Communities throughout the state have erupted in conflict over people in drag costumes reading books to children. In March, two people were arrested after white supremacists and neo-Nazis protested the Rock 'n' Roll Humanist Drag Queen Story Hour in Wadsworth. Weeks later, someone threw a Molotov cocktail at Community Church of Chesterland in the days before it hosted a Drag Queen Story Hour. All against a backdrop of Ohio legislators sponsoring bills that largely target LGBTQ Ohioans, including proposals to limit gender-affirming care for transgender minors and to bar transgender women from participating in women’s or girls sports in high school or college. Ohio House Republicans want to classify drag appearances as “adult cabaret performances” that are harmful or obscene to children and make it a fourth-degree felony to perform in front of kids 12 and younger. The bill – which doesn’t explicitly mention the word “drag” – has two sponsors and 41 co-sponsors. Organizers of drag story hours say their motive is the message that it’s all right to be different and to accept yourself. -- Laura |
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Guardians at Pittsburgh Pirates: Guardians make quick work of Pirates’ Mitch Keller in 10-1 win; Josh Naylor homers twice Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Sunny and warmer |
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Drag story hours have become another flash point in the culture wars that have seen Ohio Republicans introduce legislation largely targeting LGBTQ Ohioans. (Dan Anderson, Associated Press file photo) |
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Drag queens: Ohio House Republicans want to ban drag queens from library story hours and other children’s events, classifying the appearances as “adult cabaret performances” that are harmful or obscene to children. Laura Hancock reports House Bill 245 is sponsored by 43 members of the GOP supermajority. It would define adult cabaret performers as drag queens, topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers and strippers, among others. Today in Ohio: In Northeast Ohio, county election boards are seeing 10 times the early votes they saw at this point for last year’s August primary. We’re talking about the huge early turnout for Issue 1, which would make it harder for Ohioans to change the state constitution, on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast. |
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Gender transition: U.S. Sen. JD Vance on Tuesday announced that he’s introduced legislation that would make providing “gender-affirming care” to minors a federal Class C felony, punishable with a prison sentence of 10 to 25 years. Sabrina Eaton reports the “Protect Children’s Innocence Act” also would block taxpayer funding for such procedures, including banning coverage of the treatments from Affordable Care Act insurance plans, stopping universities from providing instruction on “gender-affirming care,” and deeming noncitizens who have performed “gender-affirming care” on a minor ineligible to receive visas or admittance to the United States. Judge nomination: The U.S. Senate on Tuesday approved Columbus attorney Rachel Bloomekatz’s long-delayed nomination to become a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit in a largely party line 50-to-48 vote, Sabrina Eaton reports. |
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Lakefront meeting: Mayor Justin Bibb will invite public comments July 27 on “initial thoughts and sketches” for an emerging plan for the Cleveland lakefront in a meeting at the Great Lakes Science Center. The meeting will include a moderated panel discussion from 3 to 4 p.m., followed by an open house from 4 to 5 p.m., reports Steven Litt. Jail dispute: As proposed, Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne’s plans to build a jail in Garfield Heights and fund it with a 40-year sales tax do not appear to have County Council’s approval, Kaitlin Durbin reports. An hour-long discussion Tuesday highlighted competing visions of what Ronayne and the council believe is best for the county, with neither side showing willingness to compromise. Sheriff sworn in: Harold Pretel was officially confirmed and sworn into office Tuesday as the Cuyahoga County sheriff before County Council, Kaitlin Durbin reports. Pretel says his first order of business will be restoring trust in the office and building a “premiere law enforcement agency ... founded on procedural justice, integrity and service." Wifi: The latest group promising to connect Cleveland to the future promises to do so with no public money and to provide lightning-fast internet to the city. Lucas Daprile reports SiFi Networks Cleveland LLC, a New Jersey-based for-profit company, plans to spend $400 million burying fiber optic cables in every corner of the city, but the company has faced issues with delays and lawsuits in the past. Rethinking Child Care: Marian and Dan Pycraft, parents of six grown children, close their home child-care center only for holidays and for two weeks of vacation every summer. They didn’t even close during COVID-19. A passion for children, a head for business and an unimpeachable work ethic might be just what it takes to survive and thrive in the home child-care industry for more than three decades, reports Gretchen Cuda Kroen. Tenant rights: As rent prices have gone up in Northeast Ohio, it is becoming more important for renters to know their rights. And although Ohio is among the 45 states without rent control laws, there is still protocol that landlords must follow before increasing rent. Megan Sims reports landlords need to notify tenants 30 to 60 days before the end of a lease of any changes, including rent increases. Gardening: What is boxwood blight? If large areas of the shrubs turn brown or appear dead, what could be the issue? Susan Brownstein reports that chemical damage, winter injury, or a combination could also damage the ubiquitous hedge. |
