By Anna Huntsman/Broadcast version by Mary Kuhlman
Reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s a “super” state holiday!

A bill in an Ohio Senate committee could designate June 12 as Superman Day in Ohio, likely beginning in 2019. The holiday would honor Superman’s creators, who developed the character while they attended Glenville High School in Cleveland in the 1930s.

“I got the idea once figuring out that the people who created Superman as a comic book were all from my neighborhood,” said Rep. Bill Patmon, D-Cleveland, who proposed the bill in the Ohio House last year. By neighborhood, he means Ohio’s 10th district, which includes Glenville, where Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster dreamed up the superhero, who first appeared in Action Comics in 1938. “These two young Jewish fellows ... believed in the ethic of truth, justice and the American way,” Patmon added, in reference to Superman’s iconic motto.

The official text proclaims “On this day, let it be known that Superman is faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.” The Ohio House passed the legislation on April 11th by a vote of 86-4, and the bill is currently waiting for its first hearing in the Government Oversight and Reform Committee in the Senate.

“After a first hearing, it will still need to have a proponent and opponent hearing before it would be voted out of committee,” said Alex Strickmaker, legislative aide for Patmon, in a June 11 email. “June 12 will stay as the date that Superman Day will be celebrated if the bill does pass and become law in the future. This means that it will not be celebrated this year.”

Patmon sponsored additional Superman legislation in the past, such as funding the Superman Foundation through purchases of Ohio license plates that feature the Superman insignia. He said Superman means a great deal to all Ohioans.

“To us, it’s another feather in our cap - we’ve had creativity and entrepreneurship in this state for a very long time, and done some very unique things,” he said. “Superman is just one of them.”

Jerry Siegel, co-creator and author of the first Superman comics, was born in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood in 1914. According to the official fan site, Superman Super Site, Siegel met co-creator and illustrator Joe Shuster in 1930 while they were students at Glenville High School. They created Superman in 1932 while working together on the school’s newspaper.

“When he was first created … he was basically a ‘super man’ that wasn’t necessarily fighting for good,” said Neil Cole, creator and owner of the Superman Super Site.

Because of this, Siegel and Shuster were unable to sell Superman to comic book publishers until they re-developed the character to be more similar to the one famously known today. They eventually sold the character to Detective Comics (now known as DC Comics), where Superman first appeared on the cover of Action Comics No. 1 in June, 1938. A copy of that comic book sold for more than three million dollars on eBay in 2014.

Cole said while the character has changed in many ways in the 80 years since that first appearance, Superman’s core values have stayed the same. When the character first rose to popularity, the comics were based upon patriotism and supporting troops in World War II. Years later, when the character appeared in the TV series Smallville, the character tackled current issues, such as drug use.

“It’s like there’s a Superman for every generation,” Cole said. “There’s always changes that are made to the character based on what society and current events and everything are, but at the core, he always stands for … truth, justice and the American way.”

The Cleveland Public Library commemorated Superman’s Ohio roots in the past with its comic book and graphic novel gallery, research materials and a special exhibit in 2013 for the 75th anniversary of the comic’s publication. They recently featured a collection of Superman artifacts and memorabilia called “Superman: From Cleveland to Krypton.” The library also offers a book club program called ‘Get Graphic!”, where subjects like the Ohio impact of Superman books are discussed.

“Cleveland is the birthplace of a superhero,” said Valentino Zullo, leader of the Get Graphic! Program and former scholar-in-residence at the Cleveland Public Library. “Cleveland likes to really celebrate, especially those who are in the literary community,”

Zullo said his fascination with comic books began when he was younger and used visual elements to learn English, his second language. The child of two immigrants, he said he interprets Superman’s story as one similar to a refugee or immigrant.

“[Siegel and Shuster] create this character, this outsider, and he decides to come here and help, rather than just invade and take over,” he said.

Aside from recognizing the comic’s anniversary and its Ohio creators, Zullo suggested Superman Day could also honor Superman’s legacy as a humanitarian.

“I think it would be a really interesting thing to turn Superman Day into a giving day,” he said. “That is really what Superman did. He was invested in uplifting people. He was invested into making the world more just.”

Siegel and Shuster were inducted posthumously into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1992. Shuster died in 1992 and Siegel four years later.

Patmon encouraged Ohioans to celebrate Superman by buying a license plate, sticker or seeing a Superman movie. Siegel’s childhood home in Glenville, located at 10622 Kimberly Avenue, is open to visitors and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Patmon said Superman’s legacy is especially important for his Glenville constituents. “[Superman] has been a hallmark for that community and for its inventors for a very long time,” Patmon said. “It means a lot to us.”

