CLEVELAND, Ohio (WEWS) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has been in the national spotlight since a Monday night interview with Fox News in which he cast doubt on the story of a 10-year-old Ohio girl who sought an abortion in Indiana because of the state's new six-week abortion ban.

That story turned out to be true, and he changed his tune when an arrest in the case was announced Wednesday.

At the end of the interview, Yost said he wanted to correct something that the national media outlets were getting wrong in their coverage.

“Ohio’s heartbeat law has a medical emergency exception, broader than just the life of the mother,” he said. “She did not have to leave Ohio for treatment.”

Yost is correct that there is a medical emergency exception in the law. The law then refers to Ohio Revised Code for a definition of “medical emergency.” According to paragraph F of ORC Section 2919.16:

That doesn’t clarify how the 10-year-old would have qualified for an abortion under this exception.

Professor of Law and Bioethics Sharona Hoffman from Case Western Reserve University said the law isn't clear.

“The language here is 'medical emergency', which would suggest that the person does not have time to go to another state,” Hoffman said.

There are concerns about how doctors will be able to treat their patients under this law. Since much of the medical emergency exception is left up to a doctor’s discretion, there’s a gray area. Doctors could face a fifth-degree felony charge if someone questions their decision down the line, putting them in a tough spot.

“They have to engage in a calculus,” Hoffman said. “They have to balance the patient’s best interests against their own best interest and think about whether doing a procedure will result in a risk of prosecution for themselves. And that is very dangerous.”

This story was originally reported by Amanda Merrell on news5cleveland.com.

A Cleveland mother who told police she left her 16-month-old daughter home alone for a week while she vacationed in Puerto Rico and Michigan has been indicted for the child's death.

The mother, 31-year-old Kristel Candelario, is charged with one count of aggravated murder, two counts of murder, one count of felonious assault and one count of endangering children, according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office.

“It is unfathomable that a mother would leave her 16-month-old child alone without any supervision for 10 days to go on a vacation,” said Prosecutor Michael O’Malley. “As parents, we are supposed to protect and care for our children. Imagining this child’s suffering during her last days of life alone is truly horrifying, and we will do everything in our power to seek justice on her behalf.”

Authorities responded to the 3100 block of West 97th Street on June 16 after Candelario found her child unresponsive. She told police that she had left the 16-month-old at home alone while she went on vacation for a week, court records state.

Police said the child's Pack N Play "consisted of soiled blankets and a bottom liner saturated with urine and feces," according to court records.

The mother is currently being held in the Cuyahoga County Jail in lieu of a $1 million bond. She will be arraigned in county court on a later date.

RELATED:

Neighbors of woman accused of leaving toddler home alone heartbroken

Toddler dies after being left home alone while mother goes on weeklong vacation, court docs state

You can watch more about the case in the player below:

Neighbors say woman accused of leaving toddler home alone has done it before

Download the News 5 Cleveland app now for more stories from us, plus alerts on major news, the latest weather forecast, traffic information and much more. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.

You can also catch News 5 Cleveland on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV NOW, Hulu Live and more. We're also on Amazon Alexa devices. Learn more about our streaming options here.

CLEVELAND — After monitoring Buffalo’s forecast for days, the NFL has decided to move the Cleveland Browns game against the Bills to Detroit because Buffalo expects to be hit with a massive snowstorm.

"Due to public safety concerns and out of an abundance of caution in light of the ongoing weather emergency in western New York, Sunday's game against the Browns will be moved to Ford Field in Detroit," the Buffalo Bills tweeted.

The Bills added that the kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m., WKBW reported.

The team said details regarding tickets and other game day information will be "announced shortly."

Snow showers and squalls were expected for the tailgate and the game, with heavy snowfall forecast this weekend into the tailgate.

Temperatures are forecasted to be in the 20s in Buffalo, with wind chills in the teens. Snow totals are expected to reach several feet this weekend.

The last time the Bills had a game moved due to snow was in 2014. The team was scheduled to face the New York Jets at home, but the game was moved to Detroit.

With Sunday's game being moved to Detroit, WKBW reported that the Bills would be playing in Detroit twice in the same week as the team is scheduled to play the Lions on Thanksgiving.

This story was first reported by web staff at WEWS.

AKRON, Ohio — As far back as he can recall, Akron Police Officer Aaron Williams has felt a calling to help people.

In fact, Williams expressed that sentiment in March while at the Akron Police academy. During that time, he also shared his inspirational journey of losing about 100 pounds to pursue a dream career in law enforcement.

"Even from a young age, my mom always told me I had a protective nature about me," Williams said.

That protective nature was on full display on November 25 — with just three months on the job — when Williams found himself as the first responder on the scene while smoke poured from a home in Akron, Ohio, around 3:15 a.m.

The emergency was ramped up when neighbors reported that residents were inside the burning home: 91-year-old Lorene Sampson, who is bedridden, and her 70-year-old son, Willie O'Neal.

"I'm running up full sprint and I'm hearing all this, and at the same time, I'm like there's somebody in there. The least I can do is try to kick this door in," Williams said.

After kicking in the front door, Williams realized the senior citizen, who was unable able to walk, was on a bed, but he couldn't see her through the thick smoke.

However, the sound of her voice provided all the motivation he needed to not give up on the rescue.

"I kicked in the door an I'm yelling, 'Is anybody in the house?' And I hear, "I'm right her, babe,'" Williams recalled. "At that time, I didn't know she couldn't walk."

Without any protective gear that firefighters wear, the officer said he went in and out of the house two or three times. He remembers coughing and crawling until he made his way toward Sampson.

A short time later, two paramedics, also not wearing gear, appeared in the smoke-filled house and the trio worked together to carry the senior citizen to safety.

"They ended up grabbing her and we all like kind of pulled each other like, 'Go, go, go, go, go' to run out of the house," Williams said.

After the first rescue, firefighters raced upstairs and saved O'Neal from a bedroom.

Sampson was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General. O'Neal was transported to the burn unit at Akron Children's Hospital.

Both remained hospitalized as of Thursday evening, but are expected to recover, according to Stephanie Muhammad, who is Sampson's daughter and O'Neal's sister.

Muhammad said the actions of Williams and the other first responders were heroic.

"This young man, Aaron Williams, is a hero. He's a hero because he didn't have to do that. He could have waited for the fire department, but he didn't," Muhammad said.

Muhammad, who lives in Phoenix, had a brief but emotional conversation with Williams via video chat on Wednesday.

"God sent you to my family, and I take it personally. He sent you to me. You saved my mother," Muhammad said.

The rookie officer said returning to the scene and talking about what happened was nearly as emotional as the morning of the dramatic rescue. However, he doesn't consider himself a hero, rather a police officer with a protective nature doing his job.

"We're always here to help people. I don't think it's necessarily heroic," he said. "If there's somebody that can be saved, you at least gotta try."

