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Usher, Chris Brown bring R&B party of the summer to Cleveland

The two stars performed more than 50 songs over 2 1/2 hours.

Music

Usher and Chris Brown&#x27;s concert at Huntington Bank Field featured an abundance of hit anthems, flashy dance moves and more screams than a roller coaster drop at Cedar Point.The big picture: The duo&#x27;s co-headlining show Tuesday was <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="one of the biggest" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2023/05/30/greatest-concerts-cleveland" data-vars-content-id="fcce8915-024e-42eb-830b-a28c39dbf91f" data-vars-headline="Usher, Chris Brown bring R&amp;B party of the summer to Cleveland" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2023/05/30/greatest-concerts-cleveland" target="_self">one of the biggest</a> R&amp;B concerts to ever hit Northeast Ohio.

New bike path will connect Edgewater to Cudell

Cleveland has secured $100,000 to begin planning the route in Wards 11 and 12.

Transit

Cleveland has secured $100,000 from the state to begin planning a shared-use path along West Boulevard connecting Cudell to Edgewater Park.Why it matters: The project aims to calm traffic while making it safer and easier for people to reach the lakefront without driving.

Ohio among states reporting stomach parasite infections

The Ohio Department of Health's data lists more than 30 cases of cyclosporiasis since May 1.

Health

Ohio is one of 17 states with reported cases of a gut-wrecking parasite that&#x27;s plaguing the U.S. as <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="health" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/health" data-vars-content-id="5317b579-6365-48ba-8be5-3af75ce3f329" data-vars-headline="Ohio among states reporting stomach parasite infections" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/health" target="_self">health</a> officials investigate what&#x27;s driving an increase in cases.The big picture: The gastrointestinal illness — called cyclosporiasis — is caused by a microscopic parasite spreading through contaminated food.

Participatory budgeting for Columbus, but not Cleveland

Columbus is launching a pilot program three years after Cleveland quashed one.

Politics

Columbus begins a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="financial experiment" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2026/07/06/city-council-participatory-budget-9-million" data-vars-content-id="f2e46736-f732-445d-891a-739c8d1eb796" data-vars-headline="Participatory budgeting for Columbus, but not Cleveland" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2026/07/06/city-council-participatory-budget-9-million" target="_self">financial experiment</a> this week, handing over the keys to a portion of the city&#x27;s budget to the public for the first time.Why it matters: Clevelanders might be jealous.

FBI raid and voter ID push fuel election fears in Ohio

Democrats see a pattern of intimidation ahead of the 2026 midterms. Republicans say they're protecting election integrity.

The FBI raid of a progressive voting rights group in Cleveland last week is heightening anxiety over election integrity ahead of the 2026 midterms.Why it matters: Republicans at the state and federal levels have spent years fomenting concerns about voter fraud, and Democrats now fear those claims are being paired with federal law enforcement pressure on groups that register and mobilize voters.

Recall effort against Bibb suspended before deadline

Organizers say intimidation and dwindling volunteer support doomed the long-shot campaign.

The grassroots group Accountable Cleveland Era is suspending its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="recall effort" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/04/06/justin-bibb-recall-effort" data-vars-content-id="e163d2b3-4bd3-45d3-b862-e9b968356f56" data-vars-headline="Recall effort against Bibb suspended before deadline" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/04/06/justin-bibb-recall-effort" target="_self">recall effort</a> of Mayor Justin Bibb just days before the May 8 deadline to submit enough signatures.The big picture: The failed campaign reflects lingering dissatisfaction with Bibb in some corners of the city, even after his landslide reelection last fall.

Cleveland presses DigitalC over broadband numbers

City Council questions whether the nonprofit met its targets and if anyone can verify them.

Cleveland City Council is putting the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="nonprofit DigitalC" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2025/04/23/digitalc-home-broadband-service" data-vars-content-id="f0c77611-9596-41b3-9bc2-16f8f9c43456" data-vars-headline="Cleveland presses DigitalC over broadband numbers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2025/04/23/digitalc-home-broadband-service" target="_self">nonprofit DigitalC</a> under the microscope, raising questions about the organization&#x27;s 2025 numbers. Why it matters: The nonprofit founded in 2015 received Cleveland&#x27;s largest single ARPA award ($20 million) to build a low-cost broadband network citywide.

1 race to watch in Tuesday's primary

A contested judicial race between Judge William Vodrey and assistant prosecutor James Gallagher stands out in a low-drama primary.

Ohio voters head to the polls Tuesday for a primary election featuring a host of local issues and one contested judicial race in Cuyahoga County.Why it matters: Primaries can fly under the radar and often feature contests with little drama.

Cuyahoga County Jail saga continues with vote to secure funding

County council voted to borrow nearly $1 billion to finance the project as costs rise and legal threats swirl.

News

Cuyahoga County finally took action Tuesday to secure funding for the controversial new jail in Garfield Heights.Why it matters: The nearly $1 billion public project is the most expensive in county history and has been <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a fiasco since its inception" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2023/12/14/cuyahoga-county-council-sales-tax-jail" data-vars-content-id="59d6878a-7406-4fe0-9de9-863b2d66f51a" data-vars-headline="Cuyahoga County Jail saga continues with vote to secure funding" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2023/12/14/cuyahoga-county-council-sales-tax-jail" target="_self">a fiasco since its inception</a>.

Ohio's shifting legal marijuana landscape

A new state law tightened rules on THC products and public use, but court rulings are already complicating enforcement.

