ROLDO BARTIMOLE ARCHIVE…
ROLDO BARTIMOLE TAKES A LOOK BACK…
Update: 24 February 2019—Roldo has returned with a series he is calling: A Look Back…
—2023—
230418 BIBB, ROYNANE GIFT-PACKAGING RICHES TO HASLAMS
211022 PAST KEEPS REPEATING ITSELF HERE
210915 ALL THINGS GOOD OR BAD COME TO AN END
210908 PD’S QUINN PLAYS OWN TUNE BUT IT MAY NOT BE THE MUSIC CITY NEEDS
210828 MAYORAL ELECTION LACKS A SENSE OF URGENCY, A SENSE OF PURPOSE
210814 MEDIA ACT AS STOOGES FOR HASLAMS AND THEIR LAKEFRONT SCHEME
210806 DID YOU THINK PAUL DOLAN WOULD BE OUTDONE BY DAN GILBERT?
210730 WHICH DENNIS KUCINICH WILL THIS CAMPAIGN REVEAL?
210726 NEWS GUARDIANS FAIL TO TELL OF OUR GREAT CLEVELAND ROBBERIES
210714 WILL CLEVELAND’S MEDIA TELL YOU THE REAL SCORE? NOT A CHANCE
210704 HISTORY—CEI/MUNY WARS & TRIALS
210619 KUCINICH FORGOT A LOT ABOUT HIS PAST
210614 KUCINICH BOOK MADE FOR THE MOVIE
210601 THE COUNCILMAN WHO SAVED THE WEST SIDE
210520 STADIUMS TO ARENA TO ROCK HALL TO PLINTH MONEY-GO-ROUND GOES ON
210516 DOES ANY MAYOR HAVE A CHANCE OF SAVING CLEVELAND POLITICALLY?
210510 THEY SUBJUGATED AMERICA JUST AS A LIKE FORCE SEIZED CLEVELAND
210421 50 YEARS AGO, CARL STOKES ENGINEERED A BLACK CONGRESS SEAT…
210413 IT’S JUST THE SAME OLD STORY: HELP A FEW BILLIONAIRES
210401 DOES JACKSON NEED SOMEONE TO TEST WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS?
210308 At 90, A LOOK BACK AT GEORGE FORBES
210301 TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR CLEVELAND
210221 DO WE NEED A COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON INEQUALITY?
210217 2021 SHOULD BE A CHANGE ELECTION BUT IT IS NOT HEADED THAT WAY
210124 QUINN DEFENDS COLUMNIST DIADIUN—BOTH WENT EASY ON LIAR TRUMP
210113 LET’S NOT CAUSE MORE DIVISION? LET’S DO JUST THAT MR. QUINN
210111 TED DIADIUN RIPS TRUMP. WHAT?
210108 PLAIN DEALER NAMES ENABLERS; CONVENIENTLY FORGETS ONE
201207 PATHETIC PD EDITORIAL PAGES GIVE PASS TO LYING TRUMP
201129 DID SUCCESS KILL CLEVELAND? WEALTHY NEEDS TRUMPED ALL
201114 WHY CAN’T THE PD EDITORIALIZE HONESTLY AND TELL TRUMP TO GET OUT
201107 LET’S POUR MORE TAX MONEY INTO OUR CONVENTION BUSINESS
201026 LET THE PAST BE THE GUIDE
201015 DO PEOPLE KNOW WHEN THEY’RE BEING LIED TO
201006 CLEVELAND SCHOOLS–WHO CARES? ANYONE?
200921 CLEVELAND “SOLVED” ITS PROBLEMS BY AVOIDING ITS REAL PROBLEM: II
200919 CLEVELAND “SOLVED” ITS PROBLEMS BY AVOIDING ITS REAL PROBLEM: I
200828 SPORTS BOSSES CRY INJUSTICE AS THEY POCKET… KIDS’ TAX DOLLARS
200824 TAX GIFTS GO TO 60 YEARS—TAXPAYER ALERT
200817 KUCINICH—BORN TO RUN, NOT NECESSARILY TO WIN
200806 CLEVELAND NEEDS A MAJOR POLITICAL SHAKE-UP
200724 PRO SPORTS RETURNS—STILL A PUBLIC BURDEN
200723 CORPORATE BRIBERY DEMANDS CORPORATE PUNISHMENT
