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After speculation that it would drop its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, The University of Akron is keeping it in place but with relaxed requirements; a Holmes County missionary group is calling for a day of prayer in support of 17 members who were abducted by a Haitian gang 12 days ago; an Akron man convicted of setting fires that killed nine of his neighbors has been sentenced to nine consecutive life terms in prison without parole; and more stories.

The Ohio Health Department has issued new guidelines for what to do if a student comes in contact with someone who’s tested positive for COVID; Ohio’s top lawyer has filed suit against the Biden administration over a rule allowing family planning clinics that provide abortion referrals to receive federal funds; a city council in a Cincinnati suburb has voted to ban abortion; and more stories.

A new federal study shows the COVID vaccines have been extremely successful at preventing hospitalizations and deaths among Ohio seniors; nurses at Columbus City Schools have declared a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the rate of new coronavirus cases in Ohio continues to show signs of slowing; and more stories.

Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to trend upward in Ohio; Wadsworth schools is implementing a temporary mask mandate after 74 students tested positive for COVID-19; a new management team will take over operations at Cleveland's I-X Center; and more stories.

An effort to legalize marijuana use and sales in Ohio has cleared another hurdle on the path to getting the proposal submitted to the Legislature; The Sandusky City School District has announced middle and high school students are staying home for remote learning this week due to four staffers testing positive for COVID-19; the family of a COVID-19 patient in Cincinnati is among a handful nationwide to have won court orders to use a livestock medicine to treat their loved ones; and more stories.

COVID cases among children are increasing in Ohio; several Northeast Ohio school districts are closing or sending kids home early today due to extreme heat; House Republicans resume debate today on a bill that would prohibit public and private employers from requiring vaccinations or punishing workers who don't receive them; and more stories.

The city of Akron has chosen a military veteran with decades of law enforcement experience to be the city’s next police chief; after slowing to a trickle, the number of new coronavirus cases in Ohio appears to be on the rise; a central Ohio hospital system says it will require all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19; and more stories.

Gov. Mike DeWine unveiled a two-year state spending budget with a $1 billion initiative to help bring the state back from the economic downfall of the pandemic; Ohio's largest electric utility has agreed in a settlement to forgo collection of a guaranteed profit subsidy provision in a now-tainted energy bill; Ohio’s daily tally of new coronavirus cases continues to trend downward; and more stories.

Some school districts in Ohio will begin vaccinating teachers and staff Monday; Ohio’s daily COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to remain below three-week averages; Sen. Rob Portman is among 10 Senate Republicans calling on President Biden to work on a bipartisan coronavirus relief bill; and more stories.

A U.S. Army soldier from Stow has been arrested in Georgia on terrorism charges; the state is vaccinating people over 80 as part of the next phase of the immunization rollout; Gov. Mike DeWine says nearly all schools have told the state they plan to return to in-person learning in some form March 1; and more stories.