Here are your morning headlines for Friday, Oct. 25:
- Ryan drops out of 2020 race;
- Lordstown workers say no to GM contract;
- Bill would require professional engineer for amusement parks;
- Ohio hits peak foliage, but won't last long;
- High school athlete disqualified for wearing hijab;
Ryan drops out of 2020 race
The one Ohioan in the 2020 presidential race has announced he’s dropping out. Congressman Tim Ryan failed to gain traction and qualify for recent Democratic debates. He said he will instead seek reelection next year to his House seat. Ryan said he ran to give voice to the forgotten people and businesses in the country that have been left behind, and he wants to continue that in his congressional race. The congressman's most recent fundraising report showed he had only $158,000 on hand.
Lordstown workers say no to GM contract
Those who remain at General Motors' (GM) idled Lordstown plant are saying no to the new contract deal reached between U.A.W. leadership and the auto maker. MahoningMatters.com reports the final vote for workers at Local 1112 was 412 to 61. Union officials said Lordstown has lost about 1,000 members at the Local since 2017 who would have been eligible to vote. The website reports that workers who have since transferred to plants in Bowling Green, Kentucky and Spring Hill, Tennessee also helped reject the deal at those facilities. The final overall tally for the vote could come as soon as Friday.
Bill would require professional engineer for amusement parks
A professional engineer would get a formal role in amusement ride safety under a bill headed to the Ohio governor's desk. The legislation dubbed Tyler's Law would place a professional engineer on the Ohio Advisory Council on Amusement Ride Safety. The panel makes recommendations to the state's agriculture director about safety matters, including monitoring and inspecting rides. The measure is named for Tyler Jarrell, 18, Marine recruit killed when the "Fireball" ride malfunctioned and broke apart on opening day of the 2017 Ohio State Fair. Seven others were injured in the accident later blamed on excessive corrosion in a steel support beam. The bill heads to Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk.
Ohio hits peak foliage, but won't last long
Ohio’s foliage is hitting its peak just in time for a weekend washout. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which offers weekly updates during the fall on leaves changing, reports that colors are at their height. But with heavy rains forecast for the weekend, most of the leaves could be coming down.
High school athlete disqualified for wearing hijab
The association that oversees high school sports in Ohio is looking at changing its rules after a high school runner was disqualified from a cross country meet because she didn't have a waiver allowing her to wear a hijab. Noor Abukaram, 16, said she felt humiliated after being disqualified last weekend. Her coach told The Toledo Blade he made a mistake but didn't think a waiver was needed because no one said anything at her previous races this season. The Ohio High School Athletic Association's rulebook doesn't specifically mention hijabs but does ban most head coverings.
