Ohio News & Current Events | Public News Service

More than 50 members of Congress publicly indicated they would not attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address, including Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. (seaseasyd/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, July 25, 2024

Vance skips Netanyahu's address amid boycotts, OH student protests

Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, now the GOP's vice-presidential candidate, cited campaign commitments as his reason for not attending Israeli Prime Minister …

In a Pew Research survey conducted in April, 77% of teachers said their job was frequently stressful and 68% said it was overwhelming. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Ohio teachers voice concern over educator stress, burnout

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, is arguing for the continued role of unions in addressing economic inequality and …

As of June 2022, Ohio ranked fifth in the nation for human trafficking incidents. The state's rate of human trafficking is about 3.84 victims per 100,000 residents, according to the advocacy group HTCourts.org. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio initiative aims to address needs of human trafficking survivors

Across the state, Ohio's domestic violence prevention programs are improving their services for human trafficking survivors. A $1.8 million grant …

Ohio has more than 13 million acres of farmland and agriculture is responsible for about 3% of the state's gross domestic product. (Donley Desdain/Adobe Stock)

USDA invests millions for 'climate-smart' ag programs in Midwest

Farms in the Midwest should become more resilient to challenges created by climate change, with a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of …

U.S. vehicle manufacturing has been steadily declining since the 1970s, according to a report by the advocacy group All American. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Toledo plant to manufacture EVs with federal funding

Ohio will receive more than $32 million in federal funding to help revive auto manufacturing and jobs in the state, specifically electric vehicle …

Sen. J. D. Vance, R-Ohio, is Donald Trump's vice presidential pick. Before his recent entrance into politics, he was perhaps best known as the author of a memoir about growing up in poverty in Appalachia. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Ohio group voices caution about Vance's record for helping working class

As the party announced Monday Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, is the vice presidential candidate on the GOP ticket, progressive groups said they are …

Fracking waste being stored in Martin's Ferry by Austin Master Services. (Ohio Department of Natural Resources)

Ohio residents seek answers over lack of action on fracking waste cleanup

The CEO of Austin Master Services - owner of a fracking-waste storage facility in Martin's Ferry, Ohio - will attend a hearing by phone today in …

The Black Swamp Conservancy has grown to protect more than 175 properties since 1997, covering more than 21,000 acres. (Linda/Adobe Stock)

Grants boost environmental education and restoration in Ohio

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is awarding $271,000 in grants for environmental education projects across the state. The programs will …

Ohio House Bill 183 would also restrict students from using overnight accommodations with those of a different gender. (Andre/Adobe Stock)

Controversy continues over Ohio 'Bathroom Bill'

By Eduardo Miranda Strobel / Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi reporting for the Kent State NewsLab-Ohio News Connection Collaboration. Concerns of …

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults, very young children and people with chronic diseases are at highest risk for heat-related illness. (Adobe Stock/Generated with AI)

Heat illness, sunburns top health risks for Ohio families this summer

Prolonged extreme heat is affecting many Ohioans, as health experts urged residents to stay hydrated and stay out of the sun during peak periods…

In 2017, mental-health and substance-use disorder emergency department visits in the United States cost more than $5.6 billion, according to federal data. (Adobe Stock)

988 mental-health crisis hotline reaching more Ohio communities

More households, workplaces and schools are struggling with mental-health crises, and a new report by the advocacy group Inseparable highlights how …

Otherworld in Columbus features 54 projectors and 190,000 LEDs. (Nicholas J. Klein/Adobe Stock)

A trip to Ohio transports visitors to another world

By Linda Lee Baird for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Chrystal Blair for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Co…

Rather than seeking help, men are more likely to externalize emotions, which leads to aggressive, impulsive, coercive and/or noncompliant behavior, according to a study by the American Psychological Association. (Adobe Stock)

OH advocates seek to change attitudes about men's mental health

June is Men's Mental Health Month and advocates in Ohio and elsewhere are working to eliminate the shame or judgment guys often face when they struggl…

In the past year, close to 30% of Ohio families with children age 0-5 have undergone job adjustments due to childcare issues. (dglimages/Adobe Stock)

OH lawmakers propose $10 million child care program for working families

Sen. Michele Reynolds, R-Canal Winchester and Rep. Mark Johnson, R-Chillicothe, recently announced a significant legislative initiative to address …

In 2023, the riskiest scams for people over the age of 65 involved investment, romance, and home improvement, according to the Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio. (Adobe Stock)<br />

More older Ohioans are falling prey to financial fraud

More people over the age of 64 are being targeted by scams through social media and are more likely to lose money. According to AARP, around half of …

Ohio resident Jeremy Madden, his wife and their adopted daughter. (Jeremy Madden)

Workplace adoption benefits help families, communities

More employers are offering benefits to adoptive parents, according to a new survey by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. The amount of paid …

