Here are your morning headlines for Thursday, February 17:
- Ohio Attorney General leads effort to dismiss opioid lawsuits filed by local governments
- Ohio House bill would target protestors with terrorism law
- Portman endorses Timken for U.S. Senate seat
- Playhouse Square puts its Cleveland luxury apartment building on the market
- NBA to honor iconic players during All-Star Game
- New USFL to hold championship game at Pro Football HOF
Ohio Attorney General leads effort to dismiss opioid lawsuits filed by local governments
(Cleveland.com) -- Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is leading an effort to get a federal judge to dismiss suits filed by hundreds of local governments including Cleveland and Cuyahoga County against a consulting firm that helped boost the sales of opioids. According to Cleveland.com, Yost along with Attorneys General from 10 other states are claiming in a legal brief that the local governments are trying to usurp the authority of states. The brief argues that the participation of so many local entities “turns a feasible if intricate negotiation... into an interminable quagmire.” A spokeswoman for Cuyahoga County declined to comment to Cleveland.com.
Ohio House bill would target protestors with terrorism law
(AP) -- The Ohio House has approved legislation targeting protesters with a provision normally used against terrorist activity. The legislation would allow police officers harmed during riots to sue individuals or organizations that provided material support or resources, such as lodging or transportation. The bill also increases penalties for rioting and creates the offenses of riot assault and riot vandalism. The American Civil Liberties Union calls the legislation an extreme attack on free speech. Also Wednesday, the House approved legislation prohibiting Ohio governments from stopping sales of guns or ammunition during a public emergency.
Portman endorses Timken for U.S. Senate seat
(AP) -- Sen. Rob Portman has endorsed Jane Timken in the crowded GOP field vying to succeed him this year. Portman tweeted yesterday that the former chair of the Ohio Republican Party “is the best candidate to advance conservative GOP policies to help Ohio workers and families.” He called Timken smart and hard-working. Portman is a moderate Republican in a state that strongly supported former President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020.
Playhouse Square puts its Cleveland luxury apartment building on the market
(Crains Cleveland Business) -- Playhouse Square is putting its new apartment high rise on the market. Crains Cleveland Business is reporting that the firm JLL Capital Markets is assisting in the sale with an anticipated value of $159 million. The building, known as the Lumen, was completed two years ago and includes 318 units. The building is about 90% leased. In 2020, the then-CEO of Playhouse Square said he did not expect the organization to hold onto the building for the long term.
NBA to honor iconic players during All-Star Game
(AP) -- Some of basketball’s most iconic players will be in attendance when the NBA honors its 75th-anniversary team during a special halftime ceremony at Sunday’s All-Star Game in Cleveland. Members of the diamond anniversary team will be inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse for the ceremony as the league pays tribute to its best players and the cornerstone moments since the NBA was founded. The official list of players has not yet been announced. In 1997, the league hosted the 50th-anniversary team during All-Star Weekend in Cleveland.
New USFL to hold championship game at Pro Football HOF
(Crains Cleveland Business) -- The Pro Football Hall of Fame is getting some more pro action this summer. Crains Cleveland Business reports the new United States Football League will hold its inaugural semifinal and championship game over two weekends beginning the last weekend of June. The league, which shares the same name as an NFL upstart from the 1980s will include eight teams in its first year.
