  What you need to know Monday, August 16, 2021  WEATHER
Showers and thunderstorms are likely today, most likely later in the morning and into the evening. Highs will be in the upper 70s. There are good possibilities of storms overnight, with lows in the upper 60s. Read more.
Local scores: Indians 11, Detroit Tigers 0 OVERNIGHT
St. Louis: For decades, pedestrians trying to reach the Gateway Arch and the surrounding 90-acre park from downtown St. Louis had to scuttle along narrow sidewalks on streets that bridged an interstate trench and crossed busy access roads. Now, after building a $380 million land bridge park, the connection flows smoothly. Steven Litt traveled to St. Louis to learn what the project can teach Cleveland as it contemplates its own connection from the downtown Mall to Lake Erie.
Sam Randazzo: A Franklin County court has ordered the seizure of up to $8 million in assets from Sam Randazzo, the former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio chair that FirstEnergy Corp. says accepted a $4.3 million bribe from it. Attorney General Dave Yost’s office is working to freeze the proceeds of property sales by Randazzo, as well as the bribe payment, reports Jeremy Pelzer. Since February, Randazzo has sold four properties in Ohio and Florida worth a total of $4.8 million and transferred a $500,000 home in Columbus to his son.
Restitution in sentencing: One of the factors that a Cuyahoga County judge cited in her decision last week not to send a former Chagrin Falls clerk who stole nearly $250,000 from the village to prison was the fact that the woman repaid the money. Judges routinely count whether a person paid restitution in their favor when deciding whether someone deserves to go to prison. But critics said a consequence of that long-held practice is that it makes it more likely for poor people to face harsher sentences, reports Cory Shaffer.
Census diversity: Census 2020 results show widespread demographic shifts over the last decade in Cuyahoga County, with most suburbs becoming increasingly diverse as Cleveland’s population continues a decades-long decline. Courtney Astolfi, Hannah Drown and Robin Goist report that Census data released Thursday reveal fascinating changes in the population, with growing minority communities in inner- and outer-ring suburbs alike, and more residents identifying as multi-racial than a decade ago. And while Cleveland's population has declined, Census data shows Columbus' population has grown 13.8 percent since 2010.
Legalizing marijuana? Next year, Gov. Mike DeWine is running for re-election. Retiring U.S. Sen. Rob Portman’s seat is open and control of the Ohio Supreme Court is up for grabs. Will Republicans want to deal with a voter over legalizing marijuana on the ballot, too? Laura Hancock reports the group behind an initiated statute to legalize recreational adult-use marijuana submitted a new batch of petition signatures to Attorney General Dave Yost on Friday afternoon in an effort to force the Republican-controlled legislature to consider the law. If the legislature doesn’t act, Andrew Tobias reports, the coalition then could try to collect more signatures to place the issue on the statewide ballot for next year’s election.
This Week in the CLE: Cleveland lost 6.1% of its population in the past decade, while Columbus saw an increase of 15%. We’re talking about the disparity on This Week in the CLE, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast.
Special episodes: Listen to all the interviews with Clevelannd mayoral candidates in a special This Week in the CLE podcast from Seth Richardson and Chris Quinn.
Teen arrested: Police arrested a 14-year-old Cleveland boy who was wanted in the death of 13-year-old Milwaukee teen London Hill, who was killed while visiting family with his mother, Cleveland Heights police Chief Annette Mecklenburg said. Kaylee Remington reports a 16-year-old Cleveland Heights boy also wanted in the shooting is still at-large.
Opioid settlement: Attorney General Dave Yost on Friday pressed Ohio’s local governments to sign on to an $800 million-plus settlement proposal from the nation’s three largest pharmaceutical distributors and drug maker Johnson & Johnson to settle lawsuits related to the companies’ role in the opioid epidemic. Jeremy Pelzer reports that at “bare minimum,” Yost said local governments representing at least 95% of the population involved in the litigation need to agree to the proposed agreement. Right now, that number stands at about 86%.
