CINCINNATI — Ohio's primary election is May 3 and although state house and congressional races will be omitted from the ballots because district maps remain unapproved and uncertain, there are still several elections on the ballot for voters to consider.

The following are races in which candidates are not running unopposed for their party; unopposed candidates move on to the general election, so WCPO is highlighting only the races in which there is more than one candidate running. Likewise, independent candidates do not participate in primary elections and will be on the ballot for the general election in November, so they are not represented in this list.

Voters can find their polling location here.

Gubernatorial Primary

Democrat candidates:

John Cranley

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Cranley’s no stranger to Cincinnati. The Price Hill neighborhood native and St. Xavier High School alum served as Cincinnati’s mayor from 2013 to 2022. Cranley touts positive population growth for the first time in 60 years under his leadership, the Milken Institute’s title of best performing city, poverty reduction, and spearheading an effort to invest in solar energy. Cranley picked Sen. Teresa Fedor as his running mate for Lt. Governor.

Cranley leans on his legal experience which includes co-founding and directing the Ohio Innocence Project, which aims to free wrongfully convicted people.

Cranley’s platform points include:

• Expanding options for early learning

• Creating 120,000 jobs that pay at least $60,000 a year

• Legalizing and taxing marijuana

• Creating access to universal Broadband, Internet, and WiFi

You can read Cranley's full platform, titled "Ohio's Comeback" here. To learn more about Cranley, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Nan Whaley

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Many folks in the Tri-state are also familiar with Whaley. She was elected Dayton’s mayor in 2013. She ran unopposed in 2017. It was the first time in the city’s history where a mayoral race ran uncontested. Whaley became known to a wider audience in 2019, when a shooter killed 9 people and hurt several others at a bar in Dayton. Whaley is the only woman running for Governor in the Democratic and Republican primaries.

Whaley picked Cheryl Stephens as her running mate for Lt. Governor. She is the only candidate in both the Democratic and Republican primaries to have a person of color as a running mate. This is Whaley’s 2nd time running for Governor. She announced her candidacy in 2017, but dropped out in January 2018.

Whaley’s platform points include:

• Defending a woman’s right to choose

• Fighting for paid family leave for all Ohioans

• Investing in Ohio’s Appalachian Communities

You can read Whaley’s full platform here.

To learn more about Whaley you can check out her website, Twitter and Facebook.

Republican candidates include:

Incumbent Mike DeWine

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Gov. DeWine has held office since 2019 and has a long political record. He served as Greene County's prosecutor from 1977 to 1981. From there, he became an Ohio senator, representing the 10th district from 1980 to 1982

He was then elected to congress and represented Ohio's 7th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 1991. He served as Lt. Governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1994, U.S. Senator from 1995 to 2007 and, most recently, as Ohio's attorney general from 2011 to 2019.

DeWine was endorsed by former President Trump in the 2018 election, but Trump has not endorsed anyone in the Gubernatorial race this year.

DeWine’s platform points mostly tout his accomplishments in office. That includes:

• Creating jobs by brokering a deal with Intel to invest $20 billion in Ohio

• Cutting $2.2 billion in taxes, calling it “the largest tax cut in history”

• Reducing crime by investing millions into law enforcement agencies

• Signing the heartbeat bill into law, which bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected

You can read his full platform and office accomplishments here. To learn more about DeWine, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Joe Blystone

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Blystone brands himself as a “constitutional conservative,” but has no political experience and has never run for public office. He founded Blystone Farm in 2004 and created a non-profit Blystone Agricultural Inc. in 2019 aiming to teach people about food and farming.

Blystone picked author Jeremiah Workman as his Lt. Governor.

Blystone’s platform points include:

• “Protecting the American Dream”

• Revising state, local, and business taxes

To learn more about Blystone, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Jim Renacci

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Renacci has a longstanding political background but is recovering from a recent stumble. Renacci served the city of Wadsworth as mayor, city council president, and the Board of Zoning Appeals from 1994 to 2008. From 2011 to 2019, he served as a U.S. Representative from Ohio’s 16th Congressional District. He’s been on the Budget, Ways and Means, and Financial Services committees. In 2018, he lost his senate bid to Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) by just under 7 points. Former President Trump endorsed him for that race. He was the sole Republican to lose statewide that election cycle.

Renacci picked filmmaker Joe Knopp as his Lt. Governor.

Renacci’s platform points include:

• Using energy resources like coal, natural gas and oil “to their full capabilities”

• Protecting religious liberties

• Supporting law enforcement

• Making Ohio a family destination

You can read more about Renacci's platform here. To learn more about Renacci, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

U.S. Senate Primary

Democrat candidates include:

Morgan Harper

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Harper has never been elected to public office, but she’s no stranger to politics. She served in the Obama Administration as a senior advisor at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Harper’s legal experience is largely focused on consumer protection, but she’s also used her knowledge of the law in the non-profit arena as a director of policy and advocacy at the American Economic Liberties Project, which aims to break up corporate monopolies.

Harper’s platform points include:

• modernizing public transportation

• debt-free public education

She also has a jobs plan laid out, which you can read here. To learn more about Harper, you can visit her website, Twitter and Facebook.

Traci "TJ" Johnson

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Johnson has a long history of public service, elected to the position of Franklin County Ward Committee Woman. She held the position for more than 20 years. She’s also worked in several Ohio State offices including the Department of Administrative Services, Office of Budget & Management, Attorney General’s Office, and Environmental Protection Agency.

Johnson currently works as an information technology executive and the president of an IT solutions company. She’s also been hired as a general manager for two major corporations.

Johnson’s platform points include:

• improving the state’s digital infrastructure

• restructuring student loans

• protecting women’s reproductive rights

• supporting small and minority owned businesses.

Johnson laid out her vision for Ohio titled “Our Plan: New Future For Ohio.” You can read that in full here.

To learn more about Johnson, you can check out her website, Twitter and Facebook.

Tim Ryan

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Ryan is the political juggernaut in this democratic primary, with analysts saying it’s his election to lose. Ryan has served 10 terms as a U.S. Representative for Ohio’s 13th district. Ryan’s touted his passion for the economy, which related to his service on the House Appropriations Committee, which controls federal spending. He’s also the co-chairman of the Congressional Manufacturing Caucus. In previous years, Ryan served in the Ohio State Senate.

Ryan’s platform points include:

• curbing dependence on foreign oil

• increasing access to opioid addiction treatment

• family faming (which he’s written a book about)

If you’d like to see Ryan’s voting record in comparison to his platform points you can click here.

To learn more about Ryan, you can check out his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Republican candidates include:

Matt Dolan

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Dolan currently serves as an Ohio State Senator representing the 24th district. His term is set to end in December of 2024. In 20204, Dolan was elected to serve in the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the 98th district. Dolan was re-elected twice in 2006 and 2010. In January 2010, he resigned to run for Cuyahoga County executive and lost. He took a break from politics to work in the Cleveland Guardians before his successful campaign for state senator. Dolan has also served as assistant state attorney general and later chief assistant prosecutor for Geauga County.

Dolan’s platform points include:

• supporting law enforcement

• strengthening national security

You can read more about his platform here. To learn more about Dolan, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Mike Gibbons

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Gibbons is fairly new to the political realm. He’s more so an entrepreneur, starting his own business at the age of 37. Brown Gibbons Lang & Company provides strategic and financial advice to businesses. He’s also worked as managing partner of the Cleveland Crunch, co-owner of Cheboygan Tap & Tool, and co-owner of Northern Lake Properties.

Gibbons has been a longtime supporter of former President Donald Trump. He served as Trump’s Ohio finance co-chair in 2016. He decided to dive headfirst into politics shortly after that in 2017 with an unsuccessful campaign for U.S. Senate. He lost to Jim Renacci in the primary, who’s now running against Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in the Republican Gubernatorial Primary.

