Here are your morning headlines for Tuesday, June 8:
- 200K vaccine doses are set to go to waste
- 35 shot, 3 killed in weekend shootings in Cleveland
- Goodyear completes merger with Cooper Tire
- COVID hospitalizations decline
- Cleveland swears in new council member
200K vaccine doses are set to go to waste
Gov. Mike DeWine says there are 200,000 doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Ohio that will expire later this month, so he’s issuing an urgent call to get those shots in arms. The Ohio Department of Health has told all vaccine providers to follow a first-in, first-out process to ensure doses with the soonest expiration dates will be used first. At this time, Ohio does not have legal options for sending the vaccines to other states or other countries. Summit County Public Health is offering the J&J vaccine during a single-day drive-thru clinic on Thursday at its West Market Street headquarters in Akron. Information is at 330-926-5795.
35 shot, 3 killed in weekend shootings in Cleveland
Cleveland police say 35 people were injured in shootings from Friday to Monday, including two mass shootings that killed three people. Eight people were shot Sunday evening at a home where a surprise graduation party was being held. A resident says they were standing on the front porch of the home when shots were fired from a car with dark, tinted windows. At another residence, police say, six people were shot on a front porch.
Goodyear completes merger with Cooper Tire
The $2.8 billion merger between Goodyear Tire and Rubber and Findlay-based Cooper Tire has been completed. The deal solidifies Akron-based Goodyear as the largest tire-maker in the U.S. and nearly doubles its presence in China. Cooper Tires will be sold as a brand under the Goodyear umbrella. The deal is expected to add to Goodyear earnings within a year, and the company expects to save about $165 million by eliminating overlapping corporate and operating functions.
COVID hospitalizations decline
COVID-19 hospitalizations are dropping in Ohio along with case numbers. Cleveland.com reports the 539 people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Sunday is the smallest patient count since June of 2020. At the peak in December, there were than 5,000 hospitalizations. The number of critically ill ICU patients in Ohio hospitals is also improving, dipping to 161 on Sunday.
Cleveland swears in new council member
Cleveland City Council has sworn in a new interim member to replace indicted Councilman Ken Johnson. Marion Anita Gardner was selected among nearly 20 candidates to represent Ward 4, which includes Shaker Square and portions of the Buckeye-Shaker, Woodland Hills, and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods. Gardner is the chief executive officer of Concerned Citizens Community Council. Johnson has pleaded not guilty to corruption charges and has appealed his suspension on the council. Cleveland.com reports he will continue to hold his title and to collect his pay, nearly $87,000 a year. He’s also filed for re-election.
