🎸 Michael Stanley Memories: 1982 + Wooden Street Gets Bricked + Animal Shelter Overfull

Hang in there, the weekend is almost here. Cleveland lad Machine Gun Kelly will be in town, the Browns will be out of town for their first preseason game, and the county fair is in full swing! What else have we got for you today?

• 🎸 Remember Michael Stanley? Of course you do!
• 🧱 How did the city fix holes in Cleveland's only wood street? If you guessed with bricks, you're right but the people living on that street think that's very, very wrong
• Why did the Cleveland Orchestra deny surgical coverage to an employee?

🐶 🚨 And CITY DOGS CLEVELAND NEEDS HELP! The shelter is full. Scroll down to our Chatter section to learn more. And share this newsletter with anyone you know who needs a dog! (Which is everybody ... everybody needs a dog. Woof.)

🌬️Breezy in the afternoon. High: 77, Low: 65

Week Ahead Forecast | Live Weather Radar

Remember When Michael Stanley Broke A Blossom Attendance Record 40 Years Ago?

1) If you want to rekindle memories of rock-and-roll yesterdays, read this fascinating take on a Cleveland legend, the late Michael Stanley, and his place in Blossom Music Center history, written by Matt Mitchell for Cleveland Scene. Michael Stanley died in March 2021 at the age of 72, but his music will live forever in Greater Clevelanders' hearts.

Before Cleveland had Bernie Kosar, LeBron or Drew Carey, the city’s beloved hero was Michael Stanley, a Rocky River kid turned local legend, a rockstar who found stints of national fame during his decades-long career but who captured the hearts and minds of Northeast Ohio so fully that, for us, there was, for a time, no bigger star.

Part of what makes Stanley’s lore so proverbial was how he did for Cleveland what Bruce Springsteen was doing for New Jersey, but better. His songs were almost always written with the city in mind – genesized by what he knew. He was a hometown boy who never left home.

Read "The Michael Stanley Band's Record-Setting Blossom Run at 40" on Cleveland Scene

2) The rotted wood and potholes on Cleveland's only wooden street have been repaired, sort of, with red brick. We told you about this problem last week. Neighbors say the new patchwork on Hessler Court looks terrible, however. “We’re on the National Register of Historic Places. The city should take pride in this,” Chuck Hoven said. Residents hope the brick patches on the wood-block street, which is more than 100 years old, are temporary.

Cleveland 19 News

3) A Cleveland Orchestra employee who suffered complications after gender-affirmation surgery is suing the orchestra and its health-insurance administrator in federal court for denying coverage. The administrator of the orchestra's health plan, Business Administrators and Consultants Inc., told Rem Wransky the additional procedures to address pain and discomfort were unnecessary in July 2021. The suit was filed Wednesday.

Cleveland.com

4) Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl kick returner Jakeem Grant Sr. has ruptured the Achilles tendon on his left foot and is lost for the season. An MRI on Wednesday confirmed the worst. The injury happened Tuesday in practice. “I really feel awful for Jakeem,’’ coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We’ve witnessed how hard the young man has worked since he got to our team." Recovery from such an injury usually takes a year.

Cleveland.com

• More Browns news: Deshaun Watson to start first preseason game — if he's not already suspended (Fox 8 News)

5) A former Cleveland Public Power employee admitted in court to trying to steal sensitive information from computers that controlled the city’s power grid. John Pelton, 55, was the utility’s chief electric transmission officer. He was fired in February 2021 during an investigation into an unrelated matter. Before he was terminated, however, Pelton obtained keyloggers, which record keystrokes on computers, and tried to gain access to information that would have allowed him to mess with the city's power.

