Good Morning, Cleveland! It's Monday, March 9, and here is what you need to know.
Large sinkhole closes busy downtown Cleveland intersection
Right now, a busy intersection in downtown Cleveland is shut down in all directions. Crews are working to fix a large sinkhole that opened on West St. Clair Avenue and West 3rd Street Sunday morning. Crews are using excavators and other large construction equipment as they work to fix this large hole. It's still unclear what caused the sinkhole. Right now, the city says there is no timeline for when it will be fixed.
Iran War Financial Fallout
The war in Iran is fueling another spike in energy prices. Gas prices are up 47-cents-per-gallon in the last week to a national average of $3.45. Diesel prices are climbing even faster - which could mean higher shipping rates. More expensive jet fuel also means airfares could be taking off. President Donald Trump is describing higher fuel prices as a sacrifice - calling "short-term oil prices…a very small price to pay for safety and peace." But overnight, oil prices topped 100 dollars per barrel - the highest level in nearly four years as the Iran conflict cripples exports.
Grocery Outlet to close 4 stores in Northeast Ohio
Grocery Outlet plans to close four Northeast Ohio stores in Parma, Lorain, Ontario and Canton as part of a nationwide shutdown of 36 underperforming locations. The store closeout sales at each location began on Sunday with customers advised to stop-in before March 21 to take advantage of the discounts. The Grocery Outlet stores in Brooklyn and Cleveland Heights will remain open.
Mansfield families who have lost loved ones to murder to hold rally
Families of Mansfield unsolved homicides are planning a rally to bring awareness to loved one who lost their lives to murder. They have been working with Mansfield City Council in their efforts to get justice for these victims.
Text scam involves parking and toll fines
If you get a text message about unpaid parking tickets or tolls, it's a scam. The Ohio Attorney General's Office and the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles sent out a new warning about texts threatening court action and demanding immediate payment. The messages include what appears to be an official court document and a QR code directing the recipient to a website to pay supposed fees. Ericka Dillworth with the Better Business Bureau in Cleveland tells Good Morning Cleveland anchor Mike Brookbank these fraudulent texts are more formal than what the BBB has previously seen.
WATCH THE NEWSCAST BELOW
Your forecast
Starting the work week after a "shorter" weekend with some INCREDIBLE weather. That's right: We lost an hour of our weekend. Momma Nature is helping us cope with sunshine, breezy southwest winds, and near record heat of 72 degrees this afternoon. Enjoy it because winter isn't far away.
Visit our News 5 weather page to see today's forecast.
Traffic impact
The Union Street Bridge south of Taylor Road in Bedford is closed beginning today. The bridge should reopen in October. The detour for northbound drivers is State Route 8 to Rockside Road to Broadway/SR-14. Southbound drivers will need to take will be State Route 14 to Forbes Road.
Water main line improvements are coming to Brunswick, and crews will begin work this week. Beginning today, Center Road between Troon and Garfield avenues will have crews lining the streets. Traffic will be maintained in both directions, but drivers should expect delays.
View our News 5 Traffic Map to see any road closures or delays due to weather or crashes.
