Morning Headlines: Winter Weather Causes Multiple Delays and Closings in Northeast Ohio

• Winter weather causes multiple delays and closings in Northeast Ohio
• Cleveland police investigating SWAT call to store in the city’s Warehouse District
• Cleveland police recruit arrested in Columbus over the weekend
• Downtown Cleveland hotel looks to hire 300 people ahead of the Republican National Convention
• Rev. Andrew Young set to deliver keynote address at Stephanie Tubbs Jones Black History Month Celebration in Cleveland
• Today marks the last day to register to vote in Ohio’s March primary election
• Ohio Sen. Portman speaks out on the replacement of late Supreme Court Judge Antonin Scalia
• Ohio EPA director calls for complete overhaul of federal rules on lead contaminated water
• Columbus restaurant reopens after four people were injured by a machete-wielding man
• Computer glitch drops gas prices below $1.00 over the weekend in Toledo

Winter weather causes multiple delays and closings in Northeast Ohio
There are dozens of closings and delays this morning, as a winter storm moves up from the south. Kent State University's main campus has delayed classes until 10 a.m. Meanwhile, Kent State Stark, Geauga and Ashtabula are delayed until noon. The university’s Tuscarawas, Trumbull and East Liverpool campuses are closed. Public schools including Akron and Canton are also closed today. The highest snow totals are likely in Stark, Tuscarawas, Carroll and Trumbull counties with as much as six inches expected by early afternoon. The snow is forecasted to move out of the area by noon.

Cleveland police investigating SWAT call to store in the city’s Warehouse District
Police are investigating after a SWAT team was called to a store in Cleveland's Warehouse District last night for reports of gunfire and a robbery. Police say the owner of Krush Clothing said shooters barricaded themselves inside with a civilian. The store owner said the shooters left and no one was injured. Four people have been detained for questioning.

Cleveland police recruit arrested in Columbus over the weekend
A Cleveland police recruit was arrested over the weekend in Columbus. The unnamed recruit was stopped for drunk driving early Sunday morning. Officers also found a handgun in his car during the stop. The recruit will not return to the academy and is being placed on restricted duty while the case is reviewed for internal charges. He's not yet been criminally charged. Cleveland recently moved its training academy to Columbus.

Downtown Cleveland hotel looks to hire 300 people ahead of the Republican National Convention
With just months before the Republican National Convention, the Hilton Cleveland Downtown hotel is looking to hire. The new hotel plans to employ about 300 people ahead of its June first opening. A preview event is scheduled for Feb. 25 and 26 at the Global Center for Health Innovation. Positions are expected to be filled between March and April.

Rev. Andrew Young set to deliver keynote address at Stephanie Tubbs Jones Black History Month Celebration in Cleveland
Diplomat, politician and civil rights pioneer Rev. Andrew Young is scheduled as the keynote speaker at the second annual Stephanie Tubbs Jones Black History Month Celebration in Cleveland. Young served as a congressman from Georgia, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President Jimmy Carter and mayor of Atlanta. He was a friend and confidant of the Rev. Martin Luther King during the civil rights movement. The event beginning Thursday afternoon at the Cleveland Convention Center also will pay tribute to the late U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes, who died in August at age 90. The event is free, but seating is limited and open for online registration.

Today marks the last day to register to vote in Ohio’s March primary election
Today is the last day to register to vote for the upcoming March 15 primary. All county boards of elections will remain open until 9 p.m. Applications also can be mailed, but make sure to get a postmark on the application before sending it. Early voting for the primary begins tomorrow.

Ohio Sen. Portman speaks out on the replacement of late Supreme Court Judge Antonin Scalia
Ohio Sen. Rob Portman has joined fellow Republicans who say a new member of the U.S. Supreme Court shouldn't be chosen until after the presidential election. Justice Antonin Scalia's unexpected death raises the question of whether President Barack Obama should nominate a replacement and the Republican-led Senate should confirm that choice in an election year. Portman says it's common for the Senate not to act on lifetime appointments during the final year of a presidential term. He says he'd judge any nominee on merits. Two Democrats campaigning for Portman's seat, Ted Strickland and P.G. Sittenfeld, accused him of disregarding the Constitution.

Ohio EPA director calls for complete overhaul of federal rules on lead contaminated water
The leader of the Ohio EPA says federal rules on lead in drinking water need a complete overhaul. State EPA Director Craig Butler says lead contamination in Flint, Michigan, and the Mahoning County village of Sebring has put a spotlight on problems with federal guidelines. Butler says more thorough testing is needed along with faster notification for residents when lead is found in tap water. Current U.S. EPA standards call for the public to be told within 60 days of high readings. Butler sent a letter to Ohio's congressional delegation this past week outlining his concerns. Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown says he's working on legislation speeding up notification and the response communities must take. The U.S. House approved legislation last week clarifying the EPA's authority to alert the public about lead.

Columbus restaurant reopens after four people were injured by a machete-wielding man
The Columbus restaurant where an attacker with a machete wounded four people has reopened to the public with limited service in a step toward getting business back to normal. The owner of Nazareth Restaurant and Deli hugged and chatted with diners who streamed through a buffet and donation line Monday, four days after the assault. Authorities haven't released a possible motive for the attack or many details about the suspect, 30-year-old. Mohamed Barry, who was from the West African nation of Guinea. He was fatally shot by a policeman after the assault.

Computer glitch drops gas prices below $1.00 over the weekend in Toledo
A computer glitch led to a brief price war between two gas stations in northwest Ohio, allowing some drivers to fill their tanks for pennies per-gallon. A computer malfunction dropped prices at one north Toledo gas station, and another across the street lowered its prices to stay competitive early Sunday. One customer said he filled his empty tank for just 26 cents. The extra-low pricing lasted at least three hours before returning to normal. Ohio's average price for a gallon of regular gas is $1.55, down from $2.29 a year ago.