WKSU News Headlines. WKSU is Kent State University’s award-winning NPR News and Classical Music public radio station. Serving more than 20 Ohio counties and parts of Western Pennsylvania.
The Cleveland Indians are in first place in the American League Central but last in Major League Baseball in attendence. And that's upsetting Tribe closer Chris Perez, who had some strong words during post-game interviews last weekend. WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz talks with commentator Terry Pluto about what made Perez lash out at fans. WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports.
Senate Democrats are pushing a proposal that will equalize what they say is a significant pay gap between women and men in Ohio. The Fair and Acceptable Incomes Required - or FAIR - Act would require employers to explain pay differences between men and women working the same job when there's a claim of discrimination. Senator Nina Turner of Cleveland says women make 77 cents for every dollar men make, resulting in an annual pay gap of nearly $10,000. African American women earn 68 cents in the same scenario, while Hispanic women make 61 cents. And Turner says the gap runs across all social and educational lines. WKSU's Karen Kasler reports.
The Ohio House of Representatives voted Tuesday to allow state universities to give their student trustees voting power on school issues. Since the late 1980's, the trustee boards have each included two students, but they have nothad voting rights. Republican State Representative Mike Duffey predicted that if some universities dogive the vote to their student trustees, the colleges could become more responsive. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports.
For years, Ohio has been toughening its laws against human trafficking. Now comes yet another crackdown. State representatives have given overwhelmingly approval to a bill that channels government social welfare programs to survivors of trafficking. As statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen reports, the bill also increases criminal penalties on the perpetrators. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports.
The bill to crack down on exotic animal ownership in Ohio has made it through another hurdle. The Ohio House has approved the plan okayed by the Senate.....with a few changes. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports.
Northeast Ohio home sales are up more than 10 percent this month from a year ago, according to a report released Tuesday. The Ohio Association of Realtors report compares sales in April 2011 and 2012. The average price of a home in sixteen Northeast Ohio counties--including Summit, Portage and Cuyahoga--increased by 3 percent to more than $122,000. David Childress has been a realtor in Summit County for nine years. He says homebuyers' comfort with the stabilizing market has helped it succeed this year. Kelli Fitzpatrick reports.
Local leaders have long argued that area communities would do better if they worked together as a region, rather than compete with each other. In the past few years, local governments have indeed produced some examples of collaboration and cooperation. But at a recent conference on opportunities and challenges in Northeast Ohio, officials say it's more than a nice thing to do - it's a necessity. WKSU's Mark Urycki has the story WKSU's Mark Urycki reports.
Cuyahoga County Council is starting to look at how the taxes from Cleveland's new casino should be spent. The county should receive between $8-$13 million a year from the gambling operation. Tuesday council will hear from County Executive Ed FitzGerald, who wants to spend the money on downtown development and security. Council President C. Ellen Connally says council needs to hear details of FitzGerald's proposal before individual members give their ideas for the taxes. After today's meeting, Connally says they'll learn more about exactly how much money will be available WKSU's Kevin Niedermier reports.
Home sales rise Cuyahoga officials debate how to spend casino dollars Fair Finance recoups $500,000 Pit bulls no longer "vicious" Rest stop advertising Building destroyed by fire WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports.
Third incident in seven months at Dover Chemical Toledo man sentenced to six years in FBI sting Campaign contributions haunt Renacci and Mandel Biofuels too expensive says Ohio Auditor Turnpike trims worker pay and benefits Senate bill could change energy incentives Redistricting effort gets help from anti-SB 5 group Cleveland polluter cut off by sewer service Ohio teen wins t-shirt lawsuit WKSU's Jeff St. Clair reports.
Two Northeast Ohio pilots are returning home, 10 days after taking off on a voyage in a pair of vintage aircraft. As WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports, the two men logged more than 1,500 miles...without leaving the state. WKSU's Jasen Sokol and Voiced and edited by Amanda Rabinowitz report.
