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“Montori felt like a competitor in a Call of Duty video game, with points amassed by hitting targets.”

This line chills in the opening of the series Delinquent: Our System, Our Kids, reported by Kaitlin Durbin and John Tucker and edited by Leila Atassi.

Kaitlin and John have worked exclusively on the series since September, interviewing more than 50 juvenile offenders about their experiences in the Cuyahoga County juvenile justice system, which puts more children behind bars than any other county in Ohio. They spoke to their families, attorneys, prosecutors, experts, advocates, judges.

The goal of juvenile justice to rehabilitate impressionable, strong-willed young people who make bad decisions. The goal of the series is to explain how the juvenile justice system works, through the eyes of the young people who go through it.

You can read their stories daily for the next six weeks on cleveland.com.

— Laura

Overnight Scores and Weather

Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Rain and cooler temperatures

Statehouse and Politics

Flavored tobacco: Gov. Mike DeWine has criticized Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration for delaying a planned federal ban on flavored tobacco products, reports Andrew Tobias. DeWine, a Republican, delivered a sharply worded statement after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday the ban would be delayed indefinitely in the face of pushback from Black civil-rights leaders.

School healthcare: An Ohio House bill that critics warn would force school employees to “out” transgender children to their parents was amended last week to require school districts to notify parents at the beginning of the year of physical and mental health care, and allow parents to withhold consent for those services, Laura Hancock reports. Ohio House Bill 8, which legislative backers call a “Parents Bill of Rights,” has undergone several sweeping changes, including the amendment last Wednesday in the Ohio Senate Education Committee with little discussion.

Campaign spending: Senate President Matt Huffman’s campaign gave maximum contributions to several Republicans challenging allies of House Speaker Jason Stephens in the days leading up to last month’s primary election, new campaign-finance records show. However, those contributions were dwarfed by the pro-Stephens House GOP caucus campaign arm, which shelled out more than $522,000 between March 7 and April 3 on behalf of Stephens’ favored candidates, Jeremy Pelzer reports.

Space Force: Ohio’s Mike DeWine isn’t the only U.S. governor who objects to a U.S. Air Force plan to switch Air National guardsmen to the U.S. Space Force. Sabrina Eaton reports that on Monday, a bipartisan group of 52 governors from U.S. states, commonwealths and territories joined DeWine in a letter that asks Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin to oppose a legislative proposal that would transfer several hundred Air National Guard personnel in seven states, including Ohio, who perform space-related functions to the Space Force.

Court campaigns: Republicans running for the Ohio Supreme Court continue to raise dramatically more campaign funds than their Democratic rivals, reports Jake Zuckerman. Control of the court is up for grabs and the disclosures reflect Republicans with huge cash and fundraising advantages in the three statewide races. While money isn’t necessarily determinative of electoral success, it buys the staff, advertisements and logistics that fuel campaigns.

Northeast Ohio News

Cigarette tax: Board members of Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, the government agency that distributes cigarette tax money to the arts, voted unanimously on Monday to ask Cuyahoga County Council to approve a November ballot item that would enable county voters to increase the tax from 1.5 cents to 3.5 cents per cigarette, Steven Litt reports. The tax could raise an estimated $160 million between 2026 and 2035 and bolster revenues that have declined sharply since voters first approved the tax in 2006.

City board: Cleveland City Council is expected to approve appointments of four people to the Fair Employment Wage Board, a seven-member body that oversees compliance with the city’s laws against wage theft and payroll fraud, reports Courtney Astolfi.

Cuyahoga County schedules June 21-22 event on lower level of Detroit-Superior Bridge

Veterans Memorial opening: Cuyahoga County will open the lower level of the Veterans Memorial Bridge, AKA the Detroit-Superior Bridge, for a two-day public art event during the summer solstice weekend of June 21-22. Steven Litt reports that the event, the second of its kind sponsored by the county in a year, will feature live music and an art installation by Cleveland artist Chuck Karnak.

Headliner awards: Longtime cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto, a go-to read for fans of Cleveland sports, won first place for sports feature writing from the 2024 National Headliner Awards. Reporters Jake Zuckerman and Kaitlin Durbin also are honored with National Headliner Awards, with Zuckerman winning second place in environmental writing in a top 20 news market for his reporting on fracking at state parks, and Durbin taking third in public service in newspapers with her reporting on children housed in Cuyahoga County’s Jane Edna Hunter social services office building.

Healthcare and Business

Plastic body: The problem of forever plastics isn’t something new. But it might surprise you to learn that the same plastic that has become so pervasive in our environment and the food we eat is now also part of us. Gretchen Cuda Kroen reports that plastic has been found in the tissues of brain, of lungs, of fat, of the placenta, and now the blood vessels.

Hot Mess Express: Sometimes you just need a helping hand. Dishes and dust pile up, clutter collects, work becomes stressful and household responsibilities are neglected when life gets in the way. Armed with mops, brooms and feather dusters, the women of the Hot Mess Express help get houses back in order without any judgment, Molly Walsh reports.

Team Wendy: Helmet manufacturer Team Wendy won a 10-year, $3 million state tax credit on Monday and is planning an expansion that includes hiring 200 new people in Cleveland. Sean McDonnell reports Team Wendy makes protective gear and specializes in helmets for military, law enforcement and adventure sports. It has plans to expand its current location on St. Clair Avenue in Cleveland’s Collinwood neighborhood.

