The Ohio Department of Transportation deploys more than 250 snowplows to clear roads and spray 300,000 tons of salt every winter. The massive trucks flash their green and yellow lights as they lumber along the highways, aiming to keep the roads safe. But a week into January, already 16 drivers have crashed into state snowplows and one driver has died. ODOT put out a warning Tuesday, along with a video that shows a car rear-ending a plow near Rockside Road and spinning into another vehicle. Give the plows lots of room, says ODOT. “Snowplow drivers are usually fine, but if you’re a motorist hitting a large truck, you lose.” — Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Cold weather continues |
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The Ohio Department of Transportation asks drivers to slow down while snowplows are clearing Ohio roads. Drivers have struck 16 snowplows so far this winter. (cleveland.com file photo) |
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Snowplow crashes: In 2024, a winter with less snow, motorists pinballed into 22 trucks, reports Olivia Mitchell. On Monday, a Cleveland man was killed when he crashed into a plow. Acton run: Dr. Amy Acton, who became a public figure as state health director during the early days of the coronavirus crisis, filed paperwork Tuesday to run for Ohio governor in 2026, reports Jeremy Pelzer. Acton is the first Democrat to launch a 2026 gubernatorial campaign in what will likely be an underdog effort in a state where Republicans have won the past four races for governor. Electric grid: Behind the dozens of new data centers popping up in Ohio is an exponentially growing demand for electricity, triggering a fight over who will pay for hundreds of millions in infrastructure costs that enable an increasingly online world, reports Jake Zuckerman. For a sense of scale of the demand rush, Central Ohio’s peak power demand is currently about 4,000 megawatts. American Electric Power (AEP), the utility serving the region, has inked contracts with data centers adding 5,000 megawatts to the grid. Today in Ohio: Before Christmas, Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted flew to meet president-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. We’re talking about whether Husted will replace JD Vance as a U.S. senator on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast. |
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OSU bet: Ohio State University alumnus JD Vance has placed a bet with Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz on the outcome of the Buckeyes' Cotton Bowl game Friday with the Texas Longhorns, reports Sabrina Eaton. Erosion control: Federal programs to protect streambanks and lake shores from erosion will get a $20.5 million boost under bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce that President Joe Biden signed into law over the weekend, reports Sabrina Eaton. Joyce’s “Creating Opportunities to Advance Shoreline Treatments (COAST) Act” funds streambank and shoreline protection projects that help prevent damage to highways, bridge approaches, public works, churches, hospitals, schools, and other nonprofit public services. |
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Heights administrator: Cleveland Heights City Council members on Monday praised Mayor Kahlil Seren’s appointment of former Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan to be the next city administrator, reports Cory Shaffer. Horrigan, 62, brings a veteran hand to a city that has seen its inaugural mayoral administration frequently butt heads with council over everything from the city’s 2025 budget to appointments to citizen advisory commissions. Pronoun lawsuit: The Jackson Local School District in Massillon is paying a teacher $450,000 to settle a lawsuit over whether to call students by their preferred names and pronouns, which she said violates her religious beliefs. Laura Hancock reports the $450,000 settlement will cover damages to Vivian Geraghty, who taught English at Jackson Memorial Middle School, as well as attorney fees. Grendell request: Geauga County Commissioners on Tuesday shot down a request from embattled Probate and Juvenile Court Judge Tim Grendell for $300,000 in taxpayer money to cover attorneys’ fees for his disciplinary case and his appeal. Adam Ferrise reports commissioners Carolyn Brakey and James Dvorak rejected Grendell’s request, which came as the jurist is facing a potential suspension from the bench involving the jailing of two juveniles who didn’t want to visit their father during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Fatal crash: A Cleveland school employee was killed Sunday in a car crash on Interstate 77 in West Virginia. Alexis Vega, 25, was headed south in Kanawha County in the state’s central region about 7:30 p.m. when she lost control of her vehicle and hit the concrete median. Tree survey: The city of Cleveland is looking for an outside firm that can take a comprehensive look at the 90,000 trees that line the city’s streets and offer advice on how to take care of them, Sean McDonnell reports. The firm that gets the job will be tasked with surveying each tree in a right of way around Cleveland, collecting data on the tree’s health, its species, size and what maintenance it needs. Dog names: Does your dog have one of the most popular names in Cuyahoga County? Now you can find out. Zachary Smith cuts down over 52,000 dog licenses from Cuyahoga County in 2024 into just the top 500 names. Poinsettias: How can I get my poinsettia to rebloom? If you are brave enough to attempt to get your green plant to become colorful again, brace yourself for a long list of to-dos. |
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Erieview financing: The Erieview Tower & Galleria redevelopment project has closed on financing and can move forward with construction, reports Megan Sims. Kassouf Development, the developer on the over $200 million project, secured a 10-year, $9.2 million commercial tax abatement from Cleveland City Council in 2023. The state of Ohio, through its Brownfield Remediation Program, awarded the project a $5.1 million grant in December. Draft flight: Allegiant Air, which flies from the Akron-Canton Airport, is hoping to give Northeast Ohio sports fans a football future to look forward to. Susan Glaser reports the airline announced Tuesday that it would fly a single flight from Northeast Ohio to eastern Wisconsin for this year’s NFL Draft, April 23-26. |
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Officer suspended: Newly elected Lorain County Sheriff Jack Hall has suspended a corrections officer accused of slamming an inmate’s head against the wall, partially paralyzing him, reports Lucas Daprile. Track sabotage: A Cleveland man who wedged metal spikes along a stretch of tracks used mostly by Amtrak’s passenger trains was sentenced Tuesday to two years in federal prison, Adam Ferrise reports. Joseph Findley, 43, jammed spikes into the tracks five times over a two-month span. Each could have caused a train derailment and mass casualties, authorities said. K9 killed: A K9 with the Streetsboro Police Department was killed Tuesday when he was struck by a passing vehicle, police say. Kaya was just three days away from his ninth birthday when he was hit by a car on Ohio 303, Cliff Pinckard reports. |
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Arts award: Two Cleveland artists are among nine individuals and organizations to receive a Governor’s Award for the Arts in Ohio for 2025, reports Alex Darus. Zachary Thomas is receiving the award in the Arts Administration category while Gerardo Teissonnière is recognized in the Individual Artist category. Rock Hall: The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will celebrate the Jan. 20 birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with a day of free admission, themed activities, educational opportunities and live performances from The Fleshman Singers, Esther Fitz and dancers from the Rainey Dance Academy. Museum-goers will be able to share their dreams on the “I Have a Dream” Wall on Level 0 that day, and from 10 a.m. to 1 pm. can participate in protest-sign making, reports Malcolm X Abram. Undie Run: The clock is ticking down to Cupid’s Undies Run 2025 on Feb. 8, reports Paris Wolfe. All money will support raising awareness and funding research to cure neurofibromatosis. Ensemble Theatre: Ensemble Theatre is returning to the stage in February at its new home at the Marinello Little Theater on the campus of John Carroll University. Joey Morona reports the company had been searching for a venue since May when its performance space at Notre Dame College closed along with the rest of the institution. Bibibop: Paris Wolfe was pleasantly surprised by the food at Bibibop, one of eight scattered around Greater Cleveland. Chili cookoff: The city of Mentor is seeking chefs who want to compete in the upcoming Mentor Chill Out’s chili cookoff, reports Marc Bona. |
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Drunk driver crashes into building, later tries to flee from ER in her underwear Read more Property taxes, investment earnings provided Cleveland Heights with 2024 revenue boosts Read more Brecksville union, nonunion workers receive 3.5 percent raises Read more Learn how brain stimulation can help veterans, first responders at free Cuyahoga County library event Read more City of Lorain launches ‘Ask Lorain’ digital tool to connect residents with city officials Read more Tenants ordered to vacate Shaker Heights apartments due to no heat Read more |
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