A new study says presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney could bump up against a so-called stained-glass ceiling in this fall's Presidential campaign. WKSU's Kabir Bhatia spoke with one of the study's authors, John Green of the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron. WKSU's Kabir Bhatia reports.
Ohio currently tells electric companies --- every year you must get a growing share of your energy from renewable sources like wind and solar power. By 2025, green sources are supposed to make up 12.5 per cent of each company's power. Now, as part of a major energy policy package, Ohio legislators are considering tinkering with the definition of renewable energy....and that has some environmentalists leery. Statehouse Correspondent Bill Cohen reports. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports.
The FBI is investigating campaign donations from a Canton corporation to two candidates for Congress. The campaigns of 16th district Congressman Jim Renacci and US Senatorial candidate Josh Mandel have both confirmed the investigation. WKSU's Mark Urycki has details. WKSU's Mark Urycki reports.
Lawmakers are supporting Trumbull Memorial Hospital employees as they continue contract negotiations. Congressman Tim Ryan of Niles, State Representative Bob Hagan of Youngstown and others held a press conference Monday at the hospital in Warren to ask executives to reach an agreement. The hospital's 400 employees turned down the company's most recent contract offer, which would have allowed workers to be furloughed--or sent home from work without pay--up to 36 times per year. Anthony Caldwell is a spokesperson for the Service Employees International Union, which represents the hospital workers. Caldwell says the proposed furloughing policy would hurt both employees and patients. Kelli Fitzpatrick reports.
As proposed tougher rules on oil and gas drilling head toward a vote by the Ohio House of Representatives, environmental activists are protesting. They contend the rules aren't tough enough. The advocates charge the latest proposal even includes what they call a "gag rule" on doctors. Statehouse Correspondent Bill Cohen reports. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports.
Cleveland's Eaton Corporation plans to merge with an Irish electrical equipment maker. In the nearly $12 billion deal with Cooper Industries, Eaton's corporate headquarters will remain in Cleveland, but the global company's incorporation would move to Ireland. Changing the incorporation would allow the new company to save about $160 million a year in taxes. Eaton CEO Sandy Cutler would remain head of the combined company. Cutler says combining Cooper with Eaton's hydraulic and electrical control component manufacturing will greatly expand Eaton's global reach. And he says the merger would not change the company's current structure. WKSU's Kevin Niedermier reports.
Dover Chemical spill closes I-77 in Tusc. Co Eaton Corp. makes $12 billion merger Bill on fracking regulations gets legislative hearing I-277 reopens WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports.
The former head of Portage County's Republicans is at the center of a feud that has divided the state party. And as WKSU's Kabir Bhatia reports, the FBI is now looking closer into what had been regarded an intraparty battle. WKSU's Kabir Bhatia reports.
Report: EPA failed to tell residents about lead issue Ohio firms attract $5 billion in private capital Salad recall expanded to Giant Eagle Interstate 277 reopens Clean air hearing set for today Problem gamblers can ban themselves from Ohio casino New strategy in school funding fight Dropout rate climbed fast in last decade Gas prices up ahead of Memorial Day Indians fall to Miami Cleveland Marathon sets record WKSU's Jeff St. Clair reports.
Officials in a northern Stark County township are trying to figure out what to do now that a ballot-language snafu has thrown out the primary funding for its police department. The $4.4 million levy that created the new Lake Township Police Department was reversed last week by the Ohio Supreme Court. That's because the ballot language for the measure that barely passed in November was wrong. It estimated the levy would cost one tenth of its actual cost. The township board of trustees had a brief meeting last week (Thursday) to discuss the court's decision. Assistant Chief Prosecutor Deborah Dawson handled the case for the township. Dawson says the decision set standards for the entire state. WKSU's Maranda Shrewsberry reports.
Ohio legislators are hoping to adjourn in the next week or two, so they can go back to their districts and campaign for re-election. That's whY they've got plenty on their agenda this week. From our statehouse news bureau, here's Bill Cohen with a preview. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports.
Economic news for northeast Ohio continues getting better. The non-profit "Team NEO" represents our region on a number of economic development fronts. WKSU's Tim Rudell talks with the man in charge of statistically tracking how we're doing. WKSU's Tim Rudell reports.
