Here are your morning headlines for Monday, January 10:
- COVID testing demand remains high
- Ohio Rep. Jordan rejects Jan. 6 panel request for interview
- Colleges implement COVID protocols
- Ceremonial swearing-in held for Cleveland mayor Justin Bibb
- Browns close season with 21-16 win over Burrow-less Bengals
COVID testing demand remains high
(WKSU, Beacon Journal) – COVID-19 testing remains in high demand amid the omicron surge. The Beacon Journal reports hundreds of cars lined up in Akron Saturday to get COVID-19 home test kits. The county had about 3,400 to distribute. As of Monday morning, there are lots of open appointments at both the Akron mass testing site at Summa Health’s campus and at the W.O. Walker building in Cleveland's University Circle neighborhood. Ohio reported around 19,000 COVID-19 cases on Sunday and another nearly 100 new hospitalizations. Currently, there are 6,541 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Ohio, which is down slightly from Friday’s all-time high. There are just over 1,300 people in ICUs, a number that has remained steady over the last week. Just over 60% of Ohio’s population has started a COVID-19 vaccine.
Ohio Rep. Jordan rejects Jan. 6 panel request for interview
(AP) — Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, one of former President Donald Trump’s closest allies in Congress, has rejected a request for an interview by the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. In a combative letter Sunday to committee chairman Bennie Thompson, Jordan says, “The American people are tired of Democrats’ nonstop investigations and partisan witch hunts.” Thompson told Jordan in a letter last month that the panel wants him to provide information surrounding his communications with Trump on Jan. 6 and Trump’s efforts to challenge the result of the 2020 election.
Colleges implement COVID protocols
(Ideastream Public Media) -- Northeast Ohio college students are returning to campus for the start of the spring semester with COVID protocols in place. Classes begin today at The University of Akron, which is under a mask and vaccine mandate for all students, faculty, and staff on campus. The university will continue its surveillance testing for students and staff who have been exposed to COVID. Case Western Reserve University undergraduate students are taking classes remotely until at least January 24th. Most of the students will be required to take a weekly COVID test during their first three weeks on campus. The campus mandates all students be vaccinated, including their booster shot. Meanwhile, Kent State University begins the spring semester on January 18th. All students who live on campus must take an at-home test before returning to school. There is also a mask and vaccine mandate, however, booster shots are not required.
Ceremonial swearing-in held for Cleveland mayor Justin Bibb
(Ideastream Public Media) -- Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb spoke to family, staff, and supporters in a ceremonial swearing-in at Cleveland Music Hall on Saturday. Bibb pledged to carry out his new job with urgency and with the involvement of the many neighbors he met during last year’s campaign. The new mayor said that he understood many residents’ fears of violent crime. Bibb said he would work to increase police pay and deliver the equipment officers need. He said those efforts would go hand-in-hand with increased police accountability.
Browns close season with 21-16 win over Bengals
(WKSU, Cleveland.com) — The Cleveland Browns ended their dismal season with a 21-16 win over the playoff-bound Cincinnati Bengals. Case Keenum got his second win filling in for Baker Mayfield, while the Bengals played backups in preparation for the playoffs. Mayfield on Friday had his exit meeting with coach Kevin Stefanski to discuss a season that didn’t go their way and how to improve moving forward. Stefanski declined to say if he told Mayfield he’s his starter for 2022, but sources told cleveland.com that’s the plan. Cleveland finished the season 8-9.
