Mark Ackerman
Cleveland
Executive Producer of Investigations at WEWS.
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Articles by Mark Ackerman
The Price of Data: A Scripps News Group Investigation Original
Every time you open an app, stream a movie, scroll social media or ask an AI chatbot a question, something happens behind the scenes. Your requests travel to a data center. Most people never see them. Yet these massive facilities have become some of the fastest-growing pieces of infrastructure in America, quietly powering the digital world that increasingly shapes our daily lives. And now, they're expanding at a remarkable pace.
Congressman Max Miller testifies in court over dispute with former girlfriend Stephanie Grisham
CLEVELAND — Congressman Max Miller appeared in court Monday, testifying under oath in an ongoing legal fight with former girlfriend and ex-White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham. The dispute stems from a 2023 settlement agreement reached after Miller sued Grisham for defamation following her allegations that he was abusive during their relationship. As part of that settlement, both agreed not to disparage one another publicly.
Shaker Heights changes Flock camera policy after probe finds hundreds of outside immigration searches
SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — The Shaker Heights Police Department has changed its policy regarding Flock license plate readers in the city after data revealed that numerous outside agencies were using the system for immigration-related searches. News 5 recently obtained public records chronicling all Shaker's license plate reader data requests from Dec. 20, 2025, through the end of April, 2026.
Dover Police officer accused of being drunk on duty; special prosecutor reviewing case
DOVER, Ohio — A Dover Police officer is on leave after he failed a breathalyzer test while on duty. News 5 Investigators have confirmed Patrolman Ryan Porter, a 15-year-veteran of the force, was found sleeping at the Dover police station on Jan. 21. Porter was taken for a breathalyzer test, which was administered at 3:54 p.m. and then again fifteen minutes later.
Wounds | Community News | clearwatertribune.com
“A wound that goes unacknowledged and unwept is a wound that cannot heal.”- John Eldridge. There are times that we all need to sit back and take an inventory of our wounds. Not all of these are active at any given moment. Some are in the past and some have actually made us stronger. Some wounds get recurrently infected and continue to bother us. The following is simply an inventory to reflect on so we can acknowledge them.
Federal judge surprised by motion to end Cleveland consent decree
CLEVELAND — During a status hearing in federal court on Friday, Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. said he was surprised by the Bibb administration's news conference on Thursday regarding a recently filed motion to end the consent decree. According to the judge, the City of Cleveland is not claiming it has met all the requirements to formally end the 10-year-old consent decree, but instead said it has met the most important ones.
The development of just-in-time information acquisition behaviors in Generation X
Abstract The ways that humans acquire information is undergoing a fundamental change comparable to the introduction of Gutenberg’s moveable type and printing press and the development of broadcast systems in the twentieth century. In the Internet Era – the first decades of the twenty first century – individuals seek information on subjects that are salient or important to them from sources they trust at the time that they need or want that information.
The lack of love coming to medicine- maybe
An increasingly more common question I get in the office these days from patients is some form of the question “When is your job going to be replaced by AI?” I never really know how to answer this, but I have come to recognize that I can’t ignore the question. At some point, there will be an answer to that, whether I like it or not.
Cleveland Police investigating missing $672,000 from TV20
CLEVELAND — The News 5 Investigators have uncovered a Cleveland Police investigation into hundreds of thousands of dollars in missing money from TV20, the City of Cleveland's television station. In April, a police report was filed with Cleveland Police alleging grand theft and forgery inside TV20.
The number one health problem in the United States
The number one health problem in the US is debatable but considering things like high levels of mortality, mobility, economic impact, and prevalence, one of the leading options is the problem of obesity. To say that this is a “Huge” problem is really to understate the issue when all these categories are considered. But the main reason obesity is likely to be the worst health care problem is that it contributes to so many other medical problems that we struggle with.
Civilian Police Review Board makes discipline recommendations for police officer a year after mayor's crash
CLEVELAND — Cleveland's Civilian Police Review Board has made its recommendations nearly a year after a police officer crashed while rushing Mayor Justin Bibb to a meeting. The board sustained four of five counts made against the officer. On June 13, 2024, veteran police officer Demetrius Woods, who is part of Bibb's security detail, was driving the mayor to City Hall in an unmarked police SUV.
Someone claiming to be the court hacker is demanding a $4 million ransom to stop release of stolen information
CLEVELAND — A person claiming to be the Cleveland Municipal Court hacker is demanding the court pay a $4 million ransom, or they say they will release thousands of stolen documents containing sensitive information. The purported cyber-criminal reached out to News 5 via email shortly after the attack. The attack began on Feb. 22, forcing the shutdown of both Cleveland Municipal Court and Cleveland Housing Court for over two weeks. The courts reopened to the public on March 12.
