A 2011 Ohio law allowed state agencies, if they chose, to lease state lands for oil and gas drilling. But no state park was leased. Until, late at night, on the second-to-last lawmaking day of a lame-duck legislature last year, Senate Republicans added a change to the law in a bill originally focused on poultry sales. The language said a state agency “shall” accept a lease that meets certain conditions, instead of saying it “may” do so. It was the same bill that classified natural gas as green energy in Ohio. Gov. Mike DeWine, who announced he was signing the bill near 5 p.m. on a Friday in January, pledged his administration would not allow drilling straight down on state parks. This means drillers would drill thousands of feet underground before turning horizontally to free oil and gas through the process of hydraulic fracturing, better known as “fracking.” More than 1,000 letters were sent in support of fracking in state parks. Reporters and environmental groups found nearly 150 were signed with names of people who say they did not send them. The ultimate decision comes down to a four-member commission, made up of two people with “knowledge or experience in the oil and gas industry” recommended by an industry trade association; one person with expertise in finance or real estate; and one representing environmental or conservation interests. The commission on Monday delayed deciding whether to open two state parks and two protected wildlife areas to oil and gas after protestors came out in droves (including with a guitar and an original song about Salt Fork State Park). – Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers: Browns not only lose, 26-22, to Steelers, they also lose Nick Chubb for season Guardians at Kansas City Royals: Guardians’ Trevor Stephan loses the plate in the eighth inning as Kansas City rallies for 6-4 win Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Temperatures begin to warm again |
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A crowd of environmental advocates attend the Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission meeting Monday to protest it considering opening two state parks and two protected wildlife areas to oil and gas exploration. (Jake Zuckerman, cleveland.com) |
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Park fracking: Dozens of protesters attended the combative and sometime raucous hearing of the Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission over the mineral rights to Salt Fork State Park, Wolf Run State Park, Valley Run Wildlife Area, and Zepernick Wildlife Area. Jake Zuckerman reports the commission will gather again at a future meeting, not yet scheduled, to decide whether to open those areas to bidders. Today in Ohio: Nearly 150 letters sent to support fracking under state parks are signed with the names of people who say they did not authorize or send them. We’re talking on Today in Ohio about the growing number of Ohioans who say they didn’t know their names were used on letters. |
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Participatory budgeting: A Republican state senator from the Cleveland area is planning to head off the city’s Nov. 7 vote on the People’s Budget charter amendment by passing a new law that says only a city council can decide what to do with its city’s budget. Andrew Tobias reports state Sen. Jerry Cirino, of Kirtland, said he will introduce a bill today that’s meant to block approval of the People’s Budget amendment, which would set aside the equivalent of 2% of the city’s general fund each year — roughly $14 million based on this year’s budget — so residents can choose how they want to spend it through a voting process overseen by an 11-person steering committee. Courtney Astolfi reports Cleveland City Council President Blaine Griffin dropped plans for a new city law that would’ve given him the ability to use taxpayer money to oppose ballot issues like the proposed People’s Budget amendment. |
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College rankings: Ohio State edged out Case Western Reserve as the best university in Ohio, according to newly released rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Ohio State is ranked 43rd overall in U.S. News rankings for national universities, 10 spots ahead of Case Western Reserve. Last year, CWRU was ranked 44th nationally, while Ohio State was 49th, reports Zachary Smith. Parking rates: Hourly parking rates in downtown Cleveland could bump up to as much as $8 -- and rates outside of downtown could hit $4 per hour -- under changes approved on Monday by City Council, Courtney Astolfi reports. Drivers could also start getting charged for weekday evening parking and be required to pay on Saturdays and Sundays. And Cleveland Browns tailgaters who park in the Muni Lot could see their fee jump from $30 to as much as $50. FIRST: The Cuyahoga County public defender’s Family Intervention Representation and Services Team (FIRST) is a voluntary pilot program that works similarly to some of the early intervention services that social workers can provide to prevent formal custody filings, but through a different door that might be more comfortable for families and bypass the child-welfare system entirely. Kaitlin Durbin reports the goal is to keep families together without formal juvenile court involvement or placing kids in foster care. Leaf color: Fall officially starts this week, but leaves in the northern third of the state are expected to reach peak color change by the week of Oct. 16, reports Susan Glaser. Weather this year has been so variable across the state that any predictions are subject to change. CLE neighborhoods: Marking North and South Collinwood’s 150-year-plus identity is everything from industry, prosperity and lakeside amusement, to tragedy, blue-collar grit and immigrant influxes that eventually gave way to white flight and racial tensions. Courtney Astolfi reports that today, in Cleveland’s farthest-flung outpost on the northeast side, you’ll find residents of all stripes enjoying a bustling arts district, ample access to Lake Erie, and the East 185th Street commercial corridor that’s undergoing a major facelift. |
