Your access to this service has been limited If you think you have been blocked in error contact the owner of this site for assistance If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send" You will then receive an email that helps you regain access Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 5 million WordPress sites The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence Click here to learn more: Documentation 6 May 2025 1:26:54 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); For more updates about Cleveland, sign up for our Cleveland Magazine Daily newsletter Cleveland Magazine is also available in print, publishing 12 times a year with immersive features helpful guides and beautiful photography and design Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInROCKY RIVER Ohio (WOIO) - A man allegedly threw a bundle of wood at a local Marc’s employee According to a release from Rocky River Police police were called to the Marc’s on Center Ridge Road around 9:30 p.m they saw a man throwing a bundle of chopped wood at an employee Police said the man was arrested and evaluated by medics for cuts on his elbows The employee was also evaluated by medics but did not need to be taken to the hospital CONTACT THE POLICE:  440.331.5530 EMERGENCY:  440.333.4911 Daytime: 10am-5pm (Apr-Oct)Daytime: 10am-4pm (Nov-Mar) (Note: The flow gage on the Rocky River is temporarily down due to an upcoming bridge project and Cleveland Metroparks and USGS are in ongoing communication seeking a workable interim solution).  Ice on our lakes and ponds is gone and the open water season is upon us Anglers are pursuing stocked trout at the 5 locations stocked in winter among other species The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are offering excellent fishing conditions at this time and steelhead have been caught all week  Drifting brightly colored dime to nickel size spawn sacks smaller marabou/hair jigs (1/32-1/64 oz) tipped with a few maggots and live or salted emerald shiner minnows under floats are just a few offerings that will catch steelhead in spring streamers (those that mimic minnows but also wooley bugger style) and beadhead nymphs drifted through not only the holes but also faster water with some depth are good bets casting and retrieving spoons (ie Little Cleos and KO Wobblers) and medium size crankbaits that mimic minnows or shad wil also score spring steelhead By almost all accounts this has been a subpar season in terms of steelhead numbers and I chalk that up to very low flows all fall followed by a harsh winter But this is the time of year when we should be seeing noticeable increases in the numbers of fresh steelhead migrating into the streams with each high water event The run of smallmouth bass and white suckers are also just beginning and will continue to get better into spring Anglers are enjoying open water fishing again for the remaining trout stocked throughout the winter Trout typically go on a feeding binge after ice melt due to a freshening of the water in the formerly ice capped lakes (causing an influx of dissolved oxygen and water temperature increase) Throughout winter a total of 6,500 lbs of mixed trout were stocked between Wallace a dime size ball of PowerBait on a bare hook and fished about 18” from a sinker on the bottom and small jigs tipped with a few maggots or a waxworm below a float/bobber are just a few proven offerings for stocked trout The East Branch Rocky River is scheduled for the first stocking of catchable size rainbow trout on Monday next week as long as the river is not flooded (apologies that the fishing report last week said they would be stocked this week To clarify trout limit by location (all trout species combined)  The daily limit is 5 trout at Shadow Lake and Ohio & Erie Canal harbors and Lake Erie this time of year the daily limit is 2 with minimum size of 12” In spring there are a variety of fishing opportunities along the Cleveland shoreline and sunfish can all be found in area harbors and breakwalls This fishery will only get better as water temperature increases further in the coming weeks This event is rain or shine and if river fishing conditions are poor at the time of the event then the competition will also be opened up to trout at Wallace Lake Registration includes a tasty hot lunch but if you choose not to participate in the event we still welcome you to the OCBS raffle (you do not need to be registered to take part in the raffle) If you are not registered but still want lunch you can take part in that for a $10 onsite donation and 10th anniversary sheet cake (the latter while it lasts) Thank you to Westside Toyota for providing bottled water for the event Raffle tickets will be sold onsite and will be cash only The raffle will have an amazing array a few dozen packages (they are still coming in) totaling $9.5K in value and counting so don’t miss out A big thank you to our current event supporters Westside Toyota is a Supporting Sponsor ($1,000) and Friend of the event level sponsors ($250) EnviroScience Cleveland’s Raw Woods (flooring specialists) and Kevin Kilbane (Kevin donated $500)  Special thank you to Church of Perch Facebook page and Brian Kich for donating $100 each towards the effort making and donating 3 spectacular custom metal trophies again this year (I should have photos soon!)  Contributors to the Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders raffle (that I have in-hand currently and in no particular order) include River Roe Tackle Cuyahoga Falls Parks & Recreation Department Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa (Parma location) Please consider patronizing these businesses/groups that support local fishing USGS Rocky River Flow Gage is Temporarily Unavailable.  