The number of same-sex married couples in Ohio has increased substantially since the Supreme Court's 2015 decision legalizing them nationwide.

Why it matters: The landmark ruling, Obergefell v. Hodges, requires states to license and recognize same-sex marriage, including in Ohio, where 6.2% of the population identifies as LGBT — the 14th-highest percentage of any state.

Flashback: Same-sex marriage was banned in Ohio prior to that 2015 ruling, though several other states had already legalized it.

By the numbers: About 22,500 Ohio same-sex couples identified as being married as of 2022, per the American Community Survey (ACS), up from nearly 9,000 in 2014.

• 55% of same-sex couple households were married couples as of 2022, compared with just 34.5% the year before the ruling.

The big picture: There were about 741,000 married same-sex couple households in America as of 2022, up from about 335,000 in 2014.

• 58% of same-sex couple households were married as of 2022, compared with just 42.8% in 2014.

Zoom out: Among U.S. states, Delaware (81.4%), New Hampshire (72.3%) and Wyoming (70.7%) have the highest share of households with same-sex married couples.

• Washington, D.C. (48.2%), Alaska (48.1%) and Tennessee (47.9%) have the lowest.

Between the lines: An unenforceable ban on same-sex marriage remains in Ohio law.

• The Ohio Revised Code states: "A marriage may only be entered into by one man and one woman" and "Any marriage entered into by persons of the same sex in any other jurisdiction shall be considered and treated in all respects as having no legal force or effect."

Yes, but: Although the U.S. Supreme Court's Obergefell v. Hodges decision cannot change a state law (only lawmakers can do that), it did render the Ohio ban unconstitutional and, thus, unenforceable.

Reality check: Obergefell v. Hodges protected the right to marry at the federal level, but lawmakers in Ohio and elsewhere are still seeking to curtail LGBTQ+ rights in other ways.

• Lawmakers banned gender-affirming care for children and barred transgender athletes from playing on girls' and women's K-12 and college sports teams, but a Franklin County judge temporarily blocked the law's enforcement.

One of the region's most underused and visually striking spaces will be open to the public this weekend.

Driving the news: Visitors can traverse the historic underside of the Veterans Memorial (Detroit-Superior) bridge Friday 4-11pm and Saturday noon-11pm.

Catch up quick: County Executive Chris Ronayne has championed reopening the bridge's lower level as a park and multimodal transit pathway — Cleveland's answer to New York's "High Line."

• Streetcars operated there from 1918 to 1954.
• In recent years, the county and nonprofit partners have periodically opened the lower level for events and tours.

Zoom in: An installation by technical artist Chuck Karnak will be featured this weekend.

• His "Go Dream" exhibit will enliven the space with 120 fabric "sails" suspended along and throughout the bridge, colorfully lit and accompanied by a soundscape of digital and live musical performances.

What they're saying: "It's a visually appealing space," Annie Pease, Cuyahoga County's senior adviser on transportation, tells Axios.

• "And it especially resonates with Clevelanders. The streetcars and the river and the lake are such a part of the city's story. This is an infrastructure asset that's telling that visual story and connecting us to our history."

Stop by: Self-guided bridge tours will be free and open to the public, but attendees must sign a waiver.

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🚢 The Mark W. Barker is the newest freighter in the Interlake Steamship Co.'s fleet of 11, and one of only three optimized to travel the hairpin turns of the Cuyahoga River. (Cleveland Magazine)

🌿 The Northeast Ohio communities of Avon Lake, Beachwood, Elyria, Hudson, Middleburg Heights, Kirtland, Medina, Richmond Heights, North Olmsted, North Ridgeville, North Royalton, Orange, Strongsville and Westlake have all issued indefinite bans or temporary moratoriums on adult-use marijuana dispensaries. (Cleveland Scene)

🏈 Cleveland Browns defensive end Lonnie Phelps was arrested Wednesday night in Florida and charged with a DUI. (WKYC)

Five Cuyahoga County school districts will receive federal and local funding to defray the costs of installing 200-kilowatt solar power systems.

Why it matters: The solar installations could decrease districts' energy costs by $30,000 to $40,000 per year while helping reduce the county's long-term reliance on fossil fuels.

Between the lines: The county targeted school districts that were racially and socioeconomically diverse to underscore that one's address and economic circumstances should not be a barrier to green living.

• The bulk of the money comes from the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.

The latest: U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown hand-delivered a $557,250 check for Cuyahoga County at a press event Tuesday at Maple Heights High School.

• Maple Heights, Cuyahoga Heights, East Cleveland, Euclid and an undisclosed fifth district will receive funds.

By the numbers: The procurement process is underway, but the county estimates the total cost per district will be roughly $400,000.

• Those per-district costs will be reduced nearly $100,000 by the federal grant, plus a forgivable $50,000 loan from Growth Opportunity Partners and a clean energy tax credit-equivalent payment from the Inflation Reduction Act.

What's next

Start planning your days ahead.

9th Annual Taste of Pepper Pike 2024 at Ursuline College on Sunday: This adults-only event presents an opportunity for restaurants, vendors, and sponsors to shine, while also supporting community summer festivities and contributing to the Cleveland Food Bank. $50.

Hosting an event? Email [email protected].

Fans attending the Guardians game tomorrow are in for a special treat post-game.

The intrigue: NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal will perform following Cleveland's showdown against the Toronto Blue Jays at Progressive Field.

• Shaq has been working as a part-time DJ under the name "Diesel" for some time now performing at major festivals like Outside Lands and Lollapalooza.

If you go: Tickets for the 4:10pm game start at $15.

• No additional ticket is required to see O'Neal.

Stop by: Before or after, visit Masthead Brewing Co. on Superior Avenue for a wood-fired pizza and one of its many IPAs.

• It's just a three-minute ride to Progressive Field.