CLEVELAND, Ohio — Eleven men are charged with racketeering after prosecutors say they broke into dozens of dealerships and stole 86 cars worth more than $5 million from 26 businesses.

We’re talking about how they did it and what they stole, including a Dodge Ram that belonged to Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, on Today in Ohio.

Listen online here.

Editor Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with impact editor Leila Atassi, editorial board member Lisa Garvin 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:

An Ohio stolen car ring of pretty big proportions was indicted Wednesday and includes the Dodge Ram stolen from Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. What is the story?

The plan to tear down the historic former Juvenile Court building along Interstate 90 to make way for development is taking a big step forward. Where does it stand?

Why did the leader of Cleveland’s AFL-CIO get shown the door, and what is his response to the controversy?

State Senator Jerry Cirino’s Orwellian bill to silence people on college campuses under the guise of free speech is one step closer to becoming law. What is the status?

Just a few years after taxpayers kicked in many tens of millions of dollars to upgrade the place. The Cavs have come back for even more public money. How much do they want, and what for?

What is the significance of Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur’s push to designate U.S. Route 20 for veterans?

Is the ever-more-popular pickleball coming to Tennis in the Land, and if so, Laura, will you try to be a ball girl for pickleball as well as for tennis?

Did Senator Sherrod Brown actually get some action from Norfolk Southern with his demand that they spruce up their eyesores?

How did Lizzo give some love – and business – to La Plaza Taqueria in Lakewood last week?

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Read the automated transcript below. Because it’s a computer-generated transcript, it contains many errors and misspellings.

[00:00:00] Chris: We have such an odd collection of stories to talk about on today in Ohio, the news podcast discussion from cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer. I don’t think we’ve ever had a mix quite like this. I’m Chris Quinn. I’m here with Lisa Garvin. Lela Tasi, and Laura Johnston. And Laura, I’ll start with you. An Ohio’s stolen car ring of pretty big proportions was indicted.

Unsealed this week and includes the Dodge Ram stolen from Brown’s quarterback Deshaun Watson. These guys were brazen. These guys were bold and they raked in a whole bunch of high dollar cars. What’s the story?

[00:00:37] Laura: Yeah, a bunch of high dollar cars that they didn’t necessarily resell for a whole lot of money.

I’m, I, I don’t, I’m not clear on exactly what they were hoping to get out of this. They sold them for as little as like $4,500 or abandoned them on the side of the road. But we’re talking about 11 men charged with racketeering. Prosecutors say they broke into dozens of dealerships, stole 86 cars worth more than 5 million.

We’re [00:01:00] talking about 26 businesses. 32 incidents. They hit the same showroom three times. This is over five months. They would go into the showrooms, chat ‘em up during the day, case it to see what they wanted to come back for at night. They used their real names when they talked to people at the dealership.

So yeah, one of these flashy cars and they were like Dodge Challengers, Durango, hell Cats. Jeep Grand Cherokee Track Hawks that have V8 Hemi Engines, bw BMWs, Mercedes-Benz is one of those, was the Dodge Ram that belonged to Deshaun Watson. His car was being serviced in North Olmstead in January, so I don’t think that that was a special, like, we’re gonna get a Browns truck, right?

I think that just happened to be there. But yeah, pretty incredible ring of thefts.

[00:01:45] Chris: What surprised me about this is they were all pretty young, early twenties, 20. And they were pretty sophisticated about the way they did this. I mean, they were doing some things to make the cars sellable. Um, and you’re right, they, you know, they took, [00:02:00] they took a few to Detroit and sold them for $4,500.

And these are super expensive cars. Those dodge challenges, every time I see one, I think, I bet that’s stolen cuz they’re, they’re targets of thieves. But they didn’t profit. I mean, it, it looks like this was joy riding. They found the cars abandoned or shot up, or they were used in other crimes, but this wasn’t your, Prototypical car theft ring where they steal the car, they get it to a chop shop, or they right retitle it and get it to another state.

They, it seems like these guys were joy riding to the tune of more than 5 million and they’ll do serious prison time. When you steal that amount of stuff, you’re going away. You will not get late. Late treatment in the courts.