Due to the upcoming aforementioned bridge project the USGS flow gage is temporarily out of commission Cleveland Metroparks and USGS are in ongoing communication to seek a workable interim solution  Stay tuned to this report for updates on that If you have a photo that you would like to contribute to the fishing report, or if you have any further questions regarding fishing in the Cleveland Metroparks, you may contact Aquatic Biologist Mike Durkalec at (440) 331-8017 or [email protected] Jules displays a colorful buck rainbow trouty caught in Shadow Lake on a nightcrawler (photo courtesy of Jules Borders) Carter displays a fine rainbow trout caught from Wallace Lake (photo courtesy of John) John shows off a fresh chrome hen from the Chagrin River (photo courtesy of John Burkhart) Donnie shared “I Caught this on a white jig this weekend in the Rocky River I did release in hopes to see it again.” Indeed this is a tiger trout It most likely exited the overflow at Wallace Lake where we stocked some of them this past winter (photo courtesy of Donnie Obrycki) Sean caught this big colorful buck steelhead on Sunday morning Buddies Brian and Craig had a good outing on the Rocky River on Saturday A few fish from their catch are shown above highlighted by Brian’s 31” buck in the first photo (photos courtesy of Brian Zaptocky) catching several steelhead and a bonus smallmouth bass (photos courtesy of Mike Sekerak) Mark your calendars - the 10th annual Barbie Rod Steelhead Derby fundraiser is coming up on Saturday, March 29! More info and online registration <here>. If you are interested in sponsoring the event please get in touch with me The parkway bridge by the Rocky River Nature Center is shut down for rehabilitation starting through August 2025 This is on the Main Branch of the river immediately north of the split into the east and west branch Note: The fishing report is updated monthly in June ***Note: All photo submissions must first complete the Cleveland Metroparks photo waiver.*** #25-001 Jeff Liskay, Great Lakes Flyfishing LLC, [email protected] (440) 781-7536 #25-002 Gareth Thomas, Alley Grabs Guide Service, [email protected] (216) 235-5056 #25-003 Jim Lingenfelter, Wild Ohio Outdoors Guide Service, [email protected] #25-004 Monte Casey, Steelhead Guide, (440) 773-8064 www.steelheadguide.com #25-005 Nicholas DelVecchio, Wildwood Outfitters, [email protected] (724) 433-2315 #25-006 Lucas Smith, What That Vise Do LLC, [email protected] (724) 841-1564 #25-007 Nate Miller, Steelhead Alley Outfitters, www.steelheadalleyoutfitters.com (440) 796-6105 Ohio (WOIO) - A pot of soup was stolen from a man’s truck at a local Whole Foods a 69-year-old Lakewood man went to the police station to report the theft on Saturday The release said the man placed a pot of soup from a friend in the cab of his truck When he came out from shopping at the Whole Foods on Detroit Road (Note: The flow gage on the Rocky River Main Branch is temporarily down due to an upcoming bridge project and Cleveland Metroparks and USGS are in ongoing communication seeking a workable interim solution The East Branch flow data above will still give anglers a good idea of the trend in river flow in the meantime) Anglers are pursuing stocked trout in the East Branch Rocky River as well as at the 5 lakes and ponds stocked in winter among other species The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are offering good fishing conditions at this time although rain today and into the weekend could adversely affect conditions Steelhead are being caught this week by anglers drifting brightly colored dime size spawn sacks and plastics that mimic minnows and nymphs under floats and medium size crankbaits that mimic minnows or shad will also account for a share of the spring steelhead The run of smallmouth bass and white suckers are also just beginning and will continue to get better into spring.   Trout typically go on a feeding binge after ice melt due to a freshening of the water in the formerly ice capped lakes (causing an influx of dissolved oxygen and water temperature increase)  Throughout winter a total of 6,500 lbs of mixed trout were stocked between Wallace   Small to medium size spoons and spinners The East Branch Rocky River in Mill Stream run Reservation was stocked with the first bunch (900 lbs) of catchable size rainbow trout on Monday Fish were released at the parking area off the parkway just north of Rt 82/Royalton road as well as off the bridges to the Strongsville Wildlife Area and the low ford that crosses the river just south of Wallace Lake The covered bridge spot was not stocked because the ground was too soft from recent construction work and rain Trout will be released into this stretch of river roughly every other week until the end of April.   For steelhead/rainbow trout in the rivers USGS Rocky River Main Branch Flow Gage is Temporarily Unavailable Due to the upcoming bridge project the USGS flow gage on the Main Branch of the Rocky River is temporarily out of commission Stay tuned to this report for updates on that there is an East Branch rocky river flow gage in Strongsville (link at beginning of this report) that will still give anglers a good idea of the trend in river flow If you have a photo that you would like to contribute to the fishing report, or if you have any further questions regarding fishing in the Cleveland Metroparks, you may contact Aquatic Biologist Mike Durkalec at (440) 331-8017 or [email protected] Sophia hugs a rainbow trout she caught fishing the East Branch of the Rocky River with her grandfather this week (photo courtesy of Pete Surace) Vinny (right) and his buddy show off their trout catch from Ledge Lake catching 3 trout on a Panther Martin spinner and one each on a spoon and jig tipped with maggots (photo courtesy of Brian DiGioia) Carter shows of a heck of a white crappie he caught at Wallace Lake (photo courtesy of John Lusnek) She calls fishing the river her therapy (photo courtesy of Des Deming) Nate (pictured) and his brother in law caught 5 rainbow trout at Ohio & Erie Canal (photo courtesy of Nate Svoboda) Dan caught this bruiser golden rainbow trout (25” and 6.2 lbs) casting a Kastmaster spoon at Ledge Lake on Tuesday (photo courtesy of Dan) Kylie has been doing great at Wallace Lake lately scoring a brook trout mixed in with the rainbow trout she has been catching She has her sights set on a golden rainbow trout next Jason’s wish has come true: “Steelhead caught using fly rod in Euclid Creek on March 18 Hope this makes it into the fishing report Thanks!