CLEVELAND — On Monday's 3News Now with Stephanie Haney, the top headlines include a Summit County judge under quarantine related to coronavirus concerns, how schools are being proactive about handling possible COVID-19 infections, 'Judge Judy' coming off the air after 25 years, and the Cleveland Cavaliers keeping Tristan Thompson on the roster.
Plus, changes take effect to Giant Eagle's FuelPerks+ program, road work is officially underway on Route 8 in Summit County, and Saturday Night Live jokes about the harsh realities of traveling from New York City to Cleveland.
In Northeast Ohio, the coronavirus has started to hit close to home as a Summit County Common Pleas judge is currently under quarantine. This is a "cautionary measure" after the the Honorable Judge Alison McCarty traveled to Italy with her family in late February, a country which is currently under a "Level 3" travel advisory as designated by the United States government due to ongoing spread of the coronavirus. All travel to the country should be reconsidered.
As concerns grow over possible spreading of the virus, Lakewood City Schools sent a letter to parents asking that students "stay home when sick and don’t return to school for at least 24 hours of being fever-free without the use of medication."
The Rocky River school district sent a similar letter, as well, with both containing tips to avoid the spread of germs during the flu season.
For those with a morning commute in Summit County, work has begun on Route 8's northbound lanes, causing changes in traffic patterns.
As of March 1, northbound traffic is split into two separate lanes. The left lane will cross over onto Route 8 southbound, while the right lane will use the median lane of Route 8 northbound.
For those who want to exit at Seasons Road, Steels Corners Road, or Route 303, you MUST be traveling in the right lane. Those in the left lane will not be able to access these exits.
Also beginning on Sunday, additional ramps are closed, which you can find information about here.
One thing that didn't change this weekend was Tristan Thompson's address, as the Cleveland Cavaliers opted not to buy him out from his contract. 3News sports analyst Ben Axelrod joins the live stream to talk about why this was a possibility and what it means for the future of Thompson and the Cavs.
It's a different story, though, for Giant Eagle's FuelPerks+ program, which adjustments going into effect on Sunday.
The big ones: if you don't earn at least 50 points in a month, you'll lose your points and the company will no longer double manufacturer coupons.
Even bigger change hits the daytime television lineup, as the Honorable Judy Sheindlin has decided to step down from "Judge Judy" after 25 years on the air.
It's being called one of the biggest changes to daily syndicated television since Oprah Winfrey ended her talk show, and Sheindlin's formal announcement will come today on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Sheindlin, who is now reportedly being paid $47 million per year for the show, is set to begin a new television show called "Justice Judy," but hasn't revealed much about that concept for format.
Stephanie had the good fortune of interviewing Sheindlin in 2016 while earning her Master of Journalism at the University of Southern California, and she shared how she negotiated her pay each season by writing down a number that made it worth it for her to return, in a take-it-or-leave-it style, which brought her up to her hefty paycheck of today.
On Ellen, she also is said to promise that fans will be able to watch another full year of original "Judge Judy" episodes before it goes to reruns.
In more entertainment news, Cleveland was in the limelight on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" this weekend, with jokes about the nightmare travel realities of getting to the Land from New York City.
In a skit titled, "Airport Sushi," SNL actors chronicle the trials of navigating the LarGuardia Airport, including flight cancellations and delays while headed to Cleveland.
Fast forward to 5:25 for the Cleveland reference in the video below.
