Here are your morning headlines for Tuesday, September 1:
- Lawmakers take first step in repealing nuclear bailout law
- Akron Public Schools call an audible, reverse decision banning fall sports
- Ohio reports 895 new coronavirus cases
- Ohio colleges report dozens of COVID-19 cases
- U.S. Marshals investigation finds dozens of missing NEO children
- Cleveland Clinic blames pandemic for operating losses
- Tribe ace Clevinger traded to Padres
Lawmakers take first step in repealing nuclear bailout law
On Monday, Ohio lawmakers took the first steps toward repealing a controversial bailout of Ohio’s nuclear plants tainted by federal corruption investigation. Cleveland.com reports that new House speaker Bob Cupp has setup an Energy Policy and Oversite committee to review options to repeal House Bill 6, which provided a $1 billion subsidy to Ohio’s aging nuclear plants. The law was passed last year under former speaker Larry Householder who has been indicted in a $60 million bribery scheme to push the bailout. Cupp would not provide details on the repeal plan or a timeline.
Akron Public Schools call an audible, reverse decision banning fall sports
The Akron Public School Board voted to reverse course last night and allow all fall sports to move forward, effective immediately. The board voted 4-3 to flip an earlier decision suspending fall sports due to the pandemic after an outcry from students and parents. A board member said they were compelled by an online petition with 2,000 signatures, as well as emails and phone calls. The district also voted to allow marching bands across the district to resume.
Ohio reports 895 new coronavirus cases
Monday saw fewer than 900 new coronavirus cases in Ohio, the lowest number in a week. The three week average has been hovering at more than 1,000 new cases per day. Hospitalizations and deaths are also well below average to start this week. In total Ohio has seen nearly 4,200 COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began.
Ohio colleges report dozens of COVID-19 cases
College campuses across the nation have reopened in recent weeks and revealed a wide-ranging risk of spreading COVID-19. The New York Times reports that 26,000 new cases were reported in the first weeks of school at 1,500 US campuses. Only four Ohio schools reported more than 10 coronavirus cases, and all of them are well below the hardest hit universities. The University of Dayton had 117 cases, 95 at Ohio State, 60 at University of Toledo, and a dozen at Miami University. That’s compared to the nearly 1,000 COVID-19 cases seen among students at both the University of Alabama and UNC Chapel Hill. The Times believes the identified cases in campuses across the country are undercounted.
U.S. Marshals investigation finds dozens of missing NEO children
The U.S. Marshal Service found 25 missing children from across Northeast Ohio. The Marshals worked with local partners for almost three weeks in recovering the missing children in the Cleveland area, Akron, Mansfield, and as far away as Miami, OH. The Mansfield News Journal reports about a quarter of the cases were related to human trafficking or prostitution. Officials say they will work to find more missing children in the coming weeks.
Cleveland Clinic blames pandemic for operating losses
The Cleveland Clinic is reporting heavy losses due to the pandemic. Crain's Cleveland reports the health system took a nearly $202 million operating loss in the second quarter of 2020, compared to a gain of $116 million in last year's second quarter. The clinic says the revenue decline was a result of it having to suspend non-essential medical procedures from mid-March through early May due to the pandemic. Cleveland Clinic still reported $2.3 billion in revenue for the second quarter of this year.
Tribe ace Clevinger traded to Padres
The Cleveland Indians have traded star pitcher Mike Clevinger to the San Diego Padres. Cleveland will receive right-handed pitcher Cal Quantrill, outfielder Josh Naylor, catcher Austin Hedges, as well as three minor league prospects. The Padres will also receive outfielder Greg Allen from Cleveland.
