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When Charlie Kirk was killed, President Trump ordered flags lowered to half-staff for four days.
The custom dates back to the 1600s, when a British ship honored its captain’s death by flying its flag half-mast to make room for an invisible flag of death on top.
Now flags are lowered on national days of remembrance, like Pearl Harbor, as well as to pay tribute to fallen officials or recognize public mourning.
So far this year, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered flags on state property lowered 18 times for a total of 105 days, or about 40% of this year. The bottom right of the Ohio governor’s official state website is set aside to explain Ohio’s current flag status.
How many times have you passed a flag and wondered the reason it was half-staff?
— Laura
Overnight Scores and Weather
Browns vs. Green Bay Packers: Browns come from behind and shock the Packers, 13-10
Guardians at Minnesota Twins: Guardians’ 10-game winning streak ends with 6-2 loss to Twins
Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Showers, thunderstorms likely
Top Stories
Flag height: If you think that flags around Ohio are flying at half-staff a lot these days, you’re not the only one. As of Saturday, Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered the U.S. and Ohio flags to be lowered in at least part of the state 18 times in 2025, for a total of 105 days, Jeremy Pelzer reports.
Property taxes: In most communities across the eight counties of Northeast Ohio, schools account for more than half of homeowners’ property tax bill. The median is 57%. But that’s because the state is contributing less, report Anna Staver and Rich Exner. In fiscal year 1999, the state covered about 47% of the base cost of education, This fiscal year, the state will cover 38% of the cost. By 2027, that share is projected to drop to 32%.
Marked improvement: East Cleveland City School District employed over a dozen strategies to shoot from two to three stars on the state report card, ranging from tutoring to identifying student interests and linking them to classroom learning. East Cleveland — which the state took control of seven years ago — is among a handful of Northeast Ohio school districts that improved on the report cards released this year. Laura Hancock reports on how they did it.
Today in Ohio: Gov. Mike DeWine is pushing Ohio colleges to recruit more students — months after he signed Senate Bill 1, which constrains schools and could harm the quality of education. On Today in Ohio, we’re talking about how expensive college has become and how Ohio’s population is dropping.
Statehouse and Politics
Tressel decision: Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel announced Friday he will not run for Ohio governor next year, ending months of speculation about the former star football coach’s political plans. Jeremy Pelzer reports the decision cements Vivek Ramaswamy’s near-lock on the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2026.
Honoring Kirk: The U.S. House passed resolution honoring Charlie Kirk, with Ohio’s Democratic representatives opposing the measure. Sabrina Eaton reports that U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown called the resolution “deeply misleading” for claiming Kirk promoted unity while his rhetoric often targeted minority communities.
State parks: Ohio’s 76 state parks won the 2025 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. Jeremy Pelzer reports the award comes as the state’s 9,300 park campsites can now be drilled under for natural gas.
Innovation Engines: A Case Western Reserve University-led coalition has advanced to the final round of the National Science Foundation’s $160 million Regional Innovation Engines program. Mary Frances McGowan reports the initiative aims to create 20,000 jobs and strengthen manufacturing across Northeast Ohio.
Lunar nuclear power: NASA Glenn Research Center is leading an ambitious project to build a nuclear power plant on the moon by 2030, racing against global rivals. Sabrina Eaton reports on the urgency of establishing a lunar base for scientific research and strategic purposes.
Northeast Ohio News
Hopkins Airport: Bryant Francis came to Cleveland in 2023 to help lead the transformation of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Two and a half years later, he believes he has the right team in place to do that. Susan Glaser reports on recent hires by Francis.
Agnes Gund: Agnes Gund, the influential philanthropist, art collector and social-justice advocate who helped shape institutions from the Museum of Modern Art to the Cleveland Museum of Art, died Sept. 18 at her home in Manhattan. She was 87, Peter Chakerian reports.
Fatal fire: Two people died early Thursday morning in a house fire on Cleveland’s east side that caused $150,000 in damage, according to Cleveland Fire officials. Megan Sims reports fire investigators are working to determine the cause and origin of the fire.
