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Ohio House Committee Passes Bill Banning Trans Athletes From Women’s Sports, Talks Higher Ed Bill

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Ohio House Committee Passes Bill Banning Trans Athletes From Women’s Sports, Talks Higher Ed Bill


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The Ohio Channel

Sponsor Rep. Jena Powell

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The controversial bill that would prevent trans athletes from participating in Ohio women’s sports and youth athletics passed by a 8-6 vote in the Higher Education Committee on Wednesday morning. 

All five Democrats on the committee and State rep. Gayle Manning, R- North Ridgeville, voted against the bill. 

State Rep. Jena Powell, R-Arcanum, introduced House Bill 6 in February, dubbed “Save Women’s Sports Act” saying it’s a fairness issue. 

“All that girls are asking for is a fair shot, and to be given the chance to play and win by the rules in the sports that they love,” Powell said in a news release. “That opportunity is being ripped from them by biological males.”

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HB 6 would require separate single-sex athletic teams and allows athletes to file a civil lawsuit “if the participant is deprived of an athletic opportunity or suffers harm as a result of a violation of the bill’s single-sex participation requirements or if the participant is subject to retaliation for reporting such a violation,” according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Service Commission.

There are only six transgender high school female student athletes in Ohio, and of those, only three have been approved to play in the current spring sports season, the OCJ previously reported.

Currently, if a trans girl wants to play on a team with cis girls, she must go through hormone treatments for at least one year or show no physical or  physiological advantages, according to the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

The bill, which now awaits further consideration in the House, has received lots of pushback from parents, students, activists and clergy members. 

Twenty-one legislatures across the country have enacted their own versions of the Save Women’s Sports Act. 

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House Bill 151

The House Higher Education Committee heard sponsor and proponent testimony for House Bill 151, the companion bill to Senate Bill 83 — the massive higher education bill that would significantly change college campuses. 

HB 151 was introduced by state Rep. Steve Demetriou, R-Bainbridge Twp., and state Rep. Josh Williams, R-Oregon, in April after state Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland, introduced SB 83 in March. 

All three legislators testified Wednesday and answered questions from committee members for almost an hour. 

The original version of HB 151 would mainly impact public schools and would ban programs with Chinese schools, ban mandatory diversity training, prohibit university staff and employees from striking, require American history courses, and mandate tenure evaluations based on if the educator showed bias or taught with bias. 

Revisions to SB 83 were adopted Tuesday during the Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee meeting, and those same changes were adopted to HB 151 during Wednesday’s meeting. 

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Some of those revisions, among others, include clarifying the segregation of faculty and staff based on someone’s race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression is only prohibited in classroom settings, orientations and graduations; allowing mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion training for certain exemptions; and existing college programs with Chinese institutions can remain as long as there are specific requirements in place.

“Students are at the core of HB 151 and SB 83,” Cirino said. “The main pillar of this legislation has been allowing students to receive an education  that contains a broad range of perspectives, discussion, debate and ultimately true intellectual diversity.” 

Williams testimony was nearly identical to the previous proponent testimony he gave for SB 83. In it, he shared his experience of attending the University of Toledo College of Law and being discriminated against by his professor and classmates after commenting in class that the United States should not adopt an open-border policy.

“Encouraged by this professor, classmates felt they could attack me as well, calling me a Nazi, a slave trader, an affront to my race, and an Uncle Tom,” he testified. “Situations like these arise whenever the narrative that is being taught by universities is challenged, and the threat of confrontation and being ostracized is often enough to stop open discussion in its tracks.”

State rep. Casey Weinstein, D-Hudson, said he is concerned Williams is taking his bad experience and extrapolating it across Ohio universities.

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“How do you explain the content of this bill that I’m reading right here and what you are telling us about freedom of thought and intellectual diversity because it sounds like a Big Brother attack on free thought,” he said.

Williams responded by saying the bill doesn’t attack professors but instead would create a review process for faculty.

State rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst, said he is worried HB 151 will drive professors and students away from Ohio’s colleges, and add bureaucratic work to universities. Several college students have said they will leave Ohio if SB 83 passes.

Demetriou disagreed with both points and and said the bill will open Ohio up to a wider pool of students and faculty. 

“What we are saying is that you can’t demonstrate particular biases and require that students subscribe to a certain viewpoint in order to pass your class or get a good grade,” Williams said. 

