Here are your morning headlines for Friday, September 3:
- COVID cases, case rate continue to rise
- COVID patients are filling Ohio hospitals
- Man arrested after MSNBC reporter covering storm is accosted
- Ohio elections chief launches new idle voter purge process
- Spotted lanternfly found near Cleveland
- Cedar point to go cashless
- Former OSU QB to launch NIL business
COVID cases, case rate continue to rise
(WKSU) -- Coronavirus cases topped 7,000 again on Thursday, but there was no indication of a backlog, which contributed to Wednesday’s numbers above 7,000. Ohio’s case rate now stands at 472 per 100,000 people. The CDC considers levels of 100 or more cases per 100,000 to be a high incidence of COVID-19 spread. Six southeast Ohio counties had over 1,000 cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks.
Hospitals are filling with COVID patients
(Columbus Dispatch) -- Ohio officials say they’re concerned about the sharp rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations. The Ohio Hospital Association says that as of Wednesday one in eight patients is in the hospital with COVID-19, and one in every five people in the ICU is being treated for the virus. Also on Thursday, the CEO’s of Ohio’s six children’s hospitals signed a letter urging the public to take action to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among kids. Children under age 18 accounted for nearly 30% of new COVID-19 cases reported this week. The Columbus Dispatch reports at least 20 children were hospitalized at Nationwide Children’s Hospital earlier this week, and the facility expanded its ICU capacity in preparation.
Man arrested after MSNBC reporter covering storm is accosted
(AP) — Federal marshals have arrested a Wooster man accused of accosting an MSNBC journalist doing a live report by a Mississippi beach after Hurricane Ida. The U.S. Marshals Service says 54-year-old Benjamin Dagley was sought by police in Gulfport, Mississippi, for assault and the sheriff’s department in Cuyahoga County for a probation violation. MSNBC journalist Shaquille Brewster was reporting Monday in Gulfport when live video showed a man pulling over in a pickup truck and running toward Brewster and yelling.
Ohio elections chief launches new idle voter purge process
(AP) — Ohio's elections chief has launched an effort to purge inactive voters from state rolls. Frank LaRose directed Ohio's 88 county elections boards this week to begin the four-year process of identifying voters who have been inactive the past two years. The process also looks at a database identifying voters whose addresses may have changed and whose voter registration must be updated to reflect the move. Inactive voters can keep themselves on the rolls by voting in any election in the next four years, submitting an absentee ballot application, registering to vote, or taking other election-related steps.
Spotted lanternfly found near Cleveland
(Cleveland.com) — The Ohio Department of Agriculture warns that populations of the invasive insect the spotted lanternfly have been found at two sites east of Cleveland. Cleveland.com reports the insects could have a devastating effect for Ohio’s farmers. Spotted lanternflies are native to Asia and could feed on Ohio’s fruit crops, as well as hops and trees. The insects are red with black stripes and white dots. Officials say autumn is when they lay their eggs.
Cedar point to go cashless
(Cleveland.com) — Cedar Point plans to go cashless in 2022. Cleveland.com reports the amusement park will accept only credit and debit cards, along with Apple and Google Pay. There will be a cash-to-card kiosk for people to convert cash to prepaid debit cards. King's Island, which is owned by Cedar Point's parent company Cedar Fair, is already cashless.
Former OSU QB to launch NIL business
(Cleveland.com, ESPN) -- Former Ohio State University football quarterback Cardale Jones wants to help college athletes cash in on their NIL: Name, image, and likeness. Cleveland.com reports Jones is starting Ten Talents NIL to offer management, legal counsel, and marketing advice to athletes. The NCAA two months ago lifted a ban on athletes benefitting financially from their status. Jones led the Buckeyes to the 2014 national championship and says the ban prevented him from receiving numerous endorsement deals. ESPN has reported that Ohio State quarterback Quinn Ewers has signed a $1.4 million marketing deal.
