Here are your morning headlines for Wednesday, September 30:
- Cleveland debate protests lead to four arrests
- 10 p.m. alcohol ban under review
- Ohio testing prison wastewater to head off COVID-19 outbreaks
- Ohio appeals court rules state doesn’t have to accept electronic absentee ballot requests
- COVID-19 testing in Akron shows 5.8% positive test rate
- Biden to take train tour with stop in Alliance
- Cleveland Foundation awards nearly $28M
- Judge, Yankees pound Bieber, Indians in opener
Cleveland debate protests lead to four arrests
Four people were arrested during protests outside the presidential debate in Cleveland Tuesday. Cleveland.com reports city officials provided no other information about the arrests. A press conference is scheduled for Wednesday at 1 p.m. The website reports police handcuffed two men wearing ski masks, goggles and backpacks after they walked around a barrier set up along President Donald Trump’s motorcade near the Cleveland Clinic where the debate was being held. Several hundred peaceful protesters gathered in University Circle.
10 p.m. alcohol ban under review
Gov. Mike DeWine says the state's ban on alcohol sales after 10 p.m. is under review. The Republican governor says he understands the hardship the ban has meant to bars and restaurants. The ban was implemented in July to help slow the spread of the coronavirus by limiting late-night socializing. The governor said Tuesday several big city mayors have asked that it stay in place but acknowledged one mayor asked that it be lifted. DeWine also said without providing details that he's talking with state lawmakers about aid for small businesses hurt by the economic slowdown.
Ohio testing prison wastewater to head off COVID-19 outbreaks
The wastewater from all of Ohio's prisons is now being tested for the presence of coronavirus. Rehabilitation and Correction Director Annette Chambers-Smith says all of Ohio's prisons are being tested and have been since the beginning of the month. She says the wastewater can give them a seven-day advance notice of a coronavirus outbreak. Currently there are 79 staff members and 266 prisoners with COVID-19. Overall, state officials are monitoring 36 wastewater sites and plan to add 25 more in October.
Ohio appeals court rules state doesn’t have to accept electronic absentee ballot requests
An appeals court has ruled Secretary of State Frank LaRose does not have to allow online absentee ballot requests for Ohioans who want to vote by mail. A Franklin County Common Pleas Court judge had said LaRose had to allow electronic requests as the Ohio Democratic Party wanted. Chair David Pepper says while the appeals court didn’t require LaRose to accept electronic requests, it didn’t bar him from doing that if he wants. LaRose spokesperson Maggie Sheehan says the court unanimously agreed cybersecurity concerns were “too great to abandon Ohio’s safe and accessible system this close to the election.” Pepper says he is considering an appeal.
COVID-19 testing in Akron shows 5.8% positive test rate
Coronavirus testing outside Akron’s Chapel Hill mall earlier this month is showing some statistics about how the virus is spreading in Summit County. The Beacon Journal reports 5.8% of participants tested positive for the virus, or 62 people out of just over 1,000 total participants. The majority of those tested were from Summit County. County Health Commissioner Donna Skoda tells the newspaper the results were supposed to take 24 hours, but some results took five to six days. As of Tuesday afternoon, Summit County has had 5,323 cumulative confirmed and probable cases since the pandemic started and 253 COVID-19 deaths, with 180 of the deaths residing in long-term care.
Biden to take train tour with stop in Alliance
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is taking a train tour of eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania following Tuesday’s night’s debate in Cleveland. Biden, along with his wife, Jill, will first head to Alliance, Biden’s first stop in the state since he canceled a planned rally before the primary. The train will make four other stops, including in Pittsburgh; Greensburg, Pa.; and Latrobe, Pa., and ending in Johnstown, Pa., according to the campaign.
Cleveland Foundation awards nearly $28M
The Cleveland Foundation is awarding nearly $28 million in its latest round of grant funding. Among the recipients is Economic Growth Foundation/Greater Cleveland Partnership, receiving nearly $500,000tTo support three initiatives aimed at building a more diverse talent pipeline to address current and future information technology talent supply shortages. College Now Greater Cleveland will receive $360,000 to continue phasing in Say Yes Cleveland wraparound student support services and out-of-school-time programming to an additional 23 Cleveland Metropolitan School District schools and three Breakthrough Schools, bringing the total to 42 schools.
Judge, Yankees pound Bieber, Indians in opener
The New York Yankees pounded Cleveland ace Shane Bieber and opened the AL playoffs with a resounding 12-3 win over the Indians. Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer in the first inning to set the tone against Bieber, baseball's best pitcher during the condensed regular season. Gleyber Torres, who went 4 for 4, hit another two-run shot in the fifth to chase Bieber. The right-hander gave up a season-high seven runs and nine hits. Gerrit Cole struck out 13 without a walk in his playoff debut for the Yankees, who signed him to a $324 million free-agent contract this winter. The Yankees can win the best-of-three series Wednesday night.
