Cleveland, OH

Most Stressed U.S. Cities: Cleveland, Detroit continue to struggle in 2024

Published

1 year ago

July 9, 2024

Most Stressed U.S. Cities: Cleveland, Detroit continue to struggle in 2024

Cleveland, Ohio (Photo by DJ Johnson on Unsplash)

WASHINGTON — Stress is unavoidable in life. Whether it’s money troubles, family issues, or just the simple annoyances of everyday life, it’s almost guaranteed that something is going to stress us out at some point. However, a new poll finds that where you live plays a massive role in how you’re feeling. Unfortunately, for Americans living in two major Rust Belt cities, local living conditions are sending their stress levels off the charts.

Researchers with WalletHub compared over 180 U.S. cities based on 39 key factors that can lead to stress. These include financial stress, workplace stress, family conflicts, health issues, and local crime.

The study revealed that Americans in Cleveland, Ohio are dealing with more stress than anyone else in the nation. Cleveland residents have one of the country’s lowest average household incomes once you adjust for the current cost of living (under $41,000). The city also ranked second overall in terms of health and safety stress.

Cleveland finished second in terms of the local poverty rate, divorce rate, and each resident getting the least amount of sleep. The only city worse than Cleveland in each of these categories was Detroit, Michigan.

Detroit finished second on this year’s list of the most stressed U.S. cities, narrowly missing out on the top spot by less than one point in WalletHub’s calculations.

Rounding out the top five stressed cities were Baltimore, Maryland (3rd), Memphis, Tennessee (4th), and Gulfport, Mississippi (5th). Unfortunately, it’s more of the same for the top three stressed cities, which finished in the same order on last year’s list.

“Some stress is out of our control, due to issues with family, friends or employers. However, where you live can play a big role in how stressed you are. Cities with high crime rates, weak economies, less effective public health and congested transportation systems naturally lead to elevated stress levels for residents. When moving, it’s important to consider how a certain city may impact your mental health – not just your financial opportunities,” says WalletHub Analyst Cassandra Happe in a statement.

Rush hour traffic jam in a city — Major cities have an endless number of factors that can cause residents stress, from crime to gridlock traffic. (Photo by Fishman64 on Shutterstock)

Researchers note that money, health, and the economy are still Americans’ top stressors. However, three in five talk don’t about their stress with the main reason being that they don’t want to burden others. Estimates also show that stress in the workplace costs the economy more than $300 billion each year.

At the other end of the spectrum, Fremont, California (182nd), South Burlington, Vermont (181st), and Fargo, North Dakota (180th) finished at the bottom of 2024’s list — meaning they rank as the least-stressed cities in America.

Elsewhere, Miami and Hialeah, Florida recorded the lowest unemployment rate in the country. For comparison, unemployment was 5.9 times lower in these cities than in Detroit.

Portland, Maine appears to be one of the healthiest places in America, having the lowest share of adults in fair or poor health. In comparison, there were 2.5 times fewer people in poor health in Portland, Maine than there were in Huntington, West Virginia, the city with the highest number of residents in poor health.