This article was written by Bob Jones for WEWS.

A NewsNation reporter was arrested during a press conference on Wednesday held by Gov. Mike DeWine in East Palestine. He was charged with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct, according to a press release on Twitter from the media organization.

During the press conference, Evan Lambert was asked to stop because "the volume of his reporting."

"A reporter who had been giving a live report during the briefing was asked to end the broadcast because the volume of his reporting was perceived to be interfering with the event," said a press release from DeWine's office.

At the end of the presser, which announced residents of East Palestine were safe to return to their homes, DeWine acknowledged the "commotion."

"I heard some commotion back there, but obviously I couldn't see through there [the cameras]," he said. "Let me just say that a reporter should be allowed to report live or to tape, or whatever they want to do anywhere in this press conference. That happens frequently. I'm certainly very, very sorry that that happened."

Lambert was released from Columbiana County Jail around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday night, NewsNation said during a broadcast.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol, which provides security for the governor, confirmed they did not make the arrest at the press conference. Dispatchers for Columbiana County Sheriff's Office said they assisted in the arrest and all future information will come from the East Palestine Police Department. The East Palestine police was contacted for comment and we are waiting to hear back.

DeWine's office issued this statement following the incident during the press conference:

Additionally, during the press conference, DeWine said Lambert "had a right to be reporting."

"All I can say is that person had a right to be reporting. They should have been allowed to report if they were in any way hampered from reporting that, that certainly is wrong and it's not anything that I approve of. In fact, I vehemently disapprove of it," he said.

This article was written by Claire Geary for WEWS.

AVON LAKE, Ohio, (WEWS) — A few months ago, employees at the Avon Lake Public Library in Ohio found a small stuffed animal among the books in the children's section. From that moment, the toy has had quite the adventure and its story is one of fun, love and the generosity of one young boy.

When the cat was found around November, it was going to be placed in the lost and found bin. But the library's communications manager, Shea Alltmont, had a different idea.

"I said, 'Why not? I'm going to take the stuffy and do a little post and see if anybody knows whose kitty it is,'" Alltmont said.

Alltmont posted a picture of the toy on the library's Facebook page, one with text that said the cat was looking for its owners and other photos with the cat helping around the library. The posts were fun and lighthearted—and well received by friends of the library on the social media platform.

"Reaction, actually, was pretty swift on our social media Facebook page. And I saw a lot of people had already kind of liked it and 'Oh, I hope this stuffy finds its home,'" Alltmont said. "It was doing what I wanted it to do, which was to make some awareness about the little kitty."

But while the first few posts were getting traction, no one came forward to claim the stuffed kitty, which the library had named Aurora.

Alltmont and the Avon Lake Public Library staff didn't give up hope, however. Pictures of Aurora were frequently posted to the library's social media accounts, and her antics increased.

From exploring the library's science-based learning center Discovery Works, to perusing Scottish poetry, and even getting dressed up for movie premieres and fashion shows, Aurora stayed busy through the holiday season.

Still, someone had to be looking for her.

"Kitty's been part of our family for three years," said Maribeth Stahl. "Truly every car ride, every trip to the store. Our family—I feel like one of the phrases was, 'Where's kitty?' So this is not really very surprising that she ended up here at the library."

Stahl's son, 6-year-old Anderson, got the animal he calls "Kitty" at the start of the pandemic.

Since then, the two have been inseparable—until the day Anderson left her at the library.

"I was trying to find Kitty everywhere—in the basement, on the third floor and everywhere," Anderson said.

The family searched for weeks but couldn't find Kitty, but then, the Stahl family stumbled upon the library's picture.

"My mom found the pictures of Kitty on her phone at the library," Anderson said.

Stahl contacted the library and told them she thought Aurora was actually Kitty and they'd been searching for her for weeks. She sent pictures she had and the library confirmed. The goal of finding the owner had come to fruition.

"She was going to go home and the adventure would have kind of a nice little bow tied up and and, you know, be done," Alltmont said.

But after meeting at the library to pick the toy up, Anderson had a different idea.

'He said, 'No, I think she should stay and have more adventures," Stahl said.

Her son had chosen to let the library keep Kitty—now officially Aurora—so she could continue her adventures and let other kids enjoy her as well.

"Such a brave and thoughtful thing for a 6-year-old to have that kind of just big heart and know that her adventures were so much bigger and not finished yet. Sort of a gift that he really gave to all of us," Stahl said.

Aurora now lives at Avon Lake Public Library where she continues her adventures and brings joy to those of all ages.

And of course, Anderson makes sure to visit his old friend often when he takes adventures of his own to the local library.

"She's not lost anymore. She's found that she has a home and that we get to come and visit her any time that we want," Stahl said.

This story was originally reported by Camryn Justice on news5cleveland.com.

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, Ohio — We all need a little help to grow and thrive and there’s a place in Ohio dedicated to adults with developmental disabilities. The free program was started by a concerned mother who wanted more for her autistic son.

Fifteen years later, it’s helping other families be more independent.

Irene Jones doesn’t mind sharing her story with anyone.

“This is my heart, this my passion because of my own son Josiah. It took everything I had to get it going," she said.

It’s the kind of story that will make you look at Jones in admiration. In 2008, this single, working mother, felt like her back was against the wall, as her son, Josiah navigated autism.

“I put him in a group home which was a bad mistake. And when I put him in there, they started drugging him. They didn’t understand autism,” Jones said.

Jones said that when visiting her son, she noticed a change.

“He did not look like himself. When I left there, I said, 'Lord, I gotta get him out,'" she said.

Jones decided to quit her job as a bus driver and tap into her savings.

“I took every dime I had, drew it down. I had almost close to 70 grand and I started this," she said.

Jones created a place for her son, and others with developmental disabilities, to come and learn, naming it Josiah’s House.

She said she rented the space and for two years, it was just her and Josiah. As money started dwindling, she turned to social media to promote her nonprofit.

Over time, this group grew and there are now 22 “friends” attending this adult day program.

Ms. Irene, as she’s known at Josiah’s House, said, “I treat them all just like they’re mine. They all really are just like mine. That’s why we love these guys. They know it too.”

Those who participate in Josiah’s House are ages 18 all the way up to senior citizens. They’re able to socialize and dance, while learning life skills — like how to do laundry, clean a kitchen, do janitorial work, manage a register and other tasks that might someday land them a job.

It’s all free, including the rides for participants to and from the facility.

“I think it’s building endurance for him and teaching him how to stay on task as well as making friends,” says Charlotte Laird.

Last spring, she and her husband, John, enrolled their now 20-year-old son, Shemah.

The Lairds liked Josiah’s House so much, John says he decided to join the board in January.

“To have a place like this is a God send for a parent of a special needs adult. And the reason I became a part of the board is because I want to see this place grow,” John Laird said.

And they’re working toward that.

