CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Dorothy Williams has lived in her home in the Kinsman neighborhood for 41 years.

On Tuesday, she was shocked when she received her letter from Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer showing the reappraised value of her property.

“Almost passed out, but thank God I didn’t but that is very high,” Williams said.

Her home was previously valued at $18,700. The county said it is now valued at $40,000.

“They haven’t been inside or anywhere they just going from the outside,” Williams said. “Painted the porch and painted the fence and they say, ‘oh’ that’s how much it’s worth.”

Williams said she qualifies for the Homestead Exemption Program.

It’s a statewide program that reduces the property tax burden of qualified senior citizens and permanently and totally disabled homeowners, disabled veterans and surviving spouses of public service officers killed in the line of duty, by exempting some of the market value of their home from taxation.

According to the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer’s website, Williams will go from paying an estimated $0 in property taxes in 2024 to an estimated $432 in 2025.

“A fixed income you don’t have it,” Williams said. “It’s a lot of elderly people like me they don’t have it.

Williams said this property tax hike will impact her neighbors who are also on fixed incomes.

“How are they allowing this to happen to senior citizens,” Williams said. “We can lose a whole lot by allowing them to go up on our property taxes so high.”

The county is hosting a virtual live event on the county’s Facebook, Instagram, and X pages to answer questions from taxpayers.

The county said taxpayers can send questions in advance to communications@cuyahogacounty.gov or ask in the comments during the event.

There are also four upcoming in-person community meetings.

• Monday, July 29, 2024
  Saint Agnes Our Lady of Fatima Church
  6800 Lexington Avenue
  Cleveland, OH 44103
  6-8 PM
• Tuesday, July 30, 2024
  Tri-C Eastern Campus Theatre
  4250 Richmond Road
  Highland Hills, OH 44122
  6-8 PM
• Wednesday, July 31, 2024
  Tri-C Western Campus Theatre
  11000 W. Pleasant Valley Road
  Parma, OH 44130
  6-8 PM
• Thursday, August 1, 2024
  Urban Community School 
  4909 Lorain Avenue 
  Cleveland, OH 44102
  6-8 PM

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Ralph Lance Cleveland, age 85, of Hambden Township, OH, peacefully passed away surrounded by his loving family on July 14, 2024, at his home. Born on June 17, 1939, in Rockford, IL, to Ralph Phillip and Bernita Alice (nee: Schreiber) Cleveland. Ralph and Joyce were longtime Hambden Township residents, after relocating from Mechanicsburg, PA.Ralph married the love of his life, Joyce LaRaine Loberg, on May 29, 1970, in Temple Hills, MD, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. Together, they built a beautiful life filled with love and joy.A proud veteran of the US Air Force, Ralph’s sense of duty and service extended beyond his military career. He was an active and dedicated member of the Geauga Kiwanis, where he contributed to numerous community initiatives.Ralph enjoyed many hobbies, including golf, playing cards, and visiting the casino. However, his greatest joy came from spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, who were the light of his life.Ralph is survived by his beloved children: Kirsten (David) Downey of Columbus, Jamie (Scott) Henderson of Chardon, and Phil Cleveland of Roaming Shores. He was the cherished grandfather of Emily Cleveland, Benjamin Cleveland, Cecelia Henderson, Ella Henderson, Jack Henderson, Ethan Downey, and Brooke Downey. Ralph is also survived by his sister, Pamela Dell of Sterling, MA.He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Joyce Cleveland.A funeral service will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 18, 2024, at Grace Lutheran Church, 8091 Plank Road, Thompson, OH 44086, with burial to follow at Hambden Township Cemetery.The family suggests donations be made to the Hambden Fire Dept., 9867 Old State Road, Chardon, OH 44024, in Ralph’s memory.Arrangements are entrusted to the Burr Funeral Home of Chardon. For more information and to share condolences, please visit www.burrservice.com.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — For at least one day every summer Jerome Baker finds himself on Cleveland’s Martin Luther King Jr. drive in the same place his football career took off.

On July 5, the newest Seattle Seahawks linebacker was back at Benedictine High School for his annual youth sports camp.

Alongside some current and former Bengals athletes and coaches, Baker hosted more than 60 campers, putting them through a series of different drills before splitting up into age groups to finish the day with a flag football competition.

Baker also took a few minutes for a question and answer session with cleveland.com to discuss topics ranging from his days as a student at Benedictine to what it’s like playing in The Game at Ohio State, and what the biggest lesson he’s learned from six seasons in the NFL.

Cleveland.com’s Jonathan X. Simmons: We’re coming up on the 10-year anniversary of the state championship Benedictine won your senior year. What good memories do you have from playing here?

Jerome Baker: I was just telling the kids earlier, my best memories come from playing here. I’ve played in a lot of different great places, Ohio State, Miami Dolphins, even now in Seattle. I think the one thing about here is it’s truly like that we’re playing just to play because we love it here. I played with my friends, even now to this day they’re like family. To win something like a state championship at a place like this where history means everything, there was truly nothing like it.

I truly miss those long bus rides. Coming home after the game and we all ride together, and we’re either all sad together or all happy together, but whatever it is we just did it together. That’s some of the things that when you go to the next level you kind of miss those things. It’s just football, school and that’s your life. I truly do miss playing here.

JXS: There were a number of guys from that era of Benedictine football that went on to play both pro and college football. Can you just talk about how loaded those teams were?

JB: We had some real ballers, but I think the one thing about that team is that we all helped each other get better. It didn’t matter if you were younger or older we truly wanted us all to succeed. Of course I get all of the fame and the glory, but I wouldn’t be who I am today without Justin Layne, Warren Saba, Lamar Davis. I could go on and on and on about the guys that pushed me to be better.

