Cleveland, OH
Corner 65 helping refugees feel home in Cleveland
CLEVELAND — Moving to Ohio from another country comes with a laundry list of challenges, especially for kids. Thats why Corner 65 is trying to help kids find a home away from home.
Nelson Baguma teaches young kids how to read, write and speak English. When he came to the U.S. from Uganda at 17-years-old, he needed that same help.
“Right after high school, I decided I wanted to give back to my Congolese community and my refugee community,” he said.
Baguma is part of a Refugee Response and Corner 65, a joint effort to welcome newcomers and provide kids with sports and activities.
One of those kids is 5-year-old Lailatie Mutoka from Uganda, who came to the U.S. hoping to get a better education.
“I like it in Cleveland because I get to play with my friends,” she said. “I get to play with my family. I don’t get to worry about anything.”
Becky Trout is the director of Corner 65. She started the program in 2017 and now helps around 100 refugee kids.
“That all started because we were struggling to find opportunities for the students to get involved and also have transportation and all of their paperwork taken care of as well as translating to their parents,” she said.
Trout said Corner 65 has come a long way, and when the road gets tough she reminds herself of the bigger picture.
Meanwhile, Nelson lights up, knowing he is now making a difference in his community.
“It makes me feel good because what makes them happy is doing productive activities like yoga and any kind of sports, that’s better and keeping them out of trouble in the summer and bored at home, so this is really good for them and good for me too,” he said. “It’s really satisfactory.”
CLEVELAND — Not many movies stand the test of time, but “A Christmas Story” is a genuine classic.
The 1983 film only lasted a month in the box office but has since become a cult classic, drawing fans to the Cleveland home where it was shot all year long. One northeast Ohio native had a small but memorable part in the film and made lifelong friendships.
Drew Hocevar may be remembered for playing the “mean elf” in the film, but he’s anything but.
Known as the “male elf” in the credits, it’s the only acting role Hocevar has ever auditioned for. He was working at Higbees department store when he got the part.
“They just called me, and I got the elf part!” he said.
He said it was just something fun to do. Being a teacher is what really paid the bills. Hocevar is a former special education teacher and now volunteers as a mechanic working on the merry-go-round at the Western Reserve Historical Society.
Some of the artifacts he saved from the movie are on display at the museum.
“I snagged my hat and ran,” he said.
He said the rest of the costume was thrown away.
Hocevar’s cast-signed poster and bb-gun are on display at the museum
The museum has a few other special “A Christmas Story” displays, including Lego sculptures depicting memorable scenes from the movie including Hocevar’s scene of him pushing kids down a slide on a fake snow-topped mountain.
Over 40 years later he remains friends with some of the cast including his elf counterpart and recently had lunch with her.
The movie plays numerous times throughout the holiday season, but Hocevar said he tends not to watch. His friends, however, have a special name for Christmas Day.
“24 hours of Drew!” he said.
-Advertisement-
Cleveland, OH – Warmer weather is set to move into Northeast Ohio just in time for Christmas, with rain chances remaining low this week. After a cloudy and drizzly start today, temperatures will gradually rise, offering a mild holiday season for residents.
According to the National Weather Service, Cleveland will see highs in the upper 30s today with patchy drizzle tapering off by the afternoon. Tonight, skies will remain cloudy with lows near 33°F. By Wednesday, Christmas Day, conditions improve with mostly cloudy skies and highs reaching a pleasant 40°F.
Looking ahead, Thursday will bring partly sunny skies and warmer temperatures, peaking near 48°F. Winds from the southeast will keep conditions calm, making it an ideal day for holiday outings. However, by Friday, a 30% chance of rain returns as temperatures climb into the upper 40s.
The warm-up continues into Saturday, with highs expected to reach the mid-50s. Showers are likely Saturday night into Sunday, so residents should prepare for wet conditions over the weekend.
Motorists should remain cautious today as morning drizzle could create slick spots on roads, including I-90 and I-71. While precipitation chances remain low, lingering fog and mist may reduce visibility early in the day.
Stay tuned for updated forecasts as Christmas approaches, and plan your holiday travels with these warming conditions in mind.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram & like us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on more relevant news stories and SUPPORT LOCAL INDEPENDENT NEWS!
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A man was shot dead in Downtown Cleveland early Christmas Eve morning, police confirmed.
The Cleveland Division of Police said officers were called to East 13th Street and Superior Avenue for a gunshot victim.
The call came in at approximately 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 24, according to police.
Officers arrived to find a 42-year-old man who was shot lying unconscious in the street, said police.
Police said officers quickly rendered first aid until Cleveland EMS arrived.
Cleveland EMS said he was in critical condition as they took him to MetroHealth Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
He has yet to be identified.
Police said no further information is being released at this time in the ongoing investigation.
Call the Cleveland Division of Police at 216-623-5000 and reference report #2024-370349 if you have any information on this incident.
This is a developing story. Return to 19 News for updates.
Copyright 2024 WOIO. All rights reserved.
NYC cab jumps curb, injures 7 on Christmas Day
Hawaii crime boss dies of overdose in federal custody: medical examiner
Illinois city sparks complaints, petition by limiting Hanukkah menorah display to just a few hours
Prankster arrested after reportedly filming himself spraying food at Walmart: 'Reckless'
Florida driver hits student with her truck, covers license plate before fleeing, deputies say
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
NYC cab jumps curb, injures 7 on Christmas Day
Marjorie Taylor Greene wants death penalty for migrant who allegedly set woman on fire on subway: 'Finish him'
Who is Europe's top investor in space in 2023?
American Airlines lifts ground stop that froze Christmas Eve travelers
It's official: Biden signs new law, designates bald eagle as 'national bird'
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24924653/236780_Google_AntiTrust_Trial_Custom_Art_CVirginia__0003_1.png "Google’s counteroffer to the government trying to break it up is unbundling Android apps")
Technology5 days agoGoogle’s counteroffer to the government trying to break it up is unbundling Android apps
-
News6 days agoNovo Nordisk shares tumble as weight-loss drug trial data disappoints
-
Politics6 days agoIllegal immigrant sexually abused child in the U.S. after being removed from the country five times
-
Entertainment6 days ago'It's a little holiday gift': Inside the Weeknd's free Santa Monica show for his biggest fans
-
Lifestyle6 days agoThink you can't dance? Get up and try these tips in our comic. We dare you!
-
Technology1 week agoFox News AI Newsletter: OpenAI responds to Elon Musk's lawsuit
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25672934/Metaphor_Key_Art_Horizontal.png "There’s a reason Metaphor: ReFantanzio’s battle music sounds as cool as it does")
Technology1 day agoThere’s a reason Metaphor: ReFantanzio’s battle music sounds as cool as it does
-
News2 days agoFrance’s new premier selects Eric Lombard as finance minister