Gibbons' platform points include:

• Healthcare reform through state-based systems

• Banning critical race theory

• Instating congressional term limits

You can read about Gibbons' full platform here. To learn more about Gibbons, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Josh Mandel

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Mandel is hoping to continue his run of successful campaigns into a winning strategy to nab the win in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate. He’s recently finished two terms as Treasurer of the State of Ohio. He was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. Mandel also served two terms in the Ohio House of Representatives representing the 17th district from 2007 - 2011. The Marine Corps veteran served on the Veterans Affairs, Public Utilities, Finance and Appropriation, and Alternative Energy Committees. Mandel ran for a U.S. Senate seat in 2018, but withdrew four months before the primary citing his now ex-wife’s health.

Mandel’s platform points include:

• Defunding Planned Parenthood

• Advocating for parental choice in education

• Finishing the U.S/Mexico border wall

• Expanding rights afforded by the Second amendment

You can read about Mandel's full platform here. To learn more about Mandel, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Neil Patel

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Patel has more of an entrepreneurial background, but has had a taste of the political world.

Patel touts his decades of experience in creating successful business relationships. Patel immigrated to American from India and was granted citizenship in 1994. Patel cites his time working on Sen. Joe Manchin’s transition team is what helped him realize he was a conservative Republican. Patel also serves as a Republican Delaware County Central Committee Member.

Patel’s platform points include:

• Tax cuts supported by former President Trump

• Reigning in spending and social programs

• Reducing spending on elections and simplifying the process of elections

• Finishing the U.S./Mexico border wall

You can read about Patel's full platform here. To learn more about Patel, you can visit his website and Facebook.

Mark Pukita

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Pukita touts himself as “an authentic Ohio voice, not one of them,” citing his “lower working-class roots.” Pukita started a company called Fast Switch in Columbus in 1996. He ultimately sold most of the business to his executive team.

On his website, Pukita says he was never a fan of Portman’s voting record and decisions.

Pukita’s platform points include:

• Uniting the U.S. in an “America first vision”

• Protecting Constitutional rights, particularly the 1st, 2nd, 10th, and 14th amendments

• Tightening border security

You can read about Pukita's full platform here. To learn more about Pukita, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Jane Timken

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Timken is the only woman running for U.S. Senate in the Republican Primary. Timken is a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump. Timken was elected vice chairwoman of the Republican Party of Ohio in May 2010, and in 2017 was elected as chairwoman. She’s the first chairwoman of the Ohio GOP. During that time, Trump won the state but lost the election. Timken was endorsed by retiring Sen. Rob Portman.

Timken is a Cincinnati native, but now lives in Stark County.

Timken’s platform points include:

• Protecting Ohio’s economy through low taxes and less regulation

• Supporting Ohio’s farmers

• Returning to “America First” immigration policies

You can read about Timken's full platform here. To learn more about Timken, you can visit her website, Twitter and Facebook.

J.D. Vance

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Vance, who bills himself as a “conservative outsider,” nabbed former President Trump’s endorsement. Despite his negative comments on Trump and his supporters in the past, Trump said in a statement, “[Vance] is our best chance for victory in what could be a tough race.”

Vance is a Middletown native, Marine Corps veteran and was brought to prominence to a wider audience after releasing his book Hillbilly Elegy, which Netflix turned into a movie in 2020.

Vance’s platform points include:

• Restoring America’s manufacturing base

• Raising taxes on companies that send jobs overseas

• Breaking up Big Tech monopolies

You can read about Vance's full platform here. To learn more about Vance, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Secretary of State Republican candidates

The democrat candidate in this race is running unopposed in the primary and will automatically be on the ballot in the general election in November.

Incumbent Frank LaRose

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LaRose is the incumbent in this race and received the endorsement from former President Trump. The U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret Veteran was elected to the position in 2018. Before that, he served two terms in the Ohio State Senate.

As the incumbent, LaRose’s platform points mostly tout his accomplishments:

• Securing elections with audits showing a nearly 100% accuracy rate

• Spearheading legislation creating a civilian “Cyber Reserve” to respond to cyber attacks against the government

• Advocating for small businesses

• Advocating for a limited and efficient government

To learn more about LaRose you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

John Adams

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Adams has a long history of public service, representing district 85 in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2007 to 2014. He also served as Majority Whip for six years. Adams ran for the Ohio Senate to represent district 12 in 2016, but was defeated in the Republican primary by Matt Huffman with nearly 64% of the vote.

The Navy SEALs veteran has also served on the Shelby County Republican Central Committee.

Adams platform points include:

• Ensuring the integrity of Ohio’s elections

• Promoting "common sense" Voter ID laws

To learn more about Adams, you can visit his website and Facebook.

Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Republican candidates

The democrat candidate in this race is running unopposed in the primary and will automatically be on the ballot in the general election in November.

Steven Goodin

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Goodin is no stranger to Cincinnati politics. He was appointed to City Council after a corruption scandal brought down some of its most prominent councilmembers. His bid for a seat in the 2021 election was unsuccessful. Goodin’s also served on the Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission.

The U.S. Army veteran describes himself as an “experienced litigator” and worked as a prosecutor.

Goodin’s platform points include:

• Providing easier access to bond information

• Creating a help center for small businesses who can’t afford attorneys

To learn more about Goodin, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Pakkiri "Raj" Rajagopal

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Rajagopal has a varied resume. He started his venture into public service as a Hamilton County deputy sheriff. He says that helped him make great relationships with judges and learn the intricacies of the court system. In all, Rajagopal has more than 40 years experience in the court system. In 2017, Rajagopal was elected to a four-year term as a Colerain Township Trustee.

In 2012, Rajagopal made a bid for the Ohio House of Representatives in district 29, he was defeated in the Republican primary by Louis Blessing III by nearly 63%.

To learn more about Rajagopal, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Clermont County Auditor

Linda Fraley

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Fraley is the incumbent in this race, boasting more than 30 years of experience in accounting and business management. She touts her office receiving the Ohio Auditor of State’s Award of Distinction, with her website citing it’s given to fewer than 5% of all Ohio government agencies. Fraley has also served three four-year terms on the Clermont County Board of Education and served four years as president.

During her last re-election campaign, Fraley faced controversy with allegations of nepotism connected to hiring her stepson in 2002, but they were dismissed in April 2018 by the Clermont County municipal court. It was levied by her competitor in that primary.

To learn more about Fraley, you can visit her website and Facebook.

Tim Rudd

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Rudd has political experience in the county, getting elected as the clerk of municipal court for 18 years. According to Rudd’s website, he was also the bookkeeper for the office that saw anywhere from an upwards of $8 million.

Rudd was also the chair of the Clermont Republican party for 16 years.

To learn more about Rudd you can check out his website.

Warren County Commissioner Republican Primary

The democrat candidate in this race is running unopposed in the primary and will automatically be on the ballot in the general election in November.

Amy Brewer

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Brewer is a fixture in Lebanon where she’s served as mayor for 20 years. Before that, she was elected to city council and served as vice mayor for 12 years. Brewer has also held leadership positions with Main Street Lebanon and Citizens for Quality Lebanon Schools.

Brewer’s platform points include:

• Supporting law enforcement and first responders

• Expanding economic development in Warren County

• Addressing the workforce crisis

• Make access to mental health resources easier for residents

To learn more about Brewer, you can visit her website and Facebook.

Tom Grossman

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Grossman is the incumbent in this race, serving Warren County commissioner. He was elected in 2014. He won his first ever election in 2001, when he was elected to Mason City Council and served until 2009 and served again from 2011 – 2014. Grossman was also elected Mayor of Mason. He’s served as the chairman of the Warren County Republican Party from 2002-2010.

