Here are your morning headlines for Friday, September 13:
- State report cards issued;
- Sherwin-Williams looks for new headquarters;
- Former judge sentenced to life in prison for killing ex-wife;
- CVS settles lawsuit over possibly exposing Ohioans' HIV status;
- Summit, Portage County residents hospitalized for vaping-related illness;
- Transgender birth certificate lawsuit gets early court win;
- KSU to investigate abrupt end to field hockey game;
- 10 indicted for role in Youngstown prison drug operation;
State report cards issued
Akron school officials are making the most of a disappointing state report card. Akron earned an overall grade of "D." But Superintendent David James said the district is outpacing "other urban school systems." In fact, Cleveland, Toledo, Dayton and Youngstown schools all scored lower than Akron overall. James points out that half of Akron’s 46 schools performed better than average. Solon schools topped the list, with Rocky River and Chagrin Falls rounding out the top three highest-scoring districts in Ohio. Beachwood, Brecksville-Broadview Heights and Bay Village made the top 10. Canton Schools improved its score from an F to a D, helping it avoid the threat of a state takeover.
Sherwin-Williams looks for new headquarters
One of Cleveland’s largest companies is looking for a new home. Sherwin-Williams said it plans to move its headquarters out of downtown. A spokesman said “significant growth and global expansion” means the company has outgrown its 90-year-old home on Prospect Avenue. Sherwin-Williams said it’s looking near and far for its next global headquarters including sites in Cleveland, Northeast Ohio or other states. The company operates several facilities in Northeast Ohio with around 4,400 employees. Sales last year totaled around $17 billion.
Former judge sentenced to life in prison for killing ex-wife
Former Cuyahoga County judge Lance Mason has been sentenced to life in prison for fatally stabbing his ex-wife. Mason, who's 52, will be eligible for parole after 35 years. During sentencing, Mason apologized for the slaying of Aisha Fraser in 2018 and asked for forgiveness. Fraser's mother called Mason a monster who had shown no remorse.
CVS settles lawsuit over possibly exposing Ohioans' HIV status
CVS has agreed to pay $4 million in a class-action lawsuit that alleges the company possibly exposed the HIV-positive status of more than 4,500 Ohioans. The lawsuit filed last year centers on letters a CVS contractor sent to participants of a state program to buy AIDS drugs. The envelopes included a designation of a series of numbers, letters and "HIV" above their name and address. All affected people would get $400, and those who prove harm could get up to $10,000. The settlement still needs approval from a judge.
Summit, Portage County residents hospitalized for vaping-related illness
State health officials have confirmed that two Summit County residents and one Portage County patient are among the 13 people hospitalized statewide with a severe lung illness linked to vaping. Cleveland.com reports that the Ohio Department of Health is looking into 14 other possible cases of the potentially deadly disease. Six people have died out of 450 cases nationwide. The Trump administration announced a ban on flavored e-cigarettes.
Transgender birth certificate lawsuit gets early court win
Advocates for transgender people in Ohio are hailing a ruling Thursday that allows a lawsuit to move forward that would allow for them to change their gender on their birth certificates. A federal judge ruled that since people can change their gender on a driver’s license or state ID card, the court should decide whether that can also apply to birth certificates. The Ohio Attorney General’s Office had tried to block the case filed on behalf of four transgender Ohioans. Cleveland.com reports that the ACLU of Ohio is thrilled by the decision.
KSU to investigate abrupt end to field hockey game
Kent State University President Todd Diacon is launching an investigation into why the women's field hockey match was stopped Saturday to put on a football pregame fireworks show. The school cited orders from the fire marshal to end the match by 10:30 a.m. The teams were tied at zero in a second overtime period. Athletic Director Joel Nielsen issued an apology earlier this week. Diacon sent an email to the campus community yesterday, saying what happened doesn't reflect the university's core values.
10 indicted for role in Youngstown prison drug operation
Ten people face federal charges for allegedly participating in a drug operation ran by a prison inmate in Youngstown. Jose Lozano-Leon is accused of running the ring that ordered large shipments of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl from Mexico shaped into pills resembling the painkiller oxycodone. Leon, formerly of Painsville, is serving time for reentering the U.S. in 2017 after being deported to Mexico.Authorities said he used a cell phone that was dropped into the prison by a drone.
