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Cleveland Museum of Art launches record $600M campaign

The funds will go towards art acquisitions, presenting exhibitions, expanding education and more.

Things to Do

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The Cleveland Museum of Art" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2024/10/31/cleveland-museum-of-art-washington-post" data-vars-content-id="1c8e1da2-e12b-4c21-8b4e-6a1126b68fb6" data-vars-headline="Cleveland Museum of Art launches record $600M campaign" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2024/10/31/cleveland-museum-of-art-washington-post" target="_self">The Cleveland Museum of Art</a> (CMA) has announced the largest fundraising campaign in its history to bolster its programming and restoration efforts.Why it matters: The $600 million campaign is one of the largest ever fundraising efforts for an Ohio cultural institution and ranks among the largest initiatives for an art museum anywhere in the U.S.

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.

Politics

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.

Cleveland ranks among safest big metros for walking

Pedestrian safety is important in one of the nation's most equitably walkable cities.

News

Cleveland continues to be one of the safer cities for pedestrians, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="report from Smart Growth America" data-vars-click-url="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/signature-reports/dangerous-by-design/?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=sendto_localnewslettertest&amp;stream=top" data-vars-content-id="bba5f595-8088-44d8-bf2d-07e917ac0982" data-vars-headline="Cleveland ranks among safest big metros for walking" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/signature-reports/dangerous-by-design/?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=sendto_localnewslettertest&amp;stream=top" target="_blank">report from Smart Growth America</a>.Why it matters: Pedestrian safety is especially important in Cleveland, which is considered to be one of the nation&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="most equitably walkable cities" data-vars-click-url="https://www.planetizen.com/news/2023/02/121525-cleveland-nations-most-equitably-walkable-city?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=sendto_localnewslettertest&amp;stream=top" data-vars-content-id="bba5f595-8088-44d8-bf2d-07e917ac0982" data-vars-headline="Cleveland ranks among safest big metros for walking" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.planetizen.com/news/2023/02/121525-cleveland-nations-most-equitably-walkable-city?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=sendto_localnewslettertest&amp;stream=top" target="_blank">most equitably walkable cities</a>.

Rock Hall's new exhibit is all about women who rock harder

"Women In Metal: You Will Know My Name" opens July 10.

Music

The Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame is spotlighting headbanging women with an exhibit dedicated to female heavy metal figures.The intrigue: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;Women In Metal: You Will Know My Name&quot;" data-vars-click-url="https://rockhall.com/event/women-in-metal/" data-vars-content-id="244272f6-879e-4e99-a1bb-180cbc762f2e" data-vars-headline="Rock Hall&#x27;s new exhibit is all about women who rock harder" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://rockhall.com/event/women-in-metal/" target="_blank">&quot;Women In Metal: You Will Know My Name&quot;</a> opens July 10.<ul><li>The exhibition focuses on the influential and iconic women who have persevered in a genre historically dominated by men.</li></ul>Zoom in: It will feature artifacts from artists like Lzzy Hale, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Lita Ford" data-vars-click-url="https://www.litafordonline.com/" data-vars-content-id="244272f6-879e-4e99-a1bb-180cbc762f2e" data-vars-headline="Rock Hall&#x27;s new exhibit is all about women who rock harder" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.litafordonline.com/" target="_blank">Lita Ford</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Taylor Momsen" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/taylormomsen/?hl=en" data-vars-content-id="244272f6-879e-4e99-a1bb-180cbc762f2e" data-vars-headline="Rock Hall&#x27;s new exhibit is all about women who rock harder" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/taylormomsen/?hl=en" target="_blank">Taylor Momsen</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Alissa White-Gluz" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/alissawhitegluz/?hl=en" data-vars-content-id="244272f6-879e-4e99-a1bb-180cbc762f2e" data-vars-headline="Rock Hall&#x27;s new exhibit is all about women who rock harder" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/alissawhitegluz/?hl=en" target="_blank">Alissa White-Gluz</a> and more.<ul><li>Hale, lead singer from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Halestorm" data-vars-click-url="https://www.halestormrocks.com/" data-vars-content-id="244272f6-879e-4e99-a1bb-180cbc762f2e" data-vars-headline="Rock Hall&#x27;s new exhibit is all about women who rock harder" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.halestormrocks.com/" target="_blank">Halestorm</a>, will be on hand with bandmate Joe Hottinger for the exhibit&#x27;s opening.</li></ul>What they&#x27;re saying: &quot;I&#x27;m so proud to be a part of the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame&#x27;s &#x27;Women in Metal&#x27; Exhibit,&quot; Hale said, in a statement.<ul><li>&quot;I&#x27;m honored to stand next to my sisters of scream. These women have set me on fire and helped shape this genre.&quot;</li></ul>If you go: The Rock Hall will host an exhibit dedication on its front plaza at 7pm on July 10.<ul><li><a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Tickets" data-vars-click-url="https://tickets.rockhall.com/events/019ed1da-a665-30a9-0eb6-a6579c12eacc" data-vars-content-id="244272f6-879e-4e99-a1bb-180cbc762f2e" data-vars-headline="Rock Hall&#x27;s new exhibit is all about women who rock harder" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://tickets.rockhall.com/events/019ed1da-a665-30a9-0eb6-a6579c12eacc" target="_blank">Tickets</a> start at $15.</li></ul>