Grossman also has experience in the private sector working as a lawyer, primarily in corporate law and litigation.

To learn more about Grossman, you can visit his website and Facebook.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio is awarding $47 million for security upgrades at over 1,100 schools in 81 counties, and will accept applications for another $53 million in that grant program, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tuesday.

The K-12 schools sharing in the $47 million applied when the program was launched last year with an initial $5 million but didn’t receive grants then. They're getting up to $50,000 each for physical safety upgrades, such as security cameras, automatic door locks, visitor badging systems and exterior lighting.

DeWine had announced plans to provide more money for school security upgrades in the days after the deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The larger pool for this year’s grants is supported by federal pandemic relief funding the state received through the American Rescue Plan Act.

While there’s “nothing magical” about the total $100 million, it’s a good place to start with basic safety needs, the Republican governor said.

DeWine said his administration wants to ensure that every school "has the basic, basic minimum, at least, of school safety functions.”

The school districts receiving the most money include $1.6 million Cleveland, over $900,000 for Cincinnati and Columbus, $800,000 for Springfield, and over $600,000 for Akron, Dublin and Lakota, north of Cincinnati.

Schools that didn't apply or receive grants through the program are slated to get priority when the state begins accepting applications in the coming weeks for the remaining $53 million.

CINCINNATI — When Ohio legalized sports betting last year, it joined New York as the second state to pledge sports betting tax proceeds to youth sports. This year, state lawmakers are calling an audible.

Ohio’s next operating budget will restrict, reduce or eliminate funding for youth sports, depending on which provisions survive a House-Senate conference committee that is expected to finalize the spending plan by June 30.

The youth sports provisions are among several changes outlined in the budget for the sports betting industry. Others include a proposed doubling of Ohio’s tax rate on sports wagers to 20% and new language that would let Ohio’s three largest counties — including Hamilton — have up to seven retail sportsbooks instead of five.

Ohio’s sports betting industry generated about $6.4 million in tax proceeds in its first four months. Budget documents say that could rise to $135 million in the 12 months starting July 1, if Governor Mike DeWine’s tax hike remains in the final version of the budget.

Ohio law currently requires 98% of sports betting tax proceeds to be split equally between education and K-12 athletics/extracurricular activities.

But this year’s budget includes several provisions that would modify the original plan:

• The governor’s budget calls for any funds earmarked for sports to be used first to “reduce or eliminate pay-to-play fees for interscholastic athletics and extra-curricular activities.”
• The House budget calls for sports spending to be capped at $15 million per year, with at least $500,000 of that amount “to fund adaptive sports programs in school districts across the state.”
• The Senate budget would eliminate funding for youth sports by requiring 98% of sports betting tax proceeds to be distributed according to Ohio’s funding formula for education.

“We intend to fight the Senate on this issue,” said Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Green Township, in an email to WCPO 9 News. “To my dismay, the Senate has chosen to eviscerate the original sports gaming bill in this regard by appropriating not a farthing for sports and extra-curricular activities, but rather, putting it all in school funding.”
Seitz said the House decided to cap spending on sports and extracurricular activities because $15 million was “the approximate amount” that lawmakers expected sports betting to generate.

“It was originally anticipated that the sports gaming tax would only amount to about $25 million per year,” Seitz said. “We now find that it is vastly more revenue-productive than that.”

Seitz said the sports funding provisions are “one of 883 points of difference between the House and Senate versions of the bill. At this point, it is quite impossible for me to predict what is likely to be in the final budget bill.”

Ohio’s plan for sports betting taxes has long been a mystery, as the WCPO 9 I-Team learned last May when it asked leaders of the House and Senate, gambling regulators and the Department of Education to explain how the funds would be distributed for sports programs. The Office of Management and Budget pointed to language in the sports betting bill, which said funds would be “determined in appropriations made by the General Assembly.”

Based on that lack of detail, some are not surprised that legislators are now considering an end to sports funding before the first appropriations were made.

“I don’t think anything in government surprises me anymore,” said Scott Kaufman, athletic director at Lakota West High School. “Here’s the one thing we do know that is a statistical fact: Kids that are involved in student activities, whether it’s athletics or music or drama are going to be more successful in the classroom.”

One group impacted by the changes is Adaptive Sports Ohio, which currently receives $250,000 in state funding to help school districts establish wheelchair basketball teams. It’ll have 16 districts with programs this fall and hopes to reach 100 within five years.

“The House version would help us grow a lot more quickly,” said Lisa Followay, executive director of the Wooster-based nonprofit. “It would help us support a lot more school districts. It would help us see more students with disabilities participating in athletics. However, with the Senate version, we’re still going to receive support and still be able to move forward.”

CINCINNATI — The block on Ohio's state law that largely bans abortions will stand, according to a Friday appeals court decision.

The ruling also sends the case down to lower, trial court to continue.

The appeals court decision is upholding a Hamilton County judge's October decision to extend the block on the law, which placed the law on hold indefinitely through a preliminary injunction. That injunction allows abortion in Ohio up to 22 weeks of pregnancy.

Ohio's "Heartbeat Law" bans doctors from conducting abortions once a heartbeat is detected, and originally went into effect in June 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade.

The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24, 2022, which dismantled the 50 years of abortion rights protection. The Heartbeat Law had been stalled prior to Roe v Wade's overturning, but was imposed within days of the Supreme Court's decision.

Hamilton County Judge Christian Jenkins originally blocked the law in September for two weeks, and then the judge extended that block another two weeks.

At the end of September, Jenkins extended that block a third time before October's preliminary injunction.

In the October ruling, Jenkins said there is no dispute that abortion is a medical procedure and is health care.

After Jenkins' preliminary injunction, Attorney General Dave Yost appealed, but the 1st District Court of Appeals unanimously voted 3-0 Friday to not consider his appeal.

In appeals court, the plaintiffs, including the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, successfully argued that appeals can only review final orders, not preliminary injunctions that are simply maintaining the status quo.

"We are pleased that the appeal was correctly dismissed for lack of jurisdiction and that the case will continue before the trial court towards a final decision on the merits," said leaders from Planned Parenthood, the ALCU of Ohio and more in a statement. "The state will fight us every step of the way but we know that Senate Bill 23 violates the Ohio Constitution and we are confident that the law is on our side."

READ MORE:
Ohio Senate GOP to clarify women's health exemptions on six-week abortion ban
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2 abortion rights coalitions seek, separately, to codify abortion rights

FAIRFIELD, Ohio — A man wanted for striking a Sheriff’s cruiser during a vehicle pursuit was taken into custody Monday, the Butler County Sheriff's Office said.

Members of the Butler County Regional Narcotics Taskforce along with the U.S. Marshals arrested Jarred Hignite without incident at the Villages of Wildwood Apartments on Monday, the Butler County Sheriff's Office said.

On May 22, Hignite was involved in a vehicle pursuit during which he struck a Sheriff’s cruiser. Hignite has been booked into the Butler County Jail, and is facing charges of felonious assault, failure to comply with order or signal of a police officer, resisting arrest, and a parole violation, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office said.

 

CINCINNATI — Gov. Mike DeWine is taking the first steps to expand Amtrak and passenger rail services in Ohio.

The governor has directed the Ohio Rail Development Commission to apply for funding to expand the rail service, and the Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor Identification and Development program would help Ohio decide possible corridors.

DeWine said this is the first step of many.

"We have a lot of questions that need to be answered before we make any commitments," DeWine said. "The information we gather from this effort will help us make informed decisions about federal opportunities for passenger rail in Ohio."

Two corridors have already been identified in Ohio: Cincinnati-Dayton-Columbus-Cleveland (3CD) and Cleveland-Toledo-Detroit.

