Five years ago, COVID-19 shut down the world. And that shutdown put thousands of Ohioans out of work. On the same day Gov. Mike DeWine announced an indefinite closure of Ohio bars and restaurant dining areas in March 2020, 12,000 people submitted online applications for unemployment benefits. The next day, DeWine announced closures of fitness centers, gyms, bowling alleys, recreation centers, movie theaters, water parks, and trampoline parks. Applications flooded Ohio’s unemployment system. Out-of-work Ohioans began collecting state unemployment, plus federal pandemic checks of $300 per week starting in March 2020 through September 2021. In late June 2021, DeWine rejected any additional federal help. He said the payments were “certainly discouraging” people from going back to work and distorting the labor market. Years later, Ohioans who were unemployed are still hoping to collect the federal check, through a court battle. But they’re worried that federal pressure to cut costs could lead Congress to reappropriate the money before the courts can rule. — Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
Cavs at Milwaukee Bucks: Cavs show depth and balance, extend winning streak to 14 with 112-100 win over Bucks Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Near-perfect March day |
|
|
A shopper wears a face mask in November 2020 as he walks past a store displaying a hiring sign in Wheeling, Ill. (Nam Y. Huh, Associated Press file photo) |
|
|
COVID unemployment: Thousands of Ohioans are in a legal race against what plaintiffs worry is a political shot clock for $900 million in COVID-19 era supplemental unemployment payments that Gov. Mike DeWine rejected in 2021, Jake Zuckerman reports. Property taxes: Ohio’s lawmakers are trying to solve the sting of rising property taxes without gutting funding for schools or local service, reports Anna Staver. Republicans in the state House and Senate want to rewrite laws so taxpayers save money. But if they give out too many discounts, they risk underfunding critical services. Today in Ohio: U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno is offended that some Congress members displayed Ukrainian flags during President Donald Trump’s Tuesday speech, so he wants to ban flying foreign flags on Capitol Hill. We’re talking about the attack on the freedom of speech on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast. |
|
|
Selective service: The Selective Service System has summoned volunteers who serve on its Ohio draft boards for a training session this weekend, but that doesn’t mean the United States is reinstituting the draft, reports Sabrina Eaton. The upcoming interactive virtual exercise for board members in Ohio, Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wisconsin is part of a longstanding, routine training process to help them understand their roles and what to expect if the boards were ever activated in response to a national emergency. Reading improvement: A new Ohio Department of Education report showed 46 districts and 104 charter schools were required to submit reading improvement plans last year due to low test scores in early grades. Laura Hancock reports the Reading Achievement Improvement Plan is a blueprint for raising student achievement in reading, but the plans don’t always prove effective in one year. Death penalty: With a new president willing to assist, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said Wednesday he wants help reviving use of the death penalty in Ohio, reports Jake Zuckerman. Pharmaceutical companies have effectively stopped executions cold in Ohio since 2018 by cutting off the drug supply required for state officials to administer lethal injections, Ohio’s only lawful method of execution. Moreno on tariffs: U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno and Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves praised President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs as measures that would boost the U.S. steel and auto industries, despite economists' warnings the tariffs could drive up costs for consumers, Molly Walsh reports. |
|
|
Erie ice: Lake Erie was about 49% ice-covered on Thursday compared to more than 95% around Feb. 20 and about 80% a week ago, reports Peter Krouse. Homelessness: Women in Cuyahoga County are experiencing homelessness longer and older than ever before. Kaitlin Durbin reports that two years ago, the average stay at the Norma Her Women’s Shelter was about 37 nights, according to Cynthia Dailey with YWCA Greater Cleveland, which operates the shelter for the county. That jumped to 80 days in 2023 and now is up to 91 days. CLE flag: After more than a year of community engagement and public input, the Cleveland Flag Project on Friday unveiled the “People’s Flag of Cleveland.” While city leaders have no plan to adopt it as Cleveland’s official flag, project organizers hope the new design will be embraced by residents, reports Molly Walsh. Ski season: Skiers and snowboarders in Northeast Ohio only have a few more chances to hit the slopes before the end of a snowy season, reports Alex Darus. Popular resorts Boston Mills and Brandywine in Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Alpine Valley, in Geauga County, announced their closing dates. Our Best Life: Laura Johnston is all about Duolingo. She’s learning a language mostly because it’s a fun exercise to stretch her brain, specifically Dutch because of her family. |
|
|
