The Browns are leaving Cleveland for the second time in nearly 30 years. This time the team is leaving Downtown for the neighboring suburb of Brook Park. Team ownership has plans to build a new domed stadium complex.
The decision became public late yesterday afternoon when a clearly frustrated Mayor Justin Bibb announced the team's plan to move. He called it "profoundly disheartening."
The Haslams in a statement said their stadium planning stretched back to 2017 and called the last two years of talks with the city collaborative and productive. But ultimately the Haslams determined: "The transformational economic opportunities created by a dome far outweigh what a renovated stadium could produce with around ten events per year."
Where will the public portion of the funding come from and how big will the tab be? The Browns say the complex would include $2 billion in private investment, the rest coming from the public. Cleveland Councilmember Brian Kazy said neither the state nor the county should put in a dollar.
We will begin Friday’s “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable” with the decision by the Haslam Sports Group to leave Downtown for the suburbs.
Hold on tight: We're in the final weeks before the November 5 election and early voting began October 8 in Ohio. Secretary of State Frank LaRose's office has unveiled a new data dashboard that shows how many mail-in and early in-person votes are cast, as well as the number of absentee ballots requested. Ohioans are voting early and in-person at nearly twice the rate of mail-in voting. Why?
The Ohio Supreme Court this week agreed with Frank LaRose's directive that limits drop boxes to only voters depositing their own ballot. If someone is assisting another voter, such as someone who is unable to get to the drop box due to age or disability, that voter must fill out paperwork authorizing the helper to drop off the ballot.
If someone is assisting another voter, such as someone who is unable to get to the drop box due to age or disability, that voter must fill out paperwork authorizing the helper to drop off the ballot.
The United States Department of Justice will be monitoring early in-person and Election Day voting in Portage County. Monitors will be on hand to assure that federal voting rights laws are being followed.
Community activists in Akron this week doubled down on their criticism of Police Chief Brian Harding, demanding his firing.
Harding was appointed chief in May after serving in an interim capacity since December of 2023. Mayor Shammas Malik, who chose him for the job, said he still believes Harding is the right person for the job.
It's been a year since the grace period ended for Ohio's new distracted driving law. Which means no more warnings if drivers hold a cellphone or other electronic device while driving. It's a primary offense,which means police can pull you over if they see you on the phone. Hands-free devices are still okay. State agencies this week said the law is already working.
Guests:
-Glenn Forbes, Supervising Producer for Newscasts, Ideastream Public Media
-Anna Huntsman, Akron-Canton Reporter, Ideastream Public Media
-Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau, Ohio Public Radio/TV
