County Executive Ed FitzGerald Co-Chairing Fundraiser in Brecksville

Governor hopeful is a featured guest at the Gather, Give and Grow event set for May 4.

PolitiFact: Ed FitzGerald 'Mostly False' in First Obama Supporter Claim

Former Lakewood mayor and potential candidate for Ohio governor, FitzGerald told a group of college students he was the first Cuyahoga County official to endorse Obama.

As Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald travels the state rallying support for his possible run for Ohio governor, he's been attracting the attention of the folks at Politifact Ohio. Recently, they checked out a claim published late last month by the Cincinnati Enquirer that FitzGerald, the former mayor of Lakewood, said he was the first Cuyahoga County official to endorse Barack Obama for president.  Politifact Ohio called that claim mostly false. They weren't able to prove that he wasn't the first, but neither was FitzGerald.  Does this mean anything to you in deciding whether you think FitzGerald has a shot at the governor's seat? Tell us what you think. 

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Ed FitzGerald Considers Gubernatorial Run

The Cuyahoga County executive tells the Plain Dealer that Ted Strickland's decision to sit out 2014 would speed up his decision. Would you vote for him?

Ed FitzGerald, the current county executive and former Lakewood mayor, is eyeing a run for governor in 2014. According to the Plain Dealer, former governor Ted Strickland's decision to stay out of the race “accelerates” the need for FitzGerald's decision.  It would appear as if FitzGerald is gearing up to challenge Gov. John Kasich.  "I don't have a date set for making a final decision," he told the Plain Dealer. During the past year, FitzGerald has hosted a couple political fundraisers in the area and he’s made several appearances around the state. He hasn’t been exactly shy about his political interests. "I wouldn't be surprised if he decided to run," Lakewood Mayor Michael Summers recently told Lakewood Patch. It's been quite a journey …

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Heroin Overdoses are Target of New County Plan

Cuyahoga County launches initiative on dangerous street drug.

Cuyahoga County is responding to a dramatic increase in heroin use—and overdose deaths—in Cleveland and the suburbs by investigating people who lose their lives to the street drug. Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald announced a new initiative last month aimed at curbing deaths by heroin overdoses, according to various news sources, including cleveland.com. Police Chief Richard E. Mannarino said heroin isn't a big problem in Brecksville. The department has not seen any arrests or overdoses among juveniles in recent years, he said, a problem that has come up in nearby Independence. NewsNet5 reports that there were four fatal heroin overdoses in Independence last fall and winter.  The county program includes a new website and an …

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FitzGerald Highlights County Priorities

Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald hosted his ninth Town Hall Meeting in Cleveland Heights and discussed county challenges and goals

Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald shared his priorities with a crowd of about 70 people Tuesday night during his ninth Town Hall Meeting in the Cleveland Heights Community Center. First, he said the county has to restore trust with its residents in the aftermath of scandal and corruption. He went through a list of challenges facing Cuyahoga County, including a more than 100,000 person population drop in the past 10 years, 9,405 foreclosed homes in 2011 and more than 10,400 in 2010 and high school and college achievement rates that are “significantly” below the national standards. The high school graduation rate is 71 percent, and 27 percent of people have college degrees. “If all those challenges weren’t enough, the corruption …

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FitzGerald to Host Meeting in Cleveland Heights

This will be the Cuyahoga County Executive's 9th town hall meeting

Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald will speak at the Cleveland Heights Community Center, 1 Monticello Blvd., at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28. The event will mark his ninth town hall meeting for Cuyahoga County residents. ''The town hall meetings are an opportunity to update the residents of Cuyahoga County on the exciting changes that are taking place in county government and give an overview of what the next year will bring for Cuyahoga County,'' said FitzGerald in a press release. ''A review of the State of the County will be included in the presentation.'' FitzGerald will also take questions from the community.

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Suburban Officials Open to County Plan to Share Some Services

County Executive FitzGerald announces effort toward regionalization.

Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald wants to push regionalization forward, with the county making its services available to cities on a contract basis. Speaking at the City Club for his second state of the county address, FitzGerald said Greater Cleveland cannot compete against other metropolitan areas with the inefficiencies that come with having functions performed by 59 different communities. "It is self-evident that our current patchwork of individual kingdoms is powerless to execute any coordinated strategy to compete in a global economy," he said. As part of his "Western Reserve Plan," FitzGerald proposed that the county start with computer services and eventually expand the level of services offered. "The concept is simple and …

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Roger Vozar

5:53 am on Sunday, February 5, 2012

I would think that a healthy, viable core city is important to any metropolitan area. I can't imagine suburbs can thrive for an extended period of time without it.   more ›