Justin Bibb

Cleveland City Council held a two-hour public hearing examining whether using discretionary public funds for food gift cards crosses ethical or legal lines. The session, organized by Councilman Kris Harsh, followed scrutiny after Councilman Joe Jones's office distributed $50,000 in taxpayer-funded gift cards last year, prompting a state audit and criticism from Mayor Justin Bibb. Law professors and ethicists from Case Western Reserve, Cleveland State and Baldwin Wallace discussed corruption, transparency and oversight. Most council members agreed food assistance serves a legitimate public purpose given Cleveland's roughly 28% poverty rate, but disagreed over who should set spending rules — council, city lawyers or courts. No legislation or vote resulted; Harsh called it a starting point for further policy discussion.

President Donald Trump held a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, urging supporters to back Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jon Husted against Democrat Sherrod Brown and gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy against Democrat Amy Acton ahead of the November midterms. Speaking at the Covelli Centre, Trump framed the races as a choice to "Put Ohio First" and asked attendees to treat the contests as if he were personally on the ballot. He also announced federal assistance for SOBE Thermal Energy Systems and disclosed that Cleveland will host a new 46,000-square-foot U.S. Navy submarine component repair facility, crediting Husted with securing the project. Jon Gruden introduced Trump, with boxer Jake Paul also appearing.

A new co/efficient poll of 925 likely Ohio voters, taken Oct. 5-6, found both races within the margin of error: Ramaswamy led Acton 45%-43% in the governor's race, while Husted led Brown 44%-43% in the Senate contest, a special election to fill the seat J.D. Vance vacated. Analysts continue to rate both races as toss-ups.

President Donald Trump campaigned for U.S. Sen. Jon Husted at a Youngstown rally Monday, drawing attention for personal remarks about Husted's appearance rather than policy substance. Trump also announced a planned U.S. Navy submarine component repair center for the Cleveland area, describing a roughly 46,000-square-foot facility to manufacture and maintain submarine parts. The project stems from an August presidential memorandum on rebuilding the Navy's shipbuilding base, but no funding, site, or firm details have been confirmed, and the application deadline for the broader program isn't until mid-November.

The rally drew additional scrutiny after a protester wearing a shirt referencing the Epstein files was confronted and struck by audience members before being escorted out by deputies. Rather than condemning the incident, Trump mocked the protester's weight from the stage as the crowd cheered. Youngstown's mayor criticized the episode, saying attendees have a right to be present without being attacked. No charges have been filed, and the protester's identity has not been confirmed.

Cleveland officials told City Council that the city's A Home for Every Neighbor program has helped 239 people find housing since launching in July 2024 under Mayor Justin Bibb, closing 77 campsites citywide. About 75% of those served had been homeless for at least a year, and the city can typically move people from identified campsites into housing within about 11 days. So far in 2025, 41 people have been housed, with 21 more expected soon.

With large encampments largely gone, officials said efforts are shifting toward finding less visible homeless residents sleeping in cars, transit, or doorways. The program, backed by $1.9 million in annual funding, now works with 27 property management firms, charging roughly $1,100-$1,300 in average monthly rent. Officials cited landlord reluctance, missing identification, and outstanding warrants as persistent barriers. Council members pressed on rental damage costs, downtown conditions, and whether Cleveland is absorbing a regional problem. Officials said visible street homelessness has declined, though broader homelessness trends remain uncertain amid rising costs and benefit cuts.

The Ohio Mayors Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of city leaders, is urging the state to create a Public Safety Enhancement Fund equal to 10% of local police and fire payroll costs. Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb promoted the plan this week as part of a broader set of priorities the group wants Ohio's next governor and General Assembly to address, arguing that state support would help cities recruit, train and retain first responders amid rising personnel costs.

Based on Cleveland's 2026 budget figures, which list combined police and fire salary totals of about $237.6 million, a 10% allocation would translate to roughly $23.8 million for the city. That estimate is illustrative only: the proposal has not been enacted, and officials have not defined exactly what would count as "payroll," so the final formula could yield a smaller amount. Benefits such as health coverage and pensions are budgeted separately and are not included in the calculation. This marks the Alliance's second attempt at tying state aid to local public-safety payroll after a similar 2025 budget proposal was not adopted.