Full-time child care available
Last Chance: Cuyahoga County drive-thru fair 2020
Restaurant workers struggle to access unemployment aid, get back on their feet
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE LAND
By Jordan Walker
Kimberly Rodriguez is an accomplished veteran of Cleveland’s food scene. She has worked as a department manager at a grocery store, a personal chef for professional athletes, an event planner, and an instructor in restaurants, cafes and markets.
Yet, the last two weeks of March were the most stressful of her life. She contracted Covid-19 and lost her job. Like many restaurant workers thrown into financial uncertainty, Rodriguez now deals with federal and state unemployment systems ill-equipped to handle her plight.
She’d been working for nine months as a front-of-house manager at a local chain restaurant in Cleveland Heights when Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s shutdown order closed indoor dining rooms in March. The restaurant still provided takeout and delivery and Rodriguez continued to work there more than 40 hours per week as the pandemic spread. “Customers were just extremely demanding and not taking responsibility for their own well-being and care,” she says.
Then, on March 29th, she got a fever and called in sick. She ended up being out for two weeks because her fevers recurred every day or every other day, rising to 104 degrees and once even peaking at 107 degrees. After she’d reached her maximum sick time, she lost her job.
“I received maybe three lines in an email from my boss saying they gave me the maximum amount of paid time off, and that I was going to have to apply for unemployment now,” she says. She received a code to apply through the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS) and was given up to a month of paid healthcare.
After being diagnosed with Covid-19, Rodriguez found herself jobless, rejected from federal unemployment aid, and stripped of the employer-sponsored health insurance that provided medical care for both she and her wife, Alexia.
“It threw my life into complete chaos. I lost my job, I lost my healthcare, and I didn’t see my daughter for almost four months because she stayed with her father while I was in isolation; I mean it really just changed everything,” Rodriguez says.
Rodriguez applied for unemployment assistance from the state of Ohio, but her application was rejected. Although she’s now mostly recovered, she still suffers from fatigue. She recently landed her “dream job” as the part-time director of Meals on Wheels in Shaker Heights and works as a private chef on the side, but she is earning half the income that she made before – and she’s not sure when or if she’ll be able to get health care again.
“Now I am basically thrown back into the gig economy, going from gig to gig and supplementing it with my part time job at a nonprofit,” Rodriguez says as she lets out a laugh. “This wasn’t the way I thought this year was going to go.”
Ironically, as Congress struggles to come to agreement on the next round of coronavirus relief aid, many restaurant workers say they didn’t receive the help they needed the first time. With ODJFS overwhelmed by applications, many are still waiting to receive unemployment. Additionally, the state’s fraud crackdown is harming those needing benefits, social service advocates say.
Bret Crow, a spokesperson for ODJFS, says the number of applications that have inundated the agency since the shutdown is unprecedented, more than the last four years combined. He says that the department has done their best to make adjustments to cope with the influx of claims, including hiring more staff, expanding call center hours, and improving their website. While more than 1.2 million Ohioans have received over $10 billion in unemployment benefits, more than 1.6 million people have applied and there are still thousands of applications pending, he says.
“The system was not designed to handle the historic influx of claims like we’ve experienced since March,” he says. “Before the pandemic hit, we had recognized that it was time to update the technology, and we were already working on that.”
An overwhelmed system
Rodriguez’s story is not uncommon, says Zach Schiller, Research Director at Policy Matters Ohio. Ohio’s unemployment system is “worse” than others around the country because part-time and low-wage workers, including many restaurant workers, often aren’t eligible for aid. Additionally, the massive influx of applications during the pandemic created a backlog. Even though ODJFS added more than 1,000 new workers to answer calls after the pandemic struck, there are still problems with the system.
Ohio’s traditional unemployment aid is regulated by an earnings test that is less generous than most states. It requires applicants to rake in a weekly income of at least $269. For restaurant workers that primarily rely on tips, and for many part-time and minimum wage workers, getting approved was difficult before the pandemic. When the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program expanded eligibility, hundreds of thousands of people applied. Advocacy groups including Policy Matters Ohio, the Ohio Organizing Collaborative and Ohio Association of Foodbanks have called on the state legislature to fix the system. They urged the Senate to take up House Bill 614, which recently passed the House, to study and reform the unemployment system.
“Now I am basically thrown back into the gig economy, going from gig to gig and supplementing it with my part time job at a nonprofit. This wasn’t the way I thought this year was going to go.”
— KIMBERLY RODRIGUEZ
“Our unemployment system was ill-prepared for the avalanche of claims that descended when these stay-at-home orders started in march,” Schiller says. “Even now, there are eighty thousand Ohioans who have pending claims for traditional unemployment that have not been getting processed. There are more than two hundred thousand Ohioans who have pending claims for PUA that have not been processed.”
Ohio’s system is confusing because individuals in Ohio must apply for either traditional unemployment aid or the PUA, but applying for one does not make you eligible for the other, adds Mason Pesek, staff attorney with The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. PUA applications are automatically rejected if the applicant has a pending application for regular unemployment aid. As a result, some people have been waiting months on a determination of their aid eligibility, and a technical hiccup could mean they’re on their own.
“The reality of the current situation is that all these systems are so overloaded that people fall between the cracks, mistakes are made, and there are big issues on the backend,” Pesek says.
Ohio isn’t the only state that has faced problems with its unemployment system. A recent Brookings Foundation blog post cites research by the Century Foundation that by the end of May, only about 18.8 million out of 33 million claims (57 percent) had been paid nationwide, causing hardship for many. “Efforts could be made to improve the functioning of the UI system so applications can be processed and checks delivered more quickly,” write authors Manuel Alcalá Kovalski and Louise Sheiner.
Rodriguez would have been eligible for payments of $1,000 every week for fourteen weeks if approved. However, after five weeks of receiving no response, she finally received one payment of $1,000. Then ODJFS notified her that her application was rejected and she would have to return the one payment she received. “I was not given a reason,” she says. “I submitted an appeal and I still haven’t heard back.”
Treading water to stay afloat
She’s not alone in facing the difficulties of navigating the state’s unemployment system in a pandemic, and even for those who are back at work, they’ve returned to an industry forever changed by Covid-19. More than 50 percent of restaurants are not expecting to make it nine months if the virus continues unabated, according a recent survey by the Ohio Restaurant Association, and restaurant workers not making as much money due to limited hours and lower tips from decreased business.
Veteran pastry chef Traci Morrison had to wait a month for her unemployment compensation after she was furloughed on March 23rd from her full-time job as a specialty baker with Campbell’s Sweets Factory. Morrison, who baked and decorated all of the cupcakes for Campbell’s and was in charge of cupcake displays at different locations in Northeast Ohio, was eventually called back to work part-time. However, this dissolved all of her employer-sponsored health benefits and unemployment compensation and slashed her hours from over 40 to no more than 18 per week.
“The number of cupcakes I’m baking just keeps getting smaller, and smaller, and smaller,” says Morrison, who is looking for a rare full-time job with benefits in the restaurant scene. “It’s hard. I feel like my depression is just kind of creeping in because my schedule changes day to day and some days I just wake up and think ‘what’s next?’”
Morrison reapplied for part-time unemployment aid, but is still waiting for a determination on her application. “It’s just a waiting game and all of my savings are basically going towards everyday expenses,” she says.
Like Rodriguez, Anthony Gregorio contracted Covid-19 in late March and is still waiting on his unemployment determination from ODJFS.
Gregorio, who has worked in the Cleveland restaurant scene for twenty-two years, quit his job as a server at the beginning of March for personal reasons. Right when he started applying for jobs at the end of the month, he became ill. On March 27th, he tested positive for the coronavirus. Because he has asthma, he ended up having to go to the hospital because he couldn’t breathe. It took him three days of constant oxygen and steroids to finally recover.
Because he had Covid-19, he can apply for PUA benefits, but he didn’t find out about the program until after he’d already applied for regular unemployment benefits. Now he has to wait until after his application comes back to apply for PUA. It has been seven weeks since Gregorio applied for regular unemployment. When he was finally able to get through to someone at ODJFS, they told him that it was unlikely his application would be approved, but he probably wouldn’t get approved for more than $150 a week or barely enough to afford groceries.
