Laden...
| What you need to know Thursday, June 24, 2021 WEATHER
Warmer weather returns to Northeast Ohio today as highs will reach the mid-80s with sunny skies. Overnight lows will stay in the upper 60s with partly cloudy skies. Read more. OVERNIGHT
Christmas tree bills: Ohio’s Constitution says that a single law can only deal with a single subject, which theoretically prevents lawmakers from passing “Christmas tree” bills, with unrelated topics meant to help push through controversial law changes. But Andrew Tobias reports that the limits of the law often are murky or even ignored, especially when it comes to state budget bills. Budgets give lawmakers wider latitude because all proposals affect the state’s budget.
Infrastructure: U.S. Sen. Rob Portman said Wednesday he hopes to reach a bipartisan deal on a $1 trillion package to improve the nation’s infrastructure by the end of the week. Sabrina Eaton reports the biggest obstacles have been finding a way to pay for it and ensuring it doesn’t include items he considers extraneous. There was a report Wednesday night that a tentative framework on an infrastructure deal had been reached ahead of a crucial meeting today with President Joe Biden.
State report cards: What started out as a bill that would allow parents of high schoolers to opt out of the ACT and SAT college admissions would now also replace the A to F report card grades for schools and districts with a new star performance rating system. The state Senate approved the bill 31 to 1 and it now heads back to the House, Laura Hancock reports. Under the proposed system, the Ohio Department of Education must assign schools and districts a performance rating of “one star” to “five stars” for six areas that it currently uses to rate a school, such as overall achievement on the tests, graduation rates and early literacy.
Ayesha Hardaway: Social justice organizations expressed outrage Wednesday over the handling of Ayesha Hardaway’s forced resignation from the team that oversees police reform and urged the removal of the team’s leader. Cameron Fields reports the groups, including the Cleveland NAACP, Black Lives Matter Cleveland and the Norman S. Minor Bar Association, protested on the steps of Cleveland City Hall and pushed for action from Mayor Frank Jackson and Bridget Brennan, the acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. Firearms: The Ohio Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Ohio teachers and other school personnel cannot carry firearms on school grounds without prior peace-officer training or experience. Jeremy Pelzer reports the 4-3 ruling overturns a Butler County school district policy allowing school employees to voluntarily carry concealed firearms so long as they have a conceal-carry permit and undergo active shooter training.
This Week in the CLE: After weeks of testimony – including bizarre and false theories about vaccines that made Ohio a national laughingstock – the Vaccine Choice and Anti-Discrimination Act doesn’t have enough votes to emerge from an Ohio House committee. We’re talking about whether the bill is dead on This Week in the CLE.
Householder's son: Derek Householder, the son of expelled state Rep. Larry Householder, is one of 19 applicants seeking to take over his father’s legislative seat, according to documents released by Ohio House Republicans on Wednesday. Larry Householder, who served two stints as speaker of the Ohio House, was kicked out of the legislature last week in a bipartisan vote, Jeremy Pelzer reports.
Vax-a-Million: Sydney Daum of Brecksville won the full, four-year college scholarship Wednesday in the final Ohio Vax-a-Million drawing. Esperanza Diaz of Cincinnati won the last $1 million giveaway, Laura Hancock reports.
Cough syrup ban: Legislation to ban sales of over-the-counter cough medicine to children in Ohio is on its way to Gov. Mike DeWine after passing a final legislative vote Wednesday. Jeremy Pelzer reports the bill would require people under age 18 to get a doctor’s prescription to purchase DayQuil, Robitussin, and other cough suppressants that contain dextromethorphan. Such medicines are sometimes taken in large doses by children to get high – a practice that some call “robotripping.”
Party affiliations: November ballots in Ohio would include the partisan affiliations of candidates running for top judicial seats, including the Ohio Supreme Court, if a bill approved Wednesday by the Ohio House eventually becomes law. Andrew Tobias reports the House voted 57-38 on Wednesday to approve House Bill 149, sending the bill to the Senate for consideration.
Cycle track: Advocates for better and safer bike routes in Cleveland were happy to learn last week that the administration of Mayor Frank Jackson is seeking $32.5 million in federal money to complete funding for the innovative Superior Avenue Midway downtown and a similar project along Lorain Avenue on the West Side. But Steven Litt reports they’re dismayed that the city appears to be backpedaling on building the two-mile Lorain Avenue project as a sidewalk-level, two-way cycle track from West 20th to West 65th Street — even though the city’s Planning Commission approved the concept in 2015.
Most expensive sale: The sale of an outpatient surgical facility in Beachwood was the most expensive real estate transaction so far this year in Cuyahoga County. Eric Heisig compiles the five most expensive real estate transactions that recorded sale prices with the county between January and May.
Actor guilty: The actor who played Drake on Nickelodeon’s “Drake and Josh” TV series pleaded guilty Wednesday to committing crimes against a 15-year-old girl after his October 2017 concert in Cleveland. Cory Shaffer reports Jared Drake Bell, 34, pleaded guilty to attempted endangering children, a fourth-degree felony, and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a first-degree misdemeanor.
Broadband: Summit County leaders are pushing back against an amendment from the Ohio Senate that would eliminate existing and future municipal broadband networks. Cameron Fields reports that Fairlawn currently uses the service provider FairlawnGig, and Summit County had plans to expand service to the entire county.
Selena Gomez: Selena Gomez gets candid about her best (and worst) fashion moments in a video from cleveland.com’s sister site, Vogue. Did you know she helped design some of her red carpet looks?
Craft brew: Ohio’s craft-brewing industry was responsible for $880.7 million in total economic output in 2020, down from $967.1 million in 2018, reports Marc Bona. The Ohio Craft Brewers Association saw an 8.9% decrease in economic impact and an 11% decline in production volume during the pandemic, though the organization sees reason for optimism: The number of operating breweries increased by 47. 2 men, 10-year-old boy dead in boat incident on Lake Erie in Cleveland Read more
Cases may have been severely undercounted early in pandemic; U.S. to miss July 4 vaccinations goal: Coronavirus update for June 23, 2021 Read more
Former Chagrin Falls clerk pleads no contest to embezzling $238K from village Read more
Volunteers of America to build affordable housing community for veteran women in Cleveland-Glenville Read more
Unknown illness causing blindness, other issues in birds Read more
Mayfield Heights debuts new logo in advance of upcoming major projects Read more
Akron law firm promotes bike safety, offers free helmets for 200 youths through donation program Read more
Berea approves demolition of 18 homes, former church for Browns facility expansion Read more
Divided Solon council approves variances to allow home to be razed and rebuilt Read more
Community | Politics | Videos | Photos To ensure receipt of our emails, please add [email protected] to your address book or safe sender list. You received this email because you opted-in to the newsletter. Was it forwarded to you? Sign up now! | ||||||||||||||||||
Laden...
Laden...
