My Greatest Night as an Investigative Reporter

Storytellers: Paul Orlousky, Carl Monday, & Harry Boomer

 
 
 
 

Doors open at 5:00pm, with the storytelling beginning promptly at 7:00pm

• Weekly series combining great food with great stories about Cleveland’s past
• FREE ADMISSION – NO COVER CHARGE
• In addition to our regular menu, we will be offering affordable specials on these nights

Story topic this week…

My Greatest Night as an Investigative Reporter
The best Cleveland stories didn’t start with a headline — they started with a tip, a hunch, or a knock on the wrong door. Join three of Cleveland’s top investigative reporters as they share the wildest, weirdest, and most unforgettable nights of their careers — the night the story broke wide open, or almost broke them. From chasing corruption to uncovering hidden truths, these are the stories behind the stories that shaped the city. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to chase the truth, go toe-to-toe with power, or make deadline with your heart racing — this is your front-row seat.

Paul Orlousky Bio

Cleveland television news reporter Paul Orlousky is an inductee into the Cleveland Press Club Journalism Hall of Fame. Inducted in November of 2014, Paul is only the third television “street” reporter ever inducted. For more than 40 years, he has informed viewers in Northeast Ohio about the latest in breaking news, investigative, and feature reports. Nowhere was that more evident than in 2013 when he shocked Cleveland and the competition by being first to report the Ariel Castro story and the three women he had held captive in his home for a decade. Paul calls it the “biggest story of my career.”

Viewers have enjoyed Paul’s confrontational approach. A perfect example of this and of his deep sources was Paul’s aggressive coverage of the county corruption scandal; at times breaking details months before charges came. At other times, telling those under investigation that they would be charged. Paul says, “if we’ve got to ruffle a few feathers to get to the truth, so be it” adding “the questions we ask and observations we make are fair, not combative, but we expect answers.”

Prior to joining Cleveland 19, Paul established WKYC-TV’s investigative team and put it on the map with hard hitting investigations, prompting Northern Ohio Live magazine to honor him as “the most effective investigative reporter” in Northern Ohio. It came after his exposé of Cleveland police truancy and false ticket-writing. Some of the ticket writing and even a phony arrest warrant was aimed at silencing him. It resulted in his illegal placement on the NCIC database as a fugitive from justice.

Paul is the winner of many awards including several local Emmy awards. He has been active in several charitable fundraisers. His work with the American Lung Association Golf Tournament has helped raise more than $2.5 million dollars for the research of lung disease. In 2010, Paul and his wife Kim were named co-chairs of the Annual Catholic Charities Appeal netting nearly $10.5 million dollars.

In retirement Paul wrote a book, Punched, Kicked and Spat On, chronicling his career. He also hosts “God Calling” on Cleveland Catholic radio station am1260 The Rock.

“As a reporter, I work best when I am out on the streets,” Paul says. “That’s where the stories are. There are so many great people out there. Some have happy stories, some have sad stories, and most have stories about how they are frustrated and are just looking for someone to help. That’s where I like to be.”
 

Carl Monday Bio

As the Dean of Cleveland Investigative Reporters, Carl Monday has set the standard for investigative journalism in Northeast Ohio. In a career that has spanned over 45 years, Monday has been a trailblazer in the field, from the voice on all-news radio, to heading up investigative units at three Cleveland television stations.

Often referred to as the “Mike Wallace” of Cleveland TV, Monday has captured more than 150 national, regional, and local awards. His thirteen EMMYS for Investigative Reporting are tops in local EMMY history. In 2022, Monday was honored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences with a Gold Circle Award for his significant contributions to the television industry for more than 50 Years.

Monday also was the first television reporter ever inducted into the Cleveland Press Club Hall of Fame. With his ever-present trench-coat, and aggressive reporting style, Monday’s reports have appeared on many national outlets.

His undercover investigation into corruption into the Cleveland Fire Department’s Inspection Unit led to the firing of the City Marshal. It was Monday who exposed the dumping of dangerous chemical waste at Hopkins Airport. The City Airport Commissioner was fired, and later convicted in Federal Court.

Monday’s reports on food waste led to creation of “Food Rescue,” a program now run by the Greater Cleveland Food Bank that has provided millions of meals to the needy in six counties. He exposed cement trucks pouring substandard concrete for Cleveland’s $200 million RTA Health Line. RTA tested and confirmed Monday’s findings. The contractor was ordered to dig up much of the roadway and reimburse RTA nearly a quarter million dollars.

A graduate of Kent State, Monday and his wife Sandy live in downtown Cleveland.
 

Harry Boomer Bio

Harry Boomer attended Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria, Va. and has called Greater Cleveland home since 1990. He is proud to live in the historic Hough neighborhood in Cleveland. He has 30 years of news experience, for a total of nearly four decades in broadcasting. Harry is a 2007 Broadcasters Hall of Fame Inductee. He is currently an Anchor/Reporter and the Executive Producer and Host of WUAB 43 Forum, a public affairs program covering community issues. Boomer is also a member of the Board of Directors of The First Tee Cleveland.

His career began in Washington, D.C., where he was an on-air personality, talk show host and served in various management positions, including two stints as a news director. Harry came to Ohio in 1988 to manage and program WBXT-AM in Canton.

While covering assignments for WOIO/WUAB on a part-time basis in the early 1990s, Harry was heard regularly on WCPN-90.3 FM/Idea Stream, where he had been assistant news director. He was also a reporter, producer and major contributor to National Public Radio. Among other things, Harry debuted a statewide news magazine program entitled “INFOhio” for the radio station. Harry’s familiar voice will still be heard on a freelance basis for public radio specials on WCPN. Boomer is a regular guest on the Feagler and Friends on Idea Stream WVIZ.

Harry has served as president of the Cleveland chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (CNABJ), and has been on the board of the Ohio Associated Press. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of Connections, Health, Wellness (formerly North East Ohio Health Services). Boomer has also served on the board of The Ohio Center for Broadcasting. He is also a member of the Continuing Education Committee at Cleveland State University.

Harry has won awards from the Ohio Associated Press, Ohio Educational Telecommunications, Women In Communications, the Press Club of Cleveland and the National Association of Black Journalists.

Harry is active in the community, often serving as master of ceremonies at events throughout northeast Ohio. When he’s not working (which isn’t often), he enjoys talking politics and visiting friends and family around the country. Boomer is a father. He has two wonderful grandchildren. Harry is truly a Baby Boomer: His last name is Boomer, he’s the baby of a family of ten, and he is a member of the Baby Boom generation.
 

The goal of the Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is to bring to life some of the fun, interesting stories about Cleveland’s past – from sports, to rock ‘n roll, to Millionaire’s Row, — the series will focus on tidbits from Cleveland’s past that will really thrill the audience. The Music Box is presenting this series in partnership with the Western Reserve Historical Society’s new Cleveland History Center. We think the Cleveland History Center is one of the most important museums in Cleveland. An unknown gem that Clevelanders should know more about, and support. It is the only museum in Cleveland dedicated to preserving and documenting the history of Cleveland. The Cleveland History Center includes two mansions, the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, Chisholm Halle Costume Wing, Research Library, Kidzibits Hands-On Gallery, rotating exhibitions, and the Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel.

See all Cleveland Stories dates here.