We knew growing up that we had the talent to go places, but the one thing about this school is that they push you to be the best person, the best athlete that you can be no matter if you’re the best player or worst player on the team. That’s why I have these long-term friendships even to this day and I do different business ventures with my friends that went here. It’s all about that ‘I don’t care that you’re Jerome Baker the football player. You’re Rome to me and I want you to be better. I’m gonna push you to do more.’ I just cherish those relationships I have and it all started here.

JXS: Can you talk about what you accomplished at Ohio State and how that prepared you for the NFL?

JB: We accomplished some great things there. We won a Big Ten championship, we went to a few bowl games. I think the main thing was I played under Urban Meyer and I played with some guys that I never dreamed that I’d play with.

Growing up in high school, Braxton Miller is only a few years older than me, but it felt like this guy was on another planet. To go there and to compete against him, even to this day like he called me a few years ago to come to this camp, just to have that respect of guys, it truly means a lot.

I still talk to Cardale Jones a little bit. You think that these guys are so far off and away, but it all started here at their high schools. They went to the next level and kept going and kept pushing themselves.

But, man, Ohio State is one place where when I say it’s an NFL factory it truly is. Everyday I always tell people the practices were way harder than the games. You’re playing against, if I was just to rattle off some of the guys on the defense, Denzel Ward, Marshon Lattimore, Gareon Conley. These are all first-rounders. Darron Lee, Raekwon McMillan, these are like NFL guys that every single day you gotta go up against.

When guys are third on the depth chart you would think like ‘Oh I’m gonna go against little Johnny.’ No, you’re going against a first-rounder. Just that competing, it truly helps guys be their best and that’s why Ohio State keeps producing guys. No matter who you are they push you to your max.

JXS: What are your best Ohio State vs. Michigan memories?

JB: I think the cool thing about that rivalry is how important it was to everybody, no matter if it’s present day or 80 years ago. That pride of this is where you become a legend at Ohio State, that was a big thing. Urban Meyer preached it all the time. If you want to be a legend at Ohio State play well against that team up north.

I think for me that just resonated. I’m one of those people where if it’s a big game I wanna show up. I don’t want to be that guy scoring five touchdowns but we’re playing against a weak team. Nah, this is best on best. Let’s see who shows up. I had some really good games there. I never lost, so that was a cool thing. I had interceptions, sacks, but most importantly we just won. I think that’s what it’s all about. Even now to hear guys say it’s just another game or whatever, it’s not. It’s THE game. This is college football at its best. It truly means something at Ohio State to win that game.

JXS: A bunch of those guys you named earlier also happen to come from this area. Can you speak to the depth of talent from Northeast Ohio?

JB: I always tell people, man, there’s something about Ohio because we just produce football players. True football players not the Hollywood football players. Guys that would play in the snow, the rain, the sleet. We played in the most tradition-filled rivalries. Just that feeling of playing true football. It’s not 90 degrees everyday like Florida or sunshine all day like California. You have to be a real football player to play in Ohio and this is where they breed them at.

JXS: What was that jump to the NFL like after Ohio State and was there ever a moment to appreciate how far football had taken you?

JB: No. I always try to harp on like, relatively speaking it’s easy to get to the NFL. It’s so much harder to stay there because when you first get there you’re just competing against the guys that are coming out with you. But when you get there you’re competing against the guys that are there, guys that are trying to get back into the league, guys that are trying to get into the league, so it’s much harder to stay on top of your A-game year after year after year.

I always say Ohio State trained me for that. I had guys, when I was at Ohio State, coming behind me that are five-star recruits man. He’s built like a tank already and he’s ready to play right now, so how can I evolve my game, how can I get better and continue to play at a high level and continue to be on top. And Ohio State, man they just train you for that. So when I got to the league it was like, ‘This is it?’

There is a good drop off sometimes. It could be a great receiver and then, ehh, I don’t know buddy, but it’s one of those things where Ohio State trained me for no matter who’s out there, no matter who’s with you go and be great, and I truly appreciate that.

JXS: What’s the biggest lesson football has taught you?

JB: It’s all about balance man. I always try to tell guys that. It’s all about balance. I never want to be that guy that I’m so invested in football that when football is done I don’t know who I am. I always try to harp on guys that yes, football, if you work at football you can go to great places, you can do great things, you can meet great people. But you don’t want to look back and you were so involved with football that you missed out on little simple things. I’m not saying you’re not going to have to sacrifice, but you have to enjoy this journey. It’s not about getting to the NFL. It’s not about getting that next check. It’s about the journey that life throws you through to get to it.

I loved it when I won the state championship here, but that’s not what I remember here. I truly remember those days when none of us wanted to work out but we’re all here together so all of us did it together. I miss those long bus rides and those things where the journey was truly the best part, that’s what I miss. You just gotta keep a good balance. Balance life out. Don’t be all in, don’t be all out. Kinda have that balance of what you want to do and enjoy the journey.

That’s the best part, that’s the part you’re gonna remember. You’re not gonna remember just that one game, you’re gonna remember all of those little rivalry games. You’re gonna remember that they changed the schedule and we play on Saturday now. It’s all of the little things you’re gonna remember, so appreciate that.

JXS: Is there anything else you want to add?

JB: I’m just happy to be back at Benedictine man. Even now I have my son with me and he don’t have a clue about his school, but he can feel the love, the energy from former coaches, my friends, my family. Benedictine, there’s nothing like it. It’s truly a generational school. It’s not just, oh your dad went here, no. His dad, I went here, my son is gonna go here and keeping that tradition is what it’s about. I just got nothing but and great things to say about Benedictine.