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Aviation industry leaders and student pilots are pressing Cleveland City Council for equal time to advocate for keeping Burke Lakefront Airport open.

Why it matters: Mayor Justin Bibb and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne have spent months building the case for closing Burke and redeveloping its 450 acres. 

Airport supporters argue a recent series of council meetings did not give comparable weight to the people championing Burke as transportation infrastructure, a workforce pipeline and an economic asset.

Driving the news: Two letters sent to the council last week — one signed by more than 50 aviation and business professionals, the other by students and aviation workers — urged members to hold a dedicated hearing for the airport's supporters.

What they're saying: "The 'highest and best use' of this land is its current use: a world-class aviation facility that connects Cleveland to the global economy," one letter reads.

"Once an airport pavement is removed for parks or apartments, it is gone forever."

Zoom in: Supporters point to Burke's economic impact as host of the Cleveland National Air Show, its role as Hopkins' primary reliever airport and its use for organ-transplant and medevac flights.

The student letter argues that Burke is a unique educational asset, giving aspiring pilots a rare place to master complex communications and navigation skills without disrupting commercial traffic at Hopkins.

The other side: Council transportation chair Charles Slife defended the four previous hearings as balanced scrutiny of the administration's proposal. 

"This was not just a press conference," he tells Axios. "We were analyzing the finances and infrastructure critically."

What's next: Slife says council members have been touring Burke and that he's open to a fifth hearing centered on Burke users, but has prioritized more urgent legislative action. 

"I understand the enthusiasm, but it's not time sensitive in my mind."

Burke supporters want equal airtime

Aviation professionals and student pilots want Council to hold a hearing with the airport's champions.

Illustration of a "no" symbol over a plane engine.

Aviation industry leaders and student pilots are pressing Cleveland City Council for equal time to advocate for keeping Burke Lakefront Airport open.Why it matters: Mayor Justin Bibb and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne have spent months <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="building the case" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cleveland.com/news/2026/01/cleveland-mayor-wants-burke-airport-closed-during-his-second-term-if-congress-and-council-agree.html" data-vars-content-id="1483fc8c-4e59-480c-b328-eefcb0d37753" data-vars-headline="Burke supporters want equal airtime" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cleveland.com/news/2026/01/cleveland-mayor-wants-burke-airport-closed-during-his-second-term-if-congress-and-council-agree.html" target="_blank">building the case</a> for closing Burke and redeveloping its 450 acres.

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Axios Latino

As violent crime continues to fall across many of the nation's largest cities, Cleveland's data remained largely unchanged in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year. 

State of play: The homicides count through June was in fact identical — 48 this year and 48 last year. 

Rape and robberies declined slightly while aggravated assaults rose slightly, the Major Cities Chiefs Association's (MCCA) survey found.

The big picture: The nationwide decline in crime now spans two presidencies. It began falling under President Biden after the pandemic-era surge, and has kept dropping under President Trump.

By the numbers: An Axios analysis of the MCCA survey found significant drops in the first six months of 2026 compared to last year.

Taken together, the four categories were down about 8.3%, for roughly 14,200 fewer reported violent crimes compared to the same period last year, according to the Axios review.

Zoom out: Another major crime tracker is seeing similar trends in declining violent crime.

A Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) analysis found homicides down 18% among 30 reporting cities in the first half of 2026. The group says the decline began in the second half of 2022.

The finding is notable because crime has fallen across cities with different political leadership, policing strategies, economic conditions and levels of federal involvement, CCJ said.

Major Cities Chiefs Association's (MCCA) survey

Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) analysis

Violent crime in Cleveland largely static in 2026

The 48 homicides through the first half of the year are identical to 2025.

Photo illustration of a Cleveland Police cruiser with lines radiating from it.

Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Angelo Merendino/Getty Images

As <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="violent crime" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/10/violent-crime-us-cities-trump" data-vars-content-id="24fa1dfe-b4ae-4f1c-9c17-a51d14eb6235" data-vars-headline="Violent crime in Cleveland largely static in 2026" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/10/violent-crime-us-cities-trump" target="_self">violent crime</a> continues to fall across many of the nation&#x27;s largest cities, Cleveland&#x27;s data remained largely unchanged in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year. State of play: The homicides count through June was in fact identical — 48 this year and 48 last year.