Council committee declines to renew Flock contract

Council members questioned whether license plate readers make the city safer as skepticism over surveillance grows.

Public Safety

Cleveland City Council&#x27;s Safety Committee has voted against extending the city&#x27;s $250,000 <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="contract with Flock Safety" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/05/19/flock-cleveland-bibb-council?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=paid_search&amp;utm_campaign=national&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23909507513&amp;gbraid=0AAAAACBUgDQ82vrpxC-XBY5MJnkjoQxMT&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwrs7RBhDuARIsAIVfBD2kMIRjUL1_qCQ1hLmbacPysT5fHRF-HicBDyMs_TSe0ER7QXbTU_caAhF3EALw_wcB" data-vars-content-id="10ba385d-9448-4cc9-b789-9db846e7a5cd" data-vars-headline="Council committee declines to renew Flock contract" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/05/19/flock-cleveland-bibb-council?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=paid_search&amp;utm_campaign=national&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23909507513&amp;gbraid=0AAAAACBUgDQ82vrpxC-XBY5MJnkjoQxMT&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwrs7RBhDuARIsAIVfBD2kMIRjUL1_qCQ1hLmbacPysT5fHRF-HicBDyMs_TSe0ER7QXbTU_caAhF3EALw_wcB" target="_self">contract with Flock Safety</a>, despite warnings from police officials that losing the system would be &quot;crippling&quot; to investigations.Why it matters: Wednesday&#x27;s vote reflects growing skepticism about whether automated license plate readers deliver enough public safety benefits to justify expanded surveillance.

Cleveland moves to end federal police oversight

The city and the DOJ want a judge to terminate the 2015 consent decree.

Cleveland and the U.S. Department of Justice jointly filed a motion Thursday asking a judge to terminate more than a decade of federal oversight of the police department.Why it matters: This could be the end of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the consent decree" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2025/02/12/cleveland-consent-decree-bernie-moreno" data-vars-content-id="50cea5c6-14ff-40da-a084-3595da6afce6" data-vars-headline="Cleveland moves to end federal police oversight" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2025/02/12/cleveland-consent-decree-bernie-moreno" target="_self">the consent decree</a>. The 2015 settlement agreement set out to reshape how local police use force, investigate misconduct and interact with residents.

A showdown in Cleveland over proposed Tanisha's Law

City Council and Mayor Bibb clash over creating a new department to send clinicians instead of cops on mental health 911 calls.

