Axios Cleveland

March 09, 2026
😏 Back at it on Monday. It still feels an hour earlier than it should be.
☀️ Today's weather: Sunny, with a high of 65.
Today's newsletter is 881 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: Ohio lawmakers and AI
The majority of Ohio General Assembly members who responded to a recent poll on artificial intelligence 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 should be regulated, and who should do the regulating.
The big picture: The Gongwer-Werth Legislative Opinion Poll is a recurring anonymous survey of the Ohio General Assembly. It gathers pulse-check data about how members view major policy issues of the day.
The fine print: A March 2 survey asked six questions about AI usage and policy. Forty members responded.
What it found: Despite wide levels of personal adoption, uncertainty abounds.
- 38% of respondents are "undecided" about whether AI should be used more in government operations.
- 39% are undecided about whether students should be using AI to assist with schoolwork.

Between the lines: A partisan divide between Democratic and Republican respondents became pronounced in questions about regulation.
- Among Democrats, 73% believe AI should be regulated at the federal level and 7% at the state level, while 20% are undecided.
- Among Republicans, the figures are 28% for federal regulation, 40% for state and 24% undecided. Another 8% think AI shouldn't be regulated at all.
The bottom line: The overwhelming impression from the poll is that state lawmakers view AI as a positive technological advancement that will save time in work and life.
- Only 10% responded that their primary view of AI is one of job displacement. Only 3% said they believe AI should be avoided.
2. 🎸 Rock Hall promise, revisited
Paul McCartney is set to take over the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in two months, but he may still have a bone to pick with the institution.
Driving the news: McCartney is making headlines for a 2015 interview that Vanity Fair just published in late February.
- It comes as "Man on the Run," a documentary about McCartney's post-Beatles career, debuts on Apple TV, and as the Rock Hall announced its expansive "Paul McCartney and Wings" exhibition will open May 15.
The intrigue: In the interview, McCartney talks about Rock Hall co-founder Jann Wenner asking him to posthumously induct John Lennon as a solo artist in 1994.
- McCartney says Wenner promised he would be inducted the following year, but that didn't happen.
What they said: "I said, 'Okay.' And I bought the deal," McCartney told Vanity Fair. "Next year came around ..."
- McCartney was finally inducted as a solo artist in 1999.
Yes, but: It hasn't stopped McCartney from working with the Rock Hall. He inducted Ringo Starr in 2015 and the Foo Fighters in 2021.
- Both inductions took place in Cleveland.
Fun fact: The Rock Hall's Wings display arrives nearly 26 years after the museum debuted "Lennon: His Life and Work," a massive exhibition focused on McCartney's late writing partner.
3. The Terminal: Guerilla headlines
📻 Cleveland State University's former radio station, WCSB, has begun streaming a webcasted version of its student-run programming — a guerilla rebirth dubbed "XCSB." (Cleveland Scene)
🦍 The Cleveland Metroparks have about $120 million in capital projects set to open in 2026, including the Zoo's new Primate Forest and a community sailing center at the East 55th Street Marina. (Cleveland.com)
🏀 Rock Entertainment Group CEO Nic Barlage has confirmed that Cleveland's WNBA team will announce its name and brand identity between June and August this year. (Crain's Cleveland Business 🔐)
🥃 Cleveland celebrity chef Michael Symon is opening River Roots Barrel Co., a whiskey bar and brewery in the Flats. (Instagram)
4. 🚮 Cleveland 311 to the rescue
👋 Trash can correspondent Sam here.
State of play: I've had the same black, 96-gallon garbage bin since I moved into my home in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood in 2017.
- After nearly a decade of wear and tear, it was in miserable shape. Two weeks back, when the city collected my garbage Friday morning, they collected the bin, too.
What happened: I filed a request for a replacement with 311 — Cleveland's non-emergency services line. It was my first time using it.
Catch up quick: Mayor Justin Bibb launched the revamped 311 in 2024 as part of his broader effort to build a more modern, responsive City Hall.
- Requests are tracked like packages, complete with confirmation numbers and live status updates.
Verdict: The online process took less than five minutes, and an automated message said I would receive a new bin within five business days.
- Sure enough, last Thursday, a new bin arrived at my home, just in time for me to put my week's garbage out for pickup Friday.
- I received an email from 311 notifying me that my request had been closed.
The bottom line: It's such a pleasure when public services operate smoothly.
Celebrating 5 years of Axios Local
🎈1 big thing: For five years, Axios has delivered smart, trustworthy local news to communities like yours — and we're just getting started.
Why it matters: Memberships sustain the journalism you rely on and help us keep delivering strong, independent reporting focused on what matters most.
Your newsletter helps you stay informed and connected. Help us power the next five years of Axios Cleveland by becoming a member today.
5. 📸 Capturing Cleveland

This week's photo was taken by Harshal Shah (@harshal_shah47), who captured the road on a bridge heading downtown.
📷 If you have a recent photo representing Cleveland's essence, please submit it by replying to this email.
Thanks to our editor Tyler Buchanan and our team of copy editors.
👀 Sam can't stop looking at pictures of the personal home library of German engineer Bruno Schröder, who died in 2022.
📺 Troy watched Paul McCartney's new "Man on the Run" documentary and it is a must-see.
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