Here are your morning headlines for Wednesday, February 16:
- Jon Fuime named Akron Art Museum executive director
- Cedar Fair rejects SeaWorld takeover
- Bill would extend vouchers to all Ohio schoolchildren
- Ohio native P.J. O’Rourke dies
- Ohio Redistricting Commission set to meet Wednesday
- DeWine resuming State of the State as he vies for reelection
Jon Fuime named Akron Art Museum executive director
(WKSU) -- After nearly two years as interim director, the board of the Akron Art Museum has named Jon Fiume to the permanent post. Fiume will become the new John S. Knight Director and CEO as the museum enters its centennial year. Fiume, a long-time board member, took the reins in 2020 after former director Mark Masuoka resigned over allegations that he created a hostile work environment. The museum says it will also launch a Community Advisory Council to improve relationships with the community.
Cedar Fair rejects SeaWorld takeover
(WKSU) -- The parent company of Cedar Point has rejected a takeover bid from SeaWorld. In a statement, SeaWorld Entertainment said it does not “see a path to a transaction” with Cedar Fair. SeaWorld submitted an unsolicited bid about two weeks, ago, reportedly at $3.4 billion. Cedar Fair owns 11 amusement parks, including Cedar Point and Kings Island in Ohio. In 2019, Cedar Fair turned down a similar offer from competitor Six Flags. In the two weeks since the SeaWorld offer was made public, Cedar Fair stock has increased more than 20%.
Bill would extend vouchers to all Ohio schoolchildren
(AP) — A new bill that would expand educational vouchers to allow K-12 public students in Ohio to attend private schools with state dollars had its first hearing in the Ohio House Finance committee Tuesday. Ohio's voucher program is currently targeted toward children enrolled in underperforming schools. The Republican-sponsored bill would allow any child to use vouchers to cover part of the cost of private school tuition or other educational opportunities, such as tutoring. Democrats say the proposal amounts to defunding already challenged public schools.
Ohio native P.J. O’Rourke dies
(WKSU) -- Writer P.J. O'Rourke has passed away at age 74. The Toledo native attended Miami University and began his career as a journalist for National Lampoon and Rolling Stone magazine. He wrote more than twenty books about a range of topics, from politics to cars. O'Rourke later moved into a role as a conservative and libertarian commentator in print and on television. And he's well-known to NPR listeners as a frequent panelist on “Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me!”
Ohio Redistricting Commission set to meet Wednesday
(Statehouse News Bureau) -- House Speaker Bob Cupp says he believes the Ohio Redistricting Commission will meet on Wednesday afternoon, leaving one day to spare before the court-ordered deadline to redraw state legislative maps. The commission has been ordered by the Ohio Supreme Court to adopt new state House and Senate district maps that comply with the constitution by Thursday at midnight. The court ruled the previous plans to be invalid, saying the maps did not follow the anti-gerrymandering requirements put in the constitution by voters in 2015. Cupp said he did not know whether Republicans plan to introduce a new set of district maps.
DeWine resuming State of the State as he vies for reelection
(AP) — Gov. Mike DeWine is resuming his annual State of the State address after a two-year hiatus as he heads into a reelection year. DeWine’s speech is set for March 23 in the Ohio House chamber. DeWine delivered his first and only State of the State address in 2019. His next two were called off because of the pandemic. DeWine faces both primary and general election competition this year.
