Here are your morning headlines for Monday, December 20:
- Ohio National Guard deploys to hospitals as omicron variant spreads
- COVID cancels Cleveland Orchestra shows
- School scrutinized after ESPN blowout is 'scam,' Ohio finds
- Browns hope to get some players back for rescheduled game
Ohio National Guard deploys to hospitals as omicron variant spreads
(WKSU, New York Times) -- Ohio reported about 7,600 COVID-19 cases on Sunday, just slightly lower than the three-week average of around 8,000. The Cleveland Clinic said Friday that about one-third of the 3,000 COVID-19 tests that it conducts daily are positive, and half of those positive cases are the omicron variant. As of Sunday, there are 4,675 COVID patients in Ohio hospitals and more than 1,150 in ICUs. Beginning Monday, 1,050 Ohio National Guard members will begin to be deployed at hospitals across the state, especially in Northeast Ohio where Gov. Mike DeWine says the staffing problem is the worst. The New York Times data rank Ohio third in the nation in COVID hospitalizations and has the fifth-highest cases per 100,000 people.
COVID cancels Cleveland Orchestra shows
(WKSU) -- This latest COVID-19 wave is giving arts organizations flashbacks to the start of the pandemic. The Cleveland Orchestra canceled its two Sunday holiday concerts due to a positive case within the Orchestra. The Cleveland Playhouse has canceled all remaining performances of its holiday show, Light It Up! due to coronavirus concerns. Sports are also being affected. The NBA postponed the Cavs’ Sunday night game against the Atlanta Hawks after five additional players entered COVID-19 protocols, and a number of college basketball games have been postponed, including Ohio State and Akron men’s and Kent State women’s.
School scrutinized after ESPN blowout is 'scam,' Ohio finds
(AP) — The Ohio Department of Education says a school whose legitimacy was scrutinized after its supposedly top-tier football team got clobbered in an ESPN-televised game didn’t live up to its billing educationally either and turned out to be “a scam.” Gov. Mike DeWine said he's asking authorities to determine whether any laws were broken by what claimed to be the Columbus-area Bishop Sycamore High School. ODE says Bishop Sycamore's administrator characterized his program as a way to get more exposure for football players who were having trouble getting into colleges. The department is recommending lawmakers make changes to state law to avoid a repeat of the situation.
Browns hope to get some players back for rescheduled game
(WKSU) -- The Browns still have about 20 players on the COVID list ahead of today's game against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Browns have until 2 p.m. to activate players in time for the 5 p.m. kickoff. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is hopeful he will test negative this morning and be able to play. Backup Case Keenum is also on the COVID list. The Browns can move into first place in the AFC North with a win over the Raiders.
