Cleveland, OH
EPA proposes Cleveland area redesignation to attainment status
CLEVELAND — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing Cleveland be redesignated to attainment status for ground-level ozone, saying in press release Wednesday that the area meets national standards after years of air monitoring.
“Today’s proposal reflects our commitment to clean air for every community while making it easier for responsible projects to move forward,” EPA Regional Administrator Anne Vogel said in the release. “Working with Ohio EPA, local leaders, and employers, we cut ozone emissions. That means healthier summers for families across Northeast Ohio and greater certainty for businesses investing and creating jobs.”
According to the EPA, NOx (nitrogen oxides) emissions declined by 42% and VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions by around 25% since the area was classified as nonattainment status back in 2018.
“If EPA finalizes the redesignation after considering public comments, air permitting would be faster and more predictable while strong health protections remain in place,” the release reads. “Importantly, existing pollution controls will continue, and regional transportation plans and major road projects will still be reviewed to ensure they do not worsen air quality.”
There will also need to be a maintenance plan keeping the region in attainment status for at least 10 years, per federal law, according to the release.
“This is a big win for public health, our environment, and for Ohio’s future,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in the release. “The progress to reduce ground-level ozone in this region sends a clear signal that Ohio is a place where businesses can grow and create jobs while also meeting important environmental standards.”
When saying the “Cleveland area,” this proposal is including the following counties:
- Cuyahoga
- Geauga
- Lake
- Lorain
- Medina
- Portage
- Summit
These are the seven counties currently under E-Check requirements in the state of Ohio, which could change as a result of this proposal should it come to fruition.
The Ohio EPA’s website states that the E-Check program improves air quality by identifying high-emission vehicles that could require repairs. It requires those who have cars between 4 and 25 years old, and that weigh 10,000 pounds or fewer, to have them inspected every two years.
State Rep. Bill Roemer, R-Richfield, recently introduced legislation that would see the Ohio EPA request an end to the requirement within 90 days “if the U.S. EPA determines the region has moved from non-attainment to attainment status.”
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump announced the termination of a 2009 scientific finding that formed the foundation for the federal government to pursue actions aimed at addressing climate change concerns, saying the repeal would mean emissions standards imposed on vehicles as a result would be lifted.
“This is a momentous day in Northeast Ohio for hardworking families and individuals across the seven impacted counties,” Roemer said in the release. “Having worked diligently on this issue over the past eight years, I’d like to express my gratitude to the U.S. and Ohio EPA for their hard work recognizing air quality improvements in Northeast Ohio.”
The EPA said the proposal will be published in the “Federal Register” and subject to a 30-day public comment period. A final decision will be issued by the EPA after public input is considered.
In May of last year, Cleveland public health officials proposed the first updates to the city’s air pollution ordinances since 1977. City residents also recently expressed concerns about the area’s air quality while taking part in ride-along interviews with the Department of Health, and the American Lung Association’s 2025 State of the Air Report ranked Cleveland as the ninth worst metro area in the country by “year-round particle pollution.”
In December last year, the U.S. EPA rejected an effort that would have ended E-checks in the seven counties.
“Ohio has done the work to improve air quality, and this redesignation is a recognition of that progress,” Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, said in the release. “It’s a win for Northeast Ohio—making it easier for industry to build, produce energy and do business—while maintaining our commitment to clean air.”
Spectrum News reporters Nora McKeown and Maddie Gannon and senior digital producer Lydia Taylor contributed to this report.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Two people were shot at a barbershop on the city’s East side Thursday afternoon.
This happened around 1:30 p.m. in the 3000 block of Superior Ave. in the city’s Goodrich-Kirtland Park neighborhood.
The barber shop where the shooting happened is located in a building at Danford Court and East 31st Place.
Police say the individuals who were shot were a 14-year-old and an 18-year-old.
Cleveland police and EMS have responded to the scene.
At this time, officers are searching for the suspect.
