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Tag: Around the US

  • Florida prepares for next round of heavy rainfall after flooding this week

    Florida prepares for next round of heavy rainfall after flooding this week

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    FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Forecasters warned Floridians to prepare for additional flash flooding after a tropical disturbance dumped as much as 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rainfall in the southern parts of the state, with worsening conditions expected Friday.

    What You Need To Know

    • South Florida saw more flooding on Thursday

    • Parts of Miami-Dade and Broward have seen up to 20 inches of rain this week

    • Periods of heavy rainfall could cause more flooding on Friday

    The disorganized storm system was pushing across Florida from the Gulf of Mexico at roughly the same time as the early June start of hurricane season, which this year is forecast to be among the most active in recent memory amid concerns that climate change is increasing storm intensity.

    The downpours hit Tuesday and continued into Wednesday, delaying flights at two of the state’s largest airports and leaving vehicles waterlogged and stalled in some of the region’s lowest-lying streets. On Thursday, travelers tried to salvage their plans as residents cleared debris before the next round of rain.

    This aerial view taken from video shows a flooded street in Northeast Miami-Dade County, Fla., on Thursday, June 13, 2024. A tropical disturbance brought a rare flash flood emergency to much of southern Florida the day before. Floridians prepared to weather more heavy rainfall on Thursday and Friday. (AP Photo/Daniel Kozin)

    The National Weather Service cautioned that even smaller amounts of precipitation could impact saturated areas, causing flash floods on Friday before the region has a chance to recover.

    “Looked like the beginning of a zombie movie,” said Ted Rico, a tow truck driver who spent much of Wednesday night and Thursday morning helping to clear the streets of stalled vehicles. “There’s cars littered everywhere, on top of sidewalks, in the median, in the middle of the street, no lights on. Just craziness, you know. Abandoned cars everywhere.”

    Rico, of One Master Trucking Corp., was born and raised in Miami and said he was ready for the emergency.

    “You know when its coming,” he said. “Every year it’s just getting worse, and for some reason people just keep going through the puddles.”

    Ticket and security lines snaked around a domestic concourse at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport Thursday. The travel boards showed about half of a terminal’s flights had been canceled or postponed.

    Bill Carlisle, a Navy petty officer first class, spent his morning trying to catch a flight back to Norfolk, Virginia. He arrived at Miami International Airport at about 6:30 a.m., but 90 minutes later he was still in line and realized he couldn’t get his bags checked and through security in time to catch his flight.

    “It was a zoo,” said Carlisle, a public affairs specialist. He was speaking for himself, not the Navy. “Nothing against the (airport) employees, there is only so much they can do.”

    He used his phone to book an afternoon flight out of Fort Lauderdale. He took a shuttle the 20 miles (32 kilometers) north, only to find the flight was canceled. He was headed back to Miami for a 9 p.m. flight, hoping it wouldn’t be canceled as a result of heavy rains expected later in the day. He was resigned, not angry.

    “Just a long day sitting in airports,” Carlisle said. “This is kind of par for the course for government travel.”

    In Hallandale Beach, Alex Demchemko was walking his Russian spaniel Lex along the flooded sidewalks near the Airbnb where he has lived after arriving from Russia last month to seek asylum in the U.S.

    “We didn’t come out from our apartment, but we had to walk with our dog,” Demchemko said. “A lot of flashes, raining, a lot of floating cars and a lot of left cars without drivers, and there was a lot of water on the streets. It was kind of catastrophic.”

    On Thursday morning, Daniela Urrieche, 26, was bailing water out of her SUV, which got stuck on a flooded street as she drove home from work Wednesday.

    “In the nine years that I’ve lived here, this has been the worst,” she said. “Even in a hurricane, streets were not as bad as it was in the past 24 hours.”

    The flooding wasn’t limited to the streets. Charlea Johnson spent Wednesday night at her Hallendale Beach home barreling water into the sink and toilet.

    “The water just started flooding in the back and flooding in the front,” Johnson said.

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    Associated Press

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  • Rare Flash Flood Emergency in South Florida on Wednesday

    Rare Flash Flood Emergency in South Florida on Wednesday

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    FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A tropical disturbance has brought a rare flash flood emergency to much of southern Florida as residents prepared to weather more heavy rainfall on Thursday and Friday.

    What You Need To Know

    • NWS Miami issued rare Flash Flood Emergencies on Wednesday

    • Parts of Miami Dade and Broward County received 10 to 15 inches of rainfall

    • More heavy rainfall is in the forecast on Thursday on Friday

    Wednesday’s downpours and subsequent flooding blocked roads, floated vehicles and delayed the Florida Panthers on their way to Stanley Cup games in Canada against the Edmonton Oilers.

    The disorganized storm system was pushing across Florida from the Gulf of Mexico at roughly the same time as the early June start of hurricane season, which this year is forecast to be among the most active in recent memory amid concerns that climate change is increasing storm intensity.

    The disturbance has not reached cyclone status and was given only a slight chance to form into a tropical system once it emerges into the Atlantic Ocean after crossing Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center.

    The National Weather Service in Miami noted in a post on the social media platform X early Thursday that a band of heavy rainfall was expected to fall over the region for a third day in a row.

    “Even a small duration of heavy rainfall could lead to more flash flooding!,” the post said.

    Numerous roads remained flooded and impassable for vehicles. On major artery Interstate 95 in Broward County, southbound traffic was being diverted around a flooded section and contractors were on their way to pump the drainage system, the Florida Highway Patrol said in an email. The interstate wouldn’t reopen until after water is drained, the agency said.

