Many Ohioans are concerned about the economy and rising prices. Nearly two thirds of Ohioans say lowering the cost of living is the most important issue for their families, according to a poll from Groundwork Ohio.How are Ohioans dealing with the affordability crisis? And how will it impact their votes in the midterms?In interviews across the region, voters expressed concern about rising prices for gas and groceries.Rudy Collins of Warrensville Heights said the price of food is rising more quick...

In 2024, Ohio had one of the highest totals for drug overdose deaths in the nation, according to the Center for Disease Control. But recently, the state has made a big turn in reducing overdose deaths, according to Ohio’s 2024 Unintentional Drug Overdose Report.Medina County has been a particular success story. In 2017, the county saw a peak of 42 overdose deaths. But in 2025, that dropped to 8 deaths, a decline of nearly 80%. Local leaders attribute the drop in part to the county’s Addiction an...

Growing up in the Cleveland suburbs, Wilbert Cooper was a member of a police family. Both his parents are retired police officers, his sister is a cop, and there's been an officer in his family going back as far as 1950. The Strongsville native chose not to follow in their footsteps, becoming a writer instead. But Cooper says he'd heard stories of his family members in the line of duty, and their involvement with The Black Shield, an organization of Black police officers in Cleveland that shapes...

On a Sunday afternoon, the sounds of young people having fun echoed outside Rocket Arena in Downtown Cleveland, in what was billed as a "teen takeover."The space was filled with activities for teenagers: a DJ playing music over loudspeakers, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, a gaming truck, food trucks and booths with information from local mental health and community safety nonprofits.The event looked far different from the popular image of teen takeovers — large gatherings of teens in parks, pub...

Catholicism is on the rise nationwide, as well as in Ohio. Baptisms in the Cleveland diocese — a region encapsulating a number of counties in Northeast Ohio — have risen by 198% since 2020.But as the Church attracts more new members, it is still dealing with a priest shortage. The number of Catholic priests dropped by 40% between 1970 and 2024. However, some religious organizations are trying to fill the gaps by making women priests, even as the institutional Church forbids women from serving in...

The corner of St. Clair and Eddy Road in Cleveland’s Forest Hills neighborhood is a pretty busy intersection where cars speed past. There’s also trash everywhere — on the sidewalks, in the street gutters and especially in nearby vacant lots. Fortunately, there’s a group of brothers willing to do something about it.On a recent afternoon, brothers Drevian Arrington and Andre Willis used trash pickers and their own gloved hands to pick up old receipts, snack food wrappers and plastic bottles, and p...