Midwest
Ohio mayor sounds alarm after village rocked by thousands of African illegal immigrants: 'Unsustainable'
LOCKLAND, Ohio — The mayor of a small village near Cincinnati says he needs help from the federal government after a surge of illegal immigration primarily from Mauritania that nearly exceeds the local population and that he says is “unsustainable.”
“Our county officials estimate that we have around 3,000 of those that have come to a village of 3,420 residents. And our complaint is, if the federal government is going to have an open borders policy, with that they need to have a policy directing these immigrants to communities that can absorb that kind of population increase,” Lockland Mayor Mark Mason told Fox News Digital.
Officials want to be focused on revitalizing the village and its economy, which was downgraded from a city due to its shrinking population, but they instead find themselves strained by the stress of the enormous number of illegal immigrants.
HAITIAN MIGRANTS OVERWHELMING SMALL INDIANA TOWN: ‘IT’S JUST OVERRUN’
This image shows the town of Lockland, Ohio. (Fox News Digital)
There are multiple apartment blocks that officials and residents say are taken over by Mauritanians, who are said to be packed beyond capacity in apartments.
Village Administrator Doug Wehmeyer told Fox News Digital recently that it is leading to around $150,000 in losses for the village, as the illegal immigrants do not pay taxes and are displacing local residents who are moving out of those apartments. It is an assessment shared by the mayor.
“Our fire and paramedic services have been stressed. Since they moved into these apartment complexes, a lot of the longtime residents have moved out because of multiple fires. It’s been caused by their not understanding how to cook on stoves, and they use high levels of grease in their cooking, which have caused multiple fires,” Mason said.
“And so a lot of people don’t want to subject their families to unsafe conditions in these apartment complexes. So, therefore, they’ve moved out – the working residents – and they have moved in. And most don’t have jobs, they don’t contribute to society. They don’t contribute to your earnings tax base. And it’s a real concern,” he said.
Border Patrol picks up a group of asylum seekers from an aid camp at the U.S.-Mexico border near Sasabe, Arizona, on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (Justin Hamel/Getty Images)
Other concerns include littering throughout the village. The mayor also says a number of female residents have complained about how they are treated by the Mauritanians.
“If you’re going to let immigrants just come over freely, you’ve got to educate them on the cultural differences in how things operate here and make them understand that some of the things that maybe you’re used to in Mauritania [isn’t] necessarily acceptable here in the United States,” he said.
Ultimately, one of the biggest issues is numbers.
SWING STATE OFFICIAL WARNS VILLAGE STRUGGLING WITH FINANCIAL LOSSES AFTER INFLUX OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
“A village of 1.2 square miles can just not absorb almost a doubling in their population. It’s unsustainable,” he said.
He argued that it is up to the federal government to help small communities and to direct migrants to communities, including those that are sanctuary communities.
Lockland’s case echoes towns and cities like Springfield, Ohio, which saw a surge in Haitian migration in recent years, and Charleroi, Pennsylvania, which has also been overwhelmed by Haitian migration.
Meanwhile, cities like Chicago and New York City have struggled to handle the waves of immigration they have seen move to their sanctuary jurisdictions as the border crisis has moved north.
HAITIAN MIGRATION ROILS TOWN IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE WITH SIGNS OF PRO-TRUMP SUPPORT ON THE RISE
Recently, officials and residents in Logansport, Indiana, say they have struggled with an influx of Haitians.
“And shame on the federal government for allowing this to happen to small communities like ours. It’s happening throughout the country,” Mason said.
“Pick a state, pick a small community, and you can read about it. It may not be Mauritanians, but immigration has affected small town USA. And it’s just not fair that this is dropped on local governments, local residents to have to deal with these situations,” he said.
Fox News’ Emma Woodhead contributed to this report.
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Illinois
Illinois State Police release video of deadly shooting involving ISP troopers on South Side
CHICAGO (WLS) — Illinois State Police have released videos showing a deadly shooting involving state troopers last month in Chicago.
The video in the player above may be difficult to watch.
The shooting happened around 10:50 p.m. April 15 in the 6500-block of South Champlain Avenue in the city’s Woodlawn neighborhood.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
Officers got a call for a domestic battery from a passenger in a vehicle on I-57.
That passenger led the officers to find her boyfriend, 24-year-old Jalen Carpenter, in the 6500-block of South Champlain Avenue.
That’s where the newly released video picks up.
ABC7 froze the video at the moment it appears Carpenter fires a weapon during a scuffle with the officers.
No one was hit by that bullet, but seconds later, the officers return fire, killing Carpenter, officials said.
The officers are still on administrative status while the Illinois State Police Division of Internal Investigation investigates the case.
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Indiana
Indiana Peony Festival rescheduled due to storms
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — Mother Nature is forcing one of central Indiana’s most popular spring festivals to move.
The Indiana Peony Festival has been rescheduled from Saturday, May 16, to Sunday, May 17, due to forecasted storms and high winds.
“After closely monitoring the weather overnight, and after doing everything we could to keep today’s plans in place, conditions have unfortunately taken a turn for the worse,” festival organizers said in a statement. “We are so incredibly sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.”
Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen says he supports the festival’s decision to postpone until Sunday.
“While we can’t control the weather, this adjustment helps ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. The city is ready to support the festival’s efforts for tomorrow, and we look forward to welcoming visitors to enjoy the event on Sunday,” Jensen said in a release.
Know Before You Go:
- Festival Hours: Remain the same — 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Location: Noblesville’s Seminary Park and Historic Downtown
- Events: Festival and Downtown Brunch and Retail Crawl Brunch & Blooms
For updated information, please visit indianapeonyfestival.com.
Iowa
‘Viral’ mac and cheese bar expanding in Iowa with new Waukee store
See the 2025 Des Moines Register Essential Restaurants
What are the best restaurants in Des Moines? These entries from the Des Moines Register’s Essential Restaurants list won’t let you down.
You know that viral mac and cheese place? The one that slathers every bowl with ungodly amounts of cheese? The one that makes you feel lactose intolerant just looking at it?
Yeah. Roni’s Mac Bar is opening its second Iowa location, this time in Waukee.
The store will celebrate with a grand opening on Saturday, May 16 at 10:30 a.m. sharp
In a video on social media, the company credits the new location choice to the Waukee man who drove to a location in Waco, Texas, asked for a bowl so cheesy that the chef making it felt lactose-intolerant just looking at it.
Frank Senese, chief executive officer of Roni’s Mac and Cheese, said the business as the “Chipotle of mac and cheese.”
“It’s comfort food; whether you’re a hungover college kid, tattooed biker or a little princess in a tutu, you’re going to find something here that you’ll love,” Senese told the Ames Tribune before the company’s restaurant opened there in 2025. “It’s a fun way to think outside the box.”
The first 100 people to get in line can spin the wheel for a chance to win giveaways and a year’s worth of mac and cheese.
Roni’s Mac bar boasts massive menu
The quote, “Think outside the box” is painted on the wall inside the mac and cheese bar, and the menu certainly inspires customers to do just that.
Roni’s Mac Bar has created a menu of more than 77 million possible combinations that continues to grow, Senese said.
Every bowl can be unique, with drizzles like pesto and ranch, and toppings such as tomatoes and even pineapple − a topping that can be a key indicator of a repeat customer, Senese said.
Where to find Roni’s Mac Bar in Waukee
- Location: 1195 SE Alice’s Road, Waukee
- Contact: 515-450-2497, ronismacbar.com
- Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily starting May 16
Lucia Cheng is a service and trending reporter at the Des Moines Register. Contact her at lcheng@gannett.com or 515-284-8132.
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