Morning Headlines: Big Freeze Closures, a Near Freeze Death, Ingenious Drug Smuggling

G-g-g-good m-m-m-orning on this very cold day.  It's Wednesday, Jan. 30th, 2019, and the temperature isn't expected to get much higher than -1 degree.  That kind of cold hasn't been experienced in a generation.  Januaruy 1994 was the last time there were highs below zero around here.  

Hundreds of schools, universities, government buildings and services are closed or suspended today due to the extreme cold.  Some school districts, including Cleveland's Parma's and Akron's, will close Thursday, too.  U.S. Mail service has been suspended.  Cleveland has suspended trash pickup operation through Friday.  Northeast Ohio is locked in a deep freeze that has forecasters warning of extremely dangerous wind chills today through overnight Thursday.

In Akron, an employee of Summa Rehab Hospital is hospitalized with frostbite after she passed out in a parking lot and lay there overnight last Friday in 11 degree cold.  Kimberly Bender had become sick during her shift and was heading home when she became disoriented and fainted.  The hospital is investigating.  

Eleven people have been charged in a plot to smuggle synthetic opioids into federal prisons by soaking papers in the drugs.  The US Attorney's Office in Cleveland said the suspects disguised the drug soaked paper as letters, funeral announcements and books.  

Former Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic may run again for mayor.  Plusquellic was mayor from 1987 until 2015, when he abruptly quit.  He said Mayor Dan Horrigan seems to be "getting rid of any program I started".  

Oral arguments are scheduled today in federal court in Cincinnati on the constitutionality of Ohio's new law banning abortions due to Down syndrome.   The law has been on hold since March while the ACLU's challenge proceeds.

The Cavs held off a late rally by the Wizards to win 116-113.  It's their second back-to-back win all season.  

Weather forecast:  Scattered snow showers early.  Partly sunny and cold, high -1.  Sustained west winds of 15 to 20 m.p.h., with gusts of up to 30 m.p.h., which could drive wind chill values to as low as -40 in some areas.