CLEVELAND, OH — The Cleveland International Film Festival is preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary, marking half a century of bringing world-class cinema to Northeast Ohio. Known as one of the largest Academy-qualifying festivals in the country, the event officially kicks off its main slate April 9. Ahead of the grand opening, the festival’s programming team is launching a deep dive into its own history with a special retrospective series that starts this month.

Running from Feb. 17 through April 4, the 7×7+1=CIFF50 program offers a curated look at the festival’s most impactful work. The series consists of seven distinct programs, each featuring seven award-winning short films selected from the CIFF archives. To bridge the gap between the past and the present, each screening also includes a brand-new bonus short film produced specifically for the 50th season. Tickets for these retrospective showings are currently available for $15.

The festival has evolved significantly since its inception, moving its primary operations to the downtown theater district at Playhouse Square to accommodate a growing audience that now exceeds 30,000 people annually. It is a massive logistical undertaking that relies on hundreds of local volunteers and a dedicated membership base to sustain its craft and educational missions. According to the Cleveland International Film Festival organizers, the event’s status as an Academy-qualifying festival means winners in certain categories can become eligible for Oscar consideration, which often attracts high-profile talent and global creators to the city.

Members of the festival can purchase their tickets for the April screenings immediately. For those who do not hold a membership, general public sales are set to open March 20. The organization continues to offer various membership tiers that provide early access to tickets, exclusive filmmaker events, and special screenings throughout the year.

The full schedule for the 50th anniversary season includes feature-length films, short film blocks, and interactive panels with creators from around the world. Residents interested in the 7×7 retrospective or looking to join the membership program before the March public sale can find more details and purchase tickets at www.clevelandfilm.org.
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Laura A. (Skufca) Dolsen

OBITUARY

Laura A. (Skufca) Dolsen, age 74 of Mentor, OH, passed away at Reserve Care Hospice in Cleveland, OH. She was born on July 27, 1951 in Cleveland, OH. She is preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Mary Skufca.She is survived by brothers, Ronald (Caroline) Skufca, William Skufca, Thomas (Sheryl) Skufca, and her sister, Shirley (Mark) Reynolds. Beloved aunt of 6. She is survived by many other loving family members and friends.A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 23, 2026 at St. Gabriel Catholic Church, 9925 Johnnycake Ridge Rd., Concord Twp., OH 44060.The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday, March 23, 2026 at the church.Interment will be in All Souls Cemetery.In her memory, contributions may be made to Reserve Care, P.O. Box 72700, Cleveland, OH 44192; or online at reserve-care.org/give.Send flowers and offer condolences at www.brunners.com.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Utility officials are calling the aftermath of yesterday’s windstorm the most significant blow to the region’s electrical grid in over a decade, as crews work to restore power to hundreds of thousands of customers across Ohio.

Update: 3:10 p.m. – Outage maps for AEP show thousands of customers remain without power as work continues to restore service. PowerOutages.com reports 228,000 are without power in Ohio, including 31,000 in Franklin County.

Update: 1:24 p.m. – With wind gusts peaking at 70 mph, the damage to infrastructure across 61 counties is being described as the worst since the 2012 derecho. The high winds sent trees, heavy limbs, and debris tearing through power lines and snapping utility poles throughout the night.

As of Saturday morning, utility providers reported that electricity has been restored to approximately 80,000 customers. However, with 245,000 still in the dark — including 36,000 in Franklin County — a massive logistical operation is underway.

More than 2,700 personnel are currently in the field conducting damage assessments and providing restoration estimates. Officials confirmed that additional teams from sister companies and national partners are en route to Central Ohio to assist in the recovery.

Update: 12:25 p.m. – American Electric Power (AEP) Ohio crews are working to restore power to thousands of residents Saturday following a line of severe windstorms that swept through the region yesterday.

As of 12:25 p.m., repair efforts are concentrated on the Canal Winchester substation, which sustained significant structural damage during the storm. Utility officials stated that technicians are on-site performing emergency repairs to the high-voltage equipment.

Restoration Timeline

While outages remain scattered across Central Ohio, the utility provided the following updates for the hardest-hit areas:

• Canal Winchester: Most customers in this area are expected to have service restored by early Saturday afternoon.
• Greater Columbus Area: Crews remain deployed across all service territories.
• Final Restoration: Work will continue around the clock until power is returned to every individual household and business.

Original Reporting

More than 350,000 Ohioans are waking up Saturday morning with no power.

As of about 11 a.m. Saturday, the website PowerOutage.com reports that 304,813 are without power.

Franklin County has the largest number of outages — approximately 50,000, followed by Cuyahoga, near Cleveland, with about 43,000.

Click here for the statewide outage map.