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One day, 72 acres once envisioned for a big box shopping center at the crossroads of two Cuyahoga County interstates could accommodate not onlyastate-of-the-art, humanejail, but also the Diversion Center and other justice-related support functions.
The new jail, which will replace the high rise in the downtown Justice Center, was last year slated for a toxic site on Transport Road. That site ultimately fell through amid fervent pushback from the community and then-executive candidate Chris Ronayne over environmental concerns.
The county re-evaluated its list – and some new sites offered up, including the $38.7 million Garfield Heights site.
To pay for the project, the county is leaning toward extending a quarter-percent sales tax enacted by commissioners in 2007 to build the convention center. If passed, residents would continue to pay the tax through 2068. (Or later, if another project comes along.)
— Laura
Guardians vs. Cincinnati Reds: Guardians’ early offensive fireworks fizzle in 11-7 loss to persistent Reds
Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Showers possible throughout the day
Jail site:Cuyahoga County has finally committed to a site where it wants to build a new jail, with County Council on Tuesday approving a $38.7 million purchase of a site in Garfield Heights. As for construction of the new jail – the most recent estimate places that price tag at $750 million – no funding source has yet been approved, Lucas Daprile reports.
RethinkingChild Care: The studies are clear: Every public dollar spent on high-quality early childhood education and child care provides a $4 to $9 return in the form of increased tax revenue and decreased government spending on social support programs. Laura Johnston reports that states across the country -- led by both Democratic and Republican governors -- are tackling the problem, dedicating millions of dollars for creative programs that help parents work and businesses flourish. That’s even more important when the country this week falls off a $24 billion childcare cliff.
People’s Budget: Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb opposes a bill that seeks to block the city’s participatory budgeting charter amendment from taking effect should voters approve it in November, according to testimony a top aide submitted to a state Senate committee considering the legislation. Andrew Tobias reports Bibb and his administration oppose the proposed People’s Budget amendment. But it also opposes Senate Bill 158, which, if passed, would block the measure from taking effect.
Redistricting maps: The Ohio Redistricting Commission on Tuesday night gave final, bipartisan approval to new state legislative district maps that could be in place for as long as eight years, Jeremy Pelzer reports. The new redistricting plan gives Republicans an advantage in 61 of 99 Ohio House districtsand23 of 33 state Senate districts. That’s more favorable to Republicans than the maps that were used in last year’s legislative elections, which the Ohio Supreme Court found to be unconstitutionally gerrymandered in favor of Republicans.
Today in Ohio: If Ohio voters on Nov. 7 pass Issue 2, the recreational marijuana proposal, tax revenues in the first full year of operation could range between $182 million and $218.4 million. We’re asking if alcohol sales will fall in return on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast.
Gun bill: Ohio House Republicans are pushing legislation that would offer $10 million per year in refundable tax credits to guns and ammunition manufacturers who expand operations, reports Jake Zuckerman. The bill would also remove sales and use taxes on guns and ammo. Ohio House Rep. Al Cutrona pitched the idea as a job creator and gun rights protector.
East Palestine: Ohio’s U.S. Senators on Tuesday asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to declare a public health emergency in East Palestine to help residents exposed to environmental health hazards in February’s Norfolk Southern train derailment access Medicare coverage. Sabrina Eaton reports the letter asks U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan to use the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to declare a public health emergency “based on hazardous environmental exposures, which could provide for additional resources to the impacted communities.”
GOP media: Republicans in the state Senate, upset with alleged “left-wing bias” across the mastheads of the state’s largest newspapers, are entering the media industry, Jake Zuckerman reports. In a news release and blog posts laden with grievances against Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, The Columbus Dispatch, and “deep state radio” (presumably NPR and its local affiliates), the Ohio Senate Republican caucus launched what it calls an “online newsroom.”
Jail food:Cuyahoga County Council voted, 6-5, Tuesday to extend a contract with a troubled vendor to continue providing food to jail inmates. Trinity Services Group will be paid $7.9 million to continue providing meals to county jail inmates for the next year, under legislation approved in a vote by the council. In the past, Trinity has served meals so unappetizing correctional officers worried it could spark a riot, Lucas Daprile reports.
Best high schools: Rocky River has the highest-performing high school students in Ohio in terms of test scores, according to the 2023 Ohio school report cards. Zachary Smith reports that cleveland.com ranked all 880 schools reported with performance index scores and graduation ratings in the latest report cards to show which high school students tested the best.Next among schools in Greater Cleveland were Solon, which ranked sixth statewide with a 98, and Brecksville-Broadview Heights, ninth in Ohio with a 97.4.
