Ohio News & Current Events | Public News Service

More than three in four Ohio food bank visitors have said that since the end of pandemic-era SNAP benefits, their household's SNAP benefit is completely used up within the first two weeks each month, according to new data from the Ohio Association of Food Banks. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, June 6, 2023

More Ohioans Skipping Meals to Pay for Household Expenses

Record-high demand has prompted the Ohio Association of Food Banks to request additional funding in the biennial budget to increase the capacity of fo…

$By 2025, estimated health damages caused by methane leakage during fracking would cost $13-29 billion each year, according to the consulting firm Seed Scientific. (Adobe Stock)<br />$

Dangers of Fracking Wastewater Put Spotlight on 'Halliburton Loophole'

A law known as the "Halliburton Loophole" is under growing scrutiny. It exempts oil and gas companies from revealing the chemicals they use in the …

Adults ages 65 and older make up approximately 16.8% of the U.S. population, or more than 55.8 million adults, and are estimated to comprise 21% of the population (73.1 million) by 2030, according to a new report from UnitedHealthcare. (Adobe Stock)

Report: More of Ohio’s Older Adults Living in Poverty

By 2030, more than one in five Americans - more than 73 million people age 65 and over - will be of retirement age, as the last of the Baby Boomer …

One in three API women report experiencing sexual violence victimization, not including rape, in their lifetime, according to the Center at 909. (Adobe Stock)

Cultural Barriers May Prevent API Sexual Violence Survivors from Seeking Help

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, and according to the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, the number of Asian American …

Ohio's public schools serve 1.6 million students of all races, backgrounds, genders and abilities, but diversity is not reflected in the state's education workforce, according to the Ohio Education Association. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Ohio College Programs Seek to Boost Black Teacher Workforce

Ohio's historically Black colleagues and universities are working to produce a pipeline of diverse teachers. Black students make up nearly 17% of …

Nineteen states have passed laws banning or restricted abortion since the overturning of Roe versus Wade in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

In Ohio, Abortion Rights Fuel Fight Over Ballot Measures

By Belle Taylor-McGhee for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News …

Nationwide, around 1.7 million current Medicaid enrollees would not meet work or reporting requirements and could lose coverage if work requirements were implemented, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation analysis. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

Medicaid Work Requirements May End Up Costing Taxpayers

House Republicans continue to push Medicaid work requirements in negotiations over the federal debt ceiling. In Ohio, one group said work …

Ohio resident and former foster youth Kurt Holden beat the odds, graduating from college and receiving his master's degree. (Kurt Holden)

College-Bound Ohio Foster Youths Face Barriers Accessing Resources

Foster youths transitioning to adulthood are being left behind when it comes to college degree attainment and resources. New data from the Annie E…

In 2002, women working full and part-time earned 80% of what men earned. By 2022, that had risen to just 82%, according to the Pew Research Center. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio’s Gender Wage Gap: Women Earn 79 cents for Every Dollar a Man Earns

By Nathalia Teixeira / Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration. In Ohio, women earn on …

Ohio Army National Guard and Ohio State Highway Patrol officers assist with traffic control after the train derailment in East Palestine. (Flickr/Ohio National Guard)<br />

East Palestine Residents Want FEMA to Address Long-Term Needs

Four months after the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, residents say they continue to struggle with ongoing health problems, and face an …

Samantha, in the yellow dress, on her adoption day. The Dave Thomas Foundation is celebrating reaching 13,000 adoptions in both the United States and Canada.(Aaryn McGregor)

In Ohio, Recruiters Help Older Kids in Foster Care Find Their Forever Family

Adoption recruiters in Ohio are helping older kids transition out of foster care and begin life with the right family. Aaron McGregor, a nurse from …

Domestic violence survivors are less likely to report their abuse when they fear eviction, and being evicted can impede the ability to financially escape abuse, according to the Urban Institute. (Adobe Stock)

