The Columbus Dispatch
All eyes are now on Ohio’s Husted vs. Brown showdown
Sherrod Brown toured a Guernsey County farm on a recent spring afternoon, taking in the cows and rolling hills that surrounded him. This wasn’t another day of retired life for Brown, the 73-year-old former U.S. senator from Ohio. It was part of his...
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She gave everything to help these kids
Charlene Porter was well into her 60s before anyone called her “mom.” Now, two little boys use the word to refer to her frequently. “Sometimes I look at them and think: ‘They’re really mine. I don’t have to give them back,’” Porter said of her...
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When it comes to senior living, one size does not fit all.
As a life plan community, Ohio Living Westminster-thurber’s campus is designed to provide the housing option that’s right for you, right now.
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Double killing suspect had faced prior charges
A Columbus man charged with killing his wife and her young daughter previously faced accusations of strangling and assaulting the woman, according to court records reviewed by The Dispatch. Derrick Marcus Green, 35, faces two charges of murder in the...
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Intel’s Apple deal could renew hopes for delayed Ohio plants
Intel has reportedly reached a preliminary deal to make computer chips for Apple products, according to national and local sources. It’s important news for officials who had been relying on company statements to justify their optimism about the...
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Heavy rains batter region, lead to flash flood warning
Heavy rain pounded central Ohio again May 27 with the National Weather Service issuing a flash flood warning after 2 to 3.5 inches of rain fell on some areas of the region. State Route 104 was closed during the morning hours after water blocked the...
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Columbus considers giving up its water utility control
Decades ago, Columbus mayors used the city’s water supply as a powerful bargaining chip to force communities to submit to annexation into the city. h Those days are gone. Today, Columbus Water & Power has contracts with about 30 municipalities to...
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City pays special tribute to airman
This year, Memorial Day carried a different weight for Mylo Simmons. It’s his first since losing his son, Tyler – and he and his family are honoring the holiday while, as he put it, “learning to live a new normal.” “It gives a whole new meaning to...
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Blackout license plate bill advances
Ohio is one step closer to offering the popular blackout license plates. The Ohio Senate unanimously advanced Senate Bill 358 on May 20, which would allow drivers to purchase license plates with a black background, white lettering and no designs. The...
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If it’s local you want, we’ve got it.
Our Sunday refresh offers more local news and sports, as well as “Weekend Exclusive” content to help you navigate your lives. So enjoy your Sunday reading filled with stories that will inspire, educate, inform and entertain you.
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‘Most expensive summer ever’
Memorial Weekend will launch a costly summer as gas prices soar and inflation jumps to its highest level in three years. Inflation in the United States is up 3.8% from a year ago, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It hasn’t been that high...
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CHANGE OF PLANS
When Honda Motor Co. in Japan announced March 14 that it was scrapping plans for three electric vehicles to be made in Ohio, local officials remained outwardly optimistic, despite Honda being told to retool its manufacturing plants in Marysville and...
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He’s a champ!
Ray Sharp, Ohio State University’s head mascot coach, pulled out a dry erase marker and walked to the whiteboard inside the St. John Arena conference room. “What are the four elements of a great mascot skit?” he asked the nine members of the Brutus...
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‘There’s no one here’
One of the main entrances to The Mall at Tuttle Crossing is seen. It’s 3:30 p.m. on a Friday, but it feels like closing time at the Mall at Tuttle Crossing. h Silver security gates seal off dozens of storefronts, many of which are vacant. Escalators...
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Electric costs are up
Electricity prices in the Buckeye State are skyrocketing – but how much can be attributed to Ohio’s data center boom is a matter of debate. h From February 2025 to February 2026, Ohioans’ electricity bills rose a whopping 22%, according to data from...
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Football is Buckeye mascot’s moment
The roar of the crowd was reduced to a single voice echoing around Ohio Stadium as one of college football’s greatest ambassadors began to make his famous prediction live from the field on ESPN’S College Gameday. It’s a scene that has repeated itself...
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Reporter shares 2026’s biggest stories in education and what’s next
Editor’s Note: Beat notes is a weekly feature from Dispatch journalists who share what’s been happening in their area of coverage and upcoming events. This week we hear from Cole Behrens, who covers K-12 education in central Ohio. He has been at The...
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Sizable ceremony
Columbus State Community College had a lot to celebrate at its 211th commencement ceremony, but at the top of the list was its record-breaking graduating class. More than 1,400 Columbus State students petitioned to graduate at the spring commencement...