Inside Josiah’s house is the In The Valley Café, where many of the program’s adults can practice those life skills. Pre-pandemic, the public came here to pick up “grab and go” lunches like sandwiches and wraps.

These “friends” are now working toward reopening that café later this February.

“Just because they’re special needs does not mean they have nothing to give back to the society. But people have kind of pushed them out. Not Ms. Irene,” Jones said.

John Laird dreams big for the impact Josiah's House could make in the world.

“I wish that we can take Josiah’s House and make a thousand of them all over the world because it’s just it’s been that impactful. It’s a place where they love each other and care for each other. That’s the thing to me that impressed me so much,” he said.

Jones said her goal is to have her own building for Josiah’s House, and she’s currently trying to raise the money to do that.

For more information about Josiah’s House, click here.

This article was written by Courtney Gousman for WEWS.

Alan Shaw, president and CEO of Norfolk Southern, visited East Palestine, Ohio, where he met with numerous people, including local officials, according to a press release from the rail company.

“I returned to East Palestine today to meet with local leaders, first responders, and a group of Norfolk Southern employees who live in the area," he said. "I started the morning walking the derailment site to see our clean-up progress first-hand. We are working closely with Ohio environmental and health agencies on the long-term plan to protect the environment and the community. We are going to do the work thoroughly, completely, and safely."

The visit comes after the company skipped a town hall meeting held at East Palestine High School on Wednesday night, citing safety concerns after a "growing physical threat" to employees.

After not showing, Norfolk Southern wrote a letter to the city expressing its continued support throughout the situation.

“I hear you. We hear you,” Shaw wrote in reference to the community’s worries about their health. “My simple answer is that we are here and will stay here as long as it takes to ensure your safety and to help East Palestine recover and thrive."

During Saturday's visit to East Palestine, Shaw said he met with Mayor Trent Conaway, Congressman Bill Johnson, Fire Chief Keith Drabick and first responders.

“They [local leaders and officials] are frustrated by the amount of misinformation circulating about their community and are eager to show that the air and water are safe," he said. "In every conversation today, I shared how deeply sorry I am this happened to their home. We are going to do the right things to help East Palestine recover and thrive again."

Both state and federal officials said they are holding the company accountable for the derailment that forced the town to evacuate for several days after several dangerous chemicals were released into the air.

Although government air quality monitors have said the air is safe, there has been concern among the public about long-term health consequences after the derailment.

This article was written by Claire Geary for WEWS.

CLEVELAND — Across Ohio, police will no longer need another reason to pull drivers over if they are seen texting while driving.

Senate Bill 288, which was signed into law in January, makes texting and driving a primary offense in the state, which means law enforcement can stop and issue citations to drivers solely for that offense.

Before, police in jurisdictions where texting was a secondary offense needed another reason to initiate a stop, such as speeding or blowing through a red light.

"Now with this new law, all we need is the officer observing it," said Sgt. Bridget Matt with Ohio State Highway Patrol. "That’s good enough for the citation and that will stand up in court."

When does the new law go into effect?

The law, which goes into effect on April 4, prohibits drivers from holding and looking at electronic wireless communications behind the wheel — that includes cell phones, watches or any other electronic device.

For the first six months, only warnings will be issued for the primary offense. After that grace period, the following penalties go into effect:

• First Violation: Up to $150 fine and two points on your license, unless a distracted driving safety course is completed.
• Second Violation (within two years): Up to $250 fine and three points on your license
• Third Violation (within two years): up to $500 fine, four points on your license and a 90-day driver's license suspension

Sgt. Bridget Matt with Ohio State Highway Patrol told our Scripps sister station News 5 that even in her patrol car, she still sees distracted drivers every single day.

News 5

"I’ve seen people texting with the phone up at their face, below in their lap with their face completely diverted from the roadway," she said. "The majority of people passing, you see a cell phone in their hand."

The new law comes after troopers reported 10,276 distracted driver crashes in 2022, with Cuyahoga County leading the state with nearly 1,000.

OSHP

"It used to be if you saw a car swerving outside of their lane of travel, you knew it was going to be a drunk driver," Sgt. Matt said. "Now, more often than not, it's someone on their cell phone. But it looks just like someone drunk driving or driving impaired."

Going forward, she said texting while driving will be one of the higher priorities for the department with the new law.

"We want people to be safe while driving," she added.

What will enforcement look like?

In addition to Ohio State Highway Patrol's increased emphasis on texting while driving, the new law has already been on the books for years, just at the local level in some communities.

Since 2014, Shaker Heights has banned texting while driving. Last year, 313 drivers were ticketed.

Brooklyn is believed to be the first place in the United States to ban using a cell phone while driving, after making it a law in 1999.

Their officers handed out 64 citations last year.

But then there are other places with the primary offense already on the books, like Avon, which only issued 10 texting citations last year.

"It can be difficult [to enforce]" Chief Dan Fischbach said. "The way the laws are written by the legislators, there are some acceptable reasons to have a phone in your hand and it is difficult for us to know exactly, at that given time, what you’re doing on your phone."

When the law went into effect in Beachwood in 2012, the department handed out hundreds of citations and warnings each year. However, since then, officers have only handed out a total of five texting citations over the last couple of years.

As Deputy Chief John Resek points out, there are a couple of reasons for that.

Without a clear visual, he said it may be easier to cite a driver for a different ordinance, such as failing to maintain a safe distance between cars.

"It’s hard to accurately gauge it 100 percent," he said.

Are there any exceptions to the law? Yup.

Both Beachwood and Avon officers pointed out that exceptions to their laws can make it more difficult to enforce, and the same can be said about the new statewide law.

Drivers can use their handheld phone for emergency calls, while parked or stopped at a red light, swiping/pressing to accept or decline a call, or can just hold the phone to their ear.

Those at Bike Cleveland told News 5 that while the new law is a step in the right direction, the exceptions are a bit disheartening for bicyclists who have to maneuver and deal with distracted drivers.

"You’re still encouraging and allowing that distraction to happen piecemeal along the way without just straight calling it a ban," said Jason Kuhn with Bike Cleveland.

CLEVELAND — The snowy weather often means extra work for car owners, but there’s one shortcut that could cost you in the long run.

You may notice in the winter, many drivers put their windshield wipers straight up into the air to keep them from freezing to the windshield, but it also means you’re putting stress on the spring that holds the wiper arms against the windshield.

“I guess that would definitely assist you in scraping your windshield off if the wiper blades were frozen to the windshield, but it can be a very costly mistake in high winds,” said William Robinson, general manager of Terry’s North Coast Auto.

Robinson said leaving the wipers up exposes the plastic gears and other mechanical components that could be weakened or damaged by forceful wind gusts.

The exposure to the elements could also cause the rubber blade to be blown off.

“If the winds catch that or somebody bumps your car, and that wiper blade will slam against that cold windshield and crack your glass,” Robinson said.