If funding is approved, Ohio would get $500,000 from the Federal Railroad Administration per corridor, which would allow the state to bring in a consultant to help create a development plan.

Matthew Dietrich, the executive director of the Ohio Rail Development Commission, said the commission has been working closing with Amtrak to explore options.

"Our work with Amtrak was necessary for a federal application but it is just the first step," Dietrich said. "The Governor has been very clear that for this to work for Ohio, it is not just a matter of cost. It has to be done in a way that does not impede freight rail traffic in the state that is so important to our economy and our businesses."

Though it is just a preliminary step, passenger rail transit advocates are lauding the effort as a light at the end of a long tunnel.

"Where Ohio stands now is literally standing because we don't have any trains — most of Ohio doesn't have trains," said Stu Nicholson, executive director of All Aboard Ohio. "This is more than just being able, for any of us to get on a train and ride where we want to go."

The last time Cincinnati was connected to Cleveland by train was in 1967 and the last train to run through Columbus was in 1979.

Today there are three Amtrak routes servicing Ohio. Two run through Cleveland once daily and another runs through Cincinnati's Union Terminal three days a week.

Nicholson stresses the logistical and economic benefit improved rail transit could bring to the state.

"If we have companies that are based in Ohio — for instance Procter & Gamble or General Electric in the Cincinnati area — if they want to expand and add more people they want to basically draw upon the largest possible workforce to make that happen, rail does that," he said.

In 2021 Amtrak released Connect US, a comprehensive report on the future of rail transit across the county. It estimated a corridor connecting Cincinnati to Columbus would result in an annual economic impact of $129.6 million dollars for the state.

Senator Sherrod Brown applauded DeWine and said he was working with Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to "make sure Ohio gets its fair share, or more."

"Expanding Amtrak in Ohio, whether along current routes or by connecting Cleveland-Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati, would transform our state's economy and improve mobility for all Ohioans," Brown said. "I will continue to fight to make Ohio's transit more reliable and efficient so more Ohioans can access employment and education opportunities across the state."

The last time Ohio came close to expanding passenger rail service was in 2010.

The federal government granted the state $400 million to build the 3CD corridor but
Governor John Kasich killed the project over his opposition to state support for passenger rail.
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CINCINNATI — Gov. Mike DeWine spoke Friday about the East Palestine train derailment and the possible environmental impacts. In his press conference, DeWine dispelled misinformation and gave insight into the efforts being taken, including efforts taken with chemically contaminated creeks and waterways near the village.

DeWine's comments come after videos of contaminated water have circulated online.

Ohio Senator J.D. Vance posted a video of him examining contaminated water.

In the video, Vance is seen at Leslie Run where he says he sees multiple dead fish and worms. There, Vance scrapes the bottom of the creek bed with a stick and a rainbow-colored film can be seen on the surface of the water.

Vance called the discovery "disgusting."

"The fact that these chemicals are still seeping in the ground is an insult to the people who live in East Palestine," Vance said. "Do not forget these people."

Vance's video is just one of many videos circulating on social media that depict what looks like chemicals in the water.

On Friday, DeWine dispelled that these waterways — which are closely located to East Palestine — are dangerous to larger waterways like the Ohio River.

"(I) know there has been some video played on TV circulating visible, physical contamination in one of the local waterways," DeWine said.

The governor said a section of Sulphur Run near the train derailment site remains severely contaminated, and it's going to take awhile to remediate. He said to avoid the area at this point, but that any further issues in the water ways surrounding that area have been prevented.

"Very soon after the crash, Sulphur Run was dammed so the contamination in that part of the creek does not contaminate any of the other water," DeWine said.

DeWine said clean water is being pumping from the eastern dam, funneling it away from the contaminated section of the creek and releasing it back into Sulphur Run at the western dam.

DeWine emphasized that dealing with the contaminated water, and soil, will take some time, but he didn't specify exactly how long.

He did say the chemical plume found in the Ohio River has completely dissipated, citing latest test samples. Despite this, Greater Cincinnati Water Works will close Cincinnati's water intake in the Ohio River ahead of anticipated contaminated water from the East Palestine train derailment.

READ MORE:
Cincinnati closing Ohio River water intakes to prevent contamination from East Palestine derailment
Why did hazardous materials train derail in East Palestine? A look at the investigation, and rail regulations
'How did this happen?': Former Norfolk Southern train engineer details safety measures in wake of derailment

Critics of Ohio’s new voter ID law say it puts up obstacles to Ohioans voting in response to a nearly non-existent problem. Supporters say it protects the integrity of Ohio’s elections.

Local election officials say it doesn’t change anything for the vast majority of local voters, and the biggest concern — which this article will attempt to address — is confusion.

The deadline to register to vote in Ohio’s May 4 election is April 3, with early voting beginning on April 4.

The new law, which Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law in January, will take effect in April during the first week of early voting. It will require voters to prove their identity with photo identification when casting a ballot in-person. The law also changes the timeline in which absentee voters can mail their ballots.

“The focus of voter ID law was that documents had to have your name and current address,” said Ohio Association of Election Officials President Sherry Poland. “With this new law, the General Assembly moved away from proving where you live to proving who you are.”

Election board directors from Montgomery, Clark, Hamilton, Champaign, Butler and Warren counties confirmed that between roughly 95-99% of people voting in-person, whether it be on Election Day or during in-person early voting, use a driver’s license or state-issued ID card to confirm their residency.

For them, nothing will change.

One group who will be most affected are those used to using other documents such as utility bills, bank statements, paychecks or other government-issued documents — such as county-issued veteran ID cards — that list a person’s name and address. Those people will need to get and bring an Ohio drivers license, state ID, military ID or passport to vote in person.

“Although it may not be the biggest concern of voters, it still will affect the minority of the population that uses utility bills and other documents when they vote,” said Warren County Board of Elections Director Brian Sleeth.

Greene County Board of Elections Deputy Director Llyn McCoy said the vast majority of voters there use IDs to vote that are compliant with the new law, though with five colleges and universities in the county they have a lot of students who used things like dormitory bills or other records to prove residency.

Those students will need to either bring an ID, or vote absentee.

Absentee voting changes

Journal-News

It’s important to note that Ohioans can still cast a ballot without a photo ID, they just have to vote absentee. You can both register to vote and vote by mail using only the last four digits of your Social Security number.

People voting by mail need to return their ballots as soon as they can. The new law reduces the window when elections boards can accept mailed ballots from the tenth day after an election to the fourth day.

Sleeth noted the cuts to the mail-in voting timeline could negatively impact people serving in the military or families with strict work schedules, groups who heavily depend on absentee voting to participate in elections.

“That return period has been dramatically cut,” said Sleeth, who is immediate past president of the OAEO.

Other changes

Other notable changes under the law:

• The law also requires the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to issue state ID cards to Ohioans 17 and older who request them at no charge.

• The timeline for early, in-person voting is changing. The Monday before election day, for example, was removed from the early voting calendar. Hours lost on that day were distributed throughout the week before it.

• The number of drop-off boxes for absentee ballots are limited to one per county.

• Absentee ballots must also now be requested a full week before Election Day, as opposed to the previous Saturday by noon.

• Curbside voting is now limited to Ohio voters who cannot physically enter their polling location.

• August special elections were eliminated.

Montgomery County Board of Elections Director Jeff Rezabek said the introduction of passports as an acceptable form of identification may help bridge the gap for people who lack a driver’s license. The issuing of state ID cards for free will also prove helpful to the 1-2% of voters in his county who historically use alternative forms of ID at the polls.

“We think passports, state IDs will help the rest of the community,” he said.

Free IDs not available yet

Ohio’s free state ID cards will not be distributed by the BMV to interested people until April 7, according to an Ohio Secretary of State’s Office spokesperson. This comes days after the Ohio voter registration deadline and the start of early voting.

