Weekly Chatter happened upon an unexpected scene on the westbound Shoreway last Tuesday afternoon where the highway comes down into Ohio City after crossing the Cuyahoga River.
Some cars had stopped, and a man sat against the short wall on the right-hand roadside, rubbing his shoulder. A motorcycle lay in the street. And in the midst of it all stood Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley.
A 25-year-old motorcyclist had lost control of his bike, fallen and skidded, according to the City of Cleveland. O’Malley happened to be not far away on the Shoreway. He and some other nearby motorists stopped and he tried to help the man up, O’Malley told Weekly Chatter.
James Walsh, a partner at the law firm Benesch, was also among those who stopped and positioned their cars to protect the scene from oncoming traffic.
“It was just after the rise in the road so it was in a real blind spot,” Walsh said.
He said he had heard a “bizarre” noise resembling a whirring jet engine. It must have been the motorcyclist sliding down the road, he said. Walsh said he called 911. He and O’Malley stayed on the scene until Cleveland EMS arrived to take the motorcyclist to the hospital.
“Thank God he had a helmet on,” O’Malley said. “I think he just hit a Cleveland road a little too hard at the bump and it just knocked him off his bike.”
CMSD board member departs
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District board is a member short as it heads into the new academic year.
Diana Welch Howell, who had served on the board since 2023, resigned at the end of July to avoid a conflict of interest with her employer, KeyCorp. Welch Howell is the head of strategy and business ventures for Key’s commercial banking arm.
The district hired the bank to underwrite the school district’s next bond issuance. Welch Howell abstained from that vote.
Board chair Sara Elaqad gave Welch Howell a brief but emotional sendoff at this week’s meeting.
“I’m grateful for your thoughtful input to discussions and to often difficult decisions,” she said. “It’s meant a great deal for me personally to serve with you on this board. You will be sorely missed.”
Replacing Welch Howell will likely take a few months. First, the city will post an application for school district residents. Then a nominating committee made up of parents, business leaders, City Council members, teachers and principals will narrow down a short list. Mayor Bibb makes the final call.
— Franziska Wild
Cleveland’s retail gets City Hall attention
CREDITS: Daniel Lozada for Catchlight
Two events this week will draw focus to Cleveland retail’s struggle to survive.
City Hall plans a downtown neighborhood meeting Tuesday night to talk about grocery stores in the wake of Heinen’s closure on Euclid Avenue. At the same time, City Hall is inviting shoppers out to Shaker Square for an event titled “Shoppin’ with Bibb.”
Back in 2022, Shaker Square was in receivership as a lender moved to foreclose on the shopping area. Cleveland cued up a $12 million loan to help the nonprofit Burten Bell Carr and a subsidiary of Cleveland Neighborhood Progress buy the property.
City Hall won’t be alone in cheerleading Shaker Square. Shoppin’ with Bibb takes place the same night as Safari on the Square, featuring Outback Ray’s Amazing Animal Show.
