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An Ohio House committee is considering a Senate bill that addresses diversity, equity and inclusion, collaboration with scholars from China, faculty and staff collective bargaining agreements, intellectual diversity on campus, post-tenure reviews, and ensuring students’ and faculty members’ viewpoints are respected. The bill mandates no indoctrination on controversial beliefs – and names climate change as an example.

Some of the language in the bill is taken verbatim from model legislation put out by conservative organizations.

This is the 11th iteration of the bill introduced by Kirtland Republican Jerry Cirino, who says his goal is to improve Ohio higher education. Republicans say the bill is necessary because Ohio’s population is skewing older, with fewer college-aged students.

Will hamstringing Ohio schools help attract students?

Opponents say the bill will stifle meaningful discussion in classrooms and raise the possibility of entertaining conspiracy theories as academic substance.

As an alum of a public Ohio university who hopes to send my kids to Ohio public universities, the bill raises serious questions about academic freedom and the future of Ohio’s young people.

– Laura

Cavaliers at New York Knicks: Cavs finally snap losing streak against Knicks, get a bit of retribution with 95-89 victory

Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Warmer weather set to return

College bill: State Sen. Jerry Cirino told members of the Ohio House Higher Education Committee he was not thrilled about removing the ban on strikes from his sweeping higher education bill. But Laura Hancock reports he said that enough members of the Ohio House told him the strike ban was going to sink his bill in the chamber, and his goal is to get Senate Bill 83 passed and signed into law.

Cedar Point: Cedar Fair, the parent company of Cedar Point, is exploring a possible merger with rival Six Flags, reports Susan Glaser. The two companies – longtime rivals in the regional amusement park industry – were most recently linked in 2019, when Six Flags made an unsolicited $4 billion offer for Cedar Fair, which Cedar Fair rejected.

Today in Ohio: Ohio’s August special election to refute a push to make it harder to change the state constitution will cost taxpayers at least $18 million. We’re talking about the waste of money on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour podcast.

Provisional ballots: Ohioans who show up to vote without following the correct steps could be forced to vote with a provisional ballot, which is used to record a vote if your eligibility is in question and if you otherwise would not be permitted to vote at your polling place. Rick Rouan reports on how to avoid a provisional ballot and get to vote a regular one instead.

Vance: U.S. Sen. JD Vance, a Cincinnati Republican, wants the Biden administration to reconsider a directive it produced last month that cautions lenders against “unnecessary or overbroad reliance on immigration status in the credit decisioning process.” Sabrina Eaton reports the joint statement from the Justice Department and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says creditors can consider an applicant’s immigration status when necessary to ascertain the creditor’s rights regarding repayment.

Catholic protest: Dozens of students and alumni from local Catholic schools protested Wednesday against a diocesan policy that critics say restricts the rights of LGBTQ people. Molly Walsh reports the protest came outside Cleveland Public Auditorium, where Bishop Edward Malesic led a Eucharistic Revival Rally and Mass.

Principal resigns: Heath Horton, the Rocky River principal accused of exchanging inappropriate messages with former students and drinking with them, has resigned. Olivia Mitchell reports Rocky River’s school board will have a special meeting today to accept Horton’s resignation. He had been the principal at Kensington Intermediate School.

Leaf pickup: Leaf and snow season are hitting at the same time this year, but Cleveland City Hall says it’s ready for both. Leaf pickup officially kicks off Monday for Clevelanders who live in what are considered “high-generation areas,” where there are the highest concentration of city-owned trees in the tree lawn. Courtney Astolfi reports pickup will continue, weather permitting, over the next two months and is slated to wrap up on Dec. 29.

Kindland: The Village Project in Bay Village is a community-driven initiative which began in 2010, founded when Bay Presbyterian Church helped four families who had a member battling cancer. It has grown into a pillar of support and care on the West Side, helping hundreds of families, Peter Chakerian writes in his Kindland series.

CLE neighborhoods: From the West Side Market to Edgewater Park and south to the airport and the zoo, Cleveland’s West Side has variety, from urban neighborhoods to those that take on a suburban feel. Reporters from cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer explored each of those neighborhoods in detail over the last several weeks in our series Getting to Know Cleveland’s Neighborhoods.

Casinos: Ohio’s casinos and racinos set a September record for table and slot machine gambling revenue, reports Rich Exner. The 11 facilities statewide took in $191.9 million in gambling revenue after paying out winnings. That’s a 1.7% increase from the previous record of $188.6 million set in September 2022.

Marijuana webinar: Stepping into a medical marijuana dispensary for the first time can be daunting, especially for older people. The free webinar “Healthy Aging: Medical Cannabis for Older Adults,” sponsored by The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com, will provide expert advice about how to safely and legally use medical marijuana, Julie Washington reports.

Search challenged: A lawsuit claims Portage County sheriff’s deputies violated the rights of a licensed CBD grower after the deputies searched the man’s car because it smelled like marijuana. William Lane’s lawsuit in federal court in Cleveland says deputies violated his rights against illegal searches, reports Adam Ferrise.

Ask Lucas: There are certain advantages to having a friend who constantly repeats themselves. One of those advantages is you don’t have to talk as much and the other is that you don’t have to pay very close attention, writes Lucas Daprile.

Korean corn dogs: Korean corn dogs not only look more intricate than the American version, but the flavor is more dynamic as well. The dish starts with a sausage or hot dog dipped in a thick batter that is fried, sometimes with cheese The fried stick is typically sprinkled with sugar and often coated with toppings. Alex Darus has seven places to try the delicacy.

RV Rocking: If you want to see black bears, Lake Tahoe is the place, write the Kinzbachs. There is a 72-mile scenic drive around Lake Tahoe that is rated as one of the best in America. It’s not to be missed.

Rock excellence: You’d be hard-pressed to find a more apt recipient for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Musical Excellence Award than Al Kooper, writes Gary Graff. Kooper’s been a performer, writer, producer, executive and multi-instrumentalist — even a journalist.

Lake Placid: There’s more than one way to descend the mountains near Lake Placid, reports Susan Glaser. You can ski, hike, bobsled or hop aboard the longest mountain coaster in North America and careen down them.

Day of the Dead: The 19th annual “Día de Muertos,” or Day of the Dead, festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday in Cleveland’s Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood, Paris Wolfe reports.

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 Laura Johnston with contributions by Cliff Pinckard

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