On Wednesday, Ohio Republicans announced their intent to make it tougher to change the state constitution by asking voters in November to approve an amendment that raises the threshold from 50%-plus-one-vote to 60%. On Thursday, Ohio activists announced their own November ballot initiative: an amendment guaranteeing the right to an abortion. We don’t know exactly what the measure will entail, but language could be submitted to Ohio Attorney General next week. Then signature collection starts. Putting a citizen initiative on the ballot requires hundreds of thousands of valid signatures from voters around the state before a July 5 state deadline. The anti-abortion camp is promising spirited opposition. - Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
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Protesters rally in favor of legal protections for abortion in Cleveland in May 2022. Two previously competing campaigns plan to merge and focus on getting an abortion-rights measure on the statewide ballot in November. (David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com) |
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Abortion amendment: Two previously competing groups of activists are teaming up and now are focused on getting an abortion-rights measure on the statewide Ohio ballot in November. Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom and Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights announced Thursday they are putting the final touches on a proposed state constitutional amendment, reports Andrew Tobias. Today in Ohio: Ohio House leaders have revived a controversial push to make it harder to amend the state constitution -- which could have major ramifications for an expected future abortion-rights ballot issue. We’re talking about how Republicans can persuade Ohioans to change the law to require 60% of voters to approve future state constitutional amendments on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast. |
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Disaster area: U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown on Thursday asked Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to officially declare a disaster in East Palestine after a train derailment released chemicals into its environment. Sabrina Eaton reports the derailment wouldn’t qualify because there’s a lack of unreimbursed property damage of the sort caused by tornados, floods and earthquakes. Instead, Norfolk-Southern must pay for the damage. Eaton reports U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan visited the site Thursday and said EPA air monitoring has not detected “any levels of health concern in the community that are attributed to the train derailment.” Householder trial: For weeks, jurors have heard testimony about how former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder benefited politically and personally from secret spending from FirstEnergy Corp. On Thursday, they heard from a woman who felt the wrath of that political spending: Beth Ellis, who referred to herself as “just a farmer’s wife” and ran as a Republican for the Ohio House in 2018, Jake Zuckerman reports. Also, secretly recorded tapes introduced in the trial offer a peak at a sordid and well-known, but usually behind-the-scenes, aspect of Capitol Square: the wining and dining of politicians, and the interplay between campaign contributions and policy decisions, Andrew Tobias reports. Trial evidence: A federal judge rejected requests for documents and recordings admitted into evidence and shown to jurors at the criminal trial of former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, Jake Zuckerman reports. |
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Interim sheriff: Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne has appointed Chief Deputy Joseph Greiner as interim sheriff – his second time in the job in two years -- until a permanent replacement is selected. Greiner can serve no more than 120 days in the role, per the county charter, unless council grants an extension, Kaitlin Durbin reports. Hockey instead of football: Hockey is coming to FirstEnergy Stadium, requiring1,000 cubic yards of sand laid as a base and then laser leveled. The inaugural effort is bringing together organization, hard work, science and a humble request for Mother Nature, reports Marc Bona. High school postseason, minor-league and college games are set in addition to open skates through early March, Bona reports. EMS: Chronic staffing shortages at Cleveland’s Division of Emergency Medical Services will likely lead to the reduction of two ambulances on city streets in the coming months, reports Courtney Astolfi. Cleveland aims to have 25 ambulances deployed during the daytime and 21 at night, but that target number would “probably” drop to 23 in the daytime and 19 at night, due to staffing issues. Cleveland’s Promise: Chloe is struggling with depression and anxiety, but she’s hesitant to try mental health counseling. She has trust issues that are hard to overcome. For Almira Elementary School family support specialist Donea Roddy, helping students like Chloe find mental health resources is just one of her many duties, Cameron Fields reports. |
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Grocery fliers: Giant Eagle is now sending out print ads for special occasions, usually leading into a holiday, reports Sean McDonnell. TravelCenters: TravelCenters of America is being reacquired by BP for $1.3 billion, according to announcements from both companies. TravelCenters of America, which is headquartered in Westlake, has a network of about 280 truck stops across 44 U.S. States. It employs 18,000 people, reports Sean McDonnell. Home prices: January home prices cooled down for the first time in several years, reports Megan Sims. An analysis of county property transfer data from January shows prices dipped some in both Cleveland and suburban Cuyahoga County over last January, for the first time in years. Cedar Point: Cedar Point and other parks in the Cedar Fair chain recorded the second-highest attendance in company history in 2022, but numbers still lag pre-pandemic levels. Susan Glaser reports that in a year-end earnings call with analysts, company officials also reported record revenue for the year, powered by increased season-pass sales, food and beverage purchases and resort income. Most expensive: A condominium in a new building constructed in Rocky River nabbed the most money of any home sold in Cuyahoga County in January, reports Zachary Smith. The 2,900-square-foot townhouse-style unit is part of a new complex that sits on the edge of Lake Erie at 22662 Lake Road and sold on Jan. 12 for just over $1.8 million. Weekly cases: The number of new COVID-19 cases in Ohio continued to hover in the 8,000 range, rising slightly to 8,999 this week from 8,833 cases last week, reports Julie Washington. This marked the fifth straight week under 9,000. |
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Perjury charge: A Ravenna woman is accused of lying to a federal judge in Cleveland in an attempt to get a gun charge against her husband dropped. Adam Ferrise reports Tamara Perdue, 24, is charged in federal court in Youngstown with perjury and making false declarations to the court. Officer accused: An Akron police officer is facing more than 20 criminal counts after he was accused of recording videos of underage girls. Mikel Dillon, 32, is charged with 21 counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor, Cliff Pinckard reports. Dillon was arrested Wednesday by Canton police and is being held in jail on a $2.1 million bond. |
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New location: Taza, A Lebanese Grill, opened its third location Thursday, this one at 19310 Detroit Road in Rocky River’s Beachcliff Plaza. The new location joins Taza Woodmere, which opened in 2005, and Taza Downtown, which opened in 2011, Paris Wolfe reports. Things to do: Presidents’ Day weekend is the perfect opportunity to get out and have some fun. Joey Morona lists 17 things to do, including Monster Jam and Hadestown. |
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16-year-old killed in Cleveland’s West Boulevard neighborhood, medical examiner says Read more Akron-Summit County Public Library to hold inaugural Akron Book Fest March 11 Read more Three Orange High School seniors named National Merit Scholarship finalists Read more Cleveland History Center hosts Black history event Feb. 23 Read more Trees to come down for Middleburg Heights detention basin project Read more |
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