Newsmaker: Greg Lieb, board chairman, United Way of Lake County
The charity fund-raiser announced it will continue supporting local Boy Scout programs despite the recent move by the Cleveland United Way withdrawing support over the Scouts no-gays policy. A United Way leader said the Scouts have been a valuable resource for children in Lake County.
Roundtable: Kevin O’Brien, editorial writer, The Plain Dealer; Greg Saber, freelance journalist; Ned Whelan, Whelan Communications.
Haslam Takes the Reins
NFL owners unanimously approved the sale of Browns majority ownership to Tennessee businessman Jimmy Haslam, who immediately named Joe Banner as the club’s CEO. The two said they’d reserve judgment on the balance of front office personnel and the coaching staff until after the season. The Browns are off to a 1-5 start against a challenging schedule. But with new leadership, Browns fans may again be feeling optimistic.
Barbs Fly at Brown/Mandel Debate
Senator Sherrod Brown and Republican State Treasurer Josh Mandel pulled no punches in their first debate of the 2012 campaign. Speaking to a capacity audience at the City Club of Cleveland, Brown said Mandel “can’t be trusted to fight for your job because he’s too busy running for his next job.” Mandel described Brown as a career politician with a record of failure. They have one debate remaining.
Second Presidential Debate
President Obama and Republican Mitt Romney staged a lively exchange of ideas in a town hall-style debate Tuesday. Romney criticized the President for failing to get the economy back on track, while Obama portrayed Romney as a candidate with a one-point plan on the economy. One more debate Monday will focus on foreign policy.
RTA Bus Vitriol Goes Viral
Cleveland’s RTA has suspended a bus driver for slugging a passenger who argued with him over paying the fare. The driver struck the female passenger with a vicious uppercut, an incident recorded by more than one on-board cell phone. It was viewed countless times on YouTube. RTA announced it will file misdemeanor charges against the passenger who struck and spat on the driver.