Kindland: Hawken High School senior Augusta Halle wanted to create more conversations between communities to “help counterbalance social media with more positive aspects” across Ohio schools and shift energy to benefit the whole state. Halle’s senior project resulted in a pair of partnerships — first with Kindland/Values in Action and ultimately with the Governor’s Ohio School Safety Center, reports Peter Chakerian in the first of weekly Kindland profiles.
Blue Line: A Blue Lives Matter flag, a symbol that has angered many, was placed on a sign on Interstate 90 that honors State Highway Patrol Trooper Kenneth Velez, who as killed in 2016. The Ohio Department of Transportation does not allow signs or other symbolic items to be hung on the highway without its permission, but has not yet decided if the flag will be removed, Olivia Mitchell reports.
Deer hunting: The period for shooting deer using a bow and arrow, a method that has been riding a wave of popularity in Ohio in recent years, begins this Saturday statewide and will extend through Feb. 4, reports Peter Krouse.
Esports: Cedar Point will open the first phase of its new esports center next week, reports Susan Glaser. The gaming facility, debuting Oct. 6, will initially include 32 gaming stations across 1,000 square feet inside the existing Cedar Point Sports Center, about three miles east of the amusem*nt park.
Neurodivergent festival: Typically, those with neurological differences don’t enjoy crowds and loud noises coming from multiple sources make it hard for them to focus. Julie Washington reports the first Neurodiverse Culture Festival will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at Solon Community Park.
Apartments: From scrap yard to deluxe living, a Chicago developer believes its first entry into the Cleveland apartment market will offer something unique. Megan Sims reports the TREO Apartmentson the 2400 block of West 25th Street on the edge of the Tremont and Ohio City neighborhoods is the first Cleveland endeavor forChicago-based Mavrek Development.
Rocky River principal: A Rocky River elementary school principal will not face felony charges after a police investigation into his communications with his former students. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley’s office on Monday determined that Kensington Intermediate School Principal Heath Horton’s conduct with former students who said they drank alcohol, smoked cigars and exchanged p*rnographic videos at Horton’s Elyria home did not rise to the level of a felony because the students were all over 18 years old at the time of the incidents, reports Cory Shaffer. “It shows a complete lack of judgment and clearly he shouldn’t be around students,” O’Malley said.
JudgeCelebrezze: Two Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court judges have called on Judge Leslie Ann Celebrezze to relinquish her role as the court’s top jurist. Judges Francine Goldberg and Colleen Ann Reali citeda listofrecent controversies facing Celebrezze in a Sept. 12 letter that asks for the court to elect a new administrative judge, reports Cory Shaffer.
Ambulance crash: A man died and two paramedics were seriously hurt after a driver crashed his Jeep into an ambulance early Tuesday morning in Geauga County. Molly Walsh reports the Jeep’s driver, Jason Slepsky, was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular assault and drunken driving in Chardon Municipal Court.
Gun buyback:Edwins Leadership Restaurant and Institute is hosting a three-on-three basketball tournament aimed to revise the fine-dining French restaurant’s gun-buyback program. Marc Bona reports Edwins is teaming with the Cavaliers and Cleveland Police Foundation on the program.
Ask Yadi: Is it cool or creepy to comment on someone’s outfit? Don’t be afraid to compliment someone. Yadi Rodriguez writes that it’s important to lift each other up even in the smallest of ways.
Nick Cave: No one else sounds like Nick Cave. Add his band the Bad Seeds into the equation -- with their often atmospheric and emotionally empathetic music beds in well-known songs like the intense “Red Right Hand” -- and it would be pretty easy for the proverbial casual observer to assume Cave is all about spinning tails of hopeless, bleak darkness while looking really cool in nice suits, writes Malcolm X Abram.
Bidwell collection: The New York auction house Phillips announced Monday it will hold a sale on Oct. 11 of 40 works from the photography collection of Clevelanders Fred and Laura Bidwell, reports Steven Litt. The Bidwells are known in Cleveland for having established the Transformer Station Gallery in Cleveland’s Hingetown neighborhood in 2013 as a collaborative project with the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Agave &Rye:Agave & Rye is moving into the space formerly occupied by Paladar at Eton Chagrin Boulevard, reports Marc Bona.Billed as a modern Tequila andBourbon hall, the Covington, Kentucky-based restaurant, which has a Warehouse District location, is scheduled to open inthe spring.
Don’t forget, you can always find the latest Cleveland news by visiting cleveland.com. If you value the hard work of Cleveland journalists, consider becoming a cleveland.com subscriber.
— Curated by Laura Johnston with contributions by Cliff Pinckard
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