Listen to this articleOpinion | Technology & Society Researchers and lawmakers are raising concerns about a new kind of power struggle, centered on data and algorithms. These systems decide what billions of people see online every day. The world still faces traditional conflicts. The 2025 Global Peace Index reports 59 active state-based conflicts worldwide. But […]
Posted inHealth
AI therapy expands, experts urge caution
Listen to this articleEditor’s note: This story contains discussion of suicide. Help is available if you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters. Call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or visit 988lifeline.org With the growing involvement of artificial intelligence (AI), the lives of Americans and people […]
Posted inNational, Politics
Power and pushback: Who can stop a president?
Listen to this articleThe United States government was designed as an elegant system of checks and balances. Power is negotiated among federal, state, and local authorities, as well as among the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. However, during his second term, which began in 2025, President Donald Trump has frequently bypassed both federal and state […]
Posted inPolitics
Analysis: Bibb and Griffin clash shapes power struggle at City Hall
Listen to this articleEditor’s note: This analysis examines key public disagreements between Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and City Council President Blaine Griffin. The timeline synthesizes publicly reported events and official statements across multiple years. Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and Cleveland City Council President Blaine Griffin have clashed publicly at times over policy, oversight and the […]
Posted inCLEVELAND, History
Two cases continue to shape Cleveland police debate
Listen to this articleThirteen years after police fired 137 shots at a vehicle carrying Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams, killing both, and 12 years after Tamir Rice, a preteen playing with a toy gun at Cudell Park, was fatally shot, the city remains under federal oversight, and debates over policing and reform continue. These two […]
Posted inWealth
Urban Agenda shows unity; execution debated
Listen to this articleGreater Cleveland Partnership’s launch of the Urban Agenda marks one of the broadest alignments of Cleveland-area institutions around economic mobility in recent years. It also reflects a growing willingness among civic leaders to name racial income and wealth disparities directly rather than framing poverty solely as a general economic issue. The Urban […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Cleveland arts expand online, access varies
Listen to this articleCleveland’s cultural scene, from world-class orchestras to contemporary art museums, has increasingly turned to digital platforms to expand access and connect with broader audiences. These virtual offerings have opened new doors for arts engagement, but questions remain about who truly benefits and who is left behind in a city where technology access […]
Posted inWealth, Local
Job data shows uneven recovery in Cleveland
Listen to this articleCleveland’s unemployment rate stood at 5.2% in July 2025, the highest among the nation’s 56 largest metropolitan areas when measured by the rate increase over the previous year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). But employment numbers alone don’t tell the full story of economic security for Cleveland workers. The […]
Posted inLaw/Legislation, Wealth
VITA provides free tax return preparation
Listen to this articleThe Cuyahoga Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition will prepare and electronically file federal and state tax returns for residents at locations across Northeast Ohio through April 15. The service is free and is provided as an alternative to residents paying to meet their tax filing responsibilities and to ensure individuals claim the […]
Posted inHeadline News, Wealth
Protecting generational wealth in Black communities
Listen to this articleStaff Writer Community Awareness Feature: Alzheimer’s and Estate Planning For many Black and Brown families in Cleveland and across Northeast Ohio, multigenerational gatherings, especially during the holidays, can bring moments of joy and concern. Health professionals say it is often during these visits that families notice subtle changes in memory, behavior, or […]
Posted inLaw/Legislation, Politics, State
Ohio’s New Marijuana Law: What You Need to Know
Listen to this articleOn Dec. 19, Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation making significant changes to cannabis and hemp sales in Ohio, imposing new restrictions on the legalization voters approved in 2023. For now, adults in Cleveland can still legally use marijuana, but businesses and individual users will need to adjust to new constraints. What is […]
Posted inHealth
Beyond the Trip: What Looks Like in Practice
Listen to this articleBy: Jennifer Bailey “I had to feel them for the first time in my body, and that was a really powerful and very overwhelming moment for me. But since then, I’ve also just been able to connect more wholly with myself. I think, for me, what psychedelics did was really make me […]
Posted inLocal, Sports
Cleveland Heights Laila Edwards becomes first Black woman to score for U.S. in Olympic hockey
