Does the grand jury system work in officer-involved shootings? The Wake Up for Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 – cleveland.com

Posted By on February 26, 2021

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Grand jury: When the Ohio attorney generals office presented the case of off-duty Cleveland police officer Jose Garcias killing of 22-year-old Desmond Franklin to a grand jury, prosecutors included a 2019 state law that requires prosecutors to prove at trial that a shooter did not act in self-defense. Experts say that its rare to include such information in cases that dont involve the police. Cory Shaffer reports the case, which the grand jury chose not to indict Garcia, is symbolic of the systems inability to alleviate public skepticism that police who kill someone receive different treatment.

Mass vaccinations: Officials who run the stadiums for the Cleveland Browns, Indians and Cavaliers, as well as the Cincinnati Bengals, have offered their spaces for mass coronavirus vaccinations. Laura Hancock reports the state has not yet made decisions on whether sports arenas, many of which are publicly owned, will be used for vaccinations. There also isnt any timeline for when such sites would open, since those would depend on an increase in the number of vaccines sent to Ohio. More than 100 providers have offered to volunteer at future mass vaccination sites.

This Week in the CLE: Former Ohio Republican Party chairwoman Jane Timken has officially declared a run for U.S. Senate, joining former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel. Were discussing which candidate is the Trumpiest on This Week in the CLE, cleveland.coms daily half-hour news podcast.

New numbers: The Ohio Department of Health reported Sunday that the number of confirmed or probable infections of the novel coronavirus had risen to 953,767, up 1,461 since Saturday. Sixty-seven deaths were reported Sunday, bringing the total to 16,816, Jane Morice reports. Ohio added 2,306 coronavirus cases on Friday, with 82 deaths. On Saturday, there were 2,611 cases and 56 deaths.

In this Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 file photo, supporters of President Donald Trump scale the west wall of the the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Militias took part in the attack, though some Ohio militia members condemn it. (Jose Luis Magana, Associated Press file photo)AP

Modern militias: Ohio has the second largest number of anti-government groups in America, with 31. And after the attack on the U.S. Capitol, many militias are trying to figure out their identities. Brian Albrecht reports the future could depend on whether the initial outrage following the Capitol attack endures and if the militia movement embraces an animating myth. Albrecht also interviews some militia members who say they were outraged to see the attack.

Oath Keepers: An Ohio bartender was charged Friday in a sweeping indictment of nine members of the Oath Keepers, a far-right group that authorities say sought to impede the certification of Joseph Biden as president. John Caniglia reports Jessica Watkins and other members of the anti-government faction were charged with conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

Coronavirus trends: Greater Cleveland coronavirus indicators have improved dramatically over the past few weeks for everything from cases and hospitalizations to trips to doctors offices and emergency rooms. Rich Exner details the numbers. For example, the total of new cases over the previous two weeks in Northeast Ohios seven counties dropped from 23,748 in the Dec. 17 report to 7,223 on Thursday. In Cuyahoga County suburbs, Emily Bamforth reports cases dropped to an average of 183 per day Friday from an average of 234 per day the previous week.

Race disparity: Far more white Ohioans have received the coronavirus vaccine than Black Ohioans, and state and county health departments are working to address inequities. But while comparing general percentages is startling, it may be misleading, Cameron Fields reports. Thats because so far the state has prioritized frontline healthcare workers, older Ohioans and teachers. A smaller percentage of older Ohioans are Black.

Vaccines for minorities: Cuyahoga, Hamilton and Franklin counties will ask Gov. Mike DeWine to set aside 20% of the coronavirus vaccine specifically for minorities, Emily Bamforth reports. Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish said the percentage of minorities receiving the vaccination is way too low and that the county is limited by the states decisions on supply.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine provides significant protection against the coronavirus after one shot, and can be stored in ordinary freezers, according to new research and data from the company. The findings could help smooth out the vaccine rollout in the United States. (Mary Altaffer, Associated Press file photo)

Pfizer vaccine: New data shows the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine provides significant immunity after one dose and can be stored in ordinary freezers instead of at ultracold temperatures. Julie Washington reports the new research could greatly simplify the logistics of the vaccine rollout in the United States and enable more people to get immunized.

FirstEnergy: The nonprofit at the heart of the states largest corruption scandal pleaded guilty Friday to a federal racketeering charge involving House Bill 6. John Caniglia reports that Generation Now helped receive more than $60 million in bribes that FirstEnergy Corp. and its affiliates gave former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and his allies in exchange for the passage of a $1.3 billion bailout for two aging nuclear power plants that a FirstEnergy subsidiary once owned. The nonprofit faces a term of probation for five years.

Sherwin-Williams: Sherwin-Williams said Friday that it plans to break ground this fall on its new headquarters in downtown Cleveland and a new research and development facility in Brecksville. Eric Heisig reports that employees are slated to move to the new facility at the end of 2024, a year after the initially planned date.

Microgrid: Cuyahoga County Council this week will consider legislation to create a county-owned power company. Emily Bamforth reports the Cleveland Microgrid Project, funded by Cuyahoga County and the Cleveland Foundation, aims to set up a secondary energy source for Clevelands power, which typically operates attached to the main power grid but could run independently in case of emergency.

Some people look out at the lake near the site of an ice rescue off the shoreline near Edgewater Park in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon, February 21, 2021. David Petkiewicz, cleveland.comDavid Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

Ice rescue: About 10 people were rescued Sunday afternoon after they became stranded on the ice off of Edgewater Park, Jane Morice reports. Of the 10 people stuck on the ice, seven were adults and three were children, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said. Six of those people were rescued by a Coast Guard ice skiff, while the others were taken to shore by a Cleveland Fire Department rescue team.

