Here are your morning headlines for Tuesday, November 13:
- Cleveland reporter Nikki Delamotte found dead near Toledo;
- Sen. Sherrod Brown Considers 2020 presidential run;
- Canton sues owner of vacant warehouse;
- Akron City Council to discuss former Rolling Acres Mall site;
- Amazon to open package sorting operation in Wilmington;
- Cleveland to hire Wisconsin-based company to help with startups;
Ohio State drains Mirror Lake in advance of rivalry game;
Cleveland reporter Nikki Delamotte found dead near Toledo
Popular Cleveland.com culture reporter Nikki Delamotte was found dead yesterday near Toledo of an apparent homicide. The 30-year-old was found in her uncle’s trailer, along with his body, according to Cleveland.com. Delamotte’s mother said her daughter had gone to visit her uncle to reconnect, and the two had planned to watch football together on Sunday. Police in Perrysburg Township – where the trailer is located – are investigating but have provided no further details.
Sen. Sherrod Brown Considers 2020 presidential run
Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, one of the winningest Democrats in Ohio history, said he is seriously considering a 2020 presidential run. Brown had previously played down interest in joining what's expected to be a crowded Democratic field. But Brown acknowledged in multiple interviews Monday he's listening to calls for him to run. The 65-year-old won re-election to a third Senate term even as Republicans swept other key statewide offices. Brown said he will discuss 2020 with his wife and other family members before deciding "in the next couple months."
Canton sues owner of vacant warehouse
Canton is suing the owner of a vacant downtown warehouse that was razed in March due to safety concerns. The Canton Repository reports the city is trying to recoup the nearly $380,000 it cost to completely demolish the building, which it says was literally falling apart. Officials said the property owner was given notice the building was unsafe months before the demolition. Through his lawyer, the building owner Roger D. Matz, contends he was unable to finance the building’s demolition.
Akron City Council to discuss former Rolling Acres Mall site
Akron City Council is holding a special meeting today regarding the future of the shuttered Rolling Acres Mall property. Cleveland.com reports the Planning Committee will meet to discuss a deal approved in July to add a parcel to a $100 million development at the site on Romig Road. The city acquired the old mall property for free in 2016, and spent about $450,000 tearing it down and prepping the site for redevelopment. The city agreed to sell the developer the land for $600,000. The specific plans have not been made public.
Amazon to open package sorting operation in Wilmington
Air-service is returning to Wilmington with the announcement that Amazon will start regular flights and open a package sorting operation at the Wilmington Air Park. Executive Director of the Clinton County Port Authority Dan Evers said he thinks Amazon picked Wilmington because it's centrally located, has a state-of-the-art instrument landing system and can land any size plane on its runway. Amazon plans to start operations in the middle of next year. It was a decade ago that Wilmington lost nearly 10,000 jobs when DHL left.
Cleveland to hire Wisconsin-based company to help with startups
Cleveland City Council has approved of hiring a company to help boost new businesses. Wisconsin-based Gener8tor Management will help with expenses and expertise for startups in a mixed-use building that’s under construction at East 105th Street by University Circle. The construction is part of Mayor Frank Jackson’s initiative to stimulate growth in neighborhoods with poverty. The building is expected to be completed in June.
Ohio State drains Mirror Lake in advance of rivalry game
Ohio State University has temporarily drained Mirror Lake in advance of a home game against the University of Michigan football team. The school said in a statement that it is calling to end the unsanctioned tradition of the Mirror Lake jump. Last year, OSU agreed to pay $450,000 to settle a negligence claim filed by the parents of 22-year-old Austin Singletary. Singletary died in 2015 after diving into the shallow water lake. The university did not admit any liability in the settlement and has agreed to install a family-donated bench honoring Singletary on campus. Officials said entering the empty lake basin or the lake itself will be considered criminal trespassing. The Ohio State University Police Division will monitor the area.
