🌱 Positive Cuyahoga Co. COVID Milestone + OH Railway Safety Proposals

Hi all! Sean Peek here with your fresh copy of the Lakewood Patch newsletter, full of everything you need to know about what's happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Clouds breaking; not as cold. High: 38 Low: 32.

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Here are the top three stories today in Lakewood:

1. The Ohio Railroad Association (ORA) has voiced opposition to three of the six legislative proposals made by House Democrats in the wake of the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine. Specifically, requirements on mandatory crew sizes, inspection and approval of monitoring devices by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, and reporting when trains block crossings were considered unconstitutional and preempted by federal law. Art Arnold, ORA's executive director, said the association supports the remaining proposals, which include increased lighting and walkway safety, a specific railway safety zone, and increased yearly funding of the Ohio Rail Development Commission. (The Center Square)
2. Cleveland is getting its licensed version of the hit Hasbro board game MONOPOLY, and designers are asking locals for suggestions about what landmarks should be included."Basically, if it exists in Cleveland, it has the potential to be a part of the game," said licensing company Top Trumps' Sponsorship Director Tim Barney. If you have a suggestion from the area, you can submit suggestions by email at Cleveland@TopTrumps.com by Mar. 18. (Fox 8 News)
3. After several months of medium to high COVID-19 spread, Cuyahoga County has finally achieved the green designation for low spread on the latest U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) map. Across the state, most counties are currently in yellow or green status, with only Gallia County being represented by red, according to the latest map issued late Thursday. The CDC's color-coded designations were introduced on Feb. 25, 2022 and by August 2022, nearly all Ohio counties were designated by the color red. (Subscription: Cleveland.com)

Today in Lakewood:

• Warehouse Sale At Hospice Of The Western Reserve (8:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• The Collective is holding a "Women's Professional Group" networking event at 7 p.m. today (Feb. 25) at the Kaiser Gallery. Guest speaker Maria Zemen of True To You Coaching, LLC will be host the event, focusing on self-care and healthy living. (Eventbrite)
• Are you looking for a new family member with four paws? Check out the list of adoption-ready pets in the Lakewood area at the link! (Lakewood Animal Shelter)
• Take your little witches and wizards to Wizard Fest tonight (Feb. 25) for some all-ages fun. The interactive fantasy-themed party celebrating all things magic will be in town at The Winchester. You can grab tickets here. (Wizard Fest)

Alrighty, you're all good for today! See you all soon for your next update.

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.