Four ways we can change our health
Change is difficult. In fact, Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa said once that change, “…always seems impossible until it’s done.” Mandela ought to know. He was a militant activist against racial segregation in South Africa who was arrested and went to jail for 27 years. There in jail, something changed in him and after his release, he became the president of his country.
Designing human-centric GenAI experiences
By Mark Ackerman, Area VP for Middle East & Africa, ServiceNow Artificial intelligence has changed everything, it seems. Across the GCC, it has changed how we spend our free time, how we shop, how we invest, how we communicate…..and how we work. In fact, according to a ServiceNow research study from December 2023, 74% of UAE employees — a whole 26 percentage points higher than the EMEA average — agree that AI is the biggest opportunity for the future of the workforce.
Stop filling your life with emptiness
At the beginning of every sports season, there is a day that practice starts. And that day is when coaches typically go through an overview of expectations for the season. When I was coaching there is one expectation that I always had; and that was an expectation about criticism. As we all know, there are two basic types of criticism; constructive and destructive.
Cleveland Police internal affairs investigating police pursuit before a deadly car crash
CLEVELAND — News 5 investigators have confirmed Cleveland police have launched an internal investigation after a man crashed his car into the undercarriage of a semi, while fleeing police. Watch Investigator Tara Morgan's full report on News 5 at 6 p.m. Michael Yearout, 39, was killed in the Feb. 19 crash at West 117th and Bellaire in the Village of Linndale, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol.
HR suspends driving privileges of Cleveland's Assistant Director of Public Safety amid crash investigation
CLEVELAND — News 5 Investigators have learned the City of Cleveland has launched an internal investigation after Assistant Public Safety Director Jakimah Dye was involved in a weekend car crash. Dye was not injured in the crash. But, the city confirms the crash involved Dye's city-owned, take-home vehicle. The crash happened Saturday afternoon outside Cleveland city limits in Warrensville Heights.
Celebrate stress!
I have lived in a bit of a dualistic world. On the one hand, as a Physician Assistant I work to relieve my patient’s physiologic and sometimes psychological stress. On the other hand, in my former life as a college basketball strength and conditioning coach, I worked to impose stress on my athletes. While at first these two jobs seem to be diabolically opposed, the truth is they are actually more complimentary then one might think.
Hunting for Super Person
In the Early 2000’s I happened to know a guy who was a real estate developer. Mostly, this guy bought up land and put in apartment complexes. One day, after seeing one of his complexes going in near my neighborhood, I ran into him and asked him how much he was asking for each unit. “A thousand dollars a month” he said. “Wow” I said, “How can you get that rent? And, how can you justify that much money for an apartment when the average home mortgage is about the same cost?
How much did bringing Kendall Jenner, MGK and Bad Bunny to Cleveland for the Forbes Under 30 Summit cost?
CLEVELAND — How much did bringing Kendall Jenner, Machine Gun Kelly and Bad Bunny to Cleveland cost? JobsOhio, the title sponsor of the Forbes Under 30 Summit, won’t say how much it paid to lure this year’s event and future conferences to Ohio. Some 4,000 people attended the Forbes Under 30 event held in Cleveland October 8-11, 2023. Another 2,000 attended online, according to JobsOhio.
Cannabis confusion
I remember several years ago watching a really funny anti-marijuana commercial. It was about several men in their mid-30’s sitting around a table in an attic of one of these guy’s house. He was talking about how smoking weed was not really that bad for you and how the popular opinion of using Marijuana was so wrong. The guys were all laughing when suddenly you could hear a car pull up in the driveway.
3 ways of turning the UAE’s talent shortage to your advantage
By Mark Ackerman, Area VP MEA, ServiceNow Let’s talk talent. In the UAE and across the world, there is a shortage of it, but demand is greater than ever. The oldest of Generation X will retire within the decade, so catering to younger people, and their digital-native proclivities, is critical to ensure brand longevity. With the right moves, there is a way of turning the talent shortage to your advantage. Here are three ideas to consider. 1.
Here are 3 ways to ride economic volatility to triumph
No matter how you focus the scope — UAE, Arab Gulf, the Middle East, the world — we have shared in economic crisis after economic crisis. We need not look far to find an individual or a business that is struggling. It is easy to be pessimistic, but I am here to tell you that opportunity lurks and need only be grabbed. While not easy, riding the moment to triumph is possible. Here are three ways to find opportunity amid economic volatility. 1.
3 ways to turn the UAE’s talent shortage to your advantage
Let’s talk talent. In the UAE and across the world, there is a shortage of it, but demand is greater than ever. The oldest of Generation X will retire within the decade, so catering to younger people, and their digital-native proclivities, is critical to ensure brand longevity. With the right moves, there is a way of turning the talent shortage to your advantage. Here are three ideas to consider. 1.
