The Browns filed suit in federal court. The city of Cleveland sued in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas. Both over the Modell Law, which requires a professional sports team to take specific steps if it intends to move from a city that uses taxpayer money to support the team. Why the difference in courts? They’re raising different arguments. And early victories over which lawsuit moves forward first could give one side the upper hand in the legal fight over where the Browns will ultimately play. The cases could proceed simultaneously, or one judge could put a pause on his or her case while the other litigation plays out. — Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
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Two lawsuits filed over the Cleveland Browns planned move to Brook Park are just starting to play out in two courthouses within blocks of the stadium. (John Pana, cleveland.com file photo) |
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Dueling lawsuits: Judges overseeing dueling lawsuits in courthouses blocks away from Huntington Bank Field could determine whether the Cleveland Browns remain in their downtown stadium or head southwest to Brook Park. Though the lawsuits in federal and Cuyahoga County common pleas court may appear to be redundant, legal experts who spoke to Adam Ferrise said the decisions by the Browns and city to file separate lawsuits come down to a fight for home-field advantage. Arts tax: When Cuyahoga County Council agreed to send a cigarette tax increase to the ballot last fall, their support came with a warning to the arts community to find a more sustainable funding source long-term. Now, the council is planning to help fund the search for those solutions. Kaitlin Durbin reports that council is poised to approve $50,000 in one-time stimulus money to help the Assembly for the Arts hire researchers to identify new funding sources to continue supporting over 300 area nonprofits. Today in Ohio: State Sen. Jerry Cirino aims to tamp down a perceived liberal bias in Ohio’s 14 public universities and 23 community colleges, with a host of requirements. We’re talking about how the bill could hurt Ohio students and colleges on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast. |
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Birthright citizenship: A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship, reasoning it was a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th amendment, which grants citizenship to everyone born in the United States. Cleveland immigration attorney Richard Herman anticipates the order will still have detrimental effects in Northeast Ohio, reports Sabrina Eaton. Asylum legislation: New U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, a Westlake Republican who made immigration reform a centerpiece of his campaign, on Thursday introduced legislation to crack down on the nation’s asylum backlogged system, reports Sabrina Eaton. Republicans say the system is being abused by immigrants who know they’re not qualified for asylum, but apply anyway to gain entry to the United States and stay indefinitely. Jane Timken: Former Ohio Republican Party Chair Jane Timken is headed to the Statehouse, reports Anna Staver. Timken, who unsuccessfully ran to be a U.S. Senator, will replace state Sen. Kirk Schuring, who died last year. Dave Yost: Attorney General Dave Yost is making official what’s been perhaps the most poorly kept secret in Ohio politics the past two years: He’s running for governor in 2026, reports Jeremy Pelzer. Secretary of State: Niraj Antani wants to be Ohio’s next chief election officer. The former Republican state senator from Miamisburg announced his 2026 bid for secretary of state Thursday, saying his grandparent’s lives in British-occupied India gave him a deep appreciation for the right to vote, reports Anna Staver. |
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CLE flag: After months of delays, The CLE Flag Project announced plans to reveal a new design for the flag of Cleveland by early March, now under the guise of an unofficial “people’s flag.” The CLE Flag Project originally hoped a new flag would be adopted by city leaders as the official flag for Cleveland, replacing the current version that was adopted more than a century ago. But City Council showed no appetite for an immediate change, reports Zachary Smith. Plant nursery: A landlocked stretch of vacant city land along Interstate 90 seems destined to become a vibrant plot full of native plants later this year, reports Sean McDonnell. Cleveland is looking to lease three parcels along I-90 to Meadow City Native Plant Nursery, a native plant seller in the city’s North Collinwood neighborhood. Fee increase: