downbeat

Downbeat is your indicator that we’re about to drop the mood down — sometimes way down — into local politics.

downbeat

Why is Cleveland's Mayor palling around with tech bros and defense contractors in Detroit?

Jun 23, 2026

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3 min read

Why is Cleveland's Mayor palling around with tech bros and defense contractors in Detroit?

Last week, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb attended the Reindustrialize Summit in Detroit, where he was the only current public official outside the Trump administration scheduled to speak.

Dakotah Kennedy, +1

downbeat

‘The Data Centers Are Coming’: New podcast examines the not-so-hidden costs of Big Tech

Apr 29, 2026

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1 min read

‘The Data Centers Are Coming’: New podcast examines the not-so-hidden costs of Big Tech

The series is hosted by Ohio’s Danny Caine as part of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance’s “Building Local Power” podcast. The first two episodes premiere on Thursday, April 30.

Dakotah Kennedy

downbeat

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor changed office policy prior to 2024 election, potentially contradicting previous statements

Apr 22, 2026

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2 min read

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor changed office policy prior to 2024 election, potentially contradicting previous statements

When Prosecutor Michael O’Malley faced questions about letting employees run for partisan office, he cited... events that happened after he changed the policy.

Dakotah Kennedy

downbeat

Cuyahoga County’s prosecutors run for central committee raising eyebrows, calls into question previous office policy

Feb 18, 2026

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2 min read

Cuyahoga County’s prosecutors run for central committee raising eyebrows, calls into question previous office policy

Prosecutor Michael O'Malley, along with nearly 30 other current or former employees, are now running for seats on an obscure but powerful committee within the Democratic Party.

Dakotah Kennedy

downbeat

Let’s talk about it: Who are the winners and losers when it comes to data centers in Ohio?

Jan 28, 2026

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6 min read

Let’s talk about it: Who are the winners and losers when it comes to data centers in Ohio?

Q+A with tech policy professional Dean Jackson about the politics of data centers across Ohio.

Dakotah Kennedy

downbeat

Is the recognition worth it? Frustration continues at Cleveland Music Awards

Jan 7, 2026

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5 min read

Is the recognition worth it? Frustration continues at Cleveland Music Awards

Negative reviews of the app have been removed, while many questions about voting transparency remain unanswered.

Dakotah Kennedy

downbeat

Cleveland Music Award nominees push back against new voting app requirement

Dec 24, 2025

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4 min read

Cleveland Music Award nominees push back against new voting app requirement

Mark Rasmussen, founder of the Cleveland Music Awards, told nominees that failure to download the app would eliminate them from the running.

Dakotah Kennedy

downbeat

Failure to launch: Judge dismisses Race Fuel defamation lawsuit against Cleveland organizer

Dec 17, 2025

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3 min read

Failure to launch: Judge dismisses Race Fuel defamation lawsuit against Cleveland organizer

Judge Shannon Gallagher dismissed the case, ruling that the gas station owner could not win because Dallas Eckman’s statements were made as a public commenter.

Dakotah Kennedy

downbeat

Is the bus still running? Clevelanders for Public Transit advocate against proposed RTA cuts

Dec 10, 2025

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3 min read

Is the bus still running? Clevelanders for Public Transit advocate against proposed RTA cuts

Citing budget cuts driven by increased employee healthcare costs, RTA officials floated possible service cuts to some bus routes as early as 2026.

Dakotah Kennedy

downbeat

New allegations surface against controversial Cleveland police oversight official

Dec 9, 2025

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5 min read

New allegations surface against controversial Cleveland police oversight official

On Dec. 1, a woman came forward to publicly accuse Marcus Perez, former Office of Professional Standards administrator, of sexual assault.

Dakotah Kennedy

downbeat

Why is Cleveland's Mayor palling around with tech bros and defense contractors in Detroit?

‘The Data Centers Are Coming’: New podcast examines the not-so-hidden costs of Big Tech

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor changed office policy prior to 2024 election, potentially contradicting previous statements

Cuyahoga County’s prosecutors run for central committee raising eyebrows, calls into question previous office policy

Let’s talk about it: Who are the winners and losers when it comes to data centers in Ohio?

Is the recognition worth it? Frustration continues at Cleveland Music Awards

Cleveland Music Award nominees push back against new voting app requirement

Failure to launch: Judge dismisses Race Fuel defamation lawsuit against Cleveland organizer

Is the bus still running? Clevelanders for Public Transit advocate against proposed RTA cuts

New allegations surface against controversial Cleveland police oversight official

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