State Sen. Jerry Cirino’s Senate Bill 83 is a mashup of various rules governing Ohio's public universities, addressing diversity programs, campus speech policies, American history education, teacher evaluations and collaboration with Chinese scholars. The legislation — one step away from a full vote in the Republican-dominated House — combines those concepts with language from model legislation put out by conservative organizations. And while Cirino waits on the bill’s fate, he is calling the leaders of Ohio’s 14 universities to the Ohio Senate to account for their budget requests — as well as to detail spending on diversity, equity and inclusion — in a bill that pays for state government building construction and local projects. Cirino acknowledged it’s unusual to ask about non-capital related expenses but “this isn’t any kind of witch hunt.” — Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Foggy morning followed by clouds |
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The leaders of Ohio’s 14 universities are being summoned to the Ohio Senate to account for their budget requests. (Ben Flanagan, AL.com file photo) |
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College budget: State Sen. Jerry Cirino expects to hear from college presidents on their budgets April 9 through May 8, Laura Hancock reports. Today in Ohio: An appellate court ruling could force the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles to reinstate driving privileges for applicants with years-old “dormant” judgments against them. We’re talking about a state law that suspends licenses because of those judgments on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast. |
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Solar imports: U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown wants President Joe Biden to boost tariffs on Chinese solar-panel imports that he says threaten jobs at American companies such as the Toledo area’s First Solar, which employs more than 2,000 workers, reports Sabrina Eaton. Graduation lie: An Ohio state lawmaker who falsely claimed to have graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has dropped his plans to run for re-election. State Rep. Dave Dobos, a Columbus Republican, is withdrawing his name from the primary election for House District 10, reports Jeremy Pelzer. Moreno endorsement: Bernie Moreno has nabbed the first endorsement from one of Ohio’s statewide elected officials in state government in the Republican primary race for U.S. Senate, reports Andrew Tobias. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost praised Moreno, a former Cleveland-area car dealer with no previous political experience who has begun to consolidate Republican support since ex-President Donald Trump backed him last month. |
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Council controversy: After months of tumult on public comment rules and a possible Gaza ceasefire resolution, Monday night’s meeting of Cleveland City Council seemed to mark a turning point on both fronts. But the meeting also raised a brand new issue: City Council President Blaine Griffin is now asserting that council can legally kick the public out of public council meetings under some circumstances – a move that one expert describes as “ridiculous” and a potential violation of the city’s charter, Courtney Astolfi reports. Nonprofits: One-hundred Greater Cleveland nonprofits reported more than $25 million in annual revenue, reports Zachary Smith. Six nonprofits reported over $1 billion in revenue during their fiscal years ending in 2022 - the Cleveland Clinic ($13.5 billion), University Hospitals ($4.8 billion), Case Western Reserve University ($1.5 billion), Summa Health ($1.48 billion), American Endowment Foundation ($1.4 billion) and Akron’s Children Hospital ($1.2 billion). Peninsula septic: Septic systems in the village of Peninsula have long been leaching E. coli contamination into the Cuyahoga River. But Peter Krouse reports the Summit County Council voted to approve legislation to make the village, which sits at the entrance to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, part of the Summit County Metropolitan Sewer District. Playhouse Square: Playhouse Square provided a look into the progress of its renovation of the Bulkley Building on Euclid Avenue, a $50 million investment that began at the end of 2023, Megan Sims reports. Formerly home to administrative offices for Playhouse Square, the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh floors are set to become 84 apartments - a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Highway reopening: The Ohio Department of Transportation plans to reopen the southbound ramp of Interstate 271 on Tuesday after a fiery, fatal tanker truck accident on Saturday, Molly Walsh reports. The ramp was deemed safe to reopen to the southbound lane after additional inspections found no structural damage. There is no timetable on when the second lane will open, as it is still being