“It’s ridiculous,” he says. “The only way I’ve made it through not having unemployment aid during quarantine is through the stimulus check — I don’t have any money.”
Gregorio is now working part-time at Planet Fitness, but is making “peanuts.” Rodriguez is also grateful to be working, but she’s still catching up from her months of being unemployed. “It’s just a really difficult spot to be in,” she says. “If I had just gotten a few weeks of that unemployment money, I would be fine — I would be totally set and not worried about anything.”
However, she still does not have employer-sponsored healthcare. Her wife is working full time as a chef at a restaurant where other full-time workers are offered spousal coverage, but Rodriguez says the employer declined to offer it to them. The couple has yet to talk to a lawyer.
In the meantime, she’s trying to stay healthy until she’s able to access healthcare again.
Rodriguez and Morrison both say they did not consider buying their own healthcare plans because of how expensive the market options are, applying for Medicaid instead. “I need to have some kind of healthcare in place, but without a steady cash flow right now, there is no way that I can search for something more substantial (than Medicaid) on my own,” Morrison says.
Schiller says Ohio’s problems should be a wake-up call for lawmakers, and force the necessary changes that would make the system sustainable in the long run. “We need a permanent system in which workers who work 20 hours a week can qualify for unemployment,” he says. “PUA needs to be institutionalized and made a part of the regular unemployment system. It would require an overhaul of the entire system on a long-term basis, but hopefully the extremely high levels of unemployment that we are seeing now will lead to a rethinking of the system.”
Local agencies hope to aid working parents by providing safe spaces for students during virtual school hours
By Rachel Dissell and Brie Zelter
Photo by Tim Harrison for ideastream
For some parents of school-age children, the decision of most area school districts to start the school year with remote and virtual learning came as a relief, as uncertainty about increasing cases of COVID-19 and possible outbreaks loom.
But for many Cleveland-area parents, the news sparked worry.
Parents who can relate to the following scenarios now balance concerns over the coronavirus and fear that their children are falling behind in school or are unsafe at home:
- Parents who cannot work from home.
- Those who do not have a reliable internet connection.
- Those who do not have the necessary virtual-learning technology.
- Those who live in neighborhoods with rising levels of gun violence.
Community after-school programs and some area churches are stepping in with plans to offer safe, digitally equipped, socially distanced places for students during school hours beginning in September. The hope is that they can help parents keep working and students keep up with studies this school year.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio accelerated plans to expand its programs as soon as Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eric Gordon announced in July that students would learn remotely for the first nine weeks of the school year, a decision followed by many other local districts.
One of many concerns was the well-known “digital divide” in the city’s poorest neighborhoods, said Jeff Scott, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio. More than 40% of Cleveland households don’t have regular access to broadband, according to a digital inclusion study and U.S. census data from 2018.
The clubs normally serve about 2,000 youths, ages 6 to 18, daily at 39 centers in Cleveland, Akron, and Lorain and Erie counties. The arts and recreational activities and tutoring and career-readiness programs traditionally are provided after school.
The idea that students, through no fault of their own, might lose academic ground, “It just makes your stomach churn,” Scott said. “That’s why we are so committed to figuring out a model that allows us to operate during the [school] day.”
In April, a CMSD survey of parents led to estimates that as many as two-thirds of families did not have electronic devices needed for learning at home. The district scrambled in the spring to distribute more than 10,000 computers and WiFi hotspots to students. Local foundations and businesses have contributed millions of dollars and donated hotspots for the fall, though it is unclear how many students still lack adequate computers and high-speed internet access needed for remote learning. CMSD schools last week were conducting parent surveys about technology needs.
A challenge for churches
Local pastors will also offer support to working parents and their children by opening up as many as 20 churches to school-age children in September.
The Cleveland Clergy Coalition hopes to offer safe places with digital connections and adult supervision during the nine weeks or longer of remote learning, said the Rev. Aaron Phillips, who leads the coalition. Some of the congregations provided after-school programming and tutoring before the pandemic, Phillips said, but the demand is expected to be greater this fall, especially for parents who must work.
The churches that will open to students, mostly on Cleveland’s East Side and in the inner-ring suburbs, face a litany of logistical issues to get their spaces ready and to make sure proper health protocols are in place for children who would come during the daytime hours to learn.
The project, Phillips said, won’t be easy. “It’s a huge undertaking and we don’t know where the funding resources are going to be to help us with any of this.”
The challenges of opening to students are also compounded by the higher rate of COVID-19 infections in Cleveland’s Black community, Phillips said. As of July 15, Black Clevelanders made up 73% of the hospitalizations for COVID-19 and 57% of the deaths attributed to complications from the disease, though they make up about half of the city’s population.
Other organizations, such as YWCA of Greater Cleveland, charter schools and youth development programs, are also looking at operating small learning centers for school-age children.
A test run
The Boys & Girls Clubs estimates it might be able to serve 500 to 700 students at its standalone centers, three of which are in Cleveland, where 37,000 kids attend district schools and more attend charter and parochial schools.
Churches are still gauging demand and figuring out how many students each building can accommodate.
With a small number of students using the facilities each day, Boys & Girls Clubs believes it can operate safely. The organization already had a test run of sorts, Scott said. In June, it reopened nine of its Northeast Ohio locations to provide meals and safe gathering places to kids dealing with stress from the pandemic, social and racial unrest, and community violence, Scott said.
The first time a club learned of an exposure to the virus, which has happened a handful of times, it shut down for several days to clean. Leaders personally made sure front-line staff were comfortable with reopening, Scott said.
The organization activates a task force within the hour of learning of a positive coronavirus case involving a club member. It uses a process similar to the one when a club member or family experiences community violence: Learn what happened, find out how staff and families are feeling, make a plan to respond to concerns and plan for next steps, he said.
The effort includes balancing both virus-related health issues and the other safety issues some kids face daily. In July, the week the decision was made for Cleveland schools to open remotely, the city had recorded 83 official coronavirus deaths, five more than the 78 reported homicide deaths.
“It really is about the nuances of all these situations,” Scott said. “And you’re in a tactical battle on a day-to-day basis and make the best decision that you can based on the information that you have. But the inputs are many. The inputs are about the virus, the inputs [are] about our kids’ safety and all of the social unrest and the racial equity issues that we’re dealing with,” he said.
Violent crime in Cleveland neighborhoods is up. Homicides have increased about 20% from last year and shootings have jumped nearly 40%, according to Cleveland police crime statistics.
Four kids involved with Boys & Girls Clubs in Cleveland have been killed or had a family member killed by gun violence since the beginning of May, Scott said. Pre-pandemic, a single such incident might have happened once every couple of months, he said.
Attendance at the King Kennedy club on the East Side was down recently following several shootings, Scott said. Children were afraid to walk the 200 yards to the club from the King Kennedy Estates, where many of the members live.
National effort
Efforts similar to those in Cleveland are emerging across the country, particularly in urban areas, where concerns about COVID-19 have to be balanced with the realities of keeping children fed and safe from violence and other risks where they live.
Higher-income families are creating “learning pods” by hiring educators to help with instruction for small groups of children while schools are closed or operating virtually, said Jen Rinehart, vice president for research and policy at the Afterschool Alliance, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C.
Replicating that pod-style learning among local organizations or programs that serve low-income families can help prevent existing inequities from being exacerbated, she said. The alliance created a blueprint for programs looking to partner with school districts.
But those endeavors will need public policy support and funding so that all young people have access to a safe, supervised place that offers technology support, access to food and additional enrichment, she said.
One obstacle is that current federal funding, through child care and education grants that support before- and after- school programs, only allows money to be spent when school is not in session. The Afterschool Alliance and others have asked the U.S. Department of Education to relax those rules so money can be used to serve children who are learning virtually during the school day, Rinehart said.
Planning for school
Over the next few weeks, staff from the Boys & Girls Clubs will prepare each site that will open to students, working with school districts from Cleveland to Sandusky, Scott said.
Staff members are trying to answer a long list of questions, including:
- How many kids they can safely serve?