It&#x27;s been exactly one month since Ohio&#x27;s legislature significantly altered the state&#x27;s marijuana rules, and recent legal challenges point to a rocky road of implementation.Why it matters: Senate Bill 56 <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="rolled back parts" data-vars-click-url="https://moritzlaw.osu.edu/sites/default/files/2026-01/Ohio%20reforms_SB56%20and%20Issue%202_January%208%202026_final.pdf" data-vars-content-id="35b447de-f80a-412d-9113-3a6bf7a7cc6b" data-vars-headline="Ohio&#x27;s shifting legal marijuana landscape" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://moritzlaw.osu.edu/sites/default/files/2026-01/Ohio%20reforms_SB56%20and%20Issue%202_January%208%202026_final.pdf" target="_blank">rolled back parts</a> of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="voter-approved Issue 2" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2023/06/06/legalized-marijuana-ohio" data-vars-content-id="35b447de-f80a-412d-9113-3a6bf7a7cc6b" data-vars-headline="Ohio&#x27;s shifting legal marijuana landscape" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2023/06/06/legalized-marijuana-ohio" target="_self">voter-approved Issue 2</a>, which legalized recreational marijuana use in 2023. It adds restrictions on what, where and how Ohioans can consume.

Yost calls for ending Ohio's death penalty moratorium

The state AG criticized a "mockery of the justice system" as critics sound the alarm on systemic risks.

Attorney General Dave Yost has made a strenuous case for Ohio to restart executions in his eighth and final <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="capital crimes report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Reports/Capital-Crimes-Annual-Reports/2025-Cap-Crimes-Annual-Report_WEB.aspx" data-vars-content-id="3e3b9a62-5768-4b0f-aca2-3faf428b4e88" data-vars-headline="Yost calls for ending Ohio&#x27;s death penalty moratorium" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Reports/Capital-Crimes-Annual-Reports/2025-Cap-Crimes-Annual-Report_WEB.aspx" target="_blank">capital crimes report</a>.Why it matters: Ohio hasn&#x27;t carried out <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="an execution" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2025/04/22/ohio-death-penalty-machine-repeal-yost" data-vars-content-id="3e3b9a62-5768-4b0f-aca2-3faf428b4e88" data-vars-headline="Yost calls for ending Ohio&#x27;s death penalty moratorium" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2025/04/22/ohio-death-penalty-machine-repeal-yost" target="_self">an execution</a> since 2018, under a de facto moratorium by Gov. Mike DeWine tied largely to the state&#x27;s inability to secure lethal injection drugs.

Recall effort launched against Mayor Justin Bibb

Activists cite spending and transparency concerns, but history is on Bibb's side.

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb is facing a formal recall effort, though if history is any indication, he shouldn&#x27;t be sweating.Why it matters: Recall attempts are rare in the city of Cleveland and have never succeeded, but they can signal political dissatisfaction.

Anti-Trump "No Kings" protest in Cleveland: What to know

Organizers expect more attendees than last year's rallies.

Clevelanders will rally Saturday alongside millions of Americans in a new wave of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;No Kings&quot;" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/24/bruce-springsteen-joan-baez-no-kings-twin-cities" data-vars-content-id="d99283f2-575a-49d3-8ffb-7a4b3c303264" data-vars-headline="Anti-Trump &quot;No Kings&quot; protest in Cleveland: What to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/24/bruce-springsteen-joan-baez-no-kings-twin-cities" target="_self">&quot;No Kings&quot;</a> protests.Why it matters: Thousands are expected to take to the streets to denounce the Trump administration&#x27;s policies, from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ICE&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/02/02/hundreds-rally-against-ice-in-downtown-cleveland" data-vars-content-id="d99283f2-575a-49d3-8ffb-7a4b3c303264" data-vars-headline="Anti-Trump &quot;No Kings&quot; protest in Cleveland: What to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/02/02/hundreds-rally-against-ice-in-downtown-cleveland" target="_self">ICE&#x27;s</a> growing <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="presence" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/03/23/ice-agents-hopkins-cleveland-international-airport-trump" data-vars-content-id="d99283f2-575a-49d3-8ffb-7a4b3c303264" data-vars-headline="Anti-Trump &quot;No Kings&quot; protest in Cleveland: What to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/03/23/ice-agents-hopkins-cleveland-international-airport-trump" target="_self">presence</a> to concerns about the Iran war and its effect on gas <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="prices" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/03/25/gas-4-dollars-cleveland-iran-war" data-vars-content-id="d99283f2-575a-49d3-8ffb-7a4b3c303264" data-vars-headline="Anti-Trump &quot;No Kings&quot; protest in Cleveland: What to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/03/25/gas-4-dollars-cleveland-iran-war" target="_self">prices</a>.

Axios Columbus

Ohio tops the nation in ACA enrollment drop

Columbus

Choropleth map showing the change in ACA health care enrollments from February 2025 to February 2026. The U.S. rate is a decrease of 12%. Every state showed a decline except New Mexico, which increased 14%. Ohio and Oklahoma led the U.S. in largest decreases, both at nearly 32% over one year.

Change in ACA health care enrollment

Data: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; Map: Danielle Alberti/Axios

Poll: Most Ohio lawmakers oppose the death penalty

A heat table that shows Ohio lawmakersâ views on capital punishment in a June 23-24 poll of 55 respondents. Support for repealing the death penalty is 56%, with 35% opposed and 9% undecided. The same 56% want the next governor to resume executions, while 38% do not and 5% are undecided.

Politics 🇺🇸

Participatory budgeting for Columbus, but not Cleveland

Ohio tops the nation in ACA enrollment drop

Poll: Most Ohio lawmakers oppose the death penalty

Ohio showcases "The Heart of It All" at Great American State Fair

FBI raid and voter ID push fuel election fears in Ohio