Because new state-issued ID cards are mailed to their recipients, the temporary document given to an Ohioan by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles that confirms a card was issued will also be accepted at polling locations, according to Poland. She also serves as the director of the Hamilton County Board of Elections.

The Ohio BMV has already witnessed an uptick in people seeking state ID cards, with more than 340,000 issued in 2021 compared to roughly 250,000 in 2019. In order to obtain a state ID card, applicants must provide proof of their full legal name, date of birth, social security number, citizenship and Ohio street address, according to a BMV spokesperson.

Provisional ballot changes

Those who lack required identification can cast a provisional ballot at their polling location on Election Day.

“We don’t turn away people at the polls,” said Clark County Board of Elections Director Jason Baker. “And we would never deny someone their right to vote provisionally.”

But anyone voting by provisional ballot will have only four days to show their county board of election office a driver’s license, state ID card, military ID or U.S. passport to prove their identity, eliminating the ability to provide the last four digits of their Social Security number.

Voters with disabilities

Curbside voting is now limited to Ohio voters who cannot physically enter their polling location or who have a physical disability.

The ACLU of Ohio in a letter last month asked Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office to clarify HB 458 for Ohio voters with disabilities.

“Curbside voting should be available to anyone who faces difficulty or danger voting within the polling place because of a disability on the day in question,” their letter stated.

ACLU of Ohio added in its letter that the process of obtaining photo identification can be burdensome for voters with disabilities, who may have difficulties in traveling to identification-issuing offices. The group is asking that the law permit voters with disabilities who lack the proper photo ID to provide an affidavit attesting to their identity, a modification already extended to voters who have religious objections.

“These cumbersome hurdles present legal, ethical, and moral concerns about election integrity and accessibility in our state,” said Collin Marozzi, deputy policy director for the ACLU of Ohio. “It was irresponsible of the Ohio General Assembly to push through such vast and unnecessary changes to our voting laws without serious consideration and accommodation for voters with a disability.”

Voter fraud, suppression debate

Republican lawmakers sponsored the bill, citing concerns with voter fraud.

“Election integrity is a significant concern to Americans on both sides of the aisle across the country,” DeWine said in a statement after signing HB 458. “At the same time, I have long believed that Ohio does a good job administering elections, as we have provided ample opportunities to cast votes while avoiding the problems we have seen in recent federal elections in other states.”

Total possible nationwide voter fraud in the 2020 election was roughly 0.0005%, the Associated Press reported.

LaRose in October of 2021 said his office forwarded more than 70 reports of people voting twice in 2020 Ohio general election to the attorney general’s office. Nearly 6 million Ohioans voted during that election, according to the secretary of state’s office.

The Ohio Democratic Party before the bill passed called the legislation “a direct assault” on democracy.

“Republican politicians are making it harder to vote,” Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Waters said. “Even though Republican politicians have admitted that voter fraud is virtually non-existent, they want to consolidate power and keep changing the rules.”

The day the bill was signed, LaRose said: “Ohioans are clearly supportive of strict photo ID for voting and we have found a common-sense way to make it happen that ensures voters are not disenfranchised.

“No piece of legislation is a silver-bullet solution, but we are once again showing Ohioans that we take their concerns seriously and are dedicated to continuously improving our elections.”

Waters said the changes create additional obstacles for voters to participate in democracy.

“Ohio voters have enough to worry about, from taking care of their families to putting food on the table. They shouldn’t have to try to keep up with the obstacles some GOP politicians in Columbus continue to put up in order to obstruct Ohioans’ access to the ballot box,” she said.

Confusion concerns

The law technically doesn’t go into effect until April 7, which is days after early voting starts. To prevent confusion, LaRose issued a directive for all 88 election boards in the state to apply the new law’s rules on April 4.

Election board leaders in the region are concerned primarily with just that: voter confusion.

Butler County Board of Elections director Nicole Unzicker said her staff has been training over the past several weeks to learn about the changes to what ID is acceptable under the new law, what the election timeline looks like and more.

Voting season is often confusing for inexperienced voters. The changes in requirements could add another layer of confusion, but Unzicker said her staff will be joining the state awareness campaign to flag voters to the changes.

“We’re trying to focus on what is acceptable as opposed to what is not,” she said.

Sleeth said election boards across the state have been working to update necessary forms, print out new envelopes and put out messaging in regard to the changes in Ohio’s voting law.

“At this point, it feels like we’re scrambling,” he said.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — As Ohio’s primary approaches, a strict new photo ID requirement is stirring concerns for military veterans and out-of-state college students, in Amish communities and among older voters.

Other Republican-led states are moving in the same direction as they respond to conservative voters unsettled by unfounded claims of widespread fraud and persistent conspiracy theories over the accuracy of U.S. elections. Critics characterize such requirements as an overreaction that could end up disenfranchising eligible voters.

Ruth Kohake is among those caught up in the confusion over Ohio's law, which is going into effect this year. The retired nurse from Cincinnati gave up her driver’s license and her car in 2019. Now 82, she thought she might never have to step foot in another state license agency.

But Ohio now requires an unexpired photo ID in order for someone to vote, and she'll have to get that at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The law adds passports as valid ID, but eliminates nonphoto documentation such as a bank statement, government check or utility bill for registration and in-person voting. Military IDs also are no longer acceptable when registering to vote.

“I’m very, very, very concerned that people are not going to know. They’re going to come to vote and they’re not going to be able to, or they’re going to have to vote provisional,” she said. “It’s just a very upsetting time. Us old people, we have other things to worry about.”

Of 35 states that request or require a photo ID to vote, Ohio is now the ninth Republican-controlled state to move to a strict law allowing few to no alternatives, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Fifteen states allow other ways voters can verify their identify, such as an electric bill, bank statement or signature match.

The number of states where voters face strict photo ID requirements is poised to rise in the coming months.

Nebraska lawmakers are in the process of establishing a new photo ID program after voters approved a requirement in November. In North Carolina, a photo ID requirement declared unconstitutional just three months ago could be revived by the state Supreme Court that has a new Republican majority. Meanwhile, a new Idaho law, which prohibits students from using college IDs at the polls, drew a recent legal challenge.

Wendy Weiser, vice president for democracy at the Brennan Center for Justice, said the new Ohio law undercuts the Republican narrative about the state having a record of clean and well-run elections.

“Ohio election officials have long been adamant that this wasn’t needed, that Ohio had a good system for vetting and rooting out any fraud and the proof was in the pudding,” she said.

Republican state Sen. Theresa Gavarone, a supporter of the law, said the change will make it harder to cheat.

It already has led to frustration and confusion, in part because of the fast-approaching state primary on May 2.

Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose ordered counties to begin implementing the fast-tracked law so it would be in effect for the primary, though its start date falls within the early voting period. Waiting until fall, LaRose said, “would result in a clear violation of Ohio law.”

That decision is not without complications. The free state photo IDs the law provides won't be available until April 7, the law's effective date, despite military and overseas voting already having begun and early, in-person voting set to start April 4.

At the same time, a legal challenge to the law by a Democratic law firm remains unresolved. The lawsuit alleges the law creates “needless discriminatory burdens,” including by requiring photo IDs, making it harder to correct minor mistakes on ballots and restricting mail balloting.

Veterans' organizations and county recorders, particularly in the populous, Democratic-leaning counties that include Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati, have been vocal about the law excluding county-issued veteran photo IDs, though it does allow military IDs, to vote. They cost less and are valid longer — 10 years — than a driver's license.

“People find reasons to fix something that doesn’t need to be fixed,” said Larry Anderson, 85, a veteran from Columbus who has found the veteran ID card a convenience. “Veterans could come back from the wars and not have a driver's license and not drive a car, and it just creates more problems for them.”