    The Miami weather service office issued increasingly dire warnings.

    “Life-threatening flooding is now ongoing,” the service said on the social platform X. “Please stay off the roadways and get to higher ground.”

    Mayors in Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood declared a state of emergency for their cities on Wednesday afternoon. Later Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also declared a state of emergency for five counties — Broward and Miami-Dade on Florida’s Atlantic coast and Collier, Lee and Sarasota counties on the state’s west coast.

    Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava also issued a local state of emergency.

    In nearby Hollywood, Mike Viesel was driving home Wednesday afternoon with his dog Humi when he was caught in deep floodwater along a low-lying street, he told the Miami Herald.

    As he slowed down and stopped, Viesel said other cars drove past him, sending even more water into his vehicle. His engine stalled.

    “I’d walk out of my car,” he told the Herald, but his dog “has a problem with water.”

    In Miami’s Edgewater neighborhood, the lobby of the building that Alfredo Rodriguez moved into a year ago already had water puddles inside on Wednesday morning. He told the Herald the building has flooded five times since he moved in.

    “This is horrible. I can’t pull my car around,” he said of the flooded streets.

    Dozens of flights were delayed or canceled at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The NHL’s Florida Panthers were delayed more than three hours from departing Fort Lauderdale for their nearly six-hour flight to Edmonton for Games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

    Farther north, the National Weather Service in Melbourne confirmed that an EF-1 tornado hit Hobe Sound on Florida’s Atlantic Coast north of West Palm Beach on Wednesday morning.

    The winds knocked down multiple banyan trees and caused some damage to a store, Martin County Fire Rescue officials said. No injuries were reported, but access to wealthy Jupiter Island was cut off by debris on the road.

    It’s already been a wet and blustery week in Florida. In Miami, about 6 inches (15 centimeters) of rain fell Tuesday and 7 inches (17 centimeters) in Miami Beach, according to the National Weather Service. Hollywood got about 5 inches (12 centimeters).

    Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School, noted on X that some 9 inches (23 centimeters) had fallen on parts of South Florida from 7 a.m to 6 p.m. on Wednesday in addition to the rain that fell on Tuesday.

    “We are in trouble,” McNoldy wrote.

    More rain was forecast for the rest of the week, leading the weather service office in Miami to extend a flash flood watch through Thursday. Some places could see another 6 inches (15 centimeters) of rain.

    The western side of the state, much of which has been in a prolonged drought, also got some major rainfall. Nearly 6.5 inches (16.5 centimeters) of rain fell Tuesday at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, the weather service says, and flash flood warnings were in effect in those areas as well.

    Forecasts predict an unusually busy hurricane season.

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates there is an 85% chance that the Atlantic hurricane season will be above average, predicting between 17 and 25 named storms in the coming months including up to 13 hurricanes and four major hurricanes. An average season has 14 named storms.

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    Associated Press

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  • Jerry West, a 3-time Hall of Fame selection and the NBA logo, dies at 86

    Jerry West, a 3-time Hall of Fame selection and the NBA logo, dies at 86

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    Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning, the Los Angeles Clippers announced.

    He was 86.

    What You Need To Know

    • Legendary basketball player, coach and executive Jerry West died Wednesday at 86, the Los Angeles Clippers announced

    • West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game exploits as a player, went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010; he will be enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor

    • He was an All-Star in all 14 of his NBA seasons, a 12-time All-NBA selection, part of the 1972 Lakers team that won a championship, an NBA Finals MVP as part of a losing team in 1969 and was selected as part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team

    • West was general manager of eight NBA championship teams with the Los Angeles Lakers, helping build the “Showtime” dynasty; he also worked in the front offices of the Memphis Grizzlies, the Golden State Warriors and the Clippers


    West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game exploits as a player, went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010. He will be enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor.

    West was “the personification of basketball excellence and a friend to all who knew him,” the Clippers said in announcing his death. West’s wife, Karen, was by his side when he died, the Clippers said.

    He was an All-Star in all 14 of his NBA seasons, a 12-time All-NBA selection, part of the 1972 Lakers team that won a championship, an NBA Finals MVP as part of a losing team in 1969 and was selected as part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.

    West was general manager of eight NBA championship teams with the Los Angeles Lakers, helping build the “Showtime” dynasty. He also worked in the front offices of the Memphis Grizzlies, the Golden State Warriors and the Clippers. Among his many, many highlights as an executive with the Lakers: he drafted Magic Johnson and James Worthy, then brought in Kobe Bryant and eventually Shaquille O’Neal to play alongside Bryant.

    Even in the final years of his life, West was considered basketball royalty. He routinely sat courtside at Summer League games in Las Vegas, often watching many games in a day while greeting long lines of players — LeBron James among them — who would approach to shake his hand and pay him respect.

    “The game transcends many things,” West said while attending Summer League last year. “The players change, the style of play may change, but the respect that you learn in this game never changes.”

    He’s 25th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, and while the league has never confirmed that West was in fact the model for its logo — a player dribbling a ball, set against a red-and-blue background — the league has never said otherwise, either.

    “While it’s never been officially declared that the logo is Jerry West,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in 2021, “it sure looks a lot like him.”

