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What you need to know Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021 WEATHER
There could be up to 3 inches of snow on the ground in parts of Cleveland this morning, with even more in areas of the snow belt. It will remain chilly today, with highs staying in the mid-20s and chances of snow showers. Temps will stay in the mid-20s overnight with mostly cloudy skies. Read more. OVERNIGHT
Unemployment scams: So many fraudulent jobless claims have been filed with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services that state officials are now checking on every claim to make sure it’s genuine, slowing down the process for legitimate claims. Jeremy Pelzer reports many Ohioans are just now finding out that they’ve become the victim of identify theft as they get a 1099 tax form from ODJFS for jobless benefits dishonestly filed for in their name. The scam is so widespread that Gov. Mike DeWine, First Lady Fran DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted each had claims falsely filed in their names.
HB6: Because state and federal law don’t require political nonprofits to disclose their donors, the only reason the public knows about FirstEnergy’s ties to an expansive constellation of Ohio political causes is the federal investigation into House Bill 6. Without a bill to require more transparency, retracing the steps of FirstEnergy’s secret political spending is like solving a puzzle. Andrew Tobias puts together some of the pieces.
This Week in the CLE: How did President Donald Trump amass such a following on Twitter? A Baldwin Wallace University professor researched thousands of Trump’s tweets to analyze his “gonzo” storytelling, which we’re talking about on This Week in the CLE, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast.
New numbers: Ohio added 4,989 newly reported coronavirus cases on Tuesday, totaling 836,055 cases in all, Laura Hancock reports. The number of deaths increased 55 to 10,336 in total. Those numbers were lower than the 21-day rolling averages of 7,309 cases and 77 deaths. Voter purge: Ohio has purged nearly 98,000 inactive voter registrations in its latest upkeep of voter rolls, Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced Tuesday. The number is down from the 115,896 registrations LaRose initially announced in August as being in danger of being canceled, Andrew Tobias reports. State officials say they’re still analyzing their data, but more than 10,000 people whose registrations otherwise would have been canceled had them renewed by voting in the November election.
Cleveland State: Cleveland State University allowed Douglas Dykes to apply for a newly created human resources job 10 months after the deadline for applications had elapsed, then hired Dykes while he was on probation for corruption-related charges – passing over 37 other applicants. Courtney Astolfi reports that records show that CSU’s yearlong request for applicants for the $140,000-a-year job expired in February, 2020, and that Dykes, former HR chief for Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish’s administration, applied on Dec. 7, 2020.
COVID trends: Just over a month after the first coronavirus vaccines arrived in Ohio, about 1-in-20 Ohio adults have been vaccinated, Rich Exner reports. Meanwhile, the numbers of new cases have slowed and hospitalizations declined. The 3,765 coronavirus patients reported hospitalized Monday marked a 29% drop from the record of 5,308 patients on Dec. 15.
Pre-existing conditions: Gov. Mike DeWine released a list of conditions on Tuesday of people with congenital, developmental and early onset disorders who will be part of the 1B vaccine phase due to their fragile health. Laura Hancock reports that the group is divided between those with the conditions who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, who will be eligible for shots starting next week, and those who do not, who will be eligible starting Feb. 15.
In-person school: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that 96% of public school districts have agreed to return to buildings -- at least partially -- by March 1. Emily Bamforth reports that condition is key to school districts being supplied with coronavirus vaccines.
Statehouse protests: Gov. Mike DeWine credited the heavy police and military presence with keeping things peaceful Sunday during an armed demonstration at the Statehouse in Columbus. Andrew Tobias reports that DeWine said Tuesday he’s still concerned with possible violent demonstrations at the Ohio Statehouse coinciding with Joe Biden’s inauguration as president.
Inauguration: Several Ohio members of Congress say they’ll skip the socially distant festivities of Inauguration Day, Sabrina Eaton reports. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democratic ally of President-elect Joe Biden, will attend the inauguration virtually, as Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have urged Americans to do to stop the spread of COVID-19. The rest of Ohio’s Democratic U.S. Congress members will be there in person.
History class: Schools are starting off 2021 with educating students on an historic Inauguration Day after months of educating students about a pandemic, protests, human rights issues and riots. Emily Bamforth reports that along with the beginning of Joe Biden’s term as president, Inauguration Day marks the swearing-in of Kamala Harris as the first female vice president and the first Black or Indian person to hold that position.
Judith French: Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tuesday he has appointed former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Judith French as director of the Ohio Department of Insurance. Jeremy Pelzer reports that French, a Columbus-area Republican who lost re-election last November after eight years on the state’s high court, had also been considered a contender for an open seat on the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
Winter weather: The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties through 10 a.m. today. Cameron Fields reports snowfall accumulations are forecast to reach 2-5 inches. Drivers should be aware of possible slippery roads and hazardous conditions could affect the morning rush.