A chemical spill at a plant in Tuscarawas County Monday afternoon shut down a portion of I-77 for four hours. The Dover Fire Department said the spill at Dover Chemical was caused by an overheated reactor that produced a visible cloud of vapor. The plant is located in a residential area along I-77. Dipropylene glycol was one of the reactants in the reactor. It has many uses, including as a solvent, and may be added to perfumes and skin and hair products. Nearby residents were told to stay inside with their windows closed and an elementary school was evacuated. Parent Krystal Stingel said the two hours from when she first heard about the spill to when she was contacted by the school were nerve-racking. WKSU's Grant Engle reports.
A portion of I-77 in Tuscarawas County was closed for several hours earlier today as crews responded to a chemical reaction at Dover Chemical Corporation. Police in Dover-Strasburg area told residents to stay indoors and close their windows. The plant is located along I-77 and the highway was closed in both directions from Strasburg to New Philadelphia. WEWS reports one person has been hospitalized. There have been four incidents within the past three years at the plant, the most recent in February when a worker suffered chemical burns. We'll have more information as it becomes available. WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports.
Portage County has completed financing for a new 25-million dollar Rubbermaid distribution building. Brad Erhart, president of Portage Development Board, says Rubbermaid chose the area south of Kent due to the close proximity to its manufacturing facility in Mogadore. Erhart says the new building will play a part in supporting Rubbermaid's business. Ozie Ikuenobe reports.
Ohio's electricity system was deregulated several years ago, and now customers are able to shop around for the best rates on electric and buy their power from a group of retail providers. But as Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler reports, this competitive market has sparked a lot of confusion for some customers. WKSU's Karen Kasler reports.
The Justice Department is officially moving to drop the second corruption case against former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora. WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports.
After reports of rampant fraud in the Cleveland Fire Department, the city announced the creation of a unit to monitor payroll Friday. The Office of Integrity Control, Compliance and Employee Accountability will conduct random inspections, monitor timekeeping and payroll records and suggest disciplinary actions when procedures are violated. The new division is in response to a retired firefighter pleading guilty to paying co-workers to work his shifts for more than a year while he was still collecting his salary. A city audit found 14 firefighters abused shift switching. Marty Flask, Cleveland's safety director, said the new unit will make supervisors within the fire department more accountable and improve the department's image after the payroll scandal. GRANT ENGLE reports.
If Ohio's Parole Board gets its way, a death row inmate's execution will move ahead, as scheduled, June 6th. The board is recommending that Governor John Kasich not grant clemency to the Cuyahoga County man who shot his wife and brother-in-law in a Cleveland courthouse. Statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen reports. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports.
It's getting to be a regular monthly tradition. Once again, Ohio's official unemployment rate has dropped...by just a little bit. The newly-announced rate for April is 7.4 per cent, down from the March level of 7.5. Ben Johnson tracks the numbers at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports.
Vote on casino regulations delayed 9/11tirial moved in foiled bridge bombing case Some Ohio mail-processing facilities spared for now Groups organizing opposition to park drilling Charter school bookkeeper charged "Pill mill" operators indicted Patrol "All Out Day" FirstEnergy to spend $1 billion on plants Davis-Besse meeting postponed Ned Hill: Where's the recovery?" WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports.
School's almost out, but there's still time for a quick meal. Today's Quick Bite has us lining up for breakfast in a school district that's been honored for the way it feeds its children. WKSU's Vivian Goodman reports.
Cleveland Catholic Bishop Richard Lennon wants to know what the 12 parishes he's being forced to reopen want and expect. So, he's meeting with representatives from these parishes to gauge their expectations. The bishop closed 50 churches because of shrinking congregations and dwindling finances. But the dozen churches appealed their closings to the Vatican and won. As WKSU's Kevin Niedermier reports, the meetings are just one step in the process. WKSU's Kevin Niedermier reports.
