Budget director fired: The administration of Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish on Wednesday fired its budget director, Maggie Keenan, saying only that the administration “decided to go in a different direction.” Keenan responded in an email blast to cleveland.com’s Courtney Astolfi, stating the administration “doesn’t like whistleblowers” and “shouldn’t have fired the one who knows where all of the bodies are buried.”

Crime vs. technology: U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman is entering the fray on a national debate over law enforcement’s ability to access encrypted devices and messaging apps, trying to rebuff the sentiments of many tech companies that say such access could leave them vulnerable for exploitation by hackers. Cleveland.com’s Eric Heisig reports that some experts consider Herdman’s ideas problematic.

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Bag ban ban: A state bill forbidding local governments from banning single-use plastic bags is one step closer to becoming law, following a Wednesday vote from the Ohio House of Representatives, reports cleveland.com’s Andrew Tobias. The House voted, 57 to 35, to pass the bill, which would block local bans on single-use plastic bags, cups, straws and other items.

Child custody hearing: Lawyers for a Concord Township woman whose 4-year-old daughter is the focus of an international child-custody dispute on Wednesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to return the child to Ohio “for a full and fair” custody hearing, cleveland.com’s Sabrina Eaton reports. They said that research biologist Michelle Monasky fled her Italian abusive husbandbwith the infant she bore in Italy at the earliest possible opportunity, the day the child’s U.S. passport arrived.

Illegal voting: Eighteen people voted illegally in the November 2018 general election, casting ballots in Ohio as well as in another state, according to Secretary of State Frank LaRose. Cleveland.com’s Andrew Tobias reports 10 of them voted in another state before Ohio, and the other eight voted in Ohio first.

Cuyahoga River: Business groups want the city of Cleveland – as well as the U.S. Coast Guard and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources – to step up law-enforcement presence on the Cuyahoga River. Cleveland.com’s Laura Johnston reports law-enforcement agencies say their resources are limited.

Transparency kudos: Ohio is the only state that provides the public with an acceptable level of information about economic development subsidies, according to a consumer-rights group. Cleveland.com’s Jeremy Pelzer reports the Buckeye State received an “A-minus” from the Ohio Public Interest Research Group Education Fund and the Frontier Group, because of online data on tax credits, economic grants and other facts.

Cannonball Run: Doug Tabbutt, the Twinsburg exotic car dealer who made international news when he and two companions drove from New York to L.A. and set a record for the so-called Cannonball Run, is now worried about copycats who might attempt the feat. Cleveland.com’s Peter Krouse reports that Tabbutt implemented all sorts of safety precautions, and he doesn’t want media publicity to encourage those who wouldn’t be as cautious.

Investment fund: Cuyahoga County Council on Tuesday approved a $1.5 million loan to a newly formed investment fund designed to assist businesses and development projects in the county’s low-income neighborhoods. Cleveland.com’s Courtney Astolfi reports that Arctaris hopes the county’s money, as well as $500,000 pledged by the George Gund Foundation, will help grow the fund to up to $20 million.

Fire chief charges: Former Avon fire chief Frank Root Jr. has been indicted on child pornography charges. Cleveland.com’s Kaylee Remington reports a Lorain County grand jury handed up an indictment Friday against Root that charges him with pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person.

Backing down: State Sen. John Eklund has suspended his campaign for state representative less than a month after it started, citing heavy resistance from Ohio House Republicans upset about his plans to unseat one of their own. Cleveland.com’s Jeremy Pelzer reports that the Geauga County Republican is term-limited and looked to continue his legislative career once he leaves the Senate next year.

Tow truck theft: A Cleveland man is suspected of stealing a tow truck and waving a gun at its driver, who pursued him as he drove to Medina, reports cleveland.com’s Evan MacDonald. Police say the incident happened about 10:20 a.m. Tuesday on Clearaire Road near St. Clair Avenue.

Travel + Leisure: Travel + Leisure magazine has included the Great Lakes as one of its 50 best destinations in 2020. Cleveland.com’s Laura Johnston has the shout-out to Cleveland.

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