30 Things Clevelanders Can Be Thankful for This Otherwise Godforsaken Awful Year

By on Wed, Nov 25, 2020 at 6:44 pm

We all know 2020 has been a shitty year. Yeah, we got a wannabe fascist out of office, but the fact that he was there in the first place is still kinda bad. COVID-19 has ravished the country, killing 250,000 with the death toll rising by the day. Numerous beloved businesses and restaurants have shuttered throughout Northeast Ohio and the country. It's just been a terrible year all around.

Luckily, it's not ALL bad. We went through our archives of stories from the year to look back on actually good things that happened in Cleveland in 2020. Here's 30 stories we can be thankful for.

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“Wrongfully Convicted Trio Exonerated After 45 Years Reaches $18 Million Settlement With City of Cleveland” May 8th “‘For 45 years, our clients never gave up hope that someday their nightmare would be over,” lawyer Terry Gilbert said in a statement. “That time has come with this final resolution providing some measure of justice and closure. But the physical and emotional trauma our clients were forced to endure is an example of the deep flaws of a racist criminal legal system focused on results rather than truth and justice.’” Photo by Frank J. Lanza

“Wrongfully Convicted Trio Exonerated After 45 Years Reaches $18 Million Settlement With City of Cleveland”

May 8th

“‘For 45 years, our clients never gave up hope that someday their nightmare would be over,” lawyer Terry Gilbert said in a statement. “That time has come with this final resolution providing some measure of justice and closure. But the physical and emotional trauma our clients were forced to endure is an example of the deep flaws of a racist criminal legal system focused on results rather than truth and justice.’”

Photo by Frank J. Lanza
“Locally Produced Audio Fiction Podcast to Launch May 26th in Partnership With CPT” May 15th “Local publishing company Footsteps Media and Cleveland Public Theatre are set to release The Mystery of Easter Island, a new fiction podcast launching on May 26th via iTunes and all major platforms. The story, written by Justin Glanville, was one of four Fiction Podcast finalists at The Austin Film Festival in 2017 and is based on a true story of early 20th century explorer and ethnographer Katherine Routledge.”” Photo via Scene Archives

“Locally Produced Audio Fiction Podcast to Launch May 26th in Partnership With CPT”

May 15th

“Local publishing company Footsteps Media and Cleveland Public Theatre are set to release The Mystery of Easter Island, a new fiction podcast launching on May 26th via iTunes and all major platforms. The story, written by Justin Glanville, was one of four Fiction Podcast finalists at The Austin Film Festival in 2017 and is based on a true story of early 20th century explorer and ethnographer Katherine Routledge.””

Photo via Scene Archives
“Downtown Clevelander who Posted Sign that He'll Tap Dance Above Trump-Loving Neighbor Does Actually Tap Dance” June 19th “Croisant told Scene that the money strangers are Venmo-ing him will be donated to the ACLU. Already he has received approximately $25,000 in donations. Today, Croisant also received by mail a pair of tap shoes. He put them on, invited some friends over and danced.’” Photo via Scene Archives

“Downtown Clevelander who Posted Sign that He'll Tap Dance Above Trump-Loving Neighbor Does Actually Tap Dance”

June 19th

“Croisant told Scene that the money strangers are Venmo-ing him will be donated to the ACLU. Already he has received approximately $25,000 in donations. Today, Croisant also received by mail a pair of tap shoes. He put them on, invited some friends over and danced.’”

Photo via Scene Archives
“From East Cleveland to a National Poetry Fellowship: Cuyahoga County Poet Laureate Honey Bell-Bey Is Getting Her Due” June 22nd “Cuyahoga County poet laureate Honey Bell-Bey recently received an award from the Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowships. The prizes, $50,000 to $100,000 in range, are unrestricted awards given to commend poets appointed to serve in civic positions.’” Photo via Scene Archives

“From East Cleveland to a National Poetry Fellowship: Cuyahoga County Poet Laureate Honey Bell-Bey Is Getting Her Due”

June 22nd

“Cuyahoga County poet laureate Honey Bell-Bey recently received an award from the Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowships. The prizes, $50,000 to $100,000 in range, are unrestricted awards given to commend poets appointed to serve in civic positions.’”

