Akron is a step closer to owning a dead mall. The Beacon Journal reports there were no takers at yesterday’s sheriff’s sale for the vacant Rolling Acres Mall. The paper reports there will be one more attempt to sell the mall, in about two weeks. If there are no takers, the Summit County Fiscal Officer will begin procedures for seizing the property… which would then be turned over to the city. This isn’t the first time the mall has been scheduled for a sheriff’s sale. On four previous occasions, the owner of the mall filed bankruptcy at the last minute putting a hold on the sale. Rolling Acres mall has been vacant for the last eight years.
Timetable for UA's interim president
There’s no exact timetable for getting an interim president in place at the University of Akron, but the outgoing chairman of the board of trustees says it will be “way before the fall.” Jonathon Pavloff tells the Beacon Journal there is a formal process for picking the next school president, but not for an interim. Currently, decisions are being made by the acting interim president Rex Ramsier along with the Board of Trustees. President Scott Scarborough resigned last week after a rocky two years as head of the university. The school is facing a dramatic drop in enrollment and a 20 million dollar drop in revenue for the coming academic year.
Possible cost savings for Canton Schools
The Ohio Auditor has identified ways the Canton School District could save more than two-and-a-half million dollars a year. The Canton Rep reports the Auditor’s office has released the results of a 15-month study to determine if the district was getting the most out of its available resources. The analysis calls for taking at least seven school buildings out of service, reducing its bus fleet and cutting some office staff. The district requested the survey but is under no obligation to following through on the recommendations. District Superintendent Adrian Allison says he’ll evaluate the findings to determine their impact on students and the community.
Strickland campaigns in coal country
Democratic senate candidate Ted Strickland is making a two-day swing through eastern and southern Ohio in the wake of losing a critical coal mine union's endorsement. The former Ohio governor plans stops in Struthers, Lisbon, Martins Ferry and Marietta today. Strickland is expected to remind voters in the union-heavy region about his pro-labor record as he seeks to unseat Republican Rob Portman. Portman landed the endorsement last week of the United Mine Workers of America's National Council of Coal Miners PAC. The union backed both Strickland's runs for governor.
GOP candidate easily wins Boehner's seat
Republican Warren Davidson is Ohio's newest congressman. Davidson easily won yesterday's special election to succeed former House Speaker John Boehner in the 8th House District. Speaker Paul Ryan is preparing to swear him later this week in Washington. Davidson will serve out the final seven months of Boehner’s term. He’ll be odds-on favorite to win the general election in November for a full term in the next Congress. Ohio's districts are incumbent-friendly.
No word on Love for NBA finals game 3
Kevin Love was not with his Cleveland teammates when they took the floor for practice yesterday morning in advance of Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Love is in the NBA's concussion protocol after being hit in the back of the head during Game 2 on Sunday night. There are several steps that the NBA requires a concussed player to complete before he returns to participation, including tests of increased physical exertion, agility work and finally non-contact team drills. Love's status for Game 3 on Wednesday remains unclear.
Indians come up short against Seattle
The Cleveland Indians winning streak is over. The tribe lost to the Seattle Mariners last night 7-to-1 to snap a six game winning streak. Lonnie Chisenhall accounted for the Indians' lone run in the eighth with a homer.
Browns mourn exec
Cleveland Browns executive Bryan Wiedmeier has died following a four-year battle with brain cancer. He was 57. The team announced Wiedmeier's passing on Tuesday night. Owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam called Wiedmeier "a special person" and "exactly the type of person you want in your organization and on a personal level as a friend." Wiedmeier spent 29 years with the Miami Dolphins, serving in a variety of roles with the team. He joined the Browns in 2010.