Most & Least Stressed Cities in America

Overall Rank*	City	Total Score	Work Stress Rank	Financial Stress Rank	Family Stress Rank	Health & Safety Stress Rank
1	Cleveland, OH	60.37	55	1	12	2
2	Detroit, MI	59.72	44	9	4	1
3	Baltimore, MD	58.30	5	2	16	38
4	Memphis, TN	57.12	53	4	15	6
5	Gulfport, MS	57.12	28	13	5	22
6	Philadelphia, PA	56.03	12	12	31	9
7	Birmingham, AL	55.96	57	18	11	3
8	Akron, OH	54.86	108	16	6	8
9	New Orleans, LA	54.02	25	3	65	20
10	Jackson, MS	53.43	68	10	41	14
11	St. Louis, MO	53.38	35	5	69	16
12	Montgomery, AL	53.10	114	6	40	7
13	Indianapolis, IN	52.41	19	17	42	37
14	Shreveport, LA	52.29	81	7	61	13
15	Newark, NJ	51.35	9	15	35	92
16	Mobile, AL	51.23	65	8	84	27
17	Milwaukee, WI	50.92	60	45	13	34
18	Houston, TX	50.92	13	72	36	17
19	San Bernardino, CA	50.83	112	35	2	53
20	San Antonio, TX	50.43	92	47	18	11
21	Baton Rouge, LA	50.02	69	23	70	15
22	Augusta, GA	49.80	89	21	39	29
23	Cincinnati, OH	49.45	41	31	48	36
24	Las Vegas, NV	49.11	32	37	29	76
25	Wilmington, DE	49.05	43	30	34	62
26	Toledo, OH	49.03	78	19	90	26
27	North Las Vegas, NV	48.87	128	32	3	84
28	Columbus, GA	48.80	150	11	47	55
29	Fresno, CA	48.58	139	39	1	117
30	Huntington, WV	48.54	180	20	79	5
31	Vancouver, WA	48.52	4	100	33	63
32	Fayetteville, NC	48.43	136	43	24	30
33	Chicago, IL	48.12	8	36	93	85
34	Salem, OR	47.74	117	113	21	12
35	Spokane, WA	47.68	107	107	7	54
36	New York, NY	47.59	6	51	75	105
37	Fort Smith, AR	47.57	147	27	80	10
38	Laredo, TX	47.44	181	22	14	57
39	Dover, DE	47.28	67	28	98	31
40	Modesto, CA	47.21	101	84	8	107
41	Dallas, TX	47.08	21	87	81	35
42	Los Angeles, CA	46.76	29	61	37	103
43	Little Rock, AR	46.74	88	14	119	50
44	Tucson, AZ	46.73	134	68	25	45
45	Rochester, NY	46.68	121	60	27	56
46	Washington, DC	46.65	15	99	28	108
47	Corpus Christi, TX	46.65	166	41	45	23
48	Charleston, WV	46.64	62	150	63	4
49	Louisville, KY	46.54	20	33	137	41
50	Buffalo, NY	46.52	64	78	51	43
51	Bridgeport, CT	46.32	7	34	101	140
52	Winston-Salem, NC	46.06	100	71	23	75
53	Newport News, VA	46.05	157	49	19	79
54	Richmond, VA	45.88	38	48	86	73
55	Kansas City, MO	45.79	47	91	103	19
56	Oklahoma City, OK	45.58	95	67	64	40
57	Knoxville, TN	45.50	153	65	72	21
58	Tacoma, WA	45.33	46	125	20	81
59	Norfolk, VA	45.30	138	46	60	48
60	Jacksonville, FL	45.30	118	38	59	67
61	El Paso, TX	45.21	158	44	43	61
62	Tulsa, OK	45.18	152	54	87	24
63	Bakersfield, CA	44.89	111	58	30	115
64	Ontario, CA	44.75	133	63	17	130
65	Fort Wayne, IN	44.54	84	64	82	66
66	Moreno Valley, CA	44.51	149	59	9	123
67	Columbus, OH	44.42	61	75	107	46
68	Fort Worth, TX	44.37	63	118	46	59
69	Worcester, MA	44.36	123	102	10	128
70	New Haven, CT	44.35	116	26	83	102
71	Brownsville, TX	44.12	167	40	55	65
72	Miami, FL	44.09	151	24	67	96
73	Hialeah, FL	44.07	168	29	32	127
74	Sacramento, CA	44.00	103	76	22	129
75	Arlington, TX	43.90	120	93	54	51
76	Columbia, SC	43.78	172	25	96	47
77	Phoenix, AZ	43.72	122	82	58	58
78	Grand Prairie, TX	43.63	51	104	73	64
79	Atlanta, GA	43.54	39	81	116	69
80	Denver, CO	43.44	1	122	150	86
81	Long Beach, CA	43.37	48	56	62	151
82	Portland, OR	43.35	10	130	102	106
83	Glendale, AZ	43.34	144	55	76	77
84	Albuquerque, NM	43.30	97	106	53	71
85	Springfield, MO	43.30	125	57	145	18
86	Greensboro, NC	43.22	113	83	56	93
87	Stockton, CA	42.88	104	62	66	119
88	Garland, TX	42.65	105	90	77	74
89	Reno, NV	42.65	110	129	49	70
90	West Valley City, UT	42.55	162	100	26	72
91	Chattanooga, TN	42.52	173	66	113	28
92	Aurora, CO	42.45	23	77	120	111
93	Oceanside, CA	42.20	22	116	74	159
94	Las Cruces, NM	42.15	119	52	108	97
95	Fontana, CA	42.02	161	69	38	136
96	Oakland, CA	41.95	11	141	68	149
97	Wichita, KS	41.85	129	74	130	44
98	Riverside, CA	41.68	148	73	57	118
99	Oxnard, CA	41.54	93	114	44	157
100	Henderson, NV	41.44	49	98	78	145
101	Nashville, TN	41.26	33	95	144	80
102	Glendale, CA	41.20	24	70	97	171
103	Tampa, FL	41.04	90	92	88	125
104	Tallahassee, FL	41.04	171	42	106	89
105	Colorado Springs, CO	40.89	142	132	52	99
106	Lubbock, TX	40.86	178	50	132	32
107	Port St. Lucie, FL	40.67	99	133	117	60
108	Des Moines, IA	40.54	58	97	135	91
109	Casper, WY	40.42	56	149	155	25
110	Santa Clarita, CA	40.37	31	53	123	172
111	Santa Ana, CA	40.13	140	108	71	126
112	Salt Lake City, UT	40.08	135	105	91	109
113	Charlotte, NC	39.98	42	137	99	139
114	Amarillo, TX	39.95	176	96	118	42
115	Peoria, AZ	39.79	59	94	127	124
116	Cape Coral, FL	39.78	85	80	129	132
117	Boston, MA	39.42	30	103	147	142
118	Pittsburgh, PA	39.19	131	86	143	82
119	Irving, TX	39.16	155	143	92	78
120	Mesa, AZ	39.06	163	109	94	104
121	Orlando, FL	39.04	177	79	95	101
122	Anaheim, CA	39.00	83	111	89	164
123	Garden Grove, CA	38.92	126	124	50	167
124	Providence, RI	38.82	96	88	134	131
125	Missoula, MT	38.56	127	139	142	52
126	Fort Lauderdale, FL	38.40	124	89	141	110
127	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	38.32	102	115	115	143
128	Huntsville, AL	38.07	175	131	126	49
129	Austin, TX	38.02	40	158	128	134
130	San Diego, CA	37.91	70	117	111	176
131	Chula Vista, CA	37.83	66	134	85	177
132	Pembroke Pines, FL	37.75	36	123	138	158
133	Anchorage, AK	37.70	79	167	114	113
134	Santa Rosa, CA	37.70	91	140	109	163
135	Lewiston, ME	37.66	159	120	163	39
136	Aurora, IL	37.63	54	136	133	141
137	Tempe, AZ	37.46	182	112	100	90
138	Billings, MT	37.26	130	152	166	33
139	Lexington-Fayette, KY	37.07	73	85	174	87
140	San Francisco, CA	37.00	3	169	140	179
141	St. Petersburg, FL	36.98	109	138	146	114
142	Cheyenne, WY	36.95	26	159	168	68
143	Honolulu, HI	36.92	76	121	124	175
144	Yonkers, NY	36.81	14	135	154	170
145	Chesapeake, VA	36.73	143	128	125	138
146	Seattle, WA	36.68	34	179	104	154
147	Omaha, NE	36.57	87	110	164	122
148	Jersey City, NJ	36.41	16	126	152	173
149	Huntington Beach, CA	36.21	50	165	112	166
150	Nampa, ID	36.02	154	119	162	88
151	St. Paul, MN	35.99	98	146	148	135
152	Pearl City, HI	35.93	2	155	157	174
153	Raleigh, NC	35.61	80	175	110	165
154	Juneau, AK	35.50	27	178	159	94
155	Warwick, RI	35.49	17	156	175	116
156	Chandler, AZ	35.46	160	144	121	146
157	Grand Rapids, MI	35.44	156	145	160	98
158	Cedar Rapids, IA	35.40	82	147	167	112
159	Minneapolis, MN	35.26	106	160	156	121
160	Scottsdale, AZ	35.12	52	153	158	162
161	Virginia Beach, VA	34.96	115	151	139	160
162	Manchester, NH	34.67	137	161	161	95
163	Durham, NC	34.60	164	170	105	144
164	Gilbert, AZ	33.75	170	127	151	155
165	Plano, TX	33.59	77	172	153	153
166	Columbia, MD	33.48	37	171	122	181
167	Irvine, CA	32.51	71	166	136	180
168	San Jose, CA	32.19	45	180	131	178
169	Charleston, SC	31.80	141	163	173	120
170	Madison, WI	31.67	145	174	149	168
171	Burlington, VT	31.64	179	154	171	100
172	Rapid City, SD	31.19	132	162	178	83
173	Overland Park, KS	30.95	72	168	169	169
174	Portland, ME	30.76	94	157	176	150
175	Nashua, NH	30.57	146	176	172	133
176	Boise, ID	30.03	174	173	165	147
177	Sioux Falls, SD	29.98	86	148	182	148
178	Bismarck, ND	29.49	74	177	179	137
179	Lincoln, NE	28.77	165	142	181	156
180	Fargo, ND	27.93	169	164	177	152
181	South Burlington, VT	27.81	75	182	180	161
182	Fremont, CA	27.52	18	181	170	182

Notes: *1=Most Stressed
With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the worst conditions for that metric category.

Methodology

In order to determine the most and least stressed cities in America, WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across four key dimensions: 1) Work Stress, 2) Financial Stress, 3) Family Stress, and 4) Health & Safety Stress. The sample considers only the city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area.