“ (photo courtesy of Jason Lundquist) Dexter displays a Wallace Lake rainbow trout (photo courtesy of Dexter Butram) Dale shows of a tiger trout caught in Shadow Lake (photo courtesy of Dale) Slade caught 3 rainbow trout while fishing Shadow Lake with his grandmother Tony sent in “I would like to share this photo of the beautiful Steelhead I caught out of the Rocky on a Fine Eye Minnow spoon” (photo courtesy of Tony Modic) Chris shared “I can tell it’s spring when they’re eating my stoneflies Victor scored his two trout limit in the East Branch Rocky River on Tuesday (photo courtesy of Victor) Jim and Wes both caught beautiful brook trout in Metroparks lakes this week (photos courtesy of Jim Giraldo and Wes Janke) We are not the only “fishers” on the rivers in spring Here a river otter feasts on a white sucker in the Cuyahoga River (photo courtesy of Karen Lakus) The courtesy docks are in at E72nd/Gordon Park boat ramps Edgewater docks are not in yet and the Emerald Necklace Marina docks on the Rocky River will not go in until the area is dredged about a month from now Jeff May of M3 Technologies (a Cleveland metal working facility) designed and donated these one of a kind works-of-art trophies for the Barbie Rod Steelhead Derby again this year (2nd year in a row) They are stainless steel polished to a mirror finish and colors are powder coated The pink is new this year and being a perfectionist Jeff went through 3 different pinks before he settled on this one- appropriately named “Malibu Barbie” They are bigger than they look here and need to be seen at the event to be appreciated Jeff and his grandson will be fishing in the event together Mark your calendars - the 10th annual Barbie Rod Steelhead Derby fundraiser is coming up on Saturday, March 29! More info and online registration <here>. If you are interested in sponsoring the event please get in touch with me #25-001 Jeff Liskay, Great Lakes Flyfishing LLC, [email protected] (440) 781-7536 #25-002 Gareth Thomas, Alley Grabs Guide Service, [email protected] (216) 235-5056 #25-003 Jim Lingenfelter, Wild Ohio Outdoors Guide Service, [email protected] #25-005 Nicholas DelVecchio, Wildwood Outfitters, [email protected] (724) 433-2315 #25-006 Lucas Smith, What That Vise Do LLC, [email protected] (724) 841-1564 #25-007 Nate Miller, Steelhead Alley Outfitters, www.steelheadalleyoutfitters.com (440) 796-6105 The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are offering good fishing conditions with the lower water levels having fish most concentrated in deeper holes Steelhead have been caught this week by anglers drifting brightly colored dime size spawn sacks and beadhead nymphs drifted through holes and faster water with some depth That was initially not terribly surprising given the very low flows all fall followed by a harsh winter But since then we have had some good flows and warming temperatures and a big push of steelhead still has not happened and this will likely remain the status quo for the remainder of the spring but the trend was observed on all Ohio steelhead streams (most pronounced the further west you go) The best explanation could be lower survival of the current cohorts of steelhead but the reasons for that would only be speculation at this time the run of smallmouth bass and white suckers has begun and will only continue to get better into spring.  At our inland lakes and ponds anglers are pursuing the remaining trout stocked throughout the winter Trout have been biting well since the ice melted a few weeks back  Small to medium size spoons and spinners The East Branch Rocky River in Mill Stream run Reservation was stocked with the first bunch (900 lbs) of catchable size rainbow trout last Monday Trout will be released into this stretch of river roughly every other week until the end of April harbors and Lake Erie this time of year the daily limit is 2 with minimum size of 12”.  The courtesy docks have been installed at both E72nd/Gordon Park and Edgewater public launch ramps for the convenience of early season boaters The docks at Emerald necklace ramps on the Rocky river will not be installed until the river is dredged- likely a month away.  and 10th anniversary sheet cakes (the latter while it lasts) The raffle will have an amazing array of 38 packages exceeding $13K in value so don’t miss out there is an East Branch Rocky River flow gage in Strongsville (link at beginning of this report) that will still give anglers a good idea of the trend in river flow If you have a photo that you would like to contribute to the fishing report, or if you have any further questions regarding fishing in the Cleveland Metroparks, you may contact Aquatic Biologist Mike Durkalec at (440) 331-8017 or [email protected] Mike caught this healthy lake-run smallmouth bass by the Rocky River boat ramps This fishery will only get better in the coming weeks (photo courtesy of Mike Simon) Rocco has been catching stocked trout at Wallace and Ledge lakes and steelhead on the Chagrin River this week (photos courtesy of Rocco Serio) Nick caught this 29” spawned out hen yesterday Spawned out steelhead are also called “spent” or “dropback/droppie” steelhead and they feed heavily on their way back to the lake  With the leaner prfile and warming water temperature they often jump Pre-spawn this fish would have been pushing 10 pounds (photo courtesy of Nick Zarzeczny) Carlos caught this beautifully colored rainbow trout at Wallace Lake (photo courtesy of Carlos Velez Serrano) Jimmy caught this big buck steelhead at Lagoon Dam on the East Branch Rocky River (photo courtesy of Ted Choukalas) Despite lower numbers of steelhead around this year Mike had a successful outing drifting beads on the Rocky River (photos courtesy of Mike Sekerak) Mark your calendars- the 10th annual Barbie Rod steelhead Derby fundraiser is this Saturday, March 29!  More info and online registration <here>. Raffle packages can be viewed <here> #25-001 Jeff Liskay, Great Lakes Flyfishing LLC, [email protected] (440) 781-7536 #25-002 Gareth Thomas, Alley Grabs Guide Service, [email protected] (216) 235-5056 #25-003 Jim Lingenfelter, Wild Ohio Outdoors Guide Service, [email protected] #25-005 Nicholas DelVecchio, Wildwood Outfitters, [email protected] (724) 433-2315 #25-006 Lucas Smith, What That Vise Do LLC, [email protected] (724) 841-1564 When he was ready to pursue his superintendent license Adham Schirg wanted a pathway that didn’t require a doctorate earning his school superintendent licensure from AU in 2016 after about a year of hybrid courses offering a practical and accessible option for a working school leader,” said Schirg who was a principal for the Worthington City Schools in the Columbus area during his time with AU which eventually helped him become superintendent for another Columbus-area district “The program was both convenient and rigorous – a truly valuable learning experience.” Schirg said AU also has helped prepare him to move on from Fairbanks to Rocky River City Schools where it was announced recently