Here are your morning headlines for Tuesday, Aug. 30:
- Cleveland mayor wants to focus American Rescue Plan Act money on housing
- Honda and LG may build $4 billion electric vehicle battery plant in Ohio
- East Cleveland Police Chief Scott Gardner indicted on 13 felony charges
- Summit County prosecutors seek gag order in Liming case
- Ohio Debate Commission working to get GOP candidates onstage for October debates
- Guardians host Orioles at Progressive Field
- Your weather forecast: Showers likely in the morning and early afternoon.
Cleveland mayor wants to focus American Rescue Plan Act money on housing
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb’s staff on Monday laid out $102.5 million in ARPA spending items to Cleveland City Council. That's about a third of the city’s remaining ARPA allocation from the federal government. The administration wants to slate $35 million for housing construction, $10 million for home repairs and $5 million for home rehabilitation for small contractors and nonprofits. Bibb is proposing to spend more than $10 million on public safety programs. [Ideastream Public Media]
Honda and LG may build $4 billion electric vehicle battery plant in Ohio
Honda and the Korean company LG are planning a $4 billion electric vehicle battery making factory in the United States, and there are strong indications that it may end up in Ohio. With more demand for hybrid and electric vehicles, carmakers are starting to downsize plants that make internal combustion engines – and Honda’s largest such engine plant is in Anna in Shelby County. Honda is also partnering with GM, which plans to make electric vehicle batteries in Lordstown. [Statehouse News Bureau]
East Cleveland Police Chief Scott Gardner indicted on 13 felony charges
Charges against East Cleveland Police Chief Scott Gardner include theft, tax evasion and tampering with records. According to the indictment from the Cuyahoga County prosecutor, Gardner failed to pay more than $150,000 in taxes between 2014 and 2019. He’s also accused of stealing between $7,500 and $150,000 from the local police union, the Fraternal Order of Police. East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King said Monday that Gardner has been placed on administrative leave. [Ideastream Public Media]
Summit County prosecutors seek gag order in Liming case
In a filing Friday, Summit County prosecutors asked the court to issue a gag order in the criminal case of three men charged in the deadly beating of Akron teen Ethan Liming. Prosecutors cited comments that defense attorneys have made to local media arguing their clients acted in self defense. They say those claims are “misleading and/or inaccurate.” An attorney for one of the men charged in the case said he’ll fight the gag order. [Akron Beacon Journal]
Ohio Debate Commission working to get GOP candidates onstage for October debates
The Ohio Debate Commission is hosting a U.S. Senate debate, a gubernatorial debate and a forum for the race for chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. All three Democratic candidates have agreed to participate. None of their Republican counterparts have signed on, though they have not declined. The debate commission’s executive director says she is in talks with all of the Republican candidates, except senate candidate J.D. Vance. All of the events will take place at the Akron-Summit County Public Library in October. [Ideastream Public Media]
Guardians host Orioles at Progressive Field
Cal Quantrill starts for the Guardians against the Baltimore Orioles’ Spenser Watkins tonight. First pitch is at 6:10 p.m. The Guardians remain in first place in the AL Central, a game and a half ahead of the second place Minnesota Twins. [MLB.com]
Your weather forecast:Showers likely in the morning and early afternoon. Mostly cloudy to start the day, then turning sunny in Cleveland. High 80. Tonight, partly cloudy. Low 60. Tomorrow, Wednesday, sunny. High 79. [National Weather Service]
