President Steve Millard will be the meeting guest in May, WAKR will be at the meeting in June, and University of Akron President R.J. Nemer will be a guest speaker in July or August.

The meeting ended at 6:54 p.m.

Find your neighborhood news: See all of our reporting on Ward 2 neighborhoods North Hill, Merriman Valley, and Chapel Hill in one place.

Akron Documenters trains and pays residents to document local government meetings with notes and live-tweet threads. We then make those meeting summaries available as a new public record.

Cleveland, OH

Dorothy Tomazic Obituary – Mentor, OH (1936-2026)

Published

1 day ago

May 10, 2026

Press Room

Dorothy Tomazic

OBITUARY

Dorothy Tomazic, age 89, passed away peacefully on January 12, at Hospice of the Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio, surrounded by her loving family and a lifelong sports fan.Born on May 16, 1936, in Cleveland, Ohio, Dorothy was a lifelong resident of Mentor, Ohio, a community she loved and called home for all her years. She was a woman of quiet strength, lifelong curiosity, and gentle generosity, and she will be fondly remembered by all who knew her.Dorothy was a proud graduate of her beloved Ohio University and dedicated her life to education. She began her teaching career at Collinwood High School before earning her master’s degree in Elementary Education. She later taught at Huntington Elementary School, where she nurtured young minds with patience, kindness, and a genuine love for learning. Teaching was more than a profession to Dorothy’it was a calling.Outside the classroom, Dorothy found great joy in reading and gardening. An avid reader, she was rarely without a book and often had three or four books going at once. She also loved tending to her garden and especially enjoyed visits to Pettiti’s Garden Center. A lifelong sports fan, Dorothy cheered for her favorite Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar and followed basketball star Caitlin Clark.She was preceded in death by her father, Anton Tomazic; her mother, Sophie (nee Walland) Tomazic; and her brother, Raymond Tomazic.Dorothy is survived by her loving nephews Raymond (Sandra) Tomazic and Anthony (Natalie) Tomazic, and her sister-in-law, Rita Nucciarone. She was a cherished great-aunt to Blaise (Hayley), Tyler, Mitchell (Julianne), Ashley (Rick), Nicki (Matt), and Leah (David), and a devoted great-great aunt to Braylen, Aubrey, Fitz, Miley, and Mia, all of whom brought her immense pride and joy.Dorothy’s gentle spirit, love of learning, and deep devotion to family, books, gardening, and sports will live on in the hearts of those who were blessed to know her.A Memorial Mass for Dorothy will be held on Friday, May 15, 2026, at 11:00 AM at St. Gabriel Catholic Church, 9925 Johnnycake Ridge Road, Concord Township, Ohio. Followed by a Celebration of Life at 12:30 PM at the Redhawk Grille, 7481 Auburn Rd. Concord Twp. OH 44077.

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