[00:02:42] Laura: Yeah, so what they would do is they would go to these dealerships during the day.

They’d see where the security cameras and the key fobs were kept, kept. Then they came back at night wearing hoods and gloves. They busted through windows. They crawled on the floor to avoid security cameras. At one time, they went to the Avis Car Rental at the Cleveland Hopkins Airport, [00:03:00] and they helped the.

Gun keep at gun, sorry. Gatekeeper at gunpoint. While they rifled through the keys throw sold a Jeep Grand Cherokee in a Ford Expedition. So, yeah, I mean it’s kind of amazing they could do this for five months cuz it does seem so brazen. But, um, One of the guys was arrested February 18th. Parma police let, uh, let a chase in.

Its stole, stolen Dodge Durango, Hellcat. And so he got caught then. So yeah, I was around 20 years old. They faced more than 90 counts. This is big

[00:03:31] Chris: time. Yeah. Interesting story. And it took a lot of detective work to, to track these guys down. And it was as far away as Carroll County. I mean, this took place in many counties.

They were targeting dealers everywhere. You’re listening to today in Ohio, the plan to tear down the historic former juvenile court building along Interstate 90 to make way for development is taking a big step forward. Leila, everybody knows this building, even if they don’t think they do, because when you’re driving east on 90, [00:04:00] right at 22nd Street, it looms in front of you and it’s got that kind of classic architecture.

What’s going on?

[00:04:06] Leila: Well, Steve Litt tells us that the county has agreed to tear down the building. For years, they had tried to figure out. How to use it ever since the new Juvenile Justice Center opened in 2011. So now there, it’s gonna be raised to make way for a new bridge at East 22nd Street, and the bridge is going to span the highway trench that since the fifties has severed downtown from the majority black central neighborhood to the east and south.

So the one that’s there real right now, the bridge that’s there now is very narrow. It doesn’t work for pedestrians, and the new proposal calls for a bridge nearly 120 feet wide with four 11 foot wide travel lanes and a 10 foot center turn lane. The east side of the bridge is gonna have. 42 and a half foot wide strip with a separated bike path in a 23 and a half foot wide area for pedestrians in landscaping.

The west side of the bridge would have a 22 foot [00:05:00] wide area for bikes and pedestrians, and then there will be these opaque walls on either side of the bridge, uh, that would be covered with public art or some l e d light display. Something aesthetically pleasing like that. Once the the building is demoed, which they expect to happen by next spring, the county will maintain ownership of the land that they don’t need for the bridge project.

And after it’s complete, the county will conduct a site analysis and work with the city of Cleveland to determine what’s the best use for residents in the neighborhood. Uh, moving forward.

[00:05:34] Chris: I, I laughed when I read the line about that the current bridge is narrow. Uh, I used to cover juvenile court. I used to have to cross the street there, and I don’t think anybody that did that would describe that as narrow when cars are bearing down on you.

Uh, the, the building itself, the, the, the historic building, uh, really cannot be repurposed. It’s been bastardized over the year. There’s one original courtroom there that was [00:06:00] actually, um, Film, A movie was filmed there, the kid from Cleveland about the 1950s Indians. Um, but it’s a building that has history.

Bob Hope went through there when he, when he went through juvenile court when he was a delinquent, but there really is no fixing it. The one thing in the story that I’m throwing the flag on is David Rasm, who I guess is the head of speaking for Chris Roan, says the Chris Roan has unilateral power to demolish the building that is.

Total bs. Steve let even called back to say, you, you really maintained that? And he goes, oh yeah, we have absolute power. That’s not the way government works, man. They can’t do it. They’d have to award some kind of contract to either seed the property to somebody to demolish it. Or to demolish it. And the idea that he’s making this unilateral decision is just Huey, the county council will have to decide what to do with this county asset.

That’s the way government works. We’re gonna have to do a story today, Layla, to say David Rasm doesn’t understand how county government works. [00:07:00]

[00:07:00] Leila: At the very least, council needs to approve the funds for the demo, and they can easily say no to that. Which, well, the

[00:07:06] Chris: story, the story said that, but. But it, it, it created the idea that if they don’t need to get the money through the county, if there’s another source, the council doesn’t have a say.

