Here are your morning headlines for Friday, May 8:
- Restaurants, salons to reopen;
- Car sales down nearly 40%;
- Ohio health centers to receive $17M to increase testing;
- DeWine: Announcement on daycares coming soon;
- More than 1.1 million Ohioans file for unemployment;
- State records 22,100 COVID-19 cases, 1,200 deaths;
- Cuyahoga juvenile detention has first inmate COVID-19 case;
- Chagrin Falls moves high school graduation to summer;
- Akron Zoo postpones opening of Wild Asia exhibit;
- Mustard Seed requires customers to wear masks;
Restaurants, salons to reopen
Gov. Mike DeWine said bars and restaurants can fully reopen in two weeks on May 21. DeWine said Thursday that outside dining can begin a few days earlier on May 15. The dining reopening comes with limits, including a restriction of 10 people per party and spacing between tables at restaurants. Barbershops and hair salons can also reopen May 15. They'll also have to abide by certain health guidelines. Markings must be in waiting rooms or lobbies to ensure social distancing. More than one person per customer won’t be allowed into a business unless it's a child who is with their parents. Clients will most likely have to wait in their cars for appointments. All employees will be required to do a daily screenings to check for symptoms of COVID-19 and must wear masks. DeWine's update came as Ohio reported that more than 1.1 million people have filed unemployment claims in the past seven weeks, with more than 61,000 jobless claims filed for the week ending May 2.
Car sales down nearly 40%
Car sales in Ohio have been battered by the coronavirus pandemic. The Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers Association said new vehicle sales in Northeast Ohio have fallen by more than 36% in April. Sales since Jan. 1 totaled just over 70,000, down nearly 11% from the same period in 2019. The association said truck and SUV sales outpaced car sales in Northeast Ohio for the first time ever.
Ohio health centers to receive $17M to increase testing
The U.S. Department of Health is handing out more than $17 million to dozens of Ohio health centers to ramp up COVID-19 testing. The funding comes from the federal CARES Act. In Akron, Asian Services in Action and Axesspointe Community Health Center are among those receiving funds, along with Care Alliance in Cleveland and Lifecare Family Health and Dental in Canton.
DeWine: Announcement on daycares coming soon
A plan for reopening daycares could come as early as Monday. Only those that obtained a special license have remained open, primarily for parents who are working on the frontlines of the pandemic. They've been limited to six children. Gov. Mike DeWine said there will be strict guidelines in place.
More than 1.1 million Ohioans file for unemployment
Ohio unemployment claims have exceeded the total number of claims filed in the last three years. More than 1.1 million Ohioans have filed since the pandemic started seven weeks ago. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has distributed nearly $2 billion in benefits to more than 536,000 residents. Before the pandemic, the most claims filed in a single week in Ohio was 49,321 in 1982. That record was shattered last week after 61,000 residents filed. More than 33 million people across the U.S. are unemployed because of the pandemic.
State records 22,100 COVID-19 cases, 1,200 deaths
Ohio has more than 22,100 total confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,271 deaths, an increase of nearly 4% since Wednesday. At least nearly 500 of the deaths have been in nursing homes. More than 1,400 people are hospitalized and nearly 1,170 have been admitted to the ICU.
Cuyahoga juvenile detention center has first inmate COVID-19 case
The Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center has confirmed its first youth coronavirus case. Cleveland.com reports all inmates will be given face masks and The Cuyahoga County Board of Health is conducting contact-tracing to see if anyone came into close contact with the youth who tested positive.The positive test comes three days after the first detention center employee tested positive for the virus.
Chagrin Falls moves high school graduation to summer
One Northeast Ohio high school is moving spring graduation to the summer. The Chagrin Falls school board said it’s planning a ceremony in mid-July. It’s undecided whether it will be a virtual or in-person ceremony. Other schools have planned virtual ceremonies, or will pass out diplomas to students in their cars. Kent State University holds its virtual spring commencement Saturday for its 5,300 new graduates.
Akron Zoo postpones opening of Wild Asia exhibit
The Akron Zoo said its new Wild Asia exhibit won't open until next year. Officials said the pandemic delayed construction, and transporting the red pandas, tigers and other animals has been put on hold. It's the second phase of a $17 million project that included the Pride of Africa exhibit, which opened last year. The zoo remains closed indefinitely.
Mustard Seed requires customers to wear masks
Akron-based Mustard Seed Market is requiring customers to wear face masks. While masks are mandatory for employees, Gov. Mike DeWine ultimately decided it's up to businesses whether to mandate that customers wear them. Costco and Menards are also requiring masks for customers, while Giant Eagle, CVS, Heinen's and Meijer are among those that aren’t.