200719 BLACK POWER 50 YEARS AGO; BLACK LIVES MATTER IN 2020
200703 WHY SHOULD ANYONE PAY PROPERTY TAXES?
200622 WHAT WILL PROTEST MOVEMENT ASK OF BLACK LEADERS?
200614 PROMISES. POWER. POLICE. 1968 AGAIN
200603 POLICE LIKE EXOTIC WEAPONS. WHY?
200530 1968-2020
200525 CLEVELAND, CUYAHOGA COUNTY—CAN YOU PAY YOUR BILLS?
200505 THE GRABBERS WILL GRAB—AS MUCH AS THEY CAN
200416 IRONY—A CHRIS QUINN DEFINITION
200408 PLAIN DEALER ACTS AS IT ALWAYS DOES–STUPIDLY, BRUTALLY AND…
200406 THE NEWHOUSE FAMILY, THE PLAIN DEALER & INJUSTICE
200326 CITIES HAVE BECOME SLUSH FUNDS FOR SPORTS, CORPORATIONS…
200315 A MAYOR’S RACE OF OLD MEN?
200219 THE REVEALING LETTER
200207 SHERWIN WILLIAMS TO PLOW INTO THE SUBSIDY POT
200120 SOMETIMES IT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE
200117 HOW GREEDY CAN SHERWIN WILLIAMS BE?
200106 FIFTY YEARS OF CHANGE FOR CLEVELAND—MOSTLY DOWN
191223 POLS OPPOSE KEEPING PEOPLE WARM & ALIVE—NOW & 35 YEARS AGO
191125 WHEN BUSINESSES GET TAX BREAKS, YOU MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE
191113 30 YEARS AGO MAYOR MICHAEL WHITE TOOK CHARGE OF CLEVELAND
191030 DENNIS KICKED AWAY A CHANCE FOR A PROGRESSIVE URBAN STRATEGY
191027 HISTORY OF CEI/MUNY LIGHT(S) CLEVELAND RULERS
191015 ANTI UTILITY RAPACIOUSNESS PETITION: DO SIGN IT!
190929 CLEVELAND’S SPORTS TEAMS STILL ON THE DOLE
190914 MAYOR JACKSON TRADITION—HEAD IN THE SAND
190910 WHY DOES MEDIA PANDER TO NFL FOOTBALL?
190902 CLEVELAND’S PAST MAKES FUTURE LOOK DISMAL
190815 HOW BADLY WE NEED A NEW CLEVELAND MAYOR
190710 CLEVELAND’S BIG DAY, BUT ‘OTHER CITY INTRUDES
190706 THE PAST? IT IS HERE—UNFORTUNATELY—TODAY
190625 THE DEATH-FOR-PROFIT OF THE CLEVELAND PRESS
190620 MASON AND PEE DEE–NOT THE RIGHT MARRIAGE
190605 IT TOOK 3 ISSUES OF POV TO COVER FIRING OF A … PD REPORTER IN 1971
190528 THE PARTY YOU WILL PAY FOR—AGAIN AND AGAIN
190523 STEINBRENNER LIKED TO BE CALLED “THE BOSS”
190517PLAIN DEALER INVESTIGATED RACISM—IN OKINAWA!
190501 PD PROTECTED LEADER WHO TOLD RACIST JOKES
190426 MAYOR CARL STOKES AND GENERAL BENJAMIN DAVIS
190412 CHANGING FROM GUNDORRHEA TO THE MORGUE
190405 CARL STOKES VS. JIM STANTON—END OF THE 1960s
190330 SELF-DEALING/DOUBLE DEALING: PRIVATE DECISIONS
190327 TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME
190324 MANY ROADS LED BACK TO JACK REAVIS, JONES DAY
190317 HOW POLICE USED RACE TO BLUDGEON A MAYOR
190310 PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE BEHIND THE CURTAINS
190308 POLITICIAN’S FRIEND SAM MILLER PASSES
190303 WHO DID KILL JAMES CHAPMAN?
190224 BUYING PEACE THE PRIVATE WAY
ROLDO BARTIMOLE: 50 YEARS OF JOURNALISM…
Roldo Bartimole, Cleveland’s original alt-journalist by Eric Trickey.
Last of the Great Muckrakers by Michael Roberts.
