Browns QB DeShaun Watson receives harsher penalties from NFL including 11 game suspension

Browns quarterback DeShaun Watson received harsher penalties for sexual assault and harrassment allegations from the NFL yesterday. Originally handed a six-game suspension with no fine from the NFL's disciplinary, he negotiated a new punishment after the NFL appealed. Watson agreed to serve an 11 game suspension, most of this upcoming season, and pay a $5 million fine.

Cleveland federal Judge Dan Polster ruled this week that three major pharmacies owe Lake and Trumbull counties $650 million because of the pharmacuies contribution to the opioid epidemic. 

Newly-released texts from former FirstEnergy executives are painting a clearer picture of how involved top Ohio officials were in the passage of the House Bill 6 nuclear bailout, which is now the center of the biggest public corruption scandal in state history. 

School started this week for many Ohio students, yet a number of districts are still struggling to fill thousands of open teacher and bus driver jobs.  

Plus, a new environmental study raised concerns about the site the county is pushing to buy for a new criminal justice center and jail.

We discuss these and other stories of the week on the "Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable."

-Andrew Meyer, Deputy Editor, Ideastream Public Media

-Kabir Bhatia, and Senior Arts Reporter, Ideastream Public Media

-Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau Chief, Ohio Public Radio