- Should gyms be used to spread kids out?
- What hours should they be open?
- What infrastructure — from desks to power cords, fiber-optic cables and hotspots — are needed?
- How long will it take to ramp up and how much it will cost?
Ideally, the clubs will create distance-learning pods where children can set up to do school work and the center’s youth development staff can monitor and help them with their work.
Depending on the club, the plan is to serve ages 6 to 18 and group them by age, like the old schoolhouse model, Scott said.
The centers hope to also continue to offer after-school programs by closing to clean for a few hours each day and then reopening, Scott said.
The churches that will open to students, mostly on Cleveland’s East Side and in the inner-ring suburbs, also face a litany of logistical issues to get their spaces ready and to make sure proper health protocols are in place for children who would come during the daytime hours to learn.
“It’s a matter of safety as well as providing the tutoring and educational piece that we know our students are going to need during this virtual period as well,” he said.
The Boys & Girls Clubs and the clergy coalition both said they were working closely with CMSD to reach families that might need help the most. They are also learning how to use the district’s new online education software, and discussing whether district transportation might be available for some students.
Cleveland Metropolitian School District officials did not respond to questions sent last week about the community efforts to support students’ learning.
Bullet points for possible info to pull out in a box:
More than 40% of Cleveland households don’t have regular access to broadband, according to a digital inclusion study and U.S. census data from 2018.
Some 37,000 children attend Cleveland Metropolitan School District schools, not including charter and parochial schools.
The district distributed more than 10,000 computers and WiFi hotspots to students this spring. Local foundations and businesses have contributed millions of dollars and donated hotspots for the fall, but it is unclear how many students still lack adequate computers and high-speed internet access needed for remote learning.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio, which has 39 centers in Cleveland, Akron, and Lorain and Erie counties, estimates it might be able to serve 500 to 700 students at its standalone centers, three of which are in Cleveland.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio reopened nine of its 39 clubs in June, including this one on Broadway Avenue in Cleveland. The clubs are working on a plan to serve school-age children during the day at multiple locations so students can learn safely and have access to needed technology for remote learning.
Photo by Tim Harrison for ideastream
As many as 20 local churches plan to open to school-age children in September to support working parents, though funding is an issue.
Other organizations are considering small learning centers for school-age children, including YWCA of Greater Cleveland, local charter schools and youth development programs.
Contact info for parents seeking help:
Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio: (216) 883-2106
The Cleveland Clergy Coalition: clevelandclergycoalition@gmail.com.
Interactive: See the lands sold to fund Ohio’s Land “Grant” Universities
Native Americans demand more recognition from universities they funded, sometimes unwillingly
By Caitlin Hunt
This story was funded by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. This article provided by Eye on Ohio, the nonprofit, nonpartisan Ohio Center for Journalism. Please join our free mailing list or text us at (216) 867-6327 as this helps us provide more public service reporting.
Growing up in Cleveland, Cherokee tribal member Nicole Doran said Chief Wahoo always made her uncomfortable.
“I remember growing up and seeing this caricature of Native Americans that I knew wasn’t true,” Doran said.
Later she earned a biology degree at the Ohio State University. Doran loved the campus and appreciated the opportunities given to her, but she was not happy about the lack of Native American acknowledgement on campus. Instead, she found the university took pride in their status as a “Land Grant” university. The school sits in the heart of Columbus, home to the best-selling Land Grant beer.
“There’s nothing really on campus that signifies the Native American history of the land,” she said.
In recent months, outrage over racial injustices has sparked protests across the country. This outrage has helped uncover hidden histories and spark new conversations regarding the treatment of minorities in America. One area of discussion has been the place of minorities in higher education, particularly as many states created renowned public universities from the proceeds of land sales from Native American cessations.
In Ohio, land grant funds went to one of America’s most prominent schools, The Ohio State University. According to research conducted by High Country News, the 1862 Morrill Act redistributed nearly 10.7 million acres from nearly 250 tribes, through 160 land cessions, the legal term for giving up territory.
Eye on Ohio mapped all lands that supported Ohio schools, a total of 4,411 parcels spread out over 14 states. (Though only 4,060 could be mapped. Click here to see our code and methodology.)
The Morrill Act and Ohio State University
Starting in 1862, the federal government gave Ohio 630,000 acres of public domain land to sell to establish Ohio State.
All of this land was out of state and included parcels in Mississippi, Michigan, Missouri, Florida, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, California, South Dakota, Oregon, Colorado, and Washington.
The U.S. paid $35,410 for the land and land sales raised $340,818, creating a return nearly ten times the purchase amount. When adjusted for inflation, the U.S. would have paid $1,015,519 in current dollars for 614,165 acres of land with the university raising $6,849,131.
(The Second Morrill Act of 1890 supplemented funds from the original law and provided for the nation’s black colleges, which were not part of the 1862 act. Central State University near Dayton, Ohio started in 1887 as a publicly-funded department within private Wilberforce University, a historically Black college. So CSU is a land grant school but the lands sold to support it were not included in the survey.)
The United States government paid less than $400,000 to remove Indigenous titles from all Native lands, usually obtained through force or by treaties that the government never ratified, said Robert Lee, a lecturer in American History at the University of Cambridge.
Lee traced 97.5% of the land sales for Ohio under the 1862 law. Much of the land sold came from several tribes, including several Chippewa, Ottawa, Osage, and Sioux bands. Out of the 162 lands listed in Lee’s research, 96 were taken by unratified treaties, 53 were ceded by treaties, and eight were taken either by executive order or without a treaty. How the other four pieces of land were obtained is unknown.
Michael Charles, a member of Navajo nation and a doctoral student at Ohio State, said data like this continues a narrative in Native communities that universities are not for them or in support of them.
“These universities can be seen as the evil system that keeps taking and taking,” he said.
According to Fall 2019 statistics, American Indian students made up just 0.1% of the student population on the Ohio State Columbus campus, though nationally 0.7% of Americans are Native American alone. In total, 1.7% or 5.7 million people identified as Native American alone or in combination with another race.
But, Charles said research like this can help universities acknowledge more of their history and help them to become allies to current and future Native students. He also said this data could help higher education better understand why Indigenous youth may not consider pursuing a college degree.
“I think this is a very specific way that universities can start to understand kind of the conflict between Native people and universities,” Charles said.
OSU and Columbus Area Today
Today, Ohio State University has taken steps to create an inclusive environment for all, including American Indians.
“Today, the university’s commitment to diversity and inclusion has never been stronger,” Benjamin Johnson, Director of Media Relations at OSU, said via email.
Part of that commitment has been to create groups and programs on campus centered on Native culture. Native American student groups on campus include the Native American Indigenous Peoples Cohort and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. OSU also offers courses in American Indian studies, including a minor.
The university also operates the Newark Earthworks Center. The center researches American Indian cultures and their contributions to architecture and other scientific achievements in the Midwest. Like other universities, OSU is responding to recent concerns of racial inequity with a task force. Johnson said the school’s intercultural specialist for American Indian/Indigenous, Melissa Beard Jacob, serves with the group.
To acknowledge Native American lands, OSU has a land acknowledgment posted on its Multicultural Center website.
Charles said that an effective way for OSU to recruit more Indigenous students would be to send Native faculty out to the reservations and other large Indigenous communities. He also said the university should initiate a “bridge program” that would help the students make a successful transition into university life.
“It’s going to have to take initiatives on both ends at the same time to make sure we recruit,” Charles said. “And make sure we have people responsible for making sure they’re coming into a community set-up that’s going to set them up for success.”
Former OSU student Nicole Doran also said she thinks the university could do more outside of the land acknowledgment to address Native American history in Columbus and on the Ohio State campus.
“I think the land acknowledgment is definitely a first step, but it can come off as very performative,” she said.
Doran spoke of the Society of American Indians, the first American Indian activist group, on campus. They first met in 1911. But, Doran said there was nothing on campus that marked this historic event.
Groups like Land-Grant Fierce still celebrate the legacy of Ohio State’s beginning, though in April they called High Country’s expose the land grant university’s “original sin.”
Off-campus, the history of OSU’s land grant pride still prevails.