[Update: 18 September 2015—While The Cleveland Memory Project has preserved Roldo’s Point Of Vi?w morgue, the task of maintaining more than 400 of Roldo’s post-POV writings has fallen to myself and several other electronic sources. This morning Roldo emailed to tell me that I was the last man standing. Have Coffee Will Write is archived on my personal computer, on the HCWW servers and in The Cloud.]
My intent is to index all of the articles here in chronological order, but for now you can find them here or here.
Dates below refer are in the form YYMMDD i.e. 18 September 2015 is 150918)
[Update on 14 December 2016: I added an external link to Roldo’s Wikipedia page leading back to this page.]
180214 CLEVELAND—THE FINALE OF A 50-YEAR JOURNEY
180212 50 YEARS—FREE TO SPEAK WITHOUT RESTRICTION
180130 JUST SAME OLD STORY, A PAYMENT FOR BURDENSOME MONEY-SPONGE Q
180111 RTA CUTS? WHO CARES, IT SERVES WORKING PEOPLE
180107 BROWNS FANS NEED CIVIC LESSONS
180103 OH MY, WE STILL HAVE THE SAME JACKSON
171213 2017—A TERRIBLE YEAR FOR DEMOCRACY HERE
171125 GET READY TO PAY FOR A GATEWAY “SUPER CITY”
171121 YOU’D THINK JACKSON WOULD HOUSE CLEAN
171115 DIE & THEY STILL DON’T TELL TRUTH ABOUT YOU
171108 VOTERS LEFT LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO CHOSE DRIFT
171019 REMEMBER WHEN 60-70% IN CLEVELAND VOTED?
171008 REED MUFFS CHANCE TO REBUFF MAYOR JACKSON
171004 HOW YOUR CUYAHOGA COUNTY MONEY FLOWS UP
170913 BLEAK ELECTION: LESS THAN 13% BOTHER TO VOTE
170908 QUICKEN ARENA DEAL SEALS JACKSON RE-ELECTION
170901 IT IS JUST THE SAME OLD STORY—SELLOUT!
170831 QUICKEN ARENA DEAL OFF/BACK ON: AS PREDICTED
170828 MEMO TO CHRIS QUINN
170823 HOW THE PLAIN DEALER DISTORTS SIMPLE TRUTH
170821 POVERTY IS REAL IN CLEVELAND NEIGHBORHOODS
170817 DUCKING RESPONSIBILITY AT THE PLAIN DEALER
170811 JACKSON, KELLEY: PURPOSEFUL BUNGLED BLUNDER
170809 CLEVELAND’S MAYORAL
170802 ROLDO BARTIMOLE HITS ONE OUT OF THE PARK…
170801 LET THEM EAT CAKE, NO, ER, PIZZA FROM UMBERTO
170724 JACKSON CATERING TO NEIGHBORHOODS—TOO LATE
170717 LYING BY IGNORING
170710 CARL STOKES —PROMISES NOW SADLY FADED
170619 WILL CLEVELAND.COM RUN JACKSON’S CAMPAIGN?
170617 ROLDO BARTIMOLE ON RALPH NADER RADIO HOUR…
170603 SOME THINGS YOU CANNOT AFFORD
170524 CAN THE PD BE BOUGHT? IT ALREADY HAS BEEN
170522 THEY’RE LYING ABOUT ARENA DEAL—IT’S A FRAUD
170518 HAS… JACKSON’S MESSAGE BEEN “DROP DEAD” TO CLEVELAND’S NEEDY?
170514 THIS NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE MAYORAL ELECTION
170505 THE TAX MAN—FRANK JACKSON
170501 BARBARA BYRD BENNETT—SYMBOL OF CLEVELAND ELITES
170427 PAST KEEPS REPEATING ITSELF FOR WEALTHY HERE
170425 DIRTY DEED DONE BY CORRUPTORS
170418 DISTRESSED CITY AWAKENING?
170410 TIMES HAVE CHANGED BUT NOT FOR THE BETTER
170406 THE USUAL GAME & PREDICTABLE SCORE
170402 IS THERE OPPORTUNITY IN SHRINKAGE?
170326 FISCAL RAPE OF CLEVELAND/COUNTY TAXPAYERS
170313 PUBLIC SQUARE SQUABBLE REVEALS THE INEPTNESS OF FRANK JACKSON
170307 PD & SOLD-OUT POLS BACKED SORDID ARENA DEAL
170212 SHOWDOWN COMING ON PUBLIC SUBSIDIES
170210 MAYOR JACKSON CONTINUES TO ACT AS CORPORATE STOOGE
