Samuel Paredes was 16 years old when he secretly applied for a U.S. visa. His parents had just gotten divorced, and he was still living in Ipiales, a city of 160,000 on the southern border of Colombia. Shortly after the death of his grandmother, he expressed to his mother and father his desire to study cybersecurity—born from witnessing political upheaval—at an American college.

Earlier in June, Cleveland's newly minted chapter of the Awesome Foundation selected its first two grantees: BigHearted Blooms and Building Furniture to Build Futures. Both initiatives were awarded $1,000 by the recently formed group of 25 Awesome Foundation–Cleveland Chapter trustees—helping to turn two impactful ideas into reality.

A 1.07-acre plot of land at the corner of Lee and Meadowbrook Roads is about to be developed to comprise a total of 4.8 acres in the heart of the city's commercial district.

A joint effort to connect 101 miles of biking and hiking paths from New Philadelphia to Cleveland's Lake Erie shoreline via the Towpath Trail Extension Project is preparing to cross the finish line. 

See our photographer Bob Perkoski's images of Clevelanders celebrating a river reborn.

Seeking to make a positive shift in your life, or just looking to connect with other creative women in a supportive and inspiring setting? Come join FreshWater editor Jen Jones Donatelli lakeside at the Henn Mansion for the Remix Your Life retreat on June 29!

Fifty looks good on you, Cuyahoga River. As Cleveland celebrates the momentous 50-year milestone of the Cuyahoga River Fire—and the remarkable progress made—with #Cuyahoga50, we're answering all of your burning questions about the river with these 50 fun facts.

When Anya Rudd was a child living in University Heights, she imagined what it would be like to live in the majestic house at 2178 Harcourt Drive in Cleveland Heights. In 2016, Anya and her husband John made her dreams come true when they bought the 1910 Elizabethan Revival, 7,422-square-foot mansion known as Harcourt Manor.

Fresh Water's monthly "Free Stamp" feature rounds up the freshest free events in Cleveland. Check out our special Cuyahoga50 edition here!

Ever since Cove Park unofficially reopened last fall, Lakewood councilman Dan O’Malley has been watching to see how residents are enjoying the revamped recreation area. “I’ve been riding my bike to the park a couple of times a week to see how people are using it, and it’s really popular,” the Ward 4 councilman says. “It’s great to see it already being used.”

When work began on the five-year action plan for La Villa Hispana in 2015, there was a lot of energy and electricity behind the scenes around transforming the neighborhood into a vibrant “intersection of culture and commerce,” but within the residential community, it barely made a ripple.

As the Cuyahoga River draws closer to a momentous milestone with the Cuyahoga50 celebration, Lake Erie is also having its time in the sun. On Thursday, June 20, nine teams from across the Great Lakes region will gather in Cleveland to compete in the finals for Erie Hack 2.0—an innovation challenge spearheaded by Cleveland Water Alliance.

The women come from a variety of backgrounds. Some work in factories or grocery chains, others as school lunch ladies, making $8 to $9 an hour. Others are Hurricane Maria refugees who work for Burlington, some for U.S. Cotton, supporting families as they tilt on the poverty line.

All have one thing in common: the dream to one day be registered nurses.

You likely know the unelected, unsung leaders in your community. They’re the ones volunteering at local events, spreading the word in online neighborhood groups, leading grassroots initiatives, and giving voice to residents who might not otherwise have one. But what you—and they—might not know is that there’s a free program dedicated to helping them harness their superpowers and make even more of an impact.

For the past four years, Eric Huber and his wife, Julie, have been quietly operating Lake Erie Pet Food Company as a convenient way to get natural, locally-made dog and cat food delivered to Northeast Ohio pet lovers.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 12, the Hubers will officially open the doors to their first brick-and-mortar retail store at 4164 Lorain Ave. in Ohio City.