An alternative way to save time is to cover the entire windshield with a blanket, tarp, or even a piece of cardboard to prevent show and ice buildup: another essential winter addition—winter wiper blades.

“The winter blades are referred to now as profile blades, and they don't have the little plastic junctions and pieces that can move,” Robinson said. “It's all one-piece wiper blade, and it doesn't have any pieces on it that can freeze and stop it from working properly.”

Another big mistake Robinson’s shop sees the most in the winter is driving with old or worn-down tires. You can use the coin trick to inspect your tires.

If you insert a penny or quarter into the tread and see either George Washington or Abraham Lincoln’s head, it’s time to replace your tires.

“Having good traction in the front and the rear is very important regardless of the drive type of your vehicle, front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive,” Robinson said. “It’s important to have good tires, not the rear of your vehicle, so your vehicle doesn’t lose control while at higher speeds and taking corners.”

Jon Rudder at WEWS first reported this story.

AKRON, Ohio — Investigators in Ohio have found 89 sets of cremated remains in an abandoned church in Akron.

Court documents obtained by News 5 show an urban explorer, or urbexer, who commonly travels around to photograph older buildings, found the cremated remains of multiple people inside an abandoned Akron church on Sunday.

They then notified the Ohio Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, who passed on the information to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

The remains were found in a building operated by an Akron man currently facing charges for providing funeral services without a license. His attorney said the remains were the property of a now-deceased Toledo funeral director.

According to the search warrant, the urbexer and another party spotted several people entering and exiting Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church, 825 East Buchtel Ave., and went inside to tell them to leave.

Once inside, the urbexer came across suspected cremated remains. The remains were in white cardboard boxes labeled "Tri-County Cremation Service" and plastic bags dated back to 2010.

"There are significant health issues, significant dignity issues," Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. "This is not just a regulatory issue. And some of the things we're seeing, they're just not right."

The warrant states that an Akron resident named Shawnte Hardin operated Hussain Funeral Home and Celebration of Life out of the building as recently as Jan. 14, 2019. The sign out front refers to the building as the Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church. Hardin's name is on the church's sign.

News 5 has previously reported on Hardin, who is currently charged with more than three dozen counts for allegedly providing funeral services without a license.

Hardin was indicted in October 2021, according to the Ohio Attorney General's Office. He is not a licensed funeral director or embalmer in Ohio, court documents state. Last year, Ohio BCI "removed two bodies from a building he was using for makeshift funeral services at 1615 E. Livingston Ave. in Columbus."

In June 2020, a Lucas County grand jury indicted Hardin on a charge of abuse of a corpse. A separate search warrant previously executed at Islamic Cemetery in Columbus recovered the remains of individuals cremated in Akron and had been in Hardin's possession. Court documents noted that the Islamic faith does not "conduct or condone cremations."

News 5 spoke with Hardin's attorney, who said the cremated remains belonged to former Toledo funeral director Robert Tate, who had his license pulled in 2016.

The lawyer explained that Hardin agreed to store the remains in 2017 while Tate tried to reach the families. According to his online obituary, Tate died in 2021.

Yost told News 5 the investigation is ongoing. However, from what people have seen so far, he hopes that there’s a lesson to be taken away.

"Make sure that you are dealing with a licensed professional who is going to abide by the laws and the appropriate health regulations, and secondly, reach out to somebody who's been through it and get the advice of somebody you trust," he added.

It’s not clear at this time what will happen to the remains of those loved ones found and when they could finally be returned to their families.

Drew Scofield and Clay LePard at WEWS in Cleveland, Ohio, first reported this story.

CLEVELAND — Many Ohioans are getting new license plates and some of them are including creative names and catchphrases. However, not all the ideas for personal plates get accepted.

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles sorts through hundreds of applications for vanity plates every year. The agency just released its list of the requests that didn’t make the cut.

“We have over a half million vanity plates in the state of Ohio. So, we're really talking about, you know, a fraction of a percent that get rejected,” said Charlie Norman, deputy registrar for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. “The criteria for approval or denial are, really, they're set forth in a consent decree.

In 2021, the BMV rejected more than 800 submissions for vanity plates. That number is up 79% compared to 2020, which had roughly 400 rejections.

“We're generally looking for things that are profane, sexually explicit or advocate lawlessness,” Norman said.

Drivers can get a vanity plate by applying online or in person. The cost is $50.

RELATED | Not quite Wright: Plane faces wrong direction on new Ohio license plate

The BMV has four employees who are dedicated to sorting through all of the applications looking for certain violations. Last year, nearly 50 denied requests included swear words involving President Joe Biden.

“I often look at this report that I get, and I wonder, ‘would I want my grandma to see me driving with that on my license plate?’ But that's not my role, you know, and that's not one of the criteria we use,” Norman said.

The BMV also started keeping an eye out for the phrase “Let’s Go Brandon,” which is another insult phrase that has become popular in recent months.

Biden isn’t the only target. Other denied plate submissions have taken aim at Vice President Kamala Harris, Dr. Anthony Fauci and even Carole Baskin from the Netflix series “Tiger King.”

“I’m just I'm continually impressed with how clever people are levels when using, you know, fours, fives, and spelling things backwards. And it's a lot of a lot of thought goes into some of these requests,” Norman said.

Most of the requests that get denied fall into the vulgar or poor taste category. If you feel you’ve been unfairly denied you can fight it.

Warning: Some of the rejected license plates contain vulgar language. Click here to see the full list.

RELATED | Ohio BMV announces self-service kiosks for vehicle registration renewals

CLEVELAND — Cleveland Police Union President Jeff Follmer confirmed to News 5 that an off-duty Cleveland police officer was killed during a carjacking Friday evening.

The incident happened near the intersection of Fairway and Rocky River drives in the city's Kamms Corner neighborhood.

According to authorities, the officer, identified as 25-year-old Shane Bartek, was shot twice during the carjacking, and the shooter fled in his vehicle. Bartek was then transported to Fairview Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police said the preliminary investigation indicates an individual approached Bartek in the parking lot of an apartment building with a gun and Bartek was shot after a struggle ensued.

Bartek was assigned to the 5th District and worked patrol, sources tell News 5. He was hired with the Cleveland Division of Police in August of 2019.

File Image

Following the shooting, the U.S. Marshals Service joined in the search for the shooter and Bartek's vehicle. Around 10:25 p.m., Richmond Heights police joined the pursuit of the stolen vehicle, continuing the pursuit to the Riviera Apartments on Lakeshore Boulevard in Euclid.

The individual driving Bartek's vehicle crashed into a fence and wedged the vehicle between the fence post and a tree behind the apartment buildings. Richmond Heights police took the driver into custody without incident and charged him with fleeing, receiving stolen property and numerous other traffic-related charges.

Police did not say the driver was charged with any crimes directly related to Bartek's death at this time, but his bond was set at $5 million at 10%.

