NEAR TAMPA FLORIDA — It’s been a busy winter/spring for me personally. Allow me to step away from the usual story telling we do here at eyeoncleveland.com for a brief update.

Last month I submitted my 110,000-word plus biography about the life of Jesse Owens to Kent State University Press for peer review. If all goes well, you’ll see the book published in 2025. It’s the most difficult writing task I’ve ever taken up, encompassing hundreds of sources (including 20+ personal interviews) and 1,000+ newspaper and research articles. I’ve been blessed to have a terrific bunch of resources, including librarians with Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland State University, the Western Reserve Historical Society, and Cleveland Public Library, providing me with assistance. You’ll be able to read more about this project in the future.

With that and the first half of the spring semester at Cuyahoga Community College in the rear-view mirror, here’s what is just up ahead:

LATER THIS WEEK: You’ll be reading a two-part story about a long-time friend Kevin Saghy. Kevin and I co-authored an article for PRSA Tactics and spoke together at the 2008 PRSA International Conference. That was at the beginning of his communications career. He’s accomplished a lot in the last 16 years, and now he’s made a terrific change in his plans in early 2024. We’ll tell you about it.

NCAA DIVISION III HOOPS: I’m hoping to travel to Fort Wayne for some of the NCAA Division III men’s basketball semifinals/finals. One of the many reasons I love Division III athletics is that, by definition, there are no athletic scholarships for the student athletes who participate in sports. They’re playing for the love of the game. But it doesn’t mean they don’t play at a high level on the field or court. If you want to know more, I suggest you visit.

TRI-C: As I wind down my academic career at Cuyahoga Community College, I hope to write profiles on difference makers I’ve met there. Like a lot of institutions of higher learning, there are remarkable stories happening within the walls and inside the classrooms of Tri-C. Right now, at least 100 refugees from war-torn Ukraine are studying there.  There will be stories from Cuyahoga Community College told, both by me and perhaps by student media journalists as well. The original purpose of www.eyeoncleveland.com was to provide story-telling opportunities for my students. Several of them have gone on to very good careers in journalism and journalism-related fields.

HILAND HAWKS: One of the most enjoyable and stress-relieving activities I did during my cancer treatments in the spring of 2021 was to take in Hiland Hawks baseball games and write profiles about their senior players. Hiland has one of the strongest baseball programs in Ohio, at any division. Coach Chris Dages builds character and integrity into his student athletes, as well as improving their teamwork and dedication on the field. Little wonder they were 30-1 and OHSAA Division IV state champions last year. I will be “following” the Hawks with a few stories (especially on their seniors) this spring.

FINALLY: Friends and acquaintances know of my 2021 bout against cancer and subsequent health hiccups. I have a couple of medical exams and procedures I’ll be undertaking later in the spring of 2024, and the results of those might determine next steps in my life (such as when I retire or how I teach in my final year at Cuyahoga Community College). My health right now is as well as can be expected. I give thanks and praise to God everyday for caring enough for me to make it past birthday No. 67.

— John Kerezy, eyeoncleveland.com founder