Cleveland, OH
‘What are you doing here?’ Cleveland transplants say why they stay in Northeast Ohio – The Land
On Felton Thomas Jr.’s first day of work at the Cleveland Public Library, the temperature was eight degrees below zero.
“I walked down here in my Las Vegas coat,” Thomas recalls, “and everybody waiting for me said, ‘Oh, this is a normal winter day.’”
The library’s new leader was relieved to learn that his colleagues were kidding, sort of. And he’s become one of Cleveland’s many converts: people who come, stay and praise a town that many lifers pan.
So, over his 17 years here, has Thomas acclimated? “Acclimated? That’s not a word in my vocabulary,” he retorts. “When we have those super-cold days, I’m ‘Omigod!’ And three months of no sunshine drives me crazy.”
And he still hasn’t adjusted to Cleveland’s hours, either. “In Vegas, all the supermarkets are open 24 hours.”
So why has Thomas stuck around? Because of our library, of course, and lots more. “I love Las Vegas, but there’s an inauthenticity to the people. Here, people are who they are.”
And most have roots here. In Vegas, “Everybody came from somewhere else. Here, everyone wanted to know what high school I’d gone to.”
When they find out, they marvel that Thomas has come and stayed. He replies by extolling the library, the Rock Hall and the Cleveland Museum of Art, where he’s on the board. He also tells them that Superior Pho beats every restaurant he’s tried in Vietnam.
But some locals still don’t understand. “A lot of times,” he says, “folks don’t want to talk about the good things in the city of Cleveland.”
Love that Cleveland climate
It might surprise locals, especially this time of year, but President David Sharkey of Progressive Urban Real Estate says that plenty of people move to Cleveland for the weather. “People like the seasons. A young guy moved here from San Diego because he couldn’t stand the sun anymore. And I get quite a bit of people who love seeing storms come over the lake.”
Jen Ferger from Illinois finds our weather at least interesting. She’s a meteorologist who studies weather risks for insurers. “I love watching the radar here. It’s so true that the East Side gets more lake effect than the West Side, like six inches versus a dusting. That’s fascinating to me.”
She also calls Cleveland “ a mini-Chicago” without the traffic or prices. She lives near our lake and says she could never afford to live near Chicago’s coast.
From Down Under to Up Over
Most Cleveland newbies echo Thomas about being welcomed with wonder by natives. Craig Hassall, a native Australian who leads Playhouse Square, says, “I get that all the time from locals, not from other transplants: ‘What on earth are you doing here?’”
Not surprisingly, Hassall replies by praising our arts. “Cleveland punches above its weight in its presentation and consumption of culture.” He also talks up the West Side Market, Wade Chapel at Lake View Cemetery, and the Cleveland Metroparks. “I walk every day to Edgewater Park.”
Any complaints about Cleveland? “I don’t understand why Cleveland hasn’t leveraged the asset that is Lake Erie. I went out to Sandusky and took a boat out onto the lake. There were almost no boats on the water. In Sidney or Vancouver, you’d be cheek to jowl with other watercraft.”
From transplant to ambassador
Allison Newsome from Montgomery, Ala., came here to study law at Case Western Reserve University. “A lot of people who grew up in Cleveland have constantly heard it put down,” she says. “So everybody kind of had a tour guide hat on and told me lists of fun activities.”
Newsome was happily surprised by Cleveland’s green spaces, Cultural Gardens and Playhouse Square. She also found that “it was easy to make friends. People were very inviting.”
She likes it here so much, she volunteers as a resident ambassador for the Cleveland Talent Alliance, advising prospective and recent arrivals.
Ties of love
Bob Kimmelfield from suburban New York City followed a girlfriend to her native Cleveland. They broke up, but he stayed, married another woman and fell hard for the town. Now he plays in a band at local contra dances and leads jaunts for the Cleveland Hiking Club on our streets and our “incredible park system.”
Ivan Muzyka came from Ukraine with his mother to join relatives here. “It was lucky to move to a city with a big, strong Ukrainian community,” he says. “I was lucky to find a Ukrainian boyfriend.”
Some people want to be near family but not too near. Marjorie Preston likes being two hours away from relatives back home in Bowling Green. She chose Cleveland partly because it’s Democratic but regrets its grip by state and federal Republicans.