that he will become its superintendent for the 2025-26 school year “AU helped me refine my educational philosophy strengthen my focus on evidence-based approaches and understand the importance of investing in people,” said Schirg who is now a doctoral candidate at another university “These foundational principles have shaped me as a leader and prepared me for this role.” Seeing the outstanding achievements of its students collaborating with a dedicated staff and working alongside families and community members to build on the district’s rich tradition strong pride and a culture of excellence is what Schirg said he is most looking forward to with leading Rocky River City Schools “The most rewarding part of public education is seeing the success of the students I’ve had the privilege to serve,” Schirg said “Watching former students from Westerville Worthington and Fairbanks achieve their goals has been the most fulfilling highlight of my career.” Before starting his school administrative career at Worthington Schirg was a middle school social studies teacher for Westerville City Schools where he also was a varsity head girls soccer coach For his teaching license in the early 2000s which were all in-person classes at that time Ohio State only offered a master’s program for teaching licensure,” Schirg said Ashland provided the flexibility I needed as a young professional.” Schirg said he appreciated AU’s pragmatic approach particularly in the superintendent program where he said the coursework was highly practical taught by experienced practitioners in the field and the discussions and lessons remain relevant to his daily work as a school leader it’s no surprise that Schirg said he would “absolutely” recommend Ashland University to anyone considering a teaching license or school administrator licensure “AU’s programs offer a personalized and practical approach to educational leadership equipping candidates with skills they can apply immediately at the school or district level,” he said A private university located in the heart of Ohio Ashland University values and encourages student individuality We provide a personalized educational experience that is as unique as you are An Equal Opportunity/Equal Access Institution (Note: The flow gage on the Rocky River is temporarily down due to an upcoming bridge project and Cleveland Metroparks and USGS are in ongoing communication seeking a workable interim solution).  Ice on our lakes and ponds has deteriorated to unsafe conditions to trek on but anglers can still pursue stocked trout from the safety of shore in areas such as those mentioned in this report The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are stained and flowing hard following rain and snow melt If additional rainfall is minimal the Rocky and Chagrin rivers will both be good bets this weekend Drifting brightly colored nickel size spawn sacks is a top tactic in cold and stained water and as waters clear smaller marabou/hair jigs (1/32-1/64 oz) tipped with a few maggots and egg mimicking beads under floats will take their share of fish This is about the time of year when we should be seeing noticeable increases in the numbers of fresh steelhead migrating into the streams with each high water event The runs of white suckers should also be just beginning Ice fishing is no longer an option on our inland lakes and ponds Anglers can still fish from the safety of shore off docks and platforms or where the water drops off quickly from shore (Wallace Lake has good spots for this due to its sandstone quarry past) Stocked trout typically go on a feeding binge as the ice melts due to a freshening of the water in the formerly ice capped lakes (causing an influx of dissolved oxygen and water temperature increase) In late January we stocked the second (and final) bunch of winter trout at Wallace (1,900 lbs) These complement the 3,500 pounds of mixed trout we stocked in the same lakes back in December a dime size ball of PowerBait on a bare hook or molded on a small jighead and small to medium size spinners (the latter in ice free areas) are just a few proven offerings for stocked trout The east Branch Rocky River is scheduled for the first stocking of catchable size rainbow trout early next week as long as the river is not flooded The daily limit is 5 trout at Shadow Lake and Ohio & Erie Canal  Raffle tickets will be sold onsite and will be cash only as follows: Westside Toyota is a Supporting Sponsor ($1,000) and Friend of the event level sponsors ($250) EnviroScience Special thank you to Church of Perch Facebook page and Brian Kich for donating $100 each towards the effort Contributors to the Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders raffle (that I have in-hand currently and in no particular order) include River Roe Tackle Upcoming Rocky River Parkway Bridge Closure. The bridge over the Rocky River by the Rocky River Nature Center will be closed for rehabilitation starting on March 3 and will extend until August 2025. More info and detour outlined here:  <Rocky River Nature Center bridge closure> USGS Rocky River Flow Gage is Temporarily Unavailable Due to the upcoming aforementioned bridge project the USGS flow gage is temporarily out of commission If you have a photo that you would like to contribute to the fishing report, or if you have any further questions regarding fishing in the Cleveland Metroparks, you may contact Aquatic Biologist Mike Durkalec at (440) 331-8017 or [email protected]  Jim shared regarding this bruiser of a buck from the Rocky “32.5 inch 15+ lbs out of Olmsted Falls this past weekend Broke my net on this one - using a wax worm.” (photo courtesy of Jim Wise) A pretty hen brook trout (photo courtesy of Matt Hanlon) Sunrise over Ledge Lake (photo courtesy of Sean Flanigan) I’m a bit light on photos this week so I’ll share a few gratuitously pics of my own two fellow muskie nut friends from Pennsylvania (Mark Graziano and Mark Jr) met up with me at West Branch Reservoir in search of an extra elusive muskie through the ice As a team we set up and maintained several tips-ups and eventually a flag went up and after a real tug of war Mark Jr brought this best through the hole That one ate a live white sucker about 6” long As the icing on the cake I caught a personal best - a 17” black crappie (which hit a large fathead minnow near the bottom in 19 feet of water) This was less than 2 weeks ago but that ice already feels so far away The