Community Blend

Abandoned Pups Need Our Help

These aren’t the most fun stories to write, but they deserve more attention.

Bebe and Cinder are two young dogs recently brought into the Cleveland Animal Protective League and their recoveries depend entirely on community support.

Bebe, just two years old, was found abandoned and tied to a fence. Cinder, only one, was discovered outdoors in freezing temperatures without food, water, or shelter. Both arrived injured and in visible pain.

Why it matters

Veterinary specialists later confirmed each dog has a torn cruciate ligament and requires tibial plateau-leveling osteotomy (TPLO) surgery — a procedure considered the best standard of care for restoring mobility and relieving chronic pain.

Each surgery is estimated to cost $6,500, and the APL’s Second Chance Program, which funds lifesaving medical treatment for neglected animals, relies entirely on public donations. Without these procedures, both dogs face long-term pain and limited movement.

If you feel compelled to help give these pups a chance at a pain-free, happy life, any donation goes a long way.

Donation Information (select the “Second Chance Fund designation”)

Mark Your Calendars

Dino Nugs + Dunkaroos?

Where? Rood Food, Lakewood

When? Feb 24 & 25 (5 – 9 PM)

What?

Rood in Lakewood is throwing it back to the ‘90s with Kid Cuisine: A 90s Nostalgia-Style Supper, a two-night pop-up. The event is a collab with Dallas chef Joshua Harmon (Homesick) and Tremont’s Writer’s Room cocktail club—and the menu is full-on throwback.

Expect elevated childhood favorites like:

• TV Dinner–style Salisbury Steak

• “Lazy” Spaghetti-Os

• River Prawn Dino Nuggies

• Little Debbie–inspired StarCrunch and Dunkaroo-style desserts

Drinks include the Midwest Cooler (a vodka Capri Sun crusher) and Big Wheels + Bunny Milk (hello, strawberry Nesquik).

📍 Reservations
👾 Dress code: optional Starter jacket.

Fairview Park Women’s Club Toast to America

Where? Gemini Center, Fairview Park

When? Feb 21 (7 — 10 PM)

What?

The Fairview Park Women’s Club is hosting its annual “A Toast to America: From Sea to Shining Sea” wine tasting and silent auction.

🎟️ $50 tickets include 12 wine tastings, appetizers, and desserts, with pours from Breitenbach Wine Cellars, Das Weinhaus, Firelands Winery, and Melted Wings Winery. This patriotic-themed event is the group’s biggest fundraiser of the year, supporting local scholarships and community programs.

Tickets must be purchased in advance by Feb. 14.

♥️ Learn Lifesaving CPR Avon

Where? Above Wild Iris Home, Avon

When? Feb 21 (10 AM — Noon)

What?

In honor of Heart Health Awareness Month, Wild Iris Home and Sage are teaming up with Val Woods to host two free CPR classes on Wednesday, February 21—and you’re invited to join Team Cardiac.

Class 1 is designed for parents and caregivers of newborns—offering calm, clear instruction in what to do when every second counts.

Class 2 is built just for kids ages 5–16—a hands-on intro to CPR that’s easy to understand and empowers them to act if needed.

🎁 Bonus: All attendees get 10% off at @wild_iris_home + SAGE that morning.

👉 Register

🥫 SPAMARAMA Takes the Stage — Feb. 28 at Imposters Theater

Where? Imposters Theatre, Ohio City

When? Feb 28 (7 — 11 PM)

What?

If you like your comedy weird, unpredictable, and uncontained, don’t miss SPAMARAMA, the opening act for What Are We Doing? The Improv Game Show.

This “unsolicited, shelf-stable, interactive comedy game show,” SPAMARAMA sets the tone with absurdity, audience interaction, and off-the-rails energy. It’s a variety show where anything can happen—and usually does—making it the perfect warm-up for a night of improv chaos.

What is Imposters?

Imposters Theater, located at 4828 Lorain Ave, has become a Westside hub for comedy and community under the leadership of Michael Busch, offering everything from live shows to improv classes. Whether you're a regular or a first-timer, SPAMARAMA guarantees you won’t forget your night.

🎟️ More information

Space & Weather

Massive Ice Crack Seen From Space

This winter has been so brutal I have found myself becoming strangely obsessed with Lake Erie icing over. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any more riveting, a Shamalayn twist—erm more like a giant crack takes place.

The 80 mile crack in the ice was caused by strong winds that pushed the ice toward Ohio combined with changing temperatures led to expansion and contraction of the ice plates.

Apologies for turning this newsletter into my personal means of exploring Ohio’s weather anomalies.

🌳 Metroparks & Nature

Cleveland Metroparks Hiring 1,000 Seasonal Workers

Guardians pitchers and catchers are reporting soon, but your winter coat just signed an extension — summer jobs, though, are opening up.

🌱 Metroparks Hiring for Spring & Summer

The Cleveland Metroparks are gearing up for busy season and looking to fill roles across:

• Parks & maintenance crews

• Golf courses

• Marinas

• Retail shops

• Food service spots

Whether you want sunshine, fresh air, or just a job where “office view” includes trees instead of spreadsheets — this is your lane.

📍 Seasonal Job Fair Details

When: Saturday, March 7, 2026
Time: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: Stillwater Place

Perfect for students, teachers on break, retirees, or anyone who’d prefer dirty hands to paper cuts.

Westside Pour Over

❤️ Gift Ideas - If you’re usually scrambling for last minute Valentine’s Day gifts, this list of local gift ideas by Jill Sell will help keep your significant other happy, while supporting local.

🏗️ West Park - Kamm’s Corners and West Park are seeing a welcome surge of development, led by Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital’s $150 million North Campus expansion alongside new townhomes, mixed-use medical/retail projects, and a proposed $75 million industrial site. (NEOTransBlog)

🍕 Lorain Ave - Cent’s Pizza is hosting a Portugeuse pop-up next Wednesday by Adega. Menu Here

Adopt

Wags to Riches Casino Night

Join the Friendship APL for a fun-filled evening at Wags to Riches Casino Night, happening Saturday, March 14 at 6:30 PM at Tom’s Country Place in Avon. Your ticket includes dinner, cocktails, live music, and access to casino games and a Pick-A-Prize raffle — all supporting the shelter’s Medical Relief Fund, which helps cover spay/neuter and emergency care costs.

Tickets go fast, and proceeds help animals get the treatment they need and deserve.
🎟️ Tickets and information

🍽️ Business & Restaurant News

Zest Pastry & Coffee Coming Soon Strongsville

Plans have officially been approved for Zest Pastry & Coffee to open at the corner of West 130th Street and Albion Road, and if the name is any indication, this one’s bringing serious flavor with it.

Co‑founder Julia Estephan shared that the team is hard at work behind the scenes aiming for a Spring 2026 opening. While an exact grand‑opening date hasn’t been announced yet, the vision is clear: fresh‑baked pastries, specialty coffee, and a cozy neighborhood spot that feels like a treat whether you’re grabbing a quick latte or settling in for a slow Saturday morning.

Between new bakeries, cafés, and local eateries popping up across the west side, Strongsville’s food scene just keeps getting sweeter. Consider this your official heads‑up to start planning future coffee runs.

Buzzstrip