Norfolk Southern: Investment firm Ancora is gathering allies in its fight to oust Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw and it’s now publicly being supported by two unions, an investment advisory firm and one of the railroad’s biggest customers — Cleveland-Cliffs. Sean McDonnell reports that Ancora, an activist investor headquartered in Mayfield Heights, is waging a proxy fight against Norfolk Southern and is looking to elect eight new members to the railroad’s board.

Stocks: Stock prices for 11 major Ohio companies increased by at least 2% last week, reports Zachary Smith. This was led by Eaton Corp., which though headquartered in Ireland has a major corporate presence in Beachwood. Eaton increased 7%, or $21.28 a share.

Healthcare move: A recent report named Cleveland one of the top places for movers looking for great healthcare and education, reports Megan Sims. RoadRunner Auto Transport, a U.S. car shipping company, said that Cleveland, along with Boston, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and Rochester, New York, are among the best places for those looking for quality education and healthcare.

Crime and Courts

Baby in car: A man was arrested Saturday night after police said he left his 10-month-old girl unattended in a parking garage while he was inside the casino in downtown Cleveland. Olivia Mitchell reports officers from Cleveland’s Third District went to JACK Casino, near Public Square, about 10:30 p.m. for reports that a baby was alone inside of a vehicle.

I-77 shooting: A Newburgh Heights man was arrested after authorities say he fatally shot a man and injured a woman Sunday on Interstate 77, near Interstate 480. Olivia Mitchell reports Bratenahl police apprehended Ian D. Rich, 29, more than an hour after the shooting. Rich is accused of killing David Perez, 57, of Garfield Heights at 9:25 p.m.

Arson arrest: A Cuyahoga County grand jury Monday indicted two men in connection with the fire that targeted a family on the city’s West Side earlier this month. Tyric Green, 21, and D’Andre Morris, 22, are accused of setting the blaze that forced Cecilia Li and her family to jump from a second-floor window April 19.

Child pornography: A Cleveland police officer admitted Monday to federal charges that accused him of downloading more than 1,000 videos and photos of child pornography, reports Adam Ferrise. Brandon Crites, 33, must serve at least five years in prison after he pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography, as well as possessing it.

Arts and Entertainment

Ask Lucas: If you can’t swim but your friends want to do fun things on Lake Erie, what can you do? Lucas Daprile writes that if you’re too lazy to learn how to swim, just tell everyone you’re “guarding” the floating beer cooler while you cling on to it for dear life.

National Park Spring Break 2024 — On Spring Break 2024, Laura Johnston's family covered Sedona, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion and Las Vegas.Laura Johnston

Grand Canyon vacation: Why visit a national park? History. Gorgeous views. Fresh air. Exercise. Once you visit one park, you want to see more. Laura Johnston’s family spent a week driving to Sedona, Grand Canyon and Page in Arizona; Bryce Canyon and Zion in Utah; and Las Vegas, Nevada, before taking a red-eye flight. Here’s how they did it.

Jason Kelce: Cleveland Heights native Jason Kelce will be an analyst on ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown” pregame show this fall, reports Joey Morona. The newly retired Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman drew interest from multiple suitors, including NBC and CBS.

CIA: Retiring Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque director John Ewing is going out with a bang, presenting a series of 25 films that have never been screened at the repertory movie theater in its 38-year history, reports Joey Morona. The series, dubbed “Unfinished Business / Parting Glances,” begins Saturday with Walt Disney’s masterpiece “Fantasia” and runs through June 29 with weekend showings of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Blackmail” (sound version).

Corvair: Whether you think of the Chevy Corvair as a design innovation or unloved stepchild, the vehicle turns 64 years old this year and the Crawford Auto Museum at the Western Reserve Historical Society has a full-throttle exhibition called “Corvair: The American Porsche?” which examines the sporty sedan line’s brief history, reports Peter Chakerian.

Dane Cook: Comedian-actor Dane Cook is bringing his “Fresh New Flavor Tour” to the Akron Civic Theater on Oct. 24. Tickets for the show go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Malcolm X Abram reports.

Graeter’s: Graeter’s Ice Cream is introducing six new flavors and they want you to invite five of your closest friends to help identify them. To do so, order the Mystery Tasting six-pack from the Cincinnati company. For $84.95, you’ll receive six pints of never-seen-before flavors and all the materials needed for a blind tasting with six people, reports Paris Wolfe.

Tequila vs. mezcal: Like tequila, mezcal is made in Mexico from native agave. But mezcal is not “smokey tequila,” any more than Moscato wine is a “sweet Chardonnay.” They’re different, writes Paris Wolfe. Tequila, for example, must be made from blue weber agave and made in Jalisco, Mexico, and nearby states. It’s like Champagne only being made from certain grapes grown in the region of Champagne in France.

Cinco de Mayo cocktails: If you don’t feel like going out this year, there are plenty of ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at home, starting with cocktails. Alex Darus has 14 recipes for Cinco de Mayo cocktails that expand far beyond a typical margarita.

You’re all caught up

Don’t forget, you can always find the latest Cleveland news by visiting cleveland.com. If you value the hard work of Cleveland journalists, consider becoming a cleveland.com subscriber.

— Curated by Laura Johnston with contributions by Cliff Pinckard

Is Cuyahoga County’s juvenile justice system working? Introducing Delinquent: The Wake Up for Tuesday, April 30, 2024