Here are your morning headlines for Wednesday, March 28:
- University Hospitals reveals fertility clinic tanks experienced problems weeks before malfunctioning;
- Akron schools faces second suit over fake "scared straight" officer;
- Cuyahoga Children and Family Services under investigation;
- Korean War veteran from Ohio posthumously identified;
- Federal judge institutes "bias-free" policy for Cleveland police;
- Uniontown police chief steps down;
- Bath homeowners worry Crystal Clinic will hurt property values;
- LeBron closes in on Michael Jordan streak as Cavs lose to Miami Heat;
University Hospitals reveals fertility clinic tanks experienced problems weeks before malfunctioning
A Cleveland fertility clinic said it had been experiencing problems with a storage tank for several weeks before it malfunctioned last month and ruined more than 4,000 eggs and embryos. University Hospitals said the problem forced the clinic's staff to manually fill liquid nitrogen into the tank to keep the embryos frozen. UH also said an alarm system was turned off on a storage tank that should have alerted staff to changes in the temperature on March 4. UH CEO Tom Zenty issued an apology Tuesday via Facebook. Zenty said it's unlikely any of the 4,000 eggs and embryos are viable. Nearly two dozen lawsuits have been filed against University Hospitals.
Akron schools faces second suit over fake "scared straight" officer
A second lawsuit has been filed against Akron Public Schools for allowing access to a police-impersonator who used fake "scared straight" tactics to assault students. The suit seeks $25 million, a million dollars more than a previous suit filed earlier this week by the parent of a separate student. Christopher Hendon was sentenced to nearly six years in prison this month after pleading guilty to charges of impersonating an officer, kidnapping and abduction. Officials say in the spring of 2017 he took children in handcuffs to local jails as part of a fake "scared straight program." Akron Public Schools has declined to comment on the lawsuits.
Cuyahoga Children and Family Services under investigation
An independent panel will review Cuyahoga County's actions following the death of four-year-old Aniya Day-Garett. Cleveland.com reports County Executive Armond Budish appointed the panel to see if policies and practices at the Department of Children and Family Services policies were followed. Day-Garett died March 11 of a stroke triggered by what investigators say was blunt force trauma. She was emaciated and had scarring on her head. She had been in the care of her mother Sierra Day and her boyfriend Donte Lewis. Both are charged with aggravated murder. Children and Family Services had investigated three reports of child abuse against the young girl in 2017, but the agency did not find cause to remove her from her mother's care. The girl’s father led a protest on March 19th calling for an investigation into the agency.
Korean War veteran from Ohio posthumously identified
A U.S. soldier from northeast Ohio who was killed in the Korean War has been identified after 68 years and will be buried with full military honors. Cleveland.com reports the remains of Army Sgt. First Class Peter Simon are being returned for burial Saturday in a Northfield. Simon’s niece Dolores Soltesz said the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) notified her earlier this year that Simon's remains had been identified. The agency said he was killed in action Sept. 5, 1950. His remains were found the next year but remained unidentified until this January. Simon's mother had previously provided officials with a DNA sample for identification purposes.
Federal judge institutes "bias-free" policy for Cleveland police
Cleveland police officers must adhere to a new "bias-free" policing policy approved by a federal judge. The new policy demands that officers patrol without bias and treat people with respect. It said officers must make decisions based on reasonable suspicion and probable cause, and without discrimination. The union representing Cleveland police has long denied any racial profiling. The policy is the latest reform under a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice that the city agreed to in 2015. The agreement was designed to end what federal officials say was a pattern of unconstitutional policing.
Uniontown police chief steps down
The head of the Uniontown police department is stepping down. The Repository reports police Chief Harold Britt made the surprise announcement Monday night at the trustees meeting. He said after seven years it’s time to take a break. Britt hasn’t ruled out continuing work in law enforcement but without the pressure of the chief’s job. The announcement came as Uniontown police sergeant Dave White finalized his own retirement. He was shot four times last July during a domestic violence call.
Bath homeowners worry Crystal Clinic will hurt property values
Homeowners in Bath are concerned that a new hospital being built in the upscale neighborhood could hurt property values. The Beacon Journal reports that residents near the planned Crystal Clinic hospital are banding together to fight the project. Neighbors say the six-story, $100 million orthopedic hospital does not fit “the character” of the neighborhood near Fairlawn’s Embassy Parkway. The planned 60-bed facility adjacent to interstate-77 is near existing office and medical buildings. The hospital needs final approval from Fairlawn officials. The hospital will employ 500 workers and is set to open in mid-2020.
LeBron closes in on Michael Jordan streak as Cavs lose to Miami Heat
It was a tough return for LeBron James to Miami last night as his Cavaliers lost to former teammate Dwayne Wade and the Heat 98-79. Wade blocked a pair of James' shots as the Miami defense suffocated the Cavs. The Heat held Cleveland to a season-low point total, a shocking number when considering the Cavs had scored 120 in each of their previous four games. James finished with 18 points for the Cavaliers, who were without Kevin Love in the second half because of what was initially diagnosed as a loose tooth and then changed to concussion-like symptoms. It was the 865th consecutive regular-season game in which James scored at least 10 points, putting him one shy of tying Michael Jordan for the longest streak in NBA history. James can tie the mark in Charlotte tonight against the Hornets, the team that Michael Jordan owns.