There’s no way Chris Ronan can say, I’d be like Frank Jackson or, or Justin Bib saying, I’m gonna tear down City Hall and City Council can’t stop me. You know, that’s not the way where it’s a county asset. And if you’re going to dispose of a county asset, it has to go through. It’s why we have checks and balances.

I don’t get this guy David Razo, man. He just doesn’t seem to understand how things work. You’re listening to today In Ohio. In Ohio. Why did the leader of Cleveland’s A F L C I O get shown the door? And what is his response to the controversy? Lisa, this one seems fishy.

[00:07:50] Lisa: It does, uh, north Shore, A F L C I O leader, Dan O’Malley, who represents 85,000 members in the Cleveland area, was removed from [00:08:00] office according to a statement by board chair Sherry Osky at their April 12th board meeting.

Apparently there were complaints involving O’Malley’s use of union credit and reimbursement practices. He was accused of doing that six times, and they found him in violation for four of those. Six times, but we don’t know any details. They didn’t answer any other questions. And when they were asked whether they were gonna forward this to law enforcement, they said they’re following internal processes right now.

So, uh, O’Malley, uh, is, has been the head of the A F L C I O here since, uh, January of 2021 and his. They didn’t, you know, reign in their, his attorney Steven Deaver, says that his client was treated unfairly. There was a lack of due process in his firing and they were motivated by personal agendas and differences on the union’s vision to expand.

And some board members apparently questioned O’Malley’s attendance at L G B T Q [00:09:00] venues and events and inappropriate expenses attached to that. But Diva says there were only $1,200. Over two years of undocumented expenses and he always got his expenses approved monthly. So what is up?

[00:09:15] Chris: Well, what’s wrong with this is if you’re going to say We fired him because of questionable credit card expenditures, you basically are implying there’s some crime there, that there’s theft.

Mm-hmm. If you’re going to do that, if you’re gonna disparage this guy’s reputation like that, you need to show the goods. You need to do what? Metro Health. Did when they got rid of Akron Buttross sh show the public what you’re talking about. Cuz otherwise there are questions about, is there any there, there.

Dan O’Malley was a Lakewood city councilman when he took this job and mm-hmm He’s fairly well regarded. If this really comes down to some of the unions don’t like him supporting L G B T Q issues, they got a serious problem in the a Ffl C I O. Um, and this just doesn’t. Doesn’t sit right. I mean, it’s, [00:10:00] it seems very, very stinky because they would’ve had to vote.

The AFI l CIO is the umbrella, right? For all the labor organizations? Correct. So each of the, the leaders that’s on on the board voted to oust him. They ought to come clean. This represents like 85,000 people. It’s more than most mayors.

[00:10:21] Lisa: Yeah. And you know, they, um, did this April 12th and it’s only now coming to light, so, you know.

Yeah. Very interesting. And the fact that they’re being very circumspect about, you know, what’s, and they’re not answering any other questions. I know. We’ll be digging into this to see what’s at the bottom of

[00:10:36] Chris: all this. Well, Here’s what I wonder. Um, remember when Chris Henaine was running for county executive?

The Democratic establishment didn’t want him. They were lining up behind Brad Sellers. They were trying to get votes. Then we did some stories about Brad Seller’s questionable tax breaks, and Brad Sellers dropped out and Chris was the default guy, but. If O’Malley wasn’t lining up with them. [00:11:00] I wonder if this is about politics.

I wonder if this is, you didn’t help us to get our guy in because Chris was not their guy and this is retribution for that. The unions like the flex, their power in politics, and they’re very much a part of the Democratic machine that is holding back this county. Well, and I

[00:11:18] Lisa: wonder what the differences on the vision to expand the union are.

Maybe he was wanting to be more inclusive if L G B T Q and the rest of them said no, but we don’t know. We’re just speculating at this point until they provide us more details.

[00:11:31] Chris: Right. We’re forced to speculate because they’re not being transparent. They ought to take a page for MetroHealth once MetroHealth laid out their case, everyone.

