Ohio is getting national attention after former President Donald Trump repeated unsubstantiated claims about immigrants in Springfield that Haitian newcomers are consuming people's pets. Just not true, Springfield authorities say. Still, city hall, two elementary schools and other buildings had to close yesterday because of bomb threats. What is substantiated is that there has been a recent influx of immigrants from Haiti, which city leaders and businesses welcomed, and government agencies, nonprofits, churches and other community organizations are working to provide services. Springfield is not big and the increase in population, which is welcome, has been rapid.
Gov. Mike DeWine is sending $2.5 million in state money and dispatching Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers to Springfield to western Ohio to help.
The topic begins this week’s discussion of news on the “Reporters Roundtable.”
A bankruptcy judge in Texas approved an interim order this week that will help two Warren hospitals avoid closure next week and pave the way for their possible sale.
Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital were among the hospitals slated to close after its current owner, the Dallas-based for-profit Steward Health Care filed for bankruptcy in May.
The Cleveland Police Department has been struggling to fill vacant positions and increase the number of officers in its ranks. Departments nationwide face similar staffing issues and difficulties in recruiting. Beginning today and running through the weekend Cleveland’s Division of Police will hold an expedited hiring event at City Hall.
The Ohio Supreme Court has not yet ruled on whether to force the Ohio Ballot Board to rewrite the language voters will see when they vote on Issue 1 this fall. The issue seeks to remove politicians from the political map drawing process. Citizens Not Politicians, the group behind the measure, says the ballot language approved is misleading.
Attorney General Dave Yost has filed a lawsuit with the Ohio Supreme Court against the Columbus City Schools. At issue is Yost’s demand that the district provide bus transportation to private and charter school students in addition to those attending the public schools.
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District has reimplemented the “Get More Opportunities” fund. A $20 million donation from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott created the program. The idea was to fund educational opportunities for students the district otherwise could not provide. The district pulled the program last year and said it would need to use the money to plug a budget hole.
Guests:
-Stephanie Czekalinski, Deputy Editor for News, Ideastream Public Media
-Glenn Forbes, Supervising Producer for Newscasts, Ideastream Public Media
-Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau Chief, Ohio Public Radio/TV
