Here are your morning headlines for Friday, January 28:
- UA and Cleveland State law schools merger called off
- State recommends a move to cluster case COVID tracing
- Cleveland Housing Court bailiff fatally shoots a man during an eviction
- Guardians reach an agreement to extend lease through 2036
- James and Durant tapped as captains for NBA All-Star Game
- Steelers QB Roethlisberger officially announces his retirement after 18 seasons
UA and Cleveland State law schools merger called off
(WKSU) -- The proposed merger between law schools at the University of Akron and Cleveland State University has been called off. In a joint statement Thursday, the schools said they were ending discussions over whether to combine the programs. The idea was proposed in the summer of 2020 amid a decline in law school enrollment. The schools did leave open the possibility of collaborations in the future after the Akron law school next month welcomes a new dean. Meanwhile, Cleveland City Council members have urged Cleveland State to rename its law school due to the fact its namesake, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall, owned slaves. The University of Illinois last year dropped the name Marshall from its law school.
State recommends a move to cluster case COVID tracing
(AP) -- The Ohio Department of Health is recommending local health departments shift their practice of COVID-19 contact tracing to a model that follows clusters of cases and not individual diagnoses. The Ohio Department of Health’s Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff says the instruction to local health departments would cover outbreaks in crowded settings such as homeless shelters, correctional facilities, and nursing homes. Vanderhoff says he has also notified schools that they can discontinue universal contact tracing but should still plan to help health departments trace clusters of outbreaks.
Cleveland Housing Court bailiff fatally shoots a man during an eviction
(AP) -- Officials say a Cleveland Housing Court bailiff shot a man during an attempted eviction. According to a press release, it happened around noon on Thursday. Officials say two bailiffs knocked on a door at an apartment building on Cleveland's west side and that no one answered. They then received the help of a maintenance worker to get inside. Officials say the man opened the door and assaulted the bailiffs and worker with a blunt object, prompting one of the bailiffs to shoot him. The man died at the hospital. His identity has not been released. The Cleveland police Force Investigation Team is investigating.
Guardians reach an agreement to extend lease through 2036
(AP) -- Cleveland Guardians officials say the team has reached an agreement to extend its lease at its downtown ballpark through at least 2036. Team officials say financing has been secured for improvements at Progressive Field. Team owner and CEO Paul Dolan says the agreement will lead to a more “compelling fan experience” and will keep the facility “modern and relevant for many more years to come." Renovation work is scheduled to begin after the coming season.
James and Durant tapped as captains for NBA All-Star Game
(AP, WKSU) -- Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James will be the starters and captains for the upcoming NBA All-Star Game. There are not any Cavs among the starters in this year’s game which will be played at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland on February 20th although the Cleveland Charge will play in the NBA’s inaugural G League Next Gem Game earlier in the day at the Wolstein Center.
Steelers QB Roethlisberger officially announces his retirement after 18 seasons
(AP) -- Pittsburgh Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has announced his retirement after an 18-year NFL career spent entirely with the Steelers. In a video message yesterday, the 39-year-old said it was time to clean out his locker and hang up his cleats after two Super Bowls, six Pro Bowl selections, countless team records, and a likely spot in the Hall of Fame.
