Ohio can reopen tourist attractions June 10 – but not Cedar Point: The Wake Up for Friday, June 5, 2020

Cedar Point

Cedar Point's Magnum XL-200, introduced in 1989, was the world's first roller coaster to break 200 feet.

Weather

After additional storm and shower chances on Friday, Saturday and and Sunday look to be sunny and cooler. On Friday, expect a high near 83. Read more.

Headlines

Tourist attractions: Zoos, museums, movie theaters, playgrounds and other tourist attractions shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic will be allowed to reopen on June 10. Susan Glaser reports the announcement Thursday satisfied some tourism officials, but not others. Not included in the list are amusement parks such as Kings Island and Cedar Point.

Income tax: The chair of the Ohio Senate’s tax-policy committee said she’s interested in revisiting a March law that allows cities to continue collecting income taxes from suburban commuters who are now working from home. Andrew Tobias reports state Sen. Kristina Roegner said maybe employees should be paying taxes where they’re working instead. Changing the tax withholdings for urban cores with large commuter populations could mean cities would lose significant revenue to surrounding suburbs.

Curfew fight: A lawsuit arguing that blanket curfews had violated residents’ rights and were based on “the whim of the mayor” ended Thursday, after the city told a federal judge that it would no longer impose curfews. But John Caniglia reports the case underscores a much broader issue – the reach that mayors across the country have in dealing with increasingly violent protests. Legal experts said Jackson and other mayors were correct, saying the leaders had broad police powers that extend during emergencies.

Town hall: Mayor Frank Jackson in a Friday town hall said officials will not hesitate to reinstate the downtown curfew if there’s trouble. Robert Higgs shared what Jackson and Police Chief Calvin Williams discussed during the virtual meeting, including defending the police’s response to Saturday’s protests.

This Week in the CLE: How is Cleveland’s curfew legal in the wake of Saturday’s riots? Cleveland.com editors talked about the lawsuit challenging Mayor Frank Jackson’s order on This Week in the CLE, the daily half-hour news podcast.

Subtext: Cleveland.com has started a free Subtext account to send coronavirus updates. Every day, the team covering the coronavirus will send three to four updates about the progress of the virus -- confirmed cases of the virus, major cancellations, the latest medical advice, relevant scientific information and more. You can even text us back. Go to https://joinsubtext.com/ohiocoronavirus and enter your phone number. Fill out the form below. Or send a text to 216-279-7784. Did we mention it’s free?

New numbers: At least 2,339 people have died with confirmed and probable coronavirus, Laura Hancock reports. There were at least 37,282 confirmed and probable coronavirus cases.

Cleveland cases: Cleveland’s health department announced 21 more confirmed test results for coronavirus and three new fatalities, Robert Higgs reports. The city’s total is now at 1,680 confirmed cases and 56 fatalities.

Elkton prison: A U.S. Supreme Court justice put a hold on a transfer of 120 inmates out of the Federal Correctional Institution in Elkton over concerned about the coronavirus. John Caniglia reports the inmates were scheduled for transfer today as part of an attempt to curb the spread of the virus in the prison where nine inmates have died and nearly 500 felons have contracted the coronavirus.

Stand in solidarity: Members of Cleveland’s Black Shield Police Association shared their experiences as black police officers at an event on Thursday evening. Evan MacDonald reports how officers described emotions after the police killing of George Floyd, and the complicated problems black officers face both with the public and within the department.

School budgets: Ohio school districts are getting an $84 million funding boost, taking into account state cuts and a one-time influx of federal funds. But nearly three out of five districts – mostly richer, suburban districts -- will see a net funding cut, based on how the formulas behind the $300 million in state cuts and $384 million in offsetting federal funds are actually calculated. Andrew Tobias has the list of Ohio school districts and how they fared.

School changes: Ohio would maintain its minimum reading test score required for Ohio third-graders to be promoted to the fourth grade next year, under a bill introduced by state Sen. Matt Huffman. The reading test score, usually ratcheted up each year, is among over a dozen adjustments to education within the bill, which also allows school districts to furlough employees. Laura Hancock reports Huffman wants to give school boards flexibility, while teachers unions oppose the state trying to circumvent contracts.

Elections bill: The Ohio House on Thursday passed an elections bill that would prohibit Gov. Mike DeWine’s administration from changing the time, place or manner of any future state elections, a response to the chaotic primary earlier this year that was postponed for more than a month due to the coronavirus pandemic. Andrew Tobias reports House Bill 680 also shortens the deadline to request a mail-in ballot by four days and bars Secretary of State Frank LaRose from providing voters with postage-paid envelopes along with their ballot applications and blank ballots.

Projectile video: Video and photographs from Saturday’s demonstrations against the death of George Floyd show police officers pepper spraying and firing projectiles directly at legal observers. Cory Shaffer reports that a representative of the Ohio chapter of the National Lawyer’s Guild said multiple legal observers were struck by pepper spray, tear gas canisters and projectiles fired by police during what had been largely peaceful demonstrations.

