Here are your morning headlines for Monday, November 6th:
- Justice O'Neill recuses himself from all new cases during gubernatorial bid;
- Akron General and Summa opt for narcotic-free surgery recovery;
- Lake Erie algae blooms next summer could be worst on record;
- Canton's Jack Barnes named Stark Veteran of the Year;
- GOP tax plan could thwart Cleveland's efforts to grow downtown residency;
- Akron invites public comment on two housing projects;
- Region still recovering from severe weather;
- GOJO landlord in Wooster threatens eviction;
Justice O'Neill recuses himself from all new cases during gubernatorial bid
Ohio Supreme Court justice and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill O'Neill says he'll continue to participate and vote on cases in which he was previously involved. O'Neill sent the court a letter Friday announcing a "blanket notice" of recusal for all new cases to avoid the appearance of impropriety. The Dispatch reports O'Neill, 70, says he'll continue to be involved in 99 previous cases. State Auditor Dave Yost, a Republican running for attorney general, has said O'Neill should resign. O'Neill said he will step down from the bench by the Feb. 7 filing deadline.
Akron General and Summa opt for narcotic-free surgery recovery
Doctors at Akron General and Summa Health are opting to forgo powerful and potentially addictive opiates for during and after surgeries in favor of narcotic-free options. The Beacon Journal reports the approach is known as Enhanced Recovery After Surgery, or ERAS. Proponents say it decreases hospital stays and helps patients heal faster by using new anesthesia techniques and nerve blockers. Summa Health started using the technique in 2013 and has been increasing its usage. Akron General began using it in 2016.
Lake Erie algae blooms may have been worst on record this year
Federal forecasters predict the harmful algae bloom on Lake Erie this summer could have been one of the worst on record. Cleveland.com reports the bloom was concentrated in the Western basin of Lake Erie, which benefited the summer tourism in and around the Lake Erie islands, but fisherman say their business suffered. In July, officials predicted the bloom would be significant, possibly matching or exceeding the third-largest bloom on record from 2013. Federal forecasters will submit their final report in the coming weeks.
Canton's Jack Barnes named Stark Veteran of the Year
A Canton man has been honored as the Stark Veteran of the Year. The Canton Repository reports the Greater Canton Veterans Council named Jack Barnes, a Vietnam War veteran, as this year’s pick. The Army veteran is a retired supervisor from the Hoover Company and was also a part-time officer with the Canal Fulton Police department. He has been a leader of the American Legion honor guard. Barnes will be recognized in Canton’s annual Veteran’s Day ceremony.
GOP tax plan could thwart Cleveland's efforts to grow downtown residency
Sections of the Congressional tax plan announced last week could thwart Cleveland’s goal of growing the residential population of downtown to 20,000 people by 2020. Crain’s Cleveland reports the tax bill would end two programs that have stimulated development in Northeast Ohio in recent years. The Historic Tax Credit program, which attracts developers to renovate downtown office buildings into apartments and condominiums, would be eliminated. The New Market Tax Credit program, which provides tax incentives for business to invest in low-income areas would also be zeroed out. The tax bill could also alter the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program which could impact residential development in the region.
Akron invites public comment on two housing projects
The city of Akron is inviting public comment today on two new housing projects planned for North Hill and Middlebury, respectively. The Beacon Journal reports each project will include 40 housing units. The Middlebury project will be a three-story building with street-level retail designed for elderly tenants. The project in North Hill will be a community of concentric town homes meant to accommodate the area’s growing immigrant population. Cuyahoga Falls-based Testa Companies is heavily involved in both projects. Builders expect to break ground on the $20 million project next year.
Region still recovering from severe weather
Parts of northeast Ohio are recovering from severe weather that moved across the region Sunday. Some parts of the region got up to 3 inches of rain. Two tornados were reported in Sandusky and Erie counties. High winds and rain knocked down trees in the greater Cleveland area. Cleveland.com reports warmer-than-usual temperatures brought by hot air from the Gulf of Mexico was to blame for the severe weather. Get updated figures on the power outages at http://outages.firstenergycorp.com/oh.html.
GOJO landlord in Wooster threatens eviction
Akron-based GOJO Industries is facing eviction from its Wooster facility. The landlord at the facility says it has yet to be paid for roof repairs at the Akron Road building. GOJO says the roof is still leaking and damaging inventory. The company has filed suit against the property owner in Wayne County Common Pleas Court.
