Cleveland, OH

Anti-ICE Protests Erupt Across Northeast Ohio in Organized School Campus Walkouts

Published

4 months ago

January 23, 2026

Anti-ICE Protests Erupt Across Northeast Ohio in Organized School Campus Walkouts

CLEVELAND, OH — Students at multiple Northeast Ohio school campuses walked out of classes Thursday afternoon to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions and federal immigration enforcement policies, joining a broader wave of youth‑led demonstrations that began earlier this week.

Walk‑outs at Glenville High School, John Hay High School, the John Marshall Campus, Wickliffe High School, Cleveland School of the Arts, Cleveland Heights–University Heights schools, Facing History New Tech High School and the Garrett Morgan Campus began at or shortly after 2:00 p.m., according to the Cleveland branch of the Party of Socialism and Liberation. Students at Case Western Reserve University participated in a similar walk‑out on Wednesday. The coordinated actions followed national demonstrations tied to opposition to ICE and related enforcement practices.

Organizers and participants framed the actions under messaging that included demands such as “ICE Out of Our Cities” and described the protests as expressions of solidarity with immigrant families amid heightened national focus on immigration enforcement. Many students said they coordinated the walk‑outs through social media and peer networks rather than through formal school channels.

Some participants expressed concern about safety and possible retaliation from law enforcement, particularly when considering marching into busier city corridors or downtown areas. Students at Cleveland School of the Arts discussed avoiding main streets and heavily policed zones as they moved through neighborhoods near school campuses.

Turnout varied by campus, with groups ranging from small clusters of students to larger assemblies leaving class together, gathering outside school buildings and marching short distances nearby. As of Thursday evening, no major incidents, arrests or reported violence had been confirmed in connection with the walk‑outs, and no counter‑protests were reported.

The demonstrations in Northeast Ohio are part of a nationwide pattern of student and worker protests this week, often linked to what participants and some media outlets are calling the “Free America” walk‑out movement. In Cleveland, the student actions followed community rallies and university participation earlier in the week, reflecting sustained momentum.

Organizers indicated that additional actions could follow, though no further dates or locations were formally announced Thursday. School districts had not released consolidated statements addressing the walk‑outs as of Thursday evening.

U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown, D‑Ohio, weighed in on the controversy surrounding federal immigration enforcement on Thursday evening after the protests, saying she voted No this week on a House bill that would have funded U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Brown said in an email to Cleveland 13 News that she believes “every day, ICE and CBP under the Trump Administration are committing new abuses with no accountability, no respect for the law, and no regard for civil rights,” and that she will “not support another cent for agencies that continue to terrorize our communities, commit abuses, and escalate violence.”

Brown criticized the broader funding framework that has increased resources for immigration enforcement, saying the Republican‑backed Reconciliation Bill passed last year gave ICE an additional $75 billion in funding, which she called a “ICE slush fund” that should be repealed in favor of other priorities. She also outlined policy changes she supports, including impeaching ICE leadership, requiring body cameras and proper identification for agents, and barring ICE enforcement from churches and schools, tying her position to what she described as a growing national outcry over enforcement tactics and incidents such as recent confrontations and fatal encounters involving federal agents.

At Cleveland 13 News, we strive to provide accurate, up‑to‑date, and reliable reporting. If you spot an error, omission, or have information that may need updating, please email us at tips@cleveland13news.com. As a community‑driven news network, we appreciate the help of our readers in ensuring the integrity of our reporting.

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Cleveland, OH

Guardians Set Off Alarm Bells for Kwan Yesterday

Published

1 hour ago

May 12, 2026

Press Room

Guardians Set Off Alarm Bells for Kwan Yesterday

Yesterday’s loss to the Minnesota Twins looks like an inflection point for the Cleveland Guardians’ leadoff hitter, Steven Kwan.

In the bottom of the 8th inning, with the Guardians trailing 5-3, David Fry and Brayan Rocchio singled to leadoff an inning against right-handed reliever Luis Garcia. For his career, Garcia has been a very serviceable relief pitcher with a 4.20 ERA. However, he is 39 years old and, as of today, has an ERA of 10.50 and an FIP of 6.12. So, to be clear, while potentially a competent middle reliever, not someone that an all-star hitter hitting leadoff should feel anything less than fully confident to get a hit or a walk.

