Subscribe to the Wake Up, cleveland.com’s free morning newsletter, delivered to your inbox weekdays at 5:30 a.m.
Geauga County Probate Judge Timothy Grendell is facing suspension and he wants the public to pay for his defense.
In May 2020, during the height of the pandemic, Grendell jailed 13-year and 15-year-old brothers who did not want to visit their estranged father amid a custody dispute. The teenagers — who were accused of no crimes — were arrested on a Friday evening and not released until the following Monday.
The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct recently urged an 18-month suspension of Grendell’s law license, with six months dropped if he avoids any allegations of misconduct.
Grendell argued he made the decisions in good faith to serve the children’s best interest. He said his attorneys are charging more than $200 an hour to represent him in the case.
“That’s a lot of money,” said Geauga County Commissioner James Dvorak. “It is something the judge got himself into.”
— Laura
Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Showers return
Grendell defense: Judge Timothy Grendell is prepared to ask Geauga County commissioners for $300,000 for his legal fees in his fight to avoid being suspended from the bench. The probate and juvenile court jurist was scheduled to go to the commissioners today and request the money. Grendell is seeking the funds to pay attorneys to represent him in disciplinary proceedings in front of the Ohio Supreme Court.
Speaker fight: Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens announced Monday he will not seek another two years as speaker, bringing an abrupt end to his months-long, behind-the-scenes leadership fight with outgoing Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman. Jeremy Pelzer reports the decision by Stephens, a Lawrence County Republican, makes it far more likely that Huffman, a Lima Republican, will be elected next January as speaker, an enormously powerful position that he could hold for the next eight years.
Voters rights: The Ohio Ballot Board on Monday advanced a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit Ohio voter laws that critics say are onerous. The Republican-dominated board, led by Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, unanimously agreed that the proposed amendment contained just a single issue and not multiple, which would have presented hurdles to backers, Laura Hancock reports.
Today in Ohio, the daily news podcast of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
Today in Ohio: Across Ohio, school districts are promoting thousands of third-graders who didn’t meet state reading benchmarks, placing unprecedented demands on limited resources for reading intervention. On Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast, we’re talking about the end of the Third Grade Reading Guarantee.
Protected status: The incoming border czar for president-elect Donald Trump warned that a federal program allowing people who fled dangerous countries to live and work legally in the U.S. on a temporary basis can “end tomorrow,” at which point the enrollees would be subject to deportation. Jake Zuckerman reports Tom Homan emphasized that the Department of Homeland Security can end the program at the secretary’s discretion, when asked about roughly 15,000 Haitian immigrants in the Temporary Protected Status program who live in Springfield, Ohio.
Refugee aid: A panel of state lawmakers on Monday narrowly approved a $17 million increase in refugee services funded by the federal government, with several Republicans taking the rare step of airing formal objections to receiving the federal funds, reports Jake Zuckerman. Now funded at about $41 million for the year, the money provides cash assistance, support services, English language training, transportation to education and employment, and medical screenings programs for newly arrived refugees.
Firefighter honor: An Ohio Senate committee will consider legislation on Tuesday that would rename a portion of Interstate 90 to honor a fallen Cleveland firefighter, reports Robert Higgs. Johnny Tetrick, 51, was killed in the line of duty in November 2022 when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver while responding to a call of a car crash on the interstate near the exit at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Cleveland.
The Cleveland area could see its first measurable snow this week.John Pana, cleveland.com
First snow: For the first time this season, the National Weather Service forecasts a chance of snow to appear in Cleveland, on both Wednesday and Thursday, reports Zachary Smith.
Tax relief: Cuyahoga County Council appears on track to approve a new property tax relief program for seniors who have fallen behind on their payments to potentially prevent them from losing their homes, but with a few changes to ensure funds are distributed equitably across the county. Kaitlin Durbin reports the Taxpayer Assistance Program will pay up to $10,000 in delinquent tax bills for seniors aged 70 or older and making less than $70,000 a year, and set them up with a financial counselor to create a budget that will either allow them to age in place or start planning for more sustainable housing.
Home prices: Median home prices continue to decrease as the cold winter market approaches, reports Megan Sims. The October median single-family home price for Cuyahoga County was $176,500, a $12,300 decrease from September, which saw a median price of $188,800.
Intersection safety: Cleveland Heights will get an infusion of federal grant money to reduce fatal collisions at the city’s most dangerous intersections, reports Cory Shaffer. The U.S. Department of Transportation told Cleveland Heights officials on Friday that it will award the city $800,000 under its “Safe Streets and Roads for All” grant program meant to fund projects to improve safety conditions for pedestrians and cyclists.
17-year-old killed: State Highway Patrol troopers say a 17-year-old Strongsville boy died Sunday in a car crash on Columbia West River Road. The teenager was driving north about 11 p.m. when he went left-of-center while negotiating a curve near Sprague Road in Columbia Township, the patrol said.