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Gun safety: Having kids view a simple one-minute safety video reduces the risk that they will engage in unsafe behavior with a gun, researchers at Ohio State University found. Gretchen Cuda Kroen reports the study involved 226 children ages 8-12 who were tested in pairs of kids who knew each other, including siblings, cousins and friends. Breeze Airways: Breeze Airways will start flying from the Akron-Canton Airport to Fort Myers, Florida, in November, its fourth Florida destination from Northeast Ohio. The new flights will run three times per week – Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays – starting Thursday, Nov. 16, reports Susan Glaser. Making ice cream: Are homemade sweet treats actually cheaper than buying frozen desserts at the store? Depends on what (or who) you’re trying to re-create, writes Sean McDonnell in his Saving You Money column. You can make Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia cheaper at home. But you’ll lose money copying Edy’s Cookie Cobblestone Ice Cream (especially if it’s on sale). Leadership CLE: A group of 65 leaders across Greater Cleveland have been selected for the Leadership Cleveland Class of 2024, an annual 10-month program run by the Cleveland Leadership Center. Sean McDonnell reports the program is designed to expose these leaders to the challenges and opportunities facing Northeast Ohio, and to help them build skills and form relationships that help address those changes. |
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Settlement: Garfield Heights agreed to pay $750,000 to a man with mental illness who was repeatedly punched, shocked and mocked by police officers, Adam Ferrise reports. The city settled the federal civil rights and excessive force lawsuit with Kenta Settles shortly before the case was set to be argued in front of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Car thefts: Police say 35 cars were broken into in Tremont early Tuesday morning, reports Molly Walsh. Police said the vehicles used by the suspects in the break-ins might be connected to the shooting in Public Square on July 1, which sent a man to the hospital. Death penalty: Inmate Robert Van Hook was the last Ohio inmate executed, in 2018. Between 1976 and 2018, 56 inmates were executed in Ohio. Currently, 123 inmates sit on Ohio’s death row, making it the sixth most in the country, reports Molly Walsh. Jail overdose: An inmate in the Cuyahoga County Jail died Monday of a suspected overdose, reports Olivia Mitchell. Nathan Myers, 26, of Mayfield Heights, was booked into the jail in March on charges that included domestic violence, endangering children, criminal damaging and violating a protection order. Bay gunfire: Bay Village removed the basketball hoops in a park off Clague Road after reports of gunfire Sunday night. Police from Bay Village, Westlake and Rocky River responded to Reese Park at 9:16 p.m. Sunday, reports Molly Walsh. Water indictment: A Geauga County grand jury on Tuesday handed up an indictment against a county water department employee accused of taking money and other items from a vendor, reports Adam Ferrise. Michael Kurzinger, an internet technology administrator for the county’s water resources department, is charged with three counts of having an unlawful interest in a public contract, a fourth-degree felony. Jan. 6: A Garfield Heights man who carried a flag that read “Trump 2020 The Sequel, Make Liberals Cry Again” during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol was sentenced Friday to three years of probation. Adam Ferrise reports Justin Michael Smith, 22, was ordered to pay $500 restitution toward the more than $2 million in damage caused to the Capitol. Young charged: A Summit County grand jury has charged Ohio Rep. Bob Young with misdemeanor charges involving an attack on a family member while another was hiding. The grand jury accused Young of domestic violence and assault, which are first-degree misdemeanors. |
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Ginger beer: Uncle Waithley’s Vincy Brew – an all-natural Caribbean ginger beer -- is expanding into Giant Eagle Market District stores in Northeast Ohio, reports Paris Wolfe. While most ginger beers get their bite from the heat of ginger, Uncle Waithley’s has an additional warm, spicy finish from a hint of Scotch Bonnet pepper. Peach Truck: The Peach Truck is coming to Northeast Ohio next week and the second week of August, when drivers will deliver fresh southern peaches to customers who preorder the seasonal treat. Available in 10-pound boxes, these can be picked up at designated locations throughout the region, reports Paris Wolfe. CPT: Cleveland Public Theatre announced an eclectic lineup of shows, special events and play development for its 2023-24 season. Curated under the theme “Making Waves,” the season is anchored by six works that span multiple genres, reports Joey Morona. Ask Yadi: Can you throw your excess trash in your neighbor’s curbside trash can? Yadi Rodriguez writes that someone else shouldn’t be responsible for picking up your trash. Make sure your neighbor says it’s OK and that your garbage is secure in its bag. |
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Judge convicts Akron man of murdering woman, wounding 5-year-old girl on New Year’s Eve Read more 9 suspected overdose deaths in a day highlights fentanyl use in Cuyahoga County, medical examiner reports Read more Broadview Heights council approves 60 townhomes at Broadview & Boston roads Read more Shaker council OKs new infill housing agreement with Keystate Homes Read more Akron announces formal dispute against U.S. EPA over required $200M Enhanced High-Rate Treatment Facility Read more Strongsville, Columbia Station residents oppose 90 townhomes on Marks Road Read more Cleveland Heights council committee discusses portable buildings at Denison, other parks Read more Solon to contract with A&S Animal Control; city no longer employs animal warden Read more |
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