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Ohio 13th Congressional district Congresswoman Emilia Sykes, an Akron Democrat Clevelandurbannews.com and   Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com   WASHINGTON, D.C.  — Yesterday, U.S.  Rep, Emilia Sykes (OH-13), an Akron Democrat who leads Ohio's 13th congressional district,,voted against House Republicans' extreme funding bills that the congresswoman said would hurt U.S. service members and their family members,  and weaken national security.  The congresswoman also called for bipartisan cooperation in an effort to avoid a looming government shutdown.    "Just days from the end of the fiscal year, House Republicans' partisan antics are looking more likely than ever to result in a government shutdown that interrupts critical government services, hurts small businesses, forces our troops to serve without pay, and furloughs over 6,000 federal workers in Ohio's 13th Congressional District alone,"   said Rep. Sykes . "Instead of working across the aisle to avoi

Black scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates Clevelandurbannews.com and   Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com CLEVELAND, Ohio  – The recipients of the 88 th  Annual Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, the only national juried prize for literature that confronts racism and explores diversity, will receive their awards during a ceremony on Thursday, September 28, 2023 at the  Maltz Performing Arts Center on the campus of  Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. The Cleveland Foundation, an annual partner relative to the distinguished award ceremony, released the list of award winners earlier this year, and they are as follows: Geraldine Brooks , “Horse,” Fiction   (Viking) Lan Samantha Chang ,   “The Family Chao,” Fiction (W.W. Norton) Matthew F. Delmont ,   “ Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad ,”   Nonfiction (Viking) Charlayne Hunter-Gault , Lifetime Achievement Saeed Jones ,   “Alive at the End of the World,”  Poetry   (Coffee House Press)

Tuesday, September 26, 2023 — CLEVELAND, Ohio- —  Yesterday, Cleveland City Council approved the continuation of an updated Master Development Agreement (MDA) between Bedrock and the City of Cleveland ( Ord. 787-2023 ) that serves as a framework for a $3.5 billion riverfront development project.     The MDA is aligned with the Cuyahoga Riverfront Masterplan, a comprehensive multi-year plan that reimagines and transforms 35 acres along the riverfront, including Tower City Center and the surrounding landscape with the core tenets of accessibility, equity, sustainability, and resilience. Bedrock will begin construction on initial public infrastructure improvements, including rehabilitation of the existing bulkhead, in October 2023.    “We are embarking on projects that reconnect us to our waterfronts and bring us closer to our goal of an 18-hour, 15-minute downtown that benefits all Clevelanders through people-centered development,” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “This is a great example of h

COLUMBUS, Ohio –  Today,  Co-Chair of the Ohio Redistricting Commission,  Senate Minority Leader Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood)   and   House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington)   released statements following the Ohio Redistricting Commission's (ORC) first public hearing on redistricting and gerrymandering that was held  this morning at Deer Creek State Park in Mt. Sterling, Ohio. "I'm thankful to the Ohioans who came and testified in favor of fair maps today, but it's unfortunate that so few were able to make it given the time of day, location and short notice," said Sen Antonio, a Lakewood Democrat who's 23rd state legislative district includes 14 of Cleveland's 17 wards. "As co-chair, I will make every effort to ensure more Ohioans get the time and opportunity to share their thoughts on the maps and this process." Antonio said that the hearings are meant to be a vital part of the process, which gives the people a chance to be h

Latest gerrymandering effort would grant Ohio Republicans super-majorities in both chambers   COLUMBUS, Ohio- Despite five rulings from the Ohio Supreme Court calling for fair maps, Republican members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission proposed yet another set of  gerrymandered statehouse maps  which guarantees Republicans 23 seats (70%) in the Ohio Senate and 62 seats (62%) in the Ohio House. This would create a real possibility of Ohio Republicans controlling 73% of all Ohio General Assembly seats despite having won 54% of the votes in the last decade.  "We are disappointed, but not surprised by the latest power-grab by Ohio politicians" said Desiree Tims, President and CEO of Innovation Ohio speaking on behalf of Equal Districts. "Our elected officials had the opportunity to do the moral and right thing, but chose to fail the people of Ohio. And this is the sixth time they've failed us. It has become obvious that we must remove politicians from the process and

Ohio Congresswoman Shontel Brown (left) (D-OH) and Congresswoman Emilia Sykes (D-OH)   Congresswoman Brown Leads Bill with Congresswoman Sykes to Protect SNAP Benefits During Government Shutdown Feed Our Families During a Shutdown Act ensures no lapse in SNAP benefits  By Kathy Wray Coleman , associate  publisher, editor -in-chief   WASHINGTON , DC.- Today, Ohio  Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11), a Warrensville Hts. Democrat who's 11th congressional district includes Cleveland,  joined  Congresswoman Emilia Sykes (OH-13), an Akron Democrat and the youngest of Ohio's five member Democratic Congressional Delegation,  in introducing The Feed Our Families During a Shutdown Act to ensure SNAP recipients can continue to access their benefits up to three months after a government shutdown occurs.  The Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program, commonly known as SNAP,   provides food benefits, such as food stamps cards  and produce, to low-income families to supplement their grocery