We’ve been waiting. Three-and-a-half years ago, the FBI raided the home of then-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder. Two years ago, FirstEnergy signed a deferred prosecution agreement with the federal government, admitting to bribing Householder and former PUCO chief Sam Randazzo. The agreement depicted FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and lobbyist Michael Dowling as the orchestrators. But no federal indictments came for the executives, even last year, after Householder was convicted of leading a scheme to secretly receive $60 million from FirstEnergy, a bankroll that helped fund his political operation, pass legislation worth more than $1 billion for the company, and pay off his personal debts. Monday, a state indictment finally came for Jones and Dowling, as well as for Randazzo. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced a combined 27 counts asserting the three “hijacked” the state’s regulatory structure to benefit the Akron-based utility. As our statehouse team reports, the charges mark a dramatic increase in the intensity of a now state and federal prosecution probe. — Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
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Attorney General Dave Yost, center, announces state charges Monday against two former FirstEnergy executives and former PUCO Chairman Sam Randazzo during a virtual news conference. (Ohio Attorney General's Office / Zoom) |
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FirstEnergy charges: Former FirstEnergy executives Chuck Jones and Mike Dowling, as well as former top state utilities regulator Sam Randazzo are to be arraigned on a total of 27 public corruption charges today in Summit County Common Pleas Court, report Jeremy Pelzer and Jake Zuckerman and Molly Walsh. Jones’ response: Former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones denied wrongdoing Monday, reports Jake Zuckerman. His attorney said Jones did not bribe anyone and “acted in the best interests of FirstEnergy’s customers as well as its employees and investors, and never betrayed their trust.” Demo: Demolition has begun on a condemned property in Cleveland owned by Cuyahoga County Council President Pernel Jones. Lucas Daprile reports that on Monday workers were seen using construction equipment to tear down 8637 Buckeye Road, a 7,140-square-foot former theater and dance hall. Property taxes: Property tax rates vary widely in the eight-county region that makes up Greater Cleveland, from close to $4,000 a year per $100,000 of home value in Shaker Square and some eastern suburbs of Cleveland to just over $1,000 in several townships that don’t provide many of the same services as cities. Zachary Smith reports the rates released by the Ohio Department of Taxation. Today in Ohio: What if Cleveland didn’t help pay for renovations to the lakefront Browns stadium? On Today in Ohio, we’re talking about what the city could do with hundreds of millions of dollars that otherwise could go toward the NFL home used a handful of times each year. |
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Education move: The Ohio State Board of Education and its 70 staff members are scheduled to move in April from the state’s education building in downtown Columbus to another building about a half-mile away. Laura Hancock reports the board, which was gutted of most of its powers by the legislature last year, was originally supposed to move to a campus in a Columbus suburb. UD basketball: A bipartisan group of U.S. Congress members wants to ensure that the University of Dayton continues to host the initial rounds of the NCAA’s Division I men’s basketball tournament. Sabrina Eaton reports both of Ohio’s U.S. Senators last week joined with GOP U.S. Reps. Mike Turner of Dayton and Warren Davidson of Miami County in a letter that asks the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee to continue its 20-year tradition of having March Madness tip off in Dayton. |
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Social media: A federal judge on Monday ruled that the state can’t enforce a new social media parental consent law for teenagers until larger constitutional issues are decided in his court, reports Laura Hancock. The preliminary injunction by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Algenon Marbley of the Southern District of Ohio could last a year or more, depending on how fast the case gets to trial. Abatement applications: The city of Cleveland has rolled out an online application process for those seeking residential tax abatement under new rules that went into effect at the start of the year. Courtney Astolfi reports the new version of residential tax abatement was passed by City Council in 2022, but it didn’t go into effect until Jan. 1. Snow forecast: Snow is back in the forecast this week, albeit a small amount, reports Rich Exner. It appears that Cleveland, again, is skirting the biggest snowstorms of 2024. Up to 18 inches could fall Tuesday in parts of northern New Jersey. Garden gala: Tickets are available for the Association of African American Cultural Gardens’ “Gala for the Garden,” which will raise money to help complete the multi-million-dollar project that is the African American Cultural Garden. Zachary Smith reports the garden hopes to raise an additional $100,000 to add to the $1.3 million already raised for the $4 million project. Black History Month: Glen Shumate’s parents moved from farming rural Mississippi to working in factories to give their children a middle-class life, Julie Washington reports. Shumate, executive director of ACE Mentor Cleveland and executive vice president of Construction Employers Association of Cleveland, is among the Black community leaders being profiled as part of cleveland.com’s celebration of Black History Month. |
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Urgent care: As part of an ongoing expansion to its urgent care facilities, University Hospitals opened a new urgent care in Solon on Monday. Gretchen Cuda Kroen reports that services include on-site X-ray, lab, EKG, medication dispensing and more. This location also will be the first UH Urgent Care to offer occupational health services for patients. Worker fundraiser: A Cleveland-based group that advocates for workers and helps them get back stolen wages is holding its first-ever fundraiser this Friday at the Beachland Ballroom. Sean McDonnell reports the Northeast Ohio Worker Center, formed in 2019, does a number of things to help workers, like wage-theft clinics and “Know Your Rights” training. Stocks: Stock prices for 10 major Ohio companies increased by at least 2% last week. This was led by the manufacturing company Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. in Hilliard, which increased 20%, or $26.99 a share, Zachary Smith reports. |
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Tesla's mystery: A Google search might have made a break in a mystery that has baffled thousands of Clevelanders for nearly a decade: Who stole a bronze bust of Nikola Tesla that disappeared from its pedestal in the Cleveland’s Serbian Cultural Garden in 2014? Cory Shaffer has the story. Crocker theft: Westlake police are urging shoppers at Crocker Park to be aware of “distraction theft” while browsing at stores. Molly Walsh reports thieves at Trader Joe’s and DSW shoe store have distracted victims, usually with conversation, and then steal wallets from their purses or shopping carts. Crash death: A Fairview Park woman died Saturday in a rollover crash on Interstate 71 in Cleveland. Laura Linette Candelaria, 38, died about 2:30 a.m. on I-71 south, between Interstate 480 and the Snow Road exit, reports Olivia Mitchell. Crypto scam: A Northeast Ohio man lost $1.3 million in a cryptocurrency scam after he used an app that looked nearly identical to a real one, reports Adam Ferrise. Scammers made the 68-year-old man from Holmesville believe his cryptocurrency investment ballooned to $15 million. When he tried to pull his money out, the group refused. |
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Ask Lucas: Do you have to buy your significant other a Valentine’s gift? Lucas Daprile reports that one option is to have a nice night in, make some hot chocolate, snuggle on the couch and watch your favorite show. Galentine’s Day: Galentine’s Day is an informal holiday celebrated today, Feb. 13. It’s all about celebrating female friendship and empowering women, whether they have a romantic partner in their life or not. Alex Darus lists nine events in Northeast Ohio. Cirque du Soleil: Cirque du Soleil is bringing the show “OVO” to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse from Sept. 19-22, reports Paris Wolfe. The storyline is based on a day in the life of insects and the performance is a collection of energy and movement. Jo Dee Messina: Jo Dee Messina has released five studio albums and scored a dozen No. 1 country hits. And her Heads Carolina Tail California Tour Messina performs at 7 p.m. Friday at the Masonic Cleveland -- TempleLive. Kelce celebrity: Travis Kelce’s immense popularity, which has skyrocketed since becoming “Tayvis” this fall, has put Cleveland in the spotlight, and specifically the East Side suburb of Cleveland Heights. Mary Kay Cabot interviews him about his hometown. |
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Vehicle hits, critically injures bicyclist, then drives off Read more Cleveland man fatally shot on city’s East Side, police say Read more Veterans take center court at Bay Schools Military Appreciation Night Read more Explore the night sky and wildlife at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center Read more Avon to raise speed limits along Detroit Road Read more Avon Lake residents to vote on fire, EMS renewal levy Read more Parma Schools wellness fair promotes a strong district heartbeat Read more North Olmsted tweaks ‘Fix Our Fronts’ initiative, eyes bigger economic development projects Read more Is your Parma home 100 years old? The city wants to celebrate that Read more |
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