Cleveland, OH
Family desperate for answers two years after Cleveland teen Keshaun Williams vanished
The Ohio Missing Children Clearinghouse serves as the central source for data and information on missing children in the state.
In its 2023report, it states that 22,374 people were reported missing in Ohio that year. Of those reported missing, 17,405 were children.
According to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, by the end of the year, 98 percent of the children had been found safe.
Keshaun Williams was not one of them. The 15-year-old vanished on June 17, 2023.
Two years later, his family is still fighting to bring him home.
Keshaun was born and raised in Cleveland. “Funny, got a sense of humor,” his maternal grandmother, Alona Miles, told Dateline. “Great kid. Great kid.”
“Very caring, very kind, compassionate person,” his paternal grandmother, Mary Williams, added. “Loving, loving person.”
His grandmothers say Keshaun is his mother’s only child but he has several siblings on his father’s side — and shares a tight bond with all of them. “Oh, very close,” Mary told Dateline.
At the time of his disappearance, Keshaun was living with his mother.
On Saturday, June 17, Mary Williams texted with her grandson. “He asked me was we gonna do anything tomorrow after church,” she recalled. Keshaun would usually ask to be picked up for church on Sundays, and they’d spend time together afterward. But Sunday, June 18, was different. “He didn’t call up for church,” she said.
Alona Miles says Keshaun had asked his mother’s permission to go to a party that Saturday. She braided her son’s hair, “and she let him go to the party,” Alona said.
Alona says she was also supposed to see her grandson that Sunday. “I kept calling my daughter because I was supposed to pick them up,” she said. She didn’t get a response. “No answer on Monday, so Tuesday morning, I called my daughter and said, ‘I been calling you and Keshaun.’”
Alona says her calls to Keshaun had been going straight to voicemail. “That’s when my daughter was like, ‘He ain’t come home,’” she recalled. “He never came home from the party.”
Mary Williams told Dateline she believes Keshaun’s mom may have initially thought he was just upset and had run away. “But that’s not the case,” she said.
Alona Miles says it’s extremely unlike Keshaun to just take off and not be in touch with his grandmothers. “Keshaun calls us every day all day,” she said. “Especially, he knew I was picking him up — and he don’t ever turn that down.”
Keshaun was reported missing on Tuesday, June 20.
The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the case alongside the Cleveland Police Department. Dateline spoke with Deputy United States Marshal Vinny Picolli, who took over the case in November 2023.
He says Keshaun was seen on the evening of Saturday, June 17, 2023, at a house party on the 6000 block of Gertrude Avenue in Cleveland. “We had multiple reports from people — from juveniles in the area that saw him the night of the party — or at the party,” he said.
Witnesses said Keshaun had been kicked out of that party and was spotted walking along Gertrude Avenue around 10 p.m.
He later stopped by another party on the 6900 block of Gertrude Avenue. “And that’s the last known sighting of him,” Picolli said.
Alona Miles told Dateline that while she was at work that Saturday night, she got a call from her youngest daughter — Keshaun’s aunt — who said Keshaun had phoned her crying. It’s unclear what upset him, but “she told him to go home — but he never made it home,” Alona said.
Keshaun’s phone later pinged near East 93rd and Harris Avenue in Cleveland’s Fourth District, about a 10-minute drive from the party location. “That’s kind of the last location we know,” Picolli said.
Picolli says that one of the challenges of the investigation has been the lack of security footage to work with. “There was nothing pulled early on and then that was gone after 30 days,” he said.
About six days after Keshaun went missing, there was a possible sighting at a gas station. “They had reported Keshaun was in the back seat of a black Jeep Cherokee. It was beaten up,” Picolli said. “They ended up pulling gas station video and surveillance video from the surrounding area but personally, in my opinion, I don’t think it was Keshaun.”
Picolli describes the search efforts as extensive. “All over Cuyahoga County and Cleveland — in the general area of his last known location and then even outside of that,” he said. “With canines, drones, helicopters, you name it — we’ve done it.”
Keshaun’s family has also been scouring the Cleveland area. “We searched and we’re still searching,” Mary Williams told Dateline.
Picolli says foul play is suspected in Keshaun’s disappearance. “We had information early on that he was kidnapped and there was some kind of retaliation,” he said. “Over the course of the investigation, I would absolutely say that foul play is involved.”
According to Picolli, authorities are currently following up on a recent lead. “We received a tip and information over the last month that we believe is pretty credible that aligns with all the information we have to date so far,” he told Dateline. “So there are persons of interest.”
Keshaun’s grandmothers believe that if he was alive, he would have contacted them. “If he was running away or doing anything like that, he would have came to us,” Mary said. “He would never just up and leave and disappear. That’s not him.”
