Here are your morning headlines for Tuesday, November 24:
- Ohio breaks another daily COVID-19 record
- DeWine warns of rising hospitalizations
- Cuyahoga Common Pleas Court trials paused until at least Jan. 19
- Lawmakers urge federal officials to continue Ohio National Guard’s pandemic response
- Sen. Portman says transition to Biden administration must begin
- Trump won 3.1M votes in Ohio, a new state record
- GAR Foundation awards $2.4M
- Invasive spotted lanternfly detected in Ohio
- Man leaves $3K tip for a beer as restaurant closes for virus
Ohio breaks another daily COVID-19 record
Ohio on Monday reported an unprecedented 11,885 new coronavirus cases. The jump is due in part to technical problems at several systems over the past two days whose results were lumped into Monday’s number. The number of new hospitalizations is also at unprecedented levels with more than 4,300 patients currently being treated, with more than 1,000 in intensive care. The city of Cleveland, meanwhile, confirmed 308 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, pushing the number of confirmed cases during the pandemic above 10,000.
DeWine warns of rising hospitalizations
Gov. Mike DeWine is warning of a large increase in the number of people hospitalized because of the coronavirus and raising the possibility that elective procedures could be postponed. Data shows there are more than 4,300 people currently in the hospital with COVID-19 related symptoms, including more than 570 on ventilators. Dr. Robert Wyllie is Chief of Medical Operations at the Cleveland Clinic. He says the growing numbers of hospitalizations is complicated by a shortage of nearly 1,000 Clinic health care workers, either because they have the coronavirus or they’re under quarantine.
Cuyahoga Common Pleas Court trials paused until at least Jan. 19
There will be no jury trials in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court until at least Jan. 19. A majority of the 34 judges voted on Monday to extend the delay amid the coronavirus surge. In the last week, 23 people who work in the county court system have tested positive for the virus. The court will remain open, with hearings being held by phone or video whenever possible.
Lawmakers urge federal officials to continue Ohio National Guard’s pandemic response
Ohio lawmakers are encouraging the federal government to restore and extend full funding for the Ohio National Guard’s COVID-19 response mission through March. Ohio Sens. Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown led a letter signed by Ohio’s congressional delegation that went to the director of FEMA, Office of Management and Budget and Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller. It urges those leaders to act on a request by Gov. Mike DeWine to retain the guard members who have maintained testing sites and distributed PPE. The letter says that without action, the Ohio National Guardsmen will end their missions on Dec 17.
Sen. Portman says transition to Biden administration must begin
Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman on Monday urged President Donald Trump to begin the transition process to the next administration. In an op-ed in the Cincinnati Enquirer, Portman stopped short of calling Joe Biden the president-elect, but did urge Trump to allow the General Services Administration to release official transition funds. Portman also said that Trump’s legal challenges should be quickly wrapped up so that the Electoral College can be seated by Dec. 8. Portman acknowledged that none of those legal challenges have led to a different election outcome.
Trump won 3.1M votes in Ohio, a new state record
President Donald Trump won more votes this year than any candidate in Ohio history, certified county results compiled by The Associated Press show the over 3.1 million votes cast for the Republican president in the Nov. 3 election exceeded the former record of 2,940,044 cast for Democrat Barack Obama in 2008. Trump again won the state by more than 8 percentage points. Trump grabbed about 53% of the state’s vote to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden’s 45%, according to combined totals counties finished up submitting Monday. Secretary of State Frank LaRose has set state certification for no later than Saturday.
GAR Foundation awards $2.4M
Akron’s GAR Foundation has awarded $2.4 million to nonprofit organizations this month. Recipients include the economic development collaborative Elevate Greater Akron with $445,000 and $435,000 to the Early Childhood Resource Center. The Ohio & Erie Canal Coalition is getting $300,000 for its work on Reimagining the Civic Commons.
Invasive spotted lanternfly detected in Ohio
The invasive spotted lanternfly has been detected in Ohio for the first time. A business owner along the Ohio River last month found a dead bug and contacted state officials after seeing posts about it online. Agriculture officials captured more live adults in trees nearby his business. The insect native to Asia is a big threat to the grape and wine industry as it feeds on grapevines and fruit trees as well as hardwoods such as oak and walnut. State officials say it likely hitched a ride on a rail car.
Man leaves $3K tip for a beer as restaurant closes for virus
A customer left a $3,000 tip for a single beer as a Cleveland restaurant voluntarily closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nighttown owner Brendan Ring says the man walked in on Sunday, ordered the beer and asked for the check, which came to $7.02. Ring says the man wished him well and told him to share the tip with the four employees who were working brunch service. Ring says as the man walked out, he looked down at the tip and “realized he left a whopping $3,000.” Ring wrote on Facebook that he ran after the man, who said it was not a mistake. The man told Ring he would see them when they reopened.
