coronavirus - business

Federal authorities have charged more than a dozen men with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and overthrow the government. And the feds say that group did some of its planning this summer in Ohio, where extremist groups have been active since at least 1994.

Bars throughout the state have been begging Gov. Mike DeWine to loosen the restriction put in place under a coronavirus order that requires them to cut off sales at 10 pm.  Now, DeWine signals those rules might be relaxed soon.

If you’ve been missing picking that perfect donut out of the glass case to go with your morning coffee, your wait should soon be over. The state has given the green light to retailers to once again sell buffet style and to-go self-serve items that went away months ago to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

As he hinted he would, Gov. Mike DeWine has signed a law that will shield first responders, businesses and schools from COVID-19 related lawsuits. It’s one of the first coronavirus immunity laws in the country.

State lawmakers have sent on to Gov. Mike DeWine a bill to shield first responders, businesses and schools from COVID-19 related lawsuits. The bill had passed the House overwhelmingly in May, but this time Democrats had serious concerns with how the Senate changed it.

A lawsuit has been filed in federal court, asking it to remove the state of emergency declared in March that led to restrictions imposed on the state’s businesses to prevent coronavirus spread. 

Ohio lawmakers will hold a final vote next week on a bill that would shield first responders, businesses and schools from coronavirus-related lawsuits from patients, customers or students.

More than half of the state’s restaurants and bars could be out of business soon, according to a survey by the Ohio Restaurant Association. Owners of those establishments say the restrictions put on them because of COVID-19 are hurting their businesses. And they fear it will get worse.

The Ohio Liquor Control Commission adopted a rule banning restaurants and bars in Ohio from serving alcohol after 10 p.m. Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) says this rule can help stem the spread of COVID-19. But restaurant and bar owners believe they're being unfairly targeted.

The COVID19 pandemic has hurt a lot of businesses but not the residential real estate market in Ohio. And there are a couple of factors that are at play here.

A new report from a group of business leaders shows many Ohio companies cannot get back on their feet because their employees no longer have affordable day care options. 

Nine dance studios are suing the state of Ohio over mandated shutdowns and limitations imposed on their businesses. 

A bill that would allow bars and restaurants to use parking lots, green space and even streets for social distancing for customers is now being considered by the Senate. But there’s a provision in the bill that didn’t get much attention till it was on the floor – a plan to extend the hours that bars can stay open.

Summertime is prime time for amusement parks, zoos and other venues. But the months of shutdown and the limits on operations – plus safety concerns from consumers – are all having a big impact on communities that rely on tourism dollars.

The state of Ohio has not been denying anyone jobless benefits for COVID-19 related reasons, such as concerns about contracting coronavirus on the job or being ordered to quarantine. But that is changing for people who can’t find child care.

Reports of child abuse in Ohio are down dramatically, but those working in the field say they’re concerned that the real incidents of child abuse are actually on the rise. Advocates are preparing for a surge of new reports that could come from child care providers, camps and eventually schools as those facilities all open up.

A court in eastern Ohio has dismissed a case that brought criminal charges against the owner of a diner in Cambridge for failing to comply with rules set forth in the state’s reopening plan for restaurants. This was the outcome the state’s Attorney General had requested.

The owners of eight bars and restaurants in Northeast Ohio are suing Gov. Mike DeWine and Department of Health Director Amy Acton over rules put in place for restaurants to reopen following closure due to coronavirus. 

With most of Ohio’s businesses allowed to open up, experts who’ve worked with the state on the modeling it used to create its COVID-19 policies are evaluating their predictions for what’s ahead.

1.2 million Ohioans have filed jobless claims since mid-March. And as Ohio’s businesses reopen, workers are concerned about the availability of child care, the cleanliness of their workplaces and the safety of vulnerable family members as they go back to work. And the agency processing claims has seen that concern too.

Wedding venues, banquet halls and large catering facilities can reopen June 1st. And some venues say they are ready to open now.

For the first time since World War II, the Ohio State Fair won’t go on as scheduled. The fair was set to start on July 29.

Ohio’s bars and restaurants would be able to expand their seating and service into parking lots or public grounds under a new bill at the Statehouse. And they’d also be able to sell alcohol for delivery through third-party services such as GrubHub or Doordash.

As restaurants and bars that had been closed since March opened for outdoor dining this weekend, pictures of packed patios from around the state appeared to show operators and patrons ignoring social distancing protocols. And some restaurants didn’t open their patios for service at all.

A group of 35 independent gyms and fitness centers is suing the state, saying they could reopen for business safely but they’re not being allowed to.

The slowdown of the economy because of COVID-19 has had a huge impact on traffic and transit. And even though the state’s gas tax that funds road construction went up by 10.5 cents a gallon last July, the Ohio Department of Transportation is bracing for a big hit. 

Many of Ohio’s retail stores that had been closed for the past few weeks opened today. There was a light yet steady stream of shoppers inside a Columbus area book store.

Non-essential businesses that were closed during the past month due to COVID-19 are now starting to reopen. But some worry that’s happening too quickly without proper safeguards.