Here are your morning headlines for Thursday, September 7:
- The return of the Q deal
- Summit County Executive sends condolences to family of Akron man who died in jail altercation
- Stark, Mahoning Counties get state grant to fight opioid addiction
- University of Akron has a renovated law school
- Sheriff's deputy shot photographer without warning
- Gov. Kasich returns to TV to condemn Trump decision on DACA
- Ohio sees this year's first death from West Nile virus
- Bipartisan effort to bring affordable high-speed internet to rural Ohio in the works
- Southeast Ohio college volunteers to test cannabis for the state
- Akron Fire Department gets funding to purchase smoke alarms
The return of the Q deal
The Cavaliers are reviving a $140 million renovation of Quicken Loans Arena just over a week after the project was scrapped. The team's announcement says it'll also extend its lease at the facility for seven extra years, until 2034. The Cavs had hoped to upgrade the 22-year-old downtown arena with more dining spaces and a glass exterior but faced opposition from community groups objecting to the use of taxpayer money. The team canceled the renovation after a referendum petition threatened to delay the project. But the petition was withdrawn after county officials promised to commit to mental health and substance abuse clinics. The Cavs again say they’ll fund half the project. The other $70 million will come from public funding.
Summit County Executive sends condolences to family of Akron man who died in jail altercation
Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro has expressed condolences for the family and friends of a county jail inmate who died this week after an altercation with deputies within the facility. In a brief statement, Shapiro said the death of Anthony Jones, 36, is “incredibly difficult,” regardless of the circumstances. Shapiro also called for those involved to let the investigation continue “without interference.” The Stark County Sheriff’s office is conducting an independent investigation into the incident and the official cause of Jones’ death. The medical examiner said he suffered cardiac arrest.
Stark, Mahoning Counties gets state grant to fight opioid addiction
The Stark County Sheriff’s Office has received a state grant to fight opioid addiction. The 125 thousand dollar grant will help fund so-called “quick response teams” that connect law enforcement with treatment professionals. Some of the money will also go toward technology upgrades to track people who overdose and collect data on where the drugs are coming from. The grant is part of $3 million in state grants given to 40 law enforcement agencies. Stark County was one of six Ohio agencies, along with the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office, to get the maximum grant amount.
University of Akron has a renovated law school
The renovation of the University of Akron’s law school is complete. The spruced up C. Blake McDowell Law Center now features courtrooms where students can observe actual hearings. The courtroom is part of a more than 12-thousand foot addition that replaces the old West Hall. The 21 million dollar, two-year project was funded through a tuition increase, state funds, and donations.
Sheriff's deputy shot photographer without warning
A sheriff's deputy who mistook a news photographer's camera for a gun shot the photographer without any warning, according to video footage released Wednesday. Clark County Deputy Jake Shaw was sitting in his cruiser waiting for information on a vehicle he had pulled over, then opened his cruiser door and fired two shots a second later Monday night, according to footage from Shaw's body camera. Shaw realized his mistake immediately as he rushed to the aid of the photographer, Andy Grimm, whom he knew. Grimm of New Carlisle News near Dayton was on his way to photograph a lightning storm when he saw the traffic stop and decided to take a picture. He’s expected to be OK.
Gov. Kasich returns to TV to condemn Trump decision on DACA
Gov. John Kasich on Wednesday blasted President Donald Trump's decision to begin dismantling the Obama-era DACA program protecting young immigrants brought into the country illegally. On "CBS This Morning," Gov. John Kasich said "putting kids, young people who are contributors in jeopardy" isn't the American way. He also invited Dreamers to come to Ohio. Ohio's estimated 4,400 Dreamers contribute about $250 million to the state's gross domestic product.
Ohio sees this year's first death from West Nile virus
The state has reported Ohio's first death from the West Nile virus this year. The victim was a 74-year-old man from northwest Ohio's Defiance County. The agency says 10 human cases of the virus have been reported statewide this year. Ohio had 17 West Nile virus cases in 2016 including four deaths.
Bipartisan effort to bring affordable high-speed internet to rural Ohio in the works
Republican and Democratic state lawmakers are working together to find a cheaper way to bring high-speed internet to rural parts of Ohio. The idea is for the state to make grant money available to pay for the expensive process of laying down the groundwork for broadband internet. Democratic Senator Joe Schiavoni says high-speed internet can be expensive if the ratepayer also has to cover the cost of the infrastructure, which costs an average of about $26,000 a mile. Bills in the House and Senate would create $50 million in grants to businesses, non-profits and local governments to bring internet to 14,000 households. The money would come from Ohio’s Third Frontier Commission.
Southeast Ohio college volunteers to test cannabis for the state
Hocking College in southeast Ohio has stepped forward to volunteer to serve as the state’s medical marijuana testing laboratory. The school says it will use an endowment to buy the equipment necessary to do the work. The medical marijuana law requires an Ohio public university to test cannabis for potency and quality before it goes to dispensaries for sale. Colleges were hesitant to get involved because of federal laws regarding marijuana. The Hocking College deal still needs approval from the Ohio Department of Commerce.
Akron Fire Department gets funding to purchase smoke alarms
The Akron Fire Department is getting a more than $100,000 federal grant to get more smoke alarms in homes. The Federal Emergency Management Agency grant will allow the city to partner with the American Red Cross to install smoke alarms and provide home safety check information to residents.