  What you need to know Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021  WEATHER
It will be quite a day for mid-December, with mostly sunny skies, calm winds and highs in the low 50s. There is a slight chance of showers overnight as it will grow more cloudy, and temps will drop to the upper 30s. The wind will pick up to and gusts could top 20 mph. Read more.
Local scores: Cavs 105, Miami Heat 94 OVERNIGHT
White House visit: Mayor-elect Justin Bibb will attend a meeting at the White House today with cabinet secretaries and other high-ranking members of President Joe Biden’s administration to talk about the president’s policy priorities for U.S. cities. Courtney Astolfi reports mayors will discuss working with the Biden administration on the American Rescue Plan, the recently passed infrastructure bill, Biden’s “Build Back Better” plan and other city-related priorities in Biden’s domestic agenda.
TODAY IN OHIO For the second time in a month, former executives at FirstEnergy Corp. have identified the Ohio governor’s office in documents involving a lawsuit that focuses on House Bill 6. We’re talking about why defendants are subpoenaing documents about Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast.
STATEHOUSE & POLITICS Property values: The Ohio Senate is expected Wednesday to vote on a bill that would make it harder for school districts to challenge property values at county boards of revision. Laura Hancock reports the Senate Ways and Means Committee advanced House Bill 126 with several changes school districts say are worse for them than the original bill. They warn that commercial property owners would be able to lower their values easier and that homeowners will have to pay more in taxes.
Infrastructure deal: A group of Democratic U.S. Senators from Great Lakes states wants President Joe Biden to prioritize projects that benefit the region when he allots dollars from the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal adopted earlier this year. Sabrina Eaton reports that senators singled out three projects as priorities, including modernizing the Soo Locks between Lakes Superior and Huron.
Gerrymandering lawsuits: The Ohio Supreme Court’s hearing of arguments for gerrymandering lawsuits challenging new state legislative maps is going into overtime, Andrew Tobias reports. A new request, issued Monday evening by the court, asks the parties in the case to weigh in on Article XI, Section 8(C)(1) of the state Constitution, and what effect, if any, that section has on the court’s ability to reject the maps as unconstitutional. The unsigned order gives parties until 9 a.m. Friday to respond in writing. METRO Natural gas: Ohio has become a major producer of natural gas over the past decade with the advent of horizontal fracking, a technique that allows for greater access to reserves. Peter Krouse reports the state’s natural gas output has increased more than 30-fold from 2010 to 2020, mostly because of ramped up production from the Utica shale reserve in the eastern part of the state.
Teachers union: Attorneys for teachers at Menlo Park Academy, a Cleveland charter school that educates gifted children, made their case Monday that the National Labor Relations Board should oversee union elections. Laura Hancock reports there are indications that teachers could be in for a protracted fight in their organization effort.
Elections law: Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said Monday that the legislature should revise a change to elections law signed in July that some prosecutors and voter-rights activists fear could lead to criminal charges for elections officials for partnering with outside organizations for activities like voter outreach and registration. Seth Richardson reports that LaRose said he agreed with banning private money in Ohio elections, but thought the legislature went too far when they added a provision barring elections officials from collaborating with other groups.
COVID-19 Omicron: The emerging COVID-19 omicron variant has been detected by a Cleveland Clinic lab, Julie Washington reports. The hospital is identifying and tracking COVID variants that are circulating in the community.
Daily cases: The state of Ohio on Monday reported 5,618 new cases of COVID-19, just below the 21-day average of 6,657. Ohio’s death toll since the beginning of the pandemic early last year now stands at 27,371, reports Julie Washington.
BUSINESS Expensive homes: Gwinn Estate, a 114-year-old mansion on the shores of Lake Erie in Bratenahl, was the most expensive home sold in Cuyahoga County in November. The Italianate-style mansion, built by industrialist William G. Mather and named after his mother, sold for $5.3 million, with an asking price of $6.5 million, Eric Heisig reports.
Holiday parties: Are companies hosting holiday gatherings this year? Sean McDonnell reports some venues are scheduled full with holiday get-togethers. Others say companies are getting cold feet and postponing the gatherings in the face of rising COVID-19 cases. And staffing shortages have caused some restaurants to turn away party customers.
London: British Airways announced Monday that it will restart nonstop service between Pittsburgh and London in June. The flight debuted in April 2019, but was discontinued less than a year later due to the pandemic, reports Susan Glaser.
CRIME Police shooting: Patrick Horton, 39, of Cleveland, was fatally shot by police Sunday afternoon in downtown Cleveland, reports Adam Ferrise. Police officials said two off-duty police officers and several citizens first spotted Horton walking on Superior and East 31st Street, pointing a gun at cars driving by and firing shots in the air. Ferrise reports Horton was taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation three days earlier after he was found walking around a West Side neighborhood with a gun.
13-year-old killed: A 13-year-old boy killed Saturday in a drive-by shooting in Euclid mowed lawns for his neighbors, liked to play basketball and struggled to cope with the deadly shootings of two of his brothers, his mother tells Adam Ferrise. Maurco Thomas, an eighth-grader at Positive Education Program in Euclid, liked rap music and spending time with his family, his mother Anita Deal said.
House fire: An accidental electrical fire led to the deaths of 9-year-old twins and injuries to six others Sunday at a home in Cleveland’s Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood, reports Olivia Mitchell.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Sneaker Con: Sneaker Con is returning to Cleveland for the first time since 2019, reports Joey Morona. The last time the event came to the city, actor Jeff Goldblum attended and put it on his Disney+ series “The World According to Jeff Goldblum.” So you know it’s a big deal. OTHER HEADLINES Officials seek woman as suspect in fatal shooting on Cleveland’s West Side Read more
Robbers pepper-spray manager of Akron Bath & Body Works Read more
Akron man gets life in prison for murders of 2 people Read more
Medina fire chief turns to social media to share weekly safety messages Read more
Solon school board says goodbye to Marilyn Thomas after 44 years Read more
New water line now part of Lomond-Lynnfield sewer replacement project in Shaker Heights Read more
North Ridgeville Senior Center Craft Show reopens after pandemic absence Read more
Strongsville City Council seeks replacement for Ward 3 Councilwoman Kelly Kosek Read more
The Medina School Board discussed nutrition within the district Read more
North Olmsted awarded grant for new Clague Park crosswalk pedestrian beacon Read more
Walk and swim for free this winter at Parma City Schools high schools Read more
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