The United States sends nearly 80 billion pounds of food to municipal solid waste landfills annually. (Pixel-Shot/Adobe Stock)

Ohio State tackles household food waste

Ohio State University is spearheading a $2.5 million U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded initiative to reduce food loss and waste in the United …

Ohio currently has more than 1,800 foster children who live in group settings because there are not enough foster families willing take on kids significant behavioral challenges and complex needs. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio program prepares foster parents to care for kids with complex needs

An Ohio program that provides help for foster parents of children with complex behavioral issues is expanding. It offers 24/7 on-call crisis …

Studies have found that approximately 26% of all female undergraduate students and nearly 7% of all male undergraduate students have experienced sexual assault, according to the American Association of University Women. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio advocates: New rules strengthen protections for sexual-assault victims

Ohio advocates said the Biden administration's new Title IX regulations better protect victims of sexual assault, even as a group of states …

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated a total of $16 billion to address legacy pollution, including $11.3 billion in Abandoned Mind Land funding over 15 years. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Ohio to clean up legacy pollution with $46 million in federal funding

Ohio will receive $46 million to clean up legacy pollution in regions decimated by decades of coal mining. The money is part of $725 million in the …

Chronic absence from school may be driving learning loss. Some 30% of students, about 14.7 million, were chronically absent in 2021-2022, nearly double pre-pandemic rates, according to new data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Report: Ohio make has made some progress on child well-being

Math and reading proficiency among Ohio kids has worsened over the past five years, according to new data. The latest Kids Count Data Book from the …

Ohio artist Kenia Lamarr created a mural for the rusty-patched bumblebee, the first native bee on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's endangered species list. (Kenia Lamarr)

Pollinator festival, mural highlight rusty-patched bumblebee in Ohio

An upcoming festival in Columbus, Ohio, aims to raise awareness about the plight of pollinators and ongoing conservation efforts. According to the U.…

According to a MarketWatch report, during the pandemic, unused credit lines posed a major risk to banks. To manage this risk, many banks reduced people's credit limits if they thought a cardholder's ability to repay might be at risk. (eliosdnepr/Adobe Stock)

Credit limit cuts signal financial woes for some Ohioans

In an analysis of 100 cities across the United States, Cincinnati ranks 22nd for decreasing credit limits - not for the city itself, but for its …

Feeding America estimates that 22 million children nationwide experience hunger each summer, because they miss out on nutrition programs through their schools. (Adobe Stock)

New Ohio EBT/SUN Bucks program to feed more kids this summer

Eligible Ohio families will receive $120 this summer to buy groceries for their children through a new summer EBT/SUN Bucks program. Brigette Hires…

Ohio House Bill 285, the Nurse Workforce and Safe Patient Care Act, was introduced in Sept. 2023. (Rob/Adobe Stock)

Ohio Nurses Association declares 'Code Red' hospital staffing crisis

By Mara O'Malley / Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration. The Ohio Nurses Association …

The National Association of Broadcasters said more than 82 million individuals tune in to AM radio. (bennian_1/Adobe Stock)

Ohio senators back AM radio in new cars, critics warn of costs

The "AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act" now in Congress would mandate all new cars in the U.S. be equipped with AM radios, and it's stirring a debate in …

Ohio's Area Agency on Aging District 5 helps older adults by providing clients with transportation, helping them get caregivers and encouraging them to get out of the house more often. (Nattakorn/Adobe Stock)

Experts say Ohio’s older adults need mental health support

By Mara O'Malley for Kent State News Lab.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration. …

The United Nations estimates global shipping is responsible for about 3% of emissions worldwide. (Francis/Adobe Stock)

Cleveland port’s ‘electrification hub’ anchors progress toward net-zero emissions

By Kathiann M. Kowalski for Energy News Network.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism …

Sixty-three percent of rural youth, 30 million people, are infrequent or uncommitted voters, according to Rural Democracy Initiative. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Push to mobilize young voters in rural Ohio

Ahead of November's general election, advocates in Ohio are working to boost youth voter participation. Gen Z voters are focused on climate change …

Solar energy helps provide more than 263,000 jobs across the U.S., according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. (chungking/Adobe Stock)

Report: Ohio ranks 17th in U.S. for solar power installations

Ohio homes and businesses have installed enough solar energy to power nearly 300,000 homes each year. A new report released by the Solar Energy …

Michigan, Nevada and Washington prohibit most employers from refusing to hire someone based solely upon a positive drug test. (Sherry Young/Adobe Stock)

Workplace policies begin to evolve after Ohio legalizes cannabis use

By Mara O'Malley for Kent State News Lab.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration…

Research shows rural victims of intimate partner violence tend to face more barriers accessing services like shelters, advocacy, legal services and law enforcement. (Adobe Stock)<br />

New Ohio law closes spousal rape loophole

Advocates say victims of rape by a spouse can now seek justice - under a new law closing a loophole that did not punish rape and sexual battery cases…

