Ohio

Here’s what we learned from Ohio State basketball’s Jake Diebler at Big Ten media day

Published

2 years ago

October 3, 2024

Here’s what we learned from Ohio State basketball’s Jake Diebler at Big Ten media day

ROSEMONT, Ill. – He took the stage first, leading a three-man Big Ten coaching entourage onto the makeshift television set.

Entering his first season as the Ohio State men’s basketball coach, Jake Diebler walked onto the risers ahead of Iowa coach Fran McCaffery and Northwestern coach Chris Collins. For a little more than 15 minutes, the three coaches sat for a panel discussion about their seasons, their jobs and, in Diebler’s case, his family.

The first question to the three was directed to Diebler: what’s it like now having a family of six? Diebler and his wife, Jordyn, welcomed a baby boy in early July, their fourth child.

“It’s been good,” Diebler said. “By number four you’re used to not sleeping as much. No, we’re blessed. Everybody is healthy. Our kids are having a great time. They’ve enjoyed being around the team and spending some time in the gym.”

It was an easy way to start a whirlwind of a day for Diebler and the Buckeyes inside the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. There was the four-person live chat, interviews with multiple national radio shows and dozens of quick, informal conversations caught in the hallways with fellow Big Ten coaches and players. It’s a quick business trip for the Buckeyes, who flew in Thursday morning and were slated to fly back home in the evening.

Ohio State, picked eighth in the unofficial official Big Ten preseason media poll conducted jointly by The Dispatch and The Indianapolis Star, is in some ways as much an unknown as anyone else in the newly expanded, 18-team conference.

Here’s what else Diebler talked about.

Bruce Thornton lauded for his work ethic

In the televised chat aired live on the conference’s network, Diebler sat with McCaffery on his right and Collins on his left. As each coach was invariably asked about his roster, Diebler got a question about third-year guard Bruce Thornton and the leadership he provides the Buckeyes.

“Bruce isn’t an every-day guy: he is an every-rep guy,” Diebler said. “Every single day in practice, doesn’t matter the drill. If you are going live, if you are not going live, he goes hard every time. To have that in your program, there’s so much value around that, and he sets the standard for us of what it means to work.”

Thornton is a two-time Ohio State captain and one of the team’s two player representatives at media day. He is joined by fifth-year guard Meechie Johnson Jr., a former Buckeye who transferred to South Carolina and played there for two years before returning for his final season.

“We’ve been intentional about who we’ve invited into our family,” Diebler said. “We have a group of great guys. Now we have to build that chemistry in between the lines.”

Ohio State Buckeyes: Join the Ohio State Sports Insider text group with Bill Rabinowitz, Joey Kaufman Adam Jardy

Buckeyes are healthy as practice continues

Illness has hit Ohio State’s early practice portions, but Diebler said the Buckeyes are navigating the start of the fall pretty well.

“(We’re) mostly healthy,” Diebler said. “We’ve had some sickness go through the program a little bit. In talking to other coaches, that seems to be going around, but for the most part we’re moving forward mostly healthy.”

This time last year, Ohio State was without freshmen Taison Chatman and Austin Parks as both dealt with preseason injuries. That missed time would hinder their development, affecting their ability to impact the Buckeyes when the season began.

This year, at this point, nobody is in a similar situation after a summer that saw multiple players miss time here and there with minor injuries.

“As of right now, we’re going to have everybody available and I think we’ll have some consistent time to build some chemistry with the whole team together,” Diebler said. “We didn’t have that this summer. We’re now at a point where we can scrimmage against each other and try some different lineups. We’re heading in the right direction.”

Diebler likes Ohio State’s backcourt depth

Thornton, a preseason first-team all-Big Ten pick, and Johnson, a second-team all-SEC pick at South Carolina last year, will anchor Ohio State’s backcourt and provide leadership for this year’s team.

While they will play important roles for the Buckeyes, Diebler said they are part of a deep backcourt he will be relying on.

“I’ve been impressed with how organic and natural that chemistry (between Thornton and Johnson) has seemed,” Diebler said. “That’s been the case honestly for our whole backcourt. We have a great deal of depth in our backcourt. Micah Parrish, Ques Glover, John Mobley. We’ve got depth that’s a real strength for us, and the chemistry within that group has been impressive.”