Researchers evaluated the four dimensions using 39 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the highest levels of stress. Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available at the state level only.

Finally, researchers determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

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Cleveland, OH

Why does Vice President JD Vance say he’s proud to be a conspiracy theorist? Today in Ohio

Published

6 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

Why does Vice President JD Vance say he’s proud to be a conspiracy theorist? Today in Ohio

CLEVELAND, Ohio – In response to explosive remarks by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Vice President JD Vance embraced the characterization of him as a conspiracy theorist.

We’re talking about how the Ohio Cincinnati Republican claims his so-called conspiracy theories were simply truths the media took months to acknowledge on Today in Ohio.

Listen online here.

Editor Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with editorial board member Lisa Garvin, impact editor Leila Atassi and content director Laura Johnston.

You’ve been sending Chris lots of thoughts and suggestions on our from-the-newsroom text account, in which he shares what we’re thinking about at cleveland.com. You can sign up here: https://joinsubtext.com/chrisquinn.

Here’s what we’re asking about today:

Why is Vice President JD Vance proud to be called a conspiracy theorist?

With electric bills in Ohio at a seeming all-time high for many of us, how might Ohio try to provide a means to some relief?

Part of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s revolution in how the state teaches kids to read was to change how future teachers are trained in colleges. An audit of colleges turned up some failures on that front, including here in Cleveland. How are they missing the mark?

Ohio is not the only state where merging school districts might be a solution to what ails the education system. What are some other states considering it, and why?

Cleveland City Council President Blaine Griffin was pretty direct in dealing with the misbehavior of Councilman Joe Jones. So, how does he justify giving a boatload of money to Jones’ campaign?

Lakefront housing is prized in Cuyahoga County. Which suburb has a site that it wants to develop for entirely new lakefront housing?

We’ve learned a lot in recent years about how traumatic brain injuries early in life result in Alzheimer’s and dementia later in life. We’ve seen it quite a bit in football players. Has Case Western Reserve University discovered a way to combat that result?

It’s not often we seek the breakup of a massive drug ring that is accused of causing multiple deaths. What are the details of such a breakup announced Tuesday?

The Riverside school district in Lake County is reeling from the silly but far-reaching childishness of two lame duck school members intent on firing the superintendent before they go. What’s the latest in their quest?

We have an Apple podcasts channel exclusively for this podcast. Subscribe here.

Do you get your podcasts on Spotify? Find us here.

RadioPublic is another popular podcast vehicle, and we are here.

On PodParadise, find us here.

And on PlayerFM, we are here.

Chris Quinn (00:00.716)

It’s been a while since we talked about Vice President, JD Vance, Ohio’s own. We’re talking about him now on Today in Ohio, the news podcast discussion from cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer. I’m Chris Quinn here with Lisa Garvin, Laura Johnston and Courtney Astolfi and Lisa, you get Vance. Why is Vance proud to be called a conspiracy theorist?

Lisa Garvin (00:21.754)

you

I think it’s cause he can’t help but be a sycophant for Trump, but you know, this is all stemming from that explosive article in Vanity Fair with White House chief of staff, Suzy Wiles, where she kind of took some truth serum. And in that interview, she called Vance a conspiracy theorist for a decade. But Vance, instead of rebuking that, leaned in. He said, I only believe in conspiracy theories that are true.

This was at a Pennsylvania appearance over the weekend. And he said that it turns out the conspiracy theories are just something that’s true six months before the media admits it. And he defended Wiles. A lot of Republicans have defended Wiles. He says he’s never seen her subvert Trump’s will. And some of the conspiracy theories he’s proud of, he says,

I believed it was stupid to mask three year olds during the pandemic, even as the World Health Organization didn’t recommend masks for people under five. He also said he believed that the government and media covered up Biden’s fitness for office. He was clearly unable to do his job. And then he said he believed in the conspiracy theory that Biden wanted to jail his political opponents of setting winning arguments against them. But Biden

used independent prosecutors when he went after Trump, not the Department of Justice like Trump is doing. And he said in the end, says, I hope the lesson is that we should be giving fewer interviews to mainstream media outlets.

Chris Quinn (01:49.74)

The problem here is he’s one of the promoters of the biggest lies of the past couple years where he accused Haitians in Springfield, Ohio of eating their neighbors’ pets. It was complete nonsense. He’s from Ohio. These were his constituents as a senator. And it was a thing he repeated on one of the Sunday talk shows just weeks ago.

which it’s that’s just not a conspiracy theory. That is a seriously damaging claim branding an entire class of people, villainizing them is for political gain. He’s despicable for that kind of thing. And like you said, Biden never told the Justice Department, go get my enemies. They put a special prosecutor on it and the prosecutors go where the evidence takes them. Whereas Donald Trump

Lisa Garvin (02:39.366)

Mm-hmm.

Chris Quinn (02:46.24)

tells Pam Bondi jump and she jumps. It’s unbelievable how hard he’s trying to get Letitia James indicted, but grand jurors won’t do it because there is no case. And Donald Trump’s history in real estate is identical to what he’s accusing her of. This is the conspiracy madness in the White House and our vice president from Ohio is a part of it.

Lisa Garvin (03:12.42)

Well, it seems like a lot of the GOP stalwarts are trying to normalize misinformation. mean, remember Jim Jordan just a couple of weeks ago was saying, you know, today’s misinformation is tomorrow’s truth. And Vance is saying, you know, I believe these conspiracies. It seems like they’re trying to normalize these fringe theories.

Chris Quinn (03:31.304)

What you do is you leave your base unable to rely on any facts. And so you become their sole source. They believe only what you say because you’ve completely destroyed the foundations of belief. We can’t have conversations with MAGA folks because we don’t work from the same reality. We work from reality. They work from false information.

But that’s because people like Vance and Trump and all the MAGA folks put out their nonsense that then gets parroted by Fox News. It’s sad that he’s proud to say he’s a believer in these conspiracy theories. It’s just not true. He’s a believer in falsehoods, and he’s laughing about it like it’s funny. And it’s not funny. I mean, you are undermining the fabric of America by trying to cause us all to be on a tower of babble.

You’re listening to Today in Ohio. With electric bills in Ohio at a seeming all time high for many of us, how might Ohio try to provide a means to some relief? Laura, I feel like we’re way behind on this. Other states did this a long time ago.

Laura (04:41.686)

Yes, and basically there’d be a demand response program where you could sign up and if the utilities needed, if it was a high peak, they could temporarily adjust your thermostat or your water heater to make more room for other customers. And then those customers would receive bill credits or other incentives for basically either turning down your heat in the winter, turning down your air conditioning so you’re going to be a little bit warmer. Maybe you won’t have such warm water. And Palden County Republican Representative Roy

Plotthenstein told lawmakers back in August that this would help utilities avoid purchasing costly additional power, give them a smarter, more affordable option. I mean, it seems like a small thing. I don’t know how many people would voluntarily opt into this. It’s certainly not going to solve the power problem that could just keep getting worse.