Ohio became the 24th state to legalize recreational marijuana in November 2023. (Konstiantyn Zapylaie/Adobe Stock)

Ohio gears up for legal marijuana sales for adult use

This week, Ohio approved adult-use marijuana sales as part of a 2023 ballot measure, with sales anticipated to start mid-June. Ohioans age 21 and …

A 2023 survey by AARP found 92% of Ohio business owners support legislation creating a public-private retirement savings option for workers. (Adobe Stock/AI-generated)

Ohio lawmakers ponder committee to address ‘looming retirement crisis’

Ohio lawmakers are exploring ways to address the state's looming retirement crisis. According to The Pew Charitable Trusts, if the personal …

A previous Bloomberg grant laid the groundwork for significant initiatives, such as the city's solar array and passage of the Issue 7 transportation levy. (jonbilous/Adobe Stock)

Empowering Cincinnati: Bloomberg grant fuels climate and equity initiatives

Cincinnati is part of Bloomberg Philanthropies' $200 million Sustainable Cities initiative and will hire three new staff members to merge climate solu…

A recent study from Ohio State University finds older adults who said they were prepared to handle extreme weather emergencies had at least a three-day supply of necessities to sustain life during emergencies, including food, water, clothing, flashlights and medicine. (Adobe Stock)

Older adults in Ohio are among the most vulnerable to extreme weather

Twenty percent of older adults in central Ohio either were not prepared or did not know if they were prepared for extreme weather, according to a …

Currently, 34 states, territories and districts have minimum wages above the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Experts: $15 minimum wage would benefit 1 million Ohioans

Ohio lawmakers are considering legislation that would raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour for most Ohio workers and create a refundable Ohio Earned…

Children need regular well-child and dental visits to track their development and find health problems early, when they're usually easier to treat, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Ohio among top states for number of kids kicked off Medicaid, CHIP

More than 120,000 Ohio kids have been disenrolled from Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program or CHIP, and most were removed for …

A recent survey commissioned by EdWeek Research Center found on average, teachers said they thought they realistically deserved a 31% raise. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Ohio teacher salaries haven’t kept pace with inflation

Lagging salaries have meant teachers in Ohio and across the nation are experiencing a 5% drop in purchasing power, according to a new report by the …

Skimming devices placed in grocery and convenience stores can be used to steal EBT card funds from low-income people. (Adobe Stock)

EBT 'skimming' on the rise, more Ohioans turn to food banks

The federal SNAP program allows nearly 1.3 million Ohio families to put food on the table -- but increasingly, when many recipients attempt to use …

Ohio students participate in a die-in at Case Western University on April 19 in protest over what they say is an ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio student protestors say their movement is gaining momentum

After hundreds of Ohio students gathered at Kent State University over the weekend to protest the conflict in Gaza, on the 54th anniversary of …

Small rooftop solar systems in Ohio cost on average around $13,000 before tax credits, according to the website EnergySage. (Adobe Stock)

EPA’s Solar for All Program aims to help Ohioans lower energy bills, create jobs

The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $156 million to Midwestern states, including Ohio, to help residents lower their energy bills through …

The number of undergraduate degree earners fell for the second year in a row in the 2022-23 academic years, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Poll: College affordability, debt keeping adults out of college

More than 70% of adults with student loans report having delayed at least one significant life event because of their debt situation, yet a new …

A flooded site at the Austin Master Services toxic-waste storage facility in Martin's Ferry, Ohio. (Jill Hunkler)

Court issues restraining order against fracking waste-storage facility

Environmental groups say more should be done to protect people's health from what they call toxic, radioactive sludge. A court granted a temporary …

Hospitals provided 33% of abortions in 2020, according to data from the Pew Research Center. (Adobe Stock)

Supreme Court to hear oral arguments on abortion access in emergency rooms

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments today in a case about whether patients have access to emergency room abortions in states banning …

Drone footage showed the freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 6, 2023. (Wikimedia Commons)

East Palestine concerns linger over vinyl chloride exposure

Residents of East Palestine, Ohio, say they continue to live with health problems, including rashes, nosebleeds and respiratory issues following last …

From 2017 to 2019, Ohio ranked 46th among 50 states for pollution exposure, including exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution. (Halfpoint/Adobe Stock)

Researchers link air pollution with dementia risk

Recent data ranks Columbus as the most polluted major city in the U.S., highlighting concerns about common pollutants, like smog and vehicle …

A report by McKinney Grey Analytics found 40% of Black and Latino people are invisible to voter outreach efforts, while only 18% of white people are missing or incorrectly listed. (Adobe Stock)

Report: 25 million Black, Latino voters missing from databases

Census data indicate among voting-age Americans, nearly 25 million Black and brown eligible voters are missing from commonly used registration …

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