parkway bridge by the Rocky River Nature Center will be shut down for rehabilitation starting on March 3 through August 2025 #25-001 Jeff Liskay, Great Lakes Flyfishing LLC, [email protected] (440) 781-7536 #25-002 Gareth Thomas, Alley Grabs Guide Service, [email protected] (216) 235-5056 #25-003 Jim Lingenfelter, Wild Ohio Outdoors Guide Service, [email protected] #25-005 Nicholas DelVecchio, Wildwood Outfitters, [email protected] (724) 433-2315 #25-006 Lucas Smith, What That Vise Do LLC, [email protected] (724) 841-1564 2025Dylan HefflingerPrep Baseball Ohio Editor in Chief/Advanced Scout Follow on Twitter- @PrepBaseballOHFollow on Twitter- @PrepBaseOHScoutFollow on Instagram- @prepbaseballohio Prep Baseball Ohio is eagerly anticipating bringing the Buckeye state the best high school coverage that can be found anywhere in 2025 we began releasing team previews for squads across the state we will have Preseason All-State Teams as well as the Preseason State Rankings coming your way To view the full list of 2025 Team Previews that we have already completed, please click here If you are a coach and haven't filled out your 2025 Team Preview, click here Interested in attending a Prep Baseball Ohio event? Check out our schedule by clicking here Team Name: Rocky River PiratesHead Coach: Ed PiazzaDivision: III2024 Record: 23-62024 Tourney Finish: District Finals loss to PaduaReturning Starters/Pitchers: 7/6 Coach Outlook: "Experience (10 Seniors) and with a deep pitching staff that set numerous school records last year should lead us to another succefful season and hopefully deep run in the playoffs." To view the 2024 Team Previews, click here To view the 2024 Ohio Spring HS Report, click here To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup To View the 2024 PBR All-State Teams, click here To view the 2024 Preseason All-State Teams, click here To view the 2024 Ohio Spring Scout Blog, click here To view the 2023 Team Previews, click here To view the 2023 Ohio Spring HS Report, click here To View the 2023 PBR All-State Teams click below: To view the 2023 Preseason All-State Teams To view the 2023 Ohio Spring Scout Blog, click here To view the 2022 Team Previews, click here To view the 2022 Ohio Spring HS Report, click here To View the 2022 PBR All-State Teams click below: To view the 2022 Preseason All-State Teams To view the 2022 Ohio Spring Scout Blog, click here To view the 2021 Team Previews, click here To view the 2021 Ohio Spring HS Report, click here To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup To View the 2021 PBR All-State Teams click below: To view the 2021 Preseason All-State Teams To view the 2021 Ohio Spring Scout Blog To view each of the parts to the No 'Last Dance' Series To view the 2020 Team Previews, click here To view the 2020 Preseason All-State Teams, click here To view the 2020 Virtual Ohio High School State Tournament/Preseason Team Rankings, click here To view the Ohio High School All-Decade Team 2010-2019, click here To view the 2019 Team Previews, click here To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup To view the 2019 All-State Teams To view the 2019 Preseason All-State Teams To view the 2018 Team Previews, click here To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup To view the 2018 All-State Teams To view the 2018 Preseason All-State Teams To view the 2017 Team Previews, click here To view the 2017 Preseason All-State Teams           A grand jury indicted a former Rocky River police officer for allegedly using two state law enforcement databases to get information about women and high school students worked as a school resource officer and was accused of searching the databases more than 70 times over 10 years Investigators said the searches included Rocky River high school students and their family members other law enforcement officers and colleagues Chief George Lichman told the community that Burnhardt's behavior was not acceptable "None of us [at the department] find this behavior acceptable We all are out of sorts about it," Lichman said Burnhardt resigned from the police department before the investigation was finished and can never become a police officer again Lichamn said if anyone feels they may have been a victim, they should contact BCI. ROCKY RIVER — Lexington's junior quarterback Joe Caudill walked off the field after his Minutemen upset Maumee last week proud of his team On Friday night after they pulled off yet another upset by beating No 4 seed Rocky River in the Division III Region 10 quarterfinals 49-29 Caudill's pride in his team and himself was a beaming light Caudill accounted for all seven of the Minutemen's touchdowns as he completed 14-of-19 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns while running for 189 yards and five TDs on just 16 carries to put up 380 yards of total offense by himself It was a drastic change from last week's performance where he threw for 44 yards and ran for 22 with a TD he had the best game of his career and helped the Minutemen see Week 13 "I was just focused on doing my job," Caudill said I didn't execute the way I wanted to and I knew I had so much more in me We came out and executed very well in the second half and showed what we could do We just locked in after not playing our best in the first half We knew we could do so much better and when we locked into doing our jobs Lexington took the opening kickoff and marched down the field when Caudill scored from 4-yards out to make it 7-0 which stood through the first quarter Caudill then went up for an interception on defense and came down awkwardly on his lower back and had to be helped off the field but never missed a snap as he carried the entire line of scrimmage on his tender back for a 7-yard TD for his second score of the night Rocky River scored a touchdown and added two field goals to send the teams into halftime tied at 13 Lexington helped the Pirates' cause multiple times with defensive penalties that kept drives going and offensive penalties that killed their own drives "Halftime was not much of a panic," Lexington coach Andrew Saris said "We made a few adjustments defensively with our coverage but what we have found in the last two weeks is we have to be able to run the ball successfully to win in the playoffs." They piled up 317 yards rushing on 41 carries finishing with 508 yards of total offense Junior running back Markale Martin ran for 63 yards on 14 carries while senior Camden Boozer added 57 yards on eight touches After Rocky River came out and popped the Minutemen in the mouth to start the second half building a 26-13 lead early in the third Lexington outscores the Pirates 36-3 the rest of the way Caudill gave his team the lead for good on an 80-yard run with 4:34 left in the third making it 27-26 Lex never looked back after Caudill scored on a one-yard run and connected with Seven Allen on a 15-yard passing score and Brayden Fogle on a 26-yarder Allen finished with eight catches for 115 yards while Fogle added two catches for 24 yards Caudill ignited the offense into the regional semifinals What makes me very proud about him and the whole team is I never saw a doubt in their eyes We were down 13 at one point and could have easily quit Joe Caudill is a special part of our football team and everyone believes in him He does a great job of building up his teammates." 