170201 JACKSON—FAILURE WHO OFFERS MORE OF SAME
170125 WILL MEDIA MEET CHALLENGE IN MAYOR RACE?
170120 HISTORY LESSONS FOR NEXT ELECTION
170110 DEATH BY POLITICIANS
170104 THE
170103 HOW MUCH HARM CAN A STUBBORN JACKSON DO?
161222 HOW IT KEEPS GOING ROUND AND ROUND
161219 BEING GAMED OVER AND OVER AGAIN
161215 THE WHEELS SPIN—AND YOU PAY EVERY TIME
161214 ROBBER BARONS DO WHAT THEY DO BEST—STEAL
161205 SAD STORY OF LOCAL SPORTS CORRUPTION
161129 NEW SPORTS FACILITY DESIRED BY CAVS?
161117 JACKSON FORGETS WHERE HE CAME FROM
161027 WHAT FOOL TAXES HIMSELF OR HERSELF?
161026 LET THEM EAT ICE CREAM*
161012 SILLIEST PRESIDENTIAL ENDORSEMENT POSSIBLE
161011 VOTE FOR JACKSON’S TAX HIKE, ENCOURAGE HIM TO RUN AGAIN…
160929 PAST PREDICTS FUTURE? COUNTY DEBT LOOMS
160922 IN CLEVELAND BUILDINGS ARE ON WELFARE
160917 CLEVELAND’S RIGGED AND PHONY RESURGENCE
160913 HOW THE COUNTY’S COSTS AND TAXES ADD UP
160905 PLAIN DEALER PROPAGANDA ON PAGE ONE
160825 JACKSON ADMITS CLEVELAND GAVE AWAY BILLIONS
160819 CRITICISM OF $2 MILLION BIKE TRACK NOT RACIST
160812 FRANK JACKSON IS DONE
160729 CLEVELAND MAYORS GIVE AWAY CASH, THEN ASK FOR MORE AND MORE AND
160726 CLEVELAND & HOUGH: A ’60s RECIPE FOR VIOLENCE
160708 WHEN WILL MAYORAL CANDIDATES STEP OUT?
160630 RTA NEEDS CASINO CASH—TAP $$$ SLOSHING AROUND DOWNTOWN…
160624 HIGH COST OF WINNING
160608 REALLY WANT TO PAY MORE CITY TAXES?
160520 JIMMY HASLAM AND HYPOCRISY—FRIENDS FOREVER
160517 A FINANCIAL CANCELLATION WORTH THE COST
160511 ANOTHER CLEVELAND $1 BILLION BOONDOGGLE
160426 CLEVELAND IS A CITY UNDER THE THUMB
160419 $11-MILLION RESTAURANT DISPUTED BY COUNTY
160412 WHY IS OUR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP SO LIFELESS?
160331 CUYAHOGA TAXPAYERS PAY $11 MILLION FOR DINING
160315 GEORGE SAPIN KNEW HOW TO THROW A PUNCH
160309 LISTEN TO THE PAST IN VOTING FOR PROSECUTOR
160302 QUINN THROWS AT WALL TO SEE WHAT STICKS
160227 CLEVELAND CITED MOST DISTRESSED AMERICAN CITY
160219 DO WE WANT TO REVIVE THIS POLITICAL GANG?
160209 HOW BAD CAN IT BE, MR. BUDISH?
160205 HOW OUR MONEY FLOWS FROM COUNTY AND CITY
160129 THOSE WHO GIVE GOVERNMENT A BAD NAME
151231 CLEVELAND—MORE THAN ONE TERRIBLE STAIN
151229 TAMIR GRAND JURY RULING HARD TO SWALLOW
151223 CLEVELAND SPORTS TEAMS GRAB 34,000 HOURS OF POLICE PROTECTION
151217 BUDISH ADMINISTRATION BOUGHT OUT
151205 MAYOR FRANK JACKSON—THE GREAT PONTIFICATOR
151202 WHAT TO BELIEVE—YOUR EYES OR POLICE WORDS?
151104 ROLDO RIGHTS ON INTO SPORTS’ $$$ QUICKSAND…
151018 BARBARA BYRD-BENNETT LEARNED TO LIVE LARGE HERE IN CLEVELAND…
151014 A FREE PRESS IS A RARE PRESS…
151008 COMING CROCODILE TEARS SHED BY CUYAHOGA ARTS SUPPORTERS…
151004 OUR SAD, SAD CLEVELAND ALL DRESSED IN THE FINEST RED AND GREEN…
150930 HOLDS A MIRROR UP TO THE PD…
150925 THE MAN IN CHARGE, PART I…
150922 SECRET PD CUTBACKS AND FRANK JACKSON LOOKING WORSE THAN BAD…
150831 BOBBY, JIMMY AND JAMES NEFF…
150821 HASLAM GETS PARKING DEAL…
150813 WHAT DO BROWNS FANS WANT, A $15M SCOREBOARD OR…?
150811 THE POSSIBILITIES FOR WHO WILL BE THE NEXT MAYOR OF CLEVELAND…?
060409 TRAVESTY OR HOAX…?
060331 PUSH THE BUTTON…
060308 WAL MART WEDNESDAY…
060228 34 PERCENT AND FALLING…