Fatal crash: An early Sunday morning crash in Lakewood left two 19-year-old residents dead and two others injured, Jane Morice reports. The cause of the crash remains under investigation and its unclear whether drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash.

Council petition: A group of nearly 40, calling themselves Clevelanders For City Council Reform, sent an open letter to City Council late last month seeking changes to meetings and public feedback that would breathe new life into city government. Jane Morice reports the group has not yet received a reply from City Council President Kevin Kelley, though in a follow-up message to Kelley sent Sunday, the group said it has received supportive responses from other council members.

PUCO: Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday appointed former state appeals court judge Dennis Deters to a full term on the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, reports Jeremy Pelzer. Deters, who was first appointed to the PUCO by DeWine in 2019, was recommended for a full five-year term by a nominating committee last month.

COVID timeline: Life expectancy in the United States dropped one year during the first half of 2020, with minorities suffering the biggest impact, Marc Bona reports in his weekly coronavirus timeline.

Power systems: Managers of power systems are expecting extreme weather to increasingly test the power grid in Ohio and across the country in the coming years, Andrew Tobias reports. Ohio has weatherized its infrastructure for extreme temperatures, but policymakers will have to decide how to modernize the states electricity network as Ohio also tries to reduce its carbon footprint.

Social Security: U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown wants an immediate replacement for President Trumps Social Security Administration commissioner, now that Democrats control the White House. In his first act as chairman of the Senate Finance Committees Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy, the Ohio Democrat released a statement seeking the departure of Andrew Saul and Deputy Commissioner David Black, both of whose terms expire in 2025, Sabrina Eaton reports.

Cleveland schools: Cleveland Metropolitan School District announced Friday it will phase in students in three groups, beginning March 1, a full month earlier than what CEO Eric Gordon estimated during a City Council meeting on Feb. 8. Students will return to buildings in a hybrid schedule with two-day-a-week in-person instruction for those opting to return instead of continuing online-only instruction, Emily Bamforth reports.

Coping through COVID: The uncertainty brought on by the coronavirus caused Sarah to have a series of panic attacks in the early part of the pandemic. It was frightening to see everything shut down so suddenly. Evan MacDonald reports on the stress of the pandemic in the series Coping through COVID.

7-year-old shot: A 7-year-old boy was hospitalized Thursday after someone shot his feet in an Akron apartment building. Police say his injuries are not life-threatening and investigators are searching for the shooter, Robin Goist reports.

Western Reserve: Hudson boarding school Western Reserve Academy is closing through Feb. 28 to reset from a coronavirus outbreak affecting students and staff. On Friday, there were 18 active coronavirus cases at Western Reserve Academy, Emily Bamforth reports.

Snow again? While it may feel like youve had to shovel your driveway every other day, Northeast Ohio hasnt actually reached the average number of snow days this winter. Alexis Oatman reports weve had only 31 days with more than 1/10 of an inch of snow at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

Black artists: East Cleveland native TyJuane Brijae Finley, also known as Ty Bri, is the first female rap artist from Cleveland with a major label deal. Alexis Oatman reports Ty Bri says her art is a reflection of the gritty street environment that she grew up in and the vulgarity of life. Amber Ford is a portrait photographer who aims to capture her subjects vibe and aura through the lens. Cameron Fields reports that Ford regularly produces work where the colors and the lighting complement people well, bringing their light into focus.

RBG exhibit: The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage is geared up and ready for its deep dive into the life and times of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, mother, feminist and legal scholar who left a huge stamp on American life, Steven Litt reports.

Coffee shop: Pour Cleveland downtown has closed, another victim of the coronavirus pandemic. Marc Bona reports that Pour Cleveland opened in 2013, close to a multitude of businesses, at 5th Street Arcades on Euclid Avenue.

BorderLight: BorderLight International Theatre + Fringe Festival is set to return to downtown Cleveland this summer for arts, music and theatrical performances July 22-24. The festival is currently open for artist, musician and performer applications, due by March 5, reports Anne Nickoloff.

Cherry: Cleveland-born directors Anthony and Joe Russo couldve done anything they wanted after their last film, Avengers: Endgame, wound up becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time. They chose to come home. Joey Morona reports the brothers spent several months in late 2019 shooting Cherry in Cleveland, based on a book by a fellow Clevelander with a screenplay co-written by their sister.

Lunch nachos: Join Chris Morocco as he makes baked lunch nachos, which he makes at least once a week as he brainstorms what to feed his two young kids, in this video from cleveland.coms sister site Bon Appetit. Its a lightning-fast lunch (or dinner) that can be tweaked to suit anyones preferences.

House of the Week: If youre looking for your sanctuary away from the bustle of the city, this contemporary farmhouse in Waite Hill deserves a look. Joey Morona reports that the 1988-built home designed by the renowned design firm Bialosky Cleveland offers six bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. On the market since December, the asking price is $639,500.

Cleveland reports 47 new coronavirus cases, but no deaths: Sunday update Read more

East Cleveland police arrest man in police pursuit that injured four people, police reports say Read more

Kent police trying to identify who broke windows at high school Read more

Cleveland police searching for man who stole womans car at Express Gas Read more

Four people in custody after Case Western Reserve University student robbed on campus, school says Read more

Cleveland Division of Police mourn the passing of fallen officer Erwin C. Eberhardt Read more

Most Cleveland Public Library locations to reopen for browsing beginning Monday Read more

University Heights City Council approves townhome plan Read more

Berea Schools superintendent addresses governors learning loss mandate Read more

Spectacular ice sculptures on display in Medina Square through Monday evening (photos) Read more

Akron will celebrate first Dick Goddard Day Wednesday Read more

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Does the grand jury system work in officer-involved shootings? The Wake Up for Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 - cleveland.com

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