1 seed and defending Division III state champion Toledo Central Catholic on Friday night at a site yet to be determined in the regional semifinals It also gave the Minutemen their second playoff win this season marking the first time since 2016 Lexington has won two postseason games in the same season "It is great for our program and great for the entire community," Saris said "When you look up in the stands and see just how many people made the trip to watch these boys work their butts off after a great week of practice is fun to see Caudill saw the two victories as a huge boost for his team as well as future teams "It helps the program so much," Caudill said "The younger kids will see this and hopefully it will make them want to play football just like we do We are having fun playing the best sport in the world right now." And that is also something to be very proud of Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInFAIRVIEW Fairview Police responded to a property dispute allegedly involving a gun its officers were dispatched to a home near Glenbar Drive and Center Ridge Road around 11:05 a.m they searched the house and detained three people on unrelated warrants The original call is still under investigation Rocky River Police said they were called off the scene at around 12:55 p.m 19 News is working to learn more about this incident A Rocky River police officer has sued the city's police chief a 22-year police veteran and union official accused Chief George Lichman of retaliating against him after King was among the group of officers who led a no-confidence vote against Lichman last year King filed the lawsuit earlier this month in federal court in Cleveland Lichman said in a statement that King has been the subject of an investigation by an outside agency over “workplace conduct” dating to February Lichman did not say who was investigating King and attempts to reach him about it were unsuccessful He said in the statement that the city wouldn’t comment on pending litigation The lawsuit said Lichman drummed up false accusations against King retaliation and violating other police standards of conduct when the union criticized Lichman over a host of issues including Lichman’s participation in a Black Lives Matter event and low morale among officers Lichman issued a 19-page letter defending himself and denying any wrongdoing He said that he believed the issues were brought up to distract officials from officers’ performance reviews and to influence the city’s position during contract negotiations with the union Mayor Pam Bobst learned of the no-confidence vote and launched two investigations – a criminal probe handled by the Cuyahoga County prosecutor that cleared Lichman and an examination by an outside law firm hired by the city that also found no wrongdoing King’s lawsuit said that he and the union continued reporting wrongdoing by police officials to the mayor’s office until he was placed on leave The lawsuit said Lichman did so to “further deter [King] from continuing to engage in constitutionally-protected free speech.” Adam Ferrise covers federal courts at cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. 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All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices (Note: The flow gage on the Rockyt River is temporarily down due to an upcoming bridge project and Cleveland Metroparks and USGS are in communication seeking a workable interim solution) are offering ice fishing opportunities for a variety of species including yellow perch Be aware that treacherous ice slabs are piled up high along the river banks in areas especially near the Rocky River boat ramps Although the water is likely too cold to bring in a big push of fresh steelhead I would still expect a modest number of fresh fish mixed in with those that have been overwintering in the stream Ice fishers are pursuing the stocked trout and panfish on our inland lakes and ponds  These complement the 3,500 pounds of mixed trout we stocked in the same lakes back in December The bulk of these fish were rainbow trout averaging a pound each although there were plenty of bonus brook and even tiger (brook x brown hybrid) trout in the mix Anglers should fish small baits and jigs under small ice floats and to expect light hits and set the hook quickly Another good option is small to medium size (1.5-3”) jigging spoons which can be worked at various depths of the water column until active fish are encountered Although jigging spoons do not require bait they can still be tipped with a few maggots A dime size ball of PowerBait on a bare hook or molded on a small jighead can also produce For steelhead in winter the daily limit is 2 with minimum size of 12” whether fishing the rivers Ice fishing on the Cleveland harbors has been offering a variety of species including yellow perch Many species will hit a small tungsten jig tipped with a waxworm or small minnow and gently jigged or dead-sticked right on or near the lake bottom Ben from Shine’s Bait and Tackle was doing great on bluegill with some yellow perch on Sunday but he was using a small underwater camera to see when the fish would mouth the bait so he could set the hook Most bites could not even be detected otherwise and the fish would spit out the offering almost immediately after tasting it Steelhead and northern pike have been hitting medium size jigging spoons that can be worked more aggressively from mid to lower in the water column Ice in these areas has more variability than inland lakes so be extra cautious especially as you get towards the harbor entrances and Edgewater Park boat ramps are some of the areas traditionally targeted.  