It's May and already, television airwaves throughout Ohio are full of political ads that years ago, were not common until after Labor Day. And it's not just that ads are being aired earlier. The spots are already taking a nasty tone. As Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports, the race for the U.S. Senate is a prime example. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports.
Nuclear regulators have postponed a meeting to hear complaints from people who want to shut down the Davis-Besse power plant near Toledo. There's no new date set for the meeting that was supposed to take place Friday in Port Clinton. A coalition of groups from Ohio, Michigan and Ontario was supposed to present arguments against the power plant, calling a crack in the reactor shield dangerous to surrounding areas. The coalition is challenging FirstEnergy's plans to extend the reactor's life by 20 years. Kevin Kamps is a spokesman for Beyond Nuclear. He says the coalition asked for the extension because it has not yet received information requested from the NRC in January. He says a 20-year extension could mean disaster for the area. WKSU's Maranda Shrewsberry reports.
A group of environmentalists is organizing letter-writing campaigns, phone calls to lawmakers, and legal appeals to try to fight a law Ohio legislators approved last year, which allows oil and gas drilling in state parks. Jed Thorp lobbies for the Sierra Club, one of the many groups fighting the drilling. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports.
Governor John Kasich's proposal to hike taxes on some oil and gas drilling in Ohio has just gotten a big boost. Executives of the nation's top corporations are endorsing it. Statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen reports on that development, plus the continuing criticism of the tax plan that's coming from two opposite directions. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports.
Hearing for five alleged Ohio bombers focuses on informant ID, entrapment, pretrial publicity Charter school treasurer is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands FBI is looking into fight for control of the Ohio GOP NRC delays Davis Besse hearing Separate tournaments may be coming for Ohio high school sports License suspended for former Ohio Department of Public Safety lawyer WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports.
A Columbus-area man who was treasurer for nearly a dozen charter schools in Ohio is charged with embezzling nearly a half a million dollars in federal funds from those schools.Carl Shye, 57, of New Albany is accused of stealing $470,000 over six years from charter schools in Columbus, Youngstown and Dayton. U.S. Attorney Carter Stewart says each school that Shye worked for got more than $10,000 a year in federal money. WKSU's Karen Kasler reports.
Senators followed up on their plan to push through pension reform by approving bills to make changes in four of the state's five pension funds. A measure to reform the fifth fund - the one for state troopers - is still being worked out. Senate President Tom Niehaus of suburban Cincinnati sponsored the measure along with minority leader Eric Kearney. Niehaus said the changes are needed, but senators also needed another key element before voting on the bills. WKSU's Karen Kasler reports.
Kucinich won't run in Washington Budget bill passes Ohio Senate Planned Parenthood packs hearings to fight defunding Steubenville university drops health coverage Financial advisor sentenced in Cuyahoga County corruption probe Stark County police department scaled back Smucker's workers could strike soon RTA approves hydrogen bus plan WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports.
It's no secret to most Clevelanders that celebrity chef Michael Symon loves his city.Now he's letting the world know. Symon, best known for his involvement in Food Network's Iron Chef and ABC's The Chew, penned a love letter to Cleveland for a series on The Huffington Post. WKSU's Jasen Sokol reports.
Senators followed up on their plan to push through pension reform by approving bills to make changes in four of the state's five pension funds. A measure to reform the fifth fund - the one for state troopers - is still being worked out. Senate President Tom Niehaus of suburban Cincinnati sponsored the measure along with minority leader Eric Kearney. Niehaus said the changes are needed, but Senators also needed another key element before voting on the bills. WKSU's Karen Kasler reports.
As with closing churches, people get emotional when it comes to closing Scout camps. And some of that emotion is surfacing in an Akron courtroom. WKSU's M.L. Schultze and KELLI FITZPATRICK report.
A Cleveland State economist says he agrees with Republicans that government spending on Medicare and Social Security needs to be held down to trim the deficit. And he agrees with Democrats that the government needs to spend more to stimulate the economy and grow jobs. WKSU's Mark Urycki spoke with Professor Ned Hill. WKSU's Mark Urycki reports.
View Channel
