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What you need to know Thursday, July 23, 2020 WEATHER
There are more chances of showers and thunderstorms today, most likely during the afternoon. It will be mostly cloudy with a high in the mid-80s and plenty of humidity. Overnight will be partly cloudy with lows in the upper 60s. Read more.
OVERNIGHT
Statewide mask order: Gov. Mike DeWine announced that a statewide mask mandate for Ohio will go into effect at 6 p.m. today, Jeremy Pelzer reports. Masks will be required for people in indoor public places, in outdoor places where social-distancing can’t be maintained, and using public transportation, DeWine said. Exceptions will be made for those who are under the age of 10, have a medical condition, are playing sports or anyone speaking at a religious service.
Federal agents to Cleveland: President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that Cleveland is among the cities that will see a surge of federal law-enforcement agents in the coming weeks that he said aim to “restore safety and peace in U.S. cities.” Sabrina Eaton and Eric Heisig report the administration intends to send agents to several cities, including personnel from the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Department of Homeland Security. Cleveland officials contacted Wednesday said they were not aware of the anticipated surge.
House Bill 6: Gov. Mike DeWine on Wednesday maintained his support for House Bill 6, the $1.3 billion nuclear bailout bill he signed into law last year, even though Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and four allies were charged with running the largest bribery scheme in state history to get the measure passed, Jeremy Pelzer reports. DeWine said while he is concerned that the corruption charges will erode the public’s trust in government, he is standing by the law because he believes it saved jobs and preserved non-carbon-emitting sources of power in the state.
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The Week in the CLE: The federal corruption case against House Speaker Larry Householder that is rocking the Ohio Statehouse could be the largest such probe in history. Editors are talking about Householder and the other main characters in the case on This Week in the CLE, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast.
Travel advisory: Gov. Mike DeWine announced that Ohio has issued an out-of-state travel advisory for states with above a 15% test positivity rate to protect against spread of the coronavirus, Emily Bamforth reports. The advisory currently includes much of the southern United States, including Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Texas and South Carolina.
FirstEnergy: FirstEnergy Corp. tried and failed more than once to convince state lawmakers to subsidize the company’s two Ohio nuclear power plants, but was unable to achieve its goal until Larry Householder became speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives in 2019. Peter Krouse reports that Householder wasted little time pushing through House Bill 6, legislation that included the $1 billion nuclear plant bailout at the center of racketeering charges leveled against Householder and four others on Tuesday.
Repeal: Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the Ohio House are preparing to introduce legislation to repeal House Bill 6, the law at the center of House Speaker Larry Householder’s arrest on Tuesday, Jeremy Pelzer reports. Householder’s political operation accepted more than $60 million in bribe money from FirstEnergy Corp. to secure the bailout, according to a federal complaint filed Thursday.
The charges: Instead of using a grand jury to first indict Householder and his four co-defendants, federal authorities charged Householder, aide Jeffrey Longstreth, and lobbyists Neil Clark, Matthew Borges and Juan Cespedes by criminal complaint, kept secret until their arrests on Tuesday. Federal prosecutors have many reasons to use such tactics, including ensuring that evidence isn’t destroyed and that a defendant doesn’t flee. Eric Heisig reports on the next steps in the legal process for Householder and his associates.
The money: A federal complaint says Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder used more than $100,000 in bribe money from FirstEnergy to pay costs related to his Florida home, Evan MacDonald reports.
Democrats' role: Larry Householder wasn’t able to pass the nuclear subsidy with only GOP support. Ten House Democrats supported the controversial bill, which gives a billion-dollar bailout to the struggling Davis-Besse and Perry nuclear power plants in the form of a surcharge on Ohioans’ energy bills. Seth Richardson lists the Democrats who supported the legislation.
New numbers: The Ohio Department of Health reported 1,527 additional coronavirus cases on Wednesday, marking the third highest total on a single day, Rich Exner reports. The state reported 16 new deaths on Wednesday, with the new total of 3,235.
Cleveland numbers: The Ohio Department of Health notified Cleveland of 70 new cases of COVID-19 coronavirus that were confirmed in the city, Robert Higgs reports. The new cases lift Cleveland’s total confirmed cases to 3,812. No new deaths were reported.
Nursing homes: At least 2,237 patients of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities have died with coronavirus, accounting for more than two-thirds of theCOVID-19 deaths in Ohio, according to updated information released Wednesday night by the Ohio Department of Health. Rich Exner reports the total is up 91 deaths from 2,146 a week ago.