This is a developing story. Return to 19 News for updates.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Cleveland, OH
Off-duty Cleveland Police officer involved in deadly shooting in Glenville neighborhood
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A 26-year-old man was shot on Cleveland’s East Side Wednesday night by an off-duty Cleveland Police Officer.
The incident happened just before 8 p.m. in the 1400 block of East BLVD.
Preliminary information indicates that an off-duty Cleveland Police officer was at this location when a verbal altercation ensued and shots were fired. A firearm believed to belong to the man was recovered at the scene.
Police said the man was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The investigation is being handled by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office.
The off-duty officer was not injured.
More information related to this shooting will be released when it is available.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) -A former senior vice president at First National Bank in Cleveland is facing 45 counts of sex crimes dating back two decades, including charges involving a five-year-old child.
Joseph Fragapane, 63, of Strongsville, was indicted in December and again this month on charges prosecutors said span from 2004 through 2025. He has pleaded not guilty to the December charges and is out on bond.
Investigation began with cyber tip
The case began when a cyber tip came into the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The center sent the case to the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
“Our investigators began looking into that violation as well as what the conduct was and were able to determine that it was Joseph Fragapane committing these crimes,” said Megan Helton, an assistant prosecuting attorney with the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, which runs Ohio ICAC.
Investigators said Fragapane uploaded nude images of children online, which linked back to his IP address.
Search warrant reveals additional victims
After serving a search warrant at his Strongsville home, investigators said they found more than just those images.
“As we continued to look through his devices, we were then able to determine that there were additional victims that were known to the defendant at different times in his life, and we were able to then talk with those individuals,” Helton said.
According to the indictment, the first victim was five years old and known to Fragapane. Prosecutors said between 2004 and 2005, he kidnapped her, sexually assaulted her and produced child sexual abuse material involving her.
The second victim, also someone he knew, was an adult. Prosecutors said in 2019, Fragapane secretly recorded her without her knowledge or consent, according to the indictment.
“One of the victims is an adult and one of the victims was a child at the time. And so when we see someone who is committing a variety of acts against really anyone he encounters, there is a concern that he was committing any offense that he had an opportunity to commit,” Helton said.
Additional charges involve photoshopped images
Fragapane also faces additional sex crime charges spanning from 2021 through 2025. Prosecutors said investigators found child sexual abuse material on his devices involving other children and women he knew personally.
“He would either obtain photos that he took himself, innocuous photos. So think holiday photos, think neighborhood photos, think cookout photos, where he would then take images of children’s heads and photoshop them onto nude bodies,” Helton said.
Here are the charges Fragapane faces, according to the indictment:
-Kidnapping- F1 (Count One)
-Gross Sexual Imposition- F3 (Counts 2 & 3)
-Illegal Use of Minor in Nudity-Oriented Material or Performance- F2 (Counts 4-12)
-Voyeurism- M1 (Counts 13-15)
-Pandering Sexually-Oriented Matter Involving a Minor or Impaired Person- F2
(Counts 16-25)
-Illegal Use of Minor in Nudity-Oriented Material or Performance- F2
(Counts 26-44)
-Possessing Criminal Tools- F5 (Count 45)
19 Investigates reached out to Fragapane for comment. He has not responded.
A spokesperson for First National Bank said Fragapane no longer works at the bank. She said they “don’t comment on legal matters about current or former employees.”
Fragapane’s attorney told us he is retired and no longer employed. She said he plans to plead not guilty to the new charges.
Prosecutors warn of potential additional victims
As the case heads to court, prosecutors warn there may be more victims still unaccounted for.
“Someone who is in the community is well-trusted, is known by a lot of individuals. There is a concern that person takes advantage of those circumstances, and that’s certainly what we see in this case, that he had a position of power, he had a position of being well-liked in the community, and he is essentially exploiting that,” Helton said.
Fragapane will be arraigned on the new charges next Thursday.
Investigators ask anyone who believes they or their child may have been a victim of sexual assault or exploitation in this case to call the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in Cleveland.
You can call the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office at 216-443-7800.
Need an investigation? Contact 19 Investigates with your request.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
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