Redistricting meetings: The co-chairs of the Ohio commission that will revise the state’s legislative maps, and possibly congressional maps, on Friday announced August dates for upcoming regional public hearings that will give Ohioans the opportunity to contribute their ideas on the redistricting process, Sabrina Eaton reports.
Vaccine booster: Ohioans with weakened immune systems should first talk to their physician before getting a third coronavirus shot, Ohio Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Bruce Vanderhoff said. Vanderhoff offered the advice hours after a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel recommended the booster shots for a group of people the size of about 3% of the U.S. and Ohio populations, Laura Hancock reports.
COVID pregnancy: A study by UC San Francisco found that women who contract COVID-19 while pregnant are at risk for a premature birth, Julie Washington reports. The risk of preterm birth rose 160% for pregnant women with hypertension, diabetes and/or obesity as well as COVID-19, the study suggests.
COVID roundup: An increasing number of coroanvirus cases in Ohio and across the nation is leading to a new round of cancellations, including concerts from Stevie Nicks and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Marc Bona has details in his weekly roundup.
Cedar Point: A guest at Cedar Point was injured Sunday afternoon after being hit by a falling part from Top Thrill Dragster, one of the park’s roller coasters, Susan Glaser reports. Her condition is unknown.
Blossom complaint: One disappointed ticket holder who missed the James Taylor-Jackson Browne concert at Blossom Music Center on July 31 has filed a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Protection. Karen Lefton filed the complaint on Aug. 6, seeking a refund for herself and “thousands of others” due to “inaccessibility to the venue," Brenda Cain reports.
Racism discussion: The Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition held its seventh annual State of Disparities in the African American Community Conference on Friday and Saturday, with speakers discussing systemic racism, policy and its impact on people and racism, and the proliferation of guns in the Black community, Cameron Fields reports.
'Jeopardy!' champ: Medina native Matt Amodio ran his win streak to 18 games in the 37th season finale of "Jeopardy!" on Friday. He added another $27,201 to his bank account for a running total of $574,801 in prize money, Joey Morona reports. He’ll return to the “Jeopardy!” studios in Los Angeles to defend his title when production resumes later this month.
Space questions: Astronaut Mike Massimino answers the internet's burning questions about the far reaches of space in this video from cleveland.com’s sister site, Wired. How do astronauts get leverage when screwing things in? After a long space flight, where does the poo go?
House of the Week: Berea became a world leader in sandstone in the 1800s thanks in part to a rivalry between sandstone magnates John Baldwin and George W. Whitney. Legend has it, Whitney’s competitive spirit inspired him to build a house that was bigger and, in his mind, better than his counterpart’s. The result was Rose Hill, an Italianate mansion located at 330 S. Rocky River Drive completed in 1873. The home is now on the market for $750,000, Joey Morona reports. Cleveland police investigating string of homicides Read more
Teens caught after escaping Stark County jail, stealing car Read more
Police search for suspect in fatal hit and skip on Cleveland’s East Side Read more
Man dies after being shot in Cleveland’s North Collinwood area and crashing into semi-truck Read more
Man’s body is discovered near the water at Lakewood Park, police say Read more
Authorities arrest second man in connection with shooting death of man at Elyria bar Read more
Firefighter injured, family pet dead in Euclid house fire, officials say Read more
Olympic gold medalist Katie Nageotte honored at her high school alma mater Olmsted Falls High School (photos) Read more
Main Street Medina to celebrate the city with Medina Fest on Aug. 28 Read more
Medina County Domestic Relations Court offers Amnesty in August Read more
Shaker Heights proffers temporary fix for Horseshoe Lake dam, hosts Aug. 17 public meeting Read more
Middleburg Heights to acquire crucial site for Central Park project Read more
Beachwood students will wear masks to start school year; policy to be re-evaluated monthly Read more
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