New Program Rapidly Houses Rural Ohio Domestic-Violence Survivors

In Ohio's rural counties, a widespread shortage, discrimination and cost all stack up against domestic-violence survivors and their children seeking …

AARP volunteers at the Ohio State Fair. More than six out of 10 adults age 55 and older engage in some volunteer activity, according to The Urban Institute. (Adobe Stock)

Volunteering Improves Mental Health Among Older Adults

AARP Ohio is seeking volunteers for the Ohio State Fair and other events this summer. Nearly a quarter of Ohioans spend time volunteering with …

According to AARP, almost half of households nationwide receiving SNAP benefits include an older adult. (Adobe Stock)

Older-Adult Food Insecurity on Rise in Ohio

Older adults now make up nearly one in four of all food-pantry visitors across Ohio, and hunger-fighting groups say the number could spike with the …

A number of states saw a clear jump in the share of teachers leaving teaching positions between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years, according to data from Chalkbeat. (Adobe Stock)

OH Teachers' Union: Teachers, Students Need Support not Blame, Post-Pandemic

Teachers' unions are coming under fire from GOP lawmakers for decisions to close schools during the pandemic. In Congress on Wednesday, the House …

This year, Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 507 into law, which approves licenses for companies seeking to extract natural resources from state lands. (Adobe Stock)

OH Groups Want More Public Feedback on Leasing State Lands for Oil, Gas

Residents and environmental groups say they're concerned about public notice and comment processes for leasing state lands for oil and gas extraction…

Ohio's domestic violence shelters provided emergency housing to nearly ten thousand people last year, according to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network (Adobe Stock)

Toolkit Helps Recognize Signs of Brain Injury in Domestic-Violence Survivors

People with no formal health training may be able to spot signs of brain injury in domestic-violence survivors, using a set of tools called CARE…

Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 9% from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Adobe Stock)

Mounting Child Welfare Caseworker Shortages Put More Ohio Kids at Risk

All of Ohio's 88 counties are struggling to find and retain child-welfare caseworkers. Between 2016 and 2017, around 1 in 4 caseworkers in Ohio left …

The 54,200 adoptions nationwide in 2021 represent a more than 6% decrease compared with 2020, and a more than 18% decrease from 2019's historic high of 66,200 adoptions, according to federal data. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio Makes Strides in Number of Children Adopted from Foster Care

Over the past decade, more than 1,500 Ohio children who waited in foster care now have permanent homes, thanks to a program focused on placing older …

$On April 7, 2023, Ohio's HB 507 went into effect requiring the leasing of state parks for fracking, redefining methane gas as$ ">

Judge Denies Environmental Groups Request to Block Fracking on State Lands

Environmental Groups faced a setback this week when their legal petition to stop the mandatory leasing of public lands for fracking was denied by a Fr…

Devoted mother, daughter, sister and niece, Ohio resident Erica Easley died at age 39 in a car crash caused by distracted driving. (Courtesy of Stephanie Easley)<br />

Ohio Distracted Driving Deaths Up; Family Members Raise Awareness

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and in Ohio, fatal accidents caused by distracted drivers are on the rise. Deaths in 2021 …

In 2022, there were more than 37,000 dollar stores in the United States, up by 1,500 from the previous year, according to the website Statista. (Adobe Stock)

In Toledo, Dollar Stores Leave Trail of Neighborhood Disinvestment

New research found more communities are rejecting the expansion of so-called "dollar stores" into their areas, and even enacting local laws to limit …

Around 37 percent of childcare centers nationwide reported decreased net income in 2022, according to a Childcare Industry Snapshot Report by the company HiMama. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio’s Childcare Providers Struggling to Keep Doors Open

Ohio's child care providers said they are struggling to stay in business due to drops in attendance with no help in sight from the state or federal go…

According to EducationWeek, 91% of all School Resource Officers nationwide are armed. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio Slated to Funnel More than $300 Million Toward Police in Schools

Advocacy groups said they are concerned about the lack of accountability surrounding Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's $388 million proposal to staff schools …

