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Springsteen returns to Ohio at another political flashpoint

The May 22 concert at Rocket Arena is part of the Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour.

Music

Bruce Springsteen heads to Cleveland on Friday at yet another political inflection point.State of play: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="concert at Rocket Arena" data-vars-click-url="https://www.rocketarena.com/events/detail/springsteen-e-street-260522" data-vars-content-id="ccc3928c-f516-4087-b51c-bb452d240b17" data-vars-headline="Springsteen returns to Ohio at another political flashpoint" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.rocketarena.com/events/detail/springsteen-e-street-260522" target="_blank">concert at Rocket Arena</a> is part of the Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour, with the anti-Trump rallying cry &quot;No Kings&quot; splattered across promotional posters.

Cleveland's Flock fight heads to city council

Bibb won't bypass lawmakers this time on the controversial license plate reader contract.

News

After pressure from Cleveland City Council members and activists, Mayor Justin Bibb on Monday said the administration would seek council approval for an extension of the city&#x27;s contract with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Flock Safety" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/05/13/resistance-flock-cameras-cleveland" data-vars-content-id="13a94ee9-832f-43b7-8de3-b6a1d5337cd7" data-vars-headline="Cleveland&#x27;s Flock fight heads to city council" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/05/13/resistance-flock-cameras-cleveland" target="_self">Flock Safety</a> for automated license plate readers.Why it matters: Bibb has drawn the ire of the council — especially the vocal safety committee chair, Mike Polensek — for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="extending contracts" data-vars-click-url="https://signalcleveland.org/cleveland-shotspotter-gunshot-detection-renewal-city-council/" data-vars-content-id="13a94ee9-832f-43b7-8de3-b6a1d5337cd7" data-vars-headline="Cleveland&#x27;s Flock fight heads to city council" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://signalcleveland.org/cleveland-shotspotter-gunshot-detection-renewal-city-council/" target="_blank">extending contracts</a> through the city&#x27;s Board of Control, sidestepping council approval.

Cleveland slides one spot in annual parks rankings

The Forest City continues to earn high marks for access and amenities, but hurt by below-average acreage

Environment

Cleveland has slipped from No. 30 to No. 31 in the Trust for Public Land&#x27;s ParkScore rankings. The big picture: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="annual report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.tpl.org/parkscore" data-vars-content-id="a9bc4f57-fafa-4e4d-8fdc-3128adafe04d" data-vars-headline="Cleveland slides one spot in annual parks rankings" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.tpl.org/parkscore" target="_blank">annual report</a> ranks the 100 most populous U.S. cities&#x27; park systems relative to one another based on five categories: access, acreage, amenities, equity, and investment.

From Drake to Johnny Depp: Our dream Rock Hall ceremony guest list

Past ceremonies have featured guests including Taylor Swift, Julia Roberts and Paul McCartney.

One of the best parts of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/04/14/rock-hall-2026-ceremony-cleveland-return" data-vars-content-id="2a9ecf65-c504-4620-912f-1b3d58fa0dc2" data-vars-headline="From Drake to Johnny Depp: Our dream Rock Hall ceremony guest list" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/04/14/rock-hall-2026-ceremony-cleveland-return" target="_self">Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame</a> ceremony is watching celebrities turn into fanboys and girls for their favorite music artists.The intrigue: The Rock Hall is usually tight-lipped about the list of special guests, but we couldn&#x27;t resist making our picks for who might show up for the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="class of 2026" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/04/14/2026-rock-hall-inductees-iron-maiden-wu-tang" data-vars-content-id="2a9ecf65-c504-4620-912f-1b3d58fa0dc2" data-vars-headline="From Drake to Johnny Depp: Our dream Rock Hall ceremony guest list" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/04/14/2026-rock-hall-inductees-iron-maiden-wu-tang" target="_self">class of 2026</a> on Nov. 14 in L.A.<ul><li>There are <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="A LOT of inductees" data-vars-click-url="https://rockhall.com/2026-inductees/" data-vars-content-id="2a9ecf65-c504-4620-912f-1b3d58fa0dc2" data-vars-headline="From Drake to Johnny Depp: Our dream Rock Hall ceremony guest list" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://rockhall.com/2026-inductees/" target="_blank">A LOT of inductees</a> this year, so we&#x27;re only picking presenters for the honorees in the &quot;Performer&quot; category.</li></ul>

Recall effort against Bibb suspended before deadline

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

Politics

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.

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>.

Cleveland passes $2.3 billion budget for 2026

With surplus funds from 2025, Cleveland adds millions for streets and personnel

Cleveland City Council approved the city&#x27;s $2.3 billion budget at its meeting this week, including about $920 million in General Fund spending for core services.Driving the news: The plan passed 11-3 — with Stephanie Howse-Jones, Tanmay Shah and Richard Starr voting against — after weeks of negotiations with Mayor Justin Bibb&#x27;s administration.

Moreno calls on data center owner to reject $4.5M Ohio subsidy

In a letter obtained by Axios, the senator called the tax break for a Northeast Ohio expansion creating 10 jobs a "sweetheart deal."

U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) is blasting a new tax break for a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Northeast Ohio data center expansion project" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/03/06/ohio-data-center-akron-independence-laws" data-vars-content-id="6ec2a2af-9d34-4bce-83ef-be9d26148c08" data-vars-headline="Moreno calls on data center owner to reject $4.5M Ohio subsidy" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/03/06/ohio-data-center-akron-independence-laws" target="_self">Northeast Ohio data center expansion project</a> and calling on the company behind it to reject it.Why it matters: The deal has become a flashpoint in Ohio&#x27;s growing debate over whether data centers deserve taxpayer incentives when they consume massive quantities of energy but create relatively few permanent jobs.

Politics 🇺🇸

Ohio AG Yost to resign next month

Recall effort against Bibb suspended before deadline

Cleveland presses DigitalC over broadband numbers

1 race to watch in Tuesday's primary

Cuyahoga County Jail saga continues with vote to secure funding