Cleveland, OH
Ohio to Spend $169 Million Building Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Near Highways in Next Five Years
Mark Oprea
Electric cars outside Tri-C’s Advanced Technology Training Center on Wednesday. Northeast Ohio could see a dozen new charging stations in the next five years, thanks to a federal grant program.
Ohio should be an easier state to drive in for Tesla, Rivian and other EV owners by the end of the decade.
That’s the overall goal underlying an announcement of a massive funding package by state electric vehicle advocates Wednesday morning, one that intends to inject hundreds of millions of dollars into bringing Ohio’s lackluster EV charging station stock up to speed.
And the data doesn’t lie.
Just in April, a report from S&P Global Mobility ranked Cleveland well near the bottom of the top 50 U.S. cities for registered owners of electric vehicles, a stat owed to both the high point of entry for said vehicles and, undeniably, the deficit of charging stations across the state.
On Wednesday, in a lecture room at Tri-C’s Advanced Technology Training Center , Grace Gallucci, the director of the Northeast Ohio Area Coordinating Agency, and experts on alternative energy infrastructure spoke promisingly to a packed room about how $169 million in federal grant dollars would be doled out across Ohio in the next five years.
Priorities in that spending money—spread out amongst NOACA, the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council and the Ohio Department of Transportation—were made clear: power stations for Ohio EV drivers should be conveniently placed. That is to, one day, have 9 out of 10 Ohioans within a 25-mile radius of an EV charging station.
“We have a pretty extensive alternative fuel corridor network,” Breanna Badanes, a spokesperson for DriveOhio, said. “But it’s clear that there are still plenty of gaps throughout the state, particularly in Southern Ohio, some in Northwestern Ohio. So that’s kind of what we’re here to talk about: planning for these future phases when we can build outside of the alternative fuel corridors, what we still need to prioritize as a state.”
Mark Oprea
Breanna Badanes, a spokesperson for DriveOhio, at Tri-C on Wednesday.
Ohio currently has 1,578 stations in sum, those mostly on private land and relatively close to highways and shopping centers. Many are in areas with higher income levels, an issue of equity speakers on Wednesday said its charging station spending plans to address.
As of June, there a dozen new charging stations planned in the greater Northeast Ohio area, and only one so far in construction, a station west of Akron. A Pilot EV station, funded in part with federal dollars, opened off I-71 in Columbus in December.
These future stations, for which $56 million has been spent thus far, follow guidelines listed by the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, which dictates a state must build a station every 50 miles off major transportation corridors and include at least four Fast Chargers of at least 600 kilowatts of combined power.
Katie Zehnder, vice president at HNTB, a transportation infrastructure firm, reminded attendees on Wednesday that Ohio’s push to become more EV-friendly is based on—just like bike lines and crosswalks—the premise that infrastructure creates culture.
The same goes, she said, for encouraging more electric usage at commercial enterprises, such as equipping UPS and DHL trucks with the on-road power they need to make the switch sustainable.
A recent survey of freight riders testing out new electric trucks showed Drive Ohio that driving EVs led to employees taking fewer sick days, less gas engine vibration, and led to “less back issues.”
“Which I was admittedly kind of shocked by at the time,” Zehnder said about the study. “Ride and drives, just exposure to EVs, that’s really the best thing. Because once people get into these vehicles, they really seem to enjoy them.”
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Published: June 10, 2026
By Mallory Mattingly
The Cleveland Browns are focused on more than winning games this season; they want to win souls for Christ.
Several Browns players hosted an even called “Cleveland for Christ,” which saw multiple players get baptized, including the team’s Defensive Rookie of the Year, Carson Schwesinger.
How great is this?
Cleveland linebacker Carson Schwesinger got baptized at a CLEVELAND FOR CHRIST event in Berea, OH.🎥 Lucas Cochran media pic.twitter.com/jSBYa6HeGT
— Sports Spectrum (@Sports_Spectrum) June 8, 2026
According to Fox News Digital, the event featured “quarterback Shedeur Sanders, running back Raheim Sanders, cornerback Tyson Campbell, safety Daniel Thomas and of course, team chaplain Nobles C. Darby among others. It brought together some members of the local community and Browns players for a time of praise, worship and fellowship.”
Browns QB Depended on God for Game-Winning Touchdown: ‘Thank You, Jesus’
“It’s so important to share your testimony. I encourage my teammates, anybody around me, because I look at it like this: A lot of people are not going to church, so you might be the only Bible that somebody ever reads. It’s important how we carry ourselves on and off the field,” Browns safety Daniel Thomas told the crowd of people at the event, per Sports Spectrum.
When promoting the event, Thomas shared on social media that it would be a time of “service and baptism.”
“This is a special moment for my brothers and I, as we’ve prayed about finding a way to impact this amazing community through Christ. We can’t wait to come together and celebrate faith in such a powerful way,” the safety said.
Browns chaplain Nobles Darby also helped lead the event. He always challenges his players to “leverage their platform to point other people to Jesus Christ, and this [event] is gonna be an opportunity to do that,” he said in a promo video.
“This event is really rooted in Acts 2:38, where Peter says, ‘Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and then you’ll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,’” he added.
Browns cornerback Tyson Campbell called the event “powerful.”
“The Word says, ‘When two or three are gathered in My name, I am among them.’ So, God’s gonna be present, and I’m excited to see what He has in store,” Campbell added.
We applaud these athletes for using their platform to not only impact their community but to also share the gospel with their teammates and fans.
