Here are your morning headlines for Tuesday, April 5:
- Woman abducted at RTA bus stop found safe, police still investigating
- Early primary voting begins today, state legislature races left off the ballot
- Mother found guilty in "Geauga's Child" murder case
- 2022 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winners announced
- Cavs head coach fined for public criticism of officiating
- Weather: warmer day, showers possible late
Woman abducted at RTA bus stop found safe, police still investigating
(WKYC-TV) — The woman who was allegedly assaulted and abducted at a bus stop on Cleveland’s West Side on Sunday has been found. A spokesperson for the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority said she is safe. He provided no further details. He said RTA police are still investigating. Cleveland Police arrested two men in connection with the assault. Police said the suspects, David McCord and Sean Simpkins, were in possession of weapons and drugs at the time of their arrest.
Early primary voting begins today, state legislature races left off the ballot
(Ideastream Public Media) — Early voting begins today for Ohio's May 3rd primary. Statewide and congressional races are on the ballot, but state legislative races are not because of the ongoing dispute over new district maps for the Ohio House and Senate. In Cuyahoga and Summit counties, voters will also see several school levies and zoning issues, including a 2.8 mil bond issue in North Olmsted for a new elementary school building and a proposal to allow the grocery store Aldi's to sell alcohol on Sundays in Akron. The Summit County Board of Elections opens today at 8 for early, in-person voting. The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections opens at 8:30. Elections officials begin mailing out vote-by-mail ballots today.
Mother found guilty in "Geauga's Child" murder case
(WJW-TV) — A jury has convicted a woman of murder in the “Geauga’s Child” cold case. Gail Ritchey of Euclid was found guilty of murder for leaving her infant son in the woods in Geauga County in 1993. She was acquitted of aggravated murder. Her attorney challenged a coroner’s conclusion that the baby was born alive. He said he was “frankly shocked and surprised” by the verdict. A sentencing date has not been set.
2022 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winners announced
(Ideastream Public Media) — A novel based on the true story of Emmett Till’s 1955 lynching and a book of poems about childhood trauma and the end of a marriage are among this year’s winners of the 2022 Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. Percival Everett’s novel, “The Trees” is the winner in the fiction category. Donika Kelly’s second collection of poems, “The Renunciations,” is the winner in the poetry category. Other honorees include Tiya Miles’ “All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake” (Non-Fiction); George Makari’s “Of Fear and Strangers: A History of Xenophobia” (Non-Fiction); and poet, novelist, playwright, musician, and essayist Ishmael Reed (Lifetime Achievement).
Cavs head coach fined for public criticism of officiating
(AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been fined $15,000 by the NBA for his criticism of the officials in Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Bickerstaff complained that the officials were inconsistent in their calls, sending the 76ers to the foul line 42 times compared to 31 for the Cavs. He was also upset that a foul wasn’t called on Sixers star Joel Embiid in the closing seconds of the game. Cavs guard Darius Garland was bumped on a layup with the Cavs down by a point. The NBA agreed with Bickerstaff and said Embiid should have been called for a foul.
Weather: warmer day, showers possible late
(National Weather Service) — Partly sunny today, high of 60 degrees in Cleveland, 64 in Akron. Tonight, a 50 percent chance of scattered showers, low 48. Tomorrow, cloudy, with more rain by the late afternoon. Highs in the low 60s.