Oh, I see. You know, provide your case where people are going to be skeptical of what you’re doing. You’re listening to today in Ohio. State Senator Jerry Sereno Orwellian Bill to silence people on college campuses under the guise of free speech is one step closer to becoming law. Laura, what is the status of this kooky bill?

I, it’s just so [00:12:00] strange that this is moving.

[00:12:01] Laura: I. Yeah, the Senate passed it yesterday pretty much on party lines, and the house has got a similar version. It’ll also take a look at the Senate version, but this is so far reaching and so disturbing for anyone who cares about education and the future of young people.

It. Has so many tentacles of just deciding what higher education in Ohio should be. It’s just very authoritarian. It will force colleges to add to their mission statements that they don’t favor or disfavor any political, social, or religious beliefs. They want to outlaw the ability of faculty and staff to strike.

They wanna ban mandated diversity training, require annual faculty performance evaluations and post-tenure reviews with a whole lot of input from students, and they’re just. Dictating what is going to be taught, including a three credit course, which is a full semester, three day a week course on basic tenets of government like reading the Declaration of Independence.

And Jerry Sarino is the northeast Ohio [00:13:00] Senator came up with this. He said it’s an opportunity for the legislator to change the direction of higher education. He said, too many kids, so many professors teach students what to think, not how to think, and he, this is the direct quote. If we do not act now, I feel we will continue down the path of servitude to awoke agenda from which there will be no

[00:13:20] Chris: return.

He look, but if he, yeah, I mean he is. This is Orwell. It’s say the opposite of what you’re doing and then say, how can anybody disagree with that? This is about free speech. This is about protecting people when it’s the total opposite. It’s weird that Sereno who had a long career in business, Got into the legislature to dive into the culture wars.

I mean, he is 100% the culture war warrior and, and he’s just full of it and, and, and getting very critical of anybody who dares to criticize what he’s doing. It’s the Emperor’s new clothes here. What are you talking about? I’m offer free speech. I’m trying to protect the students. I

[00:13:58] Laura: feel like this is [00:14:00] the same kind of double speak we’re seeing with the 60% amendment where they say, you know, we don’t want outside influences, but it’s outside influences that are paying for that message.

So they’re saying they don’t wanna indoctrinate college kids, but that’s what they’re doing Exactly. At this conservative point of view, it’s like they’re afraid that college kids are going to learn how to. Think and be liberal and they don’t want any Ohioans to get any liberal ideas. It’s

[00:14:22] Chris: embarrassing that he’s from northeast Ohio.

This is the kind of stuff you expect from the southern part of the state. Um, and it, you know, if it gets passed, I’ve heard from people on campuses, they think students will stop coming to Ohio universities, that they’re paying attention, right? To this kind of thing. And then people who you might want to teach at the universities are gonna say, well, Ohio’s turning into an authoritarian state.

We’re not going there. Let’s go someplace where. Academia matters.

[00:14:48] Laura: And we have great colleges in this state, and this does just apply to the state colleges and universities. So it’s, you know, it’s not gonna be Kenyon or Dennison A case Well,

[00:14:58] Chris: well I’ve talked

[00:14:58] Laura: to some people, well they took that [00:15:00] out because there were so many they, yeah.

But if you get, that was originally in there,

[00:15:03] Chris: if you get state money, there’s a fear that they will somehow try to apply this.

[00:15:09] Laura: Right. And they, they did address that because so many schools. Private schools have a religious background and so they said they couldn’t do that. So we’ll see what shakes out with that.

But we have great schools like Ohio State University and Miami University, and they get a lot of out-of-state students. And you know, Mike DeWine is always saying, we want people to move to Ohio. How are you gonna get college students to come to Ohio if like, it feels like you’ve got Liberty University here.

Like it’s just so depressing to be in the state and feel like you. It’s just being dragged backwards by the

[00:15:42] Chris: hair. Yeah, and I’m sure Mike DeWine will sign this. You’re listening to today in Ohio, just a few years after taxpayers kicked in many tens of millions of dollars, hundreds really to upgrade the place.

The calves have come back for even more public money, for where they play, how [00:16:00] much do they want, and what for Layla, the

[00:16:02] Leila: team says that it needs 9.8 million to replace the elevators and escalators in that facility, which. Which they say are 29 years old and at the end of their lifespan, and they want 18.4 million to buy new broadcasting equipment for the control room that they say is currently running on spare parts from eBay.