Still, they have hope that they will bring him home. “We pray that somebody have a heart and do what’s right by reporting any small thing that they may have seen or heard,” Mary said.
“The not knowing what happened to your child, your grandchild, your loved one, it’s the not knowing that hurts,” Alona Miles added.
“We love our grandson, and we want people to support us in getting this solved,” Mary Williams said.
He’s 5’6”, 125 lbs., and was last seen wearing cream-colored jogging pants with white and blue lettering and red and gray Jordan tennis shoes. He would be 17 years old today.
The Cleveland Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service are offering a $27,500 reward for any information leading to Keshaun’s whereabouts.
Anyone with information is asked to call U.S. Marshals at 1-866-4-WANTED (1-866-492-6833).
Published on Mar. 11, 2026
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A series of social media posts from a cryptid-focused podcast has ignited speculation about widespread Bigfoot sightings in northeast Ohio, with enthusiasts pointing to what they describe as a concentrated burst of activity in the Mantua and Garrettsville areas southeast of Cleveland. The Bigfoot Society, a podcast and online community, says it has received six separate reports of alleged Bigfoot encounters between March 6 and March 10 in wooded areas in the region.
Why it matters
Bigfoot sightings are relatively common across the United States, but a cluster of multiple reported encounters in a small geographic area over a short period is considered unusual and potentially indicative of increased cryptid activity. The reports have generated excitement within the Bigfoot research community, which is eager to investigate further and potentially uncover new evidence of the elusive creature’s existence.
The details
According to the Bigfoot Society, the reported encounters include alleged sightings of a nine-foot-tall, brown-haired Sasquatch, as well as other details about the creature’s appearance and behavior. However, the group has not released any photographs, video, or independently verified physical evidence to corroborate the claims. Nonetheless, the podcast host described the cluster of sightings as a possible “flap” event, a term used in cryptozoology to refer to multiple sightings within a short time span.
- The reported sightings occurred between March 6 and March 10, 2026.
- The Bigfoot Society received the six separate reports during this four-day period.
The players
The Bigfoot Society
A podcast and online community dedicated to collecting eyewitness accounts of Sasquatch encounters.
Jeremiah Byron
The host of the Bigfoot Society Podcast, who spoke to Fox 8 about the reported sightings.
Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›
What they’re saying
“It’s normal for there to be Bigfoot sightings all over the United States, but it’s not normal to have multiple sightings in a small area within a short number of days.”
— Jeremiah Byron, Host, Bigfoot Society Podcast (Fox 8)
“So, if you’re in this area, keep your eyes open and maybe your doors locked because there could be a Bigfoot in the same general vicinity.”
— Bigfoot Society Poster (Bigfoot Society)
What’s next
The Bigfoot Society has urged residents in Portage County to remain vigilant and report any additional sightings or evidence to the group. The podcast host indicated that the community is eager to investigate the reports further and potentially uncover new evidence of Bigfoot’s existence.
The takeaway
While Bigfoot sightings are not uncommon across the United States, the cluster of reports in northeast Ohio has sparked significant interest and speculation within the cryptid research community. The lack of verifiable evidence, however, means that the alleged encounters remain unconfirmed, and the true nature of the activity in the region remains uncertain.
Cleveland, OH
Ohio’s Asphalt Paving Industry at an Inflection Point: What Cleveland Commercial Property Owners Need to Know in 2025-2026
Empire Paving: Asphalt Paving Contractors in Cleveland, OH
Ohio’s asphalt paving industry is undergoing a significant structural shift driven by $14 billion in federal infrastructure funding through the IIJA, aging pavement across Northeast Ohio’s commercial corridors, and rising demand for integrated pavement management over one-time new construction. For Cleveland-area commercial and industrial property owners, this convergence of public investment, climate-driven wear, and evolving contractor capabilities creates both urgency and opportunity.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – The asphalt paving industry in Northeast Ohio is entering a pivotal period of transformation, driven by federal infrastructure dollars, aging commercial pavement, and the region’s punishing freeze-thaw climate. For commercial property owners, facility managers, and HOAs throughout the Cleveland metro area, these trends directly inform decisions about when to pave, whether to repair or replace, and how to select the right contractor.
Historic Infrastructure Investment
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is channeling an estimated $14 billion into Ohio, including $9.7 billion for roads and bridges. In Northeast Ohio alone, ODOT announced over $1.7 billion across 248 projects. Ohio voters further reinforced this in May 2025, approving $2.5 billion in general obligation bonds for infrastructure. For commercial property owners, improved surrounding roads make neglected private parking lots more conspicuous – and more costly to ignore.