Health

Cleveland City Council is pushing to pass legislation early next year that would send clinicians, not police, to certain mental health emergencies.Why it matters: The debate over &quot;Tanisha&#x27;s Law&quot; has exposed a sharp divide between the council and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Mayor Justin Bibb&#x27;s administration" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2025/09/30/mayor-justin-bibb-election-2025-safety" data-vars-content-id="11a95e94-89c4-4dd4-8c22-c26c2d72aa8c" data-vars-headline="A showdown in Cleveland over proposed Tanisha&#x27;s Law" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2025/09/30/mayor-justin-bibb-election-2025-safety" target="_self">Mayor Justin Bibb&#x27;s administration</a>.

11 Ohio traffic deaths reported over Thanksgiving weekend

Northeast Ohio counties saw high enforcement but zero deadly crashes.

Transit

The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported 11 deaths in eight fatal crashes during the holiday travel period, which ran Nov. 26-30.Why it matters: Thanksgiving is one of Ohio&#x27;s busiest — and deadliest — travel weekends.

Deepfakes, hacked courts and cloned voices: Inside Ohio's new AI crime wave

Incidents include a February cyberattack that shut down Cleveland Municipal Courts.

Artificial intelligence is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="rewriting the playbook" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/14/artificial-intelligence-ai-crime-fraud-theft" data-vars-content-id="4d0e9d47-82f0-4b9f-9712-7278c61b3b1e" data-vars-headline="Deepfakes, hacked courts and cloned voices: Inside Ohio&#x27;s new AI crime wave" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/14/artificial-intelligence-ai-crime-fraud-theft" target="_self">rewriting the playbook</a> for crime.Why it matters: This new class of AI-supercharged crime is putting lives and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="financial systems" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/07/22/openai-chatgpt-sam-altman-ai-fraud" data-vars-content-id="4d0e9d47-82f0-4b9f-9712-7278c61b3b1e" data-vars-headline="Deepfakes, hacked courts and cloned voices: Inside Ohio&#x27;s new AI crime wave" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/07/22/openai-chatgpt-sam-altman-ai-fraud" target="_self">financial systems</a> at risk, as evidenced by multiple incidents in Northeast Ohio over the past few years.

Mayor Bibb touts "dramatic strides" in public safety

He shares the highs and lows of his first term, and says there's work to do in a second.

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb is a virtual lock to win a second term on Nov. 4.State of play: In the absence of a competitive race, we sat down with Bibb to take a look back at his first-term record — from safety to housing to economic development to civic reform — and hear what he has planned for the next four years.

Bibb claps back at Trump admin over crime drop claims

The Cleveland mayor says Democrat-led cities are finding homegrown solutions.

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb is pushing back on the Trump administration&#x27;s effort to take credit for falling crime rates in major U.S. cities.Why it matters: Bibb&#x27;s response is a natural follow-up to his <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="2025 State of the City" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2025/04/23/justin-bibb-choppy-headwinds-state-of-the-city-speech-2025" data-vars-content-id="cea28f36-e106-41d2-bd77-19b1a7818a5b" data-vars-headline="Bibb claps back at Trump admin over crime drop claims" 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/justin-bibb-choppy-headwinds-state-of-the-city-speech-2025" target="_self">2025 State of the City</a> address, at which he lamented forthcoming federal cuts to violence prevention.

10 died in Ohio car crashes over July 4th weekend

Most victims weren't wearing seat belts. Not wearing them remains a secondary violation.

Ten people died in car crashes over the July Fourth weekend, including two in Cuyahoga County and another in Franklin County, per the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Why it matters: Though the overall fatalities were less than in recent years, the majority of victims were not wearing seatbelts.

Cleveland hosts first post-Trump regional gun summit

With ATF under threat, city officials say collaboration — not silence — is their best defense.

Mayors, police chiefs and policy makers from more than a dozen cities across Ohio and the Midwest gathered in Cleveland Friday to put their heads together on guns.Why it matters: It&#x27;s the first regional summit of its kind since President Trump took office, and city leaders are bracing for headwinds from Washington that could imperil their ability to combat gun violence.

Public Safety

Council committee declines to renew Flock contract

Cleveland ranks among safest big metros for walking

Violent crime rates rise in Cleveland in early 2026

Cleveland road safety

Cleveland moves to end federal police oversight