Informal gatherings: When Ohioans let their guard down to attend a backyard barbecue or a bridal shower, that’s an opportunity for coronavirus to spread, Gov. Mike DeWine said Wednesday. The same is true in Cuyahoga County, especially when people attending these events feel comfortable going maskless around family and friends, Board of Health Commissioner Terry Allan tells Emily Bamforth and Courtney Astolfi.
High school sports: With 10 days to go until practices for fall are set to begin, Gov. Mike DeWine is noncommittal on the status of high school sports in the state, Matt Goul reports. “We need to get a little closer before we can make any kind of decision in regard to that," DeWine said.
Public health crisis: Ohio U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown on Wednesday introduced a resolution that would declare racism a public health emergency, Sabrina Eaton reports. He said doing so would help the U.S. Senate continue the debate on how to deal with structural racism.
Jail inmate kicked: Body camera video released Wednesday shows a Cuyahoga County Jail officer kick an inmate’s arm through a food chute door in his cell several times in December, Adam Ferrise reports. The inmate said he thought the kicks broke his arm. The officer is charged with first-degree misdemeanor assault.
Ethnic intimidation charges: A Cleveland man was indicted by a grand jury with felonious assault and ethnic intimidation charges that accuse him of trying to run over a group of Black teenagers at a graduation party June while hurling racial slurs, Cory Shaffer reports.
Fatal shooting: Cleveland police are searching for someone who fatally shot a 62-year-old man in the head as he walked with his wife Tuesday evening at Forest Hills Park in the city’s Glenville neighborhood, Adam Ferrise reports. No arrests have been made in the case.
Child shot: A stray bullet struck a 7-year-old boy in the head Tuesday on Cleveland's East Side, police tell Adam Ferrise. The shooting happened about 9 p.m. in south edge of the city’s Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood, police said. The boy was hospitalized Wednesday.
Canceled exhibit: The Cleveland Museum of Art on Wednesday announced its big fall exhibition, “Picasso and Paper," is postponed indefinitely because of what it described as European Union travel restrictions that would bar couriers and curators from France to enter and leave the U.S., Steven Litt reports. The exhibit was set to open Sept. 22.
Canceled trips: Ohioans are cancelling trips to New York because of new coronavirus restrictions that make most travel almost impossible. Ohioans must complete a 14-day quarantine upon arrival — ruining trips from the Buckeye State to Niagara Falls, Buffalo, the Finger Lakes, Chautauqua County and the Thousand Islands, Susan Glazer reports.
Support Black-owned businesses: The coronavirus pandemic in Cleveland hit minority business-owners especially hard economically, Brenda Cain reports. One of the best ways you can help support our Black community and local economy is by choosing to do business with a Black-owned company in Northeast Ohio. Cleveland.com compiled an extensive guide to Black-owned businesses in Greater Cleveland — whether you’re looking for lawn care, salon services, delicious food — and everything in between.
Urban foraging: Cleveland.com’s sister site, WIRED, explains how to forage and cook wild plants. Those plants and weeds you see every day growing outside your home may not look like much. But if prepared properly, they can be transformed into a delicious and nutritious meal.
Celebrating Cleveland: Members of the Early Settlers Association of the Western Reserve gathered Wednesday in Public Square for its annual celebration of Cleveland’s founding on July 22, David Petkiewicz reports. Due to the coronavirus, the celebration was scaled back.
Lorain County Fair set to open over mayor’s objections; other Northeast Ohio fairs cut days, activities due to coronavirus Read more
Independence school board ramps up plans for fall semester; public meeting set for Friday Read more
Man bludgeoned with hookah in Ohio City, attacker wanted on felonious assault charges Read more
EPA awards Akron $1 million to remove Gorge Dam, gives Toledo money to keep trash out of Lake Erie Read more
Amazon Prime day postponed in the U.S. due to coronavirus, but will happen later this year Read more
Ohio Bar Exam delayed a month due to coronavirus, will be remote Read more
Man fatally shot while walking in Cleveland park with wife, police say Read more
Driver killed on side of Ohio Turnpike in Lorain County identified as Mentor man Read more
Bond set at $2 million for Bedford man accused of killing man in residential development Read more
Akron man accused of killing woman found dead in wooded area Read more
Man arrested for armed carjacking in Mayfield Heights parking lot Read more
Sleeping toddler, 2 men killed in overnight gunfire in Canton Read more
Spirit Airlines suspending new Cleveland-to-Newark flight due to low demand Read more
Bridgestone Senior Players Championship at Firestone will be held without spectators Read more
Ashtabula County Covered Bridge Festival canceled Read more
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