Here are your morning headlines for Friday, Dec. 6:
- Car battery factory to be near Lordstown;
- DeWine opposes plastic bag ban backlash;
- Fudge helps introduce bill to ban discrimination against hairstyles;
- Judges rescind Cleveland man's 2017 conviction because of podcast;
- Dominion Energy Ohio to give customers $79M in credits;
- Summit County cities, Cleveland up against state in court;
Car battery factory to be near Lordstown
General Motors and Korea's LG Chem have formed a joint venture to build an electric vehicle battery cell factory near Lordstown. The companies also will work together on battery technology to bring down the cost. The new plant will create more than 1,100 jobs in the area around Lordstown. The joint venture plans to invest $2.3 billion in the operations. They'll break ground on the new plant sometime next year. The exact location wasn't disclosed. The companies made the announcement at GM's technical center in Warren, Michigan, which is north of Detroit.
DeWine opposes plastic bag ban backlash
Gov. Mike DeWine wants state lawmakers to drop bills that would prohibit local governments from forbidding the use of plastic bags. DeWine opposes a pair of bills offered by fellow Republicans to forbid municipalities and counties from banning single-use plastic bags by groceries and other stores. Some local governments are trying to regulate plastic bags in an effort to reduce litter and plastic waste in landfills. Some lawmakers and business groups say the local bans make it harder for grocers and other businesses to operate. DeWine said local communities should be allowed to do what they think is best.
Fudge helps introduce bill to ban discrimination against hairstyles
Cleveland Democratic Congresswoman Marcia Fudge is joining a group of legislators to introduce a bill that would ban discrimination against hairstyles that are commonly associated with a particular race or ethnicity. The CROWN Act aims to deter employers from not hiring people because of their hairstyle. Fudge has previously tried to do something similar, such as having the military change its rules to allow different hairstyles. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker is also apart of the group and says discrimination against natural hair remains a barrier for people of color to advance in their careers. The CROWN Act stands for "Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair."
Judges rescind Cleveland man's 2017 conviction because of podcast
A Cleveland man's 2017 conviction has been rescinded after the popular podcast Serial revealed Cuyahoga Common Pleas Court Judge Daniel Gaul improperly questioned him on the stand about his juvenile history. Cleveland.com reports three judges came to the conclusion that Gaul acted with bias against William Skerkavich Jr. The judges ordered a new trial on Skerkavich Jr.'s felonious assault charge stemming from a fight at Warehouse District and assigned the case to a different judge. Gaul had asked each witness not more than 15 questions, but asked Skerkavich Jr. 85 questions and cited his history of fights. Skerkavich Jr. was sentenced to four years of probation.
Dominion Energy Ohio to give customers $79M in credits
Dominion Energy Ohio is giving customers nearly $480 million credits. Each customer will receive nearly $70 in credits for the first year, with small decreases each year for the next 37 years. Dominion Energy reached a new agreement with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, which says the company must give customers $460 million that was over-collected. Dominion and other utilities must return the money that was over-collected as a result of the Trump administration's cuts. It's not known when the credits will start being applied to bills.
Summit County cities, Cleveland go up against state in court
Five Summit County cities and Cleveland are gearing up for court battle against the state of Ohio over a provision passed last year. The Beacon Journal reports at issue is part of House Bill 228 which the cities lead attorney says could inhibit the regulation of firearms possession, sale and manufacture. Akron, Barberton, Cuyahoga Falls, Norton and Tallmadge are seeking an injunction that could delay the provision, which is expected to go into effect late next month. The provision also allows gun owners to sue a municipality if they feel as though their rights have been violated. The state didn't comment because of pending litigation.
