Good Morning, Cleveland! It's Friday, March 20th, and here is what you need to know.
Impact of rising gas prices on local schools
School districts are feeling the impact of rising fuel prices as the price of diesel is now at an average of $4.89 per gallon in Ohio, according to AAA. We talked to Avon Lake City Schools Director of Operations Ned Lauver. He says the district’s school buses use thousands of gallons of fuel each month, but, like many districts, it buys in bulk to fill an 8,000-gallon tank, so it doesn’t immediately feel the sporadic changes in fuel prices.
Perry Township struggling to fix bumpy roads
Right now, there is no money to pave the streets in Perry Township. Leaders are trying to pass a levy again. They say the public works department needs it to fix all the bumpy roads. If passed, the township would have about $2.7 million dollars to pave 20 miles of road every year. But it's the same levy the township has been trying to pass for years with no luck.
Senate Bill 56 takes effect, tightening hemp and marijuana regulations
A new Ohio law banning the sale THC drinks and certain hemp products outside licensed dispensaries is now in effect. That's because the group Ohioans For Cannabis Choice did not gather enough signatures to put Senate Bill 56 before voters on the ballot. Local businesses told News 5 they’re fed up now that the new law will force them to stop selling certain THC products. As a small non-alcoholic business, Molly Cheraso said adding THC drinks has been a game-changer at Verbena Free Spirited in Cleveland. But now, Cheraso said those days are gone, leaving her with a lot of uncertainty about the future.
Akron Zips in action today
The Akron men's basketball team opens up NCAA tournament play today! The Zips are the 12 seed and face Texas Tech in the first round. Akron's coming off its third straight MAC tournament championship last weekend. The Zips are still looking for its first ever NCAA tournament win. Tip-off is set for 12:40 p.m.
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Your forecast
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Traffic impact
A water main break has closed Lorain Road between West 168th and Rocky River Drive.
On Monday, the State Route 43 and State Route 14 improvement project in Streetsboro will begin. The intersection will be reduced to one lane in each direction with no left turns permitted. Those needing to make a left hand turn at the intersection use Market Square Drive.
The project will also close State Route 303 at State Route 14. The road will reopen in July. The detour is Superior Avenue to State Route 14. The State Route 303 slip road to State Route 14 will permanently close on Monday. The detour is Superior Avenue.
View our News 5 Traffic Map to see any road closures or delays due to weather or crashes.
