A dirt-bike rider was stalked by state troopers in a helicopter over Cleveland last week in a two-hour adventure. In the end, they got their man but let him go without charges. If you're looking for f
A dirt-bike rider was stalked by state troopers in a helicopter over Cleveland last week in a two-hour adventure. In the end, they got their man but let him go without charges. If you're looking for fun, we have a list of cool things to do that don't involve law enforcement and a deep dive into Cleveland-area cinema. 📽️
What else do you need to know today?
💸 George Floyd protesters who were pepper sprayed and jailed will get $540,000 from the city of Cleveland.
🏀 The Cavs went out and got a big man who's not named LeBron James.
🚧 The Jacobs Lot on Public Square is gone ... finally.
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Dirt-Bike Rider Ran Out Of Gas After Eluding Troopers For 2 Hours
Out of gas and out of luck, Willie Lavant gave himself up. (Photo courtesy Ohio State Highway Patrol)
1) Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers in a helicopter tracked a dirt-bike rider though Cleveland for more than two hours until the man ran out of gas and surrendered. "He didn't let me go. He chased me all day long with that helicopter," said Willie Lavant, 21, of Garfield Heights, who cruised through fields, on sidewalks and down city streets. The helicopter radioed to troopers on the ground who gave chase on Aug. 25. When told this week that Clevelanders are sick of dirt-bike riders and that it's illegal to ride on city streets, Lavant replied: "I don't get what's illegal about it."
2) Twelve people pepper sprayed and jailed by Cleveland police for May 2020 demonstrations following the death of George Floyd settled a lawsuit with the city, which will pay them $540,000. "These were innocent, peaceful protesters who were exercising their rights under the First Amendment," attorney Terry Gilbert said Thursday. "A lot of the narrative in this case was about breaking windows and physical damage, but in the course of that day, these individuals were there passionately standing up for the family of George Floyd and seeking reforms with respect to the epidemic of police shootings in this country."
Related: Cleveland City Council names its finalists for Community Police Commission (Cleveland.com)
3) The Cleveland Cavaliers became Eastern Conference contenders with a Thursday trade for three-time All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, who joins Rookie of the Year runner-up Evan Mobley and All-Stars Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen in a formidable Cavs lineup. Cleveland sent the Utah Jazz Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, Collin Sexton and three first-round picks in exchange for Mitchell. Last year, the Cavs were 44-38 and missed the playoffs.
4) An embarrassing eyesore on Public Square disappeared this week when construction crews began tearing up the "Jacobs Lot," an asphalt parking lot in use for 30 years. The land is being used for the new 36-story Sherwin-Williams headquarters building, which will be finished in late 2024. The property, owned by the Jacobs Group, became a parking lot when plans in the 1990s for a 60-story Ameritrust Tower collapsed.
5) If you love thought-provoking cinema, Marc Lefkowitz offers a deep dive into what you will find this fall at three popular Northeast Ohio film festivals and venues: The Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival, the Chagrin Documentary Film Festival, and the Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) Cinematheque. Turnout is expected to be strong in the first post-pandemic fall film season.
Pitch made to put Cleveland Glenville's 100-year-old Cory United Methodist Church, a freedom school during the Civil Rights movement, on National Registry of Historic Places (Cleveland.com)
One of the largest Oktoberfest Celebrations in the world returns to Cleveland this weekend and next (Cleveland 19 News)
Eight months after an arson fire ripped through St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School in Parma, students and staff remain burned out of their building (Fox 8 News)
Blue Angels member and Canton native Russell Fink says he's excited about being able to perform in front of a hometown crowd at the Air Show this weekend (Fox 8 News)
Ohio sees surge in women registering to vote after abortion access restricted (Ohio Capital Journal)
CrimeTime
Teen suspect arrested for murder of 14-year-old Cleveland girl (Fox 8 News)
Video: Driver arrested after passing police cruiser at 93 mph on I-271 (Fox 8 News)
Made In Ohio Festival, Hale Farm & Village in Bath, Sept. 2-4 | Details
Cleveland Guardians vs. Seattle Mariners, Progressive Field, Sept. 2 is Dollar Dog Night; Sept. 3 is Fireworks Night; Sept. 4 is Kids Fun Day | Details
Cleveland Oktoberfest, Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in Middleburg Heights, Sept. 2-5 and Sept. 9-10 | Details
Blossom Music Festival: Sound of Music by the Akron Symphony Orchestra, Blossom Music Center, Sept. 3-4 | Details
Cleveland Air Show, Burke Lakefront Airport, Sept 3-5 | Details
Great Lakes 5K Bier Run, Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in Middleburg Heights, Sept. 5 | Details
German Central Oktoberfest, Parma, Sept. 9-10 | Details
(Photo courtesy Cleveland Animal Care and Control)
Bobble-headed lunk: "Big baby Boss is BFFs with the animal care and control officer (ACO) who found him! He seems to know she helped him to safety so he could find a new home City Dogs Cleveland via Facebook)
Cats need homes, too: "Thank you so much to our friends from Snavely Group who built brand new habitats for our community cat colony! Thank you for giving our cats such great houses! #ThankfulThursday" (Cleveland Animal Protective League via Facebook)
Browns moves: "We have added DE Isaac Rochell and QB Josh Rosen to the practice squad" (Cleveland Browns via Facebook)
Neonatal Intensive Care then and now at the Cleveland Clinic: "How it started ➡️ How it's going Savannah wants to be a pirate when she grows up. Crosby wants to be Pichu from Pokemon. Quentin will be the best video game tester. From our NICU to today. Can't wait to see how these kids continue to change the world! ❤️" (Cleveland Clinic via Instagram)
Feeling Seen: "#CMAIngallsLibrary: Campbell Addy, a featured photographer in "The New Black Vanguard" (on now through 11 September). Addy's first book, Feeling Seen, is divided into two parts: the first showcases his distinctive fashion photographs and responses to the question "when did you feel seen in your industry?" by Black fashion icons. The second half features interviews with Addy, archival images, and reflections on Addy's experiences as a black queer photographer." (Cleveland Museum of Art via Instagram)
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