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    Associated Press

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  • Erosion causes Mentor Lagoons trail closure

    Erosion causes Mentor Lagoons trail closure

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    CLEVELAND — A well-known trail in Mentor is closed due to erosion along the Lake Erie shoreline. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Kenneth Kaminski is in charge of parks in the city of Mentor and said the Mentor Lagoons trail is now closed for safety reasons
    • The existing trail was in place for about 30 years and was built when the shoreline was about 100 yards further out than it is now 

    • Kaminski said erosion is a growing problem and a lack of ice on Lake Erie is contributing to the situation

    Kenneth Kaminski drove along the Mentor marsh and made his way to the Mentor lagoon trail. He’s in charge of parks in the city of Mentor.

    “I think the joy is the fact that we have an opportunity to offer just about every recreational experience for our residents, anything from a marina to a golf course, senior center, rec center,” he said.

    The Mentor Lagoons trail runs along Lake Erie and the marsh. The trail has been eroding over the last eight years because of high water levels and because Lake Erie hasn’t been freezing.

    “The erosion is happening so fast that it is actually dangerous for our people and patrons that use the trail,” he said.

    The existing trail was in place for about 30 years. The shoreline was about a hundred feet further out than where it is now but has been eaten away by erosion.

    “We probably had about 30 feet of beach, but as you can see now, we have no beach at all and it actually washed the stairwell away,” he said.

    Kaminski said the lake just isn’t freezing during the winter, and that’s a big part of the problem.

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said it’s seen a decrease in ice coverage across the Great Lakes, reaching an all-time low in 2024. 

    As of Feb. 11 of this year, only .05% of Lake Erie was covered with ice, leaving the shoreline unprotected.

    Kaminski said the goal now is to protect the shoreline that remains. 

    “It’s very expensive to be able to do any type of these projects. We can put up revetment, which is just big pieces of concrete on the shoreline,” he said.

    But Kaminski said the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Natural Resources are not fans of adding these man-made barriers.

    “And neither are we, because it doesn’t bring the natural setting to our nature preserve,” he said.

    Kaminski said the city is moving the trail back as the erosion eats up the area, but keeping up with the crumbling conditions won’t be easy.

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    Wiley Jawhary

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  • The rise of TikTok mental health self-diagnosis

    The rise of TikTok mental health self-diagnosis

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    OHIO — Parents and psychologists are seeing an increase in teens and young adults diagnosing themselves with things like depression, anxiety, OCD and autism based off of content on social media. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Parents and psychologists are seeing an increase in teens and young adults self diagnosing with mental illnesses based off of content on social media

    • While mental health professionals say social media can help break stigmas and spark helpful conversations, it needs to be thought of as a starting point, not a destination

    • Cleveland Clinic Psychologist Dr. Susan Albers points to studies that show about 84 percent of mental health related content on TikTok is misleading

    • Research and knowing how you feel is an important step of the process, but seeking professional guidance will help to get people to the right treatment plan and, ideally, relief

    While mental health professionals say social media can help break stigmas and spark helpful conversations, it needs to be thought of as a starting point, not a destination. 

    “Social media can be a helpful tool for increasing information awareness and decreasing the stigma of mental health issues,” Cleveland Clinic Psychologist Dr. Susan Albers said. “The personal stories are helpful in driving home the point that anybody can be impacted by mental health issues. The downside is that it can also spread a lot of misinformation. You can cause harm, and it’s a slippery slope into self diagnosing.” 

    Albers believes social media can be a good place to start but points to studies that show about 84 percent of mental health related content on TikTok is misleading. 

    ’It’s incredibly dangerous,” said Hannah Lipowski, a graduate student of Clinical Mental Health Counseling, “I think that self diagnosis can lead to people spiraling further than they need to and not seeking out proper treatment. 

    Lipowski is in her early 20s and said she sees how easy it is to be influenced by social media.

    “That’s what’s funny about doing what I do and still being on the younger end of it… I’ll have friends who come to me and they’re like, well, do you think I have X,Y,Z and even to that extent, I don’t know, ethically, I can’t see a friend as a patient.”

    Lipowski encourages young people not to stop at what you think may be a diagnosis.

    “There’s more awareness to it, but the treatment rates are decreasing because people aren’t seeing the need to go be professionally treated,” she said. “They’re thinking, well, I can watch the tik tok video that tells me how to cure my depression rather than going and seeking out psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment.”

    Dr Albers looks at the phenomenon not only as a psychologist, but as a parent.

    “The algorithm can figure your child out instantly about what their concerns are and their interest areas. If he continues to send them information about depression, go to them. And this is a great launching point for communication,” she said. 

    Research and knowing how you feel is an important step of the process, but seeking professional guidance will help to get people to the right treatment plan and, ideally, relief.

    “It’s the importance of them just getting there and then trusting the person who’s trained to do so to offer them confirmation of a diagnosis or to say, you know what, actually you better fit this, here’s where our treatment plan is gonna go,” Lipowski said.

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    Alexa Maslowski

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  • USDA continues to fight avian influenza as virus spreads

    USDA continues to fight avian influenza as virus spreads

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    COLUMBUS — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working to stop the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

    What You Need To Know

    • Close to 100 million birds have been killed since the HPAI outbreak began in 2022
    • According to the United States Department of Agriculture, HPAI has been confirmed at least 69 times in dairy herds throughout nine states, including Ohio, as of May 30
    • Each week, Spectrum News 1 anchor Chuck Ringwalt and agriculture expert Andy Vance discuss an aspect of the state’s agricultural landscape

    4.2 million chickens were killed this month after an outbreak at an Iowa egg farm.