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‘It’s kind of scary sometimes’
The sun had barely risen and Tyler Wisman was already vomiting inside Ohio Stadium. h Wisman, an Ohio State University senior, and the rest of the Brutus Buckeye mascot team got to the ’Shoe just before dawn for one of their weekly summer conditioning...
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OH, DEER!
Columbus residents can no longer legally put out snacks for deer, but accidentally feeding the deer with your garden doesn’t count. Following vehement calls for deer population control from Clintonville residents, a majority of whom said in a survey...
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‘Amazing young people’
Ohio State University’s 12,315 graduates were certainly the center of attention at spring commencement May 10. But moms were easily a close second. Ohio State’s largest annual graduation ceremony fell on Mother’s Day this year, the first time since...
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Ai-integrated cameras raise alarms
For decades, cars dictated urban planning in the United States. h Few could have predicted that they would one day also double as nodes for surveillance. h In thousands of towns and cities across the United States, automatic license plate readers have...
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A look at how we cover breaking and trending news
It’s never a dull moment in the world of trending news. From breaking developments to communitydriven stories, the past few months on the trending and breaking beat have been a wonderful bundle of urgency, range and a focus on what matters most to...
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Ceremony honors Ohio officers killed in 2025
A day after his killer pleaded guilty in court, Morrow County Deputy Daniel Weston Sherrer was honored at a memorial ceremony for law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. “Yesterday, I am pleased to report that his killer accepted...
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Expensive celebration
The late afternoon sunshine poured through the windows of Ohio State University’s Longaberger Alumni House as a steady stream of doctoral students, just days away from commencement, waited in line to try on their academic regalia. Sabrina Durso could...
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Ramaswamy wins GOP nod for governor
It’s official: Republican entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will face off against Democrat Dr. Amy Acton in the race to replace Gov. Mike Dewine. Ramaswamy, 40, of Upper Arlington, easily defeated his primary foe, Casey Putsch, after a roller coaster GOP...
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Primary voters discuss issues with an eye toward November midterms
A steady yet slow stream of voters headed to polling locations around the Columbus area May 5 to cast ballots in what were largely expected to be uncompetitive primary elections. At the Linden Community Center on Briarwood Avenue, polling location...
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OSU head commits to 36 sports ‘as long as we’re able to compete’
Ohio State University President Ravi Bellamkonda said he is committed to maintaining all of its current 36 Division I sports teams – with a caveat. In a sit-down interview May 1 inside the president’s offices, Bellamkonda told reporters that he wants...
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RARE BUT MORE DEADLY
Wrong-way crashes in Ohio are rare, but much more likely to be fatal than a regular crash, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. There have been two fatal crashes related to wrong-way drivers in April in the Columbus area. One driver...
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Hendrickson breaks down consumer issues for you
In April, I celebrated two years of working for The Columbus Dispatch. In that time, my beat has shifted and changed with the needs of our newsroom. What hasn’t changed is that journalism, ultimately, is a public service. Last year, I transitioned...
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Iran submits peace plan; Trump not seeking Congress’ approval
President Donald Trump showed no signs of trying to obtain congressional approval for the war in Iran despite reaching the 60-day deadline to do so, and a maritime blockade remained in effect as the president expressed doubt about Iran’s efforts to...
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‘Failure of access’
After school, the new turf soccer fields built at Kilbourne Run Sports Park by the city of Columbus and the Crew are filled with young club teams – from suburbs like Dublin, New Albany and Lewis Center. Soccer-loving Munir Ali, 8, who lives within...
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HOUSING BOOM
As central Ohio clamors for more housing, the city of Delaware is in the midst of its own housing boom. It seems like every few weeks another housing development is proposed in Delaware city. In just the last few months, the city has received plans...
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‘Yep. I built that’
As Dalanda Kounta carefully lowers the circular saw into a wooden beam, shoots nails into a board up high in a boom lift or frames a doorway, she’s imagining the day she’ll be able to go inside the completed building she’s helping to renovate and point...
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ISSUE 5 UP FOR VOTE
Columbus primary voters will be asked May 5 whether they support sending clinicians, rather than police officers, to respond to nonviolent mental health crises. h Issue 5 was initiated by the Columbus Safety Collective, which includes ACLU of Ohio and...
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Dispatch reporter covers Delaware County, eastern Columbus suburbs
Columbus Dospatch Editor’s Note: Beat notes is a weekly feature from Dispatch journalists who share what’s been happening in their area of coverage and upcoming events. This week, we hear from Maria Devito, who covers Delaware County and eastern...
