Cleveland/Cuyahoga County

Major changes are coming to Parmatown and now a new name for the longtime shopping center has been announced. Phillips Edison and Company announced that Parmatown will be rebranded with the name The Shoppes at Parma.

A press release from the company today explained the new name.

“We believe the new name reflects the changes we will be making throughout the property to create a more inviting streetscape with additional landscaping, lighting, outdoor seating and other amenities,”

Plans for redevelopment will be coming clearer on Wednesday. The company will present plans to the Parma Planning Commission that will be voted on that will likely shape the future of the shopping plaza which will see drastic changes in the near future.

From July 19 through August 1, Cleveland will play host to the 2013 National Senior Games, the largest participatory sporting event in the United States in 2013 that's expected to bring $35 million of economic impact to the Greater Cleveland area. The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission has now announced that it's looking for volunteers to help out.

The 2013 National Senior Gams presented by Humana will host 14,000 athletes 50-years of age and older who will compete in 19 different sports including: archery, badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, golf, horseshoes, pickleball, racquetball, road race, shuffleboard, softball, swimming, table tennis, triathlon, volleyball, race walk 1500m, race walk 5000m, tennis, and track & field.

April will fortunately not be as cold as March, but it's not expected to be very warm either. According to Accuweather, pockets of cold air will continue to invade from the northern Plains to the Midwest and Northeast into the first half of April, dashing hopes of a break from the snow and cold those areas are currently enduring.

The overall weather patten into the first part of April will continue to be about a month behind schedule. March was like a typical February, and Accuweather says that the first half of April will be what March should have been like.

The kind of weather that we can expect from now to mid-April is a bit of a mixed bag. It's likely to include strings of chilly, unsettled days with clouds and showers, or days when it starts off sunny but then brings clouds and thunderstorms with hail. Additional heavy, wet lake effect snow is not even out of the realm of possibility for the Great Lakes area to the central Appalachians.

Fortunately, long-range meteorlogists are expecting that the atmosphere will begin to behave more like it should be for this time of year from the northern Plains to the Midwest and Northeast

Following weeks of watching surveillance video, Lorain County sheriff's deputies made a major PCP bust, confiscating $1.2 million worth of the dangerous drug. The find also prompted a federal, cross-country investigation involving a California supplier.

The sheriff's bust netted three gallons of liquid PCP, which is known as "wet" on the streets, and is used to lace cigarettes or marijuana.

Lorain County sheriff's chief deputy Dennis Cavanaugh said that deputies stopped John Henry Allen, 48, of Lorain, Ohio, in Westlake and found one gallon of the liquid PCP in his vehicle. Additional surveillance led authorities to a Vermilion storage facility where two more gallons of liquid PCP were found.

Two Ohio cities - Cleveland and Cincinnati - have been named to a a new Forbes list of the top 15 cities in the United States with emerging downtowns.

According to Forbes, it listed cities that have seen double-digit population growth and revitalized central business districts.

One of the things that Cleveland and Cincinnati have in common is they have each opened a new casino in the past year. Cleveland's Horseshoe Casino opened last May, while Cincinnati's Horseshoe Casino opened earlier this month.

Cleveland's major projects helping to breath new life into the downtown area include the casino, a new aquarium, a new convention center to open this summer/fall, and a $200 million mixed-used development. The revival of East 4th street over the course of the past few years has also aided in the revitalization of the heart of the city.

Parma police have issued pictures of a man who is wanted in connection with an armed robbery that happened took place on March 6th.

An unknown white male, described as 5'8", medium build, dark curly hair src="and blue eyes, entered a local business and demanded money from the store employee. This suspect was in possession of a firearm at the time of the robbery.*If anyone knows the identity of this male, please contact the Parma Crime Tip Line at (440) 887-7340 or email to crimetips@parmajustice.net.*

At the end of this summer, the familiar sound of military jets buzzing above downtown Cleveland will be absent. The 2013 Cleveland National Air Show, which was scheduled to take place on Labor Day weekend (Aug. 31 to Sept. 2), has been canceled due to the impact of Federal Government Sequestration budget cuts affecting the Department of Defense and Aerospace Industry.

Many other air shows scheduled for this year have also been canceled due to the sequestration.

A news release was sent out on Monday afternoon that quotes a Secretary of Defense memorandum which reads:

“All aerial demonstrations, including flyovers, jump team demonstrations and participation in civilian air shows and military open houses will cease as of April 1, 2013.”

Looking out the window in late March is a great reminder that our fair city isn't known for the best weather. The city of Cleveland's poor reputation of weather has now earned the dubious distinction as one of the 16 worst weather cities in the entire nation according to weather.com.

So far in the tournament that you probably would rather not be champion, Cleveland has bested Hartford and Elkins, West Virginia. Next up is Caribou, Maine. If we get passed that match-up, we will face fellow snow stricken cities Buffalo or Syracuse in America's Toughest Weather City Tournament. Hopefully spring breaks by the time the winner is crowned.

James Box, an employee of the City of Cleveland and community activist, has been indicted on charges including kidnapping, gross sexual imposition, attempted rape, and attempted sexual battery.

Box, who is the Project Director with the Community Relations Department, was indicted on Thursday for the alleged offenses that occurred between August and October 2011 in Shaker Heights.

According to court documents, Box allegedly kidnapped a woman, held her against her will, and sexually assaulted her.

Last fall, Microsoft decided to open up a pop-up shop in Beachwood Place. The success of the temporary location led Microsoft to the decision to open up a full-fledged Microsoft Store. The grand opening of the new Microsoft Store at Beachwood Place will be held on Saturday, April 13, and will feature a special performance by Kelly Clarkson and other fun events.

1The first 100 people in line for the Microsoft opening on Saturday, April 13th, will receive two free premier viewing tickets for the Kelly Clarkson performance on Saturday, April 13th. One ticket grants the recipient admission to both the performance and the meet and greet with Kelly Clarkson after the show. The second ticket grants another person admission to the concert only. The next 1000 people in line, at minimum, will receive two premier viewing tickets to the Kelly Clarkson performance.