    The United States Department of Agriculture reports at least 69 confirmed cases of HPAI in dairy cow herds. Three farmworkers have been infected with the virus.

    Since the start of the outbreak in 2022, more than 96 million birds have been killed.

    “Poultry farmers are getting more and more used to dealing with [HPAI],” agriculture expert Andy Vance said. “This outbreak in particular has been more challenging than some we’ve had, but the variance and the spread of these does tend to ebb and flow.” 

    The USDA said it will provide financial assistance to dairy producers affected by the virus.

    The USDA said it will use $824 million from the Commodity Credit Corporation to launch a new Voluntary H5N1 Dairy Herd Status Pilot Program 

    The program’s goals include testing options for producers and increased surveillance of the virus.

    “USDA food safety inspectors are making sure that no animal, dairy cow or poultry that’s infected with this disease is getting into the food supply,” Vance said.

    Vance also serves as the executive director of the Poultry Science Association.

    If you have an idea for the Ag Report, a question for Chuck and Andy or you’d like to send a photo of your farm and the work you do, email charles.ringwalt@charter.com.

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    Chuck Ringwalt

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  • Taste of Cincinnati brings bold flavors and family fun

    Taste of Cincinnati brings bold flavors and family fun

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    CINCINNATI — Calling all foodies! From main courses to sweet treats, if you’re looking to sample some of the best dishes in southwest Ohio, then Taste of Cincinnati is the place to be.

    One of the best parts about the three-day festival is the amazing food and it gives business owners a chance to reach a totally different customer base.

    What You Need To Know

    • Taste of Cincinnati runs three days over Memorial Day weekend

    • The festival celebrates 45 years as a staple in Cincinnati and more than half a million people are expected to attend

    • It’s a chance to let people try different foods and for restaurants to reach new customers

    We spent some time behind the scenes and inside the kitchen at The Establishment.

    This will be their first time at Taste.

    Keeping a close eye on the day-to-day ins and outs is General Manager David Walters, and driving the menu is Chef Red.

    The kitchen took off during the pandemic and Chef Red has helped navigate the restaurant through it all.

    Kitchen sales have doubled since last year, and new additions like brunch have made a huge difference.

    “Constantly innovating, changing our menu. He’s changed our menu every season, updates, takes things off, adds new additions,” Walters said.

    At Taste of Cincinnati, The Establishment will share signature dishes. They’ll be serving up Nashville chicken sliders, cheeseburger sliders and Amish chicken quesadillas with a chipotle pepper glaze.

    “We’re super excited. It’s been a lot of effort on our end scheduling people, figuring out our costs, how to work this event. It’s a monster event. This is one of the biggest things Cincinnati puts on annually,” said Walters.

    More than half a million people are expected to stop by and see all that the Cincinnati food scene has to offer.

    “We were a little nervous going into it, but we know that we aren’t in over our heads and we’re going to kill it all weekend,” Walters added.

    “It’s celebrating its 45th year this year in 2024. We have over 80 vendors cooking for us this weekend, we have 30 food trucks, over 30 restaurants and 20 vendors from the Findlay Market,” said Chelsea York, the Cincinnati Chamber’s vice president of Events and Experiences.

    As always, you can expect a family fun weekend with tons of food and live music.  

    “We recommend bringing a picnic blanket this year. We do have the Lytle Park picnic zones. So Lytle Park is a newly renovated park right down the street from the footprint so you’re welcome to take your food and drink over there. There are plenty of places to spread out with a blanket and enjoy,” York said.

    For Walters and the team, Taste of Cincinnati is a chance to share their passions and the food that makes their spots so unique.  

    “That’s massive. That’s tons and tons of people that have never heard of us before and we’ll get that exposure and hopefully retain some business from it. Taste the quality, remember the quality, and just come back and see us because of it,” he said.

    Taste of Cincinnati spans four blocks of Fifth Street downtown.

    It runs Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 pm and Monday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

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    Alese Underwood

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  • University of Cincinnati population continues to rise

    University of Cincinnati population continues to rise

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    OHIO — The University of Cincinnati could become one of the largest universities in the country over the next decade.

    What You Need To Know

    • This past school year, the University of Cincinnati had an enrollement of 51,000 students, making it the largest population size yet 

    • The university is expected to grow in the next few years 

    • Housing is one of the school’s top priorities as it prepares for the spike in population

    This past academic year, the school enrolled nearly 51,000 students, the most in its history. School leaders expect that number to increase to 60,000 by 2034.

    They said they are getting more students from Cincinnati Public Schools and from across the Indiana border. The increased numbers have the school working on ways to add more housing on campus.

    “We’re really moving into a phase in the next couple of years where we will be doing a lot of investment in our housing,” said Jack Miner, vice provost for enrollment management at the university. “We’ve had phenomenal partnerships for years with private developers. We continue to see a lot of private growth in this area.”

    In addition to UC, The Ohio State University also has a large population size. Bestcollege.com lists the university as the third largest in the nation, with more than 61,000 students. 

    Editor’s note: A previous version of this story misspelled Jack Miner’s name. This has been corrected. (May 22, 2024)

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    Camri Nelson

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  • Ag Report: Warm soil temperatures aid farmers despite wet weather

    Ag Report: Warm soil temperatures aid farmers despite wet weather

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    COLUMBUS — Despite heavy rain, farmers were able to make progress in the fields.

    What You Need To Know

    • According to the report: ” There were 2.0 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 12.”
    • Each week, Spectrum News 1 anchor Chuck Ringwalt and agriculture expert Andy Vance discuss an aspect of the state’s agricultural landscape

    According to the USDA, 1.59 inches of precipitation was recorded for the week ending May 12. The report said this was .8 inches above average.