Photo via Scene Archives
“Developers Unveil Plans for Studio West 117, a Nonprofit Project and Complex to Support Cleveland's LGBTQ Community” June 23rd “Studio West 117 will focus on philanthropy, health and wellness, arts and culture and entrepreneurship in a response to the needs of the local LGBTQ community. The space will house LGBTQ-oriented entertainment and dining venues alongside other LGBTQ businesses and social services.’” Photo via Scene Archives

“Developers Unveil Plans for Studio West 117, a Nonprofit Project and Complex to Support Cleveland's LGBTQ Community”

June 23rd

“Studio West 117 will focus on philanthropy, health and wellness, arts and culture and entrepreneurship in a response to the needs of the local LGBTQ community. The space will house LGBTQ-oriented entertainment and dining venues alongside other LGBTQ businesses and social services.’”

Photo via Scene Archives
30 Things Clevelanders Can Be Thankful for This Otherwise Godforsaken Awful Year
“On the Rise Named One of Food & Wine’s 100 Best Bakeries in America” June 25th “The write-up about the beloved Cleveland Heights bakery read, “Nearly twenty years ago now, before good baguettes were a thing in a lot of other places in America you’d have thought would know better, they were flying off the shelves at this Cleveland Heights essential business, and were notably favored by discerning hometown boy Michael Ruhlman. Just one of many reasons we like to spend time foraging our way through Cleveland.’’” Photo by Frank J. Lanza

“On the Rise Named One of Food & Wine’s 100 Best Bakeries in America”

June 25th

“The write-up about the beloved Cleveland Heights bakery read, “Nearly twenty years ago now, before good baguettes were a thing in a lot of other places in America you’d have thought would know better, they were flying off the shelves at this Cleveland Heights essential business, and were notably favored by discerning hometown boy Michael Ruhlman. Just one of many reasons we like to spend time foraging our way through Cleveland.’’”

Photo by Frank J. Lanza
“New York Times Deconstructs Dr. Amy Acton's Celebrity, Effectiveness” June 25th “While she is by no means the only factor, Acton's leadership and early aggressive recommendations, (and the generally receptive ears of Gov. Mike DeWine), has led to far fewer total deaths in Ohio than in other states with similarly sized population, including neighboring Michigan” Photo via Scene Archives

“New York Times Deconstructs Dr. Amy Acton's Celebrity, Effectiveness”

June 25th

“While she is by no means the only factor, Acton's leadership and early aggressive recommendations, (and the generally receptive ears of Gov. Mike DeWine), has led to far fewer total deaths in Ohio than in other states with similarly sized population, including neighboring Michigan”

Photo via Scene Archives
“Forecasts Predict Smaller Lake Erie Algal Bloom for 2020” June 25th “"It's probably going to affect the areas that are affected no matter what. So, that's going to be through that Maumee Bay area," Johnson says. "But we don't expect it will have nearly the extent as what we saw in 2015, when it was taking up the whole Western Basin.’” Photo via Scene Archives

“Forecasts Predict Smaller Lake Erie Algal Bloom for 2020”

June 25th

“"It's probably going to affect the areas that are affected no matter what. So, that's going to be through that Maumee Bay area," Johnson says. "But we don't expect it will have nearly the extent as what we saw in 2015, when it was taking up the whole Western Basin.’”

Photo via Scene Archives
“Black Lives Matter Street Mural Just the First Part of 'Elevate the East' Public Art Initiative in Cleveland” July 9th “The Black Lives Matter street mural recently painted on E. 93rd, the letters of which were designated to individual artists and students to decorate, could not have offered a timelier kickoff to "Elevate the East," a new public art initiative in Wards 4, 5 and 6.” Photo via Scene Archives

“Black Lives Matter Street Mural Just the First Part of 'Elevate the East' Public Art Initiative in Cleveland”

July 9th

“The Black Lives Matter street mural recently painted on E. 93rd, the letters of which were designated to individual artists and students to decorate, could not have offered a timelier kickoff to "Elevate the East," a new public art initiative in Wards 4, 5 and 6.”

Photo via Scene Archives
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