On Saturday morning, authorities confirmed a female was taken into custody in connection with the incident, marking at least two people police have taken into custody.

Video below shows Bartek's vehicle being towed from the scene where the suspect was arrested.

Cleveland officer's car towed after suspect's arrest

City in mourning
Bartek was relatively new on the police force but a Northeast Ohio native, graduating from Berea-Midpark High School in 2015.

"The Titans community is deeply saddened by this senseless tragedy and our hearts go out to Shane Bartek's family, friends and fellow officers," Berea City School District said.

City leaders also addressed Bartek's death, sending condolences to his family and friends.

"This is a very sad day. My heart is aching for the family, for our officers," said incoming Interim Cleveland Police Chief Dornat "Wayne" A. Drummond during a news conference outside of the hospital. "It just doesn't make any sense."

Mayor-Elect Justin Bibb also spoke, asking for the public's support during a difficult time.

"I just ask the residents of Cleveland to keep the family in your prayers," Bibb said.

Meanwhile, current Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson issued his condolences to Bartek's family and fellow officers.

Cleveland Ward 17 Councilman Charles J. Slife issued a statement with his condolences:

"On behalf of the Ward 17 community, I extend our deepest condolences and sorrow to the victim's family and to the men and women of the division of police. Please keep the victim and them in your prayers," Slife said.

Cleveland City Council issued the following statement regarding Bartek's death:

Richmond Heights Mayor and Safety Director Kim Thomas issued a statement regarding the incident:

Police have executed search warrants in connection with the incident.

The Cleveland Police Department is accepting donations to its Heroes Fund, which supports families of officers killed or seriously injured while in the line of duty. The funds previously helped the families of Detective James Skernivitz and Patrolman Nicholas Sabo. To learn more or donate, click here.

A screen-printing shop in Berea is also selling t-shirts in honor of Bartek with all proceeds going directly to the fallen officer's family to help cover funeral costs.

CrimeStoppers has offered a $10,000 reward for information involving the successful prosecution of the case. Anyone with a tip is urged to call 216-252-7463. You can also CLICK HERE to submit a tip.

Download the News 5 Cleveland app now for more stories from us, plus alerts on major news, the latest weather forecast, traffic information and much more. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.

You can also catch News 5 Cleveland on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV NOW, Hulu Live and more. We're also on Amazon Alexa devices. Learn more about our streaming options here.

CLEVELAND — Earlier this year, doctors at the Cleveland Clinic successfully performed a rare surgery to save an unborn baby's life.

"I have people tell me he's definitely a miracle, that he's a gift from God, and he's meant to do something crazy in this world," Samantha Drinnon said.

Drinnon's son Ryland is now 5 months old and healthy. But when Drinnon was six months pregnant with Ryland, the odds were not in his favor.

"In April, we found out that Ryland had a cardiac teratoma, which is a tumor growing on his heart," Drinnon said.

Ryland's condition was one that doctors don't see often.

"(Cardiac teratomas are) incredibly rare," said Dr. Darrell Cass, the director of fetal surgery and the Fetal Care Center at the Cleveland Clinic. "Overall, they're only like one in 40,000 births, and then to have it in this heart location is way less common."

What's even rarer is a successful removal of that tumor — the procedure has only been done a few times worldwide and had succeeded just once before Ryland's surgery.

"The odds were absolutely against us and we were confident that we assembled the right team," Cass said.

After discussing and weighing options, doctors and Drinnon agreed that surgery was the way to go. On May 7, the four-hour fetal surgery was performed.

"The doctor did what he might do on a baby after birth. He did a cut toward the middle of the chest to open up the rib cage to expose this little baby's heart to help peel the tumor off of the heart," Cass said.

The surgery was a success for the second time in history.

"Some of the nurses that were in my room, they told me that they cried and they are still crying tears over it, just because it was the craziest thing they've ever experienced too," Drinnon said.

After the removal, Ryland was put back in his mother's womb. He grew there for another 10 weeks before an early arrival.

"At 36 weeks and three days he made his entrance into the world," Drinnon said.

Drinnon says she can't wait to tell her son about the impact he's made on the world.

"One day he's going to ask, 'What is this crazy spot on my chest?' And I'm going to tell him that, 'You went through something crazy that no baby can really say they went through,'" Drinnon said.

Ryland is healthy, but Drinnon said he'll still have regular checkups for blood work and ensure his heart is working correctly.

This story was originally published by Nadeen Abusada on Scripps station WEWS in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND — The NFL has postponed three games scheduled for this weekend due to COVID-19 outbreaks.

The Browns and Raiders, originally scheduled to play in a nationally televised game on Saturday, will now play Monday evening at 5 p.m. ET in Cleveland. Two other games originally scheduled for Sunday — Seahawks-Rams and Washington-Eagles — will now be played Tuesday evening at 7 p.m.

The Browns, Rams and Washington Football Team are all experiencing major outbreaks of COVID-19. All three clubs have at least 20 players on their COVID-19 reserve lists.

The NFL made it clear that postponing games would not be something they'd like to do. The 2021 season marks the league's first with a 17 game regular season, so the league said it did not anticipate adding another week to the schedule to play postponed games.

But postponements, while not a "right" for clubs, can happen this season, and the league made the call to do so Friday.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said this summer that while unlikely, postponements can occur if "required by government authorities, medical experts, or at the Commissioner's discretion."

This story is breaking and will be updated.

This story was originally published by Camryn Justice on Scripps station WEWS in Cleveland.

BALTIMORE — A Baltimore Ravens player is returning after being sidelined with a bullet wound after being shot in Cleveland.

Malik Harrison was struck in the calf by a bullet on Oct. 31.

According to a police report, a fight had broken out at an area establishment, and security kicked all patrons out.

While the crowd was outside, witnesses saw someone with a gun and started running when several shots were heard. That's when a stray bullet struck Harrison.

After the incident, Harrison was treated and discharged from MetroHealth Medical Center. His injuries were non-life-threatening.

Harrison, a Columbus native, was back in Ohio as the Ravens were on a bye.

The Ravens had placed Harrison on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list shortly after the shooting, and after missing three games, he is eligible to return.

On Monday, the team designated Harrison for return to practice.

This season, Harrison has started in five of the seven games he's played, recording 22 total tackles, two for loss.

Camryn Justice first reported this story for WEWS.

SHEFFIELD LAKE, Ohio — A local police officer who says he was the butt of a racist joke made by a former chief of police has filed a discrimination charge against the city. The officer, Kieth Pool, is also seeking the release of public documents regarding other racist incidents allegedly involving Sheffield Lake's former top cop.

The catalyst was an incident involving Pool that was captured on camera inside the station on June 25.

Footage of the incident shows Sheffield Lake chief of police Anthony Campo placing a folded piece of paper over the world "police" on a yellow raincoat lying on a desk.