Read Next: Cleveland Browns Tight End Praises God After Sustaining Burn Injuries
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
Watch PETER RABBIT 2: THE RUNAWAY →
Watch UNSUNG HERO →
2026 marks the 75th anniversary of Topps Baseball cards, and to help celebrate, rare buyback card redemptions are being inserted into packs of 2026 Topps Series 2 Baseball. This continues an event that started with Series 1, but this time the cards are different, but equally as iconic. Names such as Jackie Robinson and Mickey Mantle will have redemption buyback cards that can be pulled, along with key hobby chases such as Ken Griffey Jr. All of the cards will be graded, but the grade is not specified on the redemption.
Here is a look at some (but not all) of the iconic cards that can be pulled from the product.
Hall of Fame Vintage Cards Make Up A Portion of Included Buyback Cards
While every single card included is iconic in its own right, there are a few that stand out, starting with a few Hall of Famers.
Hank Aaron
The 1954 Topps Hank Aaron Rookie Card is included on the list. Aaron is best known for setting the all-time home run record with 715 HRs, which was later broken by Barry Bonds. Aaron’s rookie is condition-sensitive due to the card’s colors and size.
The card features a full profile of Aaron, and high-grade copies will sell for good money. While it is not known what grade the redemption will be, any collector would love to have this card in their collection.
Mickey Mantle
Who doesn’t want a Mickey Mantle card in their collection? Mantle’s 1956 card can be pulled from 2026 Topps Series 2. This release includes both an action shot of Mantle and a headshot. While it may not be the 1952 Mantle, any vintage Mickey Mantle card has traction in the hobby.
Roberto Clemente
Roberto Clemente’s Rookie Card is a grail card for many, and one lucky collector will be able to pull the coveted redemption for it. Clemente was a standout star for the Pittsburgh Pirates and is still well respected in the hobby today.
A PSA 5 of this card sold recently for $5,927, showing that hobbyist interest remains years after Clemente’s untimely passing.
Recent Baseball and Hobby Stars Are Also Featured On The Checklist
Ken Griffey Jr.
Ken Griffey Jr. is one of the biggest names in the hobby when it comes to collectability, and his rookie card appears in the 1989 Topps Traded set. Like the other cards featured here, it can be redeemed.
While this may not be the most expensive card throughout the whole checklist, it is a rookie card of a hobby phenomenon.
Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter finds his way into the buyback redemption checklist with his 1993 rookie card as well. Jeter’s rookie card is iconic because its background resembles a baseball field, with the words “1992 Draft Pick” written above him.
It is a hard card to miss out in the wild, and is a key part of Topps history.
Clayton Kershaw
One of the newer cards featured in the buyback redemption program comes from the 2008 Topps Update and Highlights set. The card is a Clayton Kershaw Rookie, which has risen in value since his retirement.
What might seem like a common card to many can sell in PSA 9 condition for between $175-$200.
Any collector would be thrilled to add any of these cards to their collection. With Topps including these as buyback redemptions in the 2026 Topps Series 2, collectors will have the chance to add these cards in graded form. While they might be tough pulls, they do represent Topps’ history well.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Ohio House announced it passed Amanda Dean’s Law, legislation that increases penalties for abuse of a corpse.
Amanda Dean, a 36-year-old mother of four, who was murdered by her boyfriend Fred Reer in 2017. Investigators with BCI determined that Dean was killed inside a residence where the couple lived, and that he later cleaned the crime scene and disposed of evidence. Dean’s body has never been found.
The Bill was sponsored by State Rep. Gayle Manning (R-Avon) and Kellie Deeter (R-Norwalk)
“Abuse of a human corpse is a profound violation of dignity and deeply traumatizing for families, and Amanda Dean’s Law ensures that Ohio law treats these offenses with the seriousness they deserve and holds offenders fully accountable,” said Manning.
“House Bill 654 strengthens Ohio law by establishing enhanced penalties for offenders who dismember, mutilate, or intentionally disfigure a human corpse, particularly when those acts are committed to conceal a crime, obstruct justice, or impair a criminal investigation,” said Deeter. “This bill is about dignity, accountability, and justice. Amanda Dean’s Law sends a clear message that Ohio will not tolerate conduct that dishonors the deceased or compounds the suffering of surviving family members.”
Key provisions of Amanda Dean’s Law include:
Reclassifying abuse of a corpse that outrages reasonable family sensibilities as a felony of the fifth degree;
Increasing penalties for gross abuse of a corpse to a felony of the fourth degree;
Elevating the offense to a felony of the third degree when the conduct involves dismemberment, mutilation, or intentional disfigurement;
Establishing a felony of the second degree when such acts are committed to conceal a crime, obstruct justice, or impair a criminal investigation or prosecution.
The bill now advances to the Ohio Senate.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
-
Denver, CO3 minutes agoIs Denver hosting 2026 World Cup matches? No, and here’s why
-
Seattle, WA8 minutes agoCars not welcome: How to navigate Seattle on World Cup game days – MyNorthwest.com
-
San Diego, CA15 minutes agoPadres minors: Jhony Brito solid in El Paso start, Kerrington Cross leads Storm to win
-
Milwaukee, WI18 minutes agoMilwaukee Music Premiere: Wisconsin Space Program, ‘Time Machine’
-
Atlanta, GA30 minutes agoAtlanta World Cup: Additional watch parties in metro Atlanta
-
Minneapolis, MN33 minutes agoOperation Metro Surge cost Minneapolis $700M, city estimates
-
Indianapolis, IN38 minutes agoWhen is 60th annual Indianapolis Strawberry Festival? Date, time, strawberry shortcake prices
-
Pittsburg, PA45 minutes agoThese teachers around Pittsburgh had highs and lows in their first years. Here’s why they’re coming back.
