STATEHOUSE & POLITICS
Abortion bill: Ohio House and Senate Democrats are introducing a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee women abortion and contraception rights. Laura Hancock reports the bill is the first legislative response by abortion rights supporters to a leaked draft of a U.S. Supreme Court decision showing Roe v. Wade likely will be overturned. The proposal faces an uphill battle in the GOP-dominated General Assembly, which has passed dozens of abortion restrictions in the past four decades and generally doesn’t give Democratic-sponsored bills more than one committee hearing.
FirstEnergy: FirstEnergy Corp. is considering combining its three Ohio utilities -- Ohio Edison, Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. and Toledo Edison -- and its three Pennsylvania utilities into unified companies, respectively, reports Jeremy Pelzer. CEO Steve Strah, speaking during the company’s annual meeting held online, says the company is “beginning a longer-term review to consider the possible benefits of combining our Ohio utilities, as well as those in Pennsylvania, from a legal and financial perspective.”
METRO
County budget: Early budget projections show Cuyahoga County ending the year with more money than expected due to higher tax collections and underspending in some departments, but the savings largely come at the cost of staffing vacancies – as many as 322 in the health and human services agencies. Kaitlin Durbin reports the difference could mean another $144 million in ending cash balance over what the county expected to have.
Harmful algae: Researchers are predicting a harmful algal bloom in western Lake Erie that is less severe than last year’s moderate bloom and perhaps more like the mild event in 2020, if early season projections “of near or below average rainfall” pan out. Peter Krouse reports the early season bloom projection, announced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Center for Water Quality Research, will be updated through June.
Swastika: A Lake Catholic high school boys lacrosse player with a swastika on his calf participated Monday evening in a match between Orange and Lake Catholic, prompting outrage and questions about how the student-athlete was permitted to play while displaying the image. The OHSAA Division II first-round tournament match took place at Orange, where alumni and parents say a visitor used racial slurs toward the team, Matt Goul reports. The incident has rattled people who were at the game.
Cleveland Marathon: The Union Home Mortgage Cleveland Marathon, a three-day event, extends beyond the 26.2-mile course and carries a history like few road races in the Midwest. It attracts novice runners and those like Jim Mackert, who has run in 44 races since the event began in 1978, Alexis Oatman reports.
Pedestrian killed: A 35-year-old Cleveland man died Monday after a car struck him while he walked across Interstate 90 to get a wheel that had fallen off his car, Kaylee Remington reports. Larry Burkett-Uher was pronounced dead at the scene.
Highway fatalities: Ohio ranked fifth in the nation for the number of car crash fatalities that occurred in 2021, according to a new estimate from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Despite being the seventh-largest state, Ohio’s 1,351 automobile fatalities outpace more populous states like New York and Pennsylvania and nearly ties with Illinois, reports Zachary Smith.
Cleveland Clinic: The Cleveland Clinic rejected the possibility of repairing and reusing the historically significant Cleveland Play House complex in part because the estimated cost of repairing its deficiencies is $40 million. Steven Litt reports the possibility of demolition, anticipated for several months, has alarmed advocates of historic preservation.
Heritage farm: Brecksville will pay the owners of Maple Crest Farm, at the southwest corner of Interstate 77 and Miller Road, $331,500 for a 1.5-acre slice of property to allow a new I-77/Miller southbound entrance ramp. Bob Sandrick reports that the owner doesn’t know how the loss will affect operations at Cuyahoga County’s last remaining heritage farm.
Peat moss: Peat moss is bad for the environment, writes Susan Brownstein. Experts worry that destruction of peatlands will not just reduce their ability to trap carbon, but will release stored carbon back into the atmosphere, where it will absorb heat from the sun. Swapping out peat moss for something else isn’t hard and tomatoes taste better without a side of guilt, so she considers alternatives.
COVID-19 & HEALTHCARE
Overdoses: Drug overdose deaths in the United States continue to rise, but at a slower rate. Julie Washington reports about 108,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2021, about 15% more than the previous year. That increase was half of what it was from 2019 to 2020, when overdose deaths took nearly 94,000 lives — an increase of 30%.
BUSINESS
Mortgage lending: Climbing interest rates have cut demand for refinancing by more than half in just a few months, essentially ending a refinancing boom and drying up demand for mortgage lenders. Sean McDonnell reports interest rates have made refinancing less advantageous and the low demand has led to sudden reductions in staff at many companies.
Carvana closing: A layoff notice Carvana was required to send to state and city governments confirmed the inspection center in Euclid will close, laying off 210 workers. According to a state filing, the inspection center at 20001 Euclid Ave. will close July 10, Sean McDonnell reports.
E-bikes: A new e-bike/motorcycle hybrid challenging the way things are done in the electric vehicle industry is rolling out of a startup on the West Side of Cleveland. Sean McDonnell reports a company called LAND is building electric vehicles and a portable battery pack system that can be charged on a normal outlet, with bikes delivered to customers this spring.
CRIME
Arson sentence: A Cleveland man will spend more than three years in prison for setting fire to a restaurant on Public Square during the May 2020 riots in downtown Cleveland, Adam Ferrise reports. Michael Sloan, 27, apologized during Tuesday’s hearing in front of U.S. District Judge J. Philip Calabrese, telling the judge he’s glad Cleveland police officers extinguished the blaze he set at REBoL café as quickly as they did.
'Chased': During the first four months of 2021, East Cleveland police officers took part in an average of one car chase every day. Many ended in crashes; some led to injuries or deaths. Cleveland.com is launching “Chased,” a four-part podcast series by Olivia Mitchell, examining the persistent issue.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Flower garden: A small garden bloomed with fresh flowers on Tuesday morning ... in the center of a downtown Cleveland sidewalk. Annie Nickoloff reports an unknown gardener installed the marigolds, along with a tiny white picket fence, in a hole which is located, not-so-conveniently, in the center of the heavily used sidewalk on Euclid Avenue.
Amba: Amba once existed as a ghost kitchen restauranteur Doug Katz launched during the pandemic, alongside his other ghost kitchen Chimi. Now, Annie Nickoloff reports, the restaurant is set to open to the public, with a stylishly dark dining area, accented with a rope ceiling, handmade oversized bamboo light fixtures and thin windows of light illuminating artwork on display.
Harbor Bay: Three restaurants will open in Cleveland this summer when Harbor Bay Hospitality launches as an offshoot from Harbor Bay Real Estate. Annie Nickoloff reports the block is centered around Intro Cleveland. Edda, a cafe and roastery, will be located inside of Intro, Pioneer will be around the corner at 2407 Lorain Ave., focusing on live-fire cooking with both indoor and patio seating, and Jaja, a small plates eatery, is a block over.