While it's not clear what was written on the piece of paper, in a June interview, the Sheffield Lake law director said that "from my understanding, (the writing) was related to the KKK."

Later, Pool, who is Black, entered the room, and Campo pointed out the piece of paper to him. After Campo left the room, Pool had a discussion with several other officers in the room.

Sheffield Lake

"Even when I watch it now, I am in disbelief that this happened to me," Pool said in a Zoom interview with his legal representation present.

Pool said that after showing him the raincoat, Campo called over other officers to see what he had done.

"My my exact words were, are you serious? And I just looked at him and left it," Pool said. "What else can you say to the chief of police who's done something so heinous? It's so awful."

Sheffield Lake PD chief retires following incident at station

Department records show that the chief was placed on administrative leave on June 29 pending an investigation into the matter. Campo submitted his retirement notice the same day he was placed on leave.

Records show Campo was with the department for 33 years.

Campo later said that the incident was a "joke that got out of hand."

According to the law firm Peiffer Wolf Carr Kane & Conway, which represents Pool, Campo's conduct goes beyond a single joke.

"Our investigation has revealed that Chief Campo referred to Officer Pool as the 'n-word' and said he did not want an 'n-word' working in his department," said Ashlie Case Sletvold, a partner with Peiffer Wolf Carr Kane & Conway.

The law firm also claims the city has kept public records under wraps that allegedly detail additional incidents of harassment by Campo toward other officers of color.

"This was not the first time doing something racist and offensive to me or other employees," Pool said. "It was just the first time they got caught on video."

The charge seeks the release of other documents showing "racist images Campo generated and posted while on duty."

"The city provided the surveillance video and other records but failed to provide the racist images Campo created to mock and humiliate employees of color or various official memoranda he issued during his tenure," the law firm said.

According to the law firm, Campo used police department equipment to create and print out offensive images, which were left on the desks of other officers.

"The images included one of Officer Pool as the grim reaper (describing him as 'The Raccoon Reaper')," the firm wrote.

Another image that was printed out allegedly portrayed another officer of color, the law firm stated.

"Because the City of Sheffield Lake has not fully complied with its obligations under the Ohio Public Records Act, Officer Pool's attorneys have asked the state's highest court to mandate the release of these public records," the law firm wrote.

So far, the city has only provided the surveillance video relating to the incident involving Pool, the law firm said.

"The city's failure to turn over the public records documenting his misconduct makes me feel like they want to protect the ex-chief," Pool said.

"If it wasn't bad enough that the former police chief was engaged in rampant racist workplace harassment, now the city that hired him appears to be helping to cover it up," said Joseph C. Peiffer, the managing partner of Peiffer Wolf Carr Kane & Conway. "Racial harassment has no place in law enforcement, and we will ensure that the City of Sheffield Lake will face a reckoning for all of the despicable behavior conducted by its former Police Chief."

Pool, who still works for the department under the new chief, Andrew Kory, calls it a healthier environment than under Campo.

"Working there since the incident and the removal of Chief Campo has been more upbeat," he said.

The law firm has filed a discrimination charge with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) and a mandamus petition with the Ohio Supreme Court regarding the matter.

According to documents provided by the law firm, Ohio law prohibits individuals from bringing a lawsuit in state court until they have first filed a charge with the OCRC and received a Notice of Right to Sue.

It will be up to the Ohio Supreme Court to decide how to handle the case and the OCRC to investigate the charge.

This story was originally published by Drew Scofield and Nadeen Abusada on Scripps station WEWS in Cleveland.

LORAIN, Ohio — Country legend John Rich held a concert in Lorain, Ohio, on Wednesday to benefit the Travis Mills Foundation, a nonprofit that supports post-9/11 veterans at a retreat in Maine.

The organization helps veterans overcome physical and emotional scars — veterans like U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills who completed three tours of duty in Afghanistan and was critically injured by a roadside bomb.

“Fast forward, ya know, I’m so grateful to be alive that I don’t dwell on what happened," Mills said.

Mills lost both of his legs and parts of his arms that day. He is one of five quadruple-amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive his injuries.

“I don’t consider myself a ‘hero’ by any means, but I do know that I’ve been fortunate enough to make it through my injuries and leave behind some really good guys that didn’t make it home," he said.

With that in mind, Mills and his wife Kelsey started the Travis Mills Foundation about eight years ago. The foundation provides a retreat for veterans and their families just to be together, with each other, with other veterans. Through various programs, it helps these men and women overcome physical and emotional obstacles, strengthen their families, and provide well-deserved rest and relaxation in an all-inclusive, all-expenses-paid, barrier-free experience.

Chris Miller, a Marine Corps veteran from Northeast Ohio, has been shot twice, stabbed once, and sustained a 50-foot cliff fall with two other Marines that broke his back.

“They know what happened to me. They know the challenges I’ve faced ever since that day,” he said.

Travis Mills Foundation.

He and his family have first-hand knowledge of both that pain of injury and the retreat that stepped up and helped.

“It’s very emotional, and every day’s a challenge for so many veterans like myself that just making it through a day is hard, but you know what? So many friends from the foundation now have become family,” said Miller.

The veterans and their families who attend programs at the Travis Mills Foundation come from throughout the country.

“I’m grateful that a country star like John Rich will be helping spread the news about the foundation and what we do for our nation’s heroes,” Mills said. “It was them, my fellow veterans, who inspired me to create the foundation after my injury."

Click here to learn more about the foundation.

This story was originally published by Rob Powers at WEWS.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Wednesday, the Ohio House passed House Bill 3, known as Aisha’s Law, named after the Shaker Heights teacher who was murdered by her ex-husband.

"This is a victory for survivors of domestic violence across the state,” said the bill co-sponsor State Rep. Janine Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights) on Wednesday.

Fraser was a Shaker Heights teacher killed in November 2018 by her ex-husband and the father of her children Lance Mason, a former northeast Ohio judge and state legislator. Mason was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 years.

Aisha’s Law would also expand the definition of aggravated murder to include previous domestic violence convictions. Police would be required to conduct lethality assessments to determine how much danger victims are in and connect them to services providing safety planning.

Before Fraser's death, Mason was suspended from practicing law after he attacked Fraser in front of their children as they were driving back from a family member’s funeral on Aug. 2, 2014, according to court documents. Mason was sentenced to two years in prison for that attack, but a judge released him after serving just nine months.

According to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, 131 people in Ohio were killed in violence cases in the last year. Of those, at least 20 perpetrators had already been charged with or convicted of domestic violence prior to the deadly incident.

“I’m proud to sponsor such a comprehensive legislation to lift the voices of those too long undervalued or ignored. Nothing prepared me for the way Aisha’s story and the stories of other survivors have changed me. I am extraordinarily grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for overwhelmingly supporting this bill, bringing us closer to no longer being the only state without a strangulation law. Aisha’s Law will strengthen protections for survivors and provide a way out for those who are in the most deadly situations. We are one step closer to honoring Aisha’s life and light, and so many others with today’s House passage,” Boyd said in a news release.

