Here are your morning headlines for Friday, Aug. 19:
- Whaley calls on DeWine, Husted to release private texts and emails involving nuclear bailout
- Deshaun Watson will be suspended for 11 games after allegations of sexual misconduct
- $9.6M in bonuses awarded to investment staff after Ohio teachers pension system lost $3B
- Northeast Ohio schools are facing staff shortages with the start of classes
- Warren meat processor receives $250K to help strengthen Ohio’s food supply chain
- Coventry High School teacher required to remove Black Lives Matter sign from classroom
- Northern lights might be visible in Northeast Ohio over next few days
- Your weather forecast: Patchy fog this morning. Otherwise, mostly sunny
Whaley calls on DeWine, Husted to release private texts and emails involving nuclear bailout
Nan Whaley, Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, stood in front of FirstEnergy Stadium, the home of the Cleveland Browns, to draw attention to the federal corruption case involving the utility company and call on Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, both Republicans, to release emails from their private accounts that are associated with the controversial nuclear bailout law. Whaley's action comes just days after text messages from FirstEnergy executives raised questions about the involvement of DeWine and Husted in the company’s legislative agenda. [Statehouse News Bureau]
Deshaun Watson will be suspended for 11 games after allegations of sexual misconduct
Deshaun Watson, the controversial Cleveland Browns quarterback accused by dozens of women of sexual misconduct and assault, will be suspended for 11 regular-season games, the NFL announced Thursday. Watson must also undergo a behavioral treatment program and pay a fine of $5 million, which will be used to establish a fund to support non-profit organizations across the U.S. that work to combat sexual assault and help survivors. The Cleveland Browns and the NFL will each contribute $1 million to the fund. [NPR]
$9.6M in bonuses awarded to investment staff after Ohio teachers pension system lost $3B
The State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio board on Thursday approved $9.66 million in bonus pay for about 100 investment staff, over the objections of retired teachers. The Ohio Retired Teachers Association asked the board to reject the bonus pay, citing $3 billion in investment losses and high inflation rates. The bonuses were approved on a 9-2 vote with board members Rudy Fichtenbaum and Wade Steen opposing it. A spokesman for the state's second largest pension fund said bonus pay helps attract and retain top talent. Bonuses are based on how the system performs over one-year and five-year windows compared to benchmarks. [The Canton Repository]
Northeast Ohio schools are facing staff shortages with the start of classes
School systems throughout Ohio are continuing to grapple with a shortage of both teachers and other workers as school gets back into session. While Northeast Ohio appears to be faring a little better than others, issues still persist. Cleveland Metropolitan School District is short about 160 teachers, but, through work bringing in substitute teachers over the last several weeks, that number is closer to roughly 60 vacant positions. Akron Public Schools has 62 open teaching positions. [Ideastream Public Media]
Warren meat processor receives $250K to help strengthen Ohio’s food supply chain
Premium Meats in Warren was awarded a $250,000 grant to help strengthen the state’s food supply chain. Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted on Wednesday announced that 12 Ohio meat processors were awarded a total of nearly $3 million to “implement processing efficiencies, expand or construct facilities at existing sites, assist in training and certification and improve harvest services,” a news release states. This is the third round of funds awarded through the Ohio Meat Processing Grant program. To date, 128 grants totaling $28 million have been awarded to Ohio meat processors in 59 counties, the release states. [Mahoning Matters]
Coventry High School teacher required to remove Black Lives Matter sign from classroom
Leaders at Coventry High School in Summit County forced a science teacher to remove two wall hangings deemed political, including a Black Lives Matter sign, from her classroom before the start of the school year. Coventry Local Schools Superintendent George Fisk said he and the high school principal told the teacher the signs needed to come down because they were political and did not reflect all sides of an issue. Fisk said he could not describe in detail the second wall hanging, which was a kind of tapestry with several symbols or expressions he deemed political. [Akron Beacon Journal]
Northern lights might be visible in Northeast Ohio over next few days
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there currently is a potentially strong geomagnetic storm that could last through Friday. Solar flares from the storm can disrupt communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio, and satellite operations, according to the NOAA. The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, could be pushed quite a bit south from its usual position over the polar region, making it visible in areas where it’s not usually seen including Northeast Ohio. [Cleveland.com]
Your weather forecast:Patchy fog this morning. Otherwise, mostly sunny. High 84. Tonight, mostly clear, with a low around 64. The weekend starts off Saturday under mostly sunny skies. High 86. Sunday, showers and a possible thunderstorm. High 81. [National Weather Service]