Battling Parkinson’s
In October of 1954 a 12-year-old boy named Cassius Clay Jr., had his bicycle stolen. Determined to “pummel” the person who stole it, he went to the police to report the theft. The police officer listening to his story, advised Cassius that before he “pummeled” anyone that he should learn how to fight first. The officer’s name was Joe Martin. Martin, besides being a police officer in Cassius’ home town of Louisville, Kentucky, was also a boxing trainer and took the young man on as a student.
Four reasons why organisations should consider Global Business Services in 2023
Skip to content Home » Business » Four reasons why organisations should consider Global Business Services in 2023 If future historians wrote a preamble for the GCC business climate of 2023, how would that go? “It was a time of post-recession confusion, a time of inflation. A time of great expectations — from employees, from customers, from investors, from shareholders.
Miracle on ice: Hockey players save life at center ice
SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — When you play pick-up hockey, you never know who you are getting on your team. But when Brandon Miller stepped on the ice for lunchtime hockey Jan. 13 at Thornton Park in Shaker Heights, his team was stacked with superstars, he just didn't know it yet. Miller, who is described as a goal scorer by fellow hockey players, was trailing a play and fell to the ice. "I remember kind of having a fall and I thought my skates got out from under me doing a crossover," he said.
Have faith in your doctor
In the 1800’s there was a man known by the name of “The Great Blondin” who was the first person to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope. In front of a crowd of about 5,000 and at an elevation of 160 feet above the Niagara gorge, he walked on a two inch diameter cable stretched 1,100 feet across the river.
Adding the human touch to AI for better customer experience
Just when regional business leaders think their customers cannot get any more demanding, those customers find a way. For example, in a recent Oracle study, 90 per cent of the respondents said they thought brands could “do more” to “deliver happiness”.
Shuffling the cards in dementia
Several years ago during my Physician Assistant training, I heard this story of an elderly man with fairly severe dementia who was hospitalized. Upon admission to his room he got down on his knees and crawled under the hospital bed where he stayed and wouldn’t come out. The nurses on each shift tried to coax him out, but to no avail. Every physician, resident and medical student who came to see the patient tried to talk to him and get him out from under the bed.
In The Age Of The Employee Experience, Process Mining Is A Boon
As a species, we are natural diggers. From our pre-history to now, we have gone digging for raw materials, combustibles, and precious metals. Today, we call it mining. And we have been doing it for decades with something we cannot touch or burn but which has great value, nonetheless. We mine data. Cryptocurrencies are mined digital nuggets where the digging equipment and manual labour are replaced by computational muscle.
Mother takes stand in civil trial against Euclid police officer who fatally shot her son
EUCLID, Ohio — It was an emotional day of testimony in the trial of a Euclid police officer sued for wrongful death. That officer took the witness stand in uniform today, testifying about the moment he shot and killed a 23-year-old man. Mary Stewart fought through tears as she testified about the loss of her son, Luke Stewart, in March 2017. “No Christmases, no birthdays, no nothing. It's just not right. My son should be here,” Stewart said. Instead, Luke Stewart is dead.
Digital accessibility: Making sure technology works for everyone
The UAE leads the world in several arenas. The government’s willingness to face down societal issues with clear-eyed decisiveness has led to a society that is envied and set as a benchmark by regional peers. For example, a series of federal laws and resolutions lays the groundwork for what is repeatedly referred to as “an inclusive society”, and prohibits discriminatory actions with regard to care or employment for people of determination.
The Art of Dying
Several years ago after I graduated from college my Great Uncle Ray had a heart attack during my grandfather’s funeral. This was not his first heart attack but was to be his last. He was taken to the hospital and admitted to the ICU where doctors worked diligently to save his life. In the end however, there was not much they could do after the multiple surgeries he had already had.
Six steps to becoming a customer-centric organisation
For organisations across the region, the customer-loyalty story is one of many characters. Some are the visionaries who look to the future and understand what their customers are looking for in a brand. There may be overlap between these visionaries and the decision-making executives that greenlight business-transformation initiatives. And then there is the frontline employee, who must be sufficiently trained and motivated to execute the vision day after day in real-time interactions.
Five steps to establish your enterprise as a customer experience leader
By Mark Ackerman Font Size - Aa + Posted inOpinion The link between customer experience (CX) and business performance is tangible, with CX leaders demonstrating revenue growth that is five times faster than their underperforming competitors By Mark Ackerman SHARE - Aa + By Mark Ackerman The modern consumer has no patience for downtime, opaque processes, or brands that do not understand them first time, and every time thereafter.
