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| What you need to know Thursday, July 8, 2021 WEATHER
Keep your rain boots ready for another round of rain, as thunderstorms and showers are in the forecast Thursday. The greatest chance for thunderstorms to develop is in the afternoon and evening hours. The National Weather Service said that highs are expected to be around 80, with overnight lows in the 60s. Read more.
Local scores: Tampa Bay Rays 8, Indians 1 (July 7 game), Tampa Bay Rays 4, Indians 0 (July 6 game that was postponed) OVERNIGHT
Police shooting: Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost says his office will not recommend criminal charges against the Cleveland housing police officer who shot and killed 19-year-old Arthur Keith. Olivia Mitchell reports Yost’s office convened a grand jury to decide whether the shooting was a criminal act. After the announcement, the family of Arthur Keith called on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate CMHA police, reports Adam Ferrise. Attorney Stanley Jackson, several of Keith’s family members and community activists decried what they called an “incomplete” investigation by Cleveland police and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
Voter outreach: Voting rights activists fear a new Ohio law could be used to block the secretary of state from partnering with private groups for routine voter-outreach programs. Andrew Tobias reports the change, tucked in to the state budget bill, is targeted primarily at blocking a repeat of 2020, when LaRose and county elections officials accepted millions from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to pay for elections administration support. But it’s written so broadly, it seems to bar almost any elections-related partnership involving private organizations, including with the League of Women Voters and the NAACP.
FirstEnergy refunds: FirstEnergy electricity customers will see a one-time refund on their August bills, thanks to the end of a so-called “decoupling” charge brought about by a partial repeal of the scandal-tainted House Bill 6. FirstEnergy will refund $27 million in total for money collected for 13 months starting in January 2020 -- as well as interest. Exactly how much FirstEnergy customers will be refunded will vary, depending on which subsidiary and how much power they use in August 2021, reports Jeremy Pelzer.
Budget priorities: Much of what Gov. Mike DeWine sought in the state budget made it into the final version, including $250 million for broadband internet expansion grants, and more money for high-performing charter schools. But other parts of his budget were stripped out by state lawmakers. Jeremy Pelzer explains eight DeWine budget proposals that didn’t make the cut, including gun reforms and a $50 million ad campaign to lure new residents. This Week in the CLE: Cuyahoga County Council voted to spend $8 million on an engineer for a new jail, even though they have no idea how to pay for the $500 million project. We’re talking about whether the county will increase taxes for the project on This Week in the CLE, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast.
Police reform: Social-justice groups Wednesday pressed for change in the reform efforts of Cleveland police, calling for the removal of top officials and urging a federal judge to do more to soothe community angst. Weeks after the resignation of deputy monitor Ayesha Hardaway, John Caniglia reports the groups urged the Justice Department and Cleveland officials to push to remove Hassan Aden, the leader of the monitoring team, and Gregory White, who represents the city’s interest in the reform process.
Police accountability: Citizens for a Safer Cleveland, a campaign focused on creating police accountability, turned in 3,208 additional signatures Wednesday as it works to reach the remaining 384 valid signatures it needs to get its initiative on the November ballot. Cameron Fields reports the coalition had 15 days to collect and turn in the additional signatures after failing to meet the threshold of 6,270 valid signatures. More valid signatures were needed because not all of them were from Cleveland residents, which is a requirement.
Guns seizure: Through the first six months of 2021, Cleveland police confiscated nearly double the number of guns seized in all of last year. Robert Higgs reports that the stats help show why Cleveland is on pace to top record numbers of homicides and other gun crimes set in 2020 and cry out for state and federal action to stem the flow of weapons, Mayor Frank Jackson said Wednesday.
Jail officer: A former Cuyahoga County Jail officer is accused of raping an inmate in 2019 and is now the second officer in eight days charged with sexually assaulting inmates. Adam Ferrise reports that Jalen Howard, 27, is charged with two counts of rape, two counts of sexual battery, two counts of kidnapping, one count of gross sexual imposition and one count of public indecency. It is unclear if Howard is in police custody. He is scheduled for arraignment on Aug. 3.
Mayor appointments: Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson announced hirings Wednesday to fill vacancies in the Department of Building and Housing and the Department of Public Health. Robert Higgs reports that Antoinette Allen, a 23-year city employee, was sworn in as interim director of the building and housing department. Dr. Karen Cooper was sworn in as medical director for the health department. Frances Mills, who was the director of community health initiatives, was sworn in as public health commissioner.
State offices: Thousands of state employees are dusting off their cubicles and updating their desk calendars as they’ve begun a phased-in return to their offices beginning Tuesday and continuing through September. Laura Hancock reports about 18,000 people have been working from home since March 2020.
Stimulus projects: Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish is asking residents to pitch their big, “transformative” ideas for how the county ought to spend some of its $240 million in federal aid from the American Recovery Plan Act. Courtney Astolfi reports that Budish said the ARPA money is a “once in a lifetime chance” to pursue a “transformative” project that could benefit the county long into the future.
Casino profits: Ohio’s 11 casinos and racinos last month combined to take in $196.8 million in gambling revenue, after paying out winnings, Eric Heisig reports. It was the fourth biggest month the state has ever seen for gambling revenue, behind March, April and May of this year.
United Club: The United Club at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport will reopen on Thursday, yet another sign that air travel is on the increase, Susan Glaser reports. The club, which offers food and drink for United Airlines frequent flyers, shut down last year, as the coronavirus pandemic brought air travel to a near standstill in Cleveland and elsewhere.
Home sales: See individual home sales and prices for Cuyahoga County from June. Eric Heisig has listings of single-family homes, duplexes and condominiums that sold for at least $10,000.
Wahlberg Chevrolet: Marky Mark is making a new mark in Ohio’s car scene, buying up a Chevrolet car dealership in Avon. The former Joe Firment Chevrolet will now be known as Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet, akin to the actor’s and business owner’s other Chevrolet dealerships in Columbus and Worthington, reports Anne Nickoloff.
Beach safety: Last year, 328 American beaches were potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one-quarter of the days tested because of E.coli, according to a report from the Environment America Research & Policy Center. About 60 percent of Great Lake beaches were potentially unsafe on at least one day in 2020, reports Bianca Ramsey.
Food stylist: Food stylist Susan Spungen reviews iconic food scenes from films like “Matilda,” “The Princess Diaries,” “Julie & Julia,” and more, for cleveland.com’s sister site, Vanity Fair.
Dobama Theatre: Dobama Theatre will return to the stage for live, in-person performances starting in the fall. Joey Morona reports the Cleveland Heights institution, which has presented edgy, Off-Broadway shows for more than 60 years, unveiled its 2021-22 season on Wednesday.
Medina County man pleads guilty to murdering his wife, mother-in-law Read more
Man shot while sitting in Akron parking lot dies Read more
Cleveland law firm files lawsuit to restore $300 federal unemployment payments Read more
Lorain County Sheriff's Office warning residents of scam claiming that they missed jury duty and need to pay Read more
Car stolen at gunpoint while 2 victims were unloading groceries in driveway, University Heights police say Read more
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