State superintendent: The Ohio State Board of Education announced Friday that it will interview seven candidates to be the state’s next superintendent of public instruction later this month. Jeremy Pelzer reports the seven candidates, who come from among 27 people who applied, include a former board member who resigned shortly before submitting his application and an ex-U.S. Department of Education official whose agency quashed an Obama administration effort to address racial disparities in school discipline.
Disinformation: Metric Media, described as a “pay-to-play network” of more than 1,300 conservative-leaning sites that publish stories “ordered up by Republican groups and corporate P.R. firms,” have published 174 articles about Gov. Mike DeWine and challenger Jim Renacci. Jeremy Pelzer reports on an analysis of inauthentic content and disinformation online.
Supreme Court: Republican Ohio Supreme Court Justices Sharon Kennedy and Patrick DeWine each warned a gathering of about 100 conservative attorneys Friday morning that “judicial activism” will hurt the state’s high court, reports Laura Hancock. That’s a jab at their Democratic opponents in the November election.
Marijuana: The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted largely along party lines to remove marijuana from the list of federally controlled substances and to eliminate federal criminal penalties for its production, distribution and possession. Sabrina Eaton reports the bill would make Small Business Administration loans and services available to legitimate cannabis-related businesses and establish a process to expunge convictions for federal cannabis offenses and prohibit denial of federal public benefits to people because of cannabis-related conduct or convictions.
Census: After a 72-year waiting period, the raw data from the 1950 Census is now public. Zachary Smith reports how to search the National Archives and Records Administration by name, address, or neighborhood.
METRO
Russo dies: Frank Russo, the disgraced former Cuyahoga County auditor, has died at 72, Kaylee Remington reports. His cause of death was not made available, but those close to him said that Russo had many medical problems, including diabetes and heart problems. Then-U.S. District Judge Kate O’Malley sentenced Russo to 22 years in federal prison in December 2010 for his role in the Cuyahoga County corruption scandal.
Jail site: The preferred site for a new Cuyahoga County jail is the former site of a Standard Oil refinery and would require environmental cleanup before the county could start construction, reports Courtney Astolfi. A 12-member steering committee is poised to vote Tuesday on whether it finds the 44-acre site at 2700 Transport Road in Cleveland to be an acceptable location.
City hires: Mayor Justin Bibb has announced a senior strategist for lead, chief ethics officer and the director of Cleveland’s Office of Equal Opportunity, reports Courtney Astolfi.
Beech trees: Beech trees from Ohio to Maine are dying from a pernicious disease linked to a microscopic parasite, and the push is on to control the pathogen and to find resistant trees that might be needed to one day repopulate the species. Peter Krouse reports the fallout from what’s called “beech leaf disease” could be dramatic for Northeast Ohio, where maple-beech forests make up 25% of the woodland.
Foreign languages: About one-fifth of the residents of seven Ohio cities, including Mayfield Heights, Painesville, and Solon, speak a language other than English at home. Zachary Smith ranks Ohio cities by languages they speak.
COVID-19 & HEALTHCARE
Ukraine donations: The Cleveland-based nonprofit MedWish International and area hospitals have teamed up to donate items to Ukraine to help ease critical medical supply shortages in the war-torn country. Julie Washington reports that personal protective equipment, sleeping bags and other supplies collected in local drives are on their way overseas to Ukraine and surrounding countries.
Mask habits: The Associated Press and the National Opinion Research Center poll found in March that 44% of adult respondents still wear a mask often or always when in public. That’s down from 65% of adults who said they wore masks in a January AP-NORC poll and 82% in February, Julie Washington reports.
Aphasia: Action film star Bruce Willis threw a spotlight on the brain disorder aphasia with his announcement this week that he is retiring from acting. Julie Washington reports aphasia affects the ability to communicate and can affect how patients use and understand spoken and written language.
BUSINESS
Airfare: Airfare in Cleveland and across the nation has skyrocketed in recent months, a function of increasing demand and the rising cost of jet fuel. Roundtrip airfare for a domestic flight from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is averaging $246, up 26%, reports Susan Glaser.
CRIME
Watson letter: One of the 22 women who accused quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct and assault wrote an open letter that put in stark terms the pain she felt after two grand juries declined to charge Watson and the Cleveland Browns signed him to a record-setting contract. Adam Ferrise reports Lauren Baxley says the Browns’ actions are “evil.”
Kidnapping: Two male suspects are in custody after a woman was assaulted and forced into a vehicle at an RTA station Sunday afternoon on the city’s West Side, but the victim remains missing, police say. Jane Morice reports the incident happened about 3 p.m. at the West Boulevard-Cudell RTA station. RTA employees witnessed the assault.
Guitar stolen: Surveillance cameras at an Ohio City school captured footage of the person suspected of stealing a Grammy-nominated classical guitarist’s instrument Friday while visiting Cleveland for a performance, Jane Morice reports. Paraguayan guitarist Berta Rojas was at lunch Friday at Johnny Mango World Café & Bar at the corner of Bridge Avenue and Fulton Road, and when she returned to her car, she saw someone smashed the rear passenger window and her guitar was missing.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
LeBron movie: Hollywood is coming to Northeast Ohio to shoot a movie about LeBron James and you can be in it. Joey Morona reports that filming will take place in Cleveland and Akron between April 18 and June 1.
Tom Hanks: Two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Cleveland Guardians home opener April 15 against San Francisco, reports Joe Noga.
Tuna sandwiches: Tuna subs can offer a delicious alternative to your lunch menu conundrum during Lent. Yadi Rodriguez and Brenda Cain taste-tested local options.
House of the week: In 1998, the historic Mather Stables were converted into three luxury condominium homes. Joey Morona reports the $1.75 million French country-style home sits on over 15 acres of land and boasts four bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms and 9,360 square feet of total living space.