    “Anyone with a backyard or a dog can identify with it. It feels like here comes .2 of an inch. Here comes .3 of an inch. Just enough rain every day or every two days to keep it from drying out and getting anything done,” agriculture expert Andy Vance said.

    Tornados and extreme weather also prevented farmers from working in the fields.

    According to the report: “Farmers reported damage from either a direct hit of the tornado or from trees being uprooted or branches breaking off the trees.”

    However, warm soil temperatures allowed some farmers the ability to make progress.

    “We’re also well ahead of the five-year average for corn and soybean planting,” Vance said. “We’re running about 3.5° above normal here for example, so when you have above average precipitation and above average temperatures things get to growing pretty quickly.”

    The USDA reported corn and soybean planting was 36% and 27% planted during the week ending May 12.

    If you have an idea for the Ag Report, a question for Chuck and Andy or you’d like to send a photo of your farm and the work you do, email charles.ringwalt@charter.com.

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    Chuck Ringwalt

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  • Local chef talks working at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse during Cavs semifinals

    Local chef talks working at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse during Cavs semifinals

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    CLEVELAND — The success of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Monsters this season isn’t just good for fans. It’s also good for the restaurants that call Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse home. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The success of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Monsters this season is providing an extra boost for businesses at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
    • Karen Small has been cooking in Ohio almost all her life and runs P Street Market at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse

    • Small opened her business at the arena after being approached by Aramark, the vendor that provides food services at the facility

    The Cleveland Monsters led the league in attendance for the fourth time in the last five seasons, according to the American Hockey League, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are drawing huge crowds as they fight for survival in the semifinals.

    Karen Small has been cooking in northeast Ohio almost all of her life. She’s the chef of P Street Café at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. 

    She’s worked as a chef at the arena when LeBron James came back to Cleveland in 2014. She’s been a chef in the city for about 30 years. Early on, she was exposed to the challenges of the food industry.

    “I had a restaurant called the Flying Fig that we closed down. When the new landlord came in, he raised our rent by $7,000 a month, so it made it impossible to continue any longer,” she said.

    Small had a new opportunity to look forward to.

    “At one point I was contacted by Aramark if I was interested in coming here and being that the Cavs were my favorite team of all time, I was like I’m in,” she said.

    Small was discovered by Aramark, the vendor that provides food services at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. It all started when the district manager for Aramark stumbled upon her Flying Fig restaurant.

    Small isn’t just enjoying the added business that comes with the Cavs and Monsters having a longer season than expected. She said she’s also doing what she loves while getting to watch her favorite team compete in the semifinals.

     

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    Wiley Jawhary

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  • Weather Explained: Storm surge

    Weather Explained: Storm surge

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    Storm surge is when a storm or hurricane causes ocean levels to rise, bringing flooding and destruction to life and property.

    Three factors can determine the severity of storm surge: coastal orientation, the slope of the continental and tides. 

    Watch the video above to learn how these three things affect storm surge and what you can do to keep you, your family and property safe. 

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Northern Kentucky University soon to offer AI minor

    Northern Kentucky University soon to offer AI minor

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    HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Northern Kentucky University (NKU) is introducing an artificial intelligence minor to its list of degree offerings beginning this fall.

    What You Need To Know

    • Beginning in the fall 2024 semester, Northern Kentucky University (NKU) is offering a new artificial intelligence minor 

    • It will be offered through the College of Informatics

    • NKU said the AI minor will provide students with a basic foundation in computing, machine learning and prompt engineering

    • Courses will also cover societal, ethical and legal implications 

    Many believe AI will continue to become a part of everyday life as it advances at a rate that Kevin Kirby, dean of the College of Informatics at NKU, said he has never seen before.

    “I’ve never seen anything change so fast,” Kirby said. “It’s very important to keep our subject matter fresh, and we know students are coming to NKU right now with lots of experience in AI.”

    NKU created the new AI minor through the College of Informatics. The university said according to the Wall Street Journal, AI expertise adds value to a wide variety of careers, which is why it created the minor to pair with nearly any major.

    “When students come here, we want them not to be just users of AI,” Kirby said. “We want them to be, maybe, power users. We want them to understand … this is how it works, this is why it consumes so much data and so much power.”

    “AI is not just tech; it’s not just computer science. It’s about communicating with a new form of intelligence in some way. How do you talk to AI? How do you bend AI to your will?”

    The opposite happening is one of the major concerns some have expressed about AI. It’s a topic Robert Greenleaf Brice said he plans to address in his “philosophy of mind” class.

    “There are issues about consciousness … and of course, that falls right into the full wheelhouse of, ‘What is AI?’” Greenleaf Brice said. “Is it alive in the sense it has consciousness? Or is it just what some philosophers call weak AI, which is just kind of a tool?”

    “My concern is less that there’s a doomsday scenario, the ‘Terminator’ effect, where it will rise and have this consciousness. I’m less concerned about that. My concern is mostly about what it is that we’re putting into these programs. What sort of moral, ethical decision-making process is going into these programs?”

    NKU said the AI minor will provide students with a basic foundation in computing, machine learning and prompt engineering, along with societal, ethical and legal implications. 

    “There are some things to be afraid of with AI, but we want the fear to be informed,” Kirby said. “You are going to be thrown into a world where you’re using AI; your colleagues (and) your students are going to be using AI, so we want to empower you with the ability to deal with that.”

