Here are your morning headlines for Monday, June 29:
- Ohio passes 50,000 COVID-19 cases
- More than 1,400 get tested for COVID-19 at West Akron pop-up
- COVID-19 pop-up testing site today in Canton
- Ohio county GOP criticizes governor on election, pandemic
- Wooster school board may split with Wayne County Fair over Confederate flag
- Akron council to consider public art project proposal
- Police: Lethal round inadvertently fired during standoff
- Virus visitor bans renew interest in nursing home cameras
Ohio passes 50,000 COVID-19 cases
The number of coronavirus cases continues to climb in Ohio, topping 50,000 over the weekend. The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 854 cases of the virus on Sunday, up slightly from the 819 on Saturday. There have been 2,087 deaths. The city of Cleveland saw its highest single-day increase in confirmed coronavirus cases Sunday with 75 new infections. That number breaks the record of 63 in a single day set last week.
More than 1,400 get tested for COVID-10 at West Akron pop-up
More than 1,400 people were tested for COVID-19 over the weekend in West Akron –an area with a large minority population that’s been hard hit by the disease. Numbers from Summit County Public Health in April showed that COVID-19 was disproportionately affecting African-Americans. The test site at House of the Lord church was in one of the zip codes with the highest per-capita rate. The health department is also seeing an increase among the county’s Asian population – especially North Hill. Health Commissioner Donna Skoda says they are considering holding a similar in-car event in that part of Akron.
COVID-19 pop-up testing site today in Canton
A COVID-19 pop-up testing site is being held in Canton today. My Community Health Center is partnering with Ohio National Guard for the free tests from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot of the Edward “Peel” Coleman Center. No registration is required. The tests are free.
Ohio county GOP criticizes governor on election, pandemic
Republican officials in a southwestern Ohio county have accused the state’s Republican governor of having “grossly mishandled” this year’s primary election and not having “reacted appropriately” to the coronavirus pandemic. The Warren County GOP recently signed a resolution calling on Gov. Mike DeWine to open Ohio to “all commerce” and allow residents “to make lawful decisions regarding their own well-being and safety.” DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney defended the governor’s response to the pandemic, saying it “has kept Ohioans healthy and safe.”
Wooster school board may cut ties with Wayne County Fair over Confederate flag
The Wooster City School Board will consider a resolution to restrict the district’s participation in this year’s Wayne County Fair due to the sale of merchandise depicting the Confederate flag. The Wooster Daily Record reports the resolution would ban fair advertising in the schools and distribution of fair tickets to students. If it passes, students’ projects would not be on display at the fair, and district-sponsored groups would not participate. In 2016, the Wayne County Fair Board agreed to ban vendors from displaying the Confederate flag in their booths, but it stopped short of banning the sale of the flag and items bearing its image.
Akron council to consider public art project proposal
Akron City Council tonight will consider a proposal to fund public art projects in the city. It’s part of a new cultural plan that's been two years in the making. Nicole Mullet, executive director of the non-profit ArtsNow, says public input received during the process consistently indicated people want to see more “neighborhood-centric” public art. Council tonight will consider a funding proposal that redirects one-percent of future special tax incentive districts from developers to public art projects. Mullet adds that those projects will be overseen by a new nine-person Public Art Commission.
Police: Lethal round inadvertently fired during standoff
Cincinnati police say they and prosecutors are investigating after a police sergeant inadvertently fired a lethal shotgun round but didn’t hit anyone during a standoff with an armed man. Chief Eliot Isaac said Sunday the sergeant meant to fire a pepper bullet during the SWAT standoff Saturday but grabbed a shotgun slug from his car by mistake. Isaac said his shot missed the man and went into a garbage can. After several hours, the man was taken into custody and transported to a hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening. Prosecutors and the police internal affairs section will investigate.
Virus visitor bans renew interest in nursing home cameras
Visitation bans at nursing homes across the country have sparked renewed interest in legislation to allow cameras inside nursing home rooms. After COVID-19 has taken a deadly toll on the population, families are pleading with lawmakers in states including Ohio to enact laws that allow the cameras so they can see what's happening to their loved ones inside. A bill in Missouri is currently awaiting action by the governor. While camera laws were previously pitched as a way to address abuse, families say they're looking for peace of mind.