Cleveland.com

5 More Headlines You Need To See

• If the death of Olivia Newton-John has made you nostalgic, you can see "Grease" at the Cedar Lee Theatre and Chagrin Cinemas on Saturday, Aug. 13, and Wednesday, Aug. 17 (3News WKYC)
• Eight years ago, Cory Barron went to a concert in downtown Cleveland and a few days later he was found dead in a landfill. Now, new clues have emerged in this mystery (Fox 8 News)
• President Biden signed the PACT Act, named for Ohio Guardsman Heath Robinson, on Wednesday. Biden was introduced by Robinson's wife and daughter. The legislation will help veterans exposed to toxic burn pits (3News WKYC)
• Lighthouse Park, an homage to the city's first lighthouse, opens this month in Cleveland's Warehouse District (News 5 Cleveland WEWS)
• The Department of Public Health is reporting 20 cases of monkeypox in Cleveland Wednesday (Fox 8 News)

Busy Day For Cleveland City Council

• Council passes law requiring city to release body and dash camera footage of use-of-force incidents within 7 days
• "Pay to Stay" legislation will protect renters from evictions
• Cleveland police union contract that provides 11 percent raise approved
• Cleveland wants to offer special paid leave to employees who experience domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking

10 Things To Do

• Cuyahoga County Fair, Middleburg Heights, now through Aug. 14 | Details
• Feast of the Assumption, Holy Rosary Church in Little Italy, Cleveland, Aug. 12-15 | Details
• Machine Gun Kelly Mainstream Sellout Tour, FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Aug. 13 | Details
• Backyard Nature Bash, West Creek Reservation, Parma, Aug. 13 | Details
• Cleveland Guardians vs. Detroit Tigers, Progressive Field, Aug. 15-17 | Details
• Asian Lantern Festival, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, through Aug. 17 | Details
• Tattoo Fundraiser for CITY DOGS Cleveland, Stranci Tattoo & Piercing Co., Cleveland, Aug. 18-20 | Details
• Taste of Black Cleveland: Food Showcase 4.0, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, Thursday, Aug. 18 | Details
• Cleveland Adult Prom, Aug. 20 | Details
• Cleveland Browns vs. Philadelphia Eagles, FirstEnergy Stadium, Aug. 20 | Details

Find more on our calendar | Add an event

Cleveland Chatter

• CITY DOGS Cleveland is pleading for adopters and fees are lowered. "The kennel is OVER FULL! We are currently overflowing with dogs, with temporary crates set up in our community room and staff offices. ... As an open intake shelter, we cannot stop the flow of stray dogs coming in our doors - yesterday alone nearly 20 dogs arrived and only a fraction of that number left by being reclaimed by an owner, adoption, or transfer. We cannot sustain this pace and need your help getting dogs into homes! ... We currently have over 110 dogs up for adoption. If you are able to adopt a dog, please complete our brief Meet and Greet form at www.tinyurl.com/meetacitydog. Adoption fees are just $61 which includes basic vaccinations, a county license, a microchip, spay/neuter if needed and of course a new BFF!" (City Dogs Cleveland via Facebook)
• "VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is proud to announce the July 2022 SUNSHINE Award Winner – Alexandrea Simmons, Nursing Assistant (4A)! Alexandrea is a Nursing Assistant at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center." (Cleveland VA Medical Center via Facebook)
• "Nathan Zegura is preparing to make his debut as the permanent radio analyst for Cleveland Browns games. The former sideline reporter spoke about his unconventional path to the booth, his approach to the job, his favorite restaurant in Cleveland and more." (Crain's Cleveland Business via Facebook)

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Events:

• GAME ON - A Fundraiser Benefiting Cleveland Area Children (August 11)
• The Dinner Detective Comedy Murder Mystery Dinner Show (August 12)
• Cleveland Summer Beer Fest (August 13)
• The World Is Yours Art Show (August 13)
• Get the BAL Rollin'! Ingenuity Cleveland Fundraiser & Festival Sneak-Peak! (August 13)
• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (August 19)
• Add your event

That's it for today. I'll see you around! Miss a day, you'll miss a lot. Don't worry though. We'll catch you up on everything right here.