The Ohio legislature last year eliminated August elections because, as a bill sponsor in 2021 put it, the elections allow schools and local governments to “game the system” when most voters aren’t paying attention. Case in point: Last year’s $20 million August primary, forced back from May after the Ohio Redistricting Commission blew multiple Ohio Supreme Court deadlines to create fair statehouse districts. The races saw historically low turnout. Now Senate President Matt Huffman wants to spend another $20 million for another special election. He wants voters to approve a constitutional amendment that would make it harder to amend Ohio’s constitution in the future – including in November, when an abortion rights amendment is planned for the ballot. (By the way, the bill the Senate is considering specifically guarantees the state can have a special election for a constitutional amendment, but only for those initiated by the legislature, not citizens.) More than 100 organizations across the political spectrum are fighting the proposal. House Speaker Jason Stephens is also standing against it. - Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
Cavs at Brooklyn Nets: Isaac Okoro hits game-winning 3-pointer as Cavs steal win from Nets, 116-114 Northeast Ohio weekend weather forecast: Rainy start to the weekend |
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Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman wants to hold a special election in August on amendments to the Ohio Constitution in hopes it will prevent a proposed abortion-rights amendment from succeeding. (cleveland.com file photo) |
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Special election: Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman on Thursday said it’s worth spending millions of dollars on an August special election to ask voters to make it harder to amend the Ohio Constitution if it succeeds in stopping a proposed abortion-rights amendment in November. Jeremy Pelzer reports that Huffman wants to forestall the proposed abortion-rights amendment and other issues as well, such as a proposed initiated statute to legalize recreational marijuana. But Laura Hancock reports House Speaker Jason Stephens opposes the special election, citing the expense and work required by local elections officials. Irishtown Bend: Opposing sides have reached a tentative agreement in a two-year legal standoff over whether work could begin on a $100 million project to stabilize and build a park atop the Irishtown Bend hillside overlooking the Cuyahoga River. Steven Litt reports the hillside has threatened for decades to slide into the river, halting industrial shipping and tearing open a regional sewer interceptor. Today in Ohio: Republican lawmakers want a special $20 million August election to ask voters to make it harder to pass a state constitutional amendment. Will that mean failure for a proposed reproductive rights amendment? Or will the move backfire? We’re discussing it on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast. |
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TikTok: The potential dangers of the popular video-sharing app TikTok united congressional Republicans and Democrats in rare bipartisan cooperation as indignant members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee barraged TikTok Inc. CEO Shou Chew with questions. Sabrina Eaton reports the chair of the committee, Washington Republican Cathy McMorris Rodgers, declared TikTok a threat to national and personal security Transportation budget: State lawmakers are now in the final stage of passing a new two-year transportation budget that includes billions for road and highway projects and new rail-safety provisions in response to last month’s East Palestine train derailment. Jeremy Pelzer reports House Bill 23 is headed to a conference committee of House and Senate members, who will hammer out a final version of the budget to send to Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk before the end of the month. |
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Police misconduct: Two key Cleveland agencies charged with handling police misconduct are failing, according to a report released Thursday by the team overseeing reform in the department. The report says the Office of Professional Standards, which investigates civilian complaints, and the Civilian Police Review Board, which recommends discipline stemming from OPS investigations, are woefully lacking in their performance, Adam Ferrise reports. Garfield Memorial: The James A. Garfield Memorial could soon be getting crucial exterior renovations, reports Megan Sims. The memorial in Lake View Cemetery, which spans Cleveland, Cleveland Heights and East Cleveland, recently received funding to complete exterior renovations. Work, which had begun in 2019, was stalled because of the lack of money. Ignatius addition: St. Ignatius High School is planning for a 55,000-square-foot addition, which would involve the demolition of a century-old gym. Megan Sims reports the design would call for the demolition of the school’s current power plant, which was built in 1946, and its Carroll Gym, which was built in the 1920s. Drag brunch: Protesters are threatening to bring guns to an April 1 drag brunch at Element 41 in Chardon, meant to benefit a local family who lost a mother and breadwinner. Paris Wolfe reports the owner says people opposed to the event are calling Element 41 a “pedophile restaurant” and claim its actions are lowering local property values in the town. |
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HPV cancers: While vaccines against HPV have caused cervical cancer rates to drop dramatically, other HPV-related cancers, especially cancers of the head and neck, continue to rise steadily, reports Gretchen Cuda Kroen. A cancer researcher at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center is working on two drugs that may stop HPV from causing cancer. COVID week: The number of new COVID-19 cases in Ohio continued its recent downward trend, from 7,586 last week to 7,016 this week — lower than at any point since April 2022, reports Julie Washington. |
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Bank robber: A Cleveland man is accused of robbing a bank on Ohio City’s bustling West 25th Street corridor, reports John Tucker. The masked, hooded robber threatened to shoot the teller if the bank employee pressed an emergency button and fled the bank with $1,900. Attorney suspended: The Ohio Supreme Court on Thursday suspended a former attorney who was sentenced to prison last week for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her clients, many of whom were elderly and developmentally disabled, reports Cory Shaffer. Capitol riot: A Wooster QAnon follower and his brother-in-law were sentenced Thursday to 30 days in prison for storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Adam Ferrise reports Adam Miller, 40, and Devin Steiner, 39, of Navarre, previously pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol. Police crash: A police chase Thursday morning involving Maple Heights officers led to a three-car crash that sent the drivers to the hospital, reports Olivia Mitchell. The pursuit began in the morning hours when an officer attempted to pull over a gray Jeep Cherokee near Broadway Avenue and Libby Road. |
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Disney World: The Magic Kingdom’s newest roller coaster, Tron Lightcycle/Run, is a high-speed thriller, the fastest in any Disney park. But Susan Glaser reports the best is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which debuted last year at Epcot, a high-energy romp with a killer soundtrack. Both elevate the thrills throughout Walt Disney World, which continues to compete with cross-town rival Universal Orlando for the hearts and minds (and dollars) of millions of theme-park visitors annually. More Disney: Andy’s backyard just got a lot tastier with the addition of Roundup Rodeo BBQ, a new sit-down restaurant added to Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Susan Glaser reports on new attractions. Things to do: Northeast Ohio has activities to keep everyone busy this weekend, from John Mayer’s acoustic tour to the 47th annual Cleveland International Film Festival. Paris Wolfe has 23 ideas. |
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Cleveland man fatally shot outside of his apartment on the city’s West Side Read more Police investigating whether child abuse was involved in death of 5-year-old Cleveland girl Read more Man who pleaded guilty to 2021 slaying in downtown Elyria gets life in prison Read more Woman fights off robbers during attempted vehicle theft in Berea Read more Registration for Solon Safety Town begins April 1; program slated for June Read more Free gender-affirming hormone therapy injection kits coming to Summa Health thanks to grant Read more Solon mayor: Plan for former Liberty Ford site could ‘transform the community’ Read more |
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