Here are your morning headlines for Friday, March 4:
- Legislation seeks removal of Russian assets from state funds
- Bill would restore pension benefits to 20K Delphi retirees
- Cuyahoga County increasing pay for poll workers
- Delivery robots with Russian ties pulled from Ohio State
- Davis-Besse to remain under oversight
- Gas prices spike
Legislation seeks removal of Russian assets from state funds
(AP) — An Ohio lawmaker has introduced a bill requiring the state's five public employee pension funds to divest themselves of Russian assets and banning state and local governments from contracting with Russian companies. The bill introduced Thursday by Sen. Niraj Antani, a suburban Dayton Republican, comes the same day as an executive order from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine that immediately lays out similar requirements for state entities. Both efforts are aimed at punishing Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Antani says Ohioans must support the worldwide effort to combat Russian aggression. His bill contains an emergency clause meaning it would take effect immediately if signed into law.
Bill would restore pension benefits to 20K Delphi retirees
(AP) — Ohio’s U.S. senators have introduced new legislation that would restore the terminated pensions of more than 20,000 salaried retirees of Delphi, the bankrupted former auto parts supplier. The move followed a U.S. Supreme Court decision in January declining to take up the retirees’ final legal appeal. Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman and Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown are carrying the legislation. A companion in the House has similar bipartisan support. The legislation directs the U.S. Treasury to make up the difference between sharply reduced pension benefits provided by the U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. and what retirees were originally promised.
Cuyahoga County increasing pay for poll workers
(WKSU) -- The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections is bumping the pay for poll workers for this year’s elections. The board said on Thursday it will increase the stipend from $173 to $250 in the recruitment effort. The board is seeking nearly 4,000 poll workers for the May 3 primary.
Delivery robots with Russian ties pulled from Ohio State
(AP) -- Ohio State University is one of two U.S. campuses losing their food-delivery robots for now because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Grubhub said Thursday that it is ending its partnership with Russian tech company Yandex and pulling 100 Yandex-made food-delivery robots from OSU and the University of Arizona. Grubhub had been using the robots to deliver food on campus at Ohio State since August. It said it is working with both campuses to find alternatives.
Davis-Besse to remain under oversight
(WKSU) -- Federal regulators say the Davis-Besse nuclear plant near Toledo will remain under increased oversight after inspectors found problems with a non-critical diesel generator. In a statement Thursday, The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said plant operator Energy Harbor failed to repair the generator in a reasonable time following an inspection.
Gas prices spike
(WKSU) -- Northeast Ohio drivers are facing higher prices at the pump. The price of gasoline in the Akron area has jumped by around 40 cents in the past week, with many stations charging around $3.70 per gallon. The war in Ukraine and global sanctions against Russia have roiled oil markets.
