What Happened Now? A Cleveland Newsletter
Issue 868: Sept. 15, 2025
"What Happened Now?" is a lively roundup and analysis of the top stories of the day in Northeast Ohio from News 5's Joe Donatelli. It’s like getting the news from a friend who appreciates everyone who emailed him over the weekend.
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What grade did the state give your school district? The state’s annual school district report cards are out, and they’re good news for Akron, East Cleveland, Garfield Heights and Cleveland Heights-University Heights. And bad news for a few others. Check yours.
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‘It looks like a fishing expedition’: The Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department Downtown Safety Patrol has drawn criticism from county council members in the wake of two recent chases that ended in the deaths of innocent drivers. Policing experts question that unit’s tactics. Now, a Marshall Project - Cleveland/News 5 Cleveland review of annual reports looked at who the patrol is pulling over and what happens during these stops. According to department data, over two-thirds of the stops made by Downtown Safety Patrol deputies did not result in an arrest or citation in 2023 and 2024. The analysis found that Cleveland police officers who patrolled downtown during the same hours issued tickets in about 72% of stops, raising questions about the motive for the sheriff’s department’s traffic stops. One civil rights attorney called the Downtown Safety Patrol's stops “a fishing expedition.” Reminder: We don’t do that in America. It’s the kind of small detail that makes us not China. Watch the report.
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I am a specific type of nerd: The kind who loves to read a story about who gets the biggest tax breaks in Ohio. You want to know who has pull in this state? Who has bent the legislature to their will? Which billionaire has a carveout named after him? Via Cleveland.com, here you go.
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Did you see the northern lights? We shouldn’t have been able to see them last night, but we did. Meteorologist Allan Nosoff uses science words to explain why.
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As a Northeast Ohioan of a certain age: I remember Mary Rose Oakar. She was a notable congresswoman at a time when Cleveland’s congressional representatives had real clout. She passed away this weekend at the age of 85.
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It got pretty Weird at Blossom on Saturday night: Anyone else go to Weird Al on Saturday? We did. I think there are two Americans left who are still universally beloved – Weird Al and Dolly Parton. The show was great. Scene has photos.
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I asked, and you answered: Thanks to everyone who wrote back in response to my question last week about newsletter frequency. It turns out a lot of you love the daily newsletter and will rebel violently not be happy if it’s weekly. A few of you would like to see longer pieces. I’ll be thinking over everyone’s feedback as I consider next steps. Appreciate it.