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What you need to know Friday, Feb. 4, 2022 WEATHER
The snow should taper off this morning, but it will be colder, with highs staying in the upper teens. It will be very cold overnight as temps dip to around 5 degrees. Highs will reach the low 20s Saturday with partly sunny skies, then will get into the low 30s Sunday with clear skies. Read more.
School closings: Read more. OVERNIGHT
Winter storm: Northeast Ohio was wobbled on Thursday as a major winter storm coated the area with ice and plenty of snow, basically bringing the area to a halt, closing schools and government offices. Cliff Pinckard reports that the snow belt east of Cleveland recorded the highest totals, with Willoughby getting 8 inches and Chardon 7.5 inches. Snow was still falling Thursday night, but it's expected to taper off this morning. Courtney Astolfi reports Cleveland is using a new snow-removal plan in hopes of clearing city streets more quickly after complaints about the slow response to a storm last month.
Supreme Court: The Ohio Supreme Court ruled Thursday that if a juvenile court finds no probable cause for a crime against a child, prosecutors can’t try to charge that child again through the adult courts. Laura Hancock reports Justice Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat running for chief justice, wrote the majority opinion, which reversed lower court rulings. The dissent was written by Sharon Kennedy, a Republican also running for chief justice. The approach each justice took to arrive at their decisions showed some sharp contrasts.
Fair maps: As Republican lawmakers prepare to unveil a redrawn new congressional map for this year’s election, a group of voting-rights advocates have introduced what they say is a fair plan of their own. The map from Fair Districts Ohio would favor Republicans to win eight of Ohio’s 15 congressional districts, close to each party’s share of the recent statewide vote. Andrew Tobias reports the point was to show the public and lawmakers that a compact, politically proportionate, competitive map is possible.
TODAY IN OHIO After nine years of failed ventures, the board for the Global Center for Health Innovation believes a $46 million facelift could finally help the building reach its potential. We’re talking about the boondoggle on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast. STATEHOUSE & POLITICS Voter fraud: Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced he had referred 62 instances of possible voter fraud for further investigation. Andrew Tobias reports 31 cases involve people who may have voted illegally, including 27 in the November 2020 presidential election.
Marisa Darden: A Republican U.S. Senator from Arkansas has held up the nomination of Cleveland’s Marisa Darden to serve as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio over an unrelated dispute he’s having with the Department of Justice. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Richard Durbin announced Thursday that U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton is delaying a committee vote on Darden’s nomination and several other Justice Department nominees because the Justice Department didn’t respond quickly enough to an information request he made Monday, reports Sabrina Eaton.
Bernie Moreno: Bernie Moreno, the Cleveland businessman and luxury-car dealer, has dropped out of Ohio’s crowded Republican primary for an open U.S. Senate seat, Andrew Tobias reports. Moreno announced late Thursday he had suspended his campaign following a meeting with former President Donald Trump, who holds considerable sway over Republicans and is considering whether or not to endorse in the race.
Diane Grendell: State Rep. Diane Grendell is running for Geauga County auditor rather than seeking re-election after her fellow Statehouse Republicans redrew her safe legislative district to be Democratic-leaning, and after a would-be primary opponent reported a large fundraising haul. Andrew Tobias reports that Grendell, a controversial fixture in Geauga County politics, acknowledged that the new composition of her would-be district was a factor.
METRO Equity progress: In the two years since declaring racism a public health crisis, Cuyahoga County has made significant strides in improving equity, diversity and inclusion across all areas of government, reports Kaitlin Durbin. The 2022 Equity Commission report shows that from 2012 through 2021, the county granted $112.1 million in contracts to small-business enterprises (SBE), minority-owned business enterprises (MBE), or women-owned business enterprises (WBE). That averages out to $12 million in contracts each year.
County exec race: Maple Heights Mayor Annette Blackwell could face penalties after failing to submit her annual campaign finance report detailing her short run for Cuyahoga County executive, reports Kaitlin Durbin. The reports were due Monday, but Blackwell did not submit one.
Judge candidate: Cleveland City Councilman Brian Mooney, of Ward 11, is running for Cuyahoga County Common Pleas judge for a six-year term beginning next January. Courtney Astolfi reports that as of Wednesday’s filing deadline, Mooney, a Democrat, was the only challenger running against Republican Judge Joan Synenberg, who has served on the common pleas bench since 2007.
