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🎙️ Counting Crimes, Campus Crashes & Charlie Kirk

This week Tom and Robert open with a tough one. The assassination of Charlie Kirk hit especially hard. Love him or not, he was a voice shaping conversations across the country—and his loss is tragic. We at Crooked River Cast will miss him, and we pray his family, for peace and an end to political violence in our communities.

But as always, your hosts break down the week’s stories, shining light on the numbers, the spin, and even a few lighter moments to help us all breathe a little easier.

🕊️ Charlie Kirk Assassination

The shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk has shaken the nation. Lawmakers in Ohio and beyond are calling for an end to political violence. The suspected gunman, Tyler Robinson, left chilling online activity in the hours leading up to the shooting. The tragedy has sparked outrage across political lines—and some media fallout too, as MSNBC’s Matthew Dowd was fired after sharing a false “celebration” clip.

A couple of reaction posts made by Charlie haters in our state:

📉 Cleveland State Enrollment Slide

Cleveland State University’s enrollment is down sharply—41% fewer international students. That’s a blow not only to the university’s finances, but also to the cultural mix of the city. Are visa issues, politics, or local conditions to blame? Likely a messy mix of all three.

🚔 Cleveland Police “Math Problems”

Turns out Cleveland PD has trouble with numbers—or maybe they’re massaging them. Reports show the department underreported homicides in 2024. Whether it’s a glitch in the system or deliberate spin, the end result is the same: the public gets a false picture of safety.

🔫 What Counts as a “Mass Shooting”?

The way shootings get labeled matters. Depending on the definition you use, the numbers change dramatically. This week, we dig into how this latest tragedy was classified—and what that says about crime stats in America.

🏫 Cloverleaf Schools & Tax Cuts

Cloverleaf School System is floating the idea of giving money back to taxpayers. Sounds good, right? But state-level politics could crash that plan. Once again, local good intentions run smack into Ohio’s legislative machinery.

🌕 Nukes for the Moon (But Not Earth)

NASA Glenn is getting billions to develop nuclear power—for the moon. Yes, we’ll have nukes in space before we have them back home on earth. Strange priorities? Maybe. But it’s all part of the race to stay ahead in space exploration.

🌟 Good Things

🐼 New Red Panda at the Zoo

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo welcomed a new red panda baby! Adorable, fuzzy, and the perfect pick-me-up story.

🎬 Hollywood in Ohio

Chris Pine’s new movie Carousel is filming right here in Northeast Ohio. From car chases to star sightings, keep your eyes open—you might just stumble onto a film set.

🚁 Low-Flying Tree Trimmers

If you spotted helicopters buzzing low over Northeast Ohio, no, it wasn’t a scene from a movie. It’s FirstEnergy trimming trees along power lines with some heavy-duty rotor-blade work.

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