AMVETS Executive Director Don McCauley said the issue has been brought to lawmakers' attention and he hopes to see it resolved before the next election.

Access issues also have arisen among the roughly 37,000 Amish in Ohio's Holmes County, where the largely conservative voters reject being photographed and often lack other forms of government ID.

Lawmakers allowed for religious exceptions through an affidavit that the law's supporters say will be easy to use, but Holmes County Elections Director Lisa Welch is worried that confusion and extra paperwork could add to the workloads of already stressed boards of elections.

“My biggest concern is the first time through, we get a whole bunch of provisionals (that must be processed separately later)," she said. "I’m the only full-time person in the office right now, and we can’t do everything.”

Holmes County Commissioner Joe Miller fears the new process could deter some voters.

“I want honest voting, I understand that, but a lot of the Amish don’t have the photo ID and won’t do a photo ID," he said. "So what the Amish do usually — they’re pacifists, they don’t fight anybody — they just walk away.”

Ohio State University has advised its roughly 16,000 out-of-state students against voting in person on Election Day — for fear that obtaining the necessary state ID card could invalidate their driver's license in their home state and disrupt their financial aid and residency status. The schools suggests such students casting Ohio ballots do so by mail.

Backers of the photo ID requirements have widely moved away from the argument that such laws prevent voter fraud, which happens only rarely. The conservative Heritage Foundation's database lists only 26 convictions for voter impersonation fraud — the type deterred by photo ID requirements — anywhere in the U.S. between 2004 and 2022. In presidential elections alone, Americans cast more than 645 million votes during that period.

Jason Snead, executive director of the conservative group Honest Elections Project Action, told reporters in a recent policy briefing that robust voter turnout and Democrats' unexpectedly strong performance in the 2022 midterm elections disprove the idea that election security enhancements suppress voters.

“I would submit that, actually when you look at the sort of election integrity laws that are advancing through state legislatures and actually getting passed, what is happening in conservative states is far more mainstream than what we’re seeing happen in liberal states,” Snead said.

Liz Avore, senior adviser to the Voting Rights Lab, which tracks voting legislation in the states, said voters have made the opposite choice when they've had a say on excessively strict photo ID laws. Arizona voters rejected an effort to enact a stricter photo ID law last fall, for instance, and Michigan voters protected the vote there from photo ID restrictions.

So far this year, photo ID proposals also have failed in Virginia and Wyoming.

“A really critical distinction to draw is, yes, it's true that the majority of Americans are in favor of voter ID laws, and it’s also true that the majority of voter ID laws are set up to allow people who don't have an ID available to still cast a ballot,” she said.

CINCINNATI — Rob Portman announced on Wednesday he was endorsing Jane Timken to fill his seat in the U.S. Senate in the 2022 election.

Timken, the Ohio Republican Party chair from 2017 to 2021, was credited by Portman for much of the Republican party's success in statewide elections in recent years. He said she would be an advocate for conservatives.

"I believe Jane Timken is the best candidate to advance conservative Republican policies to help Ohio workers and families," Portman said in a press release. "Jane is smart and hard-working and understands the needs of Ohioans. I am confident in her ability to win both the primary and the general elections, ensuring that this Senate seat remains Republican with a 50-50 Senate, and so much at stake.

Timken cited Portman's leadership in the Senate while pushing to pass President Trump's tax cuts and leading the fight against the opioid epidemic.

A Cincinnati native like Portman, Timken graduated from Walnut Hills High School. She graduated from Harvard College with a degree in psychology and received her law degree at American University in Washington D.C.

Timken is currently in a five-way fight for the Ohio Republican Senate nomination. On Monday, the Trafalgar Group, a Republican-leaning pollster, had Timken in fifth place.

1. Josh Mandel - 21%
2. Mike Gibbons - 16.4%
3. J.D. Vance - 14.3%
4. Matt Dolan - 10.2%
5. Jane Timken 9.8%
6. Undecided - 25%

In the release, Timken called Portman one of the most successful elected officials in Ohio history. She cited praise Portman had received from former President Trump for his stances on tax reforms and Supreme Court candidates.

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WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration is recommending a $167,343 fine against the City of Dayton for alleged issues at its airport.

The fine concerns seven flights on Feb. 13, 2020 at James M. Cox International Airport, which is owned by the city. The FAA, in a press release, said the airport didn't have adequate aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles in service while allowing the flights to take place.

The FAA also alleged the airport didn't notify the agency or the air carries of the vehicle shortage, as required by the FAA's airport certification manual.

The city, which owns the airport, has 30 days to respond to the FAA after receiving the agency's enforcement letter.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The shape of Ohio’s state government for the next decade is in the balance, as the Ohio Supreme Court hears arguments on new legislative maps.

Voter-rights and Democratic groups say the maps are gerrymandered to favor Republicans. Justices can either affirm the maps or send them back to be redrawn.

Ohio voters gave the high court with its 4-3 Republican majority exclusive jurisdiction to settle map disputes. Moderate Republican Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor is viewed as a potentially pivotal swing vote. Three separate court challenges have been consolidated for purposes of the arguments.

A quick decision is expected, as the 2022 candidate filing deadline is Feb. 2.

COLUMBUS — More than 10,000 children ages 5 to 11 in Ohio have started the COVID-19 vaccine less than a week after Pfizer’s pediatric vaccine was recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Ohio Department of Health reported that 10,191 children have received at least one dose the pediatric vaccine as of Monday, Nov. 8. Overall, 6.52 million Ohioans have started the vaccine, accounting for about 55.8% of the state’s population, including 67.22% of adults and 59.31% of those 5 and older.

More than 6 million residents, or 51.95%, have finished the vaccine. Nearly 63% of adults and 55.21% of Ohioans 5 and older have completed the inoculation.

Ohio reported 3,122 cases of COVID in the last day, bringing the state’s total to 1,575,319 cases, according to the state health department. In the last three weeks, Ohio is averaging 3,611 cases a day. A month ago, on Oct. 8, the state reported a 21-day average of 5,842 cases a day. In the last week, Ohio averaged 3,933 cases a day.

The state had 2,337 COVID-19 patients in its hospitals as of Monday, making it the 13th straight day with fewer than 2,500 COVID inpatients. Monday ODH reported the state had 659 COVID patients in ICUs and 445 on ventilators. Coronavirus patients account for 9% of hospital beds,14.31% of ICU beds and 9.38% of ventilators in the state.

Ohio had 6,367 (24.6%) hospital beds, 1,068 (23.2%) ICU beds and 3,053 (64.37%) ventilators available.

The state reported 147 daily hospitalizations and 23 daily ICU admissions on Monday.

Ohio is averaging 181 hospitalizations a day and 21 ICU admissions a day in the last three weeks, according to ODH. On Oct. 8, Ohio’s 21-day average was 260 hospitalizations a day and 22 ICU admissions a day.

Veterans groups claim they're losing half a million dollars a month.

Coronavirus closed fraternal lodges. Raffles stopped.

Now charities suffer.

Some say the quick fix is a gaming bill that hits Ohio's House this week.

But critics warn it's just a way to get slot machines outside casinos.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost touts House Bill 282 to modernize gaming for veterans clubs like the American Legion, VFW, AmVets, and Disabled American Veterans.

Those groups used to rake in $113 million a year – directing 90% to scouts, boys and girls clubs, ROTCs, schools, first responders and veteran charities – until coronavirus closed their doors.

With losses mounting every day, veterans groups say electronic instant bingo would score the resources needed.

But state lawmakers hear critics.

"That would basically be a slot machine or a video lottery terminal at veterans and fraternal clubs, which would be a pretty substantial expansion of electronic gaming machines in Ohio,” said Derek Longmeier of Problem Gambling Network of Ohio.

