Here are your morning headlines for Thursday, Aug. 18:
- Judge says pharmacies owe Trumbull and Lake counties $650 million in opioids suit
- Top Ohio Senate Republican wants to appeal congressional map to U.S. Supreme Court
- College credits earned by high school students saved Ohio families $163 million last year
- Cleveland to consider yearly EMS fee hikes after 20 years without them
- Ohio Medicaid will cover new moms for 12 months after birth of a child
- Cleveland Schools CEO touts big investments in securing school buildings
- Guardians defeat Detroit Tigers with six runs in the eighth inning
- Your weather forecast: Patchy fog this morning
Judge says pharmacies owe Trumbull and Lake counties $650 million in opioids suit
A federal judge in Cleveland awarded $650 million in damages Wednesday to two Ohio counties that sued CVS, Walgreens and Walmart over the way the national pharmacy chains distributed opioids to their communities. U.S. District Judge Dan Polster said in his ruling that the money will be used to fight the opioid crisis in Lake and Trumbull counties. Attorneys for the counties put the total price tag at $3.3 billion for the damage done. The judge admonished the three companies, saying they “squandered the opportunity to present a meaningful plan to abate the nuisance” after proceedings last spring to determine what the counties were owed. [PBS NewsHour]
Top Ohio Senate Republican wants to appeal congressional map to U.S. Supreme Court
Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman wants to take the state's congressional map to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the Ohio Supreme Court overstepped by meddling in mapmaking. "Drawing districts is supposed to be, under the original premise of the (U.S.) Constitution, up to the state Legislature," Huffman said, adding that Ohio faces "similar issues" to a North Carolina case that the U.S. Supreme Court recently chose to review. The Ohio Supreme Court invalidated the state's 15-district congressional map as unconstitutional in July, for the second time. [The Canton Repository]
College credits earned by high school students saved Ohio families $163 million last year
The program that allows students to earn college credits while they’re still in high school saved Ohio families $163 million in higher education costs last year, according to a state audit. The audit of the seven-year-old College Credit Plus program also said it could be helping even more kids. The report said 76,601 students took College Credit Plus courses last year. The average family saved $4,368 and the average student graduated with nearly 15 credits, which would amount to a full semester of college credits. [Statehouse News Bureau]
Cleveland to consider yearly EMS fee hikes after 20 years without them
The city of Cleveland will start reviewing the fees it charges for hospital transports by city ambulances every year, shortly after raising rates for the first time in decades. In July, rates went up from between $350 and $500 to between $750 and $1,300. “The EMS rates for the city of Cleveland have not been on par with that of other jurisdictions,” said Public Safety Director Karrie Howard, who oversees the city’s Division of Emergency Medical Services. “We have had discussions about the funds the city was missing out from payment for ambulance transport.” [Ideastream Public Media]
Ohio Medicaid will cover new moms for 12 months after birth of a child
About 21,000 women in Ohio annually are expected to be covered for 12 months after the birth of a child after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved the state’s request to extend coverage from 60 days to a year, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tuesday afternoon. The coverage, included in the state’s budget signed into law in July, includes treatment for postpartum depression, medical care for chronic conditions, breastfeeding resources and evidence-based nurse home visits. [Mahoning Matters]
Cleveland Schools CEO touts big investments in securing school buildings
Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eric Gordon said the district has invested more than $1 million to upgrade school security systems in light of the recent deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. He said the money went toward improving surveillance cameras, locks and public address systems. He said all but two school buildings now have full-time school safety officers. An additional $1.6 million state grant will be used to enhance safety, he said. Classes for most students in the district begin Monday. [Ideastream Public Media]
Guardians defeat Detroit Tigers with six runs in the eighth inning
The Cleveland Guardians scored six runs in the 8th inning to rally past the Detroit Tigers, 8-4, at Progressive Field on Wednesday night. The scoring streak began after Tigers reliever Andrew Chafin recorded the third strikeout of the frame. The Guardians’ Luke Maile went down swinging, but he realized the ball had escaped the catcher and rolled to the backstop, allowing him to reach first base on the dropped third strike rule. Rookies Steven Kwan and Oscar Gonzalez had RBI doubles and Amed Rosarios and Owen Miller added run-scoring singles for the AL-Central leaders. Closer Emmanuel Clase pitched a scoreless ninth to seal the victory. [MLB.com]
Your weather forecast:Patchy fog this morning. Otherwise, a mostly sunny day. High 80. Tonight, a clear sky. Low 60. Tomorrow, Friday, sunny. High 84. [National Weather Service]
