Over the course of a few days in mid-September, posters cropped up in cities across Ohio.
They are royal blue, teal, red and white with bold designs: a ballot box as a speaker, a dove carrying a banner, a hand picking a petal of a flower.
And all of them have the same message: VOTE!
Tire marks paint the black concrete of a secluded parking lot on University of Northwestern Ohio’s campus in Lima. This semester, student Eric Kananowicz is adding to the canvas.
His tricked-out car spun across the pavement. Clouds of smoke and dust engulfed it as he did donuts around a pole. The car looked like it could spin out at any moment.
This weekend, the city of Loveland, a suburb of Cincinnati, is hosting an inaugural festival to honor a notorious amphibian: the Loveland Frogman.
“Imagine about a three or four-foot-tall biped frog with what’s been mentioned as scaly or sometimes slimy skin,” described Brian Maxson, the owner of a barbershop in town.
Last year, Ohio expanded its school voucher program so that all families, regardless of income, can apply for private school scholarships. Now, the state is taking it a step further.
Memorial Health System, headquartered in southeast Ohio, broke ground on a new hospital Tuesday. Once built, it’ll be the only women and children’s hospital in the region.
“For the first time ever in this part of Appalachia, we're going to have a true women's and children's campus,” said Scott Cantley, the health system’s CEO.
More than 100 public school districts in Ohio will be asking voters to either approve or renew a tax levy, bond issue or income tax when they head to the polls this November.
Many Ohio universities erupted in protest last spring over the Israel-Hamas war. And with the upcoming election, Ohio universities are preparing for even more polarizing political discussion.
Some are launching civil discourse initiatives.
Bill Peoples is not your average vintage car collector. Sure, he’s got Packards from the '40s, a ‘34 Studebaker, but they’re not made for a leisurely cruise.
“The pallbearers would bring the flowers out and put them on this rack up here,” Peoples said, gesturing toward the back of the elongated vehicle. “And it’s got little rollers in here for the coffin.”
Kenton Wilson loves animals, so the county fair is right up the 12-year-old’s alley. But in past fairs, he hasn’t been able to show chickens or goats like his peers.
That’s because Kenton has autism and is nonverbal. He communicates differently than other kids his age, so interacting with strangers requires additional understanding.
To cast a ballot in the upcoming November election, Ohioans need to register to vote by Oct. 7. With the deadline less than a week away, Ohio election officials are urging residents to ensure they’re on the state rolls and ready to vote.
