Here are your morning headlines for Tuesday, October 6:
- LaRose OKs more drop boxes, but only on-site
- Around 100 KSU students now in quarantine
- KSU sells 68 acres in Trumbull to Mercy Health
- Early voting begins in Ohio
- Akron plans $800,000 for pedestrian safety projects
- Ohio’s AG forms Scientific Advisory Council
- 45th Annual CIFF will be virtual in 2021
- State allows 12,000 fans at Browns games
- Browns star Chubb to miss "several weeks" with knee injury
LaRose OKs more drop boxes, but only on-site
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is allowing more than one drop-box for collecting absentee ballots, but they must be placed at a county’s board of elections. LaRose characterized his revised order Monday as a “clarification” of a one-drop-box-per-county order that drew state and federal court challenges. LaRose said his order always allowed county election boards to collect ballots at various locations around their property, though that is not how Democrats and voting rights groups who brought suit had interpreted it. They say multiple drop boxes should be allowed at different locations for accessibility.
Around 100 KSU students now in quarantine
There are now around 100 Kent State University students under mandatory quarantine in campus dorms. The Kent City Health Department notified 57 students living in Koonce Hall and Centennial Court E that they must quarantine until Oct. 16 due to possible exposure to COVID-19. Meals and other university resources are provided. The university announced last week that 44 students in Clark Hall and Centennial Court A are under quarantine through this week.
KSU sells 68 acres in Trumbull to Mercy Health
A healthcare campus is planned on nearly 68 acres of land owned by Kent State University in Trumbull County. The university is selling the land to Mercy Health for its appraised value of around $395,000. As part of the sale, Mercy Health and Kent State will expand its partnership of providing practicum and internship opportunities for nursing students. Mercy Health is a Catholic health care ministry serving Ohio and Kentucky with more than 34,000 employees.
Early voting begins in Ohio
Early voting begins today in Ohio. Absentee ballots can be sent through the mail, dropped off at the secure ballot drop box at the county board of elections, or you can vote early in-person through Monday, November 2. More than two million voters have already requested absentee ballots. A recent Quinnipiac survey of Ohio voters showed 35% plan to vote early by mail, 16% plan to vote in person early and 46% plan on voting in person on Election Day.
Akron plans $800,000 for pedestrian safety projects
The city of Akron is planning $800,000 in projects to make streets more pedestrian-friendly next year. Cleveland.com reports city council voted Monday to allow the Ohio Department of Transportation to manage the more than two dozen projects that include installing mid-block crosswalks, curb ramps and signs. The projects are part of ODOT’s $10 million statewide pedestrian-safety program, which is paying for improvements to more than 400 locations in cities with the most fatal and serious crashes involving pedestrians, which also include Canton, Cleveland and Youngstown.
Ohio’s AG forms Scientific Advisory Council
Ohio’s attorney general is launching a new group to study and advise Ohio environmental concerns, including algal blooms. The 12-member Scientific Advisory Council is made up of experts from nine universities across the state. Attorney General Dave Yost says rarely do experts join lawyers and policymakers in the same room to discuss environmental challenges before a crisis or an issue arises.
45th Annual CIFF will be virtual in 2021
The Cleveland International Film Festival is going virtual again in 2021 due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. The 45th annual festival will take place entirely online on April 7 through April 20, 2021. The festival shifted to a virtual format in March when the pandemic hit Ohio. The organization said it’s looking forward to hosting the event at its new home at Playhouse Square in 2022.
State allows 12,000 fans at Browns games
More fans will be allowed to attend Browns games. The Ohio Department of Health is permitting 12,000 spectators at FirstEnergy Stadium, double the capacity allowed at the first two home games. Along with social distancing, fans must use designated entrances and will be grouped in pods of 2-4 people with no more than six people in the same party. Browns officials pushed for the expansion, saying no outbreaks have been traced to the stadium.
Browns star Chubb to miss "several weeks" with knee injury
Cleveland Browns star running back Nick Chubb will miss “several weeks” with a sprained ligament in his right knee, a major blow to a Cleveland team off to its best start since 2001. Chubb got hurt in the first quarter of Sunday’s 49-38 win over the Cowboys. The Browns are 3-1 for the first time in 19 years. Browns first-year coach Kevin Stefanski said Chubb will be placed on injured reserve. Unlike previous seasons, teams can put players on the injured list and bring them back after a minimum of three games.