Soldiers removed: Two Ohio National Guard soldiers have been removed from inauguration duty after being flagged by the FBI, which has been vetting troops for extremist views, according to a National Guard spokeswoman. Jeremy Pelzer reports the two are among 12 Army National Guard members who were taken off the inauguration as the result of security vetting process set up, in part, to ensure troops in Washington during today's festivities don’t have ties to extremist groups.
Capitol riot: The same night a group that included two Ohioans took part in the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol, a leader of a self-described militia group also suggested they also should storm the Ohio Statehouse, federal authorities said in charging documents filed Tuesday. Thomas Caldwell of Virginia and two self-described militia members from Ohio, Donovan Crowl and Jessica Watkins, all were charged together, and now face federal charges including conspiracy, conspiracy to impede or injure an officer, destruction of government property and obstruction of an official proceeding, Andrew Tobias reports.
Soldier charged: A soldier from Stow was charged Tuesday with seeking to aid an ISIS attack on U.S. forces in the Middle East. Federal prosecutors filed terrorism charges against Cole James Bridges, who joined the Army in September 2019, John Caniglia reports.
Congressional opening: Former state Sen. Shirley Smith of South Euclid became the fourth Democrat to announce a bid for the 11th Congressional District as the field to succeed Rep. Marcia Fudge continues to grow. Seth Richardson reports that Smith, who served in both the Ohio House and Senate from 1999 to 2014, said she was jumping in because of a need for an experienced lawmaker to take the helm.
Cleveland utilities: The city of Cleveland is looking for a new public utilities director to replace Robert Davis, the at-times embattled director who quietly left his job Friday. Davis, who had held the post since May 2015, resigned without the administration of Mayor Frank Jackson notifying City Council, an omission that drew criticism, Robert Higgs reports.
Patio options: A Cleveland program allowing restaurants to temporarily expand seating in public spaces to address spacing requirements during the coronavirus pandemic could become permanent, Robert Higgs reports. The city might want to adjust the rules seasonally to promote safety.
Infectious letters: Letters meant for prisoners at an Ohio prison were accidentally diverted to a Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts employee who, along with a co-worker, became sick after touching them, Adam Ferrise reports. No arrests have been made in the case and Cuyahoga County declined to say whether or not investigators know what substance made the employees sick, citing the ongoing investigation.
Beating death: A judge sentenced a Parma man to life in prison Tuesday after the man pleaded guilty to beating a 94-year-old World War II veteran to death during a home invasion in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood. Cory Shaffer reports Michael Dudas, 42, pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and misuse of credit cards in the killing of Charles Vonderau, a former owner of hardware store in Lakewood and U.S. Navy veteran.
Zoom parents: Teachers have long turned to “room parents” for help, but the coronavirus pandemic often barred volunteer parents from the classroom. Emily Bamforth reports Bay Village schools are now using “Zoom parents” to fill some of the gaps in remote learning and help students get some of the attention lost by learning remotely.
Baby on board: The Cuyahoga County Board of Health aims to reduce infant mortality rates by providing free rides to new and expectant mothers, in a partnership with the Greater Cleveland RTA. Courtney Astolfi reports that under the “Baby on Board” program, RTA will use up to $100,000 in grant money from the Ohio Department of Transportation to provide free monthly transit passes to pregnant women and new mothers in the 44108, 44110 and 44112 ZIP codes, which include portions of Cleveland’s East Side, East Cleveland and Cleveland Heights.
Girls Nite Live: MetroHealth nurse Katrina Kelley was one of two speakers in an online Girls Nite Live forum aiming to elevate women’s voices around the world. Cameron Fields reports that Kelley urged people to check in with themselves and take breaks. She said just trying to handle multiple areas of her life has been challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Travel trends: Many travelers are planning trips for 2021 and 2022 that are longer and more elaborate than they otherwise might have been due to pent-up demand during the pandemic. Many people are also planning family reunions or driving to outdoor destinations. Susan Glaser explains trends in the travel industry.
Heavyweight champ: UFC Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic will defend his title against Francis Ngannou at UFC 260 on March 27. Troy Smith reports the fight is a rematch of their UFC 220 showdown that saw Miocic dominate Ngannou on the ground in route to a unanimous decision victory.
Weather myths: Chief Meteorologist for WNBC Janice Huff takes a look at some common myths about meteorology and parses out which are fact and which are pure fiction for cleveland.com’s sister site, Wired. Can tornadoes cross water? Can lightning strike the same place twice?
Favorite restaurants: Joey Morona recently returned home to Northeast Ohio after living in Washington, D.C., for nearly two years. He lists the uniquely Cleveland spots that he can’t wait to eat at again.
Cleveland confirms 229 new coronavirus cases, 2 deaths: Tuesday update Read more
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Cleveland man dies in rollover crash on Ohio Turnpike, 2 others injured Read more
Akron man fatally shot during home invasion in Cuyahoga Falls, police say Read more
Cleveland Heights welcomes new planning director Read more
Cost of Pearl-Royalton intersection improvements in Strongsville rises by 12 percent Read more
Luxury neighborhood proposed for Valor Acres in Brecksville Read more
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