Ohio
Don't wear this to vote in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio — If you’re looking for a smooth voting process in Ohio, don’t wear political attire to the polls.
Diane Medina went out to the Lorain County Board of Elections early to vote in what she said was the most important election of her lifetime.
“Definitely for the presidency; that’s the main reason why I was here early,” Medina said.
She and her husband, Jose, had no problem waiting in the sun to cast their ballots.
“Long lines, but it was very swift,” she said.
And while the process was smooth for them, their BOE has already had to pull voters out of line to enforce state guidelines — all because of their clothing.
“This isn’t a new rule,” Lorain County BOE Director Paul Adams said. “This is something that we’ve done for a number of years.”
State rules prohibit voters or poll workers from wearing anything that can be seen as supporting or opposing a candidate, party or issue.
“We do ask that you remove any campaign shirts, paraphernalia, hats — those kind of things that you have that support or oppose any candidate or issue,” he continued.
Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office said this includes attire or garb with slogans like “Make America Great Again” or “MAGA.”
Many boards, like Lake and Portage, have signs posted with their rules.
“Each of our polling locations will also have signs posted in case voters are curious as to why they’re being asked to remove a hat or cover up a shirt or whatever the case may be,” Portage County BOE Deputy Director Terrie Nielsen said.
Although it may be exciting to support your candidate, you don’t want to run into issues.
“Everyone has a mission,” Medina said.
So, to be on the safe side, keep the political garb on your lawn — and not at the polls.
With the 2024 general election underway, we created a guide on everything you need to know about voting on or before Nov. 5.
2024 OHIO VOTER GUIDE: Everything you need to know
2024 OHIO VOTER GUIDE: Everything you need to know
Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.
AI influencers are all over your feed
AI influencers may not change minds — but they can amplify division and inflame political tensions online.
We can’t believe our eyes
Re “AI political ads bring fears over ’26 election,” May 27: I fully support House Bill 185. It probably doesn’t go far enough. This is a prime example of “don’t believe everything you see on the Internet.”
I am being inundated with emails and text messages from organizations and people I do not know. I block them as spam, but it doesn’t seem to do any good. About the only way to combat this is to attend a live debate between candidates, but most people do not have the time to do that.
I use AI every day with caution. We need better ways of identifying AI-created falsehoods.
Edwin Heller, Dublin
Tell voters what’s real
Re “AI political ads bring fears over ’26 election,” May 27: I don’t think AI should be used in political ads, but there is no way to stop it.What we can and should do is require campaigns to certify that their ad did or did not use AI to generate or edit content that:
- Makes a real person appear to say or do something they didn’t say or do.
- Alters footage of a real event or place.
- Generates a realistic-looking scene that didn’t actually occur.
We grade movie content. Why not political advertising? The public needs a way to help distinguish truth from fiction.
Richard Wires, Columbus
Ban political ads, already
Re “AI political ads bring fears over ’26 election,” May 27: Political ads should be banned. Those using – AI-generated or not. I don’t trust anything I read online anymore, and especially political ads.
People read/see those ads, don’t research the information in them, and vote according to, oftentimes, the misinformation in those ads. The huge amounts of money being spent on ads is sinful!
Lyn Miller, Smithville
Food cuts hurt hungry families
While President Donald Trump and Republicans continually find new ways to enrich their billionaire funders and friends, they’ve made the largest cuts to SNAP in history, making it more difficult for over 40 million Americans, including 16 million children and 8 million seniors, to access healthy foods and forcing them to rely on the cheapest foods (usually the most ultra-processed}.
They’re especially hurting American children and setting them up for worse health outcomes than previous generations by making it harder for them to access healthy foods.
They’ve cut funding to support farm-to-school programs and food banks, passed the largest cut to food assistance in history, and are pushing to end the decades-old practice of putting fluoride in water to reduce tooth decay. Most appalling, they’ve even allowed food companies to use cancer-causing chemicals in snack foods targeted to children.
Meanwhile, they’ve allowed food companies to take advantage of inflation to raise prices to increase their profits. A Kroger executive suggested that inflation is good for business when he testified the chain has hiked the milk and eggs prices beyond the costs from inflation.
This is one more reason that we must do all we can to get Republicans out of office.
Russ Smith, Strongsville
TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – The FBI was part of a search of multiple properties related to Stansley Mining on Friday, a spokesperson for the agency confirmed.
A Public Affairs Officer for the FBI Cleveland Division confirmed to the 13 Action News I-TEAM that authorities searched a business in the area of Siliva Road in Sylvania, as well as property in Ottawa County by State Route 590 in Benton Township.
Officials with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation told the 13 Action News I-TEAM that they executed a search warrant at the property in Benton Township. Ohio BCI’s environmental division and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency were involved in the search.
It’s unclear exactly what officials were looking for. The FBI spokesperson said there wasn’t additional information to share at this point, but added there is no threat to the public.
Stansley Mining is the entity that owns Rocky Ridge Development, a company at the center of extensive 13 Action News coverage after its South Toledo mining operation was improperly working in a residentially-zoned area.
Latest Local News | First Alert Weather | Crime | National | 13abc Originals
Copyright 2026 WTVG. All rights reserved.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — A critically acclaimed name in Cleveland’s food scene is making a comeback of sorts and entering a new era in the food and restaurant business.
After the official closure of Melt Bar and Grilled locations across the area in late 2024, founder Matt Fish is stepping back into the restaurant business with a brand-new concept in Ohio City.
More Melts close
Fish is preparing to open “Proof Public House” inside the former Proof BBQ space along Lorain Avenue.
The new restaurant and bar is expected to officially open in mid-June after recently obtaining its food service license.
The announcement was just made on the restