Community Blend

Marijuana Taxes Paid Out 📍 Lakewood

Finding a surprise $700K in your city budget is a lot like discovering a forgotten gift card—except this one came from cannabis taxes. Lakewood just cashed in.

Ohio has started sending marijuana tax revenue to cities that host dispensaries, turning recreational weed sales into real city dollars. Lakewood, home to two dispensaries, received its first payment this month.

State Issue 2 created a 10% tax on recreational cannabis sales, with 36% of revenue flowing back to host communities. After months of uncertainty about timing, the checks finally arrived—and Lakewood’s was sizable.

The numbers that matter:

• $36 million: Ohio’s first statewide payout to host cities.

• $743,400: Lakewood’s initial disbursement from 2024–25 sales.

• ~$500,000/year: Expected ongoing revenue if dispensaries stay profitable.

• Two dispensaries: Lakewood has two RISE locations (Detroit and Madison).

Because the payout timing was uncertain, the funds weren’t included in the 2026 budget. City Council is now forming a dedicated Host Community Cannabis Fund, with early talks focused on public safety projects, ADA accessibility upgrades, and facility improvements—including potential City Hall renovation or relocation planning.

The Takeaway: Marijuana taxes are quickly moving from political talking point to dependable city revenue line (at what cost?)

Pizza Bake-Off 📍 Bay Village

Best pizza: Bay High School’s Key Club raised over $5,800 for the Thirst Project during the recent Pizza Bake Off. Kudos to Pizza by Robert, Danny Boys Pizza, Gina’s Pizza (Bay Village), Dirte Pi, and Pizza Hut for donating their time and pizza to help make the night such a success.

Congratulations to the Pizza Bake Off winners:

• Pizza by Robert – Best Sauce & Best Overall

• Danny Boys – Best Pepperoni

• Gina’s Pizza – Best Cheese

• Dirte Pi – Best Specialty

• Pizza Hut – Best Crust

Short Takes

The full column lives on our blog but here are the highlights worth your morning coffee.

Avon

Storage addition: Pickering Hill Farms, 35715 Detroit Road, is requesting approval from the city’s Planning Commission (meeting is Feb. 18) for construction of a 5,816-sq.-ft. storage building behind 808 Shaved Ice.

Resale event: Come shop at the Avon Early Childhood PTA Spring Kids Kloset resale event from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. March 28. The sale features gently used maternity, infant and children clothing, winter gear, toys, games, furniture, strollers, swings and more.

Fast friends: Socialize with other twenty- and thirty- somethings with speed friending, a series of short conversations designed to help participants meet new friends, from noon to 2 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Avon Library, 37485 Harvest Drive.

After chatting there will be time for coffee and casual activities. Registration is available online.

Avon Lake

Goonie's gone: After only one year in business, The owners of Goonie’s Dog Shop, 33473 Lake Road, have decided to permanently close the restaurant. It had been slated to re-open in the spring after a winter hiatus. There just wasn’t enough business last year to keep the location viable.

Edacious Kitchen + Bar owners had renovated the former John’s Bait and Tackle Shop space in early 2024. Goonie’s menu consisted of hot dogs, fries and milkshakes, as well as offering lobster rolls seasonally.

The owners have already moved on from Goonie’s and are renovating the former Isla’s Ice Cream shop, 140 Lear Road, to become a sandwich shop that will also serve Isla’s handmade ice cream, as well as offer wine/beer, and boozy milkshakes.

It will be called William Fine Sandwich Shop & Cold Creamery. Andrew and Lisa Gorski from Edacious will be operating it. David Maison and Tara Mercio are handling design and build-out. Mykala Hyland from Isla’s will be making the ice cream.

An official opening date was not provided, but it will likely be later in March or early April.

Good neighbors: Last year the Good Neighbor Thrift Shop, 156 Lear Road, was able to give $460,588 back to the community, and helped provide $15,000 of in-kind giving.

Community support of the Good Neighbor Thrift Shop’s mission through donating, shopping, and volunteering allows the Thrift Shop to help those in need in the community. The shop has been serving the community since 1979.

See who received 2025 grants.

Bay Village

Art honors: Bay High School recently announced that 18 students received 34 awards in the 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition. Of these recognitions, nine were Gold Key awards, 11 were Silver Key awards and 14 were Honorable Mentions. The Gold Key award is the highest honor of distinction in this competition, and these works move on to the National level of the competition.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens. You can find out more here.

Senior artist Sophia DiCicco was also recognized by the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) for her sculpture titled "For My Daughter's Wedding.” This piece has been selected by the esteemed jury to be on display for the K-12 National Ceramic Exhibition during next month’s NCECA conference in Detroit. Only 100 entries were chosen from 1,000 submissions. This recognition is not affiliated with Scholastic.

North Ridgeville

Scholarship honors: North Ridgeville High School senior Gale Nelson has been named a National Honor Society (NHS) Semifinalist and awarded a $3,200 NHS Scholarship for her leadership, service, and character.

A talented musician and leader, Nelson is involved in choir, orchestra, theater, Student Council, and NHS. She plans to attend Bowling Green State University to major in Music Education and pursue her dream of becoming a choir director.

Fish fry: The VFW Post 9871, 6805 Lear Nagle, Fish Fry starts Ash Wednesday (Feb. 18) and continues every Friday during Lent from 4 to 7 p.m.

The menu includes perch, shrimp and pierogies. Follow the VFW on Facebook for more details.

As an added touch, the food is free for on-duty North Ridgeville first responders.

Rocky River

Principal update: The search for the next principal of Rocky River High School is in full swing as the job has officially been posted. A complete job description, including salary range, is posted on the district’s website. District officials hope to announce the new principal by the end of March.

Westlake

Company expands portfolio: Shamrock Companies, an integrated marketing, technology, and project management solutions company, recently announced the acquisition of ProServ Business Products LLC, a Tulsa, Oklahoma-based provider of print, branded promotional products, and fulfillment services.

⚾Cleveland History

Cleveland Naps Acquire Legendary Pitcher Cy Young

Today(ish) in Cleveland baseball history, the Cleveland Naps baseball club acquired legendary pitcher Cy Young from the Boston Red Sox in 1909.

Pictured above looking more like a Kirkland Signature Jim Thome impersonator than one of the best pitchers of all time, Cy Young was born in Gilmore, Ohio and spent the first nine years of his career with the Cleveland Spiders.

The trade brought the future Hall of Famer back to Cleveland in exchange for pitchers Charlie Chech and Jack Ryan, plus a sum of $12,500. This historic transaction allowed Cy Young to finish his career and earn his 500th carer win in Cleveland. (Your move next, LeBron!)

Mark Your Calendars

Country festival: The Country Rising Festival, headlined by BigXthaPlug, is a one-day outdoor music experience dedicated to spotlighting the artists redefining country music set to place July 24 at ForeFront Field (home of the Lake Erie Crushers).

Also performing is Ernest, Dylan Marlowe, Austin Snell, and Lakeview. Country Rising will feature live performances, line dancing, local food and drink, interactive games, a mechanical bull, and VIP lounge experiences.

Tickets are currently available online.

🍽️ Business & Restaurant News

The New Town Center 📍 Bay Village

Village Rose Deli officially opened at 328 Bassett Road, reviving a structure that’s been feeding the neighborhood in some form since 1919. It soft-launched in November, but the full vision took nearly six months—much of it DIY, family-powered, and paint-covered.

Six months working with family and they are still opening…that’s an Olympic worthy performance.

The trio behind it brings real kitchen cred: Brittany Reilly (20+ years as a chef) teamed up with Kristi Mulloy and Kathy Owad—owner of Grumpy’s Cafe in Tremont—to blend nostalgia with a modern deli twist.

What’s inside the comeback:

• Full sandwich + daily scratch soups (hot Italian and chicken salad are early hits)

• In-house pastries each morning—lemon blueberry scones included

• Espresso bar, beer on tap, curated wines

• Gluten-free, vegetarian, and frequent vegan options

• Mini market + gift shop with local goods and European imports

Zoom out: In an era of chains and drive-thrus, a 106-year-old building becoming a community hangout again feels…refreshingly analog.

Francesca's Last Sale

The women’s boutique chain filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy and launched going-out-of-business sales across all 457 stores in 45 states—including its three Westside spots (Rocky River, Crocker Park, SouthPark Mall).

What’s happening:

• 25–40% discounts chain-wide

• Second bankruptcy since 2020

• Advisors running full-fleet liquidation sales

Big Picture: Despite malls coming back big time — this retail staple couldn’t keep pace.