The Cuyahoga River first caught on fire in the 1890s but burned thirteen other times, some fires fatal and other causing over billions of dollars according to Ohio History Central. The pollution of the river led to these fires and caused environmental damage that would last for decades. The instability of the ecosystem drove away [...]
About Me: Madison MacArthur
Hi everyone, my name is Madison MacArthur and I am a senior journalism major at Kent State University with a minor in creative writing. Photo credit: Madison MacArthur I am currently the editor-in-chief of The Kent Stater and will continue in this position during the spring semester, as well. I have worked for The Stater [...]
About Me: Tierra Tramble
Hello everyone! I am a senior journalism and digital media production major at Kent State University. I currently work as a marketing intern for coding bootcamp We Can Code IT, as well as a digital media strategist for the nonprofit organization The Body A Home For Love. I have previously interned with both the Cleveland [...]
How to Become a Steward to Help Protect the Park
After learning about the park and other green areas around Northeast Ohio, many might feel the need to get involved. Cuyahoga Valley National Park has a volunteer program where you can become a steward — a person that helps protect the park through events, programs and outreach. It's a partnership with the National Park Service [...]
The Cuyahoga River burned, but now people are jumping in
When the Cuyahoga River infamously burned 50 years ago, recreation was not even a thought. The stench and unpleasant scenery were uninviting, quite opposite of the river seen today. Now, the river sets a different scene — some even say it’s sparking with excitement. Moneen McBride, co-founder of Burning River Adventures, says the past couple [...]
Kids & River Stories
Second graders from Amy Hopkins's class at Holden Elementary worked for more than a month to create poems and short stories about the Cuyahoga River. Below, see and hear each student in the class read their work. Declan Patterson Lilly Jancsurak Isaac Harder Nora Levicky Ja'Niyah Finley Phoenix Budear Jayden Amos Mikayla [...]
Neglected Native History: the Cuyahoga River’s Indigenous Legacy
The Cuyahoga River is largely believed to get its name from a Native American language and to mean “Crooked River.” It’s a belief so widely held that many companies along the river, from archery ranges to auto shops, have adopted the Crooked River moniker. Even this reporting project is named after this supposed native translation. [...]
Meet Lisa Meranti: One of the Many Watershed Stewards in Northeast Ohio
Lisa Meranti likes to say, "Spread the message downstream." She's been with the Cleveland Metroparks for a more than three years as the Watershed Stewardship Program coordinator. The stewardship program is a type of citizen science — it combines education programs about the watershed along learning how to reach out to the community and get [...]
Peninsula: The Small Park Town That ‘Has Not Changed At All’ Centuries Later
Traveling throughout Cuyahoga Valley National Park, people might come across a small town tucked away in the heart of the park — Peninsula. Visitors are greeted by a white church and small strip of shops and restaurants. There aren’t any chain stores like Starbucks or Rocknes — it’s all locally-owned businesses with more than 22 [...]
About Me
Hello! My name is Madison Patterson, and I'm a senior journalism major at Kent State University. Currently, I serve as editor-in-chief of Fusion, Kent State's LGBTQ+ magazine. Previously, I contributed to The Kent Stater, worked as an editor for A Magazine, completed an internship in Manhattan and studied abroad in Paris. Post-graduation, I hope to [...]
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