Chris Quinn (05:29.652)

I look, I’ve seen it in other states. There is a downside to this. When the weather is at its hottest, your air conditioner gets turned off. When you need heat the most, your heat may not be on what you want it to be. When you give the utility control over your appliances, you don’t get to use them. And I know they’re saying, well, you could override it, but I don’t know how many people are familiar with that.

I’m glad they’re trying to figure out a way to reduce costs. I cannot believe my electric bills the last few months. They’re the highest they’ve ever been by far. mean, it’s just staggering. And I don’t have much that’s electric. We basically have a refrigerator and a little bit of electric heat and it’s staggering. It’s just, it’s completely out of control. So if it’s hitting me, it’s hitting everybody. I imagine we ought to find a way to make it cheaper. And I think the way to do that is to put these costs on these data centers.

Laura (06:03.426)

Mm-hmm.

Laura (06:25.866)

Mm-hmm. Absolutely.

Chris Quinn (06:25.888)

that are sucking the power grid dry. They don’t provide any benefit. There’s this bogus report that the Chamber of Commerce put out about thousands of jobs, completely fictitious. There’s not a big financial benefit. And they’ve gotten all these great breaks. They’ve sucked up our grid. There are a whole lot of people now worried about the environmental damage. And Ohio has just welcomed them like they’ve welcomed fracking.

Laura (06:50.734)

Yeah, I completely 100 % agree with you. It feels a little bit like recycling and that we’re putting the onus on the consumer, which is actually a very, very small part of the problem here. Right? Like I feel guilty if I throw something plastic away, but like tons of corporations are just polluting the environment every day. It’s the same idea that these data centers are sucking everybody dry, but I feel like, oh God, like I better sweat in my bed tonight because I’m hurting the environment by using my air conditioning. So.

Chris Quinn (07:17.817)

Laura (07:18.642)

Yeah, I definitely put the onus where it belongs. We are going to find out today about the PJM auction to find out how that went. If we’re to have enough power, how expensive it’s going to be in the future. And the scariest quote in this story was the advanced energy policy director. And he said, when all else fails, we are looking at rolling blackouts. If capacity auction is short enough, it may be difficult to keep the lights on for everybody. We are in 2025.

We talk about artificial intelligence all the time, but we’re not going be able to keep the lights on for people? That’s crazy.

Chris Quinn (07:53.164)

Okay, you’re listening to Today in Ohio. Part of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s revolution and how the state teaches kids to read was to change how future teachers are trained in colleges. An audit of the colleges turned up some failures on that front, including here in Cleveland. Courtney, how are they missing the mark?

Courtney (08:13.479)

Yeah, this new state audit flagged 10 Ohio universities, including CSU, OSU, Ohio University, and the University of Toledo for not complying with the new science of reading law and the requirements that are imposed on future teachers as they’re getting trained up to become teachers. Now we heard from state officials, they say the schools largely did meet the standards, but they were dinged because

their education program still included at least one reading method in the curriculum that’s not that science of reading method, which is really what the state only wants to see being taught in these schools. We heard from the chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education and in CSU’s case here, they met 72 out of 73 metrics measured that one section where they fell short according to the university.

came down to a single textbook that was in use that included some literacy teaching methods that weren’t science of reading. So as a result of this audit, CSU a couple of weeks ago replaced that one textbook. And if that all shakes out, I imagine they’ll pass the next review from the state. And DeWine acknowledged as much here. He said that many of these 10 colleges are teaching science of reading very well. They just need to completely drop.

any mention of those alternatives.

Chris Quinn (09:38.614)

Yeah, and I’m really bothered by the closed mindedness of this. Look, if you want to become a barista and you want to study how to make coffee, there’s lots of ways you can make coffee, right? Cold drip, could percolate it, you could use Nespresso machines, lots of ways to do it to end up with a good cup of coffee. And your employer may want you to use one method, but being a qualified barista, you’d need to know about all the methods, right? If I’m learning to teach reading,

Why shouldn’t I know about the other philosophies of how to do it, even though we’re focused in Ohio right now on one? We’re not gonna let teachers know about the other ways that get there? None of these methods is bad. It’s just Ohio has decided to go with phonics for now after having not gone with it. To not even let teachers in training know?

other methods? You can’t even mention that there are other ways to get there so they’re well-rounded? What kind of colleges are we having when we’re blocking out free thought?

Courtney (10:44.789)

I had that same reaction, Chris. It feels a little draconian to say you must not learn about other alternatives. We can only teach you about one thing. I would think, I mean, if science of reading is the way that the state wants to go, at least for now, okay, of course they need to be versed on that, but you think learning those other methods could even clue you into perhaps why science of reading is better or superior or, you know, why you’d prefer to use it. Also, you don’t know what’s coming down the road.

What if the state changes again in 10 years? Are all these teachers left in the dark? I don’t know, it just feels way too draconian to me, but

Chris Quinn (11:20.362)

Well, I mean, it closes out discussion and thought. I mean, we believe in democracy. So should our colleges not have any mention of societies that are communist or socialist or or what have you? I mean, we don’t want people to understand that there are different forms of governance. only want them to be brainwashed into ours because we believe it’s best. This just. I just I get it that that the governor has decided.

Laura (11:42.402)

That’s probably Jerry Serino’s next bill.

Chris Quinn (11:49.674)

we need to change the way we address reading. A lot of people agree with them. clinging Cleveland State because a textbook says there’s another way and not wanting the future teachers to know about it. We just want robots then it’s we don’t want people that can think or consider. I’m very disappointed in this story.

Courtney (12:10.645)

What struck me too is like we don’t even know if they’re teaching those other methods. They could just be mentioned in an old textbook.

Chris Quinn (12:17.642)

Well, look, there’s also special education, right? That some methods don’t work for all kids. And if a kid is falling behind, maybe you try some other methods to help them along. But if you don’t even know they exist, you’re kind of bereft. Maybe we’re missing something on this one, but it seems so close minded. I just don’t think our colleges should be places where minds are closed. You’re listening to Today in Ohio.

Ohio is not the only state where merging school districts might be a solution to what ails the education system. What are some other states considering it, Lisa, and why?

Lisa Garvin (12:47.93)

Thank

Lisa Garvin (12:53.754)

Well, actually in Wisconsin, lawmakers there passed bills to provide money to school districts to consolidate by 2026-2028. It would be a one-time $2,000 per student in the first year of consolidation, but it excludes the Milwaukee Public School District. The state money would go to low-income districts without a tax base to afford a merger, and then they’re also authorizing a consolidation feasibility study.

So in Wisconsin, 70 % of their school districts have declining enrollment. They have 53,000 fewer students since 2013, 2014. Now in Pennsylvania, they’re considering a bill by a democratic lawmaker that calls for reducing the number of school districts there from 500 to 100, but a similar 2009 bill with the same goal by the Pennsylvania governor at the time never went anywhere.

