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Sam Randazzo, former top utility regulator accused of taking $4.3 million bribe, found dead

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Sam Randazzo, former top utility regulator accused of taking .3 million bribe, found dead


COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former top state utility regulator accused of taking a $4.3 million bribe was found dead Tuesday.

Sam Randazzo was pronounced dead just before noon by the Columbus Division of Fire, according to a spokesman for the Franklin County Coroner’s office. He was found by police unresponsive, hanging by a rope in the rafters of a Columbus property. The coroner’s spokesman said it is a suspected death by suicide but will be confirmed in an autopsy.

Randazzo, 74, is the former chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and has been indicted in both federal and state court for taking bribes from Akron-based FirstEnergy.

Randazzo’s death follows an epic fall from grace. In 2018, he was on his way to retirement after a storied career as a utility lawyer, representing industrial energy users seeking cheaper electricity prices. But following the election of Gov. Mike DeWine, Randazzo applied, and was later appointed to serve as the chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.

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According to both state and federal prosecutors, it was around that time that he accepted a $4.3 million bribe. He has acknowledged receiving the payment but pleaded not guilty to felony charges, insisting the money was an obligatory term of a contractual arrangement. FirstEnergy admitted to paying the bribe in a deferred prosecution agreement in exchange for favorable treatment at the PUCO. Randazzo faced up to 20 years in prison.

While neither judge nor jury has made any finding on those allegations, Randazzo recently lost several important legal battles. The Ohio Supreme Court allowed Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost to freeze millions in his assets before trial. A federal judge denied his attempt to move the trial from Cincinnati to his hometown in Columbus.

Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to Roger Sugarman, his attorney.

Along with Randazzo, FirstEnergy has also admitted to bribing ex-House Speaker Larry Householder with millions of dollars in exchange for the passage of House Bill 6, legislation that charged ratepayers to bail out nuclear plants owned at the time by FirstEnergy. Householder has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Co-conspirator Matt Borges, a lobbyist, is serving a five year sentence as well. Two other men pleaded guilty to racketeering and testified as government witnesses. A fifth, Neil Clark, died by suicide in early 2021.

DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney declined to comment Tuesday evening.

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Jennifer Young, a spokeswoman for FirstEnergy, said the company is “saddened to hear of this tragic news.”

Jake Zuckerman covers state politics and policy for Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.



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Cleveland, OH

City of Cleveland activates warming centers with brutal cold approaching

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City of Cleveland activates warming centers with brutal cold approaching


CLEVELAND — Ohio is getting a jumpstart on winter. 

Through the weekend, highs will drop with wind chills dipping into the negatives, according to Spectrum News 1 meteorologists. To help residents get out of the cold, the City of Cleveland is activating its warming centers through Monday.

Here are the warming centers that will be available: 

  • Michael Zone Recreation Center
    6301 Lorain Ave.
    (216) 664-3373
  • EJ Kovacic Recreation Center
    6250 St. Clair Avenue
    (216) 664-4140
  • Zelma George Recreation Center
    3155 Martin L. King Blvd.
    (216) 420-8800
  • Collinwood Recreation Center
    16300 Lakeshore Blvd.
    (216) 420-8323

And here’s how long they’ll be open for, Saturday through Monday:

  • Saturday, Dec. 13: 9:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Sunday, Dec. 14: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Monday, Dec. 15: 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.

For overnight shelters, RTA passes can be provided to help with transportation to a nearby facility, the city said. 



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Cleveland Water Department truck falls into sinkhole and breaks gas line on Cleveland’s West Side

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Cleveland Water Department truck falls into sinkhole and breaks gas line on Cleveland’s West Side


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A Cleveland Water Department truck working on a water main break in Ohio City was partially swallowed up into a sinkhole, breaking a gas line underneath the street.

Cleveland Water truck swallowed up(WOIO)

The incident occurred near West 28th Street and Chatham Avenue late Thursday afternoon.

There was no fire or injuries, according to Lt. Michael Norman of the Cleveland Fire Department.

The gas company is on scene working to fix the leak.

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Bob Dylan Ohio tickets: Best prices for 2026 Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton concerts

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Bob Dylan Ohio tickets: Best prices for 2026 Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton concerts


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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Music legend Bob Dylan is bringing his “Rough And Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour” to Ohio in 2026, making major stops at Cleveland’s Playhouse Square’s KeyBank State Theatre on April 10, along with the Palace Theatre in Columbus on April 9 and Winsupply Theatre in Dayton on April 12.

This Ohio leg of the tour continues Dylan’s ongoing 2026 concert run in support of his 2020 release, “Rough And Rowdy Ways,” an album widely celebrated as among his finest entries in decades.

How to get tickets to see Bob Dylan in Ohio

Tickets for the upcoming Ohio concerts are selling fast, with some vendors reporting fewer than 100 tickets remaining. However, you can still get pass discounts on trusted third-party ticket platforms including Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, StubHub, Viagogo and Ticket City.

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New customers can save more with these discount codes:

  • Vivid Seats customers get $20 off ticket orders of $200 or more by using the code CLEVELAND20 at checkout.
  • SeatGeek customers get $5 off orders of $300 or more with code TAKE5.

Here are the cheapest ticket prices currently available to the upcoming Bob Dylan concerts in Ohio, as of Dec. 11:

April 9, 2026: Columbus, OH — Palace Theatre

  • Vivid Seats: $196
  • SeatGeek: $194
  • StubHub: $198
  • Viagogo: $192
  • Ticket City: $204

April 10, 2026: Cleveland, OH — KeyBank State Theatre

  • Vivid Seats: $217
  • SeatGeek: $282
  • StubHub: $332
  • Viagogo: $322
  • Ticket City: $218

April 12, 2026: Dayton, OH — Winsupply Theatre

  • Vivid Seats: $261
  • SeatGeek: $288
  • StubHub: $252
  • Viagogo: $245
  • Ticket City: $262

What Ohio fans can expect from Dylan’s shows

Ohio fans will experience more than just great seats. For his first date in Columbus, Dylan takes the stage at the historic Palace Theatre, a venue known for its warm acoustics and lavish 1920s-style charm.

Then comes Cleveland, where Playhouse Square’s KeyBank State Theatre will host an intimate, phone-free performance. Fans will have electronics secured in Yondr pouches to ensure a fully immersive concert experience. The embedded nostalgia of the theater pairs perfectly with Dylan’s timeless classics like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Like a Rolling Stone.”

Finally, Dayton fans can join the celebration of Dylan’s vast musical legacy at Winsupply Theatre. By choosing acoustically superior venues throughout Ohio, Dylan seems to be deliberately crafting a more personal connection with audiences, transforming each stop into a storytelling event rather than just another headlining show.



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