Turning point? Developers and community leaders say downtown’s renaissance will likely resume after the coronavirus pandemic runs its course. The question is whether Cleveland and other cities can address the structural racism that led to George Floyd’s death, Steven Litt writes in a column.

Declaration of racial equity: More than 20 Greater Cleveland organizations have signed a declaration of racial equity and inclusion and pledged to address racism as a public health crisis, reports Julie Washington.

Anonymous tips: Cleveland police have a new website, asking people to submit cellphone video taken during Saturday’s protests over the police killing of George Floyd that turned into riots in downtown. Adam Ferrise reports that videos, photos and other information can be sent anonymously, although the website asks for names because it could help in any future prosecution.

Erieview: The empty 16-story 45 Erieview Plaza at East 9th Street and Lakeside Avenue will be up for auction this month. Eric Heisig reports the building has been dormant since October when AT&T’s lease expired and it moved the remaining employees to other locations.

College construction: State lawmakers have dropped plans to de-fund hundreds of millions of dollars for previously approved construction projects for colleges and universities, as well as new soccer stadiums in Columbus and Cincinnati, Jeremy Pelzer reports. Ohio House Republicans had sought the $500 million-plus in cuts on the grounds that the coronavirus crisis has created financial uncertainty for the state but on Thursday adopted the Senate’s version of the state’s annual re-appropriations bill, with all $1.2 billion in projects.

Abuse: Experts on child and domestic abuse on Thursday told the U.S. House of Representatives’ Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence that reports of child abuse and domestic violence rose as stay-at-home restrictions trapped victims with abusers and unemployment increased financial pressure on families, reports Sabrina Eaton.

Unemployment: The number of new unemployment claims in Ohio last week fell for the ninth straight week, though total claims since the coronavirus crisis began are now approaching 1.3 million, Jeremy Pelzer reports. For the week of May 24-30, 34,575 Ohioans filed initial unemployment claims.

That’s Rich: A lot of people have become eligible for unemployment checks who never before encountered the system. Personal finance columnist Rich Exner debuts with a primer on the unemployment system and changes made in response to the coronavirus crisis.

Protesting safely: Protests against police brutality and the death of George Floyd brought thousands of people shoulder to shoulder, creating mass gatherings that public health experts say are fertile grounds for spreading the coronavirus. Julie Washington has what you need to know to attend a protest rally while staying safe from coronavirus, tear gas and rubber bullets.

Coronavirus protestor: A protester sick with the coronavirus attended Columbus demonstrations over George Floyd’s death, prompting concerns that the highly infectious illness has spread to others, reports Laura Hancock.

Presidential poll: Ohio, which once looked like a state firmly in Republican President Donald Trump’s corner for the 2020 election, increasingly appears to be battleground territory, complicating Trump’s re-election path through other parts of the country. Seth Richardson reports that in a Fox News poll, Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden topped Trump in a head-to-head matchup of the November election 45%-43%, with 4% saying they would vote for someone else and 6% saying they didn’t know.

Stormy Daniels: An Ohio federal judge has sided with adult-film actress Stormy Daniels in another legal fight with President Trump. John Caniglia reports U.S. District Judge Michael Watson in Columbus ruled this week that Trump cannot touch the $450,000 settlement Daniels reached last year with Columbus over a botched arrest at a strip club.

Legal fireworks: Bipartisan legislation to allow Ohioans to possess and set off consumer-grade fireworks in the state shot past the Ohio House on Thursday. Jeremy Pelzer reports that currently, residents may legally buy most forms of common or “consumer” fireworks in Ohio, but it requires them to take those fireworks out of the state within 48 hours – a rule that is almost universally flouted.

Trash pick-up: Cleveland City Council has approved leasing eight trucks with grappling arms that would allow the city to resume collecting bulk refuse without putting workers at risk of exposure to the coronavirus, reports Robert Higgs. The one-year contract costs $460,000.

Hotel Breakers: Cedar Point announced today that it is opening historic Hotel Breakers on June 12 – before the amusement park is permitted to reopen. The hotel said it will offer numerous dining and activity options independent of the amusement park, including beach yoga, arts and crafts, live music, movies, parasailing, kayaking and more, Susan Glaser reports.

Museum plans: Marc Bona reports the dates that Cleveland-area museums and entertainment venues plan to reopen, though plans are still being mulled over. On the list is the Cleveland Botanical Garden, which plans to reopen on June 10, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which could open as early as June 15.

Ohio character: Cleveland.com’s sister site Conde Nast Traveler asked 50 people from 50 states to share their thoughts on the best known fictional character from their state. Check out the video “50 People Name The Most Famous Fictional Character From Their State.”

Things to do: The rage over the last week may not have you in the mood to do much of anything this weekend. But if you’re looking for a brief diversion from the gravity of the times, Anne Nickoloff has collected a few suggestions that you can do from the comfort of your own couch or in person, from a safe social distance of course, including Hinckley Lake and the Cleveland Museum of Art’s virtual dance party.

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