CLEVELAND, OHIO — Listen, if you stepped outside today, you already know the weather isn’t exactly rolling out the red carpet. We’re talking nasty scattered showers and wind gusts hitting 60 mph that could honestly knock your patio furniture into the next county. With highs struggling to stay in the 40s, there’s a real risk of power outages and wind damage; so please, stay safe out there. But despite the gray skies, there was a massive burst of energy coming from the Fan Expo downtown today because Hollie Strano officially made her debut as the new Chief Meteorologist for Cleveland 13 News.
Instead of standing in a climate-controlled studio, Hollie did what she does best. She got right into the thick of it, reporting live from the expo floor and introducing herself to the Cleveland 13 family. You could hear the genuine excitement in her voice when she talked about why she chose this network as her new home. She’s always been about heart and community, and she told the crowd that the vision behind Cleveland 13 is exactly why she wanted to be back on our screens. It wasn’t just a weather report; it felt like a long-overdue catch-up with an old friend.
The segment took a turn for the legendary when Hollie was joined by Brian Tochi and Kenn Scott, the men behind the masks of Raphael and Leonardo in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies. The three of them were laughing and dancing on camera, and you could tell Brian and Kenn were having the time of their lives meeting Cleveland fans. They’ll be at the expo all weekend along with the rest of the gang, Ernie Reyes Jr. and Robbie Rist, though those two were off-camera for this specific moment.
Since today is Friday the 13th, Hollie took a second to explain that around here, 13 isn’t a curse, it’s our lucky number. All week, people have been entering a “Guess who is joining Cleveland 13” contest, and right there on the floor, Hollie was handed the envelope. With the Turtles cheering her on, she announced that Michael Humphrey from Bay Village is the big winner! Michael is taking home a $50 gift card to All City Candy in Richmond Heights. Hollie even gave a heartfelt shout-out to the “Candy Queen” herself, Elisabeth Sapell, calling her a total inspiration for women entrepreneurs in our city…