Land Grant Brewery, run by two OSU alumnus, Adam Benner and Walt Keys, first opened its doors to the public in 2014 after a successful 2012 Kickstarter campaign. After discovering their original name, Oval Brewing, was already copyrighted, Benner said they decided land-grant gave the same feel and gave a nod to their beloved alma mater.
“If you didn’t understand land grants or what a land grant college came from, then the name still had a strong feel to it,” Benner said. “And then we could still tell that story of what happened with the land grant act and how it established higher education throughout the country and that whole history.”
Benner said he was now aware of the history of where the Morrill Grant’s land came from but said the brewery takes pride in its name for how the grant made higher education more accessible for those outside of the upper-class and minority races.
“What we talk about every time we give a tour and why we are proud of the land grant heritage is that it was a law that was written right around the time of the civil war and was signed by Abraham Lincoln and the way it was written was that it couldn’t preclude race,” he said.
Benner acknowledges that the Morrill Act could have added to America’s history of mistreatment of American Indians and that there is more to uncover of our nation’s history.
“There’s a lot to look into from our entire nation’s history,” Benner said. “I think our entire nation’s history unfortunately has a red stain on it from how the Natives were treated early on.”
A Growing Recognition of Native Rights and Representation Beyond Grants
In a landmark decision in July, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a defendant who asked for a new trial because he said his alleged crime had taken place on land owned by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma. The ruling is significant because much of eastern Oklahoma, including most of Tulsa, is historically Native land.
John Low, an OSU at Newark professor and member of the Pokagon band of the Potawatomi tribe, said the Supreme Court’s decision to honor Native treaties is a big win for the Native American community.
“It’s an important victory for tribal sovereignty and honoring treaty rights,” Low said. “It’s a watershed moment.”
While this decision calls for celebration, Low said there is more that needs to be done by the government to allow for tribal sovereignty.
“It’s time for Indians, as an expression of their sovereignty to arrest and prosecute felonies,” Low said.
After years of refusing, the Washington DC National Football League team recently announced they would change their name. This name change has caused other sports teams with Native American names to consider changing logos or names, including the Cleveland Indians.
For years, American Indians and American Indian groups have fought against the use of racist Native American names, logos, and mascots, with many stating the harm these images do for the Native American community. According to the National Congress of American Indians, “derogatory ‘Indian’ sports mascots have serious psychological, social and cultural consequences for Native Americans, especially Native youth.”
Even with these concerns for stereotypes and Native youth, these negative images of Natives persist, and Low says they remain for one reason.
”The only reason why they have gotten away with it is because people know nothing about us or our influences,” he said.
Low said the removal of these mascots would help distinguish stereotypes surrounding Natives.
“The sooner we get rid of the mascots, the sooner we get rid of the stereotypes,” Low said.
Graphics by Lucia Walinchus
Reps. Sweeney and Crossman to host Ohio Promise Virtual Town Hall today
SUBMITTED
State Reps. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) and Jeffrey A. Crossman (D-Parma) will host a virtual town hall at TODAY, August 10 at 6:30 p.m.
The event is a part of the Ohio House Democrats’ Ohio Promise Virtual Town Hall Tour, a series of digital events this summer where local lawmakers give a Statehouse update and provide their constituents with the opportunity to ask questions and offer input on ways to address the issues facing their communities.
The event is education-themed and includes special guests Eric Gordon, CEO of Cleveland Metropolitan School District, and Dr. Charles Smialek, Superintendent of Parma City School District.
The event will be free and open to the public, with member availability for media following the event.
For the latest information on the Ohio Promise Virtual Town Hall Tour, dates and more, visit www.ohiohousedemocrats.org/ohiopromise.
WHO: State Reps. Bride Rose Sweeney and Jeffrey A. Crossman
Eric Gordon, CEO of Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Dr. Charles Smialek, Superintendent of Parma City School District
WHAT: VirtualTownHall on Education amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
WHEN: Monday, August 10 at 6:30PM
Horizon full-day programs for school-aged children
Horizon Education Centers is hiring
Free, fresh produce
(See flyer)
New poll indicates Trump trails Biden in Ohio
Liz Skalka
The Blade
A new poll that shows President Donald Trump trailing former Vice President Joe Biden in Ohio also reveals that Mr. Biden’s “strong” supporters here outnumber Mr. Trump’s, a snapshot of the state less than 100 days from an election that will determine whether Ohio continues its unmatched swing-state streak.
The poll also revealed the issues motivating each candidates’ backers: Mr. Biden’s identified coronavirus as their top concern, while Mr. Trump’s said it was the economy in a year defined by a global pandemic, economic uncertainty, and a reckoning over racial justice.
Conducted online between June 24 and July 15, the survey of 1,037 registered voters showed Mr. Biden leading Mr. Trump 46 to 42 percent, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The poll was commissioned for Your Voice Ohio’s Election 2020 project, which explores the complexity of the state’s nearly 12 million residents through community engagement, data analysis, and collaborative reporting. It was conducted jointly by the Center for Marketing and Opinion Research in Akron and the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron.
John Green, director emeritus of the Bliss Institute, said the results reinforce that Ohio is still attainable for Democrats and shouldn’t be written off as a battleground just because Mr. Trump in 2016 came away with an 8-percentage-point win in Ohio, which for decades has mirrored the national vote.
Ohio has the longest winning streak in the nation, picking the victor in every presidential election since 1964.
“No Republican has ever been elected or reelected in American history without carrying Ohio, so there’s a particular burden on Trump and his allies and supporters to compete effectively in Ohio,” Mr. Green said. “These numbers forecast a very competitive race in the state.”
Your Voice Ohio’s poll is consistent with recent surveys from other organizations that show a close race here as both campaigns enter the final stretch with a playbook rewritten by coronavirus. But researchers caution against reading too much into Mr. Biden’s early lead.
“With this much happening in our society, the numbers go back and forth, especially with Ohio,” said Michelle Henry, president of the Center for Marketing and Opinion Research. “In some states it’s going to be clear. In Ohio, it’s just not going to be.
“Even though 2016 went widely for Trump, there was quite some time when it went back and forth until it became very red.”
The researchers said the survey offers two main views: a snapshot of candidate preferences subject to change over the next three months, and insight into what issues are top of mind for voters, a metric that’s more likely to remain consistent until November.
Voters who backed Mr. Trump ranked the economy as their top issue, followed by coronavirus and health care. For Mr. Biden, it was coronavirus, the economy, and health care for all respondents besides the strongest supporters, who ranked health care second.
The 6 percent of undecided voters surveyed aligned with Mr. Trump’s backers on their top issues. Another 6 percent who said they are likely to vote for a candidate other than Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden cited the economy, coronavirus, racism, and social services.
Mr. Biden’s strongest backers also cited racism, criminal justice, and the environment as priorities, while Mr. Trump’s chose education, foreign affairs, infrastructure, and immigration.
Strikingly, the poll also revealed an enthusiasm gap between Mr. Biden’s and Mr. Trump’s supporters. Nearly 31 percent said they strongly supported Mr. Biden, versus 26 percent for Mr. Trump. The percentage of moderate and weak support for both candidates was roughly the same.
Mr. Green attributed the result to greater support in general for Mr. Biden, saying it bodes well for the former vice president in the long run.
“People with strong preferences are much less likely to change their preference … so the strength of preference really matters,” Mr. Green said.
This particular survey didn’t offer respondents the opportunity to explain their preferences, he said, or the ability to cite anti-Trump sentiment as a reason for backing Mr. Biden.
“Some of the other polls in Ohio and elsewhere have shown that a lot of people say their primary reason that they’re backing Biden is because they don’t like Trump. And some people take that to be evidence of a lack of enthusiasm,” he said. “For some people, maybe it is. But you can be really unhappy with Trump and still have a strong preference for Biden.”
Your Voice Ohio’s poll also broke the results down by region.
Mr. Biden leads in northeast Ohio (51 to 35 percent), the state’s most Democratic region, and by smaller margins in central (48 to 39 percent) and southwest Ohio (46 to 42 percent).
