Here are your morning headlines for Thursday, June 7:
- Akron Children's Hospital launches addiction program;
- KSU Trustees Approve $45M Innovation Hub;
- Canton couple's brewery supply business files for bankrupcy;
- Ohio House names new speaker following impasse;
- Bill passed by the House aims to stop the spread of Asain Carp;
- UnitedHealthcare donates opioid disposal kits;
- Ohio Democratic Party chairman David Pepper relected for next four years;
- Cleveland Cavaliers on brink of being swept in NBA Finals;
Akron Children's Hospital launches addiction program
Akron Children's Hospital is starting an Addiction Services program with the help of a $300,000 donation. The money comes from Lea Heidman and Brian Malone, whose daughter died from a heroin overdose in 2015. They established a nonprofit organization, Fighting for Alyssa. The hospital says it has received $800,000 total for the program that will focus the first phase on education, prevention, medically assisted treatment for opiate addiction and outpatient care for young adults.
KSU Trustees Approve $45M Innovation Hub
Kent State University's Board of Trustees has approved a nearly $45 million project to build a new 24-hour Design Innovation Hub. The project includes an overhaul the former School of Art building and will include a dining hall, work spaces and 3D printers. Funding will come local funds, state allocations and a $5 million dining partnership agreement through Aramark, the school's food vendor. Construction is expected to begin later this year and be completed in the summer of 2020.
Canton couple's brewery supply business files for bankrupcy
A Canton couple who owns a brewery equipment distribution company have filed for bankruptcy after being accused of providing defunct equipment nationwide. The Beacon Journal reports Jason and Amanda Spurrell of SysTech Stainless Works filed for bankruptcy under their own names rather than the company's name. It went out of business last year following lawsuits from breweries that said they either didn't receive the equipment or it was defective. The couple listed their assets as over $38,000 with liabilities more than $370,000.
Ohio House names new speaker
After 11 rounds of voting the Ohio House has unofficially named Finance Chairman Ryan Smith, of Gallia County as the interim speaker. Smith was not able to garner the necessary 50 votes to be officially named after 10 rounds of voting. House rules limit the process to 11 rounds when a simple plurality wins. Former speaker Cliff Rosenberger resigned in April amid an FBI inquiry believed to center on his international travel and lavish lifestyle. He says he's broken no laws. Legislative sessions have been on hold while the speaker issue was unsettled.
Bill passed by the House aims to stem spread of Asian Carp
A bill passed in the U.S. House could help stem the spread of invasive Asian Carp in the Great Lakes. The bill passed yesterday would authorize funding for water projects and demands made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. An amendment in the bill requires the Army Corps to provide a final report of the Asian Carp problem by 2019. The bill also contains a measure that would give the Army Corps a two-year window to complete plans for disposal of the sediments it dredges from the Cuyahoga River.
UnitedHealthcare donates opioid disposal kits
A health care benefits company is donating 10,000 opioid disposal kits to help authorities in part of Ohio hard hit by the state's overdose crisis. UnitedHealthcare plans to give the kits Thursday to the Montgomery County Opiate Taskforce and Kettering Medical Center. UHC says each kit can be used to break down 45 tablets or six opioid patches in sealable pouches that can be discard safely into household garbage and then into landfills. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, the Republican candidate for governor, plans to join government and health care officials in Kettering. The state has ranked among the nation's highest in opioid-related overdose deaths in recent years.
Ohio Democratic Party chairman David Pepper relected for next four years
Ohio Democratic Party chairman David Pepper has been unanimously re-elected as head of the state party for the next four years. The former Cincinnati councilman and Hamilton County commissioner has led the party since early 2015 after losing a bid to unseat Republican Mike DeWine as attorney general in November 2014. Pepper will help Richard Cordray try to defeat DeWine in this year's governor's race, and re-elect U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown to a third term in his race against Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci. Republicans have dominated recent statewide elections in swing state Ohio. The party's executive committee re-elected Pepper on Tuesday.
Cavs on the brink of being swept in NBA Finals
The Cavs are now on the brink of being swept in the NBA Finals, after losing game 3 at home last night, 110-102 to the Warriors. No team has ever come back from an 0-3 deficit to win an NBA series. The Warriors were fueled by Kevin Durant's 43 points. Game 4 is Friday night again in Cleveland, as attention will shift to whether it will be LeBron James' final game with the Cavs. He can opt out of his contract.