There are the concerns about building overcrowding, school closures and staff layoffs. But the group New America’s Education Funding Equity Initiative created three scenarios for Ohio. One would be aligning districts with county lines. That would make 607 districts here go down to 88 because we have 88 counties.

merging with neighboring districts, that would bring the number down to 163 districts, and then create new boundaries, just basically a blank slate. That would bring the number of school districts in Ohio down to 156. Project Director Sahava Stadler says that mergers should be done in ways that reduce racial and economic segregation. They found that if you draw boundaries by county,

that would actually increase tax-based equity by 56%. It would reduce racial segregation by over 52 % and poverty disparities by 74%.

Chris Quinn (14:47.946)

I also think if you had bigger districts, you would not see the kind of nonsense that we see right now in the Riverside School District in Lake County. And we’ve seen elsewhere where the election is so small, you get myopic crazy people who are dictating policy that has huge ramifications. I mean, they’re up there trying to fire the superintendent, even though they’re lame ducks. And it’s awful, which we’ll be talking about.

But that is a way of avoiding that. If you have a bigger pool of voters, you’re much less likely to get fringe people into decision-making roles.

Lisa Garvin (15:26.616)

And it seems like that the fringe people, they’re focusing on school boards. You know, we’ve seen that in recent years. So yeah, they’re getting the fringiest people to run and counting on voters not really knowing who the candidates are.

Chris Quinn (15:31.071)

Right.

Chris Quinn (15:39.372)

Yeah, and I don’t think that would happen if you had a much wider population voting. You’re listening to Today in Ohio. Cleveland City Council President Blaine Griffin was pretty direct in dealing with the misbehavior of Councilman Joe Jones earlier this year. So Courtney, how does he justify giving a boatload of cash to Jones’s campaign?

Courtney (15:59.335)

Yeah, we learned in campaign finance reports, Griffin kicked $6,000 to Jones’s reelection campaign. And that came after a year of Griffin, you know, publicly putting Jones actions on blast and trying to come down hard on him. But when Bush came to shove, he gave him the money to help him get reelected. And we’re only learning that now because of when we get to see those campaign finance reports. This donation came in October.

before the general election. So it would have helped Jones win that seat. Now, when we went to Griffin to ask him about this, he said he donated to Jones after residents down in the Lee Harvard neighborhood reached out and asked for him to do so. So that’s his reasoning there. Right.

Chris Quinn (16:45.003)

Yeah, right. Yeah, that that’s believable. Yeah, that’s what voters and the words do. Hey, doesn’t the council president have a big fund and he could donate to our candidate? Come on. I’ll bet if you went out on the street and asked 100 people, what what kind of money does the city council president have for campaigns? They’d have no clue. I suspect what happened here is Jones won the primary big time going away.

Griffin realized Jones was coming back to council. Griffin wanted to remain council president, needed Jones to be in his corner, so provided him the money to keep him in line. He gave money to Mike Polenski too, even though he supported Polenski’s opponent and ultimately did keep the presidency. The idea that people in a neighborhood are reaching out to the council president to give financial support to their candidate, come on.

Courtney (17:39.731)

Right. I mean, that’s just not, not very believable given all the circumstances. This clearly seems like a political, I mean, it’s, on its face, a political move to help maintain Griffin’s power. don’t know how you could read it any other way. You know, Griffin also told us that he can’t punish Jones forever. 2026 will be a new term. He said he’s met with Jones to discuss how to correct his behavior going forward. But again, I

I don’t know, you gotta look at the actions here, not the words.

Chris Quinn (18:10.164)

Yeah, I don’t know why he didn’t just say it. Look, he was coming back to council. I’m building my team. I support the people on my team. He’s clearly going to be on my team. Just be honest about it. That’s what this is about. Yeah, it’s like if he’s coming back, I want him to be in my camp. We don’t need division on the council. But people reached out to please support him. One, he didn’t need any support. He squashed all the candidates who posed him. I think he got the most votes of any council.

Courtney (18:20.255)

Right, I’m buying political support.

Chris Quinn (18:39.468)

Candidate in the entire city at least in the primary so it’s not like he needed the silly silly silly

Courtney (18:44.841)

Think about, think about if you’re that long time council staffer who was threatened by Jones. That’s, that’s gotta hurt to see your boss go around and do that.

Chris Quinn (18:51.316)

Yeah.

Yeah, I know, I know. You’re listening to Today in Ohio. Lakefront housing is prized in Cuyahoga County and there’s only so much lakefront to go around. Laura, which suburb has a fairly large site that it wants to develop for an entirely new set of lakefront housing?

Laura (19:12.04)

Euclid. They want to transform the former St. Robert Church site on Lakeshore Boulevard into a residential housing complex. And they’re asking developers to submit ideas for this eight-acre property that is along Lake Erie and the Euclid Lakefront Trail. So this is prime real estate because that lakefront trail, it’s about three quarters of a mile last time I checked and it’s going to extend. And there’s not a lot of lakefront trails on Lake Erie. So they want mixed housing that emphasizes owner-occupied

detached and attached sing including town homes. And s been cleared. So there’s parking lot remaining. developed and the Euclid De wants to offer down payment eligible first time home purchase price of $273, they’re going to be afforda If you want to buy a house

Chris Quinn (20:06.986)

The trick though is you’ve got to use quality enough materials to keep it warm when that winter wind blows off the lake. I love the idea of more housing on the lakefront because more people should be able to experience it, but you’ve got to make sure that it’s weather tight because the weather does come in off the lake.

Laura (20:12.824)

Mm-hmm.

Laura (20:29.706)

Absolutely. And you have to make sure there’s enough. Well, the good thing about the lakefront trail is they’ve worked on the erosion because you get lakefront land somewhere else. You might be looking at less lakefront land in the future, right, because of erosion. So Euclid is addressing this. They’re very forward thinking when it comes to development in the lake. So I can’t wait to see this. mean, we know there are other parcels some places and putting smaller houses on it so more people can enjoy it rather than an 80

eight acre mansion site, that’s a good thing.

Chris Quinn (20:59.776)

Yeah, that trail that they’ve built there is quite something. It’s really the legacy of the Mayor Kristen Holsheimer Gale.

Lisa Garvin (21:04.846)

Yeah, and the fact that the trail there means that the houses won’t have a private beach when they’re built.

Laura (21:11.2)

Right. Right.

Chris Quinn (21:12.084)

Yeah, I mean that trail is just something special. think the vision to bring it off to make it something, it really adds something to Euclid.

Laura (21:23.406)

And it’s become like a beacon for all around the Great Lakes of what you can do in these land areas where everything is privately owned. So we’ll have to see its legacy.

Chris Quinn (21:34.22)

You’re listening to Today in Ohio. We’ve learned a lot in recent years about how traumatic brain injuries early in life result in Alzheimer’s and dementia later in life. We’ve seen quite a bit of it in football players, for example. Lisa, has Case Western Reserve University discovered a way to combat that result?

