Here are your morning headlines for Monday, May 28, 2018
Cavs make their fourth consecutive trip to the Finals
The Cavs are heading back to the NBA finals, after beating Boston in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, 87-79. LeBron James, who’s making his eight consecutive trip to the Finals, acknowledged it’s been an up-and-down season for Cleveland, saying in a way it’s been six seasons in one.
"It’s been a whirlwind. It’s been Cedar Point. ... It’s been a roller coaster. It’s been good, it’s been bad. It’s been roses, it’s been thorns in the roses. It’s been everything you could ask for. It’s been most challenging seasons I’ve had."
James played all 48 minutes, scoring 35 points. With Kevin Love out, former Celtic Jeff Green started and scored 19 points. James says, given Green's open-heart surgery a few years ago, his story is extraordinary.
“I don’t care if he made a shot, makes big plays like tonight. For him personally, this is all like just the cherry on top for him because the game was taken away from him. So to do be able to do what he did law game with Kevin’s injury and then to start tonight, it was big time.”
The Cavs win snapped the Celtics’ 10-game home-winning streak this post season.
Schuring may continue to lead the Ohio House
Stark County Republican Kirk Schuring may end up leading the Ohio House through the end of the year. The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that House Republican leadership is working on the plan to break an impasse over who will lead the House. Schuring has been speaker pro tempore since Cliff Rosenberger abruptly resigned last month amidst an FBI investigation into his trips and other high-end spending. The House has been unable to vote on bills since then because Republicans can’t settle on a new speaker. The plan outlined by the Dispatch says Schuring would remain pro tempore, but rules changes would allow the House to again vote on bills.
Memorial gardens spread
The solemn display of tens of thousands of U.S. flags that first appeared on Boston Commons for Memorial Day a decade ago is slowly becoming a national movement. The flag gardens honor those killed in military action. They’re seen this weekend in Ohio, Texas, Louisiana and New York. The movement was started by the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund display in 2010. More than 37,000 flags honoring those who have died dating to the Revolutionary War have been planted.
Bail-bond companies fight Ohio's attempt to overhaul bail
Ohio lawmakers are considering measures that would decrease the use of cash bail when holding defendants before trial and rely more on assessing offenders' risk of flight. Legislation in the House and Senate is similar to proposals in multiple states meant to reduce the incarceration of people too poor to make bail and to save taxpayers' money. House Reps. Jonathan Dever and Tim Ginter testified earlier this year that the current bail system rewards those with money, even if they pose a greater threat to society than other offenders who can't afford bail. Bail bond companies have lined up to oppose the measure, saying it will put them out of business and shift the cost of finding defendants who leave town onto already strapped police departments.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park trail reopens
The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail between Boston Store Visitor Center and Peninsula is now open. It's been closed since December to replace a pedestrian bridge. The park worked with contractors finish the work so visitors can enjoy the trail during the holiday weekend. The trail remains closed between Deep Lock Quarry and Hunt House to complete work on the remaining three pedestrian bridges included in the same project.
More Ohio rails become trails
Dayton has received $15,000 to help with a project that would convert an old rail corridor into a recreational trail. The Dayton Daily News reports the Doppelt Family Trail Development Fund awarded the city the money as part of a federal funding match to buy the Norfolk Southern tracks. Dayton officials say the $5 million project will transform the 6.5 mile rail corridor into an elevated multi-use trail. Similar rail lines have been converted around the state, and a hiking-biking trail from Cleveland south to Zoar is nearing completion.
Ryan holds a town hall in Youngstown
Northeast Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan is holding a town hall this week in Youngstown. The town hall will be at Youngstown State University at 5:30 tomorrow night. Ryan has also been traveling the country giving speeches and appearing on panels – including in Iowa and New Hampshire -- leading to speculation he’s considering a run for president. He has said he’s interested only in advocating for positions for working-class people.
A vehicle catching fire kills two
Ohio authorities say a man whose wife died when their SUV caught fire on the highway has succumbed to his injuries. The Ohio State Highway Patrol reports that 71-year-old Dennis John Svihlik died from injuries suffered Friday when the 2005 Chevy Trailblazer caught fire near the Lakeside-Marblehead exit on State Route 2. His wife, Jo Ann Svihlik, died at the scene.
Vets and gas-and-oil jobs
Shell Petrochemical has started advertising permanent jobs at the six billion dollar cracker plant its building east of East Liverpool in Monaca, Pa. Mike Chadsey, who heads communications for the Ohio Oil and Gas Association, says it’s no coincidence that the recruiting kick-off came right before Memorial Day and included job fairs for veterans. He say hiring returning vets is a theme for the entire gas industry. “We work with concepts like Helmets to Hardhats because men and women who come out of the military know how to show up on time, they’re drug free, they know how to work in harsh conditions. And sometimes that what you need in the oil and gas industry—you know, this isn’t indoor work, no heavy lifting. And so I think that’s going to part of all these new plants that we’re going to be talking about.” Shell is bringing on only about 40 employees with this first of round of permanent hires. But it says as the plant moves to completion, perhaps two years down the road, it’s expects to have a work force of about 600.
Prehistoric Ohio earthworks awaits World Heritage designation
A collection of Native American earthworks is being considered for designation as a World Heritage Site. The Ohio History Connection is advocating for the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks in southwest Ohio to be the next U.S. nomination considered by the World Heritage Committee. The earthworks includes sites dating back to between 100 B.C. and 300.A.D.