Ques Glover an early surprise

One of the final additions to the 2024-25 roster has proven to be among Diebler’s biggest pleasant surprises in the early going. Asked what has surprised him, Diebler pointed to the play of Glover, a sixth-year player who was added to the roster when Taison Chatman was lost for the season with a torn ACL.

In 99 career games, Glover has averaged 10.3 points while shooting 46.1% from the floor and 30.6% from 3-point range. He played two years at Florida, transferred to Samford for two more, transferred to BYU, left during the summer, transferred to Kansas State and then missed the 2023-24 season due to injury.

“I’ve been surprised with Ques Glover and his ability to score,” Diebler said.

Two other transfers have been impactful, Diebler said. Ohio State signed Kentucky’s Aaron Bradshaw and Duke’s Sean Stewart, two McDonald’s All-Americans in 2023 who played sparingly for their blue-blood programs before transferring.

Ohio State Buckeyes: Before Ohio State, Aaron Bradshaw and Sean Stewart starred in McDonald’s All-American game

“I also think as Aaron Bradshaw and Sean Stewart have been in our program now for some time, (with) their lack of experience I didn’t fully know how consistent they would be,” Diebler said. “I think they’re developing that consistency. Certainly two very talented players that will play together, but they’re growing in their consistency and I think that really helps the ceiling of our team.”

ajardy@dispatch.com

@AdamJardy

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Ohio

Ranked choice voting ban silences Ohio voters | Opinion

Published

3 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

Ranked choice voting ban silences Ohio voters | Opinion

By banning ranked choice voting and penalizing communities that consider it, Ohio leaders have limited local control and signaled a lack of trust in voters to shape their own elections.

Tyler Minton
| Opinion contributor

When Gov. Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 63 into law, he didn’t just ban ranked choice voting in Ohio. He sent a clear message: Ohio voters cannot be trusted to make decisions about our own elections.

That should concern everyone, regardless of where you stand on ranked choice voting.

This is not really about a specific voting system. It is about whether communities have the right to explore new ideas, debate them openly, and decide for themselves what works. Senate Bill 63 shuts that door completely. It tells cities and counties across Ohio that even considering a different approach is off-limits.

Worse, it punishes them for trying.

When policy becomes coercion

The law threatens to withhold Local Government Fund dollars from any community that adopts ranked choice voting. That is not guidance. It is coercion. It forces local leaders to choose between representing their voters and protecting their budgets.

In a state that has long valued local control, that should raise serious red flags.

Here in Greater Cincinnati, we pride ourselves on collaboration, innovation, and civic pride. We bring people together across industries, neighborhoods, and perspectives to solve problems and build something stronger. That spirit does not come from the top down. It comes from people who are trusted to show up and participate.

Senate Bill 63 undermines that spirit.

Ranked choice voting is already used in cities and states across the country. Some have embraced it. Others have rejected it. That is exactly how democracy is supposed to work. You try something. You evaluate it. You adjust.

Ohio does not even get that chance.

Who gets to decide our elections?

Instead of trusting voters to decide, state leaders decided for them. Instead of allowing debate, they ended it. Instead of encouraging participation, they shut it down.

If we believe in democracy, we have to believe in the people who make it work.

We have to trust Ohioans to think critically, to weigh options, and to choose how our elections should function. Taking that choice away does not protect democracy. It weakens it.

Gov. DeWine had an opportunity to stand up for that principle. He chose not to.

Now it is up to Ohio voters to decide what kind of voice we want to have moving forward and whether we are willing to accept it being taken away.

Tyler Minton is a Cincinnati resident and Ohio native who works in the meetings and events industry.

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Ohio

Wanda Lou Bailey, Louisville, Ohio

Published

15 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

ALLIANCE, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Wanda Lou Bailey, born August 8, 1940, in Charleston, West Virginia, passed away peacefully on April 18, 2026, in Louisville, Ohio. She was a beloved member of her community, whose life was marked by dedication to her family, faith, and numerous heartfelt pursuits.