Lisa Garvin (21:52.495)

You know, what they found, they did a study that’s being published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, and they found that there’s an increased risk of developing, traumatic brain injuries increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s later in life because there’s prolonged inflammation on the brain and it damages brain cells over time. But they found that if they treat these injuries within one week of the incident, they can reduce the Alzheimer’s risk by up to 41%.

They analyzed over 100 million patient records and then they looked at 37,000 patients aged 50 to 90 with moderate to severe brain injury. Those who were treated within a week, as I said, 41 % lower risk after three years, 30 % lower risk after five years. And that’s compared to delayed treatment of TBIs.

The lead author who is a med student at case, Austin Kenimer says acting quickly matters in the long term. It could really be a sea change on how ERs and hospitals handle traumatic brain injuries. It is the leading cause of death and disability for people aged one to 44, over two and a half million cases a year, 50,000 of them fatal. 80,000 people are permanently disabled by TBIs. And the biggest cause of TBIs

is false at 28%.

Chris Quinn (23:15.869)

Yeah, it’s another example of the tremendous healthcare research that’s done in our hospital systems. This is a, it seems like it’s a major breakthrough in some…

Lisa Garvin (23:25.794)

This is a big deal. This reminds me back in the day when they discovered that if they gave people TPA, a clot buster, as soon as they got to the hospital or even in the ambulance, they actually survived their stroke. So this is a huge change in first response treatment.

Chris Quinn (23:42.208)

I was thinking the same thing. was about 30 years ago now that that became the standard up until then. If you had a stroke, you were just, it was luck if you came out of it and TPA completely changed it. And this seems like exactly the same kind of thing, just longer, longer term results. So big deal. You’re listening to today in Ohio. It’s not often we see the breakup of a massive drug ring that’s accused of causing multiple deaths. What are the details we got Tuesday, Laura?

Lisa Garvin (23:46.136)

Mm-hmm.

Lisa Garvin (23:56.132)

Mm-hmm.

Laura (24:11.95)

This is more than three dozen people, large scale drug ring with as 180 count secret indictment. We’re talking about trafficking, fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, meth and other narcotics. They’re charged with three fatal overdoses in the past few years and the offenses span September 2022 to August 2025. Things like racketeering, involuntary manslaughter that are linked to those deaths and the possession of fentanyl related compounds.

So police all work together. They raided 12 locations. seized vehicles, 15 guns and more than 13 pounds of drugs, $240,000 in cash.

Chris Quinn (24:49.396)

This is a big one. We haven’t seen one like this in a while. And when they do that, it usually results from weeks, months, even years of work to try and figure out where the leaders are. So it’ll be interesting to see what kind of sentences these folks get as they go through the system.

Laura (25:04.874)

Absolutely. It does really show the necessity of police departments working together to get, you know, such a big ring because you have to know who the leaders are.

Chris Quinn (25:14.828)

You’re listening to Today in Ohio. Well, like I said earlier, the Riverside School District in Lake County is reeling from the silly but far reaching childishness of two lame duck school board members intent on firing the superintendent before they go. What’s the latest in that quest, Courtney?

Courtney (25:32.379)

Yeah, the board majority, two of whom are on their way out the door and not that many days. They moved forward on Monday with termination proceedings against Superintendent Christopher Rotino. During that brief special hearing earlier this week, they voted along the same lines they’ve been voting until now. There’s a split on the board, but that majority came out ahead. They scheduled Rotino’s termination hearing for January 4th. That hearing per state law is

to be overseen by a state-appointed referee. And that’s kind of, Rotino formally requested that hearing earlier this month. So while all that process is going through, a few days before that hearing, the people pushing for this are going to be largely out of office. And that’s President Scott Fischl and Vice President Dennis Keeney. The third member who’s been on board with booting Rotino, Denise Brewster, will remain in her seat.

And we’ve got two new folks coming on here in a couple of weeks. In the same move this week, the outgoing majority installed an interim superintendent, Robert Scott. He works with the Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve.

Chris Quinn (26:44.576)

You do have to wonder why they’re going through this trouble because this can all be undone in two weeks, right? The new board members come in, get sworn in, there’s a new majority and they can end this because it’s just silly. The town, the people in the district are behind the superintendent. Why go through this trouble? Why create all this anger? Why create enemies throughout the district where you’ve served when

it will not have any permanence.

Courtney (27:16.915)

Yeah, you know, reporter Molly Walsh has been covering this diligently and encourage folks to check out her deep dive from last week, explaining where all this turmoil comes from. pretty much the outgoing board is mad that Rotino went to the public and explained some financial concerns with the Buckeye Elementary renovation project. So that’s a big part of this beef. The board wants to spend less money on it. Rotino went to the public and said, if we want to do it right, we got to spend a little more.

Chris Quinn (27:46.548)

Yeah, I just I don’t get why they’re they’re pushing this they’re they’re going into the face of increasing resistance They’re two weeks away from being kicked out. Why? I nobody’s really been able to explain and I guess they’re not being very public, right?

Courtney (28:01.233)

they haven’t talked to us at all. They just sent over some documents and left it at that. But it’s also worth noting there’s a big important money fight going on around the same project. The courts have stepped in and stopped this outgoing majority from permanently moving nearly $5 million out of the school’s general fund. We’ve got to see where the court action takes that move next. But again, they’re racing the clock on really big moves here when they’re lame ducks.

Chris Quinn (28:27.828)

Yeah, it’s bizarre. Alright, you’re listening to Today in Ohio. That’s it for the Wednesday episode. Thanks, Lisa. Thanks, Laura. Thanks, Courtney. Thank you for listening. We’ll return Thursday to talk about the news.

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Cleveland, OH

Plan your perfect Northeast Ohio winter break

Published

18 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

Plan your perfect Northeast Ohio winter break

Have time off at the end of the year? Home for the holidays with the kids? Need to rest and recharge?

From dazzling light displays and winter wonderlands to hands-on art workshops, outdoor adventures and seasonal markets – there’s lots to do in Northeast Ohio. Some of it is even free.

HOLIDAY SPIRIT

Crown Point Parkway Festival of Lights

When: Through New Year’s Day; 5:30–10 p.m. weekdays, 5:30–11 p.m. weekends
Where: Crown Point Pkwy, Strongsville, Ohio
Details: Free walk- or drive-through community light display hosted by creator Dan Hoag since 1988. Visitors often park on Bennington Drive and walk under the illuminated archways.

Gingerbread Building Workshop

When: Multiple dates and times; reservations required
Where: The Jolly Gingerbread Makery, 1300 W. 78th St., Cleveland, OH 44102
Details: A 3-hour workshop where participants build and decorate a gingerbread house while enjoying sweets, music, and a creative holiday atmosphere. Cost: $44.52 for two people. All materials included. Online reservations required.