So under the terms of their lease agreement with Gateway Economic Development Corporation, gateway is on the hook for. The major capital repairs to the facility over $500,000. But the problem is Gateway doesn’t have the money. Each of Cleveland’s three professional sports facilities gets about 92 million in proceeds from the county syntax on alcohol and cigarettes to make the capital repairs they need through 2034.

The cabs though only have 10 million left. They can’t get the rest of what they say they need without. Going back to taxpayers on this. So what [00:17:00] we are grappling with here is that their arena was just overhauled a few years ago. As you said, those renovations were completed in 2019, and the public footed a big portion of that with the calves paying for overruns and extras that they added along the way.

So why weren’t these capital improvements? Factored into the plan back then. Exactly. If, if they knew the elevators were reaching the end of their lifespan, why didn’t they include it in the renovation? And you know what, this is what I think, because they wanted the other bells and whistles and all the flash of their new digs first.

Because if the necessities like elevators were covered in that project, then it tapped out their budget. They couldn’t later ask for the glamorous upgrades because, Gateway isn’t responsible for those. The cabs knew they could use that renovation to get this amazing facility they wanted, and then later come back to Gateway for the capital upgrade that Gateway is required to make.

And then the guardians are doing the same thing. You know right now the, the expense of their cushy [00:18:00] seeds that they want is being absorbed by the a hundred million capital improvements budget that’s built into their 435 million lease agreement. But they’re already. Compiling another list of what they’re calling capital improvements that they believe Gateway is responsible for.

[00:18:16] Chris: Yeah. This, this stinks to the high heavens and, and let’s face it, the Cavs sold out most of their games this year. They raked in money and now they’re turning around to a county and city that don’t have any money cuz, and they have huge needs that we in the jail and the justice center and some other projects and saying we need more.

It’s inexcusable that they did not incorporate the escalators into the upgrade to that arena. I, I, I, I think it’s diabolical. I think it’s exactly what you said. They knew there were three years left of its life and they knew they could turn around and say, well, you know, it’s your arena. You gotta, you gotta keep it up.

And I, I just wonder at some point, You know, cuz the Hass are out there trying to shake loose [00:19:00] hundreds and hundreds of millions to, to do stuff to the football stadium. At some point, do the people of this region say, let’s get rid of one of our teams? That’s the, it’s just not, we don’t have the money. We cannot afford to keep doing this because we’re not providing the basic services like a safe and secure jail.

In efficient jail, like a courthouse that doesn’t have leaks everywhere because these, these guys who are raking in the money, in the public facilities keep coming back and saying they want Taj Mahal treatment. This is, this is a horrible development. I cannot believe the cabs have the audacity to do it.

[00:19:37] Leila: I agree.

[00:19:38] Laura: Couldn’t. And did you love that quote from. Ken Selman that was basically like, well, you’re just gonna have to find it. And it was like so entitled. Yeah,

[00:19:45] Leila: he’s over it. You could tell he’s just over it.

[00:19:50] Chris: Well, I think he’s stating, matter-of-factly, look, I don’t have the money and you know, we’re on the hook.

So where’s the money gonna come from? I don’t, I don’t think he’s saying. You know, [00:20:00] let’s go get the money. I think he’s just laying out, these are the facts guys. We don’t have the money. The contract is such that this, you know, and nobody said, why didn’t you incorporate this into the gigantic project? You know, that project almost got killed.

There was a referendum. Mm-hmm. That went to Kevin Kelly and it was pulled at the last minute, but it almost got killed. That project almost didn’t happen. The taxpayers in their large ass. Greatly upgraded that place. The calves are hugely benefiting from it with sold out stuff, and now they’re hitting up a really, uh, uh, almost bankrupt city and county saying we need more.

I, I, that story was a shocker of the day. Uh, shame on the calves for what they’re doing for us. I wish that

[00:20:42] Leila: cities would band together and decide collectively that they’re not going to be held hostage mm-hmm. By sports teams anymore in this way. And that that we’d see some sort of cultural change in the way we view these facilities

[00:20:55] Laura: rather than being an arms race for what they can offer Exactly.

