COlumbus/Dayton area isn't bad, and I liked Cincinnati. Toledo and Cleveland are cesspools. That TWisted Tea incident had me wondering why I've heard of Elyria, and realized I've stayed there multiple times because it's the closest hotel to Lorain. There are definitely weird people in that area.
Manitoba is my least favorite place I've traveled for work. One city and the rest of it is one frozen expanse of nothingness. Manitoba is not a compliment, and if there's a state that's similar, it's the one just south of Manitoba.
depends on the part of Cleveland. East Cleveland can be rough, as can parts of down town but there are places like Little Italy, Asiatown, etc. that more than make up for it.
Elyria can be bizarre, though. This might sound a bit like a joke, but the failures of our mental health system are often on display there. Most of the people seem pretty harmless in a nutjob sort of way but are clearly a bit...off.