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Everyone is watching Ohio.

“What happens in Ohio in August and what happens here in November could be the road map to protecting life in the future,” Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life, told Andrew Tobias.

“Both those who care about defending direct democracy and those care about reproductive freedom will be watching what happens in Ohio closely,” said Sarah Walker, policy and legal advocacy director for the liberal Ballot Initiative Strategy Center.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last June, voters in California, Michigan and Vermont have voted to expand abortion rights, and voters in Kansas, Kentucky and Montana have rejected measures restricting them.

If Ohioans vote in August to make it harder to change the state constitution, other states could try to follow our example in order to head off a wave of ballot issues guaranteeing abortion rights in individual states.

Early voting for voters living in Ohio starts July 11.

- Laura

Overnight Scores and Weather

Guardians vs. Milwaukee Brewers: One cold Miller: Ex-Guardians infielder drives in two as Brewers hand Cleveland 5-4 loss in 10 innings

Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Showers, thunderstorms and cooler temps

Top Stories

Issue 1: The word “abortion” won’t appear on the ballot this August. But roughly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Ohio is gearing up for a summer election that could prove to be a major national test case for the political fight over abortion. State Issue 1′s result could reverberate across the country, reports Andrew Tobias.

Civil Discourse: Some experts believe the path to Donald Trump’s 2016 election began in 1988, when “The Rush Limbaugh Show” became nationally syndicated. Lucas Daprile reports that Limbaugh’s playbook for inspiring rage and creating us-vs.-them narratives was so profitable, it became a standard operating procedure for national media outlets of both partisan leanings.

Economic development disagreement: Cleveland’s recently fired economic development director, Tessa Jackson, aimed to “oversee this work with a strong focus on equity and neighborhood revitalization.” Courtney Astolfi reports she wanted to make sure the city didn’t over-subsidize development projects and developers using city money to create jobs, as promised. Mayor Justin Bibb is still refusing to say why he showed Jackson the door, but developers are glad she’s gone.

Today in Ohio: Public health experts are warning that the Ohio Senate’s budget proposal will needlessly weaken Ohio’s anti-tobacco laws, with a toothless version of a prohibition on flavored e-cigarette sales, coupled with a “preemption” rule that would block Ohio cities from passing local tobacco laws. We’re talking about why the Senate is bowing to the cigarette industry on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast.

Statehouse and Politics

Abortion changes: On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a 49-year-old decision guaranteeing abortion rights nationwide, leaving questions about abortion legality up to each state. Since then, the courts, legislature and governor have each weighed in on abortion in Ohio. With so many moving pieces in the abortion debate, some Ohioans have been left confused about the state of abortion rights. Laura Hancock explains what’s happened and what’s next.

Aug. 8 election: Military and overseas absentee voting is underway for the Aug. 8 special election, but for the rest of the population, early voting begins July 11. The state’s sudden decision to hold an August election has left Board of Elections offices scrambling to prepare and voter turnout harder to predict, so they encourage voters to have a plan. Registered voters can cast their ballots in-person early at the BOE office, 2925 Euclid Ave. in Cleveland, at various scheduled times from July 11 through Aug. 6. Kaitlin Durbin details how the process works.

Northeast Ohio News

SNAP calls: Many calls to the Cuyahoga County call center for help navigating programs like SNAP and Medicaid are still going unanswered, despite the county implementing changes and adding staff in response to the poor service. Over the past three months, public records show that just 53% of calls were answered, report Zachary Smith and Sean McDonnell. Meanwhile, more and more people need help.

Balloonfest: In 1986, the Plain Dealer described Balloonfest as a wonder to behold -- the majestic liftoff of 1.5 million helium-filled balloons that swarmed Terminal Tower and blotted out the sky over throngs of people in Public Square, a memory-making spectacle marred by a few unforeseen mishaps. Chris Quinn asks, how did the event go from being a civic celebration and point of pride 37 years ago to the horrible, embarrassing disaster that is the perception today?

Business and Healthcare

Top Workplaces: Cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer are honoring 214 companies, nonprofits, schools and organizations in the 2023 Top Workplaces rankings. See the full list and stories on the winners.

Brewery economy: Ohio craft breweries are responsible for $1.27 billion in economic impact, reports Marc Bona. Ohio has 420 craft breweries and its craft-beer production volume ranks sixth among all states.

JumpStart: After 19 years, JumpStart’s founding CEO Ray Leach is stepping down in September so he can focus on a new venture. It will be JumpStart’s first leadership change, reports Sean McDonnell. JumpStart has already started a national search for its new CEO.

Crime and Courts

Giant Eagle shooting: Police said victims killed in a suspected murder-suicide inside a Giant Eagle store in North Olmsted had been divorced for nearly 20 years. Megan Sims reports that Police Chief Bob Wagner confirmed the identity of the shooter as 60-year-old Bernard Edward Smith of Cleveland. The female victim was identified as 63-year-old Susan Petterson of Olmsted Township. She had worked at the Giant Eagle for three years and eight months.

Police shooting: Tallmadge police shot a man in Stark County early Friday morning, reports Molly Walsh. Lawrence Township police called BCI to investigate after Tallmadge officers opened fire on a man overnight after a car chase.

Tax shelter: Federal prosecutors on Friday charged the president and chief executive officer of a Beachwood wealth-management company, accusing him of providing a tax shelter for wealthy clients by making it look like they contributed to a charity that helped people in impoverished countries. Adam Ferrise reports Rao Garuda, the CEO of Associated Concepts Agency, is charged with conspiring to defraud the IRS and aiding and abetting the filing of a false tax return.

Dimora appeal: An appeals court on Friday rejected corrupt former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora’s latest appeal for a new trial. A three-judge panel from the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals called Dimora’s attempt to overturn his 2012 conviction on more than 30 charges “underwhelming,” reports Adam Ferrise.

‘90-Day Fiancé’: A Twinsburg man once featured on the reality TV show “90-Day Fiancé” was charged with child porn possession. Michael Eloshway, 41, is charged in federal court in Cleveland with two counts of possessing child pornography, reports Adam Ferrise.

Arts and Entertainment

Hola Kitchen: Hola Island Kitchens opened a restaurant this month in Cleveland inside the Vocational Guidance Services building at 2235 E. 55th St., reports Paris Wolfe. Finding it is rewarded with wholesome fresh Caribbean cuisine. Think tender, rich, juicy slow-roasted pork shoulder with island flavors. And the parking is free.

JazzFest: The opening night of the 44th Tri-C JazzFest brought two African artists making their Cleveland debuts who, if their stage banter is to be believed, enjoyed Cleveland so much that they promised to come back, though preferably not in the winter. Malcolm X Abram reports world-renowned singer-songwriter Angelique Kidjo and her international quartet closed the festival’s opening night concert on Thursday by turning it into a sing-along dance party. An on closing night Sunday, legendary performer Herbie Hancock wowed the crowd.

House of the week: Built in 1984 for Toby Cosgrove, the former longtime Cleveland Clinic CEO, this home in Hunting Valley was designed for entertaining. Soaring cathedral ceilings give the home a sense of grandeur, reports Joey Morona. Situated on seven pristine acres, the home offers five bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms in more than 7,500 square feet of living space. The price was recently reduced to $2.6 million.

You’re all caught up

Don’t forget, you can always find the latest Cleveland news by visiting cleveland.com. If you value the hard work of Cleveland journalists, consider becoming an cleveland.com subscriber.

— Curated by Laura Johnston with contributions by Cliff Pinckard

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