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Breast cancer: Researchers at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals will study whether a new magnetic resonance imaging exam can predict the effectiveness of chemotherapy for women with breast cancer. Gretchen Cuda Kroen reports the researchers hope to make distinctions between different types of breast cancer using a single, non-invasive MRI scan. Money Talks: Walking blossomed into a life-changing habit for columnist Darnell Mayberry. Walks have helped him become more disciplined, drop a lot of weight, meet some cool people and discover some fun places, all for free. Home sales: A home in suburban Hunting Valley sold for $2.25 million in August, making it the most expensive home sold in Cuyahoga County for the month, reports Zachary Smith. Among the other top 11 sales for the month, all over $1 million, there were three homes in Chagrin Falls, along with one house each in Bentleyville, Bratenahl, Gates Mills, Rocky River, Solon, Strongsville and Westlake. |
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Bob Young: Ohio House Rep. Bob Young is accused of placing a tracking device on a family member’s car in July, a move that authorities say violates a protection order stemming from a domestic dispute. The allegations detail the latest charges against Young involving the dispute, which prompted the GOP representative to resign his seat, effective Oct. 2. Homicide arrest: A suspect has been arrested and accused of killing a man Saturday in the city’s Union-Miles Park neighborhood. Delvonta Green, 27, of Fairborn is charged with fatally shooting Brandon Morris, 42, of Cleveland, Olivia Mitchell reports. No verdict: The trial of a Euclid man charged in a string of armed robberies ended Monday with a hung jury. Adam Ferrise reports the jury could not reach a decision on whether David Johnson, 36, carried out four armed robberies in 2020 and 2021. U.S. District Judge Dan Polster sent the jury home and scheduled a new trial for Jan. 29. |
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Ask Lucas: What to do when your boyfriend gets unreasonably angry at video games? Lucas Daprile writes, “Rather than acting like an adult and turning the game off when I get angry, we have an unspoken agreement where both of us are allowed a reasonable degree of anger over our respective video games.” Quire: Quire Cleveland, the city’s respected early-music vocal ensemble, is canceling a series of upcoming performances at area Catholic churches in the wake of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland’s controversial new gender identity policy, reports Paris Wolfe. Jason Aldean: A defiant Jason Aldean played a sold-out show Sunday night to more than 20,000 faithful at Blossom Music Center, reports John Benson. The superstar country singer spoke on his controversial hit “Try That in a Small Town,” which has been called everything from a racist dog whistle to a paean to traditional values since its release earlier this year. Yelp trends: Fall is here and Yelp Cleveland’s Community Director Lauren Kotmel gives us the scoop on an eclectic mix of food and drink trends, including kava drinks, loaded pancakes, food truck parks, shakshuka and zero-proof spirits. Turkey sandwich: The best turkey sandwich is as simple as it gets: a few slices of the meat on a roll, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, cheese, vinegar and oil (or sometimes mayo), and you’re done. Which turkey sub is the best? Yadi Rodriguez and Brenda Cain went to nine sub chains found in Northeast Ohio to taste-test their turkey and ranked them worst to best. RV Life: Back on the road, Jeff and Patti Kinzbach share stories of their western trek along the northern portion of the United States. In this week’s installment of “Rocking the RV Life,” the Kinzbachs talk about the many splendors of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. In addition, you’ll hear about Duluth’s maritime connections and the natural wonders they encountered at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. |
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Former Columbus Zoo executives accused of stealing nearly $2.3 million Read more Woman tries to intentionally hit Streetsboro patrol car, crashes into house, police say Read more Elyria police issue warrant for Lorain man in fatal shooting at newspaper parking lot Read more Beachwood City Council seeking an answer to the age-old streetlight question -- should all streets have them? Read more Chagrin Falls Community Yard Sale this Saturday Read more Cost estimate for Solon to Chagrin Falls Trail rises to nearly $6 million Read more Westlake Library welcomes diverse community with international flavor Read more Seven candidates seek four seats on Brecksville City Council this fall Read more The mall comes tumbling down to make way for Belle Oaks Marketplace Read more |
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