Every July, a mat of blue-green toxic algae coats Lake Erie, from Toledo to the islands. The algae turns fresh water into pea soup, with scum that can close beaches, wreck fishing and contaminate drinking water, as it did in Toledo in 2014. The severity of the bloom depends on the amount of phosphorus that flows from the Maumee River into the lake between March and July. More rain -- and heavier storms -- in Northeast Indiana, Southeast Michigan and Northwest Ohio, and how much manure and fertilizer run into the river, determine how bad the bloom will be. Warm weather and less wind make the bloom bigger, though not necessarily more toxic. The worst blooms in the past decade have been in 2011 and 2015. That was when Ohio agreed to reduce phosphorus runoff into the lake by 40% to limit the blooms. Ohio is nowhere near meeting its promise after paying farmers in the Maumee River watershed for years to make changes, like adding drain tiles and planting cover crops. The Environmental Law and Policy Center, along with Lucas County Commissioners, sued the Ohio EPA in 2017, asking to limit phosphorus through a total maximum daily load. A federal judge ruled Thursday the EPA must do that. -- Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Sunshine returns |
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For years, the western end of Lake Erie has been plagued by toxic algal blooms that form on the water through a combination of excess phosphorus and other factors. (Plain Dealer file photo) |
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Consent decree: A federal judge in Toledo approved a consent decree Thursday in what he called “the final chapter of Plaintiffs’ persistent, unyielding quest to obtain joint commitment from the EPA and the State to undertake a crucial first step toward the restoration of Lake Erie’s Western Basin.” U.S. District Judge James Carr ruled the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency must submit a final plan for limiting phosphorus runoff into the Maumee River watershed to the U.S. EPA by June 30, reports Peter Krouse. Researchers are predicting a moderate algal bloom for the lake this year. National debt: The $31.4 trillion national debt is not a recent development. Since 1993, the national debt has increased by $25.73 trillion, with the largest single-term increases occurring under President Donald Trump in response to COVID-19 and President Barack Obama during the Great Recession. Zachary Smith breaks down exactly how much that mind-boggling number is. Today in Ohio: U.S. House Republicans want to address the national debt while raising the debt ceiling, cutting all kinds of federal programs. We’re talking about the cuts -- rail safety inspections, air traffic control towers in Ohio, transit and highway funding, childcare slots and more -- on Today in Ohio.
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Solar tariffs: The U.S. Senate voted 56-41 on Wednesday to overturn the Biden administration’s suspension of tariffs on Chinese solar product parts that go through other countries, reports Sabrina Eaton. Nine Democrats, including Ohio’s Sherrod Brown, joined with Republicans to pass the measure. Bank failures: Senate Banking Housing and Urban Affairs Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown said Thursday that executives from failed financial institutions such as Silicon Valley and Signature banks should be forced to repay large portions of their big paychecks and be barred from future high-ranking bank jobs. Sabrina Eaton reports that Brown declared a hearing on how to hold executives accountable for recent bank failures. |
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Rock Hall: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s quickly evolving plans for a $100 million expansion and renovation earned commendation and unanimous approval Thursday from a city design review committee, along with a few caveats. Steven Litt reports the vote, taken by the Downtown/Flats Design Review Committee, is intended to help guide the City Planning Commission, whose approval is required for a building permit. |
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Weekly COVID: The number of new COVID-19 cases in Ohio dropped again, falling from 3,121 last week to 2,978 this week, reports Julie Washington. The last time the weekly total fell below 3,000 was July 2021. |
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Voter fraud: A Shaker Heights attorney has pleaded not guilty to voter fraud charges, reports Cory Shaffer. James Saunders, who has donated to the campaigns of former President Donald Trump and organizations that support Republican candidates for office, is accused of voting in both Cuyahoga County and Broward County, Florida, in the 2020 presidential and 2022 general elections. 1997 child rape: A serial child rapist will spend the next 10 years in prison after pleading guilty Thursday to raping a 9-year-old boy in 1997 behind a church in the Cleveland suburb of Brooklyn. Cory Shaffer reports Dennis Gribble was identified in 2021 by a specialized unit in the Cuyahoga County prosecutor’s office that uses burgeoning technology that runs DNA evidence from unsolved crimes against those items submitted to private genealogy companies. LaRose’s car: A car belonging to Frank LaRose, the Ohio Secretary of State and potential 2024 U.S. Senate candidate, was stolen from his suburban Columbus garage last week, reports Andrew Tobias. Lake Erie body: Authorities identified the body of an East Cleveland man who was found in Lake Erie on Saturday. Police said Thaddeus Coleman, 33, was reported missing to police April 15 by his mother, reports Molly Walsh. |
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Dukes n’ Boots: Chef Dante Boccuzzi’s latest restaurant, Dukes n’ Boots, is set to open in downtown Willoughby on May 12. Marc Bona reports the restaurant is Boccuzzi’s 10th in his portfolio and his first venture on Cleveland’s East Side. It’s also more casual than his other restaurants. 50 Cent: Early 2000s rap king 50 Cent -- or as he is now known, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson -- will be hitting the road to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his debut album “Get Rich Or Die Tryin’.” His “Final Lap” tour will stop at Blossom Music Center on Aug. 4, reports Malcolm X Abram. Things to do: Guardians baseball is in full swing, Cedar Point opens, and 20 sites are offering free comics at Free Comic Book Day. Mike Rose has 22 things to do this weekend. |
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Feds arrest one-time rival gang members on drug-dealing charges in Cleveland Read more U.S. Marshals arrest man in connection with two murders in Cleveland Read more ‘The work of May 4 is never truly complete’: Kent State community, visitors reflect on lives lost, forever changed since 1970 Read more Bialosky & Partners Architects to design renovations for Orange Village Hall Read more Designated outdoor refreshment area proposed for Pinecrest in Orange Read more Law professor shares Critical Race Theory facts at Berea lecture Read more Avon High School students get up-close look at medical profession Read more Medina County District Library reaches out to senior citizens Read more Mayfield Heights council opts against hiring naming rights consultant for community/aquatic center complex Read more |
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