Boomeranging
Many locals boomerang. They go off to see the world, then come back, often with spouses from elsewhere.
Jerome Sheriff from Chicago followed his wife to her native Cleveland. He loves downtown’s wealth of parking spaces, mostly free on weekends. He just wishes our drivers wouldn’t stop and rubberneck so much.
Jay Dumaswala from Cincinnati also followed his wife to her native Cleveland. Now he’s another Talent Alliance ambassador. “I love the Cavs,” he says. “I love the Guardians. The Browns? I don’t understand a team that abuses its fans, and people still show up.”
Louis Gideon, an ambassador too, brought his pregnant wife from New York City to his native Cleveland, partly so his family could help with the baby. Now the couple pays less rent for a place 10 times bigger in Westlake than their apartment in New York.
Gideon likes Cleveland’s few degrees of separation. He met someone downtown who turned out to live a few doors away from him in Westlake, with kids of similar ages. “We are close friends now.”
Coming without connections
Many people move for work, school or family. But Cat Mohar and her husband moved to escape the buzzing mosquitoes and soaring home prices of Durham, N.C. After reading about Cleveland and scoping it out, they settled in Lakewood. “It’s like stuck in a 90s movie about Halloween,” she says, “where kids run freely trick-or-treating.”
Kate Smith and her future husband came here in 2018 from Truth or Consequences, N.M., with no ties. “We fell in love with the city long-distance,” she says. “The more businesses and arts organizations I began to follow, the more we began to see how unique and scrappy and proud the Cleveland vibe is.”
Since moving, “We have felt so welcome. The first Easter, neighbors invited us over who’d fostered over 50 kids.”
She also loves the zoo. “My husband proposed to me on the carousel.”
Stefanie and Mike English came from Albuquerque to Cleveland without connections. “We were a little tired of the desert,” she says. They chose Cleveland for its culture, lake and opportunities. They rehab homes and love our architecture. They’ve had trouble, though, finding good contractors and getting loans for properties in struggling neighborhoods.
Stephanie loves our many festivals. She loves our schnitzel. But “I don’t understand pierogies.”
Gain some, lose some
Of course, Cleveland has plenty of outflow as well as influx.
Rick Putka left his native Cleveland for Europe this year to flee what he sees as America’s fading economy and democracy. Michael Baron moved to New York City to enjoy its progressive politics, its energy, its diversity and his grandchildren.
Ronald Stubblefield from Baltimore came and went twice. He liked the area’s affordability, culture and strong neighborhoods. But he says, “Cleveland kept looking backward.” He saw institutions competing instead of cooperating. And “Cleveland struggles to retain ambitious Black talent that other regions readily embrace.”
Some departees still tout the town they gave up. Debbie Stone moved to California for her late husband’s career in tech law, but misses Cleveland’s art museum, orchestra and more. “I even miss the roaming deer.”
Many celebrities from Cleveland talk it up from afar. Drew Carey popularized “Cleveland Rocks.” Tom Hanks shouted “Go Tribe!” during “Saturday Night Live.” Filmmaker Joe Russo told cleveland.com that he “grew up with a real work ethic and that kind of tough-nosed Cleveland attitude… that stick-to-itiveness.”
In Juneau, Alaska, Jeff Smith runs one of the world’s many chapters of Browns Backers. He says, “I miss the restaurants in Cleveland, live music and sports, and some of my favorite places like the West Side Market, Lake View Cemetery, etc. [But] one thing I don’t miss about Cleveland is how much people complain about the weather in winter. In Alaska, people look forward to each new season.”
Cleveland Cavaliers’ president of basketball operations Koby Altman has made it clear that there won’t be a rebuild for next season’s team, but changes will be made.
After tasting their first conference finals in eight years, the Cavs will be eager to do one better ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, and Altman has the pieces available to him to achieve just that.
It isn’t a rebuild; it’s a retool.
To really get the best out of this Cavs side in the offseason and for the team to compete for the NBA crown, Altman will need to focus on these key factors.
Solidify Donovan Mitchell’s future
It’s undoubtedly the Cavs’ top priority this offseason. Securing a long-term contract with its star player, Donovan Mitchell and preventing him from entering free agency is key to Cleveland’s success.
