Noble Road

Mike White’s new Jeff Johnson and Basheer Jones is his protege` Justin Bibb

CLEVELAND, OH – In May 1984 Cleveland Councilman Michael Reed White was selected to replace State Senator Morris Jackson.  He had served for 17 years in the Ohio Senate representing the 21st Senate District that encompassed Glenville with different boundaries. Case Western Reserve University law school graduate Jeffrey Johnson was 26 and selected to replace White.  Johnson was his protege`.  White was 5 years away from initially challenging the late Mayor George Voinovich for the job he held in 1989.  Johnson the following year in 1985 would be admitted to the Ohio Bar Association to practice law. White confirmed on…

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Budish says East Cleveland is only one of 28 jail sites county officials are reviewing as a place for 500 jobs

CLEVELAND, OH – Noble Road resident Harry Drummond called to tell me he did not want Cuyahoga County officials placing a jail at the site of the General Electric’s former lighting division manufacturing plant behind their homes.  It’s the same location where county landbank officials once led by James Rokakis and Gus Frangos sent over 1000 demolished homes. Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish called in a response to a text I sent him expressing Drummonds’ concerns.  He said 1740 Noble Road was one of 28 locations being recommended.  It was not “the” only recommendation. “I spoke up for East Cleveland…

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After illegally dumping behind homes in East Cleveland, Pete & Pete buys a landfill and sends a Valley View cop to collect debts

Pete Ristagno Sr. and Jr. benefited from US Attorney Justin Herdman not investigating them for racketeering and anti-trust violations. Pete Jr. had a Valley View police officer call to collect a debt.

EAST CLEVELAND, OH – Ex-East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton convinced then council vice president Brandon King and president Thomas Wheeler in 2014 to switch the times of a council meeting from 6:30 p.m. until 1 p.m. when other members of the legislative authority and the public were at work.   The trio wanted to sell Christine Beynon and George Michael Riley landbank land at 1705 Noble Road to redevelop for $150,000.  Norton, Wheeler and King claimed the changed times and urgency was required to meet payroll.  About two months later Norton – without council approval – signed the mercury-contaminated property’s title…

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