Newsmaker: Dr. Richard Scaldini, president, Myers University: Since 1848, Cleveland’s Myers University has been educating future business people. Tycoon John D. Rockefeller is among the Myers alumni. It could take a Rockefeller-sized bankroll to bail the school out of its current financial mess. Myers is in need of a million dollars if it’s to keep operating past the end of December. It’s not clear where the money will come from, if it comes at all.
Roundtable: Elizabeth Sullivan, foreign affairs writer, The Plain Dealer; Greg Saber, reporter WTAM radio; Ned Whelan, Whelan Communications.
No Butts About It: The statewide smoking ban approved by voters last month went into effect this week. It requires workplaces and public gathering spots to be off-limits to smokers. The smoke ban even applies to vehicles, such as trucks, driven for work; and the Indians say they won’t let fans re-enter Jacobs Field if they leave to smoke during a game. Officials charged with enforcing the ban say it’ll be weeks or months before they start handing out citations.
Airport Taxi Service: Cleveland City Council said no this week to a proposal that a single cab company provide ground service outbound from Hopkins International Airport. Airport officials said using Ace Taxi as the single carrier would improve service for passengers deplaning in Cleveland, but the proposal drew an angry outcry from taxi drivers who’d be left out in the cold. City Council wants the airport to find another way to improve cab service.
Iraq War: The Iraq war took center stage on Capitol Hill this week with the Iraq Study Group suggesting that the U.S. set a troop withdrawal timetable and engage Iran and Syria in charting a future course for Iraq. In confirmation hearings this week, new defense secretary Robert Gates told the Senate that U.S. troops are winning every battle they fight, but the military is not winning the war.
No More Trans Fat Transactions: New York City has become the first to ban so- called trans fats from restaurants. Starting next year, trans fats cannot exceed one half gram per serving. Researchers claim trans fats increase cholesterol and are dangerous to human health. Restaurateurs say it will be difficult to duplicate the flavor and texture of foods cooked with shortening or oils that contain trans fats. Restaurant owners predict a court challenge.