Mr. Trump is ahead in the northwest (53 to 35 percent), where Toledo is firmly blue but the surrounding rural counties are heavily red, and the southeast (53 to 33 percent).
Another finding that researchers noted is Biden supporters reported following the 2020 campaign more closely than Trump supporters.
Kyle Bozentko, executive director of the Jefferson Center, a nonprofit that promotes civic engagement and sponsors Your Voice Ohio, said based on several voter engagement sessions conducted across the state, people appear more concerned about issues than the 2020 horse race.
“While the presidential campaign guides everything in what we see and consume, there is so much else happening that the urgency and level of importance of the presidential election itself kind of falls out of the picture,” he said.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the results were outside the margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Liz Skalka is politics reporter for The Blade of Toledo. She can be emailed at lskalka@theblade.com.Your Voice Ohio is the country’s largest statewide media collaborative with a mission to represent the diverse voices of the state and the issues people identify as important. More than 60 news outlets have participated since its founding in 2015. Funding for the election project comes from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Democracy Fund and Facebook.
The West Park Times is a partner in the Your Voice Ohio media project — the largest statewide media collaborative in the country.
Rep. Sweeney’s statement on anniversary of Dayton shooting
Calls Republican inaction on commonsense gun safety unconscionable
SUBMITTED
State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) today issued a statement on the one-year anniversary of a mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio, which left nine dead and 17 wounded.
“My heart still aches for the souls we lost in Dayton last year from senseless gun violence. When the victims’ families and countless others demanded that we do something, they didn’t mean just anything: they meant real, commonsense gun safety reforms,” said Rep. Sweeney. “I heard those calls for change and introduced HB 316 to create an Extreme Risk Protection Order that respects due process while stopping preventable gun violence. While other states have shown that this measure saves lives and the majority of Ohioans support it, it’s deeply unfortunate that the Ohio Legislature is so insulated from public opinion that the GOP Majority has refused this legislation a single hearing in the 363 days since I introduced it.”
Democrats have continually pushed for commonsense gun reforms, including:
- House Bill (HB) 316 (Russo/Sweeney): Extreme Risk Protection Orders;
- HB 240 (Miranda/Kelly): The Child Access Prevention Act, which would ensure firearms are stored safely and securely out of the reach of minors;
- HB 317 (Robinson/Miller): universal background checks;
- HB 315 (Liston): Provide mental health and suicide prevention information at the purchase site;
- HB 319 (West/Miller): Restore local control so that everyday Ohioans can decide what commonsense safety solutions work for their community;
- HB 320 (West): Prohibit the sale of a gun if the background check is pending;
- HB 335 (Lepore-Hagan/Boyd): Require subject of certain protection orders to surrender firearms;
- HB 348 (Miller): Prohibit a person subject to a protection order from purchasing or receiving a firearm for the duration of the order;
- HB 349 (Weinstein): Ban possession of high-capacity magazines;
- HB 647 (Strahorn): Prohibits manufacture/sales of high capacity magazines;
- HB 658 (Galonski): Train school employees if authorized to carry firearms in schools.
None of the Democratic gun safety bills have been called for a committee vote.
Meanwhile, House Republicans have prioritized legislation opponents say will make Ohioans less safe, including the kill at will bill and legislation to eliminate the duty to notify law enforcement of a concealed weapon, which passed the House in June.
CLASH offers brochure covering lead, nutrition to at risk Cleveland families
SUBMITTED
Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing (CLASH) is distributing a new brochure on Lead and Nutrition through local hunger centers this summer. The brochure gives simple, clear information on how a child’s diet can help mitigate the damage of lead exposure.
While there is no safe level of lead exposure, caregivers can select foods that are high
in calcium, iron and vitamin C to strengthen a child’s body against environmental lead
from paint dust or soil.
The brochure also reinforces the message that children under the age of six should be
tested for lead exposure on a regular basis. Routine testing during pediatric visits only
reaches about half of the “at risk” children in Cleveland. Caregivers are urged to ask
for lead testing at least by the first birthday and again at age 2 checkups.
Cleveland’s Lead Safe Certificate law won’t begin to require landlords to make rental
properties until March of 2021 and there’s no plan for enforcement of the law until 2023.
In the meantime, wise dietary choices can make a difference.
CLASH president Yvonka M. Hall expresses thanks to Northeast Ohio Coalition for the
Homeless (NEOCH) Mutual Aid Fund for paying for printing the brochure. NEOCH is a member of the CLASH coalition. CLASH also thanks the hundreds of volunteers who
are putting the brochure inside of emergency food bags being supplied around the Cleveland’s neighborhoods.
COVID-19 complaints, Operation Legend, and more news from the City of Cleveland
From Mayor Jackson’s newsletter covering the City of Cleveland:
“”The City of Cleveland will continue to partner with federal law enforcement agencies to combat violent crime in our neighborhoods within the realm of constitutional policing,” said Mayor Jackson. “Residents and their families have a right to feel safe and be safe in their own communities. Coordinated efforts between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies will allow us to more effectively address and reduce violent crimes in Cleveland neighborhoods to build a safer Cleveland for all.”
· Click here to view the release from the Department of Justice
· Click here to watch the press conference Mayor Jackson held last week
· Click here to watch today’s press conference with the DOJ
City of Cleveland Statement on Upcoming Presidential Debate
“The City of Cleveland was informed that Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) were looking to host the first presidential debate and received confirmation of the selection prior to the announcement. While we were informed, we were not a part of the planning process and refer all requests regarding the details to both the Clinic and CWRU. The City of Cleveland looks forward to working with its partners, the Cleveland Clinic and CWRU, on the next steps in hosting the first presidential debate in Cleveland. When we have more details to report, we will share those in our daily media update.”
The City of Cleveland Releases CDPH COVID-19 Non-Compliance Report
CDPH continues to monitor COVID-19 non-compliance complaints. Since March 20, 2020 through July 29, 2020, CDPH has received 2,512 COVID-19 non-compliance complaints. To date, CDPH has received 1010 mass gathering non-compliance allegations, 794 mask non-compliance allegations and 430 social distancing non-compliance allegations in the City of Cleveland. To view and download CDPH’s COVID-19 non-compliance report, click here.
Note: The City of Cleveland will begin to share this report each week in its daily media update.
Middle Neighborhoods Presentation Released
In 2019 the City of Cleveland partnered with the Cleveland Foundation to launch the Middle Neighborhoods Initiative (MNI). This work focuses on communities within Cleveland that are historically stable but teeter on the edge of distress. These “middle neighborhoods” are areas with unique challenges that must be addressed with specific policy interventions, new mechanisms for investment, and efforts to promote the high quality of life families or individuals can find locally.
In 2020 the MNI partnered with Case Western Reserve University to develop a citywide analysis tool capable of showing practitioners and policymakers which areas in the city will see the greatest impact through investment. Using this tool, MNI continues to develop a toolkit of policies and interventions that can stabilize and grow the middle neighborhoods of Cleveland.
Recently, the presentation here was shared at a Cleveland City Council Committee meeting.
Calls Regarding COVID-19 Complaints
With the passage yesterday by Cleveland City Council of an ordinance authorizing penalties for non-compliance with Mayor Jackson’s mask mandate, enforcement is now in effect.There are two numbers Clevelanders should call regarding non-compliance:
· Business complaints: CDPH hotline at 216-857-7165
· Individual or private residence complaints: Cleveland Police non-emergency line at 216-621-1234
Cleveland City Council recently approved the mandatory use of masks in public spaces as well as certain penalties for individuals and businesses that do not comply. On July 3, Mayor Jackson signed an amended order mandating the use of masks in public in the City of Cleveland to slow the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus. This includes mandatory use in bars, restaurants, shared office settings, rideshares and other shared spaces.
Citations may be issued with fines for the following:
· Any business or person violating the mask or safe-seating order (which maintains social distancing of at least six feet between patrons) is subject to civil penalties. In accordance with Ordinance No. 556-2020, specifically chapters 602 and 236.
· Any business in the City of Cleveland with an employee who becomes ill with the coronavirus is required to immediately disinfect and sanitize the premises. Following a warning, they may be subject to a civil penalty of $1,000 for the first offense and a civil penalty of $3,000 for each subsequent violation.
