Listen to this articleBy Konner Hines Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) once stood at the center of corporate commitments to fairness and representation. Today, many organizations are scaling back these efforts amid political pressure, budget cuts, and public debate. The question is no longer whether DEI is important, it’s whether it can survive. Why DEI […]
Posted inCommunity
From College Cheerleader To Mentor Deazhia Williams Leads With Spirit 2
Listen to this articleBy Michael Patterson From June 9 to June 13, former Euclid High School Cheerleading Captain Deazhia Williams’ cheer camp provided middle school and high school cheerleaders with insights on leadership and improving their skills. While dancing for Virginia State University, Williams earned ALL CIA 23’-’24 and Best Female Athlete of the Year […]
Posted inLaw/Legislation
Right To Counsel Continues To Help Those Facing Eviction In Cleveland
Listen to this articleBy Tonya Sams For many years, Cleveland tenants facing eviction were not guaranteed an attorney. That changed when the City of Cleveland passed a Right to Counsel (RTC) ordinance, effective July 1, 2020. Cleveland became the first city in the Midwest and only the fourth in the United States to provide such […]
Posted inCLE Streets, Community
Cleveland Confronts A Surge In Shootings Can Community Solutions Break The Cycle Of Violence
Listen to this articleBy Ron Calhoun Cleveland Observer | June 20, 2025 CLEVELAND — Gunmen opened fire in at least six incidents across Cleveland over four weeks, killing five people and injuring more than a dozen. The violence has rattled neighborhoods, shaken families and galvanized a growing movement of residents, outreach workers and city officials […]
Posted inCLEVELAND, History, Local
The Historic Leadership of Carl Stokes
Listen to this articleJuly 24 marks the 47th anniversary of one of the most courageous acts by an American mayor. In 1968, Mayor Carl B. Stokes, Cleveland’s first African American mayor, acted decisively to prevent further bloodshed after the Glenville Shootout. But his legacy extends far beyond that night, it’s a testament to his lasting […]
Posted inPolitics, Law/Legislation, Trending News
House Bill 1 Would Change Property Tax For The First Time Since 1972
Listen to this articleHouse Bill 1 seeks to provide an estimated $2 billion reduction in Ohio state income tax, according to “House Bill 1 Summary and Analysis,” by the Ohio Education Policy Institute. The bill, sponsored by Representatives Angela King and Roy Klopfenstein, would change how the state calculates property taxes, adjusting rates that have […]
Posted inCLEVELAND, Health
Trash Smog And Heat How Clevelands Past Still Pollutes Its Present
Listen to this articleBy Jason Streeter Intern Cleveland residents continue to live with the long-term consequences of decades of industrial growth and poor urban planning. From overflowing trash to worsening air quality, environmental burdens remain especially severe in East Cleveland and nearby East Side neighborhoods. Yet, amid these challenges, there is hope in both the […]
Posted inCommunity, Education
Dividing Lines How Antisemitism And Anti Blackness Fuel American Extremism
Listen to this article By Morgan Grady Across the U.S. and in Cleveland in particular, rising antisemitism and anti-Black racism are not separate phenomena. They are interconnected expressions of extremist ideology. The far right imagines America as a white Christian nation, and both forms of hate fuel this vision. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, […]
Posted inGovernment, National, Politics
Federal Suspension Of Job Corps Threatens Cleveland Youth Training Programs
Listen to this articleBy Konner Hines The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a nationwide suspension of Job Corps centers, including the Cleveland facility, citing financial deficits, safety concerns, and low graduation rates. This decision has left thousands of young adults without critical vocational training and support services. What Is Job Corps? Established in 1964 […]
Posted inCLEVELAND, Community, Featured Events, SUBURBS
From College Cheerleader to Mentor: Deazhia Williams Leads with Spirit
Listen to this articleBy Michael Patterson From June 9 to June 13, former Euclid High School Cheerleading Captain Deazhia Williams’ cheer camp provided middle school and high school cheerleaders with insights on leadership and improving their skills. While dancing for Virginia State University, Williams earned ALL CIAA 23’-’24 (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) and Best Female […]
Posted inCLEVELAND, Development, Law/Legislation
Ohio In Transition The 2025 Reform Battles
Listen to this articleStaff Writer Lawmakers, auditors, activists and voters are clashing over sweeping changes to Ohio’s property tax system as the 2025 election approaches. Ohioans face a growing property tax problem as rising home values drive up tax bills, putting pressure on homeowners statewide. In response, lawmakers, county officials and grassroots activists are proposing […]
Posted inINTERNATIONAL, Politics
Elon Vs Trump Billionaire Feud Erupts Over Budget Bill
Listen to this articleBy Konner Hines Donald Trump’s sweeping budget bill has ignited a high-profile feud with Elon Musk, once a key ally and mega-donor. The clash signals deeper fractures in the conservative movement — and may derail Trump’s signature legislation before it even reaches the floor What’s in Trump’s Budget Proposal? Trump’s “One Big […]
Posted inHealth
From Shadows To Light Healing Generational Trauma In The Black Community
