Ohio's data center surge isn't slowing down any time soon.

By the numbers: About 200 centers are currently operational and around 100 more are planned or under construction, per an analysis shared with Axios in December.

• More than a dozen are in Cuyahoga County.

State of play: Big Tech is full steam ahead on building as many centers as possible to generate revenue and power the AI boom.

• That growth is fueling political fights, while locals are pushing back over concerns about energy use, tax breaks and employment numbers.

Zoom in: State officials recently approved a $4.5 million tax break to land a $136 million data center expansion in Akron and Independence.

• For this incentive, the Iowa-based Ark Data Centers has promised to create 10 permanent jobs.

Friction point: The Ohio Tax Credit Authority and supporters of the incentive say it's essential for Ohio to compete with other states. The tax exemption this week reportedly secured Ark's Ohio investment over Indiana and Illinois.

• Opponents argue that data centers strain power grids and water supplies while creating measly long-term job opportunities.

The other side: At least 18 Ohio communities have enacted or considered temporary moratoriums to pause data center development, the Ohio Newsroom reports.

What we're watching: A flurry of related activity at the Statehouse.

• A group of state representatives, mostly Republicans, has proposed House Bill 646 to create a commission to study data centers' environmental and economic impacts.
• And lawmakers of both parties have proposed eliminating tax breaks for data centers.

AEP Ohio's data center tariff enacted last year continues to ignite debate.

• The bipartisan House Bill 706 would extend it to electric companies statewide, aiming to curb passing data center costs onto customers.
• The Ohio Manufacturers' Association is challenging the tariff in the Ohio Supreme Court.

Zoom out: One of the biggest emergent issues accompanying the rapid construction of data centers nationwide is fear about soaring electricity rates.

• President Trump was joined by tech CEOs on Wednesday to sign a "data center pledge" that they say will contain energy costs.

Baseball fans from across the country are fleeing dreary winter weather for the desert as the Cactus League is in full swing throughout the Phoenix area.

The big picture: This year marks the 79th year of the Spring Training league, which now boasts 15 teams training under the desert sun at 10 stadiums, just miles apart.

• The league surged after teams began building modern, centralized facilities in the early 2000s.
• The Guardians relocated their Spring Training operation from Florida to Arizona in 2009 and now share a ballpark with the Cincinnati Reds.

Zoom in: Traveling for spring training is like a baseball pilgrimage. The fans represent a mix of transplants, snowbirds, retirees and spring break vacationers.

By the numbers: Last season, the Cactus League generated $764 million in economic impact for Arizona, according to a study by Arizona State University.

• In 2025, the league drew about 1.7 million fans.

State of play: Guardians fan Tom Terbizan traveled from Cleveland to Arizona for the first time this year.

• "I've been an Indians/Guardians fan all my life," Terbizan told Axios at a recent game in Glendale. "I was there back in the early years when there were only 3,000 people at Municipal Stadium. We stick with them."

The bottom line: For baseball fans, it's less about standings and more about sun, nostalgia — and the promise that this might finally be the year.

What's next: The Guardians' regular season begins March 26 in Seattle.

• The home opener is Friday, April 3 against the Chicago Cubs.

🛩️ More than 200 community members packed into Burke Lakefront Airport's single terminal this week to hear local leaders debate the future of the controversial site. (Ideastream)

🏡 Cleveland City Council is reviving legislation meant to crack down on Airbnbs, Vrbos and other short-term housing rentals. (Signal Cleveland)

A 28-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with two young girls whose bodies were discovered earlier this week in South Collinwood. (News 5)

🪵 Flashback: The Cleveland Cinematheque screened the pilot of David Lynch's beloved TV series "Twin Peaks" on Jan. 7, 1990 — before it aired on ABC in April that year. (Twin Peaks Blog)

Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is a master at rushing quarterbacks, but he needs to dial back his speed off the field.

Driving the news: On Wednesday, Garrett paid $157.50 in fines and fees related to a traffic ticket issued on Feb. 21 in Congress Township, Wayne County, court records show.

• Garrett was pulled over at 1:35am for going 94 miles per hour in a 70-mph zone on I-71.

The big picture: It's Garrett's ninth speeding ticket since joining the Browns in 2017, per WKYC.

Flashback: The most well-known incident occurred in September 2022, when Garrett's Porsche veered off the road in Medina County — not far from his home — and flipped over multiple times.

• Garrett was cited for failing to control his vehicle due to unsafe speeds. He and a passenger suffered minor injuries.

Author Markus Zusak is coming to Parma to mark a milestone for one of the most beloved novels of the 21st century.

Why it matters: Since its 2006 release, Zusak's "The Book Thief" has sold more than 19 million copies and spent nearly two decades on the New York Times bestseller list.

Driving the news: Zusak will appear at the Parma-Snow branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library at 7pm Monday to celebrate the book's 20th anniversary.

Stop by: Tickets are $25 and include a seat at the talk, a special edition of the novel and a donation to the Cuyahoga County Public Library Foundation.

• Additional copies of the 20th anniversary "keepsake edition," which include a new cover, sprayed edges, and notes from Zusak's original notebook, will be available for purchase at the event.