With 2022 coming to a close, News 5 is taking a look back at Northeast Ohio's biggest moments of the year.
Shane Bartek
It was a somber start to 2022 in Cleveland.
Police officer Shane Bartek was shot and killed during an attempted carjacking on New Year's Eve.
Cleveland Police arrested and charged Tamara McLoyd in Officer Bartek's murder. McLoyd was sentenced to life in prison in September.
Read and watch continuing coverage of Bartek's death from throughout the year here.
Johnny Tetrick
The city of Cleveland lost another first responder months later.
On November 19, veteran Cleveland firefighter Johnny Tetrick was responding to a crash on I-90 when he was hit by a car. Tetrick was taken to University Hospitals where he died.
The driver accused of hitting Tetrick, Leander Bissell, was charged with aggravated murder and leaving the scene of an accident.
RELATED: Saying farewell to veteran firefighter Johnny Tetrick
Jayland Walker
In Akron, the deadly police shooting of Jayland Walker in June sparked protests and violence in the city.
Walker was shot multiple times by eight Akron police officers following a traffic stop.
The incident intensified calls for police accountability. In November, Akron voters passed issue 10, creating a citizen police oversight board.
Ohio BCI is still investigating the deadly shooting.
Read and watch continuing coverage of Jayland Walker's death here.
Russia invades Ukraine
A tragedy thousands of miles away from Northeast Ohio brought local people closer together.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, communities stepped up to help those fighting and fleeing the war.
News 5 anchor Rob Powers visited Parma on the day of the invasion. Parma is home to thousands of Ukrainians. Powers spoke to families who were worried about their loved ones caught in the middle of a war.
News 5 anchor Courtney Gousman and reporter Tracy Carloss spent time at Parma's Pokrova Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church where volunteers and students collected donations for the people of Ukraine.
See our stories throughout the year about the Russia-Ukraine War and its impact on Northeast Ohio.
Cleveland's new mayor
The city of Cleveland began 2022 with a new leader.
Mayor Justin Bibb was sworn in as Cleveland's mayor on January 2. One day later, Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams resigned.
Wayne Drummond became Cleveland's top cop in July.
Federal oversight of Cleveland's police department was extended another two years in October.
Cleveland city council approved legislation to create a community police commission in December. The group will decide police policies and discipline for officers.
Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO retiring
Changes were announced for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District in 2022.
CEO Eric Gordon said in September he would retire at the end of the 2023 school year. He had held the role since 2011.
Changes to region's hospitals
A different era in Cleveland came to an end in 2022.
The city's first hospital, St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, closed its emergency department in November. The hospital opened in 1885.
Other hospital systems in Northeast Ohio also made changes this year due to staffing shortages created by the pandemic.
University Hospitals closed its birthing center in Portage County and Summa Health shut down its labor and delivery department in Barberton.
Ohio swings further away from being a swing state
Ohio shifted further away from being a swing state in 2022. While the predicted "Red Wave" came up short in many other states in November, Republicans dominated the midterm elections in Ohio.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine was re-elected to a second term.
J.D. Vance won Ohio's U.S. senate seat, which was vacated by longtime Republican senator Rob Portman.
All three state supreme court races went to Republicans. The justices have influence over future decisions on LGBQ+ protections, redistricting and abortion.
In October, Ohio's restrictive abortion ban was blocked indefinitely while the state and abortion rights advocates fight over its legality following the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade.
Two controversial gun bills went into effect in in Ohio 2022.
In June, Ohio became the 23rd state to allow citizens to carry a concealed handgun without a permit. In September, Ohio teachers became eligible to carry a gun on school grounds with a background check and minimal training.
New industry comes to Ohio
2022 brought big economic wins to the Buckeye State.
Intel announced in January that it would build a new, $20 million dollar semiconductor manufacturing site in Licking County, Ohio. The project is expected to create thousands of jobs. Construction started in September with the goal of opening the chip plant in 2025.
In October, Honda and LG announced plans to invest $4 billion in Ohio with some of the money going toward building a new electric vehicle plant in Fayette County. Construction is expected to begin in early 2023.
Big events, big wins, big changes for sports in Northeast Ohio
Cleveland sports gained national attention in 2022, beginning with the NBA All-Star game.
The best basketball players and celebrities took part in the festivities. The event generated nearly $250 million for Northeast Ohio's economy.
The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired three-time All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell in a blockbuster trade with Utah in September. The Cavs currently have one of the best home records in the NBA.
A new era for Cleveland's baseball team began in 2022. The Guardians made their debut in April.
The team went on to clinch the American League Central Division championship and manager Terry Francona was named American League Manager of the Year.
The Cleveland Browns shocked fans and the NFL in March when the team signed controversial quarterback Deshaun Watson to a record-breaking five-year, $230 million contract.
In June, Watson agreed to settle the majority civil lawsuits that had been filed by more than 20 women who accused him of sexual assault and harassment.
The NFL announced in August that Watson was suspended for 11 games during the 2022 season and fined $5 million for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
Watson was reinstated Week 13 and he led the Browns to victory over his former team, the Houston Texans.
The 2022 OHSAA Football Championships in December was one for the record books.
St. Ed’s Eagles defeated Springfield to become back-to-back Division 1 state champs.
Glenville High School's football team won its first-ever state football championship by defeating Wyoming for the Division IV title.
The city of Cleveland celebrated "Glenville Tarblooders Day" with a motorcade and rally for players and coaches.
Head coach Ted Ginn Sr. said the win was also a victory for the Cleveland community as a whole.