     

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    Sam Knef

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  • Muslims join for community prayer on Ohio State’s campus

    Muslims join for community prayer on Ohio State’s campus

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Hundreds of Muslims came together in prayer Friday on The Ohio State University’s South Oval.

    Some Muslim students on OSU’s campus told Spectrum News 1 they felt their First Amendment rights were violated on April 25, when their prayer service was broken up by police who were responding to the pro-Palestinian encampment set up on the school’s campus. Hundreds of people returned to that same spot where the encampment was and where dozens of people were arrested on campus.

    What You Need To Know

    • A community prayer was held on Ohio State University’s South Oval Friday 

    • Hundreds of Muslims in the Central Ohio community came together to “reclaim their sacred space and stand in solidarity against hate and violence.”

    • Dr. Yasir Qadhi, a nationally renowned speaker and American Muslim scholar, led the Khutbah (sermon) and prayer

    • While their latest community prayer was happening, Ohio treasurer Robert Sprague announced that the state is buying an additional $30 million worth of Israeli bonds

    Friday is considered the most significant day of the week in Islam. Normally, Muslims would be inside a mosque, but on May 3 students, faculty and community members decided to hold the prayer publicly.

    Jamil Aboushaar, a junior at OSU and a member of the Muslim Student Association on campus, said the event was about coming together as a community to advocate for peace overseas and to motivate everyone to stay strong in their faith. 

    Jamil Aboushaar, a junior at OSU and a member of the Muslim Student Association. (Spectrum News 1/Taylor Bruck)

    “Message of unity, a message of peace,” Aboushaar said. “We’re not anti-Semitic. We’re not anti-Semitic by calling for an end to genocide. Rather, we’re advocating for humanity more than anybody else is, more than the other side is. We’re advocating for, you know, just justice and peace for everybody, no matter their religious background, no matter their cultural background, no matter their ethnic background.”

    Yasir Qadhi, a nationally renowned speaker and American Muslim scholar, led the Khutbah and prayer.

    “It is high time that we, not just the Muslims of this land, but people of conscience, people of integrity, people who care about their country and that’s all of us, it is high time that we change the realities of what our country is doing over there,” Qadhi said. “All Muslims, and people of all faiths, we shall not and we cannot tolerate hatred and preaching hatred of another faith tradition. And we will not tolerate anti-semitism…We will not allow voices of anti-semitism or voices of Islamophobia to be given a platform. However, we will not be intimidated when criticism of a country is falsely accused of being anti-semitic.”

    Muslims join for community prayer on Ohio State’s campus on May 3.

    Muslims join for community prayer on Ohio State’s campus on May 3. (Spectrum News 1/Taylor Bruck)

    While their latest community prayer was happening, Ohio treasurer Robert Sprague announced that the state is buying an additional $30 million worth of Israeli bonds.

    The move comes as pro-Palestinian protests continue to ask schools and universities to divest from companies doing business with Israel.

    That decision is not sitting well with Aboushaar, who said he doesn’t want Ohio’s tax money being spent overseas.

    “It’s just as concerning every time I read it,” Aboushaar said. “Where there’s more bills being passed, more money being sent over and, you know, that’s why we’re out here. We’re out here to advocate and to stop that. We’re tired of our money that we put we put into the system to be used against us overseas. And not even just against us, but to all, like all genocides, all killing any, any funding of, you know, weapons or anything worldwide that America takes place in, we’re against all of it.”

    Spectrum News 1 reached out to both the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and Jewish Columbus to get their reaction to the announcement, but neither provided us any comments. Meanwhile, we asked the treasurer’s office whether it has any concerns that this purchase will be seen as an inflammatory move by those who are opposed to investments in Israel during a time of war. They too did not respond.

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    Taylor Bruck

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  • Powell student wins prize in C-SPAN’s StudentCam Competition

    Powell student wins prize in C-SPAN’s StudentCam Competition

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    POWELL, Ohio — Competition for C-SPAN’s 20th annual StudentCam was tough. Thousands of students from 42 states participated. They took on tough topics while showcasing their video-making skills, and one of the prize winners is from Ohio. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Ben Kurian from Powell, Ohio wins 2nd place in the 2024 C-SPAN StudentCam middle school division and ‘fan favorite’

    • He covered ‘career exploration’ in his winning video submission

    • Kurian shot and edited the entire video, even making the music for it

    • Kurian won $1,500 from the judged competition, and an additional $500 from winning ‘fan favorite’

    Thirteen-year-old Ben Kurian plays piano and chess, oh, and he also placed in C-SPAN’s Nationwide StudentCam Competition two years straight.

    Kurian’s video won first place in the middle school division last year, and this year, his video won second and ‘fan favorite.’

    “I thought I had a decent chance to make it a pretty good video,” Kurian said.

    He picked career exploration as his topic for the video.

    “Twenty-five percent of 15-year-olds could not name what job they wanted to have at 30,” Kurian said. “It creates something called the career exposure gap, and that, that’s something that we really don’t want to see in our youth. It’s really important that we know what jobs are out there and what we are capable of.”

    Kurian shot and edited the entire video, even making the music. 

    “I got the opportunity to compose my own piece and soundtrack for this documentary,” he said.

    In his video, it poses the question ‘Who do I want to be?’

    If Kurian had to answer that, he said, “personally, I want to go into the medical field, a psychiatrist maybe because I think their service is really much needed in our community.”

