Good morning, westsiders. We want to thank you for being a part of our journey and hope you have a great holiday week!

Today we are buzzing on:

• 🧨 A big boom in Avon Lake

• 🏠 A wild real estate story

• 🎴 American Greetings welcomes a new owner

Have a happy and healthy holiday season.

—The Briggses

The Blend

💣 Avon Lake Power Plant Scenes from the demolition

The controlled implosion of the Avon Lake Power Plant was a successful step toward the redevelopment of the coveted lakefront land. Friends of The Buzz that live in cities like Rocky River and Lakewood heard and felt the explosion.

Did you see the explosion? We want to hear from you!

💰 Mackenzie Scott donates $2.5 million to Cleveland Non-profit

Mackenzie Scott is staying true to her word that she would donate much of her fortune. Since 2019, she has donated over $19 billion to 2,500 mission-aligned ventures that create economic opportunity.

This past week, it was announced New Bridge Cleveland was awarded $2.5 million to continue to develop vocational-based education in Cleveland.

It is great to see a Cleveland non-profit making a direct impact in the community!

🏡 Wild Week For Beloved Ball Player

Let’s get you up to speed. The Cleveland Guardians were busy last week. Coming off an improbable run to the ALCS, they shocked many by trading Josh Naylor to the Diamondbacks.

In Tampa, Florida, a familiar face to Clevelanders was finally deciding to sell his house. Carlos Santana and his wife Brittany still owned the Bratenahl house they bought when he was drafted.

On Monday, they put the house on the market. An eager buyer emerged and they signed the papers to sell on Thursday. Just one day later, Carlos and the Guardians agreed on a 1-year deal to come back home!

Talk about a wild week.

Arts and Culture

🎨 Picasso and Paper

I have about a 30-minute commute every day that takes me through I-90, to I-77, and I-480 and back. When I see a billboard that isn’t Tim Misny, it grabs my attention.

The Picasso and Paper exhibition has occupied a few of those billboards recently and I think we’re going to make the trek over to the Cleveland Museum of Art to check it out.

Co-organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art, Royal Academy of Arts, and Musée National Picasso-Paris, the exhibit delves into Picasso’s lifelong fascination with paper as an artistic medium.

Featuring nearly 300 works such as:

• Collages

• Sculptures

• Drawings and sketches

• Prints and more

They are chronologically arranged with related paintings and sculptures, it highlights how paper played a pivotal role in Picasso's creative process. A richly illustrated catalog accompanies the exhibit, offering insights from leading Picasso scholars.

The Watercooler

🎉 American Greetings just got a power boost!

Elliott and CD&R are teaming up with the iconic brand, known for making life’s moments special across the U.S., Canada, UK, and beyond. With Elliott’s track record (think Barnes & Noble's revival) and American Greetings’ innovation, this partnership has the potential to take the Westlake-based outfit to the next level.

🍻 Strongsville Brewpub acquires Terrestrial Brewing

Strongsville-based brewpub, The Brew Kettle, purchased Terrestrial Brewing on the cheap out of bankruptcy. They were the only bidder for the Battery Park, single-location brewer. This is great news for dog lovers in Battery Park as they have a great brunch menu with doggy-friendly items.

Community Brew

🎄 Avon Lake Holiday Light contest voting

Load up the kids and hop in the station wagon but we’re not going to Wally World. The Avon Lake Parks Department organized a self-guided light show that showcases the best light displays the city has to offer!

Here is a link to the map 👉 2024 Holiday Light Tour

Vote for your favorite house here 👉 Deck the House Voting Form

Voting ends December 31st!

🏆 Josiah Saunders: The Comeback Kid

Avon High’s Josiah Saunders, after a catastrophic knee injury that sidelined him in 2023, defied the odds to return to varsity football within a year. His grit, self-motivation, and relentless rehab earned him the Jim Donovan Courage Award, a testament to his resilience and the power of community, faith, and perseverance.

Josiah will be celebrated at the 25th Greater Cleveland Sports Awards on Feb. 6, 2025, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, with proceeds supporting the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. The award is named after the Brown’s legendary announcer Jim Donovan. Jim’s legacy of courage adds even more weight to Josiah’s remarkable journey.

Congrats Josiah! 💪

The Buzzers React

A few newsletters ago we asked you, the faithful Westside Buzz readers, where would you prefer the new Browns stadium be located. The results of the poll were an even 3-way split between remaining where it is, moving it to Burke Lakefront, and a new complex in Brook Park.

Here are some quotes from your fellow Buzzers:

Trivia

🚂 How Well Do You Know Cleveland?

Most Sipped Links Last Week

The upcoming Superman movie (filmed in The Land) trailer features several Cleveland landmarks. How many can you spot? - 👉 Check out the trailer

Irish travel host features Cleveland in his new YouTube show - 👉 Watch the episode here

Weather

Tuesday, Christmas Eve

38 🌡️ 32 | 🌧 | 20% | 💨 W 7 mph | 🌊 2 feet or less (5 - 10 knots)

Wednesday, Christmas

39 🌡️ 32 | ☁ | 10% | 💨 S 3-5 mph | 🌊 1 foot or less (10 knots)

Thursday

41 🌡️ 32 | ⛅ | 10% | 💨 S 3-5 mph | 🌊 2 feet or less (5-10 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 38ºF

Temperature readings are Friday forecasts for Lake Erie off Cleveland

Thank you for reading The Westside Buzz!

Best,

—The Briggses