Plain Press

  • Groundbreaking ceremony kicks off construction of second phase of African American Cultural Gardens (photos)

    PHOTO BY CHUCK HOVEN Thursday, April 9, 2026; Groundbreaking ceremony for second phase of the African American Cultural Gardens, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive: Association of African American Cultural Gardens Executive Director Obie Shelton plays “Lift Up Your Voice” on his violin. PHOTO BY CHUCK HOVEN Thursday, April 9, 2026; Groundbreaking ceremony for second phase…

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  • Downtown Cleveland hosts No Kings Day rally and march (photos)

    PHOTO BY DEBBIE SADLON Saturday, March 28, 2026; No Kings Day rally at Willard Park, E. 9th Street and Lakeside Avenue: John and Deanne Lentz of Cleveland Heights say their primary reason for being at the rally is “the threat to our democracy.” PHOTO BY DEBBIE SADLON Saturday, March 28, 2026; No Kings Day rally…

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  • Cudell Fine Arts offers “Adult Clay Class” and more (photos)

    PHOTO BY GREG ROSENBERG Friday, April 17,2026; Adult Clay Class, Cudell Fine Arts, 10013 Detroit Avenue: Hattie Schenk shapes a ceramic vase artwork from red clay. PHOTO BY GREG ROSENBERG Friday, April 17,2026; Adult Clay Class, Cudell Fine Arts, 10013 Detroit Avenue: Shellby Kerec etches detail onto her ceramic piece. PHOTO BY GREG ROSENBERG Friday,…

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  • May 2026 community board

    ARTS CUYAHOGA ARTS AND CULTURE GRANTS: Interested in 2027 Project Support funding from Cuyahoga Arts and Culture (CAC)? Join us for an informative workshop to learn more about CAC, our Project Support grant, and the upcoming application process and requirements – either virtually, on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 3 pm-4 pm, or in person at…

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  • Cleveland’s $600 million youth problem

    by Tessa Jackson, Faubourg Advisors    (Plain Press May 2026) A pediatric therapist posted something on social media this week that’s been sitting with me. Teens, he argued, don’t need another program, pipeline, or productivity metric. They need a third space—somewhere to simply exist, unoptimized and unbothered.    He’s right. And after twenty years in…

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  • Disappointed by City Club sponsored event at the Happy Dog

    To the editor: Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Plain Press,    (Plain Press May 2026) Peace be with you.    I thank brother BRUCE CHECEFSKY and the Plain Press for the article “Happy Dog hosts City Club forum on recent ICE escalations” which I read in the March 2026 edition.    I expected a…

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  • Students, parents and teachers protest school layoffs

       (Plain Press May 2026) Protests over the layoff of 300 Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) teachers and staff began Tuesday afternoon at Campus International School and continued that evening at the Board of Education meeting.    Polly Karr, a parent and community activist, wrote about the Campus International protest and protests at the Board…

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  • News from Old Brooklyn includes new beginnings and sad departures

    by Lynette Filips    (Plain Press May 2026) Another month of “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” — but no demolition— has passed in the heart of downtown Old Brooklyn and to report about it, I am using the method I used last month — subtitles. They make all these different historical topics easier to…

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  • Legal Aid offers free legal help for those impacted by eviction, money issues and more

    by Tonya Sams    (Plain Press May 2026) Today, people are facing a new and complicated set of challenges. Some are worried about where their next meal is coming from while others fear that they will not be able to pay their rent. Legal Aid, which offers free civil legal representation for those with low…

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  • Staying eligible under the new Able-Body Adult Work Rules: It’s critical to check your benefits

    by Che Gadison    (Plain Press May 2026) Beginning February 1st, major changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) went into effect for many adults ages 18–64. These changes—known as the Able‑Bodied Adults (ABA) Work Rules—which requires certain SNAP recipients to meet a 20‑hour‑per‑week work, training or community service activity. With the first countable…

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