A graduate of Poca High School in West Virginia in 1958, Wanda’s early years paved a foundation of commitment that she carried throughout her life. Her professional journey included roles at Big Lots and Quality Farm and Fleet, but it was her role as a pastor’s wife that truly defined much of her life’s work. Alongside her late husband, Rev. Paul Bailey, whom she married on May 31, 1958, Wanda was deeply involved in spiritual and community service until his passing on March 9, 2021.

Wanda’s warm spirit and spicy attitude extended beyond her family and church. She was known for her skills in puzzles, crafts, quilting-each piece a testament to her caring nature. Her memory bears, lovingly crafted from cherished fabrics, stand as small yet profound symbols of her dedication and love. She also volunteered for many years at Canaan Acres Christian Camp, embracing her role as “Camp Nana” with a heart full of grace and kindness, known by all who knew her there.

Wanda is survived by four devoted children: Paula (David) Monteleone, David (Debra) Bailey, Laura (Pastor Mike) Kimball, and Beth Bailey. She also leaves behind nine grandchildren-Jennifer (Nathaniel) Miller, Carrie (Casey) Callarick, Kimberly (Brandy) Brown, Michael (Heidi) McLaughlin, Gregory Bailey, Rev. Cassandra (Bryan) Wynn, Jeremiah (Jaclyn) Kimball, Courtnie (Jon) Eckelberry, and Joshua (Ruby) Vandeborne. Her legacy further extends through twenty-four great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren, as well as extended family who called her mom and nana, continuing her family lines that meant so much to her. Wanda was also sister to Mary McCalister, Clara Honaker, and Archie Quigley. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, William and Rebecca (Vansickle) Quigley, and her husband, Rev. Paul Bailey.

The community will gather to honor Wanda’s life and legacy with a viewing on April 25, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Canaan Acres Campground, located at 8020 Nazarene Ave NE, Louisville, Ohio 44641. A funeral service will follow at 4:00 PM the same day at the campground with her son in law Pastor Mike Kimball officiating. Entombment will take place at Highland Hills Cemetery in Follansbee, West Virginia. on Monday, April 27th the time will be announced at a later date.

Wanda Lou Bailey’s life was one of service, creativity, and boundless love-a true beacon to her family and community. She will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered by all who had the privilege to know her. Memorial contributions can be made in Wanda’s memory to “Camp Nana Fund) in care of Caanan Acres Campground, 8020 Nazarene Ave. NE Louisville, Ohio 44641. Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home, Sebring Chapel (330) 938-2526, www.grfuneralhome.com.

Family and friends may view send condolences at Gednetz-Ruzek-Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Service.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Wanda Lou Bailey, please visit our flower store.

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Bonnie Sue Reed-Tilton-Hetzel, East Liverpool, Ohio

Published

1 day ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

Bonnie Sue Reed-Tilton-Hetzel, East Liverpool, Ohio

EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Bonnie Sue Reed-Tilton-Hetzel, known lovingly as Bonnie, passed away on Thursday, April 16, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio, following a sudden unexpected medical emergency.

Bonnie was born on March 27, 1947, in East Liverpool, Ohio.

Bonnie lived a life marked by faith, devotion and steady love. She was a Christian woman, whose life reflected the goodness she believed in and shared with others. Those who knew her best will remember her as faith-filled, loving and generous, a woman who offered encouragement, comfort and warmth wherever she went. She carried herself with a spirit that lifted others and she lived with the kind of purpose that leaves a lasting imprint on family, church and community alike.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Crystal Tilton (surviving husband Daniel) Sigmon of North Carolina. She was also preceded in death by her mother, Helen Cameron-Reed-Salisbury of East Liverpool, Ohio; her father, Leonard A. Reed of Ohioville, Pennsylvania; her grandparents, Frank and Ethel Hager-Cameron and Ina Duncan-Reed-Sarvey; and her two brothers, L. Frank Reed of Mansfield, Ohio and William J. Reed Sr. of East Liverpool, Ohio. Though these loved ones have gone before her, the bond of family and memory remains strong, and her life was deeply shaped by the generations who came before her and the ones she helped raise with love.

Bonnie graduated from East Liverpool High School in 1965, where she lettered in music, played violin in the orchestra and the bellyra in the band, where they marched in the 1964 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, an achievement that stood as a proud memory of her youth. Her school years reflected her gift for music and her willingness to serve as part of something larger than herself. She later attended Kent State University and continued to live with a spirit of growth, learning and perseverance.

