STATEHOUSE & POLITICS
Transgender ban: Ember had just made the high school softball team when the Ohio House passed legislation that would block her from playing. The Ohio Capital Journal reports that the 17-year-old transgender girl is the only transgender student in Ohio playing girls sports. She had already met OHSAA requirements, demonstrating that she had undergone at least one year of hormone treatment and her height and weight doesn’t bear any physical advantage compared to other girls her age.
Teachers and guns: As expected, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Monday signed a bill that would allow teachers and other school staff to carry guns in school after 24 hours of training, down from the 700 hours required under former state law. Andrew Tobias reports that House Bill 99 is meant to make it easier for school districts to arm teachers, which supporters say will make schools a less vulnerable target to attackers.
METRO
Gun laws: Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb joined other Ohio mayors Monday to call for “common sense” gun reforms at the state and federal level, while acknowledging they have limited power to enact any gun regulations within their cities. Bibb and Columbus’s Andrew Ginther, Cincinnati’s Aftab Pureval, Akron’s Dan Horrigan, Toledo’s Wade Kapszukiewicz and Dayton’s Jeffrey Mims criticized Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and the state legislature for Ohio’s approach to guns, Courtney Astolfi reports.
Rent costs: Median rent prices have increased by an average of 19.3% in the seven counties that make up Greater Cleveland since May 2021, reports Zachary Smith. That amounts to about $1,100 a month and more than double the current rate of inflation.
Opioid lawsuit: Three major pharmacy chains argued in court filings on Monday that they should pay far less than what Lake and Trumbull counties are seeking to remedy the opioid crisis in their communities. Lawyers for Walmart, Walgreens and CVS submitted written arguments to U.S. District Judge Dan Polster offering three potential options that range from $870 million to $3 billion, Adam Ferrise reports.
COVID-19 & HEALTHCARE
Monkeypox: An Ohio man has a probable case of monkeypox, reports Julie Washington. To protect the patient’s privacy, the Ohio Department of Health will release no further details — including if the man is hospitalized, where he lives or if he recently traveled to a country where monkeypox is flaring.
Spinal surgery: Spinal surgery gone wrong could rob a patient of the ability to walk, but an advanced technology called the Pulse Platform increases the surgery’s chances of success by creating 3D images of the patient’s spine. Julie Washington reports University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital was among the first in the world to utilize Pulse to perform pediatric spine surgery this month.
Hospital ranking: When it comes to specialized pediatric care, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s joins the ranks of the country’s best children’s hospitals once again- this time adding cardiology and heart surgery to its list of accolades. U.S. News & World Report has ranked nine of the hospital’s pediatric medical and surgical specialties in the top 50, Gretchen Kroen reports.
BUSINESS
Supply chain: Some of the biggest movers and shakers in retail will meet in Cleveland next week to find solutions to a broken supply chain and hopefully make it more resilient and sustainable in the process. Sean McDonnell reports the National Retail Federation will host the inaugural Supply Chain 360 at the Huntington Convention Center June 20-21, an event where stores, product suppliers and shippers will talk about the issues that stop products from getting on shelves.
Coffee Roasters: After closing up Pour’s downtown Cleveland cafe in the early days of the pandemic, Charlie Eisenstat shifted his business to an internet ordering system. But Annie Nickoloff reports the coffee-roasting pro has helped bring another cafe to life: Edda Coffee Roasters, which opens today in the Intro Cleveland building at 2075 W. 25th St.
Starbucks union: Another two Starbucks cafes in Greater Cleveland are getting the chance to vote on whether or not they want a union. Workers at the stores on Clifton Boulevard in Cleveland, near the Lakewood border, and on Mayfield Road in Cleveland Heights will get to vote in two separate mail-in elections, reports Sean McDonnell.
Cleveland Kitchen: The homegrown fermented food company Cleveland Kitchen announced a $19 million fundraising round and the purchase of another company. Sean McDonnell reports Cleveland Kitchen will buy Sonoma Brinery, a pickle manufacturer in Healdsburg, California. Sonoma Brinery has 50 employees, who will all be retained, and makes different forms of pickles and sauerkraut.
Pioneer: Themed around the great outdoors, the new sports bar Pioneer will focus on wood-fired eats at in its Lorain Avenue home in Cleveland, reports Annie Nickoloff.
Hot chicken: Dave’s Hot Chicken is set to open Friday at Westgate in Fairview Park. Marc Bona reports the fast-casual concept has seven spice levels, from No Spice to Reaper, which requires a signed waiver for daring diners.
Home sales: The cleveland.com database of home sales and other property transfer details has been updated with transactions for May 2022. Since home prices have been skyrocketing, it can be used as a tool for comparison to previous years by searching a particular street or city.
CRIME
Akron slaying: A judge Monday set the bonds at $1 million each for three men accused in the slaying of Ethan Liming earlier this month. Deshawn Stafford, 20, Tyler Stafford, 19, and Donovon Jones, 21, are charge with murder in the death of Liming, 17, on the basketball courts outside of I Promise School in Akron on June 2. U.S. Marshals and Akron police arrested the three on the charges Saturday.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Food match: Sabah Drabu is the co-founder of CookinGenie, a Hudson-based app that connects diners and personal chefs. In a way, it’s like a dating app, Marc Bona reports, but instead of matching up couples romantically, it’s pairing diners with chefs based on mutual culinary wants and needs.