For ice fishing most state conservation agencies recommend at least 4" of solid ice before anglers should venture out and in Cleveland Metroparks it is the angler's responsibility to check that One method is to use a spud bar near shore and check the ice thickness good quality ice then walk out a little further and check again Ice is often thinnest right at the water's edge and around inlets and outlets of the waterbody A pair of emergency ice picks held at the ready on a cord around the neck are a safety must Other safety tips are to always fish with a friend and focus on areas near where other anglers have already been fishing recently Cleveland Metroparks and USGS are in communication to seek a workable interim solution Stay tuned to this report for updates in that Tags will also be available for in person purchase once our marina shops open again for the boating season in spring If you have a photo that you would like to contribute to the fishing report, or if you have any further questions regarding fishing in the Cleveland Metroparks, you may contact Aquatic Biologist Mike Durkalec at (440) 331-8017 or [email protected] Alex shared “I went out on Wallace Lake for my second time ever Ice fishing and caught my first fish of 2025 He hit an ice jig with a crappie tube and waxworms I would love to be on the fishing report!” (photo courtesy of Alex Mangels) Dale shows off a real bruiser golden rainbow trout at Shadow Lake Sunday was quite a party on the ice at the E72nd public boat ramps off Cleveland Harbor with folks catching a mix of yellow perch and one fellow even caught a nice northern pike Among his catch he hooked two steelhead on jigging spoons at E72nd boat ramps (landing one) then at Wallace and Ledge lakes he caught a 25” rainbow trout (that broke the lines of 2 other anglers based on the hooks in its mouth) and even landed a tiger trout yesterday (photos courtesy of Brian Kich) Mike has scored some silver on the Rocky River this week After striking out using jigs on Monday he quickly caught 2 in a half hour on shallow diving crankbaits (photos courtesy of Mike Simon) Mark your calendars - the 10th annual Barbie Rod Steelhead Derby fundraiser is coming up on Saturday March 29! More info and online registration <here>. If you are interested in sponsoring the event please get in touch with me #25-001 Jeff Liskay, Great Lakes Flyfishing LLC, [email protected] (440) 781-7536 #25-002 Gareth Thomas, Alley Grabs Guide Service, [email protected] (216) 235-5056 #25-003 Jim Lingenfelter, Wild Ohio Outdoors Guide Service, [email protected] #25-005 Nicholas DelVecchio, Wildwood Outfitters, [email protected] (724) 433-2315 #25-006 Lucas Smith, What That Vise Do LLC, [email protected] (724) 841-1564 family-owned liquor store caught three shoplifting suspects on camera Thursday afternoon The three suspects attempted to steal several bottles of liquor amounting to about $1,200 worth of alcohol according to the owner and security camera video also the owner’s daughter at Minotti’s Wine and Spirits called to report the thefts at around 1:35 p.m The caller described the suspects to police as two Black men and one Black woman The employee told police that the three entered the store took the liquor and left in a silver or grey SUV The car had heavily tinted windows and a ski rack on top The employee reported last seeing the car heading south on Hampton Road and possibly turning east toward Wooster Road Rocky River Police said this incident is still under investigation FootGolf is a combination of the popular sports soccer and golf The game is played with a regulation #5 soccer ball at a golf course facility on shortened holes with 21-inch diameter cups The rules largely correspond to the rules of golf FootGolf as a game is played throughout the world in many different forms but as a sport it is regulated by the Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG) (From American FootGolf League) Mastick Woods Golf Course Shawnee Hills Golf Course A: Mastick Woods Golf Course offers 18 FootGolf holes certified by the American FootGolf League Shawnee Hills offers visitors a 9-hole course Q: Can people play FootGolf while people are golfing FootGolf requires larger holes that are separately located from the regular golf holes A: Indoor soccer shoes or turf shoes are recommended for FootGolf but it is only required for official AFGL tournaments and events A: A regulation #5 soccer ball is required for FootGolf but may also rent one from the golf course Q: Where can I find the official rules of FootGolf A: FootGolf is governed by the American FootGolf League (AFGL) and the Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG). Official rules can be found here: http://www.fifg.org/footgolf-rules.html A: Call the golf course and book a tee time over the phone      Mastick Woods: 216-267-5626      Shawnee Hills: 440-232-7184 A: Check out the American FootGolf League’s website, www.footgolf.net or the Federation for International FootGolf’s website, www.fifg.org for more information ROCKY RIVER, Ohio — An Oscar-nominated actor recently spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about his adult son with a rare syndrome It was the first time Colin Farrell had spoken publicly about his son It inspired a Rocky River family to share their story in hopes of continuing to build on the awareness and support they say is important to creating a more accessible and inclusive world for children like their daughter and many more “I do feel like she’s like an angel on earth,” said Beth Synk “She’s so happy and everywhere she goes I feel like she brings so much joy.” “You can’t meet Immy and not fall in love with her,” Beth said you realize your child will move mountains but you can’t be sad when you’re around Immy,” she said while Immy grinned “If I’m in a different room being sad about something I feel like she has really broken our world open in very difficult ways but also the most amazing ways and I’m certain she’s going to leave the world a better place than she found it.” neurogenetic disorder that affects about one in 15,000 people and causes developmental delays “Almost every day she has a therapy,” said Beth She uses a little purple walker that’s as bright as her smile “You can tell she loves the independence,” said Beth gaining strength and confidence with every step Her parents say she’s so close to walking independently “She is capable of more than any of us can know and we just have to keep supporting her in that journey.” Supporting families around the world and here in Northeast Ohio is the nonprofit patient advocacy program called FAST “We have a goal to cure Angelman Syndrome,” said Laura Foglyano with the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics Foglyano says FAST has raised more than $50 million for research since its formation in 2008 a cure looks different for every family; be it gaining communication skills “I think it’s really exciting that for a rare disease there is a lot of hope,” said Foglyana “We have 20 therapeutics in the drug development pipeline Two of those have finished with their phase one and two trials and we can’t wait for the day when there’s an FDA-approved treatment for all of our families.”   