The headlines

Discretionary authority: Prosecutors long have used their discretionary authority to let some lesser crimes go to keep caseloads workable while still achieving justice. Now, Robert Higgs reports, there’s a growing trend among progressive prosecutors declaring they just will not enforce some GOP-backed state laws in the name of doing right by their constituents. In Cuyahoga County, that includes abortion.

Jayland Walker: Police experts say the investigation into whether Akron police officers were justified in shooting Jayland Walker could hinge on whether the officers had reason to believe that he was reaching for a gun as they chased him. Cory Shaffer reports  two national experts raised questions over the dozens of times eight officers fired at Walker.

Job sites: Team NEO, a private nonprofit that promotes business and job growth and serves as Greater Cleveland’s JobsOhio partner, is looking for someone who can help find six to 10 large sites that could house new or expanding companies. Sean McDonnell reports  the idea is to do the investigation and legwork up front, so when companies come calling, Team NEO can show them a piece of land and have a plan to make it shovel ready.

Today in Ohio

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services is deploying a Rapid Response team to Cuyahoga County following cleveland reporting of unsafe conditions for youth and staff at the Jane Edna Hunter Social Services Center. We’re talking about addressing rampant violence, abuse and sexual assault at the facility on Today in Ohio. 

Statehouse & politics

Executive order: President Joe Biden on Friday blasted Ohio’s abortion restrictions as he signed an executive order aimed at protecting reproductive healthcare services such as abortion and contraception in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing states to outlaw abortion.Sabrina Eaton reports  Biden cited the case of a 10-year-old Ohio rape victim who had to travel to Indiana for an abortion because of the state’s ban on abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.

Metro

Children’s services: Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish has not publicly addressed reports of unsafe conditions for youth and staff at the children services office. However, staff are skeptical of changes they say he’s promising behind the scenes. Kaitlin Durbin reports Budish met with Division of Children and Family Services employees at the Jane Edna Hunter Social Services Center on Friday to outline how the county plans to address reports of children harming themselves and others, including human trafficking and rape.

Slush funds: The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office has formally given County Council members a green light to continue distributing $66 million in stimulus money to projects in their districts, determining the spending does not violate the county charter. Kaitlin Durbin reports  the formal opinion came in response to concerns from Lee Weingart, the Republican candidate for county executive, who criticized the spending.