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Lawmakers pitch days for Hayes, Armstrong
State Sen. Bill Demora was fuming as he left a committee hearing reviewing whether to commemorate a Charlie Kirk Memorial Day in Ohio. “We’re gonna honor some guy who never lived in Ohio, worked in Ohio, went to school in Ohio,” said Demora, a...
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Ex-deputy faces murder charge as retrial begins
Was the December 2020 shooting death of 23-year-old Casey Goodson Jr. a justified tragedy, as a former Franklin County Sheriff ’s deputy’s attorneys say, or the overzealous actions of law enforcement? A jury of nine women and three men will be asked...
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Ramaswamy speaks at Ohio State event
Data centers. Paying for tax cuts. The future of Ohio’s universities. Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy fielded questions about some of the state’s hottest topics at a Turning Point USA event at Ohio State University. Ramaswamy, a...
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Columbus lands NWSL team, set for 2028 debut
Columbus is getting a National Women’s Soccer League team. The NWSL announced on April 21 that Columbus was awarded its 18th franchise, less than two months after it was reported Haslam Sports Group had submitted a bid to bring a professional women’s...
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Giving animals the love they need for 45 years
Jean Marmie pauses at the entrance to a door with her name painted across it, swinging it open to see her current favorite dog anxiously awaiting her behind the metal bars of a kennel. h Eleanor, a 9-year-old caramel-colored mutt, excitedly moves her...
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Marathon continuing to shape Findlay home
This story is part of the Iconic Brands series, a USA TODAY Network project showcasing the companies and brands that helped shape the nation’s identity, economy and culture. The series celebrates American ingenuity with a deeply reported examination of...
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If it’s local you want, we’ve got it.
Our Sunday refresh offers more local news and sports, as well as “Weekend Exclusive” content to help you navigate your lives. So enjoy your Sunday reading filled with stories that will inspire, educate, inform and entertain you.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Iran has reopened the Strait of Hormuz
Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz “completely open” to commercial vessels April 17 – then threatened to again close the global shipping lane if the United States did not end its blockade on Iranian ports and ships. It was the latest back-and-forth...
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Pence talks Iran war, conservatism, faith
Former Vice President Mike Pence supports the United States’ military force in Iran, defended his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, and shared how he became conservative during a discussion at Denison University. Pence was the featured speaker as part of the...
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Protecting history
A fast-growing metro park district in Delaware County is set to open its newest park later this year, seeking to preserve green space in one of the fastest-growing counties in the state. Mccammon Creek Park, 6844 Bale-kenyon Road in Orange Township,...
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9-vehicle I-71 crash kills Ohio couple, their 1-year-old child
Three people were killed and three people were injured in a nine-vehicle crash on Interstate 71 near U.S. 36/State Route 37 in Delaware County on the evening of April 11. A 2006 Freightliner semi-truck was traveling northbound on I-71 at around 6:27...
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CELEBRATING 100
In 1926, a farmer filed an auto claim with a small, Ohio-based insurer that would become the nation’s third largest mutual insurance company still standing after a century of service. In 2026, Nationwide Insurance has grown from a $10,000 pool for...
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A LEGACY LIVES ON
For 26 years, the Columbus police fallen officers memorial has stood in Genoa Park near the Scioto River as a monument to those who died while serving their city. h It has remained unchanged for a decade − the longest span since its installation. The...
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If it’s local you want, we’ve got it.
Our Sunday refresh offers more local news and sports, as well as “Weekend Exclusive” content to help you navigate your lives. So enjoy your Sunday reading filled with stories that will inspire, educate, inform and entertain you.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Iran says it will exert authority over strait
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei signaled April 9 that the country will continue to exert authority over the Strait of Hormuz, an outcome experts fear could lead to higher fuel prices for the foreseeable future. “We will definitely...
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ODOT planning a record $3.4B of roadwork in central Ohio in 2026
The Ohio Department of Transportation plans to spend a record-breaking $3.4 billion on nearly 1,000 construction projects in 2026, including dozens of projects in central Ohio, the department has announced. The 977 projects involve 739 bridges and...
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Trump threats to Iran more hostile
President Donald Trump, ahead of his April 7 deadline for Iran to make a deal, issued a stark warning that a wave of expected U.S. military attacks on critical infrastructure would leave the country unable to recover. “A whole civilization will die...
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Trump promised massive Ohio power plant, but doubts linger
Armed with gleaming shovels, federal and local officials hoisted dirt at a groundbreaking for a $33 billion natural gas-fueled power plant in Pike County on March 20. Under a backdrop of U.S. flags, there was live music, speeches and seemingly endless...
