Meet the Democratic candidates for Ohio governor: The Wake Up for Monday, Feb. 28, 2022

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Mostly sunny skies are in the forecast today and temps will reach the upper 30s. Winds should be calm. Overnight lows will be around 30 degrees with partly cloudy skies. Read more.

Gubernatorial candidates: John Cranley has spent most of his adult life in public service, both in elected office and through efforts such as fighting to free wrongfully convicted Ohioans. Nan Whaley has been in politics for about half her life – first as a volunteer, then a staffer, and finally as an elected official rising to become mayor of Dayton for eight years. Jeremy Pelzer profiles the Democratic gubernatorial candidates.

Lakefront plans: Planners for Cuyahoga County, Cleveland, Cleveland Metroparks and other agencies say they are making important progress on five significant lakefront projects planned in Rocky River, Lakewood, and Cleveland. Steven Litt writes that all are aimed at increasing public access to the water, controlling erosion, and improving connections to inland communities and neighborhoods.

Gamble: Ohio Democrats took a gamble when they voted against a new Republican state legislative map plan that favors each party to win a share of seats perfectly proportionate to their share of the recent statewide vote, Andrew Tobias reports. The Ohio Supreme Court has postponed the court hearing where Gov. Mike DeWine and other redistricting commission members were supposed to argue why they shouldn’t be held in contempt of court for failing to meet the court’s original deadline.

The Ohio Redistricting Commission recently voted to approve the latest version of legislative maps, but all the Democrats and Auditor Keith Faber voted against it. The lack of bipartisan support means the districts will expire after four years instead of the usual 10. Have the Dems’ pursuit of perfect maps doomed the state for another gerrymandering nightmare in the not-too-distant future? We’re talking about these latest developments in Ohio’s gerrymandering drama on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast.

Supreme Court: U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown praised the President’s recent nomination of U.S. Circuit Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Justice Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court, but Republicans are less enthused, Sabrina Eaton reports. If confirmed, Jackson would be the first Black woman to serve as a Supreme Court Justice.

Ukraine: Anger and anxiety are pervasive among Ukrainian transplants in Northeast Ohio as they scramble to connect with loved ones overseas to ensure their security or safe passage out of the country. Robert Higgs reports Ohio organizations are mobilizing to send humanitarian and monetary aid.

DeWine visit: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, along with his wife Fran, attended Sunday morning’s church service at St. Andrew Ukrainian Church in Parma to show support for the Ukrainian people as Russia continues its attack. DeWine offered prayers for the Ukrainian people and what he called their “vibrant democracy,” David Petkiewicz reports. He said “every Ohioan and American,” whether they have personal ties to Ukraine or not, “must care deeply about what is going on in Ukraine today.”

Portman response: U.S. Sen Rob Portman, appearing Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” urged the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to admit Ukraine and other countries in Russia’s vicinity that might want to join, including Georgia, Finland and Sweden, Sabrina Eaton reports.

Vodka sales: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Saturday ordered the state Commerce Department to stop the purchase and sale of all vodka made by Russian-owned companies in response to the country’s attack on Ukraine, reports Kaylee Remington.

Appointments: Former U.S. Rep. John Boccieri of Ohio is under consideration to replace Steve Dickson as Federal Aviation Administrator on March 31, Sabrina Eaton reports. Boccieri, of Poland, Ohio, served a single term in Congress from 2009 to 2011 and now works as a Cleveland-based pilot for United Airlines.

West Side Market: Mayor Justin Bibb is introducing legislation next week intended to drive down vacancies at the West Side Market by allowing alcohol sales, capping rent increases for vendors and allowing new types of vendor leases, Courtney Astolfi reports. The plan requires City Council’s approval before going into effect.

New hire: Mayor Justin Bibb recently hired former Cleveland City Councilman Zack Reed as the city’s new business development administrator, Courtney Astolfi reports. Reed said the goal of the job is to help bring more economic opportunities to minority businesses by supporting the growth of their enterprises.

County jail: Despite reform efforts and programs meant to reduce the population at the Cuyahoga County Jail, an excessive number of inmates at the facility continues to be a concern, Kaitlin Durbin reports. The county Board of Control recently approved spending up to $275,000 to transfer some prisoners to Geauga County, if needed.

Cabinet profiles: Meet Sarah Johnson, Mayor Justin Bibb’s chief communications officer. Courtney Astolfi covers her background and plans for her new supporting role as part of a Plain Dealer/cleveland.com series profiling Bibb’s cabinet so readers can get to know Cleveland’s new class of top decision-makers.

Black history: Between 1936 and 1966, Black motorists relied on the little-known “Negro Motorist Green Book” to find friendly lodgings, businesses and gas stations while driving cross country, Brenda Cain reports. A Cleveland State University professor and his students are working to document local recreational sites left out of previous editions. Their project is called Green Book Cleveland.

Update: More than 90% of free at-home COVID-19 tests ordered through a federal government website have been shipped, and a CDC study suggests COVID-19 vaccine protection was weaker during the omicron wave, Julie Washington reports.

Timeline: The Ohio Department of Health reports 899 new cases on Feb. 20, the smallest daily tally in more than six months, Marc Bona reports in his weekly roundup of COVID news.

Sports betting: The Cleveland Cavaliers, in partnership with Caesars Entertainment, is planning to open a retail sportsbook in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Marc Bona reports. It will have betting windows for cash wagering and offer hospitality experiences for Caesars Rewards members.

Under construction: Construction will soon begin on a new Cleveland Public Library branch in the city’s Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood, along with a connected low-income senior living facility, Eric Heisig reports. The new branch at Detroit Avenue and West 79th Street will replace the 55-year-old Walz Branch at the same location.

Economy: Team NEO is creating a Vibrant Economy Index meant to measure the regional economy, Sean McDonnell reports. It says the tool will look beyond job numbers and GDP, and focuses on issues of race, education and other systemic barriers.

‘A bright day’: A Lorain County prosecutor dismissed charges against Nancy Smith and Joseph Allen minutes after they were granted a new trial in a 28-year-old case, John Caniglia reports. The pair previously had been sentenced to prison on accusations of raping children in the infamous Head Start abuse case in 1994.

Police shooting: A Cuyahoga County grand jury declined to indict a Cleveland police officer who fatally shot an armed murder suspect last year, Adam Ferrise reports. Officer Daniel Piper will still face an internal investigation to determine if he violated department policy.

Wanted: Former Kent State running back and Pittsburgh Steeler Eric Wilkerson has been charged in connection with a fatal stabbing in Cleveland, Adam Ferrise reports. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Local artist: Cleveland singer-songwriter Taylor Lamborn is releasing a live album, Anne Nickoloff reports. It’s not clear when the full album will be available, but the first single, “Fine,” is out now.

Film festival: The 2022 Cleveland International Film Festival announced its schedule for its March 30 to April 9 event, Anne Nickoloff reports. It kicks off with “Peace By Chocolate,” a film based on a true story about a Syrian refugee who settles into Canada after his family’s chocolate factory was bombed.

Polar Plunge: Shrieking participants in the annual Polar Plunge ran toward the lake at Edgewater Beach in Cleveland, some of them fully submerging their bodies in the chilly water. John Pana has video.

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