060215 ENFORCING PARTY DISCIPLINE…
060121 YOU GO MOLLY…!
060120 WE ALL OWN PRESSES…
051222 PROTO BLOGGER VS. CURMUDGON
051217 BUSH LIED: 102 TIMES…!
050923 GIVEAWAYS UH, GIVE AWAY MONEY…
050908 YEESSSSSSSSSSS…!
050823 PART OF CLEVELAND’S MEMORY…
050725 CONSPIRACY OF THE COMPLACENT…
050702 CITIZEN JOURNALISM…
050615 THANK YOU STEVE FITZGERALD…
050421 OUR FAIR CITY…
Roldo has been covering Cleveland political and other characters for nearly 50 years. He has been called “arguably Cleveland’s greatest investigative reporter of the past half century” by Ralph Nader in 2014.
Others also have been generously complimentary:
“There are—in my experience-–-only a handful of journalists in America like him. He’s a citizen journalist, the finest kind of idealist you’ll ever find… Roldo actually believes in American democracy and the American people. It’s easy enough to say someone is a muckraker, but Roldo is much more than that. He’s a reporter with rare insight.” –Jim Ridgeway, then of Village Voice, 1993.
“As an elected public official, I have received my share of ‘hits’ from Roldo. But unlike my experience with other news media, I have never challenged Roldo’s criticisms as being unfair, unsupported by the facts or discriminatory in any way… Cleveland owes Roldo Bartimole a debt of gratitude. –Judge Carl Stokes and former Cleveland Mayor, 1993.
“It’s always high noon for Roldo Bartimole, last of the gunslinger journalists.” –Bill Osinski, article in Akron Beacon Journal, 1983.
The Cleveland Memory Project: Roldo Bartimole’s Point of Vi?w.
Roldo Bartimole archive at Have Coffee Will Write.
Hi,
I’m Bob Samsot, one of the many city editors axed by the snake. But I made it to Philly Inquirer, then Baltimore Sun, then to USATOday and, in 2000, to the Washington Post before retiring and doing an investigative gig in Sarajevo. And my kids didn’t suffer too much from the disruptions from this business.
Just a hat tip to Roldo, who tried to keep things honest at the PeeDee when I was there in the mid-80s. Too bad his spirit was lacking at the paper. As in “Rocky'” it “coulda been a contender.” A serious one.
Thanks for trying Roldo, we who wanted to contend owe you a debt.
Cheers, bob
Bob: I remember you and thanks for the compliment. Unfortunately, you’d find the place worse now than then.
I appreciate, Roldo
Which “snake” was he talking about?
Hi, Roldo:
You and my grandfather, Dr. John Bruere, Calvary Presbyterian Church, must have been in sync. You arrived in 1965 and he died in 1967.
Do you have memories or articles about him that you wrote?
Betsy Bruere Barber
C-440.476.8992
Roldo,
You helped inspire me (a poor kid from East Cleveland) to become an investigative journalist. Can I buy you breakfast or lunch and pick your brain?
I’d be happy to meet with you.
My email address is Roldo@roadrunner.com
I have one small quibble with what Nader wrote. Drop the word arguably, and what he said is perfect.
Walt,
Well, Nader is a lawyer.
Jeff
Thank you Walt. It’s nice to hear from a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner. And a former PD investigative reporter. Thank you Walt.