Here are your morning headlines for Wednesday, May 9:
- Voters choose Renacci, DeWine and Cordray for November contests;
- Discovery Tours lawyers say insurance may cover refunds;
- Former Niles mayor convicted of corruption, gambling;
- Accused killer who pleaded insanity now fit to stand trial, doctors say;
- Browns promote longtime executive to chief operating officer;
Voters choose Renacci, DeWine and Cordray for November contests
Primary voters on Tuesday picked President Donald Trump-backed congressman Jim Renacci to be the GOP nominee against second-term Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown. Voters also set up a rematch between Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine and Democrat Richard Cordray, who was unseated as attorney general by DeWine in 2010, in a race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. John Kasich. Voters also approved Issue 1, a bipartisan measure to change the way Ohio draws its Congressional maps, to take effect after the 2020 census. For detailed election coverage, click here.
Former Niles mayor convicted of corruption, gambling
The longtime former mayor of Niles accused of running an illegal gambling house has been convicted of corruption and gambling charges. On Monday, Trumbull County jurors found former Niles Mayor Ralph Infante guilty of multiple charges that include tampering with records, theft in office, gambling and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. The Ohio Attorney General's Office has said Infante received nearly $200,000 in unreported cash, income and gifts and ran an illegal gambling house in Girard. Infante was Niles mayor 24 years before losing in the 2015 Democratic primary. Infante's wife has pleaded no contest to filing false income tax records and falsification.
Discovery Tours lawyers say insurance could cover refunds
Lawyers for the family that ran a now-defunct school travel company say insurance may cover some of the refunds owed to students’ families. Mayfield-based Discovery Tours had contracts with school districts across the state when it abruptly closed last week. Cleveland.com reports the company could be short as much as $2.5 million. Discovery filed for bankruptcy this week after leaving several local districts – including Hudson, Perry and Twinsburg – scrambling to reschedule planned school trips.
Accused killer who pleaded insanity now fit to stand trial, doctors say
Doctors say a northeast Ohio man accused of fatally stabbing his 76-year-old mother is now competent to stand trial. Michael Gleisinger, 49, has been held at a mental health facility since a ruling last year that he was incompetent for trial but "restorable" with treatment. The Beacon Journal reports his attorney asked for time Tuesday to review the facility's competency report. The judge agreed and set a status hearing for May 29. Police say Gleisinger stabbed his mother, Nancy Gleisinger, in the chest and abdomen at their Akron home last May. He has been charged with murder and assault. He previously pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
Browns promote longtime executive to chief operating officer
There’s been a change in the Browns front office. Longtime Browns executive David Jenkins has been named the team's chief operating officer. Jenkins is entering his 15th season with the franchise, staying with Cleveland despite numerous front-office overhauls. Owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam cited Jenkins' "performance and leadership" in placing him in charge of the team's business operations. Jenkins has spent the past three seasons as the team's executive vice president and the past five as its chief financial officer. The Browns are exploring the possibility of a major redevelopment at their downtown stadium. The long-term plans could include an extensive remodeling of FirstEnergy Stadium or a new facility. Jenkins will oversee operations including financial management, revenue generation, stadium operations, legal, information technology, business analytics and administration.
