Here are your morning headlines for Friday, Feb. 7:
- Sherwin-Williams stays in Cleveland;
- Carfentanil hits Cuyahoga County;
- Sage Lewis files appeal over homeless tent city lawsuit;
- Cleveland's Greenhouse Tavern to close;
- Babcock & Wilcox offers sale of $300 million stock;
- Stow-Kent Macy's among one of 125 locations closing;
- Man charged in fatal Akron arsons could face death penalty;
- State launches tool to track overdoses in real time;
- Summa Health forms new urology chair with $1.5M donation;
Sherwin-Williams stays in Cleveland
Sherwin-Williams on Thursday formally announced the location of its new corporate headquarters. The global paint maker will build a new one million-square-foot headquarters on the west side of Public Square on what are currently parking lots. The company is also planning a new 500,000 square-foot R&D center in Brecksville. The announcement of the $600 million investment puts to rest fears that after 150 years, Sherwin-Williams would relocate outside Northeast Ohio. Details of incentive packages offered by the state and cities were not disclosed. The company said it plans to add around 400 new jobs with the expansion and an additional $3 million in tax revenue going to Cleveland schools. Sherwin-Williams said its new facilities won’t be ready until 2023 at the earliest.
Carfentanil hits Cuyahoga County
Cuyahoga County is seeing the resurgence of a powerful synthetic opioid. Cleveland.com reports carfentanil contributed to more than 200 deaths in 2019, up from around 20 the year before. Local health officials contribute the increase to Mexican cartels and drug dealers mixing it with cocaine. An emergency order that temporarily regulated carfentanil and fentanyl as Schedule 1 substances under the Controlled Substances Act expired Thursday. Sen. Rob Portman introduced legislation to make the order permanent, but no further action has been taken.
Sage Lewis files appeal over homeless tent city lawsuit
An Akron homeless advocate is taking his case to the Ohio Supreme Court. The Beacon Journal reports Sage Lewis's lawyers filed an appeal Thursday against the city of Akron for rejecting his lawsuit in 2018. The lawsuit aimed to appeal the city's decision to deny a permit for his homeless tent city on property he owns in east Akron. City leaders ordered the encampment to close over the summer after the fire department found multiple violations.
Cleveland's Greenhouse Tavern to close
One of Cleveland's most popular dining destinations is closing this month. Cleveland.com reports chef Jonathon Sawyer is shutting down The Greenhouse Tavern Feb. 16 because of financial struggles and mounting debt. Esquire Magazine recently designated The Greenhouse Tavern on East Fourth Street as one of the most important restaurants in the last decade.
Babcock & Wilcox offers sale of $300 million stock
Babcock & Wilcox is planning a new stock offering to raise cash. The Beacon Journal reports that the Akron-based boiler maker has filed with the SEC for a sale of $300 million in stock, preferred shares, or other securities. B&W, which recently relocated from Barberton to Akron, says it needs working capital and capital to refinance debt.
Stow-Kent Macy's among one of 125 locations closing
The Macy’s at the Stow-Kent plaza is among three in Ohio that will be closing along with stores in Cincinnati and St. Clairsville. Macy’s announced this week that it’s closing 125 locations nationwide. It’s also closing corporate headquarters in Lorain and Cincinnati. WKYC reports 161 positions will be eliminated at the Lorain System and Technology office by October.
Man charged in fatal Akron arsons could face death penalty
A judge has ruled an Akron man charged with setting arson fires that killed nine people can be sentenced to death if convicted. The judge on Thursday denied a request by Stanley Ford's attorneys that the death penalty be taken off the table. The defense attorneys argued that the death penalty shouldn't be an option because Ford, 60, suffers from dementia and brain damage. Ford is accused of setting a fire in his Akron neighborhood in 2016 that killed two people and setting another one in 2017 that killed two adults and five children.
State launches tool to track overdoses in real time
The state is launching an online tool to help health officials find trends in the opioid crisis. The Columbus Dispatch reports the ED dashboard will provide data from emergency rooms in the state about suspected drug overdoses in real time. It'll give state officials access to timely data instead of waiting weeks for the reports. The Ohio Department of Health hopes the dashboard will help analyze trends and demographics to improve responses to the crisis.
Summa Health forms new urology chair with $1.5M donation
Summa Health is creating its first endowed chair of urology with a gift from an Aurora couple. The $1.5 million donation from Denise and Norm Wells creates the position for Dr. Kevin Spear, who practices at Summa. The company says the position will help advance innovative patient care and help recruit, train and retain urology providers.
