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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20 News Headlines Cleveland Will Never Forget was originally published on newstalkcleveland.com
1. Cavs Win 2016 NBA Championship
LeBron James leads Cleveland to its first major sports title in 52 years.
2. FBI Arrests Jimmy Dimora
The Cuyahoga County commissioner is booked in a massive corruption sting.
3. Balloonfest ’86 Turns Disaster
A record-breaking launch of 1.5M balloons causes chaos and disrupts a Coast Guard rescue.
4. 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.
5. Carl Monday’s Library Sting Goes Viral
Local TV investigation into overt displays at libraries sparks internet fame.
6. Stranded Dog on Lake Erie Ice
Fire crews rescue a dog from frozen water, making an emotional local splash.
7. Blizzard of ’78 Paralyzes City
A historic winter storm shuts down Cleveland with record-breaking snow and drifts.
8. Phil Donahue Bucks Convention
Talk-show pioneer’s departure from conventional formats makes national waves.
9. Cleveland’s Summer Nights Get Hotter
City among the fastest-warming with a 4.6°F nighttime increase since 1970.
10. Lead-Weighed Fish Scandal
Local angler scandal shocks readers, runs in nationwide outlets.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. Cleveland Clinic Fire of 1929
Although historic, this deadly disaster led to nationwide changes in hospital safety regulations.
14. Krejci Dump Becomes Federal Superfund Site
The toxic Clean-up at the Boston Heights (Cleveland area) dump garnered federal-level environmental concern.
15. Ohio Divorce Lawyer Pleads Not Guilty in 2013 Fatal Stabbing
A former Cleveland divorce attorney pleaded not guilty after being indicted for murdering his client in 2013—a shocking case that made waves across national media.
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.