Parma is considering drastically hiking the amount of money it charges people who are sentenced to spend time in the city’s jail. Cory Shaffer reports an ordinance introduced at Tuesday’s City Council meeting would raise the cost the city assesses to inmates in the Parma Detention Center from $40 per day to $150 per day. Garden weeds: Will the sub-zero temperatures of this past week do a number on the dandelions and thistle lying dormant in our gardens? If not, is there a point at which it gets so cold that it takes care of those pesky weeds so we don’t have to? Don’t count on it, reports Peter Krouse. Drought: Last week’s cooler-than-normal temperatures have not been enough to end the moderate drought in 10 eastern Ohio counties, reports Zachary Smith. Drought conditions have remained unchanged in Ohio over the last seven days, the second week in a row of little improvement for the Appalachian counties that were hit the worst by the last few months of drought. |
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Suicide deaths: The number of suicide deaths in Ohio declined for the first time in three years in 2023, dropping about 1% from 2022′s numbers, reports Julie Washington. Ohio deaths by suicides dropped to 1,777 in 2023. That number is 20 fewer than 2022. COVID numbers: The number of new COVID-19 cases in Ohio fell for the third week running, moving from 5,531 last week to 4,474 this week, reports Julie Washington. Case numbers have trended downward after five straight weeks of rising COVID-19 case numbers at the end of 2024. |
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East CLE trial: Former East Cleveland police commander Larry “Pac Man” McDonald testified Wednesday that he never meant to mislead authorities when he failed to report two high-speed police chases, one of which was fatal. Lucas Daprile reports that the jury in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court began deliberating the 10-count indictment against the former supervisor. Tremont murder: A Cuyahoga County grand jury handed up an indictment Tuesday that accused a man of taking part in a Tremont slaying this month, reports Olivia Mitchell. Richard Marshall, 43, of Cleveland was indicted on charges of murder, felonious assault, possessing a weapon while a felon, tampering with evidence and offenses against a human corpse. Worker deaths: The owner of a Cleveland company that cleans industrial tanks was charged Thursday in the 2020 deaths of two workers and accused of lying to federal safety inspectors, reports Adam Ferrise. House fire: Firefighters rescued a man using a wheelchair who was in a house fire Wednesday in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood. Olivia Mitchell reports the fire broke out about 11 p.m. at a duplex on Marvin Avenue, near West 43rd Street. |
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Ask Yadi: Is it wrong to not want your partner’s ex to stay at your house? Yadi Rodriguez writes, being friendly doesn’t mean that you should feel obligated to host them if they come to visit. Harry Potter dinner: In The Weeds, a upscale eatery and flower shop in North Royalton, is hosting a Harry Potter-themed dining experience on Feb. 5 that promises to enchant guests with food, alcoholic potions, décor and more straight from the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, reports Josh Duke. Restaurant closing: El Tango Grill has announced it’s going out of business after more than 25 years in Lakewood, reports Alex Darus. New restaurant: Chef Dante Boccuzzi’s Akron restaurant – dba-- closed on New Year’s Day. The space will welcome a new Italian-themed restaurant -- Luciano’s Cucina Italiano – by Valentine’s Day, reports Paris Wolfe. Art program: The Cleveland Museum of Art offers a vivid reminder to “zoom out” and appreciate the global connections it fosters through its acclaimed Performing Arts Series, reports Peter Chakerian. Things to do: Northeast Ohio is still bustling with various events to stay busy during the frigid season. Major concerts, renowned theater performances and dance parties are also in store. Alex Darus has 20 things to do in Greater Cleveland this weekend and beyond. |
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Woman sentenced to life in prison for 2022 Akron bar murder Read more Prosecutor: ‘Maniac fired 20 rounds’ at Cleveland mother in 2024 killing Read more Solon shopping plaza sold to Cincinnati-based investors for $7.1 million Read more Deaths in Cuyahoga County Jail intensify scrutiny Read more CSU drops 3 NCAA athletics programs in budget cuts Read more Garfield Heights Municipal Courthouse crumbling away, hundreds of criminal records destroyed Read more |
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