What’s uplifting is that Mitchell and the Cavaliers are in a strong position, and he has shown no signs of wanting to leave the team.
It is expected that Mitchell, who still has a year left on his contract, will wait to sign a new deal, which could make some Cavs fans sweat, given what happened to LeBron James in his early years, but Mitchell is aiming for the best possible deal for him, which is a maximum contract.
If Altman can lock him up quicker, though, then there will be no need for those Cleveland fans to sweat.
Lift the second apron curse
Another huge priority on Altman’s table. The Cavaliers finished last season with one of the loftiest rosters in recent NBA memory, which significantly hampers them.
Being in the second apron of the luxury tax, the Cavs are very limited in their ability to aggregate salaries for trades and with the team virtually unable to do damage in the draft for the next few seasons, they will need to save some money.
One key would be to convince James Harden to decline his player option and sign a cheaper deal that suits Cleveland. Trading guard Dennis Schroder for future picks would also benefit Altman.
Keep Evan Mobley on board
A key piece of Cleveland’s future, the 24-year-old Evan Mobley is still a little rough around the edges, but a talent the Cavs need on their roster.
Keeping him happy will be key as his contract runs through to the 2029-30 season. Improving his offensive ability and having coach Kenny Atkinson get his team to work on his jump shot will make him a strong force within the roster.
There were large patches of the season where Mobley and Mitchell complemented each other flawlessly, and there are signs that he is ready to take the baton for the Cavs if Mitchell is out injured or if he decides to take his talents elsewhere.
If that does happen, then Mobley will be in line to lead Cleveland.
Follow
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Severe storms in Northeast Ohio Wednesday night into Thursday morning triggered several tornado warnings and knocked out power to thousands.
Check FirstEnergy’s, AEP’s, and CPP’s websites for the latest outage numbers.
Tornado warnings were issued for Ashland, Richland, and Huron Counties.
There was no reported damage related to the warnings as of 1:10 am.
These storms will remain in the area until 2 am, mainly producing very gusty winds.
However, due to very strong winds, tornado warnings can’t be ruled out- especially over southern locations within the 19 viewing area.
Submit photos and video below.
Check back with the 19 News First Alert Weather team for the latest weather forecast.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Cleveland, OH
Brown Leads Letter to FBI Demanding Answers on Raid Targeting Voter Registration in NE Ohio
Cleveland, OH – Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) has led a letter to the FBI demanding answers regarding the Bureau’s raid targeting the Ohio Organizing Collective, an organization supporting voting rights and voter registration efforts in Ohio. Brown has strongly criticized the FBI raids as an effort to deny and suppress the vote in Northeast Ohio.
Congresswoman Brown announced the letter at a press conference in Cleveland this afternoon. Brown is urging Ohioans to continue to exercise their right to vote and to not be intimidated.
Brown’s letter to FBI Director Kash Patel and the Special Agent in Charge of the Cleveland Office was signed by Rep. Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Rep. Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Rep. Greg Landsman (OH-01), and Rep. Emilia Sykes (OH-13).
The letter references other efforts by the Trump Administration to weaponize federal law enforcement and perpetuate false narratives around the 2020 election. Brown and the signees seek the legal justification used by the FBI to conduct this raid, full information on what warrants were obtained, and details about the scope of this massive operation, including how many agents were pulled off other assignments to be part of this raid.
“The people I represent deserve answers, because their right to vote is sacred and what happened in Cleveland last week is deeply alarming. When federal agents undertake a statewide operation against an organization whose mission is helping eligible Americans register to vote, the public has every right to ask questions. Any action that risks intimidating lawful voter registration efforts or discouraging participation in our democracy should concern every American, regardless of party. My message to Ohioans is simple: it is safe to participate, register, vote and help your neighbors do the same. We will remain vigilant in defending the sacred right to vote and protecting the democratic freedoms that generations fought to secure,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown.
The text of the letter is as follows:
Dear Director Patel and Special Agent in Charge DelManzo,
We write to express deep concern regarding the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s recent raid of the Cleveland office of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative (OCC) and the reported questioning of OCC staff, volunteers, and community partners throughout Ohio. According to reports FBI agents not only raided the OCC’s Cleveland office but also followed individuals connected to the organization in their cars, followed their children to school, and went to their homes demanding to enter them under the guise of investigating voter fraud.
