Here are your morning headlines for Tuesday, October 24th:
- St. Thomas hospital reopens after basement fire;
- Democratic candidates for Ohio governor will hold two debates on same day;
- Tim Hortons comes to Northeast Ohio;
- Akron Police offer naloxone kits to friends, family of treated people;
- Suspect identified in killing of Girard officer;
- Violent offender database proposal includes only limited access to public;
- Akron considers how to reduce infant mortality among people of color;
- Ohio looks for more jail space;
- Officer drives woman to hospital after ambulance doesn't show up;
- Stark County utility worker dies while working on gas valve;
- TimkenSteel workers reject new contract;
St. Thomas hospital reopens after basement fire
Ten days after extensive smoke damage closed it, Summa Health’s St. Thomas in Akron is reopening. The hospital began providing outpatient services s again Monday and will resume inpatient services this morning. The building on N. Main Street had been closed since the fire broke out in the basement and the building was evacuated on Oct. 13. Summa said damage caused by smoke traveling up an elevator shaft and plumbing chase required the 10-day shutdown. While the cause remains under investigation, all the fire suppressions systems worked properly, Summa said. No one was hurt in the fire and about 100 patients were taken to other facilities, including Akron City, Western Reserve and Barberton hospitals. Most of those who remain hospitalized are expected to stay at those other hospitals until they’re released. The smoke damage also affected the Crystal Clinic. Summa said some odors may remain in some areas of the hospital that still require a more thorough cleaning.
Democratic candidates for Ohio governor will hold two debates on same day
The four Democrats competing for Ohio governor have agreed to a pair of debates this weekend. The Columbus Dispatch reports campaign managers originally hoped for one-on-one interviews with the candidates, with everyone answering the same questions. Party officials say the open, unscripted debate format will be more transparent. Each debate will last an hour, and both will be held in Columbus on Sunday.
Tim Hortons comes to Northeast Ohio
Popular Canadian fast food chain Tim Hortons is finally coming to Northeast Ohio. The company said it will open 105 locations beginning next year. Cleveland.com reports stores will likely be located in the region’s major cities including Cleveland, Akron, Canton and Youngstown, along with Sandusky and Ashtabula. The first location is expected to be open by May.
Akron Police offer naloxone kits to friends, family of treated people
Akron Police are now offering opioid overdose reversal kits to family members of people revived by its Quick Response Team. The team includes a police officer, a medic and a treatment counselor who visit homes of people who have recently overdosed to offer support and treatment options. Akron will be the first in Summit County to offer naloxone kits during their outreach efforts. It’s been just over a year since Akron Police started carrying naloxone in every cruiser.
Suspect identified in killing of Girard officer
A coroner has identified the Trumbull County man suspected of killing a policeman before he was fatally shot by another officer responding to a domestic disturbance at a home. The Vindicator newspaper reports the slain suspect was identified as Jason Marble, who lived at the home in Girard. Police say the slain Girard officer, 31-year-old Justin Leo, was shot on Saturday night as he and another officer approached the home and the suspect opened fire. The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the confrontation.
Violent offender database proposal includes only limited access to public
Ohio lawmakers looking at creating a statewide database of violent offenders now are considering making all of the information only available to law enforcement. A revised proposal calls for allowing the public to get a list of offenders only within their home county if they stop by their local sheriff's office. The family of a University of Toledo student who was killed over a year ago is pushing for a registry that tracks people convicted of violent crimes.
Akron considers how to reduce infant mortality among people of color
New statistics are prompting Akron City Council to work to reduce the city’s mortality rate for African-American babies. More than three out of four babies who died last year in Akron were black. Council heard from top city advisers and health officials at its meeting Monday. The Beacon Journal reports public services and education initiatives to decrease infant mortality aren’t reaching disadvantaged groups. An initiative called Full Term First Birthday Akron is hoping to look at biases inherent in health systems and help black women with prenatal care.
Ohio looks for more jail space
A jump in federal cases involving violent crimes and drug cases being prosecuted in Ohio has officials looking for more jail space. The U.S. marshal for the 48-counties that make up the Southern District of Ohio recently began sending defendants to the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio, a regional jail near Bryan. Many of those federal prisoners usually are held in the Franklin and Delaware County jails near Columbus.
Officer drives woman to hospital after ambulance doesn't show up
An East Liverpool police officer drove a barely breathing woman to a hospital because an ambulance crew said it was coming but didn't show up. The woman who had suffered a brain aneurysm died the next day at a Pittsburgh hospital. It's not clear if the delay impacted the woman's chances of survival. East Liverpool police say the 62-year-old woman was found slumped behind the wheel in her SUV on Saturday. Two ambulance services said they didn't have anyone available, and they waited several minutes for a third ambulance that said it was coming but then couldn't make it.
Stark County utility worker dies while working on gas valve
A utility worker was killed Monday morning while performing maintenance on a gas valve in Stark County. The county coroner said 60-year-old Wesley Johnson of Wooster died following an explosion at a meter station owned by Columbia Gas Transmission. A large gas leak in Bethlehem Township just south of Canton forced residents to evacuate the neighborhood. Investigators believe a cap on the end of a pipeline gave way, but the cause isn't known. Gas odors drifted more than four miles away after the explosion sent natural gas spewing from a valve. Most people were able to return to their homes within an hour.
TimkenSteel workers reject new contract
The more than 1,600 union steelworkers at TimkenSteel in Canton have rejected a tentative four-year contract. The Canton Repository reports that company and union officials are heading back to the negotiating table after Friday’s no vote. Workers will continue to work under the old contract which expired last month. The company said the rejected tentative agreement offered union members “annual wage increases and competitive health care and retirement benefits. Union officials could not say what led to the rejection and will survey membership for concerns. Meanwhile union employees are back at work at the HarbisonWalker plant in Portage County after a three week strike. The union of 82 workers in Windham agreed to a new three-year contract.