Winter Wonderland at The Sixty6

When: Dec. 20, 9 a.m.– 6 p.m.
Where: The Sixty6 Music Lounge, 1966 E. 66th St., Cleveland, OH 44103
Details: Free family event with breakfast and photos with Santa, vendor market, reindeer pen, crafts, and live music. Online reservations encouraged.

Inaugural Parma Pierogi Drop

When: Dec. 31, 8 p.m.–1 a.m.
Where: Sloppy Bobs, 5994 State Rd., Cleveland, OH 44134
Details: Free admission with refreshments for purchase. Features State Meats pierogies, bicentennial Schnitz Ale, treats from Breads and Beyond Bakery, live music, a rooftop pierogi drop, and fireworks after midnight.

BUY LOCAL

Screw Factory Holiday Market

When: Dec. 19 (6–10 p.m.); Dec. 20 (10 a.m.–6 p.m.); Dec. 21 (10 a.m.–3 p.m.)
Where: 13000 Athens Ave., Lakewood, OH 44107
Details: Free admission and parking. Annual holiday market featuring local artists and makers offering handmade gifts, décor, art, and more inside a historic former factory.

Paradise Galleria

When: Open weekly, Tues.–Sun., 12–6 p.m.
Where: 3910 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, OH 44113
Details: Free admission to explore a 13,000 sq. ft. “Mall of Dreams” filled with vintage designs, local vendors, a jacuzzi ballpit, secret passageways, and a whimsical slide to the basement vendor area.

LOOK AT ART

78th Street Studios Art Walk (THIRD FRIDAYS)

When: Dec. 19, 5–9 p.m.
Where: 1300 W. 78th St., Cleveland, OH 44102
Details: Free event showcasing art, music, food, and pop-up vendors across 60+ venues on four floors. Named Cleveland’s Best Arts Event by Scene and Yelp. A multisensory way to meet artists and explore Cleveland’s creative community.

Holiday Traditions Tours at the Cleveland Museum of Art

When: Through Dec. 28 on Wednesdays (5:45–6:45 p.m.), Saturdays (3–4 p.m.), and Sundays (3–4 p.m.)
Where: 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44106
Details: Free with reservation. A guided tour exploring winter celebrations across cultures and time, highlighting art that represents light, generosity, and togetherness.

GET ACTIVE

MOCA Saturday FAM Day (Family, Art & Movement)

When: Jan. 3, 12–2:30 p.m.
Where: MOCA Cleveland, 11400 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106
Details: Free for Ohio residents. Movement and creativity session led by the 10K Movement, inspired by MOCA’s exhibitions. Open to all ages and skill levels.

Cleveland Toboggan – The Chalet

When: Open weekends (with or without snow) through late February
Where: 16200 Valley Pkwy., Strongsville, OH 44136
Details: Twin 700-foot refrigerated toboggan chutes. Tickets $13–$15 for multiple rides. Reservations required.

Ice Skating – Thornton Park Ice Arena (Shaker Heights)

When: Public skating schedule varies
Where: 3301 Warrensville Center Rd., Shaker Heights, OH 44122
Details: Admission $4–$9; skate rentals $3.

Ice Skating – Cleveland Heights North Rink

When: Public skating schedule varies
Where: 1 Monticello Blvd., Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
Details: Admission $2–$5; skate rentals $2.

Ice Skating – Public Square

When: Open daily 12–10 p.m.; check holiday hours
Where: 3 Public Square, Cleveland, OH 44115
Details: $15 per person including skate rental.

Cross Country Skiing + Snowshoeing (Lake Metroparks)

When: Hours and availability depend on conditions
Where: Pine Lodge Ski Center & trails, 8668 Chardon Rd., Kirtland, OH 44094
Details: Rentals $3–$5/hour or $12–$30/day. Trails at Penitentiary Glen and Chapin Forest offer scenic winter routes. Snowshoe rentals vary by site.

Sledding at Cleveland Metroparks

When: Open when weather and snow conditions permit
Where:
• Barrett Sledding Hill – Rocky River Reservation, Berea
• Engle Road Sledding Hill – Big Creek Reservation, Middleburg Heights
• Big Met Golf Course Sledding Area – Rocky River Reservation, Fairview Park
• Edgewater Park – upper area off the Shoreway

Details: Use hills only with proper equipment and safe conditions.

SEE NATURE

Light Up the Night Luminary Walk

When: Dec. 19, 2025, 6–8 p.m.
Where: Rocky River Nature Center, 24000 Valley Pkwy., North Olmsted, OH 44070
Details: Free self-guided luminary walk with hot chocolate, snacks, animal exhibits, and a craft. The trail is under one mile on natural surfaces.

Luminary Walk: Moonlight Mammal

When: Dec. 30, 2025, 4:30–6:30 p.m.
Where: Nature Education Building, 401 Buttermilk Falls Pkwy., Mayfield Village, OH
Details: Free luminary-lit marsh walk with crafts, hot chocolate, and animal exhibits. Indoor options available if weather is poor.

Rockefeller Park & Greenhouse

When: Open daily 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Where: 750 E. 88th St., Cleveland, OH 44108
Details: Free botanical garden with indoor/outdoor displays, seasonal exhibits, and specialty plant collections.

Candyland at Lake Metroparks

When: Open daily Nov. 22, 2025–Jan. 4, 2026, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Where: Penitentiary Glen, 8668 Kirtland-Chardon Rd., Kirtland, OH 44094
Details: Free indoor Candy Land-themed adventure with crafts, exhibits, scavenger hunts, hot chocolate, weekend programs, and nature gift shop.

CREATE

Junk Journaling at the Library

When: Dec. 27, 2:30–4 p.m.
Where: Cleveland Public Library – South Branch, 3096 Scranton Rd., Cleveland, OH 44113
Details: Free journaling workshop using new and recycled materials. Supplies provided; bring personal items to customize your journal.

Holiday Pop-Up! Open Studio at the Cleveland Museum of Art

When: Dec. 27–28, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Where: Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44106
Details: Free, drop-in art-making sessions for all ages. Create reflective vessels inspired by the past year and the year ahead.

LISTEN TO MUSIC

Monday Night Jazz at Brothers Lounge

When: Every Monday, 8–10 p.m.
Where: The Brothers Lounge, 11609 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, OH 44102
Details: Free jazz orchestra performance inspired by classic large-ensemble traditions.

Chamber Music at the Cleveland Museum of Art
When:
• Wed., Dec. 17, 2025, 6–7 p.m. (Harpsichord program by QinYing Tan)
• Fri., Dec. 19, 2025, 6–7 p.m. (Linking Legacies ensemble performing works by African American composers)
Where: 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44106

Details: Free concerts inspired by artworks displayed in the galleries where each performance takes place.

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Cleveland, OH

Last minute holiday events and toy giveaways in Cleveland

Published

1 day ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

Cleveland is in full holiday mode. Whether you’re on the hunt for Santa or looking for fun ways to celebrate Kwanzaa or Chanukah, there’s something magical (and sometimes free) happening from the East to the West Side, from Shaker Heights to Parma. Check out our list, sorted by holiday and date.