Listen to this articleCLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio (TCO) — Laila Edwards, a 22-year-old ice hockey standout from Cleveland Heights, made history at the 2026 Winter Olympics by becoming the first Black woman to score a goal for the United States in Olympic women’s hockey. Edwards’ milestone came in a 5-0 preliminary round victory over Canada in […]
Posted inWealth
Financial therapy strategies in uncertain times
Listen to this articleRay’Chel Wilson Last winter, a family sat at their kitchen table in Cleveland, staring at bills stacked higher than the snow outside. The job loss was sudden, but the anxiety it triggered felt endless. They felt stuck, not just financially, but emotionally and without seeing a way forward. They dreaded conversations about […]
Posted inEducation, Politics
Baby Olivia Act passes Ohio House, moves to Senate
Listen to this articleOn Nov. 19, 2025, the Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 485, also known as “Enact the Baby Olivia Act.” This bill mandates that public school children in grades 5-12 be shown both a high-definition ultrasound video and “Baby Olivia,” a three-minute computer-generated film described as a “window to the womb.” […]
Posted inHealth
More Than a Trip: The Rise of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
Listen to this articleJennifer Bailey The use of psychedelics has a long-standing history. Indigenous populations used them for spiritual and healing purposes. Dr. Nina Vasan, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford, said researchers studied psychedelics in the 1940s-1950s for their potential medicinal benefits. In the 1960s, psychedelics became criminalized due to […]
Posted inNews Briefs, INTERNATIONAL
TCO International Bi-Monthly News Brief
Listen to this articleGlobal developments shaping 2026 As 2026 gets underway, international news is less about single headlines and more about long-running pressures — war, elections, economic uncertainty, and climate disruption — that continue to shape daily life around the world and influence decisions closer to home. War and Diplomacy Remain Unresolved Armed conflicts in […]
Posted inNews Briefs, National
TCO National Bi-Monthly News Brief
Listen to this articleFederal policy, courts, and power struggles shaping 2026 National news at the start of 2026 is defined less by single votes or speeches and more by structural fights over power, budgets, rights, and enforcement that are setting the tone for the rest of the year. Congress Faces a Narrow Path on Spending […]
Posted inNews Briefs, State
TCO Ohio Bi-Monthly News Brief
Listen to this article State decisions shaping Cleveland and the rest of Ohio in 2026 As 2026 unfolds, Ohio politics are defined by state-level control over funding, rights, and local authority, with many of the biggest impacts felt not in Columbus, but in cities and communities across the state. State Budget Pressures and Local Impact […]
Posted inCLEVELAND, News Briefs
TCO Cleveland Bi-Monthly News Brief
Listen to this articleCity Hall decisions and neighborhood impacts shaping early 2026 Cleveland’s local news in early 2026 reflects a familiar pattern: major financial decisions moving quietly, long-term development deals advancing, and ongoing struggles around housing conditions, infrastructure, and public accountability. City Hall Focuses on Long-Term Commitments Recent City Council and Board of Control actions […]
Posted inOBSERVERS AI
Cleveland City Council: What Passed and What’s Pending
Listen to this articleBy Observers AI The Cleveland Observer is dedicated to informing residents about legislative activities under review. By reporting on ordinances and resolutions during their initial stages, the Observer enables community members to engage with their Council members, providing feedback or expressing support before final decisions are made. February 6, 2026 City Record […]
Posted inOBSERVERS AI
City Hall Approves Infrastructure Contracts, Vacant Lot Sales January 30th
Listen to this articleBy Observers AI The Cleveland Observer is dedicated to informing residents about legislative activities under review. By reporting on ordinances and resolutions during their initial stages, the Observer enables community members to engage with their Council members, providing feedback or expressing support before final decisions are made. No Council votes this week, […]
Posted inCommunity, Living
Backyard vegetable gardens are healthy for people and the planet. Here’s how to start yours
Listen to this articleBy CALEIGH WELLS Associated Press If you want healthy food, experts say to eat what’s local, organic and in-season. Those foods benefit the planet too, because they are less taxing on the soil and they don’t travel as far. It doesn’t get more local, organic and in-season than a backyard vegetable garden. At this […]
Posted inEducation
Is your child ready to register for kindergarten? Here’s what experts look for
Listen to this article New federal data shows about two-thirds of the nation’s 3- to 5-year-olds are on track to enter kindergarten. But being ready for school involves a lot more than a child’s ability to count or recite their ABCs. The effort to get a snapshot of kindergarten readiness is part of the National Survey of Children’s […]
Posted inWealth, History
Black History Month: Lessons from Black Wall Street
Listen to this articleRay’Chel Wilson Why remembering the destruction of Black Wall Street is the key to rebuilding. When Loula T. Williams and her husband opened their third theater in Tulsa’s Greenwood District in 1921, they practiced disciplined budgeting principles that still resonate a century later. Historical records show the couple meticulously tracked expenses and […]
