cleveland city council

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.

City officials have approval from the Cleveland City Council Safety Committee to apply for a U.S. Department of Justice grant that would provide funding for Operation Legend, formerly known as Operation Relentless Pursuit. The nearly $8 million grant would reimburse the city for the salaries and benefits of 30 Cleveland police officers, to be hired as part of task forces meant to break up large-scale crime in the city. The first wave of officers have already been selected, said Justin Herdman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Updated: 11:28 a.m., Thursday, June 18, 2020 Cleveland is temporarily freezing the spread of dollar stores in city neighborhoods. City council on Wednesday afternoon approved a moratorium on new zoning permits or occupancy licenses for small-box retail. The pause will last until Nov. 1, while the city drafts new regulations for such businesses.

While state Sen. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) says Monday's U.S. Supreme Court decision is significant, more needs to be done to protect Ohio's LGBTQ…

Cleveland City Council is considering an ordinance that would declare racism to be a public health crisis.Councilman Blaine Griffin says it’s the first…

There will be smaller penalties for marijuana possession in Cleveland under legislation approved by city council Monday night. The measure lowers penalties for possession of up to 200 grams, or seven ounces, removing fines and prison time. It aims to reduce incarceration rates and harsher enforcement against minorities.

Cleveland City Council on Monday unanimously approved legislation that will provide access to free legal help for low-income families facing eviction. The United Way of Greater Cleveland will lead the program, contracting with the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland to provide services, according to the city. “United Way is going to serve as the lead partner,” said Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley. “We can work through their infrastructure. They can do the training of attorneys, they can do the back office, they can do the billing.”

Cleveland City Council is considering whether to require employers to offer leave for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. At Wednesday’s Safety Committee meeting, councilmembers heard from advocates on the need for employee protections. Almost everyone who comes to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center faces a daunting list of obstacles after an incident, Cassie Gaffney, the center's director of government affairs, told council members.

A home in Cleveland’s Mt. Pleasant neighborhood — where four badly decomposed bodies were discovered on Saturday — has been a nuisance property for several years, said Cleveland City Council member Kevin Bishop. The boarded up property on E. 144th Street is in Ward 2, which Bishop represents. Police are still investigating how the four people died and officials are still trying to identify the bodies, Bishop said.