Investing in CLE: Some of Greater Cleveland’s major companies, like Eaton, Parker Hannifin and Progressive, have been blowing away key stock indexes. So why not invest locally – especially if it means giving back to the community? Rich Exner reports that’s the idea behind an investment option created by the charitable Cleveland Foundation, designed for both its own assets and donors looking to invest at least $10,000 for philanthropic purposes. Aer Lingus: Aer Lingus has announced summer flight deals to Ireland from U.S. cities including Cleveland, reports Marc Bona. It means you can fly from Cleveland to Dublin for $649. |
|
|
Wrongly imprisoned: Lorain city and county officials agreed to pay $263,000 to a man who spent nine days in jail because police confused him with a sexual assault suspect with a similarname. Adam Ferrise reports that Luis Alvarez Roman was released from the county jail after a family member of the victim told police that officers had arrested the wrong man. Couple dead: Officers called to a home Sunday morning for a welfare check after a family friend received a “concerning communication” discovered a married couple dead inside, police say. Although the deaths are considered “suspicious,” police say it’s considered an isolated incident and there is no danger to the general public, Cliff Pinckard reports. Delinquency judgment: An appeals court on Thursday reversed a delinquency judgment for a youth — with an IQ in the 50s — whose attorneys failed to raise concerns about his competency before and after allowing him to admit to aggravated robbery. David Gambino reports that a judge in Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court also failed to schedule competency hearings for the youth in accordance with state law, the 8th Ohio District Court of Appeals found. Murder trial: A murder trial abruptly ended this week when a judge accepted a man’s guilty plea to a lesser offense of involuntary manslaughter, reports David Gambino. Teen shot: A 15-year-old boy was shot Thursday night in the jaw on 1700 block of Elwood Road. The youth was taken to a local hospital, where he died at 7:43 p.m., police said. Waffle House shootout: Authorities say they have arrested a man in connection with a shootout last year at a Waffle House in Summit County, reports Lucas Daprile. On Thursday, Springfield Township police arrested Rausheen Rivers, 21, of Akron, in connection with the Sept. 28 incident. |
|
|
Cavs playoffs: Cleveland clinched the NBA’s first 2025 playoff spot on Wednesday. Sixty-two games into the season. With more than a month remaining. Chris Fedor runs down how the date compares in basketball history. (Hint: It’s not the fastest.) Classic CLE: With Cleveland Tofu – preservative-free, low-fat, non-GMO and Kosher certified soybean curd – any vegan or vegetarian dish is always a slam dunk, writes Peter Chakerian. Michael Symon: Michael Symon, the chef-television personality whose latest book is “Dinners Cooking Out: 100 Recipes that Redefine Outdoor Cooking,” is set to appear with co-author Doug Trattner and restaurateur-moderator Rocco Whalen Sunday, March 30, at Cuyahoga County Library’s Parma-Snow branch, reports Marc Bona. Bake Off: If you or someone you know makes the best muffins, prove it at the fourth Great Grog Shop Bake Off. Based on the BBC’s Great British Bake Off, the Grog Shop is holding a one-night amateur baking competition and bake-tasting event on March 26. Paris Wolfe reports that previous bakeoffs have focused on cookies, bread and pies. House of the Week: Located just minutes from Chagrin Falls’ idyllic downtown, the Washington Street home brings a bit of the Hamptons to Northeast Ohio with its timeless exterior, covered front porch, breezy and open interior, and elegant outdoor spaces overlooking the Chagrin River. New to the market at $6.5 million, the home was built in 2013 and offers five bedrooms, six full bathrooms, two half-baths and a four-car garage, reports Joey Morona. |
|
|
Cleveland man found fatally shot in SUV in Bedford, police say Read more Young fencers showcase skills at USA Fencing competition in Cleveland Read more Annual Berea blanket-making party brings out caring community Read more Middleburg Heights nears demolition day for former Sears buildings Read more As Pepper Pike charter change town hall meetings near, the review process remains thorny Read more South Euclid Councilwoman Chanell Elston appointed to two National League of Cities councils Read more |
|
|
Terry's Talkin' with Terry Pluto Newsletter |
Connect with Northeast Ohio’s favorite sports columnist as Terry shares his exclusive thoughts and insights on Cleveland sports teams, as well as issues on personal faith like in his popular weekly Faith & You column. There's one caveat, though. This is an exclusive newsletter for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer loyal subscribers. Not a subscriber? That's ok. You can receive a few weeks of Terry’s newsletter as a free trial. In either case, click here sign up. |
|
|
Want the top headlines but don't have time to read? Listen to cleveland.com’s Today in Ohio podcast on Spotify, Google or Apple Podcasts. |
|
|
WANT TO SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER WITH A FRIEND? |
Did someone share this newsletter with you? Click here to never miss a day! |
|
|
To contact the newsrooms for any of our publications regarding technical support, news tips, classified ads and other inquiries, please click here. |
|
|
Put Some Play In Your Day! New Puzzles & Games from cleveland.com |
|
|
INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING
OR SPONSORING OUR NEWSLETTERS? |
|
|
You received this email because you opted in to the newsletter. To ensure receipt of our emails, please add newsletters@update.cleveland.com to your address book or safe sender list. 4800 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn OH 44144 Contact us | Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy |
|
|
|