repaired. Eclipse viewing: Educators, librarians and community leaders from across Northeast Ohio visited NASA Glenn this week to get tips on teaching students about how to stay safe during this year’s solar eclipse, reports Megan Sims. The total eclipse in Ohio will be April 8 from 3:13 p.m. to 3:17 p.m. Super Bowl teaser: Cleveland may make an appearance on TV screens during the Super Bowl even though the Browns aren't in the game. Destination Cleveland, which promotes the region to potential visitors, is teasing a new ad featuring enthusiastic football fans outside Cleveland Browns Stadium, Susan Glaser reports. Turnpike trends: Drivers on the Ohio Turnpike set a record for the number of travel miles last year, reports Olivia Mitchell. Cars and commercial truck customers drove 3.1 billion miles on the turnpike in 2023, up 2.2% from 2022′s totals. Restoring forests: Susan Brownstein sees the devastation caused by the emerald ash borer invasion that swept through Ohio in the mid- to late-2000s. To restore forests, the entire first growing season of a restoration project would be spent killing the invasives. |
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U.S. Steel: Cleveland-Cliffs executives believe U.S. Steel made the wrong choice by choosing to sell to Tokyo-based Nippon Steel, arguing Tuesday that Cliffs’ offer was worth more and that the sale to Nippon-Steel may never get approved by regulators. Sean McDonnell reports from a fourth-quarter Cleveland-Cliffs earning call. Parkinson’s: University Hospitals will be one of four new sites to participate in a study that will investigate Parkinson’s disease in the Black and African American community. Gretchen Cuda Kroen reports the hospital was recently selected by the Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program as one of four new study sites designed to expand the geographic diversity of the program in the United States. Breast milk: Mothers who want to donate extra breast milk to ill and premature infants now have a new location in Painesville that can accept it, reports Julie Washington. The new milk-drop location is Lake-Geauga Women Infants and Children Center. |
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Mirror murder: A man convicted of killing a woman with a piece of a broken mirror was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison. Cory Shaffer reports Calvin Nettles must spend at least 15 years behind bars before he will first be eligible for parole. Wrongful conviction: The Ohio attorney general’s office has agreed to pay $900,000 to settle a lawsuit with the family of a Norwalk man who spent 23 years in prison before a judge tossed out his murder conviction and ordered him released. Adam Ferrise reports the settlement ends a yearslong lawsuit filed by the daughters of James Parsons, who was convicted in the 1981 beating death of his wife. Capitol attack: A Kirtland man arrested Tuesday in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol fought with police officers several times and destroyed equipment belonging to Associated Press journalists, Adam Ferrise reports. Michael Picciuto, 25, is charged with felony counts of civil disorder and destruction of property and six misdemeanor charges, including disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, engaging in physical violence and entering restricted buildings. |
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Ask Yadi: Why won’t cars give someone a chance to back into a driveway? Yadi Rodriguez writes that if you see someone stopped in front of their driveway, be patient. For those needing to back in, if there are cars coming, park until the coast is clear. Once the cars around you have gone on their merry way, go ahead and back it in. Rock off: The Tri-C High School Rock Off, an annual rite of passage for generations of young musicians in Northeast Ohio, kicks off for the 27th and final time this weekend at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Malcolm X Abram reports 30 bands (mostly from Ohio but a few from Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Missouri and Florida) are competing for the right to move on to March 2′s Final Exam. |
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Akron City Council appoints new Ward 1 representative Read more Strongsville considers following North Royalton in banning marijuana businesses; Brecksville & Broadview Heights to study the issue Read more More Shaker Square businesses hit by smash-and-grab suspect -- who was out on bond Read more Cleveland Heights streamlines zoning along South Taylor corridor Read more North Royalton joins Broadview Heights, Parma Heights in appointing chaplains for safety forces Read more Shaker extends MLK celebration with visit from Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s daughter Read more New homes planned for Harley Hills Drive in North Royalton Read more State places Medina City Schools in financial precaution Read more |
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