The Cleveland Museum of Art Presents MIX: Viva
Free virtual event celebrates Latin culture and features a digital dance fiesta
SUBMITTED
Virtual MIX at CMA returns Friday, Aug. 7, from 8 to 9 p.m. Celebrate the diverse sights and sounds of Latin culture in honor of the current exhibition A Graphic Revolution: Prints and Drawings in Latin America.
DJ Cause&Effect will spin contemporary and classic Latin hits (salsa, bachata, merengue and reggaeton). Texas-based artist Michael Menchaca, whose work is on view in A Graphic Revolution, presents a selection of original party visuals. Menchaca’s video art combines imagery from video games with ancient Maya texts to explore Latinx identities in a contemporary landscape. The event also features salsa and Afro-Caribbean dance basics with dance group Caribe Conexión. The night begins with an original poetic response to artist Belkis Ayón’s print I Always Return, on view in the exhibition, by actor-poet Andrew Aaron Valdez, host of Voces Fuertes Open Mic, Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center.
Get ready for the event with a virtual MIX: Viva kit featuring a Spotify playlist created by DJ Cause&Effect, a list of local Latinx-owned restaurants, instructional dance videos from Caribe Conexión, artist bios and downloadable Zoom backgrounds.
Share your photos of your MIX vibe using #MIXatCMA and #museumfromhome.
About Graphic Revolution: Prints and Drawings in Latin America
This is the first exhibition to highlight the museum’s collection of works on paper produced in Latin America over the past century. Representing a wide range of countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba and Mexico, the works survey how artists have explored national and cultural identity during periods of political upheaval and dramatic social change.
Curator Britany Salsbury discusses several works from the exhibition in the museum’s “On View Now” video series.
The CMA is a leader in the use of technology to enhance visitor experience both on-site and online.
MIX: Viva and “On View Now” are part of the museum’s free dynamic digital initiative Home Is Where the Art Is, which showcases the museum’s globally recognized digital resources and features a variety of newly created fun and engaging programs for people of all ages. With this initiative, the CMA has leveraged technology to bring works of art to people, responding to changing needs in new, enriching and innovative ways. These sustainable digital experiences will continue now that the museum has reopened.
How to Join MIX: Viva:
Zoom (with “dance cam”) Join the party through Zoom for a chance to be featured in a live “dance cam” that will spontaneously occur throughout the hour. A link to join will be posted to cma.org/mix or on the museum’s Facebook page. You can also send an email (subject line: “MIX: Viva”) to mix@clevelandart.org to receive a link in your inbox.
Facebook Watch live on the CMA’s Facebook page from your smartphone, iPad or computer.
NOTE: Virtual MIX parties are both pet- and child-friendly.
Upcoming Virtual Events
Wednesdays at noon
Join CMA curators, educators and other invited guests in a live online discussion about works in the collection that address issues people are facing today. Participate in the conversation by making comments or asking questions.
Re-visioning Art and History
Wednesday, Aug. 5 at noon
At this moment, engaged citizens across the world are questioning the systems, structures and values that museums are built upon. Join Andrew Cappetta and Key Jo Lee to discuss how these much-needed critiques will inform CMA programs like Desktop Dialogues and Close Looking at a Distance, explore objects that reshape what is known about art and museums including Fred Wilson’s To Die upon a Kiss, and learn the value of adopting multiple perspectives to understand works of art.
Starting at 12:30 p.m., all participants are welcome to continue the conversation and interact in an informal, live Zoom video conference meeting. A link to join this additional discussion will be provided during the program.
The Cleveland Museum of Art would like to thank Chase Private Client for their generous support of MIX: Viva.
Image by Michael Menchaca
Access to Cleveland.com’s content limited beginning tomorrow, requesting support
An excerpt from Cleveland.com’s newsletter (signed by Chris Quinn):
“If you’ve never been in a debate with columnist Ted Diadiun, think dog with a bone. When he digs in, there’s no prying that bone loose.
I cannot count the hours I’ve spent going at it with him on whether newspapers erred when they made all of their content free online at the dawn of the Internet. Ted’s thought: Why would any company spend a fortune to produce a high-quality product – our content – and give it away? He says people should pay for things they value.
Come Monday, Ted will get his wish. Partly.
This is about so much more than an academic debate about strategy, though. The simple truth is we need your support to continue producing the journalism you value. Our watchdog reporting. Our bounty of information on surviving the pandemic. Our unique perspectives on your favorite sports teams. Our exclusive take on spending your entertainment dollar.
Ask yourself this: Where did you turn this week when you learned that the speaker of the Ohio House, one of the three most powerful people in the state, appears to be a crook, someone accused of masterminding a $60 million bribery scheme? For many people reading this, I know that answer. You turned to us.
You turned to us because when big news happens, you turn to the source you trust. Just as you did when the coronavirus became a pandemic.
My asking for your support is about whether you feel reassured by the fact we are here, whether you take solace knowing we care about you and look out for your interests. Do you rely on us to make sure tax dollars are not wasted, to ask the necessary questions of those in power, to keep you informed on what is happening in Northeast Ohio.
If you do, then please help us keep doing it. Please consider subscribing, to our website or to The Plain Dealer. Digital subscriptions to cleveland.com cost $10 a month or $100 for a year. At $100 a year, we are talking less than 28 cents a day. You can sign up here.
Starting Monday, access to some of our journalism will be limited to our digital and print subscribers. You’ve been seeing stories tagged as exclusive on our website for more than a month, and on Monday, we’ll reserve those stories for people who support our work.
Rest assured that most of the content on our site will remain free. Perhaps 10 to 12 stories a day will be tagged for subscribers only. We will experiment to see which stories have the greatest value for paying subscribers. And as we learn which stories our subscribers engage with the most, we will work to expand those offerings… ”
Rep. Sweeney calls for the immediate resignation of Speaker Householder
Says ongoing FBI investigation is an unnecessary distraction from the people’s work
SUBMITTED
State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) today called for the resignation of Republican Speaker of the House Larry Householder (R-Glenford) following federal charges that he engaged in a $60 million bribery, racketeering scheme. This is the second FBI investigation into House GOP leadership in three years.
“Larry Householder must resign the Speakership immediately. The staggering allegations against him are an unwelcome distraction from the important work that must be done to serve the people of Ohio during a once-in-a-century pandemic,” said Rep. Sweeney. “Ohio’s nearly two decades of one party rule have culminated in a Republican culture of corruption and the FBI investigation of two GOP Speakers of the House in three years. Ohioans deserve far better, and I am committed to restoring public trust and accountability in our government. If Householder does not resign in the very near future, then I will call upon on my colleagues across the aisle to convene the House and vote him out.”
HB 6 repeal would address only part of Ohio lawmakers’ recent actions to slow renewables
But a complete repeal is needed as a minimum to undo the bill’s gutting of the clean energy standards, advocates say.
By Kathiann M. Kowalski
This article provided by Eye on Ohio, the nonprofit, nonpartisan Ohio Center for Journalism in partnership with the nonprofit Energy News Network. Please join our free mailing list or the mailing list for Energy News as this helps us provide more public service reporting.
Both Republican and Democratic Ohio lawmakers are pushing to repeal the state’s nuclear bailout bill after this week’s release of a federal criminal complaint against House Speaker Larry Householder and others. Clean energy advocates say that would be a start, but more is needed to address eight years of lawmakers’ actions to slow the growth of renewables in the state.
The complaint alleges a $60 million bribery and conspiracy scheme that led to the passage of House Bill 6 last summer, followed by the defeat of a referendum effort to give voters a say on the bill. Amounts involved are about 20 times more than amounts that could be tracked through public documents.
HB 6 is primarily known as a “nuclear bailout” for providing six years of subsidies for the FirstEnergy Solutions/Energy Harbor nuclear power plants in Ohio totaling roughly a billion dollars, but it also gutted the state’s renewable energy and energy efficiency standards, and provided bailouts for two 1950s-era coal plants in Ohio and Indiana.
