Shaw High School

Attorney Darryl Eugene Pittman made history in 1985 as East Cleveland’s first mayor since 1904; and one who had to implement a new form of government

East Cleveland's first mayor since 1916, the late attorney Darryl E. Pittman, did not write amendments to the city's charter voters enacted in 1985 to include an "interim" mayor appointed by a county probate court judge to fill a vacancy in the mayor's office. Pittman didn't want the county handling any of East Cleveland's business, or its money, so he asked US Rep. Louis Stokes to write an amendment making East Cleveland a direct entitlement city so its CDBG funds would come directly from HUD.

CLEVELAND, OH – Attorney Darryl Eugene Pittman was elected on September 27, 1985 as East Cleveland’s first Mayor since 1904; and he died on July 10, 2021 the day before his 72nd birthday.  Darryl was a Columbia educated attorney born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio.  He was an older brother, a husband, a father, grandfather and one of the smartest men I knew.  Geek smart.  So is his brother … Ron. To his peers in Cleveland’s legal community Darryl was known as a good lawyer and partner in Pittman, Buchanan, Alexander, Hardiman & Wade. Two of his partners, Dean Buchanan…

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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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