20 News Headlines Cleveland Will Never Forget

Source: San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers / Getty

Cleveland has had its share of big wins, epic fails, and total chaos — and when the moment hits, the whole country takes notice.

From championship parades to corruption busts, wild weather to viral stunts, these are the stories that had Cleveland front and center on the news.

Whether you lived it or just watched it unfold from your phone, these unforgettable moments prove one thing: when Cleveland makes headlines, it really makes headlines.

Let’s take a look back at 20 times the 216 broke the internet, hit the front page, or made cable news scramble for coverage.

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1. Ariel Castro Kidnappings Resonate Nationally (2013)

The chilling rescue of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight—held captive for years in a Cleveland home—spurred nationwide coverage and forever altered how America viewed missing person

2. Cavs Win 2016 NBA Championship

LeBron James leads Cleveland to its first major sports title in 52 years.

3. FBI Arrests Jimmy Dimora

The Cuyahoga County commissioner is booked in a massive corruption sting.

4. Balloonfest '86 Turns Disaster

A record-breaking launch of 1.5M balloons causes chaos and disrupts a Coast Guard rescue.

5. Ohio Divorce Lawyer Indicted in Client’s Murder

A Cleveland-area divorce attorney pleaded not guilty to murder charges in a high-profile 2013 client killing—an unexpected legal drama that made national news waves.

6. Carl Monday’s Library Sting Goes Viral

Local TV investigation into overt displays at libraries sparks internet fame.

7. Stranded Dog on Lake Erie Ice

Fire crews rescue a dog from frozen water, making an emotional local splash.

8. Blizzard of ’78 Paralyzes City

A historic winter storm shuts down Cleveland with record-breaking snow and drifts.

9. Phil Donahue Bucks Convention

Talk-show pioneer’s departure from conventional formats makes national waves.

10. Cleveland’s Summer Nights Get Hotter

City among the fastest-warming with a 4.6°F nighttime increase since 1970.

11. Lead-Weighed Fish Scandal

Local angler scandal shocks readers, runs in nationwide outlets.

12. Longtime WEWS Meteorologist Abruptly Departs

After a 30-year tenure, Mark Johnson’s sudden exit from Cleveland TV made People Magazine and other national outlets.

13. Ohio’s HB6 Bribery Scandal Breaks

A massive $60 M bribery scheme tied to FirstEnergy and former GOP leaders drew federal indictments and national scrutiny.

14. Cleveland Clinic Fire of 1929

Although historic, this deadly disaster led to nationwide changes in hospital safety regulations.

15. Krejci Dump Becomes Federal Superfund Site

The toxic Clean-up at the Boston Heights (Cleveland area) dump garnered federal-level environmental concern.

16. Glenville Wins State Football Title (2022)

Cleveland Public Schools celebrates its first-ever football championship.

17. Four Men May Be Exonerated in 1991 Lorain Murder

A judge moved to vacate convictions in a decades-old Lorain case, spotlighting wrongful convictions and systemic flaws—covered by national outlets like AP.

18. Cleveland Police Still Under 10-Year DOJ Consent Decree

Cleveland’s decade-long federal oversight of its police department continues to draw national scrutiny amid calls for reform.

19. FBI Seizes Avon Lake Power Plant for Redevelopment Award

Avon Lake’s award-winning plan to transform a retired power plant into a community hub made national urban-design headlines.

20. Danny Greene Bomb City Wars

Mob bombings rock Cleveland in the 1970s, drawing national attention.