News

Public Safety

Mac's Backs Books in Cleveland Heights is relocating across Coventry this fall and is currently hosting a massive $5 book sale to clear out inventory before the move. 

State of play: I descended into the store's basement this week to see what treasures awaited, and walked away with seven titles: 

📰 "The World According to Breslin" by Jimmy Breslin. 

A New Journalism icon, with annotations from Breslin's editors. Couldn't say no. 

🎩 "Plunkitt of Tammany Hall" by William L. Riordan.

The definitive account of New York's corrupt political machine in the early 20th Century. Yes, please.   

💣 "Nuclear Ethics" by Joseph S. Nye, Jr. 

Mostly a bit to see how hard my wife could roll her eyes.  

📡 "The Origin of Radar" by Robert Morris Page.

🇺🇸 "In the Heart of it All" by Richard F. Celeste.

Lakewood's own. Governor of Ohio from 1983-91.

🇬🇹 "Shattered Hope: The Guatemalan Revolution and the United States (1944-1954)" by Piero Gleijeses.

Most of what I know about Guatemala and the U.S.-backed violence there comes from the 2016 documentary "Finding Oscar." Eager to learn more!  

🪖 "The Blast of War 1939-1945" by Harold Macmillan.

Trying hard not to become a WWII guy in my late 30s, but who am I to resist this particular dust jacket, which calls Macmillian's experiences "as dramatic and intense as any man's." 

It primarily concerns the Mediterranean Theater — the theater about which I know least and which intrigues me most! 

Stop by: The selection, at least this week, skewed toward the political and social sciences, but dozens upon dozens of boxes of books remain.

I can't wait to return in a week or two for another haul. 

Shattered Hope: The Guatemalan Revolution and the United States (1944-1954)

My insane haul from Mac's Backs $5 book sale

Get a load of these diamonds in the rough.

An array of seven used books on a couch. 

Mac&#x27;s Backs Books in Cleveland Heights <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="is relocating" data-vars-click-url="https://clevelandmagazine.com/articles/mac-s-backs-books-will-move-from-its-longtime-coventry-location-this-fall/" data-vars-content-id="576f7455-71bf-4740-8f7b-9756531098e4" data-vars-headline="My insane haul from Mac&#x27;s Backs $5 book sale" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://clevelandmagazine.com/articles/mac-s-backs-books-will-move-from-its-longtime-coventry-location-this-fall/" target="_blank">is relocating</a> across Coventry this fall and is currently hosting a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="massive $5 book sale" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3ryC-GEAZ/?img_index=1" data-vars-content-id="576f7455-71bf-4740-8f7b-9756531098e4" data-vars-headline="My insane haul from Mac&#x27;s Backs $5 book sale" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3ryC-GEAZ/?img_index=1" target="_blank">massive $5 book sale</a> to clear out inventory before the move. State of play: I descended into the store&#x27;s basement this week to see what treasures awaited, and walked away with seven titles:

Culture

President Trump's visit to Northeast Ohio for this week's Patriot Games included a greeting by ESPN personality Pat McAfee and drama involving a civilian plane. 

State of play: Trump touched down at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport at 4:45pm Tuesday in the pouring rain. 

He made the trip to Ohio in the new "bridge" Air Force One, a Boeing 747 gifted to the United States by Qatar for use as a presidential aircraft. 

The plane stands about 63 feet tall and stretches more than 230 feet long.

Trump and McAfee boarded Marine One for the helicopter flight to Ashtabula County and SPIRE Academy for the Patriot Games.

The intrigue: F-16 fighter jets fired flares and intercepted a civilian plane flying in restricted airspace around Geneva shortly after 6pm, CBS News reports.

💭 Sam's thought bubble: I'm pretty sure I saw Marine One flying over my home on Cleveland's west side, trailed by an enormous drone. 

A closer view of Trump's visit to Cleveland for Patriot Games

The president traveled to Cleveland Tuesday for the grand finale.

President Donald Trump carries an umbrella and walks alongside Pat McAfee to a helicopter. 

