Midwest
Ohio representatives making waves to name an official state fish
Ohio has a fish to fry when it comes to naming an official aquatic representative for the state.
An effort to name a state fish has had a multi-year battle since 2003, with lawmakers recently making waves.
State representatives in Ohio passed a bill Wednesday to declare “The fish, sander vitreus, commonly known as the ‘walleye,’ [as] the official fish of the state,” the legislation said.
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Walleye fish are abundant in Lake Erie and can be found upstream to the first dam in several of the larger tributaries to the lake, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (Ohio DNR).
Walleyes are common fish found in Lake Erie, the shallowest of the five great lakes. (iStock)
As the 11th largest lake in the world by surface area, Lake Erie is the fourth largest and the shallowest of the five Great Lakes, stretching 241 miles long.
Walleyes are commonly between 14 and 22 inches long and 2 to 4 pounds, but they can reach 36 inches and 16 pounds.
Officials with the Ohio DNR estimated in 2023 that the population of adult walleye was 89 million.
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They also found that the 2024 adult walleye population prediction is within the top 25% of the past 30 years, which is comparable to the 1980s when Lake Erie became recognized as the “Walleye Capital of the World.”
The eyes of walleye fish are visible, the colors are light olive such as this fish that was found in northern U.S. and Canadian lakes. (iStock)
While there are many other fish in the sea, some representatives feel strongly that the walleye is the best choice.
“Our walleye fishing brings people from all over the world and contributes $1.2 billion to the Ohio economy,” Representative Jennifer Gross said in a statement emailed to Fox News Digital.
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Walleyes are a freshwater fish that lives in natural lakes, rivers and reservoirs, preferring cooler water temperatures. They can be found in both shallow and deep water, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS)
“”The largest walleye ever caught was 42 inches long and weighed 25 pounds. The oldest reported age for a walleye is 29 years,” the FWS reported.
Walleyes are commonly between 14 and 22 inches long and 2 to 4 pounds, but they can get up to 36 inches and 16 pounds, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. (iStock)
Governor Mike DeWine would sign such a bill if it reached his desk, a representative in the governor’s office told Fox News Digital in an email.
Indiana reportedly is another state without an official state fish.
As for Iowa, legislation to designate an official state fish was introduced earlier this year. The unofficial state fish of Iowa is currently the Iowa darter.
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Illinois
Illinois awards AD Josh Whitman a new contract worth more than $31 million over the next 10 years
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois has extended athletic director Josh Whitman’s contract through 2036, committing more than $31 million over the next 10 years on the heels of a series of standout seasons for the department and its teams.
The university’s board of trustees approved the new deal for Whitman at its regular meeting on Thursday. The fifth-longest tenured AD among the four power conferences will make $2.15 million during the 2026-27 school year, a salary increase of more than 40%.
Whitman is scheduled to receive $100,000 raises annually before a $200,000 bump to $3.15 million in the final year of the agreement and a $500,000 retention bonus each June 30 that he remains on the job at Illinois.
The contract also includes additional incentives of up to $500,000 annually related to performance goals set by the university chancellor and three automatic one-year extensions through 2039 if certain Illini football and men’s basketball performance measures are met.
Whitman, a former Illinois football player, was hired in 2016. This was the fifth time his contract has been amended. The men’s basketball team reached the NCAA Final Four in April for the first time in 21 years. The football team won 19 games over the last two seasons, a program record for that span. Illini athletics also set a revenue record for a fourth consecutive year and topped $200 million for the first time in 2025-26, according to the board of trustees meeting memo.
With the college football season right around the corner, the Iowa State Cyclones will be hoping to have a strong campaign with a new regime coming in. However, a lot of their success might depend on one key player.
Following the departure of Matt Campbell to the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Cyclones saw their roster get completely gutted. Most of their players entered the transfer portal, leaving new head coach Jimmy Rogers with plenty of work to do.
Fortunately, Rogers and the coaching staff were able to get out there and bring in a lot of new players from all over the country. While Iowa State might be lacking star power and aren’t going to be as talented as they were last year, they do have a good amount of depth.
There should be quite a bit of competition for spots in camp, but there are some players who should clearly be starters that transferred in.
Pete Nakos of On3 recently predicted who would be the starting quarterback for every team in the Big 12. Unsurprisingly for the Cyclones, it was Jaylen Raynor who was the choice.
Raynor an Easy Pick
After bringing in the three-year starter from the Arkansas State Red Wolves, Raynor instantly became the favorite to be the starter for the Cyclones in Week 1. Him being predicted as that guy should come as no surprise, and his ability to play against elevated competition on a weekly basis will be key.
There is a lot to like about Raynor’s game, and he could certainly help Iowa State exceed expectations next year.
Last season with the Red Wolves, he totaled 3,361 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, and a 66.5 completion percentage. It was career-highs for him in all three of those categories, showing some nice improvement in his junior season.
As a dual-threat player, he also totaled a career-high in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. The junior recorded 423 yards on the ground to go along with seven rushing scores.
Overall, the numbers for Raynor were really solid, and there is reason to believe he might be even better in his senior season. For the Cyclones, with all of the new players on the roster, there will undoubtedly be some competition for starting spots around the field. However, it should certainly be Raynor who is under center to start.
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