Buckeye Trail: U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan on Thursday urged a U.S. House of Representatives committee to begin the process for designating the 1,454 mile-long Buckeye Trail in Ohio as a “National Scenic Trail,” which would provide it with federal money for educational programs and maintenance. Sabrina Eaton reports a study is the first step needed to secure the designation.
LaVerne Clouden: As the first female band director in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, LaVerne Clouden spent several years building the marching band program at JFK High School in spite of the resistance she encountered from her students’ families. Brenda Cain reports Clouden made history again when she was named the first Black director of the All-American Youth Symphonic Band, Orchestra and Chorus. Her students toured the world to perform – opportunities her inner-city kids would not have had access to without her.
COVID & HEALTH Alzheimer’s: Maria Shriver’s advocacy nonprofit Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement is partnering with the Cleveland Clinic to create the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement at Cleveland Clinic, reports Julie Washington. The partnership will focus on fundraising, research and education surrounding brain disorders in women.
Daily cases: The state of Ohio on Thursday reported 5,737 new cases of COVID-19, the seventh straight day below 10,000, reports Julie Washington.
BUSINESS Port traffic: Cleveland’s port was well-used in 2021 amid ongoing supply-chain issues across the U.S. Sean McDonnell reports the port saw a 69% increase in tonnage across its docks compared to 2020, with an increase both in and out of containers, and iron ore shipments to the Cleveland-Cliffs Cleveland Works steel mill.
Home sales: As more homes sold in Cuyahoga County last year than the year before, the sales prices also sharply increased, another indicator of the highly competitive housing market. Eric Heisig reports suburban prices overall were up 8.7% to a median of $182,100 from $167,500 a year earlier, and the median selling price for single-family homes in Cleveland rose 28.2% to $72,000.
Erieview: The sale of 45 Erieview Plaza, a vacant office building next to the Galleria on the east side of downtown Cleveland, was finalized Wednesday, with the new owners paying $21.1 million. Eric Heisig reports that former owners SomeraRoad of New York, which paid $36 million for the building and adjoining parking garage at East Ninth Street and Lakeside Avenue in 2016, sold it to Dallas-based developers Ike Bams, John Williams and Kenny Wolfe.
CRIME IRS: A retired Cleveland police officer was fined $50,000 Thursday for underreporting taxes on his business, one of the area’s top security companies for major events. John Caniglia reports Harry Gant, 71, of Mentor, was sentenced to five years of probation for fleecing the IRS out of $235,000.
Man in sewer: A man found dead Wednesday in the sewer system in Cleveland’s Euclid-Green neighborhood had been shot in the chest, reports Adam Ferrise. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner has not yet identified the man or determined an official cause of death. The body was badly decomposed.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Vail: It’s been a rough season so far for Northeast Ohio skiers, who have faced long lines, limited terrain and reduced hours at the three local ski parks now owned by Vail Resorts. Susan Glaser reports skiers put the blame squarely on Vail Resorts, the Colorado company that bought Boston Mills, Brandywine and Alpine Valley in 2019.
Seven Springs: Seven Springs Mountain Resort, an easy three-hour drive from Cleveland, has a little something for everyone on its long roster of activities, reports Susan Glaser. Skiing, of course, snow tubing, spa treatments, putt-putt, bowling or beer.
Best steakhouses: The concept of a steakhouse originated in post-Civil War era New York City, when the Old Homestead Steakhouse opened in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. Brenda Cain and Yadi Rodriguez partnered with Yelp Cleveland to find where reviewers said offered the best steak dinner in Northeast Ohio.
Brite Winter: On Feb. 26, 30 bands will show up for outdoor performances at Cleveland’s unique Brite Winter music festival. Anne Nickoloff reports the lineup features headlining band Colony House and dozens of locally tied bands and musicians.
Things to do: After we dig out from Winter Storm Landon, Anne Nickoloff has 16 things to do this weekend, including theatrical shows, markets, art exhibitions and more. OTHER HEADLINES Orange Schools fourth-graders co-write, publish short novel on Kindle Read more
Medina Library once again hosts Aquarius Art Exhibition Read more
Summit Metro Parks to close swim areas at Munroe Falls, Silver Creek Read more
Orange council approves funds to build snowplow truck Read more
As was the case in 2021, University Heights City Council, mayor disagree sharply on annual budget Read more
Fairview Park City Schools seeks professionals to speak with students at Career Night Read more
North Olmsted seeks consultant to create citywide strategic economic plan Read more
Lakewood’s proposed Detroit Avenue mixed-use projects set to begin construction in 2022 Read more
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