Gun control: The Republican and Democratic candidates running to represent Ohio in the U.S. Senate differ when it comes to the tentative gun-control deal announced this week by Republican and Democratic senators. Andrew Tobias reports Republican J.D. Vance said he wouldn’t vote for the bill, whose supporters include Sen. Rob Portman, the retiring Republican Vance is running to replace. Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan heralded it as “a historic first step.”
METRO
Re-entry: Sterling Braden is taking on one of the toughest jobs in Ohio: helping people convicted of crimes start over through his nonprofit, Friend A Felon. Earlier this year, he developed a mobile app that now serves nearly 1,000 people in search of help, reports Alexis Oatman. In Ohio, one in five felons released from incarceration returns to prison within three years after committing a new crime.
Police commission: The Cleveland Community Police Commission says nine smaller police agencies in the city have mostly complied with changing their policies to adhere to the city’s reform of its department. Olivia Mitchell reports the commission’s rubric for compliance focused on the department’s use of force policy, vehicle pursuit policy, training and the department’s willingness to create a civilian review board.
BUSINESS
Gas prices: Marathon Petroleum is one of seven companies President Joe Biden is criticizing over excess profits and pushing to produce more gas and diesel. Marathon Petroleum reported $845 million in net income for the first three months of 2022, more than $800 million higher than any other first quarter since 2017. Biden’s letter blames part of higher gas prices on “unprecedented disconnect between the price of oil and the price of gas,” reports Sean McDonnell.
CRIME
Murder charge: Former Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson’s great-grandson was indicted Wednesday by a Cuyahoga County grand jury and accused of murder in a slaying last month. Donald Jackson-Gates, 19, is charged in the death of Chris’Shon Coleman, 20, on East 40th Street and Quincy Avenue on May 14 in Cleveland’s Central neighborhood, Olivia Mitchell reports.
Whiskey scheme: A scheme targeting the elderly across the country bilked some 150 people out of $13 million by promising high returns on investments in rare wine and whiskey, according to the FBI. One of the victims, an 89-year-old Highland Heights man, lost $300,000, reports Adam Ferrise.
Vehicular homicide: A Lorain County grand jury has indicted an Elyria man accused of causing a crash that killed a mother and seriously injured her then-1-year-old son. Logan Townsley, 22, is facing charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular assault, vehicular assault, operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or a combination of them, in the March 29 crash that killed 30-year-old Kaylie Eskins, reports Kaylee Remington.
Stepfather shooting: A Cuyahoga County judge set bond at $1 million for a South Euclid man accused of fatally shooting his stepfather May 30. Common Pleas Judge John Sutula ordered Andre Lamonte Williams II, 26, to remain in the Cuyahoga County Jail on the bond, reports Kaylee Remington.
Embezzlement: A former executive of Mayfield Village-based Discovery Tours pleaded guilty Wednesday to embezzling about $600,000 in a scheme that forced the company to abruptly close in 2018 and cancel school trips for some 5,000 students. Adam Ferrise reports that Joseph Cipolletti, 47, of Hudson, pleaded guilty to 18 counts, including for wire fraud, money laundering, bank fraud and lying during bankruptcy proceedings.
Theft charge: A now-former Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department employee faces a felony theft-in-office charge after officials said the county mistakenly paid him while he was on unpaid leave and he refused to pay it back, Cory Shaffer reports. Paul Waller, 66, of Elyria did not return to work after his unpaid medical leave ended in June 2020, but the county kept paying him for several months because he was enrolled in auto-pay, Ohio Auditor Keith Faber’s office found in an audit released last month.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Sawmill Creek: Cedar Point reopened Sawmill Creek Resort this week after a multimillion-dollar renovation to the property, which has been closed for nearly three years. The result: No obvious connection to the amusement park. Instead, an upscale, nature-themed resort on Lake Erie, Susan Glaser reports.
Inclusive Juneteenth: Mx. Juneteenth: A Black & Queer Liberation Celebration will continue for its second year on Saturday at Cleveland’s Blk Punx Press, reports Annie Nickoloff. Founder Avery Ware said that the inspiration for the event came from wanting to host a Juneteenth celebration that was inclusive to Cleveland’s LGBTQ communities.