Ohio’s Infrastructure Report Card Signals Urgency
The ASCE issued Ohio an overall grade of C- in its 2025 Infrastructure Report Card. NOACA confirmed that 76% of its 2024-2027 roadway funding is dedicated to system preservation – a clear signal that the region’s pavement stock needs rehabilitation. Privately owned parking lots and access drives, many built during Ohio’s industrial peak, are likely in comparable or worse condition.
The Shift to Integrated Pavement Management
Pure “paving-only” revenue among the top 50 U.S. contractors declined approximately 24% from its 2023 peak, even as total revenues climbed 18%. Property owners increasingly seek contractors offering integrated services – milling, resurfacing, drainage repair, sealcoating, and long-term maintenance planning – not just new installation.
Freeze-Thaw Climate Creates a Compounding Crisis
Cleveland’s repeated freeze-thaw cycles fracture pavement from within, saturate subbases, and accelerate structural failure. Well-maintained asphalt can last 20-30 years; neglected pavement often requires full replacement in 10-15. Replacement costs can run up to seven times that of a proactive maintenance program.
In-House Crews Separate Winners from the Rest
Contractors with in-house crews and integrated capabilities outperform subcontracting-dependent firms on scheduling, quality control, and accountability – all critical on active commercial and industrial sites.
Empire Paving has delivered commercial asphalt paving, concrete construction, drainage solutions, and pavement maintenance across Northeast Ohio for over 20 years from its Cleveland headquarters. Learn more at https://www.empirepaving.biz/cuyahoga-county/cleveland-oh/ or call (216) 581-1000.
Media Contact
Company Name: Empire Paving
Contact Person: Scott Heiman
Email:Send Email [https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=ohios-asphalt-paving-industry-at-an-inflection-point-what-cleveland-commercial-property-owners-need-to-know-in-20252026]
Phone: 216-581-1000
Address:4620 Johnston Pkwy
City: Cleveland
State: Ohio, 44128
Country: United States
Website: https://www.empirepaving.biz
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This release was published on openPR.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were crowned NBA champions for the first time in their franchise’s history ten years ago. The 2016 NBA Finals seems like it was just yesterday.
The memories of LeBron James pouncing on a vulnerable Andre Iguodala to swat away his layup attempt is still fresh in the memory of Cavs fans watching at the time.
Kyrie Irving’s stepback three-point shot over Stephen Curry is a moment in time that will be replayed in NBA documentaries and compilations for decades to come. This period of time was truly a magical time for the city of Cleveland and the state of Ohio.
The city had never experienced anything similar to what the 2016 Cavs did for Cleveland. The star duo of Mark Price and Brad Daugherty from the late 1980s and early 1990s got far into the playoffs routinely, but never into the NBA Finals, largely because of Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls.
The Cavaliers toppled the mighty record-breaking 73-win Golden State Warriors in 2016 and now the organization is keeping that memory alive in a huge way.
A professional-sized basketball court
Plans to advance development of “Meet Me Here” Park went through City of Cleveland this past Friday. Developers are speeding up plans to revamp the park in order to have it ready by the 10th anniversary of the championship victory later this summer.
The #Cavs have unveiled development plans for a space on the corner of E 4th St. and Huron Rd. to commemorate the Cavs 2016 NBA Championship.
The project will feature a professional-size basketball court, seating, active greenspace and artwork. pic.twitter.com/aRwPLnwGjA
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) March 10, 2026
The space where this development will be built is in Downtown Cleveland. A NBA-sized basketball court will dominate the space, but benches for spectators and artwork is slated to be included as well. The design of the court will be based on the 2016 NBA championship victory. There’s room for additional mobile hoops to be inserted for specific community events.
The space is temporary and has room to grow
The current plans unveiled last Friday are set to be a temporary solution due to the 10th anniversary approaching. There could be more grand plans to revamp the surrounding area beyond the one professional-sized basketball court. The current space will feature grass areas, trees, and a fence to block basketball from wildly rolling into the street.
A nearby parking garage will also hang a banner with LeBron James famous “Cleveland, this is for you” quote after winning game seven of the 2016 NBA Finals.
This development is one of many recent advancements geared toward building up the surrounding areas of Rocket Arena. A riverfront park that supports residences is being developed near Rocket Arena.
The Cavaliers are opening a brand new practice, training, and sports medicine facility in 2027 called the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center. On top of these developments and the new basketball court, a riverfront amphitheater fit to seat about 6,200 people is set to open around 2028. Cleveland is developing right before the eyes of nearby residents and it’s the consistent success of the Cavaliers that have contributed heavily to these possibilities.
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