Governor Mike DeWine this week urged parents to put masks on their kids in school, and vaccinate eligible children 12 and up. This as children across the state head back to the classroom and as pediatricians report a concerning rise in the number of children hospitalized in Ohio and nationally due to COVID-19 and the aggressive delta variant. He did not however, issue a mask mandate.
In politics, early voting began this week, and the seven candidates vying to be Cleveland's next mayor did some verbal jousting in the second of two debates held here at the Ideacenter. On the other side of City Hall, residents soon will have a voice -- finally -- at Cleveland City Council meetings as a plan for public comments is approved. Meanwhile, ten-term congressman Tim Ryan will have a Democratic challenger in the upcoming primary for retiring US Senator Rob Portman's seat.
City planners and residents are talking about future development in the Merriman Valley, which straddles the two largest cities in Summit County. New lines are now being drawn for Ohio's House and Senate districts and if you want to see a concert in Cleveland, you likely will need to prove your vaccinated or tested negative for COVID-19.
We discuss all this and more on the Reporter’s Roundtable.
- Karen Kasler, Bureau Chief, Statehouse News Bureau
- Ken Schneck, Editor, The Buckeye Flame
- Kabir Bhatia, Reporter, 89.7 WKSU