Enter Steven Kwan. As of today, he has a 67 wRC+. He is having an awful year, no doubt. But, it’s May and he has a career wRC+ of 109. He also has a career 117 wRC+ vs. RHP. He also has a 213 wRC+ for his career in 3-1 counts. And, guess what? Steven Kwan worked a 3-1 count.

NOW enter Tony Arnerich, acting manager of the Guardians yesterday as Stephen Vogt dealt with what I hope is simply a nasty cold (he sounded TERRIBLE in interviews on Saturday). Arnerich put the sacrifice bunt sign on for Steven Kwan. He clarified this was the case after the game, as reported by Cade Cracas of Sports Illustrated on Twitter:

Are you curious how often a team’s leadoff hitter has been asked to lay down a sacrifice bunt in a 3-1 count with his team down 2 runs late in the game and at least one runner in scoring position? Well, I can tell you that from 2023 until yesterday, it did not happen one time. Let’s look further back… oh, ok, in the past decade prior to yesterday, it happened exactly ONE time… for the Chicago Cubs in 2022.

Here’s the thing… I don’t even know that having Kwan bunt was 100% the wrong call. I mean, aside from the fact that I am fundamentally opposed to sacrifice bunts except in situations where one run wins the game and the sacrifice bunt is with no outs to get a runner to third by an offensively-challenged hitter who knows how to execute a bunt, I think I understand why Arnerich decided his best hope was sacrificing Kwan’s chances for a hit and punting things to Chase DeLauter and Jose Ramirez. It’s because Arnerich recognizes that Kwan is nowhere near a 109 wRC+ or 117 wRC+ hitter as he currently exists.

We can’t say “Oh, Arnerich is new to the team, he doesn’t know about good Kwan.” Arnerich has to know these players inside and out, their present and their past and projected future. He knows Kwan has traditionally handled RBI opportunities well and has been very effective in 3-1 counts. If he didn’t know that, well, to be honest, he should be fired for lack of preparation. But, I think he did know that. I think he made the very pragmatic assessment that Kwan was more likely to provide a 67 wRC+ output in that situation which would make advancing the runners to get to actual good hitters a much riskier proposition.

Last night needs to be the flare fired off by the Guardians’ bench coach to the team to say “Hey, it’s time to move Steven Kwan from the leadoff spot.” It’s time to platoon Kwan vs. LHP. It’s time to let Kwan have more room to breath to figure out if he can get back to the hitter he was before June 2025. From June 2025 until now, Kwan has a 77 wRC+. He’s still walking at a good rate and striking out at a low rate. He’s just simply not hitting the ball well at all with a 15.6% hard-hit rate and an average exit velocity of 85 mph, and a 1.4% barrel rate. He is Austin Hedges (well, prior to this season) who strikes out a lot less. And, yes, that is the kind of player you can justify asking to sacrifice bunt to give your actual good hitters a chance to win you the game, even though a sacrifice bunt down two STILL seems insane.

After last night, the Guardians cannot have it both ways. Either Kwan is a leadoff hitter and should be trusted to figure it out and HIT. OR, he is what Arnerich told us last night… a bottom of the order hitter who should only be looking to flip the order over to hitters who can actually imapct the baseball. I know it’s a hard conversation and I know Kwan is a selfless player who volunteered to switch to centerfield to help the team, even having won four consecutive gold gloves in his previous position. You hate showing any lack of confidence in him, Vogter. But, there is absolutely nothing wrong with telling a struggling veteran, “We are taking some pressure off you and batting you 7th for a while. We’d love to have you back in the leadoff spot as soon as possible. We are going to give you more days off to try to fix what’s wrong and work with our supposedly competent hitting staff. We believe in you and this is a chance to take a deep breath and get back to being you.”

Will moving Steven Kwan down in the order solve the Guardians’ hitting issues? Of course not. But, it’s a simple, straight-forward way to try to help solve KWAN’S hitting issues, who remains a key to getting this offense humming. I would immediately install Travis Bazzana as the leadoff hitter and let him, DeLauter and Ramirez do their absolute best to drive pitchers insane for three batters for a while. But, after the message your bench coach sent last night, you simply cannot continue to bat Kwan leadoff and hope things magically change.

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Cleveland, OH

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

Published

14 hours ago

May 11, 2026

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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

1 day 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.

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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.