🌼 Mystery Sidewalk Gardeners Revealed + Clowney's Back + B-Day Love

The trio of mystery gardeners who planted flowers in a hole on a Euclid Avenue sidewalk have been revealed. They've been promised free beers for their exploit! Speaking of celebratory beers, the likelihood of more Browns wins has increased with the re-signing of Jadeveon Clowney. And we've got a special story about a Parma boy's birthday that you won't want to miss — if you have a heart.

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1) Mysterious Euclid Avenue Sidewalk Gardeners Revealed

The mysterious urban gardeners who planted marigolds in the middle of a Euclid Avenue sidewalk to fill a hole in the brickwork last week have been identified. Sam Allard, reporting for Cleveland Scene, identified them as Jack Brancatelli, Vince Lucic and Zach Schauer. And they did it just for fun, not as a political statement about the hole in the sidewalk that had been there for months.

• The trio attended Cleveland State together. They bought about $120 in supplies from Home Depot and planted the flowers at about 3 a.m.
• "Jack and I had been complaining about this hole for months," Schauer told Scene. "We had joked about things to do with it."

Read Sam Allard's reporting on Cleveland Scene

2) The Cleveland Browns and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $11 million, a source told Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot. This means the Browns will again field one of the most fearsome defensive lines in the game in the 2022 season, with Clowny lining up opposite Myles Garrett.

• Last season, Clowney had nine sacks — including four against the Steelers and Bengals.
• The 29-year-old's base salary last year was $8 million, and he earned $750,000 in incentives.

Cleveland.com

• More Browns News: NFL wants to meet again with Deshaun Watson, writes Terry Pluto, and the Browns should be concerned (cleveland.com)

3) A community of kind-hearted souls turned out this weekend to celebrate an 11-year-old Parma boy after no one showed up to his birthday party. Nicholas, who has autism, and his sister hosted a joint birthday party. Her friends from school came, but none of his classmates did. Their aunt, Angela Presti of North Royalton, put out a call on her Facebook page Saturday asking people to help celebrate her nephew's special day.

• "Words can’t describe the emotions I felt last night and continue to feel this morning as all of our friends, family and people we have never met messaged, posted, shared, and supported my nephew in so many ways! I’m in complete awe of the kindness and love that has been shown," she wrote on her Facebook page.
• Strangers joined friends and family at St. Anthony of Padua Parish on State Road in Parma and then walked to the boy's house to surprise him and sing happy birthday.

See video and photos of the gathered crowd on Fox 8 News

4) Patrick Mangan has retired from the Cleveland Division of Fire after a 33-year career. He chose Saturday, May 21, for a very special reason. It's the anniversary of the city's deadliest house fire — nine people died, eight of them children. The fire was intentionally set in 2005.

• Mangan remembers rolling up on the burning home at 1220 E. 87th St. "I have arrived in hell. To the left is a house, to the right is a woman whose skin is dripping from her body, her arms stretched out, more wings of skin falling off of her. She screams, 'My babies, my babies are in there.'"
• The children were attending a sleepover birthday party and ranged in age from 7 to 15. A man was arrested and convicted. Mangan testified at his trials.

3News WKYC

5) One of the Cleveland Guardians' new stars, Steven Kwan, is proud of his Asian-American/Pacific Islander heritage. He has both Chinese and Japanese roots. May is Asian-American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

• Kwan was American League Rookie of the Month in April. Kwan batted .354 (17-for-48) with 10 runs scored, five doubles, a triple, seven RBI, nine walks and a .500 slugging percentage across 15 games played in April, according to Major League Baseball stats.
• Kwan said he was made fun of as a kid for being Asian. "I think just kind of accepting who we are as Asians and just being proud of it, it's cool, it’s cool to be who you are. You shouldn't shun it—even though maybe other people are saying otherwise—but just being really proud, showing some love, and giving off love. I think that's the most important thing."

3News WKYC

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5 Headlines You Need To See Today

• Man, woman die after car crashes into semi and catches fire (News 5 Cleveland WEWS)
• Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to visit Cleveland Police Department's Real Time Crime Center after awarding a grant (WKYC.com)
• Jeremiah Fitzgerald wins the 2022 Cleveland Marathon, successfully defending his 2021 victory (cleveland.com)
• Expanded collaboration at CWRU, CSU, Tri-C a recipe to address brain drain, bolster region, new leaders say (cleveland.com)
• Cuyahoga County has paid $90-144 million toward the failed Global Center, and the bill may yet grow (cleveland.com)

3 Things To Do

• WOLFS Gallery in Beachwood for the next week is displaying photographs and museum bulletins that honor Cleveland Museum of Art’s Annual May Show, which began in 1919 and ended in 1933. The May Show was the "pinnacle of the Northeast Ohio art scene. Learn more at Cleveland.com
• Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters will play at the Odeon, 1295 Old River Road, on Thursday, May 26, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $35 to $50
• Reggae Fest Cleveland features five top-notch reggae bands, a variety of food trucks, craft beer, wine and more. You can’t go wrong with a Saturday at Reggae Fest! The fest is planned for Voinovich Park at the end of the East 9th Street Pier. Buy your tickets in advance

From The Cop Shop

• Local law enforcement initiative Operation ‘Wheels Down’ Cleveland results in 15 felony arrests. The cops are out to arrest illegal riders and get vehicles that aren't street legal off the roads (cleveland.com)
• Motorcyclist suffers serious head injury in crash on Cleveland’s East Side, police say (cleveland.com)

Social Notes

• City Dogs Cleveland: "Hildy is a girl who is waiting for her chance to shine. She can be a little easy to overlook, it seems, because of her more quiet nature but she has plenty of love to give her future family." (Facebook)
• City Dogs Cleveland: ""Hey there - the name's Zeus!" Zeus is a big sweet lug of a dog. He hasn't been with us too long, but he's already made and impression as a friendly, easy-going boy to hang out with. So far, volunteers note that he walks well on leash, w..." (Facebook)
• Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: "Adventure awaits at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo! Visit FutureForWildlife.org to plan your visit and Find Your Wild Side." (Facebook)
• Cleveland Botanical Garden: "The Hershey Children's Garden is blooming with fun! Let your kids fall in love with nature while they explore!" (Facebook)
• Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority: "This Tuesday, May 24, from 10 a.m. to noon, the RTA is having a hiring event by appointment only with OhioMeansJobs Cleveland. Visit the Facebook page to learn more about how to get an appointment. (Facebook)

That's it for today. I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow morning with another update!