    As for his future in video editing, he plans to continue making informational videos. 

    But until then, he’ll continue entering the StudentCam competition, hoping for more wins.

    Kurian won $1,500 from the judged competition, and an additional $500 from winning ‘fan favorite’. He said he plans on saving his winnings for college. 

    To watch Kurian’s full documentary, go here.

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    Aliah Keller

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  • Young marine honors fallen World War II hero

    Young marine honors fallen World War II hero

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    SOUTHGATE, Ky. — For decades, a World War II veteran from Kentucky wasn’t receiving the proper recognition for his heroic efforts. A high school student in northern Kentucky thought it was well past time that changed.

    What You Need To Know

    • Abby Smith knew from a young age she wanted to one day join the military and got a head start joining the Northern Kentucky Young Marines in 2019

    • The group Charging Forward for America recently made Smith aware of Private First Class Edward H. Ahrens from Dayton, a marine who died in World War II at just 22 years old

    • Thanks to a generous donation from Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 3186 and other donors, she could put together a plaque and headstone, culminating in a ceremony attended by family members of Ahrens from out of state

    • Through the process of researching Ahrens, Smith said she gained an even greater appreciation for America’s servicemen and women

    “It makes you have a deeper appreciation for your country and what it stands for,” said Beechwood High School sophomore Abby Smith. “And I think all of America’s youth should know that because we were founded on such great principles that are still upheld today.”

    Smith said she knew from a young age she wanted to one day join the military. She got a head start joining the Northern Kentucky Young Marines in 2019.

    “Me joining at 11, I couldn’t talk to you,” Smith said. “I couldn’t talk to anybody, barely even my friends. Now, I can talk to other people. I can lead other kids.”

    “It’s really just changed my entire worldview of what I can do and made me so much better. It really helped me develop my discipline, teamwork, almost all of the skills you use in your life.”

    Her training with Young Marines has also included military and American history and veteran appreciation. Recently, the group Charging Forward for America made Smith aware of Private First Class Edward H. Ahrens from Dayton, a marine who died in World War II at just 22 years old.

    “He protected his company from a Japanese nocturnal attack, and he single-handedly defended them,” Smith said. “It’s really truly inspiring what he was able to do at such a young age. You always hear stories of amazing war heroes; they have books, they have so much about them. But he has gone unrecognized for so long.”

    “He did have a grave, but all that it said on it was that he served, he was in the marines, and it didn’t really say that he earned the navy cross or that he protected his entire company. And I just didn’t think that should go unrecognized for all that he’s done.”

    Smith started fundraising. Thanks to a generous donation from Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 3186 and other donors, she could put together a plaque and headstone, culminating in a ceremony attended by family members of Ahrens from out of state.

    “It’s just inspiring to see all of your hard work finally pay off,” she said.

    Her unit commander, Lynne Arnold, said it was no surprise to see Smith take charge on such an important task.

    “Every once in a while, someone like Abby comes along; hard-charging, in it for the right reasons,” Arnold said. “She loves the program; she loves the opportunities given to her.”

    “When people trash or insult kids or teenagers today, I always just say, ‘Come see my kids; just come see my kids.’ They will give you hope for the future.”

    Through the process of researching Ahrens, Smith said she gained an even greater appreciation for America’s servicemen and women.

    “I feel closer,” she said.

    Smith added she plans to attend the U.S. Naval Academy after high school. She’s still deciding whether she wants to go into the Navy or the Marines.

     

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    Sam Knef

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  • Woman starts bakery thanks to Apex Fund

    Woman starts bakery thanks to Apex Fund

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    CLEVELAND — Starting a small business is not easy, especially if you just moved to the United States from another country.

    What You Need To Know

    • Fereshte Naghvi moved to the United States from Iran less than a year ago
    • Naghvi launched her own bakery thanks to help from the Apex Fund
    • Lida Ahmadi is also from Afghanistan and fled the Taliban two years ago

    Life hasn’t always been easy for Fereshte Naghvi and her family. She’s been in Ohio for eight months and said she’s been trying to make a living and name for herself.

    “When you go to a new country, obviously it’s hard to adjust since you are starting from zero, but we waited six years to get here. It made it worth it,” she said. 

    Naghvi’s family is from Afghanistan, but she was raised in Iran. She escaped the political unrest and left everything she knew behind.

    “Iran is not welcoming to refugees, that was one reason. The other reason was because I wanted my kids to have a good future here,” she said.

    Naghvi said she knows she has to work to keep a roof over her family’s heads. That’s why she recently started her own at-home bakery, thanks to support from the Apex Fund.

    “My husband back at home was always bringing sweets from outside, so I said why not make sweets myself for him. So I went to classes and learned,” she said.

    Naghvi said she makes everything from scratch and credits the Apex Fund, which helped to get her business registered. 

    Apex Fund small business adviser Lida Ahmadi said the fund helps low-income entrepreneurs overcome the barriers that sometimes prevent them from accessing conventional loans to start a business.

    “She’s dreaming of having a coffee shop, I’m trying my best to get her to that dream. I’m planning on making that possible to her through the programs we have,” she said.

    Ahmadi is from Afghanistan. She fled the Taliban two years ago and left the country on the last plane out with the Marines.

    The Apex Fund helps connect people with everything from a photo ID and business plan, to supplies, furniture and equipment to start their small business, as well as working capital.

    Ahmadi has helped Naghvi get the exposure she needs to grow her bakery.

    “Now finally I am at the point where people are starting to know me and I’m able to start my business,” Naghvi said.

    Naghvi said she’s doing this to set an example for her son, giving him a future full of the opportunities she never had growing up.

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    Wiley Jawhary

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  • Weather Explained: Why spring allergies have us sneezing

    Weather Explained: Why spring allergies have us sneezing

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    Allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States, according to American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

    Nearly 10% of the U.S. population is diagnosed with hay fever each year, especially during the spring months when the pollen count is quite high.

    Check out the video above for more on how plants and wind can result in those itchy and watery eyes.

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    Meteorologist Nick Merianos

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  • ACT scores on the decline

    ACT scores on the decline

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    CLEVELAND — ACT scores in Ohio have been on the decline. In 2014, the average composite score was 22, but in 2023 it was 19.2. Now, some universities aren’t even looking at ACT scores anymore for their applicants.

    Adam Smith, the vice president of enrollment for Ohio Wesleyan University, said that OWU doesn’t require applicants to submit their test scores.

    What You Need To Know

    • ACT scores across the state are on the decline

    • Some universities are “test optional,” meaning they don’t require an ACT or SAT scores for admission 

    • Some people believe that taking the exam can give students an advantage

    “We do the holistic approach where we do take the time, we’ll read the application, we’ll read the essays, the letters of recommendation,” he said.

    Smith said that the school stopped requiring an ACT or SAT scores back in 2014.

    “We really just wanted to take into consideration the student as a whole and we wanted to take their work outside of the classroom,” he said.

    Cathy Graham, who works for College Now of Greater Cleveland, explained that she believes every student should take the ACT.

    “These tests create opportunities and I don’t think students are aware of it,” she said.

    College Now helps prepare students for the ACT and SAT. The group that administers the exam said that ACT scores across the country have reached the lowest levels in over 30 years. Graham expressed that she thinks part of the reason is because students don’t care as much about their scores anymore.

    “Because of COVID so many schools have moved to test-optional, the stakes of taking this test have decreased for students so a lot of them are like ‘eh I’ll just try it and if I do okay I do okay and if I don’t it won’t matter,’” she said.

    Graham said that the test is not the end all be all, but that it does give students an advantage.

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    Katie Priefer

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  • Wheelchair bodybuilding: inspiring competitors and fans at The Arnold

    Wheelchair bodybuilding: inspiring competitors and fans at The Arnold

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Athletes from all over the world are competing at the 35th annual Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus this weekend. Among them, elite athletes who use a wheelchair.

    What You Need To Know

    • Wheelchair Bodybuilding has been a competitive event at The Arnold Sports Festival since 2016

    • The event is open to men and women, professionals and amateurs, founded by wheelchair athlete Nick Scott

    • Pro bodybuilder Harold Kelley has won his division every year except 2022 since the contest began

    The wheelchair bodybuilding competition features amateurs and professionals, men and women, in an event that premiered at the festival in 2016.

    “Being that The Arnold opened the door to wheelchair competitors, that put us on the world map,” said Harold Kelley, a Texan who is the defending champion.  

    He had already been competing as a bodybuilder when a car accident took the use of his legs. Since 2016, he has won every Arnold contest except for 2022. He regained the title in 2023 and is defending it this year. 

    “I surpassed where I was before my car accident, so when you see your calling, whatever it may be, you have to accept it,” Kelley said. “Once I accepted it, the doors just opened up.”

    Sharla Peterson won the amateur women’s division Thursday night. She had competed in the bikini competitions until she broke her back and was paralyzed during a workout.

    “I was afraid to go back to the gym because I thought people were going to look at me as a wheelchair wimp you know, like ‘what is she doing in here?’” Peterson said. “That took a lot of courage, and when I went back… they loaded plates for me and then as they saw me getting leaner and they saw me getting trimmed, they were just so excited I was going to compete… and so it became a really inspirational thing for myself and for other people.”

    She gets inspired meeting other competitors here.

    “When you’re in a wheelchair and finding somebody else in a wheelchair who has the same passion as you, there’s just a huge connection,” she said.

    “You meet so many people around the world that come to the Arnold Classic,” Kelley said. “Because this is a world event, and if you are enthused about fitness, you’re going to be here.”

    Nick Scott is the one who brought them together.  The director of the event and founder of wheelchairbodybuilding.com is also a powerlifting and bodybuilding champion and a motivational speaker. 

    He too turned to wheelchair bodybuilding after an accident left him paralyzed in 1998. Since then, he’s worked hard for his sport to grow at the Arnold and around the world. 

    He lobbied for 10 years to get wheelchair bodybuilding added to the program in Columbus. He is grateful for the support of Arnold Schwarzenegger, the bodybuilder and actor who is the sports festival’s namesake. 

    ‘“Arnold’s always been a supporter of wheelchai, of people with all sorts of disabilities,” Scott said. “And on top of that, he’s going to present on Saturday night to the winner of the wheelchair division… At the sports festival, here at the Arnold, we’re like family.”

    Scott has a mission beyond staging a competition and awarding medals to the competitors.

    “It shows that if I can make this dream happen, anything can happen for anybody else,” Scott said. “It’s really about giving hope. Hope is the one thing stronger than fear.”

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    Steve Oldfield

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  • Weather Explained: Lightning safety

    Weather Explained: Lightning safety

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    By

    Spectrum News Weather Staff

    Nationwide


    PUBLISHED 10:00 AM ET Mar. 01, 2024
    PUBLISHED 10:00 AM EST Mar. 01, 2024

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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