Opinion honor: The Alumni Association at Yale University on Friday honored Elizabeth Sullivan, opinion director for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, with its highest honor, reports Robert Higgs. Sullivan, who earned two degrees from the prestigious university, was one of five recipients of the 2024 Yale Medal, an award presented to individuals who have shown extraordinary devotion to Yale’s ideals and demonstrated their support through extensive, exemplary services to the university and its schools, institutes, and programs.
Clinic gift: A $30 million gift from the Bailey-Haslam family to the Cleveland Clinic will help provide genetic testing for patients, promote cardiovascular genetics research and establish an endowed chair in cardiovascular medicine, reports Julie Washington. The gift is deeply personal for the Bailey-Haslam family, whose members have suffered cardiovascular disease.
Spirit bankruptcy: Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection early Monday, a move that isn’t likely to impact many Cleveland travelers, reports Susan Glaser. The low-cost carrier, known for its low fares and add-on fees, once flew to as many as a dozen destinations from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. It’s currently down to a single daily flight to Fort Lauderdale.
Fatal standoff: Officers on Monday killed a fugitive who fired at officers during a standoff at a hotel near Canton. U.S. marshals said the suspect, whose identity has not been released, was wanted out of the Southern District of West Virginia on a federal warrant that charged him with possessing weapons with a felony record, Olivia Mitchell reports.
Teen robbery: Akron police have accused a teenager of robbing a 13-year-old boy at gunpoint as he walked home from school. At about 3:45 p.m. Friday, the 13-year-old told police he was walking home from school on Elma Street when a 17-year-old whom he knew pulled a gun and demanded the boy’s phone, reports Lucas Daprile.
Murder-suicide: Investigators say a Brooklyn couple died in an apparent murder-suicide in a car at a Cleveland golf course Sunday morning. Officials said Barbara Conroy, 78, and Dennis Conroy, 81, were found in the parking lot of Mastick Woods Golf Course on Puritas Road in Cleveland.
Caretaker death: Police say a 34-year-old man stabbed a caretaker to death Friday at a group home in Akron, reports Olivia Mitchell. Jarel Wooden is accused of murder.
Wrong-way crash: Two drivers are dead after a wrong-way crash on Interstate 271 in Pepper Pike early Monday morning. Just after midnight, a Toyota Tundra that had been driving south in the northbound lane on I-271 struck a GMC truck that was headed north in the express lane near Chagrin Boulevard, Lucas Daprile reports.
Bank fraud: A former PNC bank manager has admitted to stealing more than $60,000 from a dead client’s account, reports Adam Ferrise. Lamont Hankins forged documents and lied to employees about his relationship with the dead client to siphon money from the account that he used for himself, including airfare for himself and his wife.
Ohio movies: Actress Beverly D’Angelo, a Columbus native best known for her role as Ellen Griswold in the “National Lampoon’s Vacation” films, has been tapped to promote Ohio Goes to the Movies, an upcoming celebration of Buckeye-state moviemaking. Susan Glaser reports that the movie festival will showcase hundreds of films, at locations across the state, that feature Ohio and Ohioans.
Nutcracker: Tickets to Cleveland Ballet’s all-new version of the classic “The Nutcracker” are on sale now, reports Paris Wolfe. The show runs Dec. 13-22. The dance company’s 2024 adaptation of the traditional ballet has fresh choreography by Cleveland Ballet artistic director Timour Bourtasenkov.
Mahall’s: Mahall’s in Lakewood is getting into the Christmas spirit by hosting its first annual ChristkindlMarket this holiday season, reports Alex Darus. The event is inspired by annual Christmas markets celebrated across Europe, where attendees dine, drink and shop for holiday gifts in festively decorated venues.
Ask Lucas: If you just want to catch up with relatives for Thanksgiving, how can you get your family to leave their politics at the door? There’s a reason religion and politics are always mentioned as the twin horsemen of Ruining a Perfectly Good Time. Why not combine those? writes Lucas Daprile.
Holiday Swensons: Swensons Drive-In is getting into the holiday spirit with a few new and returning seasonal menu items, reports Marc Bona. The Northeast Ohio-based eatery, which is marking 90 years in business, has an extensive menu with dozens of items, from milkshakes to sandwiches and more.
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 a cleveland.com subscriber.
— Curated by content director Laura Johnston with contributions by by Cliff Pinckard.
Stabbing at Lorain library sends 1 person to hospital Read more
University Heights’ Mayor Brennan takes heat from residents over post-election Facebook comments Read more
Holiday Home Tour showcases historic Medina homes Read more
Council approves extended management agreement for Medina Municipal Airport Read more
Lakewood announces Lake-Clifton connector project Read more
North Olmsted considering new Fairview Park dispatch and prisoner housing agreement Read more
New Parma ALDI sets Nov. 21 grand-opening date Read more