Americans' total credit card balance is $986 billion in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to consumer debt data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. (Adobe Stock)

Report: More Ohioans Rely on Credit Cards for Basic Needs

More than one in three Ohioans are relying on credit cards for spending needs, and nearly a quarter say they've increased their credit-card use in …

The federal government spends more than $14 billion, including around $12 billion in reimbursements, on school meals nationwide, according to the School Nutrition Association. (Adobe Stock)

Some Ohio Kids Being Denied Lunch When They Can’t Pay

School nutrition providers told Ohio lawmakers this week they're tired of hounding parents for school lunch money when their child's account accrues d…

Ohio Domestic Violence Network Policy Director Maria York addresses legislators, domestic violence advocates and news media at the Ohio Statehouse during a recent Advocacy Day event. (Ohio Domestic Violence Network)

Amid More Severe Domestic Violence Cases, Ohio Advocates Call for More Funding

Ohio's domestic violence shelters provided emergency housing to nearly 10,000 people last year, and advocates are calling for a funding boost…

Garrett Betts inspects his 275-gallon tank and trailer setup. Before Garrett built the trailer, he was hauling water with the tank in the bed of his truck.(Photo by Zachary Shephard)

Vinton County, Ohio Residents Await Community Water Systems

By Zachary Shepherd and Kelsey Paulus for Kent State News Lab.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Co…

Housing availability has been squeezed by a near-record increase in the number of American homeowners in 2020, according to the Pew Research Center.(Adobe Stock)

Report: Ohio’s Affordable Housing Shortage is Worsening

Ohio's affordable housing shortage has worsened over the past year, according to new data from the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio and …

Since 2011, Ohio has allowed companies to lease state land for oil and gas drilling. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Scientists Sound Alarm on Fracking Near Muskingum, OH Watershed

The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District is drawing ire for its continued leasing of land for fracking. Last year, the district, which stewards …

Environmental groups say accidents such as the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment and toxic chemical spill in East Palestine jeopardize Ohioans' ability to live safe and healthy lives. (Adobe Stock)

How East Palestine Rail Disaster Could Impact Ohio’s Soil, Drinking Water

Last month's train derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine could have far-reaching and long-lasting impacts on the state's soil and drinking w…

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the sector has lost nearly 229,000 caregivers, or more than 14% of its workforce, since February 2020, the worst job loss among all health-care sectors. (Adobe Stock)

New Task Force Seeks Ohio Residents’ Feedback on Nursing Homes

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine recently created a Nursing Home Quality and Accountability Task Force, and its members want to hear directly from families and …

Jeff Duling walks in one of his corn fields in the summer of 2022. Duling, who lives in Putnam County southwest of Toledo, enrolled 134 newly acquired acres in Cargill's RegenConnect carbon sequestration program. (NewsLab photo by Baylee Sweitzer)

Ohio Farmers Try Out Early Carbon Sequestration Programs

By Baylee Sweitzer for Kent State News Lab.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration…

Kris Swartz, a farmer in Wood County, Ohio, says he's seeing more rain and hotter temperatures than he did 30 years ago when he started farming. (NewsLab photo by Baylee Sweitzer)

Climate Change Challenges Ohio Farmers

By Baylee Sweitzer for Kent State News Lab.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration…

U.S. public education spending falls short of global benchmarks and lags behind economic growth, according to the Education Data Initiative. (Adobe Stock)

Lawmakers Urged to Update Data Used to Fund Ohio Schools

Backers of public schools want Ohio lawmakers to rework the new state budget bill to use the most current data for determining school funding…

Nearly four million people reported misusing prescription stimulants in 2021, according to data from the National Institutes of Health. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Feds Clamp Down on Telehealth for High-Risk Abuse Drugs

The federal government said it is clamping down on the use of telehealth for drugs with a high risk of abuse. Under the proposed rules, doctors will …