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Those in favor of Hb 151

State rep. Adam Bird, R-New Richmond, said he has become aware of the “desperate need” for a bill like this after hearing about his four children’s college experiences.

“Often speech is condemned unless it’s liberal speech,” Bird said.

Madison Belletti, a senior at the University of Cincinnati and President of UC’s College Republicans, testified in favor of HB 151. 

“This bill is vital to ensuring diversity of perspectives is protected on college campuses,” she testified. “Between my own personal experience in college and the stories I hear from other students on campus, extreme partisanship is pervasive, and it normally entirely falls on the left side of the aisle.”

She said she has lost friends, been accosted on campus and her grades have been penalized because of her difference of opinion. 

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“When professors and the administration are allowed to push one perspective onto students without fear of consequences or public scrutiny, students receive a subpar education, a culture of bullying is created, and innovative ideas are squashed,” she testified. 

Originally published by the Ohio Capital Journal. Republished here with permission.



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Cleveland, OH

City launches ‘Cleveland Moves’ initiative, seeks public input on 5-year transportation plan

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City launches ‘Cleveland Moves’ initiative, seeks public input on 5-year transportation plan


CLEVELAND, Ohio — The city of Cleveland is seeking public input and engagement on its ambitious five-year transportation initiative that aims to enhance the safety, comfort and convenience of walking, biking and using public transit across the city.

In a news release Friday, the city said it hopes to harness the feedback and build upon the multimodal transportation plan, dubbed “Cleveland Moves,” which includes five key components:



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Orioles vs. Guardians Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Friday, August 2

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Orioles vs. Guardians Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Friday, August 2


Two powerhouse contenders are squaring off this weekend in Cleveland, part of a massive four-game series that is going to help answer some questions about what we may see come October. The Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Guardians are well in contention for a championship and it takes center stage all weekend long.

The Orioles continue a titanic battle in the American League East with the Yankees at 65-45, while the Guardians continue to shine with a current league-best 66-42 record. Both teams have surprisingly impressed this season, especially the young but mighty Guardians. Here’s how to play this Friday matchup.

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Run Line:

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Moneyline:

Total:

Colton Cowser: Part of the rich youth pool of talent, the Orioles may have found a true gem with Colton Cowser. The 24-year-old left fielder has extended his active hitting streak to 14 games, recording one in each game since the all-star break. His average has increased from .219 to .247 in that span, along with 4 home runs and 13 RBI. His hitting streak is tied for the 2nd most active one in all of the MLB, behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (14) and Ezequial Tovar (17). Cowser is making 2024 a memorable inaugural full season.

Jose Ramirez: There may not be anyone hitting the ball better right now across all of the MLB like Guardians slugger Jose Ramirez. He opened this series on Thursday with a 2-run blast, marking his 3rd consecutive game with a home run. Ramirez has a ridiculous ledger of 3 home runs and 8 RBI in his previous three games. His 28 home runs and 90 RBI this season place him in the top 10 across all players. He continues to provide the power on this feisty, young team. Ramirez is the offensive spark the Guardians must turn to in their run to the postseason.

This is an exciting change of pace to the normal juggernauts that we have seen through the years in baseball. While we don’t quite know if these two will be near the top of the standings in October, all that matters is that both are positioning themselves for it. A pair of unlikely division leaders are battling for a little summer glory in Cleveland.

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Dean Kremer takes the hill for the Orioles on Friday. A lot of uncertainty surrounds this start as he’s amassed mixed results for much of 2024. Currently at 4-7 with a 4.20 ERA, 73 strikeouts and 14 home runs allowed, it hasn’t been pretty but at least is passable. Kremer anchors the No. 4 spot in this rotation and has yet to find much consistency. Last time out on Saturday against San Diego, he tossed 6 innings, allowing 4 runs (1 earned), 7 hits, a walk and 7 strikeouts. The Orioles have not provided him the best run support lately, with the team being 2-5 in his last seven outings.

Carlos Carrasco holds the fort down for the Guardians in this one. It’s been a lackluster season with a 3-9 record, a 5.68 ERA and 79 strikeouts. The month of July was very unkind to him, allowing 19 earned runs and 6 home runs across a total of five starts. Carrasco additionally has allowed 6 runs in each of his prior two outings. He is currently 20th in all of the MLB in home runs allowed (17), but a lower walk rate with just 27 free passes allowed. The 37-year-old is clearly beginning to hit a decline, and likely will finish his career here where he has so many great memories.

