Here are your morning headlines for Friday, July 30:
- Ohio’s COVID case rate climbs back above 50
- Ohio AG Yost joins push to overturn Roe v. Wade
- David-Besse plant undergoing special NRC inspection
- Judge rejects lawsuit to restore $300 unemployment payments
- Canton schools implement mask mandate
- Busy weekend of campaigning ahead of 11th District Congressional election
- Columbus sees early win in alternative 911 response teams
- Esports arena in the works near Ohio amusement park
- Cavaliers hang on to No. 3 pick, select versatile big Mobley
- Indians' Francona steps down for rest of season, surgeries
Ohio’s COVID case rate climbs back above 50
(WKSU, Statehouse News Bureau) -- For the first time since June, total COVID-19 cases have climbed above 50 per 100,000 residents. That was the threshold set in March by Gov. Mike DeWine to end the statewide mask mandate, which he did in May just before that mark was reached. The CDC has an interactive map showing where people should mask up based on COVID transmission rates. As of this morning, Lorain, Medina, and Ashland counties fall under that guidance, with “substantial” spread. While Summit County’s COVID-19 rate is considered “moderate,” county health officials say everyone should again wear masks indoors and in crowded outdoor settings. Just over 45% of Ohio’s population is fully vaccinated.
Ohio AG Yost joins push to overturn Roe v. Wade
(WKSU) – Ohio’s Dave Yost is among 24 attorneys general urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. That’s the Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks. In a legal brief, the attorneys general argue that the Supreme Court over the years hasn’t been able to explain the constitutional right to an abortion and that there is no consistent legal standard for determining when the right to an abortion is violated by a state law. In a statement, Yost said, “It's time to end this failed experiment in judicial law-making and return the matter to the States." NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio responded in a statement saying, “It’s not Dave Yost’s place to decide for someone else whether they should be able to get an abortion.” The high court will take up the case this fall.
David-Besse plant undergoing special NRC inspection
(WKSU) -- The Davis-Besse nuclear power plant near Toledo is undergoing a special inspection following a series of diesel generator failures and an automatic reactor shutdown. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says there have been four generator failures during testing and maintenance over the last two years, and a "complicated reactor trip” occurred earlier this month. The NRC says several pieces of equipment did not function as designed. It says the inspection report will be made public when it’s completed but did not give a timeline.
Judge rejects lawsuit to restore $300 unemployment payments
(WKSU) -- A Franklin County judge has rejected a lawsuit that aimed to restore $300 weekly checks that the federal government was providing to unemployed people through September. Ohio became one of 26 states that ended the program last month. Common Pleas Judge Michael J. Holbrook said that Gov. Mike DeWine had the power to cut the payments off before Labor Day. Former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann, who filed the lawsuit, says he plans to appeal the ruling. In a statement, DeWine said he was pleased with the decision, saying that “this policy helps both employers and workers.”
Canton schools implement mask mandate
(Canton Repository) -- Canton City Schools is joining the list of urban districts in the state requiring masks this fall. Canton Superintendent Jeffrey Talbert said everyone, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear masks beginning Monday based on CDC recommendations. Akron, Cleveland, and Columbus have all announced the same policy to begin the school year.
Busy weekend of campaigning ahead of 11th District Congressional election
(Beacon Journal) -- There’s a big get-out-the-vote push in this final weekend before the special election in Ohio’s 11th Congressional District. 2020 presidential candidate and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders will be in Akron and Cleveland to support Nina Turner’s campaign. Sanders will be at Beyond Expectations Barber College in Akron Friday evening and at the Summit County Board of Elections Early Vote Center Saturday morning. He’ll also appear at a rally at Cleveland’s Agora Theater Saturday. The other frontrunner, Shontel Brown, will be joined by U.S. House Majority Whip James Clyburn at an appearance this weekend and will hold a "Souls to the Polls" rally Sunday at Sanctuary Baptist Church. The special election to replace Marcia Fudge is Tuesday.
Columbus sees early win in alternative 911 response teams
(AP) — Columbus city officials say a six-week pilot program aimed at reimagining police response to 911 callers suffering from mental health and addiction issues in Columbus yielded promising results. Data collected over a span of 72 operation hours showed more than 60% of the calls received didn't require immediate police or fire dispatch. Nearly half of those calls were either fully resolved by the group of mental health professionals and dispatchers or were redirected to local community services. The program grouped a paramedic, public health clinician, and dispatcher together to review the best response to non-emergency 911 calls.
Esports arena in the works near Ohio amusement park
(AP) — Amusement park operator Cedar Fair Entertainment is planning to build a new 1,500-seat esports arena close to Cedar Point in Sandusky. The company hopes to begin construction later this year on the $28 million arena that will have 200 gaming stations and host tournaments year-round. Cedar Fair says it also could be used for concerts and other events. The company hopes to open the esports arena in the first half of 2023.
Cavaliers hang on to No. 3 pick, select versatile big Mobley
(AP) — The Cavaliers selected USC center Evan Mobley with the No. 3 overall pick in the NBA draft. Mobley is a 20-year-old two-way talent who is just tapping into his potential. Mobley should fit in well with young Cleveland guards Darius Garland and Collin Sexton and give the Cavs a solid foundation to build from. Shortly before the draft began, the Cavs agreed to acquire veteran point guard Ricky Rubio from Minnesota. Cleveland is sending small forward Taurean Prince, cash, and a second-round pick in 2022 for the 30-year-old Rubio.
Indians' Francona steps down for rest of season, surgeries
(AP) — Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona is stepping down for the remainder of this season to address some health issues. The 62-year-old Francona has been wearing a boot on his right foot all season after undergoing toe surgery for a staph infection in February. He’s also dealing with a hip problem, which will require surgery. This is the second year in a row Francona, a two-time World Series champion with the Boston Red Sox, has been sidelined due to his health. He managed just 14 games in 2020 due to a serious gastrointestinal issue that landed him in the Cleveland Clinic for weeks. Bench coach DeMarlo Hale will fill in while Francona is out.