The Importance of Play
In 2016, my youngest son was blessed enough to be able to swim in the Special Olympic World Games. Held in Las Angeles, California, athletes from all over the world came to compete in the summer games. They all had two things in common, they were cognitively impaired and they were there seeking a victory. It was amazing to see how all these young people walked around like celebrities, being greeted by, and entertained by highly important people.
Facing adversity
In 2013 the book entitled “The Boys in the Boat” was published by Viking Press. Written by Daniel James Brown, it is a story based on the true events of the US Olympic rowing team who in 1936 beat a highly rated German team for the Gold Medal in the 1936 Olympic Games held in Nazi Germany. The book features the life of a young American named Joe Rantz who grew up in Spokane, Washington. To say the least, the odds were against Joe ever becoming a rower, let alone winning that Gold Medal.
The business ‘control tower’ - how to make the right moves in 2022
As the Middle East and Africa dusts itself off from the economic slump of the past two years, its enterprises will embark on their own recovery journeys in 2022. While each will be unique, the common thread will be a need to rethink what it means to compete. Digital transformation used to be about questions such as “Should we?”, “Will we?”, or “When will we?”. Now, business leaders are asking “How can we?” and “How soon can we?”. The luxury has turned into an imperative.
Hope is a strategy
There is an old story attributed to Native American cultures, and most commonly the Cherokee Nation about two wolves that are inside of every person. The story is about a grandfather telling his young grandson about these two wolves and how they are constantly fighting. One wolf represents goodness and the other represents evil.
They aren’t licensed casinos. So why are these gaming centers paying out cash?
By: Ron Regan , Mark Ackerman MEDINA, Ohio — Ohio casinos are on pace to shatter revenue records this year, bringing in $821 million so far this year alone. But a News 5 hidden camera investigation reveals Ohio's four licensed casinos in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo aren't the only games around. Instead, News 5 found underground gaming centers in suburban strip malls betting you'll take a chance on what they call skill games.
How the citizen developer can plug the region’s skills gaps - Middle East & Gulf News | AME Info
By: Mark Ackerman, area VP, Middle East & Africa, ServiceNow When facing crises, eventually humans find a way to overcome the challenge — no matter how deep or how wide — and move on. The COVID pandemic did hamper the region’s steady economic growth, but now nations across the GCC are rebuilding and looking to the future. Where before, discussions on digital transformation were optimistic yet studious, now a sense of urgency has gripped us.
Same nursing homes rewarded for COVID-19 care, also fined for infection violations
By: Ron Regan, Mark Ackerman and Beth Peak CLEVELAND — A News 5 investigation found a federal government program provided millions of dollars in bonuses to nursing homes that repeatedly failed to safeguard against infection during the height of the COVID-19 crisis. In the fourth quarter of 2020, the Health Resources and Services Administration awarded $2 billion in quality incentives to nursing homes across the country. In Ohio, 873 nursing homes received $87 million in quality incentives.
The low-code revolution - four benefits for regional innovators
Mark Ackerman, Area Vice President, Middle East and Africa, at ServiceNow. Code makes the world go round. Today, so many facets of our lives — from healthcare to education and from entertainment to security — are governed by it. An expansion of the device ecosystem from rigid VAX terminals and desktops to pocketable smartphones and sleek tablets has brought with it an app explosion that has cried out for more coders.
Mayoral candidates weigh in on future of Lakefront, ballpark, West Side Market, utilities
By: Ron Regan , Mark Ackerman CLEVELAND — The West Side Market, our stadiums, and our lakefront are not only major tourist attractions, but they are synonymous with Cleveland. So what do Cleveland's seven mayoral candidates have planned for some of Cleveland's most vital investments? 5 On Your Side Chief Investigator Ron Regan sat down with all seven candidates to get specific about how they planned to spend your tax dollars. All seven candidates support a plan to redesign Cleveland's lakefront.
Get your work done early
In a former life as a college basketball coach, I coached at a school where one of our team mantras was, “Get Your Work Done Early!” Although you can assign a lot of different meanings to mantras, this particular one really meant, “win the game at the beginning of the game and not at the end of it.” In other words, don’t goof around and decide to play hard during the last five minutes of the game.
Cleveland is the poorest big city in America. What the 7 mayoral candidates plan to do about that.
By: Ron Regan , Mark Ackerman CLEVELAND — The statistics are staggering. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Cleveland is the poorest big city in America. Thirty percent of Cleveland residents live below the poverty level, and half earn less than $20,000 per year. During our wide-ranging interviews with all seven candidates, News 5 asked each how they plan to bring jobs to Cleveland.
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