You won't find gambling anywhere in this law, and neither the casino control nor lottery commissions would regulate.

Charitable gaming falls under the attorney general’s control.

While they told us new bingo games will help these charities continue to raise funds to support worthy causes all over the state, Problem Gambling Network of Ohio says HB 282 is missing protection for consumers.

"Such as making sure there is gambling help available,” said Longmeier. “That patrons and the staff are trained about responsible gambling and other measures that we see as important for any gambling expansion.

"As we look at COVID and the impact that's going to have financially on communities, there's going to be a lot greater interest in finding other revenue streams."

Seven years ago, then Attorney General Mike DeWine considered e-raffle games illegal slot machines and ordered veterans groups not to use them.

They fought, won an injunction, and are waiting for a Supreme Court ruling.

If approved, this bill squashes that case and opens the door for two kinds of games for charity.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Health announced on Monday it has updated its quarantine and testing guidelines regarding students at Ohio public schools who come into contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19.

Citing national information and data derived from a pilot program in Warren County, the department has changed to a Mask to Stay and Test to Play policy. The Mask to Stay policy has four guidelines:

• Regardless of masking or vaccine status, students may remain in the school environment if they wear a mask for 14 days after exposure.
• Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms, then isolate and get tested if they show symptoms of COVID-19.
• Isolate and get tested if COVID-19 symptoms occur.
• Students can discontinue quarantine procedures after seven days if they show no symptoms and have a negative test between days 5-7 following exposure.

ODH's Test to Play, involving students in extra-curricular activities:

• Asymptomatic contacts can participate in school activities if they wear a mask when able, like riding on a team bus, in a locker room or on the sideline.
• Test upon initial diagnosis of COVID-19.
• Test again at days 5-7 after exposure.
• Students can test out of quarantine on day 7.

Students who have worn masks or have been vaccinated don't need to follow either set of guidelines.

ODH says it is the parents' responsibility to monitor for the following symptoms, associated with COVID-19:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Students who come into contact outside school should follow standard quarantine guidelines.

"Quarantine remains an important part of our public health response," ODH Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said. "But out-of-school quarantine can add strains on our students, schools, parents and local health departments."

Students should be tested using the PCR or antigen tests and should be proctered or observed by a medical professional – don't use over-the-counter tests.

"All of our quarantine guidance is from the state after consideration of available data," Vanderhoff said. "However, we're a local state, and the actual authority to carry that out rests locally with local health departments and working with their local partners."

RELATED: Warren County's 'test and stay' model could become CDC model
RELATED: 59% of Cincinnati city workers vaccinated as mandate takes effect

Ohio drivers are among the rudest in the country, according to rankings from Insurify, a car insurance comparison website, while Kentucky drivers ranked the most polite

Ohio ranked No. 6 on Insurify's list, which stated 41.1 out of 1,000 Ohio drivers have been cited for rude driving behavior.

"Drivers in Ohio are some of the rudest in the nation," Insurify stated in its article. "In particular, Ohioan drivers are much less likely to own up to an accident than drivers from other states. Hit-and-run violations occur 2.14 times more frequently in Ohio than average."

The listing said Ohio drivers are cited for tailgating and failure to yield at a much higher frequency than drivers in other states.

Kentucky was ranked the most polite, with 9.8 out of 1,000 drivers having citations for rude driving behavior.

"Kentuckian drivers tend to be courteous all around," the article said. "The rate of hit-and-run violations in Kentucky is 62.6 percent lower than the national average."

Insurify said its methodology was based on data from over 2 million car insurance applications. It took into consideration violations such as failure to yield, failure to stop, improper backing, passing where prohibited, tailgating, street racing and hit-and-runs.

The state with the rudest drivers was Virginia, which scored 48.5 out of 1,000 drivers with citations for rude behavior.

Top Ten States With the Rudest Drivers

1. Virginia
2. Idaho
3. Wyoming
4. New York
5. Georgia
6. Ohio
7. Delaware
8. Iowa
9. Hawaii
10. Wisconsin

States With the Most Polite Drivers
1. Kentucky
2. Mississippi
3. Vermont

CLEVELAND — A bellwether trial is set to start Monday in federal court in Cleveland to determine whether retail pharmacy chains are liable for costs related to the opioid crisis in two Ohio counties. Lake and Trumbull counties have sued CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and Giant Eagle, claiming the companies created an expensive "public nuisance" by dispensing millions of painkillers into their communities.

The companies say they are blameless and that pharmacists merely filled prescriptions written by physicians for legitimate medical needs. The trial could set the tone for similar lawsuits against retail pharmacy chains by government entities across the U.S.

Trenton native Zach Apple is an Olympic gold medalist, according to the Journal-News.

Apple, a 2015 Edgewood High School graduate, swam the anchor leg on the U.S. men’s winning 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay team Monday morning in Tokyo.

Becker won the race in 3 minutes, 8.97 seconds, the third-fastest time in history. Competing in his first Olympics, Apple swam a sizzling 46.69-second split to bring home the gold for the U.S.

Italy finished second in 3:10.11, and Australia took the bronze in 3:10.22.

Apple will begin his quest for an individual gold on Tuesday in the 100 freestyle. The prelims and semifinals are Tuesday, with the finals set for Wednesday. He likely will compete on other relays this week in Tokyo.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A new plan says boosting walking and biking opportunities for Ohioans could save billions of dollars.

The Walk.Bike.Ohio plan was developed over the past two years by the state Department of Transportation. The plan found that existing trips by foot or bike can save Ohioans $12.7 billion in transportation and environmental costs over 20 years and even more if such trips increase by just 1%.

Caitlin Harley is active transportation manager for the transportation department. She says the plan outlines what Ohio has to do to improve walking and biking as a transportation option.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Senate’s budget plan would squash the state’s momentum toward boosting broadband access and make it harder to get more residents connected to high-speed internet in areas where the private sector isn’t stepping in, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said.

As lawmakers sort through competing state budget proposals this week in pursuit of an agreement, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine’s administration is advocating for them to keep the $190 million that the House proposed for expanding residential broadband and scrap the Senate’s proposed restrictions for local government-owned broadband networks.

Operators of such networks say the Senate proposal could hamstring or kill their operations just as they’re seeing a federal tailwind. President Joe Biden’s administration is advocating for funding such networks and local governments getting access to huge amounts of federal relief funding that could be used to address broadband needs.

The pandemic exposed how important high-speed internet has become for schooling, business and other aspects of modern life. Economic development officials consider it an essential service, akin to public utilities. But state officials say an estimated 300,000 households and at least 1 million residents across Ohio lack broadband, and some advocates say the numbers are even higher.

The language passed by the Republican-led Senate would restrict local governments to establishing government-owned networks to provide broadband service only in “unserved” areas within their own jurisdiction — limiting partnerships and excluding service to adjacent areas, even if those might be economical. The bill also would restrict how those networks could use federal or other funds toward the substantial costs of such projects.

For communities hoping to use federal relief funding to create or expand their own broadband networks, “This bill could just cut us off at the knees,” said Bethany Dentler, executive director of the Medina County Economic Development Corporation. “And it’s the citizens and the businesses who are worse off for it.”

The open-access broadband network Medina County created has helped improve access and lowered customers’ broadband costs, she said. But she said the budget legislation would block the subscriber growth that the county’s network needs to help cover its costs, and could jeopardize a private-sector partner’s $50 million commitment to expanding residential broadband in the area.

It’s also possible the restrictions could be challenged as an intrusion on local governments’ “home rule” rights under Ohio law, said Lindsay Miller, a former director of the nonprofit Connect Ohio who now works on broadband issues with the Ice Miller law firm.

Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, indicated the language was added to the bill to make sure municipalities are serving underserved areas in their own jurisdictions, not getting into the broadband business as profit-seeking competitors to private providers in a wider area.

The lieutenant governor argues that’s not the problem. Solutions are still needed for areas — often poor or rural areas — where private providers understandably don’t operate because they can’t make enough money to justify their investment, said Husted, who also leads the state’s InnovateOhio effort.

The state took a step to address that this spring by allotting an initial $20 million for the new Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program, intended to connect more hard-to-reach homes by funding the parts of such projects that providers consider unjustifiable from a business perspective.

The House version of the budget included another $190 million, but Senate Republicans excluded that funding. Huffman said more clarity was needed about the plan for using that money.

Husted said the level of interest expressed for potential projects is already exceeding the amount proposed by the House.

“We’re trying to help the communities and the people who don’t have access because the private sector isn’t coming,” he said.

The following article was originally published in the Ohio Capital Journal and published on News5Cleveland.com under a content-sharing agreement.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The rate of new vaccinations against COVID-19 in Ohio has slowed to a rate not seen since December, according to an analysis of state data.

The seven-day moving average of newly vaccine started Ohioans dipped below 10,000 on Sunday for the first time since Dec. 27 — the tail end of a stretch when some days brought more than 10,000 new infections and 200 deaths from the new disease.

Only 46% of Ohioans have received at least one dose of the vaccine as of Thursday, compared to 52% of the U.S. population.

Average new vaccination rates plummeted in early April as a scarcity of doses gave way to a lack of demand. In mid-May, this trend modestly reversed after the federal government authorized vaccination of children 12-15 and Gov. Mike DeWine announced a series of $1 million lottery drawings for vaccinated Ohioans.

While scarcity defined the early days of the vaccination campaign, spoilage may soon prevail. DeWine said this week that Ohio possesses about 200,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that expire June 23. Ohio has no legal options, he said, for giving the doses to other states or countries.

“For Ohioans who have been waiting to get their vaccine, I urge you to take action now. There are many opportunities throughout the state to get a vaccine,” he said.

“The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is one of those options. It is safe and effective and only requires one shot. In just two weeks, you could be protected from this virus. Getting vaccinated is the quickest way out of the pandemic and the fastest way for us to return to the lives we remember.”

Despite the sweepstakes (still ongoing), vaccination rates began falling by late May.

Estimates vary, but experts believe when somewhere between 70% and 90% of the population is vaccinated, a “herd immunity” effect is produced in which the virus runs out of viable hosts. Thus, people who are medically unable to receive vaccinations or have weakened immune systems are insulated by their vaccinated neighbors.

If Ohioans continue to seek vaccinations at the current race of about 10,000 per day, it will take nearly a year (more than 334 days) until about 75% of Ohioans are vaccinated.

Vaccine coverage is much stronger among older Ohioans than younger.

Some racial groups are underrepresented as well. About 8% of doses have gone to Black Ohioans, who represent about 13% of the state. About 3% of doses have gone to Ohioans who identify as Hispanic or Latino, who represent about 4% of the state.

MILFORD, Ohio — Clermont County health officials are warning diners who ate at the Romar Drive IHOP between Dec. 25-31 to watch for hepatitis A symptoms after an employee there was diagnosed with the disease.

The risk to patrons is "extremely low," according to the announcement from Clermont County Public Health. However, anyone who dined there at that time should watch for hepatitis A symptoms that include fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea, clay-colored stools and jaundice.

A vaccine is available that can help people from getting sick if received within two weeks of contact with the virus, health officials said.

Assistant Health Commissioner Tim Kelly said the restaurant's management "has been very cooperative" with officials. They're reviewing safe food handling techniques.

In June, the Ohio Department of Health declared a statewide out break of hepatitis A. There have been at least 1370 cases across the state, including 42 in Clermont County, linked to the outbreak.

Hepatitis A is spread through eating or drinking contaminated food. The food can get contaminated if a person who has the virus doesn't wash their hands properly after using the bathroom before touching food. However, Kelly said most cases officials have seen recently have been the result of other risk factors, such as direct contact with someone with the virus or illegal drug use, among others.

Editor’s note: With our coronavirus coverage, our goal is not to alarm you but to equip you with the information you need. We will try to keep things in context and focus on helping you make decisions. See a list of resources and frequently asked questions at the end of this story.

Cincinnati-area hospitals could start using new innovative technology that disinfects face masks for health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hospitals everywhere are experiencing a shortage in N95 masks. Some doctors and nurses inside UC Medical Center told WCPO 9 News they can’t even get their hands on one.

That can change once area hospitals contact Columbus-based Battelle about their new technology.

“We know that it can kill spores and for sure it can kill influenza and SARS Co-V,” said Will Richter, Battelle Biologist and Principal Research Scientist

Battelle researchers created the machines.

Each machine can sterilize 80,000 N95 masks per day. Two machines are already operational in Columbus.

As of Monday afternoon, TriHealth, Mercy Health, Bons Secours Mercy Health, Cincinnati Children's, The Christ Hospital Health Network,
UC Health, Good Samaritan, and St. Elizabeth all know how to contract Battelle to sign up for the cleaning service, according to the Ohio Hospital Association.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called the new technology a victory for health care workers.

"This is really important,” DeWine said. “The reason it's really important is we have to protect the people who are on the front line."

Here’s how the disinfecting process works:

Masks go into bags. Those bags go to onto trucks to Battelle in Columbus.

There the machines sanitize the masks with a hydrogen peroxide solution. It’s a day-long process.

A timeline for when this might start in our area isn’t clear yet, but the Ohio Hospital Association is working on a plan.

The FDA approved the new technology Sunday night but said only a Battelle worker can operate the machines.

“We are identifying individuals and training them that will be deployed with these systems to be able to operate them and to be able to have these systems running 24-7,” said Matt Zemanek, Division Manager of Battelle’s National Security business.

There are only five of these machines in the U.S. with one in New York City, another on the way to New York and one on the way to Seattle. Once they arrive, Battelle says it will take one to two days for them to become operational.

St. Elizabeth tells me it has plans to use the UV boxes in their patented EVS carts to sterilize the masks.

I’ve also asked about plans to use this new technology in southeast Indiana. I’m waiting to hear back from the Indiana Hospital Association.

Find more coronavirus/COVID-19 hotlines and resources below:

Ohio

• Department of Health COVID-19 hotline: 833-4-ASK-ODH
• See ODH’s COVID-19 resources here.

Kentucky

• State COVID-19 hotline: 1-800-722-5725
• See the Cabinet for Health and Family Services coronavirus resource site here.

Indiana

• SDH Epidemiology Resource Center: (317) 233-7125 or (317) 233-1325 after hours, or e-mail epiresource@isdh.in.gov
• See more information for coronavirus in Indiana here.

What is coronavirus, COVID-19?

According to the World Health Organization, coronaviruses are "a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

A novel coronavirus, such as COVID-19, is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

COVID-19 was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and has now been detected in 37 locations across the globe, including in the U.S., according to the CDC.

The CDC reports the initial patients in China have some link to a large seafood and live animal market, indicative of animal-to-person spread. A growing number of patients, however, did not report exposure to animal markets, indicating the disease is spreading person-to-person.

What are the symptoms? How does it spread?

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death, according to the CDC. Symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath.

The CDC said symptoms could appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. It is similar to the incubation period for MERS.

Spread of the virus is thought to be mainly from person-to-person. Spread is between people who are in close contact with one another (within about six feet). Spread occurs via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

According to the CDC, it could be possible for a person to get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or possibly their eyes. This is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads, the CDC said.

The disease is most contagious when people are the sickest and showing the most symptoms.