Chanukah party

CJC Chanukah Party

When: Sat., Dec. 20, 2025 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (5 p.m. games, 6 p.m. candlelighting, 6:45 p.m. latkes)
Where: Acacia Shelter, Lyndhurst
Details: All-ages Chanukah celebration with games, candlelighting, latkes and a dessert contest.

Christmas events and toy giveaways

Photo with Santa

When: Thursday, Dec. 18, from 4 to 6:30 p.m.
Where: McGregor Assisted Living, 14850 Private Dr., East Cleveland
Details: Free photo with Santa and hot cocoa. Register here.

Breakfast with Santa & Christmas Toy Giveaway

When: Saturday, Dec. 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Sanctuary Baptist Church, 4004 E. 131st St., Cleveland, OH 44105
Details: Free breakfast with Santa and a toy giveaway for ages 0-13. Hosted by Sanctuary Baptist and We Care Ministries.

Cookies and Cocoa with Santa

When: Saturday, Dec. 20, from noon to 2 p.m.
Where: MetroHealth Old Brooklyn Campus, 4229 Pearl Road, first floor atrium
Details: Free event with holiday music, photos with Santa ($3), goodie bags for the first 150 kids (10 and under), and take-home cookie/cocoa bags. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Hosted by the old Brooklyn Community Collaborator.

Free Toy Drive

When: Saturday, Dec. 20, from noon to 4 p.m.
Where: East View United Church of Christ, Van Aken Boulevard, Shaker Heights, OH 44120
Details: Free toys for children in need. Contact: Elder Baker, 216-255-2385. Hosted by One Soul at a Time Ministries.

Galleria Holiday Event – Toys for Tots Giveaway

When: Saturday, Dec. 20, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: 1301 E. 9th St., Cleveland, OH 44114
Details: Toy giveaway, cookies, Santa meet-and-greet, games and activities. Register for toys at swavlupus.org.

Angelo Miller Foundation Christmas Dinner & Toy Giveaway

When: Saturday, Dec. 20, from noon to 4 p.m.
Where: 6301 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, OH 44102
Details: Free dinner, entertainment and toys. Must register by email at AngeloMillerFoundation@gmail.com and include child’s name and gender and your phone number and ZIP code. Bring a bag to shop.

Donté’s Gift Express – Family Fun Day

When: Saturday, Dec. 20, from noon to 4 p.m.
Where: Skylight Park at Tower City, 230 W. Huron Rd., Cleveland, OH 44113
Details: Free holiday family event featuring crafts, family gift giveaways, a chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree, and performances by Radio One, DJ Lily Jade, and the Shaw High School Marching Band. Activities include holiday photos, VR gaming, a hot chocolate station, sock skating, the “Story” slide, and more. Reserve a spot. Find more information at DontesGiftExpress.com.

Toy Giveaway

When: Sunday, Dec. 21, from 2 to 5 p.m.
Where: 6009 Fleet Ave., Cleveland, OH
Details: Toy giveaway for ages 0-12. Must register by Tuesday, Dec. 16. Food, music and toys included. Hosted by Loretta’s Helping Hands.

Christmas Toy Drive

When: Monday, Dec. 22, from noon to 5 p.m.
Where: 5489 Ridge Road, Parma, OH 44129
Details: Toy drive for ages 6-12. Registration required. Hosted by Royal Kutz Barbershop. Email: zeusroyalkutz@gmail.com or via Instagram or Facebook; children must be present. Donations accepted through Dec. 19.

Santa’s Workshop – Holiday Give Back

When: Tuesday, Dec. 23, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Where: Euphoria Lanes, 1812 E. 30th St., Cleveland, OH 44103
Details: Free community event with crafts, photos with Santa, toy giveaways, warm winter items and food.

Twinkle After Christmas Treat

When: Friday, Dec. 26, from noon to 3 p.m.
Where: 11406 Union Ave., Cleveland, OH
Details: Holiday brunch with drinks and a free toy. For more information, call Ms. Iris at 216-633-5014 or Teaira at 216-242-6742 ext. 103.

Kwanzaa celebrations

Greater Cleveland Kwanzaa Alliance & NROPI — Kwanzaa Celebration (Umoja)

When: Fri., Dec. 26, 2025, at 6 p.m.
Where: East Cleveland Public Library, 14101 Euclid Ave., East Cleveland, OH 44112
Details: Features presenter Dr. Haki Madhubuti, musical libation by Hue People. Free community celebration. info: 216-543-0066, nropi@aol.com

McMillian Family & The Extended Family Kwanzaa

When: Fri., Dec. 26, 2025, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Forest Hill Church, 3031 Monticello Blvd., Cleveland Heights, OH
Details: Family-oriented Kwanzaa celebration.

Together in Tradition: A Kwanzaa Celebration

When: Sat., Dec. 27, 2025, at 12 p.m.
Where: Cleveland Public Library – MLK Jr. Campus, 10601 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106
Details: Hosted by CPL, Black Employee Resource Group and Diapo Cultural Arts Institute. Info: 216-623-7019.

Kwanzaa Celebration – Alpha Xi Chapter

When: Sat., Dec. 27, 2025, at 1 p.m.
Where: Warrensville Heights Branch – Cuyahoga County Public Library, 4415 Northfield Rd., Warrensville Heights, OH 44128
Details: Community celebration hosted by Alpha Xi Chapter.

Ohio Cleveland Association of Black Social Workers & Cleveland Association of Black Storytellers Presents Kwanzaa: Kujichagulia

When: Sat., Dec. 27, 2025, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: The Friendly Inn Settlement, 2386 Unwin Rd., Cleveland, OH
Details: Community Kwanzaa event for all!

Let’s Pray Ministries & Sheroes — Kwanzaa Celebration

When: Sun., Dec. 28, 2025, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: United Temple Tabernacle, 14284 Superior Ave., Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
Details: Kwanzaa celebration. Contacts: Pastor Pam 216-324-5303; Obatala Sangofunmi 216-785-8109.

Golden Ciphers & National Rites of Passage Institute— Kwanzaa Celebration

When: Tues., Dec. 30, 2025, at 5 p.m.
Where: 4450 Cedar Ave., Cleveland, OH
Details: Community Kwanzaa celebration. Contact: Pam Hubbard, phubbard5704@gmail.com

Kings & Queens of Art / Larchmere Cultural Arts – Kwanzaa Celebration

When: Wed., Dec. 31, 2025, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: 1385 E. 34th St., Cleveland, OH (enter via St. Clair Ave.)
Details: Vendors welcome (contact 216-780-2470). Co-sponsored community event.

African American History Museum – Kwanzaa

When: Thurs., Jan. 1, 2026, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: 1765 Crawford Ave., Cleveland, OH
Details: Part of the Greater Cleveland Kwanzaa Alliance series.

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