President Trump and ESPN personality Pat McAfee walk to Marine One at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

President Trump&#x27;s visit to Northeast Ohio <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="for this week&#x27;s Patriot Games" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/08/07/trump-patriot-games-spire-academy" data-vars-content-id="6123ed66-a701-4de6-8ae5-3f8ad8ef9c70" data-vars-headline="A closer view of Trump&#x27;s visit to Cleveland for Patriot Games" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/08/07/trump-patriot-games-spire-academy" target="_self">for this week&#x27;s Patriot Games</a> included a greeting by ESPN personality Pat McAfee and drama involving a civilian plane. State of play: Trump touched down at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport at 4:45pm Tuesday in the pouring rain. <ul><li>He made the trip to Ohio in the new <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;bridge&quot; Air Force One" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/11/trump-air-force-one-security-secret-plane-switch" data-vars-content-id="6123ed66-a701-4de6-8ae5-3f8ad8ef9c70" data-vars-headline="A closer view of Trump&#x27;s visit to Cleveland for Patriot Games" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/11/trump-air-force-one-security-secret-plane-switch" target="_self">&quot;bridge&quot; Air Force One</a>, a Boeing 747 gifted to the United States by Qatar for use as a presidential aircraft. </li></ul>

Politics

Local officials are celebrating a $31 million expansion and renovation of the Norma Herr Center, the region's primary emergency shelter for women experiencing homelessness.

Why it matters: The ongoing project significantly expands shelter capacity while replacing congregate sleeping arrangements with more private, dignified accommodations. 

It's part of a strategy to move people from homelessness into permanent stable housing.

Driving the news: The second phase of the Norma Herr redevelopment adds 26,600 square feet and 103 beds, along with individual bathrooms, lounge areas, a computer lab, expanded dining space and a new courtyard.

The YWCA-operated shelter serves nearly 200 people each night. 

The first floor of the renovation will begin welcoming guests next week, with the second floor likely opening in October. 

By the numbers: Cuyahoga County contributed $7.9 million in federal HUD money toward the project. Cleveland provided $5.6 million in federal housing and community development dollars.

Capital One Bank added $9 million to facilitate a New Market Tax Credits transaction, finalized in recent weeks, that provided critical financing. 

What they're saying: "By investing in facilities like the Norma Herr Center, we are not only helping individuals experiencing a housing crisis, but providing a safe, dignified space where they can access the resources and support they need to rebuild their lives," County Executive Chris Ronayne said in a statement.

A man in a dark suit and green striped tie speaks at a podium, flanked by two flags (U.S. flag on the left). Audience sits, with a person in the foreground recording on a phone.

County Executive Chris Ronayne speaks at a Norma Herr press conference Wednesday. Photo: Sam Allard/Axios

The big picture: The expansion is part of the county's Strategic Action Plan for Homelessness and complements Cleveland's A Home for Every Neighbor initiative, launched with the county in 2024, which has helped more than 200 residents find housing.

Housing has a more dramatic impact on public health than any single medication, David Margolius, the city's public health director, said Wednesday at a news conference.

What's next: During remarks, Ronayne pleaded with the gathered crowd of nonprofit professionals and service providers to support the county's Health and Human Services levy increase on the ballot this year, which he called critical as state and federal partnerships have become "shaky." 

"It's ground zero for how we as a community step up," he said. "As our partners step away, we as Cuyahoga County say we're not stepping away. We're stepping in." 

Norma Herr adds 103 shelter beds in $31 million expansion

Cleveland and Cuyahoga County are investing in this as part of a homelessness strategy.

Beige two-story building with dark green base, numerous overhead power lines, and a construction site in front. Cars parked along the street; orange barriers and a small excavator visible on the right.

The expanded Norma Herr Center at Payne Avenue and East 23rd Street. Photo: Sam Allard/Axios

Local officials are celebrating a $31 million expansion and renovation of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Norma Herr Center" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2024/10/23/norma-herr-womens-homeless-shelter-expansion-renovation" data-vars-content-id="6f9bd0a0-eee1-49b5-9617-5eea0c1a7147" data-vars-headline="Norma Herr adds 103 shelter beds in $31 million expansion" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2024/10/23/norma-herr-womens-homeless-shelter-expansion-renovation" target="_self">Norma Herr Center</a>, the region&#x27;s primary emergency shelter for women experiencing homelessness.Why it matters: The ongoing project significantly expands shelter capacity while replacing congregate sleeping arrangements with more private, dignified accommodations.

Sam Allard

Featured stories

Norma Herr adds 103 shelter beds in $31 million expansion

A closer view of Trump's visit to Cleveland for Patriot Games

Violent crime in Cleveland largely static in 2026

My insane haul from Mac's Backs $5 book sale

Burke supporters want equal airtime