Or, mm-hmm.

[00:20:59] Chris: You know, does [00:21:00] Cleveland need to have a reckoning that we’re not one of the big cities anymore. We can’t afford to have three professional sports teams? Well, two professional sports teams and the brands you’re listening to today in Ohio. What is the significance of Congresswoman Marcy Captor’s push to designate US Route 20 for veterans.

Lisa?

[00:21:21] Lisa: Yeah. This is, and I didn’t know this but us 20 is the nation’s longest road. It’s 3,365 miles from Boston to Newport, Oregon, 260 miles here in Ohio, and I believe it’s Euclid Avenue here in northeast Ohio, which is also 20. So anyway, uh, Marcy Captor, the, uh, Democrat from Toledo is part of a bipartisan push in Congress to name US Route 20, the National Medal of Honor Highway.

Um, 331 Ohioans have received the National Medal of Honor, some of them from areas right along US 20. Um, this is supported by several veterans [00:22:00] organizations and it began with a push from Dick Tobiason, who’s a Vietnam veteran and head of the Bend Heroes Foundation in Oregon. And he got the Oregon legislature to designate their section, the Oregon Medal of Honor Highway, and then all of the other states follow suit.

But to. Tobias now says, now that every state’s done it, it’s time for the federal government to do the same and name it the National Medal of Honor Freeway. He said, it’s a permanent tribute and only fitting to honor the bravest of the brave on the longest highway in our nation, which I didn’t know is actually called Big Daddy.

[00:22:35] Chris: All right, so as it’ll be called Big Daddy, it’ll be called 20 in he in Cleveland, it’ll be called Ucle Avenue, and now it’ll also be called the Veteran’s Name. Correct. That’s a lot of names for a roadway. Um, well, well actually it’s also the health line, right? Oh, you’re right.

[00:22:53] Lisa: Yeah. The Euclid Health.

[00:22:54] Chris: Yeah.

We could just keep lopping lo lopping on more names. Is any part of it named for a person, you know? Cleveland names, uh, [00:23:00] roads for all sorts of people. I wonder if there, how many names can you attach to one to one Road?

[00:23:05] Lisa: Not that I, but this would be a federal designation, to be fair. So it’d be like US 20 National Medal of Honor Highway.

I, I, I like the idea, but he’s right. Tobi is right. All the states have done it. Just make

[00:23:16] Chris: it national. Yeah. It, it does make sense if you’ve done it everywhere. Although I, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a sign that calls it that in, in our area, maybe a federal designation would include some funding to put up.

The signs you’re listening to today in Ohio is the evermore popular ball coming to tennis in the land. And if so, Laura, will you try to be a ball girl for pickle ball as well as tennis.

[00:23:41] Laura: No, because the pickleball is just for fun for people to try and pick up and play. It’s not the professional Women’s Tennis Association on the road to the US Open, which is what makes it so exciting to go to tennis in the land.

So, um, it is a great event. They’ve had it for two years and the flats, uh, at Nautica where they’ve had it [00:24:00] actually where the concerts are, which has been very cool. And you’re under the tent, which is nice. And then, Every once in a while a freighter will go by and it’s like they, they must be radioing because they wait till a stop and play and then they’ll give that giant horn and everybody cheers.

But this year they’re gonna have a brand new, I think temporary stadium where everything will be all together. Because right now you’ve had the main court, the championship court. Under the tent and then the other courts out in the parking lot, which is a little bit of a walk and it’s just not connected and you don’t really have the same, you know, fervor building.

So this new stadium and courts will work everything together. They’ll have a fan section, and it’s just growing every year, which is really nice. To see.

[00:24:43] Chris: Yeah, we had an interesting conversation about pickle balls. We were talking about this yesterday cuz somebody at the Washington Post wrote a piece ripping pickleball, saying, you know, it’s not really a sport if you don’t move more than 18 inches.

And science is shown, you actually get more exercise by walking than playing pickle ball. [00:25:00] And he complained about the sound that is driving people who live near pickleball quarts out of their heads. So this is just, they’re gonna have some quarts where if you go, you can play pickleball.

