There’s never a shortage of bizarre news in Northeast Ohio. Of course, Scene is here to cover it all. We rounded up the most nutty stories that happened in 2023, from police knocking on residents doors in the middle of the night over parking tickets to a stray cow wandering around East Cleveland and so, so much more.
Credit: U.S. Department of JusticeAfter the East Palestine train derailment, the internet ran wild with conspiracy theories galore, that linked together 15-minute cities, forced dislocation by global superpowers and other wacky details. Full article here.In Cleveland Heights, neighbors battled over whether or not a backyard pizza oven was allowed under city code. The battle was so heated that it eventually went to trial. Full article here.In Lyndhurst, the police showed up at someone’s door in the middle of the night. Not for a warrant or some serious crime. The police in Lyndhurst knock on residents’ doors for unpaid parking tickets, a policy that the Lyndhurst police stand by, somehow. Full article here.A Cleveland man was caught after laundering millions in stolen Bitcoin currency. Due to his lavish lifestyle, Gary Harmon’s 712 Bitcoins were seized by the FBI. Harmon’s lavish lifestyle included “making it rain” in strip clubs, buying lavish mansions, a Lamborghini and more. Full article here.It’s a rare sight for a cow to be wandering around East Cleveland in the middle of the night. But that’s what happened in July, when a cow named Punch escaped her unknown home. Punch ended up in an animal rehabilitation farm in Ravenna. Full article here.In August, the Winking Lizard decided to re-house its remaining lizards. There were still lizards at three Lizard locations but due to spatial concerns and the amount of care they have to receive, the company decided that they were done with lizards in their restuarants. Full article here.In March, Scene posted an obviously satirical piece about congressman Jim Renacci titled, ““Inside Jim Renacci’s Plan to Stop Wokeness in Ohio Schools and Make Kids Virtually Unemployable.” Renacci’s team thought the piece was legitimate and demanded we take down the “100% false, lies and misleading,” piece. We did not take it down, even after they threatened to sue. Full article here.After some budget meetings, Baldwin Wallace thought they faced a $3 million dollar deficit in their budget. Turned out that the Berea university was actually in the red for $20 million bucks. Accounting issues were said to be the reason for the mistake. Full article here.The Ohio Auditor’s office released a report in April about a Vinton Township fiscal officer that stole $310,000 from the rural town. Cy Vierstra used the funds he stole on buying a wildebeest, two snowy owls from England, and dozens and dozens of other purchases for his home and the Union Ridge Wildlife Center, his roadside zoo. He was sentenced in February to 59 months in prison and $339,717.86 in restitution. Full article here.Testifying before the Ohio House about an anti-trans bill, Ohio Minister Stuart Long said that a satanic agenda and demonic possession must be what is influencing folks across Ohio. Long also said that those that back this agenda should not welcome Jesus Christ as their savior as they are clearly opening up to the demons of the underworld. Full article here.In an effort to curb traffic, Crocker Park instituted a “no cruising” policy, where drivers are now prohibited from going past the same entry point three times within two hours. How the “anti-cruising” effort will be enforced is anyone’s guess, but new signs posted around the complex are there to provide deterrence. Full article here.Kid Cudi took to Twitter and announced the cancellation of the second annual Moon Man’s Landing festival in June, claiming there weren’t enough ticket sales because it was being held indoors at Rocket Mortgage Field House. He said he was denied a permit to have it outside like the inaugural festival. Mayor Justin Bibb responded by saying that the city never got a permit request from the Shaker Heights native rapper. Full article here.Terrible news came to Cleveland in July, when it was announced that the infamous Lido Lounge would be closing. The adult entertainment landmark that’s been around for over 50 years will be demolished to make for, what else, a bank. Full article here.In late August, all of Cleveland was glued to the internet tracking a series of possible tornadoes coming right through the city. It turned out, a tornado actually touched down in East Cleveland. Full article here.Skinny Labs, the parent company of Spin Scooters, was forced to remove some 8,000 broken and damaged scooters it had been storing at a warehouse at East 42nd St. and Lakeside Ave. ahead of a deadline following legal action from the city. Cleveland in March had sent a cease and desist to the company, warning that the jam-packed scooter dump, with thousands of lithium-ion batteries, posed a serious fire threat, being housed without a permit or license. Full article here.It was a Taco Bell. It was a cantina. It was magical, at least in theory. And its moment has passed.The Public Square outpost of Taco Bell’s Cantina brand, which debuted in 2017 as part of the fast food company’s push to capture urban markets, permanently closed in September. Full article here.Among the 149 Johns arrested in a weeklong, statewide human trafficking sting in October was John Zitzner, one of the founders of the Breakthrough charter schools in Cleveland and, until very recently, the president of the Friends of Breakthrough nonprofit, the office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced in a press release. Full article here.Hollie Strano was taken off the air by WKYC after a DUI charge following an arrest and crash Thanksgiving evening, according to court records. The WKYC meteorologist and on-air personality had a 0.244 BAC at the time of the arrest. Full article here.Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz was the special guest of honor at last Thursday’s Strongsville GOP Christmas party, a confab of Northeast Ohio’s most Trumpy Republicans that promised “to be filled with joy, laughter, and Christmas cheer.” As The Rooster reported, via video from a live stream, Gaetz was presented with a surprise award: for his dedication to using Venmo to allegedly have sex with underage girls. Full article here.
