Here are your morning headlines for Tuesday, Aug. 16:
- More than 1,700 people evacuated from Afghanistan have resettled in Ohio in the last year
- DeWine on nuclear bailouts: 'Everything that was in that bill, that I leave up to the Legislature'
- Should you wait to get a COVID-19 booster that targets new variants?
- Summa closing historic chapel at St. Thomas Hospital with ties to Alcoholics Anonymous
- Gas prices continuing to drop; here’s where they stand in Ohio
- Ohio schools, families get new COVID-19 guidelines as school year starts
- The Detroit Tigers rallied for a 7-5 win over the Cleveland Guardians
- Your weather forecast: Partly sunny, with a 30% chance of scattered showers
More than 1,700 people evacuated from Afghanistan have resettled in Ohio in the last year
One year ago today, the Taliban took over Afghanistan, and since that time, more than 67,000 people from Afghanistan have come to the United States to settle in many places, including Ohio. As of right now, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reports 1,727 people from Afghanistan have arrived in Ohio as a result of the federal Afghan Placement and Assistance Program, and the state is expecting more. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reports about 75% of those who have resettled in Ohio have come to Columbus or Cleveland. [Statehouse News Bureau]
DeWine on nuclear bailouts: 'Everything that was in that bill, that I leave up to the Legislature'
Gov. Mike DeWine says he left the language in Ohio's customer-funded nuclear bailout to lawmakers — even as text messages show Lt. Gov. Jon Husted lobbied for more subsidies. DeWine said he can't remember advocating for a specific length of time for the nuclear subsidies. Amid negotiations on House Bill 6, the nuclear plants' owners wanted Ohio's 4.5 million energy customers to foot the bill for 10 years, rather than six or seven. DeWine said he consistently advocated for policies that would keep Ohio's two nuclear plants, owned by FirstEnergy Solutions that later became Energy Harbor, running, and that included a $1 billion bailout. But the governor said he left the details to Ohio lawmakers. [Akron Beacon Journal]
Should you wait to get a COVID-19 booster that targets new variants?
COVID-19 vaccine makers are developing new boosters that target the new omicron subvariants now dominant across the country. The anticipated reformulation, expected to come sometime this fall, has left some people who are eligible for a first or second booster wondering if they should get a shot now or wait until the reformulated vaccines are available. Doctors at University Hospitals and the Cleveland Clinic say people who are eligible for a booster should not wait. [Ideastream Public Media]
Summa closing historic chapel at St. Thomas Hospital with ties to Alcoholics Anonymous
A section of Thomas Hospital in Akron that honors the nation's first hospital-based unit dedicated to the treatment of alcoholism and its strong ties to Alcoholics Anonymous will be closing, but the items inside will have new homes in Akron. The Sister Ignatia Heritage Center and Chapel at Summa Health’s St. Thomas Hospital in Akron is now open to the public through Sept. 5. Summa is also hosting several invite-only events for certain groups, including AA. The chapel is closing in preparation for Summa Health’s move from the St. Thomas facility to its new Juve Family Behavioral Health Pavilion next year. [Akron Beacon Journal]
Gas prices continuing to drop; here’s where they stand in Ohio
After rising to record levels this summer, gas prices are continuing to drop. Last week, the national average for a gallon of regular gas dipped below $4 for the first time in more than five months. Ohio saw one of the largest decreases in prices at the pump in the nation, with prices around $1 per gallon less than a month ago. This article includes an interactive map that shows average gas prices for each county. The map will be updated regularly. [Mahoning Matters]
Ohio schools, families get new COVID-19 guidelines as school year starts
Schools will no longer need to follow the Ohio Department of Health’s Mask to Stay and Test to Play school guidelines for quarantining after COVID exposure. Now the state health department recommends an exposed person stay home and monitor their symptoms. Dan Suffoletto, a spokesperson for Public Health-Dayton & Montgomery County, said the Ohio Department of Health and CDC now recommend precautions based on a community's transmission rate. It is now up to an individual school district whether to require masks or not, even if the community transmission level is high, according to Suffoletto. [Ideastream Public Media]
The Detroit Tigers rallied for a 7-5 win over the Cleveland Guardians
Jonathan Schoop and rookie Kerry Carpenter hit back-to-back homers in the sixth inning off Cleveland reliever Eli Morgan. Rookie right-hander Xzavion Curry lasted five innings and allowed three runs. He is the 14th player to make his big league debut for the Guardians in 2022. In the opener, All-Star Andrés Giménez belted a go-ahead, three-run homer in the seventh inning for the AL Central-leading Guardians, who beat the Tigers, 4-1. [AP]
Your weather forecast: Partly sunny, with a 30% chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout the day. High 79. Tonight, mostly cloudy, with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9 p.m. Low 60. Tomorrow, mostly sunny. High 79. [National Weather Service]