She says individuals living with Angelman Syndrome have a normal life expectancy Foglyano says the drugs that are in development for Angelman are showing encouraging results in clinical trials is critical because she says even just to get to a clinical trial and they raise most of their money through community fundraising and philanthropy Actor Colin Farrell recently made headlines when he spoke of his son James, who has Angelman Syndrome and of the foundation he started to support families with adult children with intellectual disabilities “I want for Imogen all the same things that any mom would want for their child,” said Beth The things that I’m not sure that she will have and that I very much hope are just choice It is why organizations like FAST and families like the Synks will keep fighting —because Immy isn’t giving up they asked her what she was thankful for and she hit family So much fun to be had with her best big sister and mom and dad… and truly anyone who meets Immy Immy is just like the most amazing little girl if you’re looking for a great cause to support there’s just so many out there but we also have a lot of joy in the present.” Diane Phelps of the Fidget Quilt Ministry at LifeSpring Community Church emailed me and said she would like to send Immy a quilt RELATED: 'Our world needs more love': The tiny women’s ministry has a big impact A Rocky River man was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for sexually abusing one toddler and recording an explicit video of another at an in-home Parma Heights day care.Getty Images .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Lucas Daprile, cleveland.comCLEVELAND Ohio – A Rocky River man who admitted to sexually abusing a toddler and possessing child pornography was sentenced Thursday to 35 years behind bars District Judge Bridget Brennan handed down the sentence and ordered Walker pay $75,000 in restitution Brennan called Walker’s crimes “horrifying” and said he is “an extreme danger to the community.” “If the FBI had not acted as quickly as they did I have no doubt there would be more victims,” Brennan said Cuyahoga County prosecutors had charged Walker with rape and gross sexual imposition but dropped the charges in lieu of the federal case Walker during the hearing apologized to the families of the victims who were in court for the sentencing but did not speak publicly asked Brennan to consider his client’s relatively young age and the prospect that he could be reformed in prison a friend of the daycare operator’s adult son admitted to sexually abusing the 2-year-old girl who was sleeping over at the daycare center on one of the many nights he spent there He recorded the abuse and posted it online where an unnamed foreign government spotted it and reported it to U.S they found the video depicting the abuse on his phone along with 1,160 images and 230 videos of child pornography “Most of [the children in the videos] were subject to the same types of rape abuse and torture that victims...suffered at the hands of Mr Attorney Jennifer King said while arguing for a 40-year prison sentence King said investigators found evidence that Walker was trying to find a fourth victim at the time of his arrest “The variety of ways in which he was trying to abuse and take advantage of young children had no limit,” King said The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) temporarily closed the SC 28 bridge over the Rocky River on December 4 for necessary repairs The closure is expected to last until the end of December The anticipated schedule for SC 28 bridge repairs sets the construction start for winter 2024 and lasts three months A detour route will facilitate traffic flow during the placement of saddle bends work will be conducted using single-lane closure with flagging operations to minimize disruption Drivers are advised to follow detour routes until repairs are completed Below is a map of the closure and detour to assist drivers in navigating the area This will guide motorists around the construction site SC 28 will only be open to local traffic for the closure ensuring residents can access their homes and businesses Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at trose@gannett.com Ohio — If you go to any public property in Rocky River you may want to leave your cigarettes and your vapes behind Public streets are not included in the ban and I think people should be able to enjoy the outdoors without having to breathe in cigarette smoke," Bruce Anderson The city instituted a similar ban in 2011 for all city-owned properties The ban also includes products that contain marijuana the city says it's a minor misdemeanor and could cost you about $150 Rocky River Resident Mary Jane Kubich is all for the ban "I don't like being surrounded by people that are smoking and kind of polluting my air," said Kubich Rocky River joins a growing list of cities and communities regarding the ban or limited use of smoke and vape products on city-owned properties "What this is about is [about] helping people quit smoking director of public health for the City of Cleveland Margolius told News 5 that Local officials are fighting back against the companies especially those vaping companies targeting a younger audience to market their products "It's just one part of showing people that it's not.. We want to support people on their journey to quit," he said Margolius says the city has a brief free program to help people to stop smoking You can also call the statewide hotline 1-800-QUIT-NOW.