More than half of women and nearly one in four men have experienced sexual violence during their lifetime, according to the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio’s Rape Crisis Centers See Boost in State Funding

Gov. Mike DeWine recently announced he's providing $30 million to boost rape crisis services statewide, after years of federal funding cuts. …

One in three Ohio kids that lives in a food insecure household doesn't qualify for free or reduced school meals, according to the Children's Defense Fund Ohio. (Ohio Education Association)<br />

Staggering Rise in School Lunch Debt Across Ohio

As families struggle with inflation and high gas prices, Ohio schools said they are seeing a staggering rise in the number of students whose parents …

Train cars containing hazardous chemicals burned after a Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. (Jamie Cozza)<br /><br />

How Dangerous Was Ohio Chemical Train Derailment?

By Andrew J. Whelton for The Conversation.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Ohio News Connection for the Public News Service-Conversation …

Research shows having access to health care can influence children's physical and emotional health, growth, development and their capacity to reach their full potential as adults. (Adobe Stock)<br />

More Ohio Kids Would Benefit from Continuous Coverage to Age 6

Health experts say extending Ohio's 12-month continuous health coverage for kids relying on Medicaid or CHIP until a child turns six would be a big he…

East Palestine, Ohio, resident Kyla Rose Cozza, 3, plays in her backyard just a few steps away from one of the creeks now contaminated with toxic chemicals after a massive train derailment Feb. 3. (Jamie Cozza)<br />

Lacking Answers, East Palestine Residents Plan to Test Soil, Water

East Palestine, Ohio, residents have been given the green light to return home, but many believe it is not safe to do so. They're experiencing skin …

In 2017, the United States had around 48,000 farmers who identified as Black, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. (Adobe Stock)

Collective Works to Boost FSA Registration Among Ohio’s Black Farmers

Many of Ohio's urban farmers and farmers of color are locked out of USDA programs because they are not registered with their local Farm Service Agency…

Photo caption: An oil refinery in east Toledo, Ohio. (Ted Auch/FrackTracker Alliance 2019)

OH Governor Greenlights Fracking on State Lands

Environmentalists in Ohio say they're concerned oil and gas operations planned on state lands could harm the health and property of citizens living ne…

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of the men who die suddenly of coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attack, had no previous symptoms. (Adobe Stock)

Spotting Signs of Heart Attack During American Hearth Month

February is American Heart Month, and experts stressed it is important to know the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest. According …

In 2022, Ohio had 1,580,547 students enrolled in a total of 3,136 public schools across the state, according to the Ohio Department of Education. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio Governor Calls for Investments in Education, Child Well-Being

Ohio's teachers are applauding the governor's recently announced plan to overhaul the state's reading curriculum for elementary schoolers and boost re…

A new analysis by the The Marshall Project-Cleveland and Eye on Ohio finds Cleveland police officers don't always follow department guidelines or training when interacting with children in crisis. (Tara Anand for The Marshall Project)<br />

Videos Show Disparities in Cleveland Police Response to Kids in Crisis

By Cid Standifer for Eye on Ohio.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Ohio News Connection Collaboration reporting for the Ohio Center for Investig…

The 2018-2023 Farm Bill is projected to cost around $428 billion, according to the estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. (Adobe Stock)

Push to Rebuild Regional Food Systems as 2023 Farm Bill Takes Shape

Next week, Ohio farmers and their advocates head to Washington, D.C., to push for shifting federal programs toward growing nutritious food, as …

Ohio's asthma rates are higher than the national average, and according to state data more than 50,000 residents were hospitalized in 2016 for breathing problems linked to asthma. (Adobe Stock)<br /> Ohio's asthma rates are higher than the national average, and according to state data more than 50,000 residents were hospitalized in 2016 for breathing problems linked to asthma. (Adobe Stock)<br />

EPA’s Proposed Methane Regulations Meant to Improve Ohio Air Quality

The Environmental Protection Agency continues to seek public input on its recently proposed methane standards for oil and gas operations. The rules …

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