Her work ethic was strong and steady and she was respected for the many ways she contributed to the lives around her. She worked at Hills department store, Carriage Hill Meat Packing Plant and the United States Postal Service offices in Steubenville, Youngstown, Boardman, Austintown, East Liverpool and Calcutta. Later, she became self-employed in construction, roofing and remodeling, where her determination and practical skills were evident to all who knew her. Bonnie understood the value of honest work and she met life’s responsibilities with courage and grace.

Bonnie’s interests reflected her heart for ministry, family and fellowship. She loved delivering the word of God through music ministry, alongside her husband, bringing hope and comfort to nursing homes and prisons. She served her community and church, Lake Milton Baptist Temple, where she felt called to live with love and generosity. She also cherished hosting family dinners, where board games, laughter and togetherness created memories that will continue to bless her family for years to come. She enjoyed travel, especially trips to Florida and visits with family, and she valued church activities and the companionship of her six rescue cats, who were also part of the home she nurtured with tenderness.

She is survived by her devoted, faithful and loving husband, Frank Hetzel, or as she would call him “her Franko”, to whom she married on January 9th 1988; and her sister, Judi Reed-Cameron of Salem, Ohio, who will forever share in the treasured memories of a lifetime of sisterhood.

Bonnie leaves behind her two daughters, T. Renee Tilton-Rardon and her husband, Gene Goldberg of Wellsville, Ohio and April Tilton Large and her husband, David Large of Minerva, Ohio; as well as her son, Aaron Tilton of Lake Milton, Ohio. She also leaves behind her two stepdaughters, Mary Elizabeth Hetzel of Tennessee and Rebecca Hetzel Fowler and her husband, James Fowler of Tennessee; and her stepson, Robert Hetzel and his wife, Amy Hetzel of Wisconsin. Her family circle extends through 15 grandchildren, Nicholas (Ashleigh) Rardon, Zachary (Haylee) Cramer, Cassandra Sigmon, Elijah (Alexis) Sigmon, Joshua Sigmon, Alexa Sigmon, Emma Large, Ivy Large, Elyse Tingler, Danni Tingler, Tristan (Laurel) Fowler, Colton Fowler, Christian (Clarinda) Hetzel, Faith (Jacob) Charpentier and Joy (Aaron) Kamla; as well as five great-grandchildren, Macie Cramer, Damian Rardon, Savannah Rardon, Alleah Cramer and Petra Charpentier. Her family was one of her greatest joys, and she treasured each name, each face, and each precious moment shared together.

Bonnie’s life offers a testimony that speaks plainly and powerfully. A life grounded in Christ does not end in defeat, because the faithful are held in the hands of God. She lived with conviction, served with compassion and loved with an open heart. Her story reminds us that a life of prayer, service and kindness is never wasted. As Maya Angelou wrote, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Bonnie made people feel loved, remembered, welcomed and encouraged and that is a legacy that endures.

Though her earthly journey has ended, Bonnie’s influence remains in the music she shared, the meals she prepared, the prayers she prayed, the work she completed and the family she helped shape. Her life was a blessing and her memory will continue to call others toward faith, gratitude and love. May those who mourn her also celebrate the hope she lived by, trusting that the same God who sustained her in life now holds her in eternal peace.

Romans 8:6

King James Version

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Viewing and services will be held on Monday, April 20, 2026, at Lake Milton Baptist Temple, 415 S Pricetown Road, Diamond, Ohio 44412. Viewing will be held from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m., with a service following at 3:00 p.m.

A small burial service for immediate family will be held at the cemetery afterwards.

There will be a dinner held at the church’s hall after funeral services and everyone is welcome to join to celebrate Bonnie’s life.

Arrangements for the family have been provided by Bernard P. Borowski Memorial Home.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bonnie Sue (Reed) Tilton-Hetzel, please visit our floral store.

A television tribute will air Monday, April 20, at the following approximate times: 6:47 a.m. on WYTV, 9:43 a.m. on WKBN, 10:58 a.m. on FOX and 8:12 p.m. on MyYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.

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