The iOpener: New Warrant in Corruption Probe of Budish Admin; DeWine Wants 18 Cent Gas Tax Hike

Good morning on this Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019. 

Corruption investigators executed another warrant on Cuyahoga County executive Armond Budish in the ongoing probe of his administration.  In Wednesday's warrant, investigators asked for unedited copies of video recordings that Budish made last Friday in which he discusses the previous day's raid by the FBI and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.  Investigators are also seeking computers used or accessed by Budish's chief communications officer, Eliza Wing.  Budish has denied any wrongdoing.

Gov. DeWine will ask state lawmakers to raise Ohio’s gasoline tax by 18 cents a gallon. That’s a 64 percent increase on the current 28 cents a gallon tax.  The hike would raise about $1.2 billion annually for road and bridge maintenance.  House Democrats also want to see a big increase in mass transit funding, from $6 million to $150 million.

Prosecutors in Cleveland say they’ll seek to try the teenage suspect as an adult for last week’s rape and robbery in a downtown parking garage. The 17-year-old denied the charges during his arraignment in juvenile court.  Police say tips from the public and surveillance video from nearby businesses help detectives find and arrest the teen.

Akron mayor Dan Horrigan touted an “Akron renaissance” in his state of the city address. He said 1,000 new housing units have been created downtown, a new tax is helping rebuild police and fire stations and population decline has slowed.  He said he’ll create a new position, vice president of inclusion and opportunity, at the chamber of commerce to make sure the city’s new growth is equitable.

Attorneys say a former doctor at Mount Carmel Medical Center may have inappropriately deemed patients brain-dead before they were given potentially fatal doses of fentanyl.  Attorney Gerald Leeseberg tells the Columbus Dispatch three of his clients have said Husel told them their loved ones were brain dead.   Leeseberg said guidelines for such a determination were not followed, completed or documented.  Mount Carmel has accused Husel of ordering excessive doses of painkillers for 34 intensive-care patients.  Husel’s attorney said he’s reviewing records and would not comment.

A petition drive is underway in Lorain to put Mayor Chase Ritenauer in charge of the Academic Distress Commission overseeing the state takeover of Lorain's schools.  The state-appointed position remains vacant following Tony Richardson's resignation last month. 

The Browns have signed wide receiver Jaelen Strong, who missed last season with a knee injury. He was a third-round pick of the Texans in 2015 out of Arizona State.

In college basketball, Ohio State overpowered Northwestern, 63-49. 

Weather forecast: Mostly sunny, breezy and mild. High 40.  Clouds return tonight, low 24.