Imam released: Ayman Soliman, a Cincinnati hospital chaplain, was released after the government dropped a controversial immigration case against him, which threatened deportation to Egypt, Adam Ferrise reports.
Lead remediation: Cleveland has been granted an additional year by HUD to spend over $11 million in federal funds for lead remediation. Sean McDonnell reports that the extra year allows Mayor Justin Bibb to test a new outsourcing approach through Next Generation Construction, which aims to speed up home repairs.
Dog hikes: The North Chagrin Bridle Trail features creek views and Squires Castle. Dave Petkiewicz describes it as a manageable outdoor adventure with level paths and scenic beauty.
Our Best Life: Laura Johnston loved American Girl dolls as a kid. But while her daughter outgrew them too fast, there are still grown-up ways to play with dolls.
Business and Health
OhioSEE: Ohio’s new OhioSEE program will fund mobile vision vans and in-school clinics to help children, especially in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties, obtain eye exams and glasses, aiming to improve reading scores and learning, reports Julie Washington.
Crime and Courts
Custody death: A man died in custody at a Brunswick gas station after suffering a cardiac arrest while resisting arrest, reports Lucas Daprile.
Fatal shooting: Damonte K. Perry, 20, of Euclid, died after being shot Monday near a Willoughby apartment complex. Police arrested a suspect, Olivia Mitchell reports.
Shooting at game: A Cardinal Mooney High School student is recovering after being shot following a football game Saturday against Chardon at Youngstown State University Stadium, Cliff Pinckard reports.
Conviction overturned: Cuyahoga County’s Court of Appeals has overturned the conviction of Daryl Cuyler, who was accused of strangling and shooting at his ex-girlfriend, citing improper explanation of the plea. David Gambino reports the case could return.
Arts and Entertainment
Book festival: Amanda Knox will headline Cleveland Public Library’s #CLEReads Young Adult Book Festival on Oct. 9, sharing her story of resilience and advocacy. Joey Morona reports the event will explore storytelling and feature Knox discussing her experiences with criminal justice reform.
Matcha cafe: Christina and Mike Boris are opening Enclave Matcha, Cleveland’s first dedicated matcha café in Tremont, focusing on high-quality Japanese green tea and specialty beverages. Paris Wolfe reports the couple aims to create a cozy space celebrating matcha’s unique caffeine delivery and health benefits.
Koji dinner: Cleveland chef Jeremy Umansky will join top U.S. chefs for a seven-course Koji Dinner in Chicago, exploring the traditional Japanese fermentation technique. Paris Wolfe highlights the event’s focus on koji’s culinary and probiotic qualities.
CentroVilla: CentroVilla25, a new Latino market in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood, is transforming the area by providing opportunities for 20 Hispanic entrepreneurs. Alex Darus reports the $14 million project is creating a vibrant cultural and business hub.
Mum Fest: The Barberton Mum Festival returns this weekend, featuring 17,000 chrysanthemums in a bee-themed display. Megan Becka highlights the free event’s live music, vendors and community celebration.
Wadsworth Productions: Jim Wadsworth Productions celebrates 35 years of bringing world-class music to intimate venues, now anchoring its programming at Market Garden Brewery. Peter Chakerian reports on the agency’s long-standing commitment to Cleveland’s music scene.
I-X Halloween: The I-X Trick or Treat Street is scheduled to return for one final time at the International Exposition Center next month, Marc Bona reports.
House of the Week: A classic 1920 Tudor Revival home in Cleveland Heights features six bedrooms and original details and is on the market for $950,000. Joey Morona describes the property’s historic charm and spacious layout.
You’re all caught up
Don’t forget, you can always find the latest Cleveland news by visiting cleveland.com. If you value the hard work of Cleveland journalists, consider becoming a cleveland.com subscriber.
— Curated by content director Laura Johnston with contributions by Cliff Pinckard.
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