For almost two decades, the Ohio Organizing Collaborative has encouraged civic engagement participated voter registration, community organizing and advocacy. While no organization is above the law, the expansive scope of the federal activity focused on such a prominent voting rights organization, coupled with the absence of any public explanation regarding the basis of these actions raises serious questions about whether federal law enforcement is being deployed in a manner that could have a chilling effect on lawful civic engagement.
We are concerned that in an election year, DOJ and FBI seem to have abandoned their own Election Year Sensitivities policy which forbids selecting the timing of public statements, overt steps, or charges to affect any election. Any deviation from these standards—especially overt investigative activity targeting a voter-registration organization—risks weaponizing the federal government against lawful civic activity.
These concerns are heightened by this Administration’s efforts to push unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud, specifically in the 2020 Presidential election. Over the past year the FBI has raided the elections office in Fulton County, Georgia collecting 2020 ballots,3 the Department of Justice (DOJ) has demanded full, unredacted voter rolls from at least 44 states and the District of Columbia,4 and despite no findings of widespread voter fraud this Administration continues to take unprecedented actions to, restrict access to the ballot, weaken voting-rights protections, and to cast doubt on our election administration. Against this backdrop, further aggressive federal investigative actions like the raid in Cleveland and the indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center creates serious concerns that federal law enforcement is being used to intimidate civic organizations and deter lawful participation in our democratic process.
The First Amendment protects the rights of individuals and organizations to engage in political advocacy, and association. Any investigation of these protected activities must be conducted with the utmost care and in accordance with all relevant law and Department of Justice policies designed to prevent political bias or retaliation.
To better understand the basis and scope of the FBI’s recent actions against the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, we request answers to the following questions:
- What specific authority or legal basis was used to authorize the search of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative’s Cleveland office? Please produce the warrant and affidavit.
- What specific authority or legal basis was used to authorize to the questioning, following, and appearance at the private residences of individuals associated with Ohio Organizing Collaborative?
- Please provide all information that led to the initiation of this investigation including any referrals, approvals, or authorizations received by the Department of Justice or any other relevant office.
- Did any state or local law enforcement request, recommend, or participate in the raid of Ohio Organizing Collaborative’s Cleveland office and the following and questioning of staff and volunteers? If so, please provide all documentation and communication on the collaboration across agencies and governments.
- Did any federal entities (including but not limited to DHS and ODNI) participate or share information leading to the raid of Ohio Organizing Collaborative’s Cleveland office and the following and questioning of staff and volunteers? If so, please provide all documentation and communication on the collaboration across agencies and governments.
- What are the policies and protocols that govern investigations that involve organizations that legally participate in voter registration?
- How many FBI personnel participated in the search and related investigative activities?
- Were any agents reassigned from other investigations or offices to participate in this operation? If so, from which offices and for what duration?
- Did the FBI/DOJ consult the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, and were the Election-Year Sensitivities policies followed regarding timing of overt steps? Please produce consultation records and approvals.
We request a response no later than June 22, 2026
Sincerely,
[[SIGNATURES]]
###
-
Denver, CO6 minutes agoBroncos make decision on tryout quarterback, sign 2 players
-
Seattle, WA9 minutes agoFox Soccer broadcast coming to Seattle waterfront ahead of US game
-
San Diego, CA21 minutes agoSan Diego begins installing parking meters in San Ysidro business district
-
Milwaukee, WI24 minutes ago$95,000 worth of Milwaukee tools stolen in Plover
-
Atlanta, GA29 minutes agoStaycations Are Trending: Atlanta Events Worth Staying Home For In June
-
Minneapolis, MN36 minutes agoMinneapolis Big Honking Truck Parade returns to Nicollet Mall on June 18
-
Indianapolis, IN39 minutes agoIndiana regulators approve $71 million rate increase for AES
-
Pittsburg, PA44 minutes ago14+ things to do this weekend, from Juneteenth and Monster Jam to Summer Splash and Bubblesburgh
