The iOpener: Juvenile Detention Center Superintendent Quits; OBJ Dazzles

Good morning, iOpeners.  It's Friday, July 26, 2019.

The administrator of Cuyahoga County’s Juvenile Detention Center is urging staff to “persist,” following the abrupt resignation of its new superintendent after only five hours on the job. Judge Kristen Sweeney informed staff in a memo that Donald Shewalter left after realizing “his heart just wasn’t in it.” Shewalter’s short stint follows that of Delbert Montgomery, who lasted less than a year as superintendent before being fired for sexual harassment and other problems involving his conduct. 

A new poll shows Joe Biden as the only Democrat who could beat President Donald Trump if the election were held today. The Quinnipiac University poll showed registered voters in Ohio favored Biden over Trump by a margin of 50-42 percent. Other major Democratic candidates — including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, California Sen. Kamala Harris, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg — remain virtually tied with the president.

State fair inspectors permanently shut down a Ferris wheel-type ride called “Military Base” after they found “visible corrosion,” and they’ve closed four others pending the outcome of a review. None of the five rides operated at the fair, which opened Wednesday. Dorothy Pelanda, director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, which oversees the fair, said the four other rides could be re-opened after minor repairs.

Authorities say the body of a Vermilion woman who went missing while swimming in Lake Erie has been found. Police say 29-year-old Brittany Young’s body was discovered by a landscaper along the rocky shoreline in Huron. Her drowning was the second in two weeks at Nickel Plate Beach. The city has closed the beach indefinitely until it determines what safety improvements are needed. 

The operator of the casino at MGM Northfield Park is removing a six-pointed star logo from shirts worn by security guards after an inquiry by a weekly Cleveland newpaper. The Cleveland Jewish News pursued the story after a woman had complained that it reminded her of the star Jews were forced to wear in Nazi Germany during the Holocaust. An MGM spokeswoman says the company regrets having offended anyone and is committed to diversity and inclusion.

Filmmaker Ron Howard will be in author J.D. Vance’s hometown of Middletown next month to film scenes for the Netflix adaptation of Vance’s acclaimed memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.” Howard and about 125 others will shoot for four days during the week of Aug. 5. The movie stars Glenn Close and Amy Adams.

Odell Beckham Jr. put on a show for Browns fans and perhaps gave the NFL a preview of things to come. The Pro Bowl wide receiver made two highlight-reel catches on the first day of training camp, delighting a capacity crowd that was lined up outside the gates several hours before they opened. Beckham’s pairing with quarterback Baker Mayfield has fueled high expectations for the Browns, who went 7-8-1 last season.

The Indians outlasted the Kansas City Royals, 5-4, in a 14-inning game that lasted just shy of five hours and finished after midnight at Kauffman Stadium. Jose Ramirez put the Indians on top with a game-winning solo home run. 

Weather forecast for Cleveland: Sunny, high 84.  Tonight, mostly clear, low 69.  Tomorrow, mostly sunny and warmer, high 88.  Sunday, sunny and breezy, with a slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms, high 87.  Monday, the hot weather continues with mostly sunny skies, high 88.