  What you need to know Monday, August 2, 2021  WEATHER
Most of the week is poised to be sunny and clear, with a chance of rain and thunderstorms only in the forecast Wednesday. With the sun expected to shine, hotter temperatures are in store, too. The lowest high forecast this week is about 75 on Monday; the highest one forecast is about 90 on Sunday, Aug. 8. Read more.
Local scores: Chicago White Sox 2, Indians 1 OVERNIGHT
Hall of Fame: After years of delay, the ambitious development surrounding the Pro Football Hall of Fame is starting to take shape, with one building nearly complete and several others coming soon. The development, sometimes referred to as the “Disneyland of football”or an NFL theme park, was initially expected to be finished in 2018, Susan Glaser reports. The plan has been pared down in recent years, and divided into phases, and officials now say several major components, including a new hotel and football-themed indoor waterpark, likely won’t be completed until early 2023.
District 11: The Democratic primary for the 11th Congressional District special election to succeed former Rep. Marcia Fudge has turned the often-ignored seat in Congress into the premier race in the nation. Front-runners state Sen. Nina Turner and Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Shontel Brown, have engaged in a bitter back-and-forth. Over the weekend, Seth Richardson reports, the campaigns brought outsiders to tell Northeast Ohioans what is best for them. About 14,000 registered voters in Beachwood, Broadview Heights, Richmond Heights and Cleveland’s Wards 7 and 15 will have to vote in new locations when they cast ballots Tuesday, Sabrina Eaton reports.
Ken Johnson: A federal jury Friday convicted Cleveland Councilman Kenneth Johnson of corruption and tax charges in a verdict that ended his 40-year career at City Hall. The jury deliberated four hours before it found Johnson, 75, guilty, reports John Caniglia. Johnson, who faces up to 10 years in prison, is the fifth council member since 2000 convicted of corruption-related offenses committed while in office. Leila Atassi recaps the other four.
Governor’s race: Gov. Mike DeWine raised more than $3 million in the most recent period, contributing to the $6.5 million in his campaign bank account, Andrew Tobias reports. Unless the dynamics of the race change dramatically, that suggests DeWine is on a comfortable path to secure the Republican nomination next year and given the state’s larger political trends, perhaps even re-election.
This Week in the CLE: The more-transmissible delta variant has pushed Ohio above the benchmark Gov. Mike DeWine set for determining when he might lift the state’s coronavirus health orders. We’re talking about how much damage the delta variant could cause, as the weather cools on This Week in the CLE, cleveland.com's daily half-hour news podcast.
Mayoral cash: Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley maintained his cash-on-hand advantage following Friday’s campaign finance report deadline for the race to succeed retiring four-term Mayor Frank Jackson, but two other candidates have outraised Kelley in the past six months. Seth Richardson reports Kelley had nearly $200,000 more than his next closest competitor, with more than $537,000 in his coffers after raising nearly $213,000 this reporting period.
Coronavirus relief: Federal aid programs established to help the nation weather the coronavirus came with expiration dates. Sabrina Eaton reports on the moratorium on evictions and foreclosures and pause on student loan payments. Cleveland Housing Court announced procedures for landlords to use following the expiration, Cameron Fields and Alexis Oatman report.
Cleveland Cliffs: A Cleveland company that produces a third of the nation’s automotive steel will partner with the U.S. government to test new water efficiency technologies designed to help manufacturers reduce their carbon footprint. Sabrina Eaton reports that Cleveland-Cliffs was one of five companies the Department of Energy selected to each receive roughly $300,000 in federal technological assistance to test new energy efficiency technologies in real-world industrial environments.
Davis-Besse: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is investigating multiple diesel generator failures and a complicated reactor trip at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station in Oak Harbor, Cameron Fields reports. A six-person inspection team will look at the causes of the failures and what caused the reactor trip.
Pitt v. CLE: Pittsburgh’s regional economy has grown much faster than Cleveland’s over the past two decades, leading people to wonder: What did Pittsburgh get right and what did Cleveland get wrong? Peter Krouse delves into the complexities of economic development through a study by the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University.
Cognitive decline: An international consortium of researchers found COVID-19 could be linked to cognitive decline, and they worry it could accelerate symptoms like those seen in Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers found memory issues and biological markers in COVID-19 patients that are similar to those seen in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, Evan MacDonald reports.
COVID timeline: The United States could see about four times the current rate of COVID cases in four to six weeks as the Delta variant spreads and the population hits a wall on vaccinations, Marc Bona reports in his weekly coronavirus timeline.
Jail employee: A former medical assistant at the Cuyahoga County Jail is on probation after admitting to bringing synthetic marijuana into the facility and giving it to an inmate. Cory Shaffer reports Tamika Hardy, 43, pleaded guilty at a July 22 court hearing to drug trafficking and attempted illegal conveyance into a detention facility, both fourth-degree felonies.
5-year-old’s death: The Parma father who told police dispatchers he beat his 5-year-old son to death with a baseball bat while he heard voices in his head now faces charges that carry the death penalty if he is convicted. Cory Shaffer reports a grand jury this week handed up an indictment charging Matthew Ponomarenko with two counts of aggravated murder that accuse him of killing a child under 13 years old.
Black women athletes: Despite the global conversation surrounding mental health opening up in sports as athletes share their struggles, many athletes of color, particularly Black women, continue to face harsh scrutiny. Alexis Oatman reports that Black women tend to experience more significant criticism when trying to advocate for themselves, and when they do, there is backlash.
Vaccine queens: Two Northeast Ohio moms -- known to thousands as the “Vaccine Queens” -- are headed to Walt Disney World, each winning a trip for four valued at more than $10,000 from Disney Magic Makers, a contest to reward those making a positive impact on their communities. Hannah Drown reports Stacey Bene of Medina and Marla Zwinggi of Chagrin Falls met on Facebook in February and teamed up to help eligible Ohioans secure COVID-19 vaccine appointments when demand was high and supply was low.
Lorde: Lorde always knew she wanted to be a solo artist, but that doesn't mean there weren't surprises in store for her. Cleveland.com’s sister site, Vogue, asks her 73 questions.
House of the Week: If you enjoy swimming, kayaking or fishing, imagine being able to do all of those activities without ever leaving home on River Woods Drive in Hinkley. Joey Morona reports that though it was built in 2008, the interior of the 5,700-square-foot home has been remodeled to create an open-concept living space on four acres, listed at $1.35 million.
Waterspouts spotted Sunday along Lake Erie shores in Northeast Ohio Read more
So far, summer 2021 has been wetter than usual, with cooler days and warm nights, data shows Read more
Man dies in motorcycle crash in Akron’s Cascade Valley neighborhood Read more
Two unrelated shootings at same Akron bar leave two people injured, one critically Read more
An appreciative crowd welcomes James Taylor and Jackson Browne to Blossom Music Center after COVID darkened the stage for more than a year Read more
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