The bill now heads to the Senate.

RESOURCES FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR PEOPLE AT RISK:

• NATIONAL HOTLINE
• HAMILTON COUNTY 24 Hour YWCA Hamilton County Domestic Violence Hotline
  • Crisis counseling, risk assessment, information, referrals, safety planning, and support for survivors in Hamilton County 24 hours a day. LOCAL: 513-872-9259
TOLL FREE: 888-872-9259
TEXT: 513-436-3606
CHAT: rc.chat/ywca
• CLERMONT, BROWN, ADAMS COUNTIES 24 Hour House of Peace Hotline
  • Crisis counseling, risk assessment, information, referrals, safety planning, and support for survivors in Clermont, Brown and Adams counties 24 hours a day.
    • LOCAL: 513-753-7281

    • TOLL FREE: 800-540-4764

    • TEXT: 513-436-3606

    • CHAT: rc.chat/ywca
• BUTLER COUNTY YWCA Hamilton
  • https://www.ywcahamilton.com/domestic-violence
  • Domestic Violence - Dove House Shelter 24 HOUR CRISIS LINE: 1-800-618-6523
  • Dove House is Butler County’s protective shelter for victims of domestic violence. Services include: -24-hour staffed shelter -Child Advocacy -Complete confidentiality -Support and educational groups
• WARREN COUNTY
  • Abuse and Rape Crisis Shelter https://arcshelter.com/
  • If you are in an emergency situation, call 9-1-1. If you need immediate assistance, call our 24/7 Crisis Hotline 1-888-860-4084
• CLINTON AND HIGHLAND COUNTIES
  • Alternatives to Violence Center Hillsboro 888-816-1146
• KENTUCKY PROGRAMS AFFILIATED WITH KENTUCKY COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
• INDIANA PROGRAMS AFFILIATED WITH INDIANA COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

RELATED:
Petito case sparks resurgence in Ohio lawmakers' push for vote on Aisha's Law
‘Aisha’s Law’ on domestic violence passed out of committee

SANDUSKY, Ohio — A woman was transported to a local hospital Sunday afternoon after a metal object fell from a roller coaster and hit her while she waited in a line at Cedar Point, the amusement park said.

The woman was waiting in line for the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster at around 4:30 p.m. local time when a small metal object was dislodged from a train at the top of the 420-foot-tall ride.

The park said the falling object struck the guest as she stood in line.

Sandusky Fire and Cedar Point EMS responded to the scene and transported her to a nearby hospital for care.

The condition of the guest is unknown.

Cedar Point said it is focusing on the victim and her family.

This story was originally published by Camryn Justice on Scripps station WEWS in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND — More than 70,000 tubes of lipstick have been shipped to 200 domestic violence shelters across all 50 states.

The lipstick comes from Find Your Fabulosity, a nonprofit organization.

Sheyrl Kurland started the organization five years ago while she was volunteering at a domestic violence shelter.

“I just kept looking at these women, and I kept thinking, how can I make these women feel like women again?” said Kurland.

That’s when she remembered something her mother said.

“Sheryl, if you want to feel better, put on a little lipstick,” Kurland said.

She decided to buy 25 tubes of lipstick and gave them away.

“It’s like I took a magic wand to the room and all the pain lifted,” said Kurland.

That was the catalyst for the nonprofit, Kurland said.

This story was first reported by Tracy Carloss on news5cleveland.com.

BRUNSWICK, Ohio — Dayle Keefer, a Medina County man who calls himself "the Picasso of fire hydrants," is giving back to the community, one brushstroke at a time.

Keefer moved to Brunswick not too long ago from Jamestown, New York, to be closer to family. The 72-year-old retired from his job as a church pastor after more than 50 years.

“We were walking the dog, and we saw these grungy fire hydrants all around,” Keefer said. That was the catalyst for Keefer to become involved in the city’s Adopt-A-Hydrant Program. Instead of praying and preaching from the pulpit, Keefer is painting and praying.

“While I'm doing this, I started praying, and God started to do work in my heart. This community needs you, and this has helped me connect,” explained Keefer.

Last year, Keefer painted a dozen faded fire hydrants. In a little more than a month this year, he is up to about a hundred. But, Keefer explained, it is not about how many of the 3,000 hydrants get a new coat of paint; instead, for him, it's about making each one beautiful.

As part of the Adopt-A-Hydrant Program, the city supplies the safety red paint, and volunteers supply the labor. Usually, volunteers paint one or two hydrants.

“He’s painted more hydrants than everyone combined,” said Brunswick Fire Chief Greg Glauner. But, Glauner explained, Keefer’s labor of love is more than about beautifying the community.

“It’s not just a hydrant that is unsightly. It is absolutely the most important tool when we arrive that we are going to utilize,” added Glauner.

“Dayle is an inspiration to everyone. He has a good heart and genuinely cares,” Glauner said.

“My heart’s goal is that every one of these is red and shiny throughout Brunswick,” said Keefer.

Tracy Carloss at WEWS first reported this story.

CLEVELAND — If you don't know what you're looking at as you drive around Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport in Springfield, Ohio, it's easy to miss the fact that you're looking at what could be the future of transportation.

Some of that future is already operating in a converted bus. Other parts are still being built just a few hundred feet away from the airport's runways. When entrepreneurs and researchers come to fly their crafts, they sometimes work off folding tables in the middle of a massive grass field.

In the last few weeks, the United States has seen two private companies fly their billionaire owners to the edge of space, inspiring some Americans about the next generation of space travel. Others are frustrated about the resources those trips take.

But space travel is still years away, especially for anyone who can't shell out millions to pay for it.

The work being done in Ohio is well within the earth's atmosphere but beyond what most people might realize is already possible.

Patrick Semansky/AP and Mark J. Terrill/AP

Our Future Vehicles

You'd be forgiven for thinking some of the experimental aircraft looks like person-sized toys in the pictures and video that have been circulating so far.

"We make a personal aerial vehicle," said LIFT Aircraft's Director of Business Development, Kevin Rustagi. "This is a very small aircraft. People say it's like you're sitting in a flying drone."

Eventually, Americans might use vehicles like LIFTs to make short trips through the air to the store or to run other errands. For now, the company is focusing on making them for first responders to use to save lives. Rustagi says most people can train pretty quickly to fly it well.

LIFT

"So you could see any paramedic or EMT, he or she would be able to become a pilot and be able to respond immediately to an accident site if it's up to 15 miles away," Rustagi said.

Testing for the Future

Figuring out how aircraft, uncrewed vehicles or something like a flying car can navigate the skies is a long process with an intimidating obstacle course of safety rules and regulations.

The key to making crewless flights profitable is to fly long distances safely without someone watching from the ground or a chase plane in the air.

