Here are your morning headlines for Wednesday, May 20:
- DeWine lifts stay-at-home order;
- DeWine calls on National Guard to help nursing homes;
- Annie Glenn dies at 100 from COVID-19;
- Inspection shows Summit County BOE violated COVID-19 guidelines;
- Prisons bureau has one day to identify Elkton inmates for release, transfer;
- Cleveland Clinic Akron General to open downtown coronavirus test site;
- Head of Akron Art Museum resigns;
- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo opens drive-thru,
- Oriana House confirms COVID-19 cases;
- Pier 1 to close all stores;
DeWine lifts stay-at-home order
Gov. Mike DeWine eased Ohio’s stay-at-home order and travel restrictions from mandatory to strongly recommended Tuesday. He emphasized the coronavirus is not gone and Ohioans must keep putting the safety of others first to contain its spread. The new “urgent health advisory” still strongly encourages Ohioans to stay home or to avoid unnecessary travel. DeWine said those who travel into Ohio will no longer need to observe a 14-day quarantine, unless they’re showing signs COVID-19. A spokesman said the advisory won't lift mandatory business protocols, restrictions on large gatherings or social distancing guidelines.
DeWine calls on National Guard to help nursing homes
Gov. Mike DeWine said he's working on a plan to ramp up testing for the coronavirus at nursing homes around the state. That includes deploying Ohio National Guard units to assist with the testing. The number of deaths from the coronavirus in Ohio’s nursing homes is now over 1,000. Long-term centers now account for three out of five deaths from the virus in the state. The new statistics obtained by The Associated Press from the Ohio Department of Health show that as of last week, 1,031 residents of Ohio’s long-term care facilities have died from the virus.
Inspection shows Summit County BOE violated COVID-19 guidelines
An inspection Tuesday found that the Summit County Board of Elections violated the state's COVID-19 workplace guidelines this week. The Ohio Capital Journal reports the investigation was spurred by a live stream of an elections board meeting Tuesday morning in which some workers were seen not wearing masks.An inspector also found office cubicles are less than six feet apart. The report quotes a deputy elections director as saying Plexiglas was being ordered and that the board of elections would get more face coverings for employees.
Prisons bureau has one day to identify Elkton inmates for release, transfer
A judge says the Federal Bureau of Prisons has one day to identify high-risk inmates to be released or transferred from the state's only federal prison. U.S. District Judge James Gwin says the bureau has failed to comply with an order he issued last month prevent the spread of COVID-19 at Elkton Federal Correctional. Cleveland.com reports the bureau must take more drastic steps, including loosening requirements on who qualifies for placement on home confinement. If an inmate isn’t eligible for release, officials must explain why in detail. Nine inmates have died of the virus at Elkton.
Cleveland Clinic Akron General to open downtown coronavirus test site
Cleveland Clinic Akron General will open a coronavirus test site next month in downtown Akron. Tests will be prioritized to health care workers or other susceptible populations with a doctor’s order. The site is aimed to serve the area’s African American population, which has been disproportionately affected by the disease. The site is being set up with money from the Akron-Summit County COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund and Akron’s GOJO industries.
Annie Glenn dies at 100 from COVID-19
Annie Glenn has died at age 100 after becoming an advocate for fellow stutterers by making use of the fame that came with being married to the first American to orbit the Earth. Officials said she died Tuesday at a nursing home in Minnesota of complications from COVID-19. She was married to John Glenn for 73 years. After her husband became a household name in the 1960s, Annie Glenn took part in an intensive program that gave her the skills to control her stutter and to speak in public. She served on boards of speech and hearing organizations. The Annie Glenn Award was created to honor people who overcome a communication disorder.
Head of Akron Art Museum resigns
The head of the Akron Art Museum, Mark Masuoka, has resigned. In accepting the resignation, the board agreed it was time for a change in leadership. More than two dozen former employees had anonymously sent a letter to the board last year complaining about sexism and racism by management. In the statement, the board said the resignation presented the opportunity to build a new organizational culture. Former board member John Fiume will serve as interim director.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo opens drive-thru
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is reopening Wednesday through the rest of the month as a drive-thru experience. It’s called Cruise the Zoo, and Cleveland.com reports it's an effort to help recoup some of the $1.5 million the zoo has lost during the pandemic. Admission is $20 per for car for members and $40 for nonmembers, however, the zoo said online ticket sales have been temporarily halted due to high demand.
Oriana House confirms COVID-19 cases
The Oriana halfway house in Akron has confirmed three clients and one employee have tested positive for COVID-19. The cases are at The Terrance Mann Residential Center, which houses people who have been released from state prison or transferred from another facility. The Beacon Journal reports the Summit County Health Department tested 80 clients and employees on Monday and results should be available Wednesday.
Pier 1 to close all stores
Pier 1 Imports is now closing all of its stores after shuttering about half in February when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Texas-based retailer will close locations in Fairlawn, Canton and Medina.
