Good Morning, Cleveland! It's Wednesday, Dec. 17, and here is what you need to know.
Settlement reached with Kia/Hyundai over theft protections
Ohio, along with several other states, has reached a settlement with Kia and Hyundai over substandard theft protection in some of their vehicles, leading to theft and damage. Over the past several years, Kia and Hyundai vehicles have been among the most stolen in the U.S. and here in Northeast Ohio. The lawsuit filed against the companies alleged that millions of vehicles nationwide lacked industry-standard anti-theft technology, resulting in numerous thefts, joy-riding incidents, and threatening public safety, according to the lawsuit. One of those anti-theft measures is an engine immobilizer that prevents thieves from starting a vehicle’s engine without the vehicle’s “smart” key, which stores the vehicle’s electronic security code. The settlement requires Hyundai and Kia to: Equip all future vehicles sold in the United States with industry-standard engine immobilizer anti-theft technology; offer free zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protectors to owners or lessees of eligible vehicles, including vehicles that previously were only eligible for the companies’ software updates; provide up to $4.5 million in restitution to eligible consumers whose cars are damaged by thieves; and pay $4.5 million to the states to cover the costs of the investigation. News 5's John Kosich is breaking down everything you need to know this morning about the settlement.
Holiday Shipping Deadlines
Time is ticking away to the Christmas holiday, and the first major shipping deadline has arrived. It's critical—so you can get those gifts under the tree in time for Christmas morning.
News 5's Mike Holden will be live from the post office in Rocky River this morning to break down the important dates you need to know and how to make sure your gifts are packaged properly.
Don't fall victim to fake online storefronts
There's no doubt that you're scrambling to secure that perfect Christmas gift. But we have a warning: be careful if you plan to shop online. New FTC data shows a $1.5 billion increase in losses from shopping scams. Ohio reported $36 million dollars in losses in just the first half of 2025. Good Morning Cleveland anchor Mike Brookbank spoke to Ryan Molloy with The Senior List. Ryan says 62% of people 65 and older fell for one of the biggest scams out there: fake online storefronts. That's where you see an ad on social media, click the link, and end up on what you think is the retailer's website.
NBA all-star voting begins today
It's time to "Let 'Em Know" the Cavs have some of the best players in the NBA. Voting for the 2026 All-Star Game starts today at noon. You can help get some of the Cavs' stars like Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen to this year's game. To cast your vote, go to the Cavs website or download the NBA app. This morning, the Cavs will join us live in the studio with more on how to help get those players to Los Angeles.
Powerball jackpot now at $1.25 billion
Feeling lucky? Tonight is your next chance to become a billionaire. It's only the second time this year a jackpot of more than a billion bucks has been up for grabs. The last time a jackpot was won was on September 6th. You can watch the drawing right here on News 5 right before our 11 p.m. newscast.
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Your forecast
Finally, it is above freezing! Temperatures across most of Northeast Ohio are *30* degrees warmer than they were this time yesterday. A stray morning shower along the lakefront, otherwise cloudy with highs in the lower 40s.
Visit our News 5 weather page to see today's forecast.
Traffic impact
View our News 5 Traffic Map to see any road closures or delays due to weather or crashes.