Springfield Assistant City Manager and Director of Economic Development Tom Franzen says developers are close to figuring out how to make that happen safely.

Kevin Barry

“The technology’s here,” Franzen said. "I think it's really more of the legal framework, the airspace approvals, the FAA guidance that will have to catch up that makes it something we see every day."

Navigating the obstacle course of rules and regulations is the hard part, especially for companies like LIFT that are trying to break into the personal and unmanned flight spaces.

That's why the Ohio Department of Transportation's initiatives FlyOhio and DriveOhio are trying to lay some of the groundwork for those companies.

"The key to that is making sure that ground and air are working together," said DriveOhio Communications and Policy Managing Director Luke Stedke. "At DriveOhio/FlyOhio we're talking about cutting red tape, so the more that we can do to clear the table for these companies to come here and develop, the better it's going to be for all of us."

Kevin Barry

The key is that Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport. The state already has special permission from the FAA to fly unmanned and experimental aircraft up to 10,000 feet in the air and 225 square miles, giving companies like LIFT a large playground to refine their technology and vehicles.

"I think it's important for the companies that are trying to prove out their product," Franzen said.

One of the most important pieces of proving the product is a converted bus that sits in the middle of the airfield. "SkyVision" is the connection between drone operators and more traditional aircraft while the drones figure out how to fly safely around more conventional air traffic.

Kevin Barry

SkyVision is similar to Air Traffic Control for airplanes in the sense that it tracks uncrewed vehicles and communicates with the operators. It's staffed by former Air Traffic Controllers like Rich Fox, who is quick to point out that he cannot order drones to move in the same way he could tell pilots to change their path in the past. Instead, he helps drone operators have situational awareness for what their craft is near and how they might move away from it.

That work keeps everyone safe but also offers a glimpse into the future to see how drones and traditional aircraft can co-exist.

"By using the same equipment, the same radar feeds the Air Traffic Controllers use, enabled us to get approval by the FAA because they were comfortable with seeing their own equipment," Fox said.

The Payoff

Everyone agrees the key to making the research and development possible in Springfield is the long list of local, state, and federal agencies that have partnered up over the last decade to help cut through red tape. "The feedback we've gotten is: no other state has got it together in terms of that collaborative environment like Ohio does," said Dayton Development Coalition Executive Vice President for Aerospace and Defense Elaine Bryant.

In the same way, the work is being funded through private and public investment because much of the work originated through the Department of Defense and the nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Kevin Barry

Air Force Lieutenant Colonial Dan Kimball says the technology will eventually touch all of our lives, whether military or civilian.

"The commercial side is driving this just as much as the military," Kimball said. "Think about all these unmanned drone delivery systems. Amazon, Kroger, anything where you can unmanned deliver something is going to be a huge asset for the commercial industry."

This spring, Ohio joined NASA's campaign to spark innovative ways to move things and people through the air. Long before NASA formally recognized it, though, Ohio was making serious progress not only with experimentation but by building the infrastructure to support future projects.

Kevin Barry

BETA Technologies is already building a rapid charge station/vertiport structure for aerial vehicles with training and office families feet away.

But the next race worth winning is to be the place where companies like LIFT and BETA come to mass-produce their vehicles once the demand for them justifies large investment in manufacturing facilities. The hope is that the relationships built now during the research and development phase will eventually lead to large investments later.

"After the research, development, and testing, you can go to prototyping and then to manufacturing, and I think Ohio really provides that complete solution," Franzen said.

BETA Technologies

That would be a huge economic boom for the region and the entire state of Ohio, but Bryant also points out this is about national security too. Car manufacturers across the Midwest shut down for weeks because of a global semiconductor shortage.

"We want to make sure that manufacturing is done with U.S. sources, U.S. products, U.S. chips, U.S. security because that's how we're going to secure that long-term security against our adversaries," Bryant said.

At the turn of the 20th Century, the Wright Brothers tinkered with early airplane prototypes just down the road at their bike shop in Dayton. More than a century later, the tinkering looks a lot different, but the underlying purpose of the work is the same: The skies aren't the limit; they're just what's next.

"You look at the traffic, and everybody is stuck on the very, very expensive road which cost billions of dollars to make and all sorts of greenhouse emissions to build, and then you look up at the sky, and you see nothing," Rustagi said. "Totally open skies."

This story was originally published by Kevin Barry on Scripps station WEWS in Cleveland.

AKRON, Ohio — Last week, 14-year-old Zaila Avant-garde became the first African-American winner of the National Spelling Bee, taking home the trophy after correctly spelling the word "murraya." The moment was exciting and groundbreaking, but also stirred up the history behind the journey leading up to the moment that should always be remembered.

Back in 1936, just 11 years after the National Spelling Bee was inaugurated, 13-year-old MacNolia Cox from Akron was a spelling prodigy with an IQ through the roof.

Cox had qualified for the National Spelling Bee held in Washington, D.C., but her journey to get there wasn't easy, nor was her time competing in the bee.

With segregation and Jim Crow laws still very much in full swing, Cox and another Black child, 15-year-old Elizabeth Kenny from New Jersey, were forced to travel to the National Spelling Bee in the "colored" car of the train, were unable to stay at the hotel with the other contestants, had to use the back door of the arena to get into the bee and were forced to sit at a card table once inside.

Still, despite the hardships she faced, Cox went on to become the first African-American finalist in the Top Five and was on her way to victory, having extensively studied the 100,000-word list given to every speller in the bee.

Cox overcame the obstacles in her way but could not get past the hatred in the hearts of the judges, who were all white southerners and had seen enough from the young Black girl from Akron.

A. Van Jordan, author of "M-A-C-N-O-L-I-A," said that what happened next was a despicable move from the bee's judges.

"They pulled a word that was not on that list, and you can't make this up: the word was nemesis," Van Jordan said.

The word had just moved into popular vernacular and was at the time most defined as the Greek goddess of retribution—a proper noun that should have been an ineligible word—but the judges argued that the word could be used as a common noun.

Cox misspelled the unapproved word and was eliminated from the bee.

The young girl, with dreams of becoming a doctor, was limited by the era she lived in. She became a domestic for a doctor and at the age of 53 died from cancer.

Cox faced numerous hardships in her life, one which took place on the grand stage of the 1936 National Spelling Bee. But her hardships now serve as a reminder of where we once where and where we've come to be—with Zaila being crowned the Spelling Bee champion, bringing Cox's trailblazing full-circle all these years later.

"When you see young people, you really have to encourage them. Something that may happen at that stage of their life can be indelible and can change the course of their life," Van Jordan said.

Now indelible is the moment Zaila provided with her win and how it prompts us all to remember the moments that came before—and the people, like Cox, who paved the way. And for the newest National Spelling Bee champ, she said MacNolia Cox was in her thoughts the night she won it all.

This story was originally published by Rob Powers and Camryn Justice at WEWS.