Here are your morning headlines for Friday, April 20:
- Students mark 19 years since Columbine with walkouts supporting gun control
- University Hospitals accused of stalling settlement after fertility center disaster;
- After blaze, the fate of an Akron church remains unclear;
- Ivanka Trump and U.S. treasurer to promote tax plan in Rocky River;
- Case and Cleveland Museum of Art plan new development in University Circle;
- Greyhound investigating how a bus en route to New York ended up in Toledo;
- Texas Sen. Cruz endorses Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor for Ohio governor;
- Mahoning County sells former health clinic for $37,000;
- Vintage fun will continue after all with Sweeties Big Fun;
Students mark 19 years since Columbine with walkouts supporting gun control
Ohio students are once again preparing to walkout of their classrooms in support of stricter gun laws. The Friday walkouts, protests and marches will mark the 19th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting, where 13 people were killed. Students at Mentor High School plan to march after school to Republican Congressman David Joyce’s office to ask for what they’re calling common sense gun laws, like universal background checks and magazine restrictions.
University Hospitals accused of stalling settlement after fertility center disaster
Attorneys for families affected by a fertility center disaster last month are accusing University Hospitals of stalling the legal settlement process. An equipment malfunction destroyed more than 4,000 eggs and embryos. The hospital publicly took responsibility and its CEO issued a video apology on social media. But WKYC reports attorneys behind the scenes say hospital lawyers have put up “roadblocks and stonewalls.” A firm representing about 80 clients has filed a motion for a default judgement against UH.
After blaze, the fate of an Akron church remains unclear
There’s no word yet on what will be the fate of a historic church in Akron heavily damaged by fire that broke out late Wednesday night and burned for hours Thursday. The former St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is owned by the University of Akron and has been empty since 2006. Dana Noel, president of Progress Through Preservation of Greater Akron tells the Beacon Journal “it’s really a shock to see what happened.” The oldest parts of the building date back to 1885. UA executive Nathan Mortimer tells the Beacon Journal there was significant damage.
Ivanka Trump and U.S. treasurer to promote tax plan in Rocky River
President Donald Trump’s daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump will join U.S. Treasurer Jovita Carranza at an appearance Friday in Northeast Ohio. Cleveland.com reports Trump and Carranza will appear at a roundtable in Rocky River promoting the president’s tax plan. The invitation-only event also includes U.S. Sen. Rob Portman and Rep. Jim Renacci. The president’s daughter and Carranza have been touting the tax overhaul’s effect on small businesses at similar town hall-style forums since the plan was passed in December.
Case and Cleveland Museum of Art plan new development in University Circle
Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Museum of Art have plans to redevelop one of the last remaining parcels of available space in University Circle. Cleveland.com reports the two want to tear down a former Cleveland Institute of Art building they bought together five years ago. The plan is to create a temporary park on the four-acre site and eventually redevelop the land. Both steps are expected to be reviewed Friday by the city’s planning commission. Possible uses include a high-rise apartment building and a new facility for CWRU and CMA’s joint program in art history.
Greyhound investigating how a bus en route to New York ended up in Toledo
Greyhound says it is investigating how a bus that should have been going from Cleveland to New York somehow ended up in Toledo. WEWS reports the bus left Cleveland several hours late Thursday and was headed east through Pennsylvania when it started to experience problems. The company says the driver was instructed to head back to Cleveland and get a new bus, but instead kept driving to Toledo. The driver then turned around and went back to Cleveland. Passenger Morgan Staley says they spent about seven hours "just going in a circle." The company says passengers interested in a refund can contact customer service.
Texas Sen. Cruz endorses Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor for Ohio governor
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is endorsing Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor in her gubernatorial contest with Attorney General Mike DeWine. Cruz calls Taylor a “conservative of conviction." Meanwhile, DeWine's campaign is labeling Taylor a "phony conservative" in a $1 million television ad buy. Taylor is working with Republican consulting firm Axiom Strategies, which has ties to Cruz. Taylor says Cruz overcame "very long odds" similar to her own in his 2012 upset Senate victory against what she calls an "establishment-baked" candidate.
Mahoning County sells former health clinic for $37,000
The sale of a former health clinic in Youngstown has fetched nearly $40,000 for Mahoning County. The clinic on Market Street was operated by William Palosk, 75i. He was convicted last year of overprescribing pain and anxiety drugs. County commissioners approved the sale of the clinic at their meeting on Thursday. The Vindicator reports it’s not yet clear how the county will use proceeds from the sale. County officials say they’re considering giving the money to the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force, the agency that raided the clinic in 2015.
Vintage fun will continue after all with Sweeties Big Fun
A Cleveland Heights toy and novelty store that announced its closure in January has a lifeline. Big Fun in historic Coventry Village plans to merge with Sweeties Candies in a new venture called Sweeties Big Fun. The new storefront will be located at Pinecrest, an upscale development set to open this summer.
