Ohio

Campaign to get new political mapmaking system on Ohio’s ballot submits more than 700,000 signatures

Published

2 years ago

July 2, 2024

Campaign to get new political mapmaking system on Ohio’s ballot submits more than 700,000 signatures

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Backers of a proposal to change Ohio’s troubled political mapmaking system delivered hundreds of thousands of signatures on Monday as they work to qualify for the statewide ballot this fall.

Citizens Not Politicians dropped off more than 700,000 petition signatures to Republican Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office in downtown Columbus, according to Jen Miller, director of League of Women Voters. LaRose now will work with local election boards to determine that at least 413,446 signatures are valid, which would get the proposal onto the Nov. 5 ballot.

The group’s amendment aims to replace the current Ohio Redistricting Commission, made up of three statewide officeholders and four state lawmakers, with an independent body selected directly by citizens. The new panel’s members would be diversified by party affiliation and geography.

Their effort to make the ballot was plagued by early delays. Republican Attorney General Dave Yost raised two rounds of objections to their petition language before the wording was initially certified. Then, after the Ohio Ballot Board unanimously cleared the measure in October 2023, organizers were forced to resubmit their petitions due to a single-digit typo in a date.

“It’s just a great day for Ohio and Ohio’s democracy,” Miller said. “Citizens across the state came together to make sure we could get on the ballot this fall and finally end gerrymandering.”

The effort follows the existing structure’s repeated failure to produce constitutional maps. During the protracted process for redrawing district boundaries to account for the results of the 2020 Census, challenges filed in court resulted in two congressional maps and five sets of Statehouse maps being rejected as unconstitutionally gerrymandered.

A month after the ballot campaign was announced, the bipartisan Ohio Redistricting Commission voted unanimously to approve new Statehouse maps, with minority Democrats conceding to “better, fairer” maps that nonetheless continued to deliver the state’s ruling Republicans a robust political advantage.

That same September, congressional district maps favoring Republicans were put in place, too, after the Ohio Supreme Court dismissed a group of legal challenges at the request of the voting rights groups that had brought them. The groups told the court that continuing to pursue the lawsuits against the GOP-drawn maps brought turmoil not in the best interests of Ohio voters.

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Ohio

Northeast Ohio Weather: High wind, very warm, showers, and storms today

Published

6 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Northeast Ohio Weather: High wind, very warm, showers, and storms today

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A powerful cold front will be tracking through today.

A second system impacts the area tomorrow.

It is very warm and very windy today. High temperatures forecast to be above 60 degrees in many towns before the cold front blows through.

Temperatures tumble through the 50s and into the 40s later this afternoon.

We have showers and a few thunderstorms in the area. The risk of rain will end behind the front. A south wind shifts west and could gust over 45 mph at times today.

Colder and much less wind tonight with a mostly cloudy sky. Early morning temperatures tomorrow will be in the 30s.

The system tomorrow will track across the Great Lakes and will be centered north of us Saturday night.

Moisture gets drawn up from the south. Showers develop by afternoon.

The rain isn’t expected to be heavy with less than .25″ in the forecast. High temperatures make it into the 40s.

Colder Saturday night and blustery. Southwest winds could gust to around 30 mph at times.

A window is there Sunday for snow showers and lake-effect.

It’ll be very windy on Sunday. West winds could gust over 45 mph at times. Afternoon temperatures around 30 degrees.

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Ohio

Ex-Ohio State DB Marshon Lattimore arrested on possible weapons charge

Published

18 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Ex-Ohio State DB Marshon Lattimore arrested on possible weapons charge

Former Ohio State defensive back Marshon Lattimore was arrested on Jan. 7 in Lakewood, Ohio, and now awaits possible charges of carrying a concealed weapon and improperly handling firearms in a vehicle, according to multiple reports.

Lattimore, currently on the Washington Commanders, was booked into jail but later released. The police report lists a 9mm Glock as evidence, per ESPN.

Police say Lattimore was arrested because he failed to inform the investigating officer that he had a firearm in the vehicle when asked.

In a statement to 3News, the Commanders said, “We have been made aware of the arrest and are gathering more information. We have informed the NFL League office and have no further comment at this time.”

Lattimore played for the Buckeyes in 2015 and 2016. He was selected with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. He has made the Pro Bowl four times and was NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2017.

In 2021, Lattimore was arrested in Cleveland and initially charged with a felony for receiving a stolen firearm. The charge was dismissed, but Lattimore pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed weapon. He received one year of probation and a suspended 180-day jail sentence, according to ESPN.

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Ohio

This rising sophomore has an important offseason ahead of him for Ohio State football

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

This rising sophomore has an important offseason ahead of him for Ohio State football

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The conversation around Ohio State football’s championship aspirations often centers on offensive firepower, but a sophomore cornerback might play an important role in helping the Buckeyes accomplish their goals next season.

Devin Sanchez arrived in Columbus as the nation’s top cornerback recruit, and after a freshman season where he earned meaningful snaps in critical moments, the expectations have escalated.

No longer is it enough for Sanchez to be a reliable contributor. He must take a step toward becoming a true lockdown corner who can eliminate one side of the field.

“Is Devin Sanchez ready to be the dude because he’s going to have to be,” co-host Stefan Krajisnik said on Buckeye Talk. “I don’t mean is he ready to be a reliable starter — I mean it’s time… to be a dude. I don’t think it’s putting unrealistic expectations on a guy like Devin Sanchez to be an All-Big Ten first team caliber-type guy.”

The coaching staff has demonstrated their belief in Sanchez’s potential by giving him high-leverage opportunities against elite competition as a true freshman. Against Texas last season, while other freshmen barely saw the field, Sanchez was trusted in critical moments – a telling sign of the program’s expectations.

Next season’s rematch with Texas will provide an opportunity to see how much progress Sanchez has made since the last time he faced the Longhorns.

As co-host Andrew Gillis put it, “Is he ready to announce himself to the world as lock down?”

The transformation starts now. Co-host Stephen Means made it clear that spring practice represents a crucial development period.

“We should be walking away from spring practice thinking that’s the best cornerback in the Big Ten and his only competition is (Oregon’s) Brandon Finney,” Means said. “That should be the goal for Devin.”

What makes Sanchez’s development so critical is how it affects the entire defensive structure. If he can become that elite cornerback who eliminates one side of the field, it changes what Ohio State can do with their other 10 defenders. It allows for more aggressive pressure packages, more safety help to other areas, and ultimately, a more disruptive defense.

For Ohio State fans, Sanchez’s development represents one of the most fascinating storylines to follow this offseason. His progression from promising freshman to elite sophomore could be the difference between a playoff appearance and a national championship.

Here’s the podcast for this week: