Shontel Brown: Incumbent Shontel Brown beat former Ohio State Sen. Nina Turner in 565 of the 646 precincts in the 11th Congressional District, reports Zachary Smith. Precincts in Cleveland and Lakewood had the largest concentration of votes for Turner, although some were decided by a few votes. Mike DeWine: At a time when establishment Republicans are in increasingly short supply, Gov. Mike DeWine has emerged from a crowded GOP primary not only victorious, but the frontrunner to win re-election in November, Jeremy Pelzer reports. In a primary that was essentially a Republican referendum on his first term, DeWine received 48% of the vote, 20 points ahead of second-place finisher Jim Renacci. Democratic battle: Numerous data points suggest Democratic nominees Tim Ryan and Nan Whaley are in for a very tough climb if they want to become the only Democrats other than Sen. Sherrod Brown to win a partisan statewide office, reports Seth Richardson. For one, Republican votes in the primary outnumbered Democrats roughly two to one. METRO Clerk fight: A remarkable dispute between Lake County’s clerk of courts and Common Pleas judges over the clerk’s treatment of her employees has reached the Ohio Supreme Court. The judges cited an unprecedented exodus of staff amid allegations that Clerk of Courts Faith Andrews verbally attacked employees and made discriminatory comments to justify barring Andrews from her office for all but one day a month. Cory Shaffer reports that Andrews filed a lawsuit, asking the court to throw out the judges’ order and allow her to return to her office. Jail accusations: Two of Cuyahoga County’s top officials are trading blame and incendiary accusations over the future of the jail now that a committee has put plans for a new facility on hold until it receives more information. Kaitlin Durbin reports that County Councilman Michael Gallagher threw the first jab in accusing some of his fellow steering committee members of wasting time and money on plans to build a new $550 million jail. He also claimed Prosecutor Michael O’Malley’s office was warning county staff to “skew” information about current conditions in the jail. Brad Sellers: Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish has officially announced his intent to keep Warrensville Heights Mayor Brad Sellers on the nine-member board currently overseeing multimillion-dollar plans to renovate the Global Center for Health Innovation, despite Sellers’ pending legal concerns. Budish recommended Sellers on Monday to serve a second term through April 2025, reports Kaitlin Durbin. Facebook dispute: A federal appeals court ruled that a man arrested and later acquitted of charges stemming from the creation of a fake Parma police Facebook page was unable to prove the city violated his free speech or wrongfully arrested him, Adam Ferrise reports. Kent State shooting: Hundreds of people attended Kent State University’s commemoration event Wednesday to honor the four students who were killed and nine who were wounded when the Ohio National Guard fired on students during an anti-war protest on May 4, 1970, Megan Becka reports. County connection: Cuyahoga County’s Division of Senior and Adult Services announced its new “Connection Center” resource to help aging residents access resources to preserve their independence. Kaitlin Durbin reports the center is a free service that connects residents ages 60 and older or adults with disabilities up to age 59 with trained social workers who can help them with adult protection, in-home skilled and personal care, transportation, meals, benefits assistance, programming or other services. Ukrainian orphans: A Lake County native, who has spent time finding shelter for more than 1,000 orphaned children in Ukraine, is pleading with Northeast Ohio residents for help for those in the war-ravaged country. Alexis Oatman reports that New Horizons for Children says the Russian invasion has created a deepening humanitarian crisis. Tri-C president: Cuyahoga Community College announced Wednesday that Michael Baston, currently head of a community college in New York state, will come to Cleveland to become the college’s fifth president. Baston was chosen through a national search after current president Alex Johnson announced his plan to retire, Sean McDonnell reports. Wagner Museum: The dream of a permanent home for a museum dedicated to the late Rev. Albert Wagner, an outsider artist from East Cleveland, is inching closer to reality. Steven Litt reports the Wagner Museum of Art, a small nonprofit organization formed in 2013 to safeguard the artist’s legacy, announced last week that it plans to acquire by gift a 4,300-square-foot former floral shop and paintbrush store on Aspinwall Avenue off East 152nd Street in Cleveland. COVID-19 & HEALTHCARE Abortions: How many and which Ohioans have had an abortion? Zachary Smith reports 20,102 abortions were performed in 2019, with 59.4% for ages 20 to 29, and 28.8% for ages 30-39. Health disparities: Cleveland’s hospital leaders will outline their efforts to eliminate health disparities during the 2022 Accelerating Health Equity Conference in Cleveland next week. Julie Washington reports the conference will draw speakers and participants from across the country to address how structural racism and economic disadvantages prevent people and communities from enjoying their best health. BUSINESS Cedar Point: Cedar Point and other Cedar Fair properties don’t expect to face the labor crisis that closed some parks for part of 2021, thanks to higher wages and the return of international workers. Susan Glaser reports from an earnings call that the company anticipates a very strong 2022, buoyed by increasing season-pass sales, higher in-park spending and a return to a normal operating year for the first time since 2019. Variety Theatre: Cleveland’s historic Variety Theatre is on the path to make its grand return as a live music venue following its recent sale to former Mahall’s owner Kelly Flamos. Annie Nickoloff reports the complex – which includes the theater space, 10 storefronts and 13 apartments – takes up an entire block of Lorain Avenue. CRIME Jan. 6 charges: Federal prosecutors on Wednesday accused a North Olmsted woman and her son from Westlake of participating in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Kimberly and Colton Wargo are charged with knowingly entering a restricted building and violent entry and disorderly conduct, reports Adam Ferrise. Justin M. Smith, 20, of Brunswick, is also charged with similar crimes. Synthetic opioids: Drug experts and law-enforcement agencies across Ohio are carefully monitoring the emergence of new, dangerous synthetic opioids that have made their presence in Ohio, including Cuyahoga County. Kaylee Remington reports that in the first quarter of 2022, Ohio reported 143 nitazene cases, up from 27 in the same quarter of 2021. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT WOW: After two years away due to the coronavirus pandemic, University Circle’s popular Wade Oval Wednesdays concert series is set to make its grand return on June 15. Annie Nickoloff reports the series will continue weekly from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. until Aug. 17. Rock Hall: The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022 isn’t short on icons: Eminem, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, Duran Duran, Eurythmics and Carly Simon. Troy Smith reports the inductees will be honored during a ceremony set for Nov. 5 at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. | 