This collaboration is funded in part by Media in the Public Interest and the George Gund Foundation.


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Wisconsin lawmakers recently debated reforms for payday loans. Efforts to protect consumers come amid new research about financial pain associated with cash advances offered through smartphone apps. The Center for Responsible Lending is out with findings that detail how "earned wage advances" from digital platforms come with extra costs disguised as things like tips. Traditional payday lenders are often criticized for charging excessive interest rates on loans that are usually around $500.

Lucia Constantine, a researcher with the Center for Responsible Lending, said customers are usually seeking smaller amounts from the apps, but she warns they can be just as costly.

"They are trapping consumers in a cycle of borrowing that is similar to that of a payday loan, " she said.

The report said after using these financial products, customers are seeing overdrafts on their checking accounts increase by 56% on average. Industry leaders deny they're barraging consumers with hidden fees, stressing that features such as suggested tips are optional. More broadly, a bipartisan payday loan reform bill in the Wisconsin Legislature failed to advance this month.

Constantine said like longstanding payday lenders, these cash advance apps can be hard to regulate. Meanwhile, she urged those in a bind to explore other options.

"[They should] try talking to their friends and family as a first source. The other option which I would recommend is reaching out to their credit union or banking institution to see if they can get some sort of small-dollar loan," she said.

She noted places such as credit unions typically provide more transparency on loan costs. According to the report, three-quarters of consumers took out at least one advance on the same day or day after a re-payment was posted.


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Food prices remain high, in Montana and across the country.

A new report by the Federal Trade Commission says the country's largest grocery companies are gouging consumers, by keeping prices artificially high.

Many grocers, retailers and wholesalers have consolidated to cut costs. Grocers continue to blame supply chain problems, even though regulators have said most of those issues have been resolved.

President of the advocacy group Farm Action, Angela Huffman, said retailers were doing more than making up for lost revenue during the pandemic-era supply chain disruptions - and the FTC report says they continue to do so.

"In 2021, the retailer revenues, they rose to more than 6% higher than their total costs, and that those profits are still going up," said Huffman. "So, in the first nine months of 2023, the profits increased to 7%."

At nearly 6.5%, Montana had the nation's ninth-highest grocery price increase in 2023.

The FTC data show Amazon, Kroger and WalMart each gained market share during and after the pandemic - while profits continued to rise.

Other large retailers and wholesalers have consolidated, which they say gives them more buying power and the ability to pass those savings on to customers.

Huffman said that isn't what's happening, and calls on regulators to fine the grocers, or more.

"This would be kind of the farthest extent of what they could do, but go so far as breaking them up," said Huffman. "In years past, they broke up the telephone companies and the railroads and, you know, that would be the ideal outcome for us, is to take away their excessive power."

Huffman also points to a 150% increase in egg prices in 2023, which producers blamed on the avian flu. The FTC says the disease did not justify the drastic price hike.

April is Financial Literacy Month, when the focus is on learning smart money habits but also how to protect yourself from fraud.

One problem on the rise in the Southeast is the "impostor" scam, when scammers represent themselves as fake government agents or bogus businesses. They are really on the prowl for your cash and personal info, costing victims in North Carolina almost $190 million last year alone.

Natalya Rice, Southeast Regional attorney for the Federal Trade Commission, listed some key red flags to look out for.

"Utilizing a payment app, sometimes even cryptocurrency, things like that," Rice noted. "Anyone who contacts you from what seems like it could be a legitimate company or business, if they're asking you to send them money or some type of payment through one of these type of payment methods, that is a red flag that you're dealing with a scammer."

Other warning signs include requests to transfer your funds or even demands for a verification code to access an account. If you have concerns, Rice advised it is best to stop communication and contact the actual company directly. Still other scams big in the Southeast include online shopping, investments and job offers.

Nationwide, a record $10 billion was lost to scams in 2023.

More than 25,000 North Carolina residents reported possible identity theft last year. Rice recommends acting promptly when you realize or suspect you have been scammed. The first step is to contact your financial institution and report the incident to its fraud department. She added it is crucial to notify federal and state agencies for further investigation.

"You can go to reportfraud.ftc.gov and fill out a report there and let us know what happened," Rice noted. "In the state of North Carolina, there's also another place you'll want to report it to, and that's the North Carolina Attorney General's Office."

If you suspect your identity has been compromised, Rice stressed the FTC can assist you in developing a recovery plan. She added getting your money back is never guaranteed but the sooner a scam is reported, the sooner it can be investigated and other people can be warned.


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