TODAY IN OHIO

A statement from state Sen. Matt Dolan commemorating the one-year anniversary of the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol stands well-apart from the rest of the Republicans running for an open U.S. Senate seat. We’re talking about how most GOP candidates have downplayed the attack or criticized the official response to it on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast.

STATEHOUSE & POLITICS

Unemployment contracts: During the coronavirus pandemic, Ohio’s beleaguered unemployment system agreed to pay more than $200 million to outside contractors for more than 1,600 call-center agents for as much as $59 per hour -- and even higher rates for supervisors. Jeremy Pelzer reviews how an initial $9.6 million contract grew to nearly $115 million. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services also agreed to contracts worth another $107 million to hire several other companies to help it handle an unprecedented tsunami of benefits claims caused by the coronavirus crisis.

Jim Jordan: Three days after the anniversary of a riot on Capitol Hill by supporters of former President Donald Trump who wanted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, Trump-ally Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, announced he won’t cooperate with a select committee probing the incident, Sabrina Eaton reports. Jordan, who took part in GOP-led investigations of issues including a fatal attack at the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya, and the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of political groups who sought tax exempt status, said in the letter that the “American people are tired of Democrats’ nonstop investigations and partisan witch hunts.”

Vaccine mandate: The debate over whether the Biden administration can force private employers and hospitals to require vaccines and coronavirus tests for their workers went before the nation’s highest court on Friday as the state of Ohio joined several other groups in arguing the federal government overstepped its authority. Sabrina Eaton reports Ohio Solicitor General Benjamin Flowers argued the state’s case by telephone because he tested positive for COVID-19 last week.

Energy assistance: Ohio is getting $367.4 million in home energy assistance money from the federal government this winter to help struggling families struggling pay their home heating bills, Sabrina Eaton reports. In addition to the $140.5 million the state usually gets for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), it is getting an extra $226.9 million from the American Rescue Plan adopted last year.

METRO

Inaugural address: Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb took his ceremonial oath of office Saturday afternoon at downtown's Public Auditorium, surrounded by a small crowd of about 60 family members, top cabinet officials, and key supporters of his campaign and transition teams. Courtney Astolfi reports the 34-year-old’s inaugural address -- livestreamed for the public, along with the rest of the ceremony – was Bibb’s pledge to work for a safer, more equitable, and healthier Cleveland, where residents have access to economic opportunity.

First week: Once Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and top-level staff were sworn in on Monday, Bibb said he spent much of his first week getting acquainted with City Hall – such as “surprise visits” to various city departments -- and addressing the shooting of Officer Shane Bartek, who died during a New Year’s Eve carjacking. Courtney Astolfi reports one big decision this week was to keep Karrie Howard as safety director, who oversees police, fire and EMS.

Parking garage: The city of Lakewood filed misdemeanor charges in connection with a parking garage collapse. Kaylee Remington reports the complaints, filed in Lakewood Municipal Court, accuse building owner Marine Towers LLC, property manager Burton Carol Management, and contractor Atlas Masonry & Restoration of failing to secure a permit before they started repairs on the underground garage.

College campuses: A total of 267,833 students were enrolled at Ohio’s 14 public universities in the fall semester. Laura Hancock reports numbers for the schools.

Casino record: Ohio’s casinos and racinos brought in $2.31 billion in gambling revenue in 2021, piling onto a yearly record already broken in November. Combined, the casinos and racinos had $197 million in revenue in December, up from $133 million last year, Sean McDonnell reports.

Flats lot: The Cleveland Metroparks paid nearly $3 million for a half-acre pay parking lot on the east bank of the Flats, with plans to use it as a way for the public to access the Cuyahoga River. Eric Heisig reports the lot at 1290 Old River Road is sandwiched between two buildings.

League Park: A new three-building development in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood is set to include space for the Baseball Heritage Museum to add batting cages and offices. Eric Heisig reports that the museum – which operates out of the city-owned League Park baseball field at East 66th Street and Lexington Avenue, home to the Indians from 1901 to 1946 – would use a new 8,100-square-foot building on vacant land directly west of the historic ballpark.

Property taxes: Property owners awaiting physical copies of their tax bill for the first half of 2021 should start receiving them over the weekend and because of the delay will have an extension to pay. Originally, the deadline to pay was close of business on Jan. 27, but the county is extending the due date through Feb. 10, reports Kaitlin Durbin.

Low snow: Snow accumulation in Northeast Ohio for this winter season so far is the third-lowest in history, with records going back to the 1800s, reports Kaylee Remington.

COVID-19

Ohio's cases: Newly reported coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in Ohio kept climbing to new all-time highs this past week, while for the first time in about a month, the number of reported deaths has fallen, Jane Morice reports. The seven-day total number of new coronavirus cases in Ohio rose significantly week-over-week to a new high of 154,044. That new high corresponds with a notable rise in the seven-day average of cases (now 22,006) and 21-day average of cases (now 15,745).

Population perspective: It’s hard to conceptualize the large numbers associated with many of the statistics that have mounted during the course of the pandemic in Ohio and Cuyahoga County. But every number represents a person. More Ohioans have died from COVID-19 than the population of Shaker Heights, reports Julie Washington. The estimated number of current cases is comparable to Cincinnati’s population.

Surgeries postponed: The coronavirus surge that has hit hospitals in Northern Ohio is now statewide, with medical centers in Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus having announced they are postponing elective procedures, reports Laura Hancock.

Timeline: Reuters reports that the omicron outbreak in New South Wales, Australia’s most-populous state, could peak by the end of January as authorities reinstated some restrictions aimed to slow the infection rate. After containing the virus through lockdowns and tough border rules early on, Australia is suffering infection rates higher than elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region, Marc Bona reports in his weekly update.

Booster shot: COVID-19 booster shots already were encouraged for all Americans 16 and older, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has endorsed an extra Pfizer shot for younger teens ages 12 to 15, and strengthened its recommendation that 16- and 17-year-olds get a booster as well, reports Julie Washington.

BUSINESS

Remote work: More than 1-in-10 employees were still working from home due to COVID-19 at the end 2021, Sean McDonnell reports. The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics released data Friday that says 11.1% of workers 16 or older teleworked due to the COVID-19 pandemic in December.

CRIME

Bartek charges: A Cuyahoga County grand jury on Friday handed up an indictment charging a Garfield Heights woman in the New Year’s Eve carjacking and fatal shooting of Cleveland police officer Shane Bartek. Tamara McLoyd, 18, is charged with aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, possessing a weapon with a felony record and other charges, Adam Ferrise reports.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Natural history: The new exhibit areas of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History are designed to show off selections from a collection of 5 million specimens in spaces that are flooded with light and connected to the natural world outside. Steven Litt reports the goal is to keep visitors curious, comfortable, engaged, and eager to spend time.

Bok Tower: An hour south of Orlando, Florida, you can find flower-lined paths, hundreds of birds, and a 200-foot tower that plays music every 30 minutes. Bok Tower Gardens was created a century ago by publisher and philanthropist Edward Bok, who transformed his winter retreat into a lush tourist attraction, partly in an effort to discourage commercial development, Susan Glaser reports.

House of the week: Built in 1997, this Broadview Heights home boasts seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms (seven full) in over 7,400 square feet, with the finished basement adding another 3,000 square feet of living space, Joey Morona reports.