Here are your morning headlines for Thursday, April 11:
- Heartbeat bill awaits DeWine's signature;
- Goodyear invests more money in Europe;
- Lawmakers push for more gun rights;
- Hepatitis A cases spike in Summit County;
- Bernie Sanders to visit NE Ohio;
- University of Akron cuts $16M project down to $4M;
- Former MetroHealth operating officer sentenced to 16 years;
Heartbeat bill awaits DeWine's signature
A bill banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected is headed to Gov. Mike DeWine, who has said he plans to sign it. Opponents of the so-called heartbeat bill vow to sue. The bill cleared its final hurdle Wednesday when the Ohio Senate agreed to House changes. The Ohio House had approved the measure earlier in the day. Backers hope DeWine will be true to his word and sign the bill twice vetoed by his predecessor John Kasich. Ohio joins five other states that have passed such restrictive abortion measures. A fetal heartbeat can be detected as early as five or six weeks into pregnancy, before many women even know they're pregnant. The bill makes no exceptions for rape or incest.
Goodyear invests more money in Europe
Goodyear is planning to expand production at one of its European facilities. The Akron-based company announced a $36 million investment planned for the Colmar-Berg plant in Luxembourg to increase production of off-road tires. Goodyear is also planning to build a second plant in Luxembourg to produce passenger tires. Goodyear has more than a dozen European facilities.
Lawmakers push for more gun rights
Republican lawmakers are pushing for expanded gun rights in Ohio. The Columbus Dispatch reports a House committee heard testimony this week from backers of a bill that would allow anyone 21 or older to carry a concealed weapon without a permit or training, provided they don't have a felony conviction. The so-called constitutional carry bill has broad support from House Republicans calling for Ohio to join 16 other states with similar laws. Democrats expressed concerns that the law would likely not protect African American men who carry concealed weapons from police shootings, and that shootings could increase under the bill. Other opponents of the bill included dozens of members of the group Moms Demand Action.
Hepatitis A cases spike in Summit County
Health officials in Summit County are warning of an increase in cases of hepatitis A. Cleveland.com reports that in a release, the county said it’s seen 32 cases of the infectious illness so far this year. Ohio declared a statewide outbreak of Hepatitis A last year with more than 2,000 cases and seven deaths. The health department said jail inmates and illegal drug users are especially at risk.
Bernie Sanders to visit NE Ohio
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders will be in Northeast Ohio this weekend as part of his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. The Youngstown Vindicator reports that Sanders will appear Sunday at a rally for Lordstown school teachers. Sanders will join union officials in a discussion of how the closing of the local General Motors plant is affecting the community. More than 1,400 workers were laidoff leading up the plant’s closure last month.
University of Akron cuts $16M project down to $4M
Officials at the University of Akron said they’ve trimmed a projected $16 million-budget deficit down to under $4 million. Cleveland.com reports the budget approved this week and includes the reconfigured projections. While revenue has not increased, the school is seeing the results of a series of faculty buyouts. Around 48 faculty took early retirement last year. Another round of buyouts ends May 31. Last summer, the university announced it would phase out about 20% of its programs.
Former MetroHealth chief operating officer sentenced to 16 years
MetroHealth's former chief operating officer was sentenced to nearly 16 years in federal prison Wednesday. Cleveland.com reports in July, Dr. Edward Hills was convicted in a slew of charges including racketeering, mail fraud and bribery. Officials said Hills received kickbacks for bonuses and benefits paid to several MetroHealth dentists and influenced the Ohio State Dental Board to prop up a sham company he owned. Hills left the hospital in 2014 amid an FBI investigation.
