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Recall effort launched against Mayor Justin Bibb

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

Politics

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.

From Oberlin to CIFF: Dickler's "Big Bass" hooks a personal story

The documentary short screens April 14 and 15 at the Cleveland International Film Festival.

News

Filmmaker Drew Dickler&#x27;s short documentary <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;Big Bass&quot;" data-vars-click-url="https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/big-bass-2026/" data-vars-content-id="76bb56fe-fc5d-4dc1-8add-75e61b5ea1c7" data-vars-headline="From Oberlin to CIFF: Dickler&#x27;s &quot;Big Bass&quot; hooks a personal story" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/big-bass-2026/" target="_blank">&quot;Big Bass&quot;</a> starts with a striking, yet hilarious declaration about her childhood — &quot;I was so gay, my parents took one look at me and named me Drew.&quot;State of play: &quot;Big Bass&quot; recounts a formative moment in Dickler&#x27;s youth, involving a large plastic fish and the gym teacher who changed her life.

Cleveland joins Michelin restaurant guide

Starred restaurants for the new Great Lakes region will be revealed in 2027.

The world&#x27;s preeminent food reviewer is adding Cleveland to its guide. Why it matters: Cleveland&#x27;s food scene continues to turn heads and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="notch accolades" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/03/31/vinnie-cimino-james-beard-finalist-2026-cordelia-rosy" data-vars-content-id="e861e0b9-fea7-48b9-8c31-a389fa5e1207" data-vars-headline="Cleveland joins Michelin restaurant guide" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/03/31/vinnie-cimino-james-beard-finalist-2026-cordelia-rosy" target="_self">notch accolades</a>, and a Michelin star would fully legitimize it.

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.

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.

Bibb and Buttigieg make case for a "militant Midwestern" revival

The Cleveland mayor and former transportation secretary say the industrial Midwest could power America's future.

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg took the stage Thursday to tout the Midwest as a region uniquely positioned to lead a new era of American manufacturing and innovation.Why it matters: The invite-only event at Cleveland&#x27;s Karamu House doubled as a showcase for two rising figures in the Democratic party, both of whom are &quot;elder millennials&quot; with heartland roots.

Maurer joins Bibb administration as senior lead safety adviser

The former councilwoman will coordinate Cleveland's lead safety efforts amid scrutiny over enforcement and remediation.

Former Cleveland City Councilwoman <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Rebecca Maurer" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2024/11/26/cleveland-city-council-redistricting-rebecca-maurer-blaine-griffin-ward-maps" data-vars-content-id="d86a880b-5f03-4723-a39c-001924c7f6e4" data-vars-headline="Maurer joins Bibb administration as senior lead safety adviser" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2024/11/26/cleveland-city-council-redistricting-rebecca-maurer-blaine-griffin-ward-maps" target="_self">Rebecca Maurer</a> is joining Mayor Justin Bibb&#x27;s administration as a senior adviser for lead accountability.Why it matters: Cleveland continues to grapple with childhood lead poisoning rates. City Hall is under pressure to better coordinate enforcement, remediation and prevention efforts after <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a series" data-vars-click-url="https://signalcleveland.org/cleveland-loses-3-million-state-lead-paint-grant/" data-vars-content-id="d86a880b-5f03-4723-a39c-001924c7f6e4" data-vars-headline="Maurer joins Bibb administration as senior lead safety adviser" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://signalcleveland.org/cleveland-loses-3-million-state-lead-paint-grant/" target="_blank">a series</a> of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="embarrassing headlines" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/02/10/councilman-kevin-bishop-lead-safe-law" data-vars-content-id="d86a880b-5f03-4723-a39c-001924c7f6e4" data-vars-headline="Maurer joins Bibb administration as senior lead safety adviser" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/02/10/councilman-kevin-bishop-lead-safe-law" target="_self">embarrassing headlines</a> in recent weeks exposed cracks in the system.

Ohio lawmakers use AI, but are unsure how to regulate it

A new legislative poll shows widespread adoption, alongside deep divisions over oversight.

The majority of Ohio General Assembly members who responded to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="recent poll on artificial intelligence" data-vars-click-url="https://gongwerwerthpoll.com/results#/view/cmma3v4fn01sp1146p7mryikx" data-vars-content-id="1b0a3745-cf35-4927-a539-8db3a367fa99" data-vars-headline="Ohio lawmakers use AI, but are unsure how to regulate it" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://gongwerwerthpoll.com/results#/view/cmma3v4fn01sp1146p7mryikx" target="_blank">recent poll on artificial intelligence</a> report using AI in their work as legislators and believe the technology allows them to work more efficiently.Why it matters: Confusion and indecision persist on how AI <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="should be regulated" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-columbus-3f925d20-d9da-11f0-87c3-ebe17279ed99.html?chunk=2&amp;utm_term=emshare#story2" data-vars-content-id="1b0a3745-cf35-4927-a539-8db3a367fa99" data-vars-headline="Ohio lawmakers use AI, but are unsure how to regulate it" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-columbus-3f925d20-d9da-11f0-87c3-ebe17279ed99.html?chunk=2&amp;utm_term=emshare#story2" target="_self">should be regulated</a>, and who should do the regulating.

Ohio House votes to ban ranked choice voting statewide

The measure blocks Lakewood and Cleveland Heights from putting the question before voters.

Ohio House lawmakers have voted to ban ranked choice voting statewide before any city has implemented it.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;Home Rule&quot;" data-vars-click-url="https://www.lsc.ohio.gov/assets/organizations/legislative-service-commission/files/municipal-home-rule.pdf" data-vars-content-id="92de5944-2af8-4ce4-b8ad-1962a8e51f3e" data-vars-headline="Ohio House votes to ban ranked choice voting statewide" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.lsc.ohio.gov/assets/organizations/legislative-service-commission/files/municipal-home-rule.pdf" target="_blank">&quot;Home Rule&quot;</a> — the self-government authority granted to local municipalities by the Ohio constitution — has once again been flouted with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="preemptive legislation" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2023/06/21/city-leaders-preemption-laws" data-vars-content-id="92de5944-2af8-4ce4-b8ad-1962a8e51f3e" data-vars-headline="Ohio House votes to ban ranked choice voting statewide" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2023/06/21/city-leaders-preemption-laws" target="_self">preemptive legislation</a>.

Supreme Court voids tariffs, leaving $4.2 billion question for Ohio

No one has any idea just yet who will get that money or when they might see it.

With the Supreme Court striking down many of President Trump&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="tariffs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/02/20/trump-tariffs-supreme-court-illegal" data-vars-content-id="65539070-e056-4751-bb39-180b857a77c0" data-vars-headline="Supreme Court voids tariffs, leaving $4.2 billion question for Ohio" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/02/20/trump-tariffs-supreme-court-illegal" target="_self">tariffs</a>, the question in Ohio and around the country is who — if anyone — gets the money back.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Trade Partnership Worldwide" data-vars-click-url="https://tradepartnership.com/" data-vars-content-id="65539070-e056-4751-bb39-180b857a77c0" data-vars-headline="Supreme Court voids tariffs, leaving $4.2 billion question for Ohio" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://tradepartnership.com/" target="_blank">Trade Partnership Worldwide</a> estimates $126 billion is at stake.

Politics 🇺🇸

Yost calls for ending Ohio's death penalty moratorium

Recall effort launched against Mayor Justin Bibb

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

Cleveland passes $2.3 billion budget for 2026

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