Five things to know for Tuesday, Oct. 28
Two charged in Oct. 5 fatal Akron shooting
Akron police have charged two people in connection with the Oct. 5 shooting death of a 25-year-old Wooster man who was shot in the head. Authorities said Timothy Hutchinson was caught in the crossfire of two shooters in Akron’s Highland Square.
Emahni Thomas, 23, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and other charges, including tampering with evidence, Cleveland 19 reported. Deshawn Stafford, 24, faces murder and other charges, including discharging a firearm on a public roadway.
In 2023, Stafford was sentenced to 18 months for aggravated assault in connection with the death of 17-year-old Ethan Liming outside of an Akron school.
Officials approve tax incentives for 12 projects
State officials announced that the Ohio Tax Credit Authority approved 12 projects that they believe will create 1,126 new jobs and retain 2,686 jobs statewide.
The agency approved the credits at its monthly meeting, when it reviewed economic development proposals submitted by JobsOhio and its regional partners. Officials contend the projects could result in more than $73 million in new payroll and generate more than $2 billion in investments across the Buckeye State.
Republican lawmakers want taxpayer-funded childcare
Proposed legislation would provide taxpayer-funded childcare to Ohioans who work as childcare staff members. It is not contingent on a family’s income.
House Bill 484, sponsored by state Reps. Gary Click, R-Vickery, and Mike Odioso, R-Green Twp., requires the Department of Children and Youth to launch the Workforce Investment Now for Child Care pilot program. The taxpayer-funded childcare would be available to employees primarily responsible for the care and supervision of children.
Ohio to award money for residential rehabilitation
Ohio officials are poised to dole out $91.2 million in taxpayer dollars over the next two years to help some entities buy residential properties and either rehabilitate them or build homes.
The money, included in the state’s spending plan, is part of the Welcome Home Ohio Program through the Ohio Department of Development. Officials also created nonrefundable tax credits totaling $20 million for the two-year period for qualifying rehabs and new construction, to be applied once the property is sold.
DataOhio Portal hits one million dataset views
The Ohio Department of Administrative Services said the DataOhio Portal has reached one million dataset views. The state’s hub for public data access was established in 2020.
The portal includes data on a variety of topics, including public health trends. Officials argue that the portal enables the public, policymakers, and communities to easily access information and make data-informed decisions.
