Nick Castele

The lies about voting machine company Dominion are having real world impact. One Ohio county stalled a contract to buy voting machines after hearing from constituents riled up by the false claims.

Updated: 4 p.m., Friday, Feb. 26, 2021 Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost moved Friday to suspend Ken Johnson from Cleveland City Council while he faces federal corruption charges. Yost filed the request with Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor under a state law allowing the suspension of local officials charged with felonies for conduct in office. If Johnson does not voluntarily step aside, O’Connor could appoint a three-judge panel to decide on his suspension.

Updated: 3:28 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021 A federal grand jury has indicted Cleveland City Councilman Ken Johnson on charges that he conspired to steal city money and federal community development dollars, according to U.S. District Court documents unsealed Tuesday. Johnson was arrested Tuesday morning and pleaded not guilty by videoconference in federal court in the afternoon.

Ohio’s current COVID-19 hospitalizations and average new case numbers continued a downward slide on Thursday as more people receive vaccinations against the coronavirus. Still, the virus remains widespread throughout the state, with all but four of Ohio’s 88 counties at the second highest alert level for viral spread. Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, the state’s chief medical officer, urged Ohioans to continue wearing masks and maintaining physical distance from one another, particularly as new strains of the virus circulate.

Updated 4:55 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021 Cleveland is considering a lawsuit against FirstEnergy, accusing the Akron-based utility of undermining city-owned Cleveland Public Power, Mayor Frank Jackson said during a Tuesday budget presentation to city council. Jackson alleged that FirstEnergy sought to create a monopoly at CPP’s expense. Both utilities provide service to customers in the city.

Sen. Rob Portman stunned the Ohio political world Monday with his announcement that he won’t run for reelection. That leaves an open seat in 2022 as Democrats and Republicans vie for control of a closely divided Senate. It may not be long before candidates start running, according to David Cohen, the interim director of the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron.

Updated: 4:32 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2020 Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine celebrated the next phase of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout on Tuesday, broadcasting the inoculation of several seniors during his twice-weekly pandemic update. The state launched Phase 1B of vaccine distribution Tuesday, and Ohioans age 80 and older are first in line. People in that age group make up more than half of the COVID-19 deaths in the state. Next week, Ohioans age 75 and up will be eligible.

Updated: 5:18 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021 Federal prosecutors accused a former Cleveland public schools employee of breaching the Senate chamber during last week’s pro-Trump storming of the U.S. Capitol building. Christine Priola is charged with unlawful entry, disorderly conduct and unlawful activities on Capitol grounds, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court Thursday.

Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio) broke with his party Wednesday, voting to impeach President Donald Trump over last week’s riot at the U.S. Capitol Building. Gonzalez, who just began his second term in the House, accused Trump of inciting the mob that stormed the Capitol Jan. 6 to disrupt the counting of electoral votes.

President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to spend $1.7 trillion over the next 10 years to fight climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions nationwide. Advocates of renewable energy in Ohio say the incoming administration has a chance to shape the future of a state where fossil fuels remain major sources of electricity. Ohio’s energy picture has been changing over the last 15 years. Coal is on a downward slide and natural gas has been ascendant.