Both teams certainly check a lot of marks offensively and Thursday’s 10-3 Guardians win backed that up. We have another pitching matchup that is not pretty, so it’s absolutely fair to expect a lot of offensive fireworks. The Orioles are superior on paper, ranking 1st in home runs per game, 4th in hits and 3rd in runs. 

That’s the way I lean with this prediction. I get the feeling both teams will feed off each other’s energy all weekend long, especially with a lot on the line in this series. I’ll happily back the total to go over 9 runs in Friday’s contest at -115 (FanDuel), especially with a pair of starters that have been less than ideal for most of the year. 

Pick: Orioles-Guardians OVER 9 Runs (-115)

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Note: Game odds are subject to change.



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Northeast Ohio road construction: What new delays can driver’s expect?

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Northeast Ohio road construction: What new delays can driver’s expect?


CLEVELAND, Ohio — There will be plenty of overnight lane closures over the next several weeks for various construction projects in Northeast Ohio.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has released an updated list of lane closures and delays for Cuyahoga County and other regions.

I-90 westbound just east of Columbia Road will be in a bi-directional traffic pattern beginning Tuesday and continuing through September for bridge deck replacement. All lanes of traffic are maintained. However, one lane of westbound traffic will be maintained on the I-90 eastbound side separated by a concrete barrier wall. Two lanes of traffic are maintained on the existing westbound side using a lane shift.

U.S. 422 westbound ramp to I-271 northbound will be closed from 9 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday. The detour is I-480 westbound to Miles Road to I-271 north.

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Harvard Road entrance ramp to I-271 north will be closed from 8 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Chagrin Road entrance ramp to I-271 north will be closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday until 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Chagrin Road entrance ramp to I-271 south will be closed at 8 p.m. Wednesday until 6 a.m. Thursday.

Westway Drive over I-90 will be closed from Aug. 12 through mid-September for bridge repairs. The detour will utilize Wager Road

I-271 southbound ramp to U.S. 422 eastbound will be closed 8 p.m. Aug. 9 through 6 a.m. Aug. 12 for bridge repairs.

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The following closures will be in place each night from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Tuesday until Thursday for pavement work.

I-71 northbound to I-480 westbound. The detour is I-480 east to Tiedeman Road to I-480 west.

I-480 westbound to Ohio 237. The detour is Ohio 17 east to Ohio 237.

The following ramps will be closed for resurfacing from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night from Aug. 7 to Aug. 11. All ramps will not be closed at the same time.

Ohio 176 north ramp to I-90 east. The detour is I-490 east to I-77 north.

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I-90 east ramp to I-71 north. The detour is I-90 east to I-77 north.

I-90 east/I-490 west ramp to I-71 south. The detour is Ohio 176 south to Denison Avenue to Ohio 176 north to West 14th Street to I-71 south.

Ohio 700 just south of Tavern Road has been reduced to one lane maintained by a temporary traffic signal beginning through early September for culvert replacement.

Ohio 91 (SOM Center Road) between U.S. 20 and Ohio 2 has various lane restrictions through mid-September for bridge repairs.

U.S. 6 between Rockefeller Road and Bishop Road will be reduced to westbound traffic only beginning Aug. 10 through early September for resurfacing. The detour for eastbound traffic is Bishop Road to Eddy Road to Rockefeller Road.

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Ohio 615 between Andrews Road and Center Street has various nightly lane restrictions between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. through October.

I-277/U.S. 224 westbound between I-76/Kenmore Leg and I-77 will have various lane restrictions beginning Aug. 12.

I-277/U.S. 224 westbound between I-77 and I-76/Kenmore Leg will be closed from Aug. 19 through Aug. 28 for resurfacing. The detour will be I-77 northbound to I-76 westbound to I-76/Kenmore Leg.

Brush Road over Ohio I-77 will be closed beginning Aug. 14 through late August for bridge repairs. The detour is Brecksville Road to Boston Mills Road to Black Road.

Ohio 303 under I-77 will be closed between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. each night beginning Aug. 19 through Aug. 26 for bridge-beam placement. The detour is Brecksville Road to Wheatley Road to I-271.

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Ohio 303 eastbound under I-77 will be closed from Aug. 21 through late November for bridge construction. The detour is Brecksville Road to Wheatley Road to I-271.

The ramp from Glenwood Avenue to Ohio 8 southbound will be closed between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily beginning Aug. 19 through late August. The detour is Glenwood Avenue to Howard Street to Tallmadge Avenue.



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