Listen to this articleBy Jennifer Bailey, LCSW and RDT What lessons do we inherit from those who came before us? We hope to receive wisdom, knowledge and resilience. Yet for many Black Americans, the inheritance includes unspoken pain rooted in centuries of oppression. Generational trauma, passed down through families, shapes how individuals experience the world […]
Posted inCommunity, Neighborhood Hero
A Life Well Lived: Virginia Bynum Turns 100
Listen to this articleBy Lajean Ray When Virginia Bynum was born on April 29, 1925, in Wilson, North Carolina, the world was a very different place. Across 100 years of remarkable change, Virginia’s deep love for family, commitment to community, and quiet strength have remained constant. The youngest of nine children, Virginia grew up in […]
Posted inCLEVELAND, Education
Who Will Lead Neighborhood Programs Open Doors For 2025
Listen to this articleBy Sandra Kluk Neighborhood Leadership Development Program & Community Development Corporation Leadership Program Seek 2025 Applicants Two no-cost leadership development programs are now accepting applications for their 2025 cohorts. If you’re passionate about improving your community and ready to take an active role, the Neighborhood Leadership Development Program (NLDP) and the Community […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Tri C Jazzfest 25 An Energetic Experience
Listen to this articleBy Vince Robinson A Presidential Welcome with Star Power Tri-C President Dr. Michael Baston kicked off the 46th annual Tri-C JazzFest with an energy that matched that of the opening act, Trombone Shorty. Baston enthusiastically welcomed five new recipients of the festival’s Jazz Legends Award before introducing the New Orleans-bred ball of […]
Posted inOBSERVERS AI
First Reading Emergency Ordinances Referred June 6Th 2025
Listen to this articleBy Observers AI The Cleveland Observer is dedicated to informing residents about legislative activities under review. By reporting on ordinances and resolutions during their initial stages, the Observer enables community members to engage with their Council members, providing feedback or expressing support before final decisions are made. First Reading Emergency Ordinances Referred […]
Posted inSports
Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias taken off the field on cart with left ankle sprain
Listen to this articleBy BRIAN DULIK Associated Press CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias was taken off the field on a cart after sustaining a left ankle sprain in the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. X-rays of his injured lower leg were negative and Arias will undergo an MRI […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment, National
Key moments from the closing arguments at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ sex trafficking trial
Listen to this articleBy MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A jury will begin deliberations on Monday over the fate of Sean “Diddy” Combs after hearing wildly differing views from prosecutors and a defense lawyer over whether he engaged in sex trafficking for two decades. Two prosecutors insisted that he had […]
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
From Global Conflict to Local Fallout: What U.S. Strikes on Iran Could Mean for Cleveland and Other Cities
Listen to this articleCreidt War on the Rocks Publication Staff Writer The U.S. may have launched airstrikes thousands of miles away, but the consequences could soon arrive much closer to home. On June 21 and 22, the United States reportedly conducted coordinated military strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. While foreign policy experts debate the […]
Posted inHealth
Do I Need Therapy
Listen to this articleGuidance for the Black Community on Breaking Stigma and Seeking Help By Jennifer Bailey, LCSW; LICSW-CP; RDT After a pickup basketball game, a young Black man nervously admits to his friends: “I think I need therapy.” To his surprise, every one of them already has a therapist. That scene from Netflix’s Survival […]
Posted inCLEVELAND
Donald Trump’s First 100 Days in Office: Bold Actions and Legal Challenges
Listen to this articleBy Konner Hines President Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January marked a swift and contentious start to his second term. Within his first 100 days, he signed approximately 142 executive orders, the most of any president during this period, focusing on immigration reform, federal spending cuts, and reshaping government […]
Posted inCLEVELAND, Local
Speed Camera Ban in Ohio Counties and Townships Starts June 30
Listen to this articleCities and villages can still use them under strict conditions. By Konner Hines Starting July 1, speed cameras are officially banned in counties and townships across Ohio. A major update to state law now prohibits these local governments from using traffic law photo-monitoring devices to detect or enforce traffic violations, marking a […]
Posted inHealth, Trending News
What to know about the COVID variant that may cause ‘razor blade’ sore throats
Listen to this articleBy Devi Shastri AP Health Writer The COVID-19 variant that may be driving a recent rise in cases in some parts of the world has earned a new nickname: “razor blade throat” COVID. That’s because the variant — NB.1.8.1. or “Nimbus” — may cause painful sore throats. The symptom has been identified by doctors […]
Posted inPolitics, State
Ohio Will Redraw Voting Maps Soon — Here’s What That Means
Listen to this articleBy Ron Calhoun Ohio is about to go through another round of redistricting, which means the state will redraw the maps that decide who represents us in Congress. These maps divide the state into areas called districts, and each district elects one member to the U.S. House of Representatives. The current congressional […]
