WKSU Stories

Morning Headlines: DeWine to Give Evening COVID-19 Update; Ohio Added to NY Quarantine List

Ideastream Public Media | By Amanda Rabinowitz,

Amanda Rabinowitz, Jon Nungesser

Published July 15, 2020 at 8:59 AM EDT

At Wednesday's briefing, Gov. Mike DeWine sported a tie from the University of Akron. He and his wife, Fran, gave away a buckeye tree in honor of earth day.

Here are your morning headlines for Wednesday, July 15:

DeWine to make evening address on coronavirus pandemic
Ohio, 3 other states added to NY, NJ, CT virus quarantine list
Cleveland Public Health receives more than 1,800 COVID-19 complaints
Akron City Council mulls sale of land to townhouse developers
Multiple Put-In-Bay residents test positive for COVID-19
Governor signs $500 million bill for school construction
Myles Garrett, Browns close to 5-year, $125M contract extension
Ohio State athletics resume preseason workouts

DeWine to make evening address on coronavirus pandemic

Gov. Mike DeWine will address the state this evening at 5:30 for an update on the coronavirus pandemic and the recent spike in cases and spread. DeWine canceled his expected Tuesday briefing without explanation. It was to be the first scheduled since the state hit a record number of newly confirmed cases on Friday, topping 1,500. The Ohio Department of Health reported 1,100 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday. WKSU will air the address live at 5:30 p.m. and at wksu.org.

Ohio, 3 other states added to NY, NJ, CT virus quarantine list

Ohio and three other states have been added to New York’s quarantine list to contain the spread of COVID-19 from regions of the country where infection rates are growing. The addition of Ohio, Minnesota, New Mexico and Wisconsin to the list on Tuesday means that travelers from 22 states will be required to quarantine for 14 days upon entering New York.

Cleveland Public Health receives more than 1,800 COVID-19 complaints

The Cleveland Department of Public Health says it has received more than 1,800 complaints about coronavirus safety guidelines between March 20 and Sunday. Cleveland.com reports callers made more than 2,400 allegations of misconduct. Mass gatherings and a lack of social distancing are the most frequent complaint calls. Today, Cleveland City Council is expected to introduce legislation that would issue fines to people not wearing masks in public spaces.

Akron City Council mulls sale of land to townhouse developers

A new housing development could be coming to West Akron. City Council is considering selling about 17 vacant acres for $1 to developers who are planning to build about 80 townhouses, detached houses and custom homes at the former Perkins Middle School. The $20 million project is a partnership between the city and Neighborhood Development Corporation and parent company, Alpha Phi Alpha Homes. It’s expected to be completed in five years.

Put-In-Bay residents test positive for COVID-19

A broad-based coronavirus testing program at a Lake Erie resort island has revealed a cluster of COVID-19 cases. The Sandusky Register reportsthat 66 people in Put-In-Bay tested positive over the weekend. The Ottawa County Health Commissioner says more positives could be coming. The tests were conducted on nearly 1,000 residents by the Ohio National Guard and local agencies. It follows a busy July 4 holiday weekend that saw crowded bars and pools.

Governor signs $500 million bill for school construction

Gov. Mike DeWine on Tuesday signed legislation authorizing more than $500 million in new bonds for school construction and other public works projects. The legislation provides $300 million in new money for K-12 school construction during the next two fiscal years and more than $200 million for a variety of local water, wastewater, road and bridge projects. It also allows local governments and hospitals to purchase personal protective equipment during the pandemic without first launching a competitive bidding process.

Myles Garrett, Browns close to 5-year, $125M contract extension

The Cleveland Browns are closing in on a massive contract extension with star defensive end Myles Garrett that could be $125 million over five years. The deal would make Garrett the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. He made headlines last season when he was suspended for ripping off the helmet of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and hitting him over the head with it.

Ohio State athletics resume preseason workouts

Ohio State has resumed voluntary preseason workouts that were halted following COVID-19 testing last week. A round of testing on July 7 resulted in multiple positives, prompting OSU to temporarily pause workouts for all teams. All athletes participating were tested again on Monday.