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CCS spends $33M on buildings it will close
Columbus City Schools has spent over $20 million in improvements since 2020 on four buildings it plans to demolish. According to records obtained by The Dispatch, the district has spent $33.3 million in total across eight schools it plans to close or...
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When it comes to senior living, one size does not fit all.
As a life plan community, Ohio Living Westminster-thurber’s campus is designed to provide the housing option that’s right for you, right now.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
2 U.S. fighter jets downed over Iran
Two days after President Donald Trump vowed in an address to hit Iran “extremely hard,” two U.S. fighter jets went down over Iran, according to the White House and media reports. One crew member was rescued from a two-seated F-15E fighter jet that was...
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Going from unhoused to a home
During the past four months, dozens of unhoused people moved from living outside to rooms in a local hotel, and then to their very own apartments. The reduction in unhoused people locally is thanks to a seasonal program that provided hotel rooms to...
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‘IT’S GOING REALLY WELL’
Daren Griffin is taking over as president and CEO of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority at a pivotal moment for air travel in central Ohio. h Construction crews are building John Glenn Columbus International Airport’s new $2 billion terminal...
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Who is at fault?
By early May 2024, multiple people had accused a teacher of dealing drugs and sexually preying on women at a state prison in Dayton. A hidden camera finally installed in August captured the teacher — who had previously served time for trafficking —...
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‘A bad situation’
Corrections officer Barbara Devine grew nervous at the sight of the K-9 unit as she walked through security at Chillicothe Correctional Institution. h The dog was sniffing everyone entering the prison that morning in late 2022. But Devine had a good...
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Thousands turn out for ‘No Kings’ protests
Thousands of demonstrators turned out March 28 across central Ohio as a part of the national “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump’s actions and policies in his second term. Events took place across central Ohio, including in many...
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When it comes to senior living, one size does not fit all.
As a life plan community, Ohio Living Westminster-thurber’s campus is designed to provide the housing option that’s right for you, right now.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Front, Mound streets are torn up Downtown
Crews working for the Ohio Department of Transportation tore up the intersection of Front and Mound streets in downtown Columbus earlier this week, snarling traffic near Interstates 70 and 71. Front Street is down to one lane in either direction near...
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Upward trend
Central Ohio’s population continues to outpace the growth of its big-city counterparts, Cincinnati and Cleveland, fueled by a diverse workforce, massive construction projects and net migration. In fact, without the greater Columbus area, the state...
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EX-OSU football player pleads guilty in crash
A former Ohio State University offensive lineman appearing in court on March 25 admitted to having a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit and driving more than 125 mph when he caused a crash in Dublin that killed a 24-year-old...
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City police, fire face steep overtime cuts
In 2025, Columbus’ police and fire divisions spent $51 million on overtime. This year, the divisions must cut that to $28 million. The Columbus City Council’s public safety committee chair called that “a difficult target to hit.” Police and fire...
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ALMOST READY
ASHVILLE – Almost six football fields could fit within the Arsenal-1 building, located near this Pickaway County village just south of Rickenbacker International Airport. And by the end of this month, production of unmanned military aircraft will begin...
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Behind the scenes at Nationwide Arena
The grinding blast of noise inside the kitchen area of Nationwide Arena came without warning. A reporter asked Derek Smith, general manager of the arena who just showed off the massive refrigerators. “That’s just the compressor. It’s the...
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Dispatch reporter covers state government, politics
Editor’s note: Beat notes is a weekly feature from Dispatch journalists who share what’s been happening in their area of coverage and upcoming events. This week we hear from Haley Bemiller. There’s something new every day at the Ohio Statehouse. I...
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SHOWING LOVE, SUPPORT
AMANDA − The March 12 deaths of six United States service members in Iraq are personal to Ohio Air National Guard Capt. Justin Rainier. He knew three of them, including Fairfield County’s Capt. Seth Koval, 38, for whom a memorial service was held...
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HEARTBREAK FOR THE BUCKEYES
ABOVE: Ohio State Buckeyes forwards Amare Bynum (1) and Brandon Noel (14) react after losing to the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs during a first-round game of the men’s NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South...
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‘A HIDDEN GEM’
The shiny black car door, hood, tire and other assorted parts to a 1978 Chevy Monte Carlo drew Colton Saunders inside the once-abandoned Franklinton building like a trail of metal and rubber breadcrumbs. He’d trudged past the former school building on...
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