[00:25:12] Laura: Yeah, exactly. And they’ll have concessions and merchandise, live music interviews with the athletes all together to provide some good energy all day.

And this fan area is actually gonna be free, so you could go and not buy a ticket and tickets are gonna be cheaper this year. The lowest price ticket last year was $34. This year it’s 25. Although I believe the very earliest rounds were free. And if you volunteer like me, you not only get in free, you get a free t-shirt.

So,

[00:25:39] Chris: you know, yeah. We don’t have enough of those you’re listening to today in Ohio. All right. Layla, did Senator, she Brown actually get some action from Norfolk Southern with his demand that they spruce up the eye sores that we highlighted with photos and stories? Yeah. He didn’t,

[00:25:59] Leila: his, [00:26:00] his, uh, the response he got was pretty weak.

This came from the CEO Alan Shaw. And the backstory here, as you said, we, we wrote a couple stories highlighting the crumbling bridges and other rail infrastructure issues that readers and city council members found especially egregious. And she Brown had reached out to Norfolk Southern, demanding that they take action to fix these problems in at least one case.

The Lake Avenue Bridge chunks of concrete. Were falling from the bridge onto the roadway below and, and planks of plywood had been installed there to try to prevent that. But in Norfolk’s Southern’s response to Brown, they try to reassure that. They inspected that bridge a year ago, and it’s fine. They said that they’ll take another look and they have already sent staff with.

Power washers and a vacuum truck to remove mud and water and debris from under the bridge and they’ll replace the plywood if it needs it. So don’t worry about that. But Shaw [00:27:00] didn’t, ans he didn’t address any of the other problems that our readers identified. He only talked about that one bridge and Shared Brown is not satisfied.

He said he is not given up on this. He is gonna keep pressing them until they, they do the work that’s necessary here.

[00:27:15] Chris: Well, what we talked about from the start was they leave their facilities in such utter disrepair and, and unmaintained. They’re all rusting and they’re all weedy. That, that it sends a message to the neighborhood that we don’t care about you.

We don’t care that you have to look at our horribly maintained properties because we don’t have to fix ‘em. And that’s not what a good corporate. Resident does. You take care of your, your facilities. You show respect to the neighborhood. I salute Jared for going at ‘em. You shouldn’t let it go. This is shameful.

Look, drive under any railroad bridge. How many of them have had a fresh coat of paint in the last 10, 15 years?

[00:27:57] Leila: Well, Probably pretty recently if we’re talking about, [00:28:00] um, the vandals and that’s a fresh coat of counts.

[00:28:05] Chris: The freshest paint is the graffiti graffiti. It’s um, Norfolk Southern just is not stepping up here, and I hope Chaired Brown keeps it going.

You’re listening to today in Ohio. How did Lizzo give some love and some business to LA Plaza in Lakewood last week? Lisa, we talked about this after the podcast and then we had a story about it.

[00:28:24] Lisa: Yeah, yeah. I happened to see the video a couple days ago in the local news. Lizzo was here in Cleveland last week for a concert, and while she was here, she stopped at La Plaza and she ordered some cactus vegan tacos.

Although in Texas we call. Cactus, no PTOs. And she did a TikTok video sampling her meal. There was also black beans, Mexican rice, and a ritos tamarin soda. And as she was eating it, you know, she, her eyes kind of widened when she tasted it. She’s like, oh, it’s so well seasoned. And then she added a little sauce and she said, be it is.

So good. And she’s been vegan [00:29:00] since 2020 and she’s been documenting her journey on social media. The video went viral. It’s been viewed more than 870,000 times. La Plaza Marketing Manager, Claudia Abuse says the response has been insane. They’ve gotten more than 300 new social media followers, tons of good reviews on Google, and then lots of new company.

Customers at their store, which is at 1 36 0 9 Lakewood Heights Boulevard in Cleveland. So go and check it

[00:29:25] Chris: out. Yeah, good news story for for that. It’s a great place you’re listening to today in Ohio. And that’s it for our Thursday episode. We’ll be back on Friday to wrap up the week. Thanks Lisa, Lela and Laura, and thank you for listening to our podcast.