And while Gov. Mike DeWine has recently shifted his position from defending HB 6 to saying he wants to “repeal and replace” it, legislators from both parties say the whole thing should be thrown out. DeWine has said his office had no involvement in the alleged scheme. Yet he signed the law within hours after Householder secured its passage last summer.
Whether due to actual or perceived corruption, HB 6 “is a corrupt piece of legislation. All of it — not just part of it,” said Rep. Mike Skindell, D-Lakewood. “Therefore, the entire thing needs to be repealed. … That is one step in restoring the confidence of the citizens which was broken because of this corrupt process.”
“Those of us who are free-market conservatives are against the bill. Those of us who care about consumers and predatory pricing are against the bill. And it’s why those of us who want more renewable energy, not less, are against the bill,” said Rep. Laura Lanese, R-Grove City.
“Ohioans deserve an immediate and full repeal of House Bill 6 in order to restore the public’s trust in the legislative process, and also to get Ohio’s clean energy future restarted,” said Miranda Leppla, vice president of energy policy for the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund. “There is simply no room to consider anything less than a full repeal of this bill, as it is corrupt to the very core. Ohio lawmakers should consider what policies are best for Ohioans, without the corrupt influence of pay-to-play politicians and lobbyists working to influence their decisions.”
“I think this fiasco of HB 6 is just symbolic of the pay-to-play culture that has been in operation for a decade or more,” said Steve Melink, founder and CEO of Melink Corporation in Cincinnati. An analysis of lawful, reported campaign contributions from the utility, nuclear and coal industries in Ohio shows substantial increases in election years after a competitive generation market finally began developing in the state.
Efforts to give preferences to FirstEnergy and utility and fossil fuel interests didn’t start with HB 6. Bailout proposals have been on the table since at least 2014. And efforts to limit or repeal Ohio’s clean energy standards have been underway since at least 2012. A 2014 law imposed a two-year “freeze,” and then former Gov. John Kasich vetoed another bill to erode the standards. Other bills for nuclear and fossil subsidies and for weakening the standards were proposed in 2017 and 2018. And then Householder was elected.
HB 6 “was much more than a bailout for uneconomic nuclear and coal plants. It was an attack on renewable energy and energy efficiency that First Energy, and its allies in the legislature, had been pushing for years,” said J.R. Tolbert, managing director for Advanced Energy Economy’s national business group.
What more is needed?
“Ohio has some fundamental changes that need to be made to get back on track in our fight against climate change,” Leppla said. “These include fixing our wind setbacks, prioritizing efficiency as a money- and energy-saving resource, and fixing our power siting board process to ensure renewables have an even playing field.”
Removing a 2014 provision that tripled property line setbacks for wind turbines “is the very first change that has to happen” after a full repeal of HB 6, said Sandy Buchanan, executive director of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.
“When the rules changed, it essentially froze the number of wind projects,” said IEEFA data analyst Seth Feaster. That caused communities to miss out on revenues, more financial stability, better credit ratings and indirect job benefits, he and Buchanan noted. Meanwhile, a lot of wind projects moved to other states that were more welcoming.
The constant push to limit or repeal the state’s renewable energy and energy efficiency portfolio standards has also hurt, Melink noted. The portfolio standards act as incentives to attract and develop clean energy and other businesses that want renewable energy by setting enforceable targets, which the market then moves to meet, he said.
“A totally unregulated market is too open to the kinds of things that we’re witness to with HB 6,” Melink said. “Setting standards and rules is a good thing.”
“Businesses need some certainty that before they make investments to grow their businesses, that there are good laws that will be in existence for some period of time — that we’re not going to be going back and forth every year or two years, changing our minds about these things,” Melink continued. “No company is going to make a major investment to grow a clean energy economy with that scenario.”
Other concerns focus on how regulators and the courts have applied the state’s energy laws, including provisions that currently limit or preclude refunds of unlawful charges.
Even before HB 6 passed, for example, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio allowed a credit support charge. The Supreme Court of Ohio found that the charge was unlawful, but declined to make FirstEnergy refund charges to consumers. A delayed repeal of HB 6 could also let utilities collect charges under the law.
“FirstEnergy and FirstEnergy Solutions should not be allowed to financially gain from the poisoned fruits of a crooked tree,” said Howard Learner, executive director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “If the U.S. Department of Justice’s allegations of corruption are proven true, then the mandatory rate increase imposed by House Bill 6 on Ohio consumers should be invalidated, and FirstEnergy and FirstEnergy Solutions/Energy Harbor should be required to disgorge their financial gains and refund those excess charges to consumers.”
Other pending legislation could make matters even more challenging for renewables. House Bill 246, for example, “does little to address the serious issues plaguing the PUCO and [Ohio Power Siting Board]’s opaque and inconsistent processes, especially as it relates to siting renewable energy projects in Ohio,” Leppla said. The bill could also make the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel more subject to political sway.
One or more bills to repeal House Bill 6 are being introduced next week, Skindell and Lanese said. But that repeal of House Bill 6 is not yet assured.
“Given the press of other business, repealing HB 6 is not a good idea because it would result in a rate increase for all Ohio ratepayers,” said House Majority Floor Leader Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati. Seitz has pushed to limit or repeal Ohio’s renewable energy and energy efficiency standards since at least 2013. He and other House leaders have issued a joint statement saying they are reviewing the federal allegations and do not have knowledge of other representatives’ involvement.
“Repealing HB 6 doesn’t solve all of the challenges faced by clean energy companies or corporations trying to meet their sustainability targets in Ohio, but it’s a good start,” Tolbert said.
“We need to start from scratch,” said Sen. Stephanie Kunze, R-Hilliard. She added that the whole HB 6 process reminded her of baking a cake, in which supporters said “We’ll say that Ohioans want this cake, but really we want this cake, and you have to bake it for us.”
“We didn’t get a choice,” Kunze said.
Finding solutions for graduation 2020: a collaborative series by Neighborhood Media & the West Park Times
Graduation 2020 in Cleveland was covered in four parts by the West Park Times in collaboration with Neighborhood Media with assistance from a grant provided by Solutions Journalism. Cleveland’s solutions were found to be derived from Toledo, so we followed up with them and their success as well.
STORY 1
West Park senior learns to adjust in a changing world
No prom, no traditional graduation ceremony, no hanging out with friends.
It would be perfectly normal if members of the Class of 2020 feel cheated and depressed as they watch a national pandemic wash away their senior year.
But that’s not the case, says Faith Habrat of West Park. “I’ve talked a lot with other seniors, and we agree. We started the year together, and we are going to end it together. We’ll just remember all the good times. We’ll be fine.”
“We are trying not to feel cheated. We understand that everyone is doing what they can.”
But she admits,”It has been scary. It’s not the senior year I expected.”
Prom has been pushed back to July, and may not happen at all.
“I’m not really huge on prom,” she said. “But to not have it is very upsetting. It is a good time to share with friends.”
Before the shutdown, Faith attended the Cleveland School of Science and Medicine, located next to the sprawling Cleveland Clinic campus. Since March, he has studied at home.
“I try to cope with that. Life is hectic, and its really frustrating and hard. We text and e-mail our teachers and our principal a lot throughout the day. They are very helpful. We want to make sure we know what their expectations are.”
This summer, Faith will work as a camp counselor at Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU). After that, she begins work on a psychology at the University of Cincinnati.
For now, she is focusing a school-by-school drive-thru graduation ceremony that all Cleveland seniors will eventually particpate in.
Her graduation party was “no big get-together.” but a drive-by parade of family and friends as they drove past her house on Woodbury Ave., on Sunday afternoon, May 24.
Pre-party checklist: Cap, check. Gown, check. Mask, check.
It’s still an event that Faith will never forget.
STORY 2
Learning to hit curve balls in the COVID era
As a star softball player for 10 years, Abby Peterson learned to hit whatever pitch was thrown. This year, as a graduating senior at St. Joseph Academy, she saw a lot of real-life curve balls and changeups because of the pandemic:
- Her spring softball season washed away completely, including a long-planned trip to Myrtle Beach.
- Her summer softball season was cut in half.
- She watched her graduation “ceremony” on a video at a drive-in theater.
- Her restaurant employment was interrupted.
- Her on-campus college orientation become a virtual experience.
- Prom and the traditional “Walk of Roses” ceremony may or may not happen.
That’s a lot of change to throw at an 18-year-old. Through it all, Abby maintained a 4.2 grade point average, graduated with high honors, and regained her job at Applebee’s Restaurant in Rocky River.
Her positive attitude helped.
“There was a lot of uncertainty this year,” she said. “We never knew what was going to happen. We learned to live in the moment. Nothing in life is guaranteed.”
“Batter up!”
Softball should been a major part of her senior year. Abby pitches and plays infield. During her junior year, the team enjoyed a record-setting 21-6 season.
“This would have been a great year for us. Now, we’re not happy. It’s kind of sad. I really wanted to play one more season,” Abby said.
“An extended break”
“At first, they told us we would be back in 3 weeks, and we were happy for an extended break. Then, the break kept getting longer and longer. The school year ended really fast.”
At home, Abby quickly adopted a routine of waking up early, tackling her work in four subjects, and taking long walks in the Metroparks later in the day. There were a lot of Zoom meetings, e-mail and work in Google Classroom.
“I had never even heard of Zoom before,” she said. “As much as possible, our teachers tried to run the classes as if we were really there.”
It all led up to a graduation ceremony spread out over several days for social distancing. SJA assembled a video of all graduates picking up their diplomas, and played it at drive-in theater in North Ridgeville. Students and their families watched from cars, but classmates were nearby, and the social time was both safe and enjoyable.
A future filled with question marks
Graduation party? Maybe. Prom? Maybe. Walk of Roses? Maybe. When to leave for college? No date set yet.
Abby plans to major in business at Ohio University, and may eventually go into Law or Marketing. Although OU plans to re-open this fall, no date has been set. Orientation has changed from an on-campus to a virtual experience.
“I’m just looking forward to a future without COVID,” Abby said. ” I want a normal freshman year at college, I am going to stay positive and move forward.”
Footnote: Abby’s biggest fans are her parents, Alan and Kelli Peterson — a proud 1993 graduate of SJA.
STORY 3
How the pandemic changed ‘pomp and circumstance’
It is often said that “necessity is the mother of invention.” That was certainly true this spring as the pandemic brought a halt to old ways of celebrating.
School officials were faced with a huge challenge ― plan a high school graduation ceremony that would satisfy necessary health guidelines/restrictions; give graduates the recognition they deserved, and still keep school traditions alive. The guidelines were mandated by Gov. DeWine and the Ohio Departments of Education and Health.
Let’s look at the two high schools in West Park.
―――――――――――――――――――――――――――
John Marshall High School
Graduates get ‘15 seconds of fame’
Horns honked. Families cheered and applauded. Cameras flashed. Students hung out of car windows as a car procession began. A pep band musician showed up with his drums and a sign reading, ‘Graduates, you rock.’ There were hugs, few tears, and lots of proud parents. Cars were decorated with balloons and signs. School district CEO Eric Gordon directed traffic wearing a cap, gown, and face mask.
Welcome to graduation in the pandemic era.
On June 17, JMHS graduates enjoyed 76-degree temperatures and clear skies. They gathered at Max Hayes High School, 2211 W. 65th St., chosen by CMSD officials because of the central location and unique parking layout. Here, John Marshall and all the West Side high schools could hold outside graduation ceremonies that satisfied all State-mandated social distancing guidelines.
Every parking spot was marked with a number. Students were assigned a number ahead of time ― one car per family. Some students arrived an hour before the ceremony started, for social time. It had been a long time since they were last together.
Right on time, the ceremony began with a pre-recorded National Anthem, and a few speeches. It was live-streamed, and everyone watched from their car.
When the roll call began, a car procession formed from the parking lot to a nearby loop road near the school. Each car stopped near decorations of balloons. The graduate stepped out, took two steps to get the diploma, have his photo taken, and tip his/her hat to the principal. As the car continued down the loop road, the graduate was greeted with more cheers, applause, and signs from faculty, family, and friends.
Their 15 seconds of fame were over ― and so were their four years of high school.
Find our full gallery of photos from John Marshall’s graduation day here. https://bit.ly/2ZXcKhf
―――――――――――――――――――――――――――
Saint Joseph Academy
Mixing compassion with strength
“Saint Joseph Academy is committed to honoring the Class of 2020 and upholding the dignity of these end-of-year traditions, while still protecting the health and safety of the entire Academy community,” SJA spokesperson Mackenzie Schuler said in an email. Founded in 1890 by the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Joseph, SJA is an all-girl Catholic high school in West Park. Students come throughout Greater Cleveland.
To start the graduation process, faculty and staff distributed caps, gowns and yard signs to members of the Class of 2020. The in-person commencement ceremony took place over three days ― May 18, 19, 20 ― to ensure that social distancing and other guidelines were followed. Photos and video were taken as each student was recognized. The video included a pre-recording of scripture readings, commencement speaker President Mary Ann Corrigan-Davis (who retires on June 30), a student speaker and traditional songs.
During her remarks, President Mary Ann Corrigan-Davis quoted former Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton, who once said, “I refuse to believe you cannot be both compassionate and strong.” She pointed out that Jesus Christ was also compassionate and strong, and urged graduates to follow that role model.
Links to photos and the video were posted on-line. Graduates and their families and friends were also invited to see the video at the Aut-O-Rama Drive-In Theater in North Ridgeville. https://www.sja1890.org/
Student speaker Sarah Scarpitti referred to the pandemic in her remarks.
“…the past few months have brought a lot of uncertainty to our days. No one anticipated that we would encounter such an obstacle this year, but we will be able to look back and smile ― because we are fighting to conquer it now. And for the Class of 2020, it’s going to be about moving forward with the lessons we learned from this unfathomable experience. So much light has been shed on some of the most fundamental truths of life. And I wholeheartedly believe that we, The Class of 2020 ― standing at one of the many pinnacles of our lives ― were awakened to some of these fundamental truths.”
“We understand that waking up to a new adventure every day is the ultimate blessing ― we won’t take for granted even the simplest moments that appear to be freely given. We realize that PHYSICALLY going to school is an extraordinary gift. We have felt the power of prayer and of hope. We stood face-to-face with the phrase “this, too, shall pass”. We have recognized, at one point or another, that suffering isn’t an individual hardship ― it’s a shared experience. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ’s name ― and solidarity and interdependence can heal even the deepest wounds.”
Schuler said the ceremonial Walk of the Roses procession, which attracts crowds along Rocky River Drive, is tentatively set for Tuesday, July 14, or a later date in 2020 to be determined.
“We hope that larger public gatherings may be allowed later this year,” she said. “There is no guarantee that conditions will be better in July or even later this year, and it may have to be cancelled. Let’s keep our fingers crossed ― and our hands washed!” She wrote. “We are so very proud of the Class of 2020 and grateful for their resilience in these tumultuous times!”
―――――――――――――――――――――――――――
The digital age
Memories of the event are already available. The livestream version that students watched in their cars has been added to YouTube. For the link, go to clevelandmetroschools.org/
Videos of this graduation ― and others ― will be aired soon on TV-43. Details will be announced.
District photographers also documented the event, and those images will be available soon.
A photo gallery can currently be seen here at the West Park Times.
VIDEO COVERAGE COMPARING TOLEDO SOLUTIONS WITH CLEVELAND’S
*All stories written by Jerry Masek, who also contributed additional photography – Video produced by the West Park Times in collaboration with Neighborhood Media and Rich Weiss of the Tremonster.
What we learned: In occasions such as these, it isn’t always easy to keep a distance from people. Graduates want photos with their family members and friends. They want those memories. But, in an era of COVID-19, these traditions weren’t always realities, and things were often put on hold. Photographs, celebrations, ceremonies – nothing was quite the same and none of it was done until it could be performed safely without furthering the spread of the virus. Overall, while sacrifices were made, the class of 2020 within the metropolitan school districts of both Toledo and Cleveland were able to successfully hold graduation ceremonies in a drive-through fashion.