The iOpener: Cuyahoga County Health and Human Services Running Out of Money; Cavs Hire Beilein

Good morning, iOpeners. It's Tuesday, May 14, 2019.

Cuyahoga County’s Department of Health and Human Services is running out of money, due to increased demand for its foster care services, and county officials are considering asking for a levy increase. County budget chief Maggie Keenan told county council committee members that HHS needs an additional $33.5 million next year because expenses are exceeding the revenue generated by two existing HHS levies. Finance committee chairman Dale Miller said the budget projections for HHS were a “very serious and immediate problem.”

The Cleveland Cavaliers have hired Michigan’s John Beilein as their new coach.The 66-year-old signed a five-year deal with the Cavs. The move came as a surprise; Beilein lacks pro experience and the Cavs were thought to be seeking a younger coach.  Beilein is the winningest coach in Michigan history and will helm a team that finished 19-63 last season, their first without superstar LeBron James.

In a rare joint news conference, Republican House Speaker Larry Householder and Democratic minority leader Emilia Sykes unveiled a bipartisan list of legislative priorities. They include bills to improve and bolster foster care services, improve job training opportunities and revive Gov. Mike DeWine’s $900 million water quality fund, which was stripped from the budget by the House last week.  Typically,  Householder said the bills represent areas of common ground between House Republicans and Democrats. Democrats helped get Householder elected as speaker in January, ending a bitter Republican Party leadership feud.

The city of Cleveland is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspected arsonist in an April 29 fire on Cleveland’s East Side that injured a firefighter. Fire officials say the firefighter, a 51-year-old lieutenant with 23 years of experience, broke his leg and ankle as a result of falling through the floor of the burning house in the 29000 block of East 66 ^th Street.  His injuries required surgery.

The Chicago White Sox defeated the Indians, 5-2. The loss ended Indians starter Shane Bieber’s winning streak on the road.  Bieber’s streak of nine wins and no losses in 14 away game starts was one victory shy of tying the modern-era record of most consecutive winning decisions on the road to start a career.   

Weather forecast: Cloudy to begin the day, turning mostly sunny.  Warmer, high 58.  Tonight, partly cloudy, low 48.  Tomorrow, partly sunny.  A cold front moving into region brings gusty winds up to 23 mph and a chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms after 2 pm.  High 66.

The GE chandelier in Playhouse Square, with white pansies in the foreground and an oh-so-familiar overcast sky above, on Tuesday morning, May 14, 2019. [Amy Eddings / ideastream].