First of all, thank you so much to everyone who subscribed to Issue #1. This newsletter started out as a way for me to share my love of pop culture with Cleveland and beyond. It’s quickly turning into a place that can break news on police oversight and hopefully other topics, too.

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This week’s newsletter is relatively light on politics and heavier on pop culture.

Happy reading,
Dakotah

P.S. If you liked this even a teeny bit, forward to a friend <3

The recommendations this week are a little on the darker side, but that’s what makes them beautiful.

The creator of perhaps my all-time favorite cartoon Owl House launched her next project: Knights of Guinevere. The cartoon’s pilot episode premiered on Sept. 19 and so far, it’s about a lost princess in a creepy amusement park. (Note: It gets pretty dark, and not a typical kids cartoon.)

Dana Terrace is back with a giant middle finger to Disney after her experience creating Owl House from 2020-2023. Disney canceled the series in 2022, forcing its third and final season to condense into three 40-minute episodes instead of the full season that Terrace planned.

In 2022, Owl House broke barriers when it featured Disney’s first queer kiss. Fans have speculated that Terrace’s desire to push boundaries may have led to the show’s early cancellation.

This time, she teamed up with an independent Australian animation studio Glitch Productions. Glitch advertises a “fully self-sustained” operation who’s previous projects include The Amazing Digital Circus in 2023.

Terrace has consistently been outspoken about her experience and even told fans to unsubscribe from Disney altogether. So, good news: you can find the pilot episode for Knights of Guinevere on YouTube. For just the trailer, click here.

Right now, the show is still waiting for the green light to produce an entire season, according to fans on Reddit. All there is to do now is show support, buy merch and wait for more episodes.

One of my biggest regrets leftover from my time in Boston is never seeing local treasure Bad Rabbits. The band’s most recent album, Garden of Eden, got me through significant parts of the last year and a half.

One song that I couldn’t get enough of is “Love and Plane Crashes,” and I’ll leave you with this lyric, plus the ever-so-subtle suggestion to just listen to it:

“In love and in plane crashes
You put the mask on yourself
Before you try to help somebody else
You can’t carry love if you can’t bear the weight of your health
And love’s the only
Weight worth carrying”

It somehow remains upbeat and fun, while still reminding you to hold your head up high in the face of obstacles. As someone who still listens to full albums, I do recommend listening to the entire album — start to finish — at least once. You’ll be glad you did.

I absolutely love this book and as soon as people hear it’s set on death row, their eyes glaze over because that’s “too depressing.” Don’t be like them, and check out The Enchanted.

Just because something is sad doesn’t mean we should avoid it. I get it, there’s so much to be sad about right now, but that’s why I find catharsis from art about tragedy and grief.

The Enchanted is loosely inspired by Rene Denfeld’s firsthand experience as a death penalty investigator.¹ While it is fiction first and foremost, the humanity seeps through to show readers both the flaws in the justice system and compassion for people sentenced to die behind bars.

As government funds for critical public services continue to disappear, Clevelanders for Public Transit is a volunteer-run advocacy group that hopes to keep bus routes off the chopping block. The cuts could take place as early as next year, according to RTA officials.

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) announced cuts to service in November in anticipation of rising employee healthcare costs. Healthcare expenses increased tenfold from 2024-2025, according to an RTA spokesperson. If the trend continues, the RTA is at least $9 million short to cover the additional costs, she said.

“I depend on public transit to get to work, buy groceries, see friends and family. Being able to do this is something I really love about living here,” said Mia George, Lakewood resident, during an RTA committee meeting on Dec. 2.

George said she’s concerned for not just her, “but also for the people who will be cut off from jobs, healthcare and education.” George is also member of Clevelanders for Public Transit.

The budget shortfall has left RTA — and riders — scrambling for solutions to avoiding cutting service. Some advocates have suggested a levy or increased sales tax, such those passed in other cities like Columbus or Charlotte, NC.

“Local riders across this country know public transit is worth funding,” Chris Martin, chair for Clevelanders for Public Transit, told Upbeat Nonsense on Dec. 9.

The RTA board plans to make its final budget recommendation on Dec. 16. If you are passionate about public transit access, you can signup to speak during the meeting or get involved with Clevelanders for Public Transit.

The group is also hosting its end-of-year celebration on Fri. Dec. 19 at Forest City Brewery. Of course, you can take public transit there via the Red Line, 51-51A, 22/45 or 25, according to the event page.

Reeling from the loss of her older sister, local playwright Amy Schwabauer² put pen to paper to create her one-woman play, “I Wear My Dead Sister’s Clothes.” Fresh off its opening weekend at Cleveland Public Theatre, the show runs until Saturday, Dec. 20.

When Amy was born, her older sister Candy was already 19. A self-described “bonus baby,” she grew up in Cleveland surrounded by siblings who were a mix of teens and adults. Like most younger siblings, she looked up to her older ones. She loved hiding in closets and playing with her sisters clothes.

As she got older, her relationship to Candy became more complicated. Candy could be quite difficult and struggled to take care of herself. At the start of the pandemic, Candy was diagnosed with cancer. Amy moved in to take care care of her. Sadly, she died later that year.³

“Somewhere in my grief story, I came to recognize that something was really wrong,” Amy said. “Yes, I was experiencing grief but I was also really losing myself.”

The writing process helped Amy come to terms with the more difficult sides of her sister’s personality, as well as her own. It also taught her to have more compassion for Candy.

Like most sisters, just because there was frustration doesn’t mean there wasn’t also so much love. This is a play about grieving complicated people and trying not to get lost in someone else’s story.

“I Wear My Dead Sister’s Clothes” initially premiered as a more stripped-down production during the 2024 BorderLight Festival, where it won the Audience Choice Award.

Grab your tickets (pay-what-you-will) at Cleveland Public Theatre in Detroit Shoreway. The show runs this Thursday-Monday and next Thursday-Sunday. All performances start at 7 p.m., except Sunday matinees at 3 p.m.

Well, almost. Did you know that you can watch Richard Scarry’s Busy Town on YouTube? Episodes are typically less than 10 minutes, such as this one called “The Talking Bread.”