Who doesn’t know a parent who has struggled trying to locate a good and affordable childcare center? The cost is astronomical. Then there’s the giant waiting lists, plus all sorts of finicky rules that can be deal-breakers to families. Imagine what parents of special needs children endure. Of course, there are rules prohibiting discriminating against children with disabilities, but the line can be blurry between a disability and what can be considered poor behavior. Ohio parents are getting some assistance through a program that launched a few months ago by the state. It credentials special needs caregivers and provides specific training. Parents can easily find them through the special designation in the state’s online childcare database. The director of a credentialed center in downtown Cleveland says nearly one-third of the children she works with have a special needs diagnosis, so it’s an important step forward. — Kristen Davis |
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Finding high-quality, affordable childcare can be especially difficult for parents of children with disabilities. (John Kuntz, cleveland.com file photo) |
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Childcare challenges: Finding high-quality, affordable child care is hard. Just ask any parent. But when a child has special needs, child care suddenly gets a whole lot harder, Gretchen Cuda Kroen reports. A possible step forward came this past fall when Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the creation of a program designed to increase access to quality child care and support services for children with special needs. Transgender candidates: At least four Ohioans filed petitions last month to become the first openly transgender lawmaker in the state, most of them because of recent Republican efforts to pass anti-transgender legislation. However, at least one of the prospective candidates has been disqualified from running based on a state law requiring them to put their former names on their candidate petitions, Jeremy Pelzer reports. Today in Ohio: A group is pushing a constitutional amendment on the next November ballot, seeking automatic voter registration, expansion of early voting hours and more ballot drop-boxes, among other changes that would make it easier for citizens to participate in elections. We’re talking about that expansive voter rights ballot initiative on Today in Ohio. |
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U.S. Steel: A bipartisan group of U.S. House of Representatives members, including several Ohioans, want the Biden administration to examine how U.S. Steel’s acquisition by a Japanese company would affect U.S. national security and domestic steel production capabilities, Sabrina Eaton reports. Plastic bags: The office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit last week seeking to overturn the city of Athens’ ban on single-use plastic bags within its borders, Jake Zuckerman reports. The case is likely to test the limits of “home rule” under the state constitution, which gives local governments the right to self-governance so long as their rules don’t conflict with “general laws.” Election ballot: A Cleveland state lawmaker’s name won’t appear on the primary election ballot in March after he failed to submit enough signatures to qualify, Andrew Tobias reports. Instead, state Rep. Terrence Upchurch must run as a write-in candidate. Lobbyist fined: An Ohio GOP political operative who served as a 2016 campaign adviser to ex-President Donald Trump on Tuesday entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department to resolve allegations that an organization he set up didn’t reveal its ties to Qatar’s government, Sabrina Eaton reports. |
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Kindland: Awesome Foundation’s Cleveland chapter isn’t a foundation or a non-profit. Rather, it’s part of an “international micro-granting group” with 85 worldwide chapters that collect monthly $100 donations from membership “trustees.” Funds are then distributed to worthy endeavors, Peter Chakerian reports. Cultural gardens: The Latvian garden was one of the first gardens that requested a spot in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens during its resurgence in the late 1990s, Zachary Smith reports. |
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Gambling records: Ohio’s casinos and racinos set a record for revenue in November, but whether they’ll break the yearly record again may come down to the wire, Sean McDonnell reports. Card skimmers: Giant Eagle announced Wednesday that skimmer devices that could read customers’ credit and debit cards were found and removed at five of the grocer’s Ohio stores, Sean McDonnell reports. |
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Students abused: A former security guard in a Cleveland school agreed to pay $100,000 to settle lawsuits brought by two former students he sexually abused, Adam Ferrise reports. Derrick Dugger will pay the former East Tech High School students $50,000 each. Suspended judge: Janet Burnside, who left the bench in 2019, has been tapped to temporarily fill the seat of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Daniel Gaul, who was suspended from office last week, Cory Shaffer reports. Fatal shooting: A 32-year-old man is dead after he was found with gunshot wounds laying near a vehicle that crashed into a Maple Heights home Wednesday night, possibly connected to a road rage incident, Cliff Pinckard reports. |
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Starbucks cups: Starbucks customers can use clean, personal mugs for drive-thru and mobile app orders. When they do, they will receive a 10-cent discount on beverages. U.S. Starbucks Rewards members will also receive 25 Bonus Stars, Paris Wolfe reports. Boat show: The Cleveland Boat Show returns to the I-X Center, Jan. 18-21, Joey Morona reports. People can climb aboard more than 400 boats -- from yachts to fishing boats and everything in between -- and check out an extensive selection of personal watercraft, kayaks and paddleboards, too. Golf award: Peyton Manning will receive the 2024 Ambassador of Golf Award in Akron this summer, Marc Bona reports. Manning, a 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrine, is slated to be honored July 11 at House 330. MLK Day concert: The Cleveland Orchestra will hand out free tickets to its annual concert honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at 10 a.m. Saturday, Paris Wolfe reports. Beatles exhibit: The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s large exhibit “Get Back To Let It Be” will close on Jan. 10, Malcolm X Abram reports. The exhibit is dedicated to The Beatles’ 1969 recording sessions and the famed rooftop concert. |
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University Heights council overrides two mayoral vetoes Read more North Olmsted Police Department modernizing bulletproof vests with armor plates Read more Lakewood announces 2024 streets program, eyes future Bunts Road repaving Read more Lakewood Public Library reminds community about homebound deliveries Read more Parma students in the Class of 2024 can apply for Andrew Boyko Scholarships Read more Parma Heights completes second season of deer culling Read more Construction continues on new Brooklyn library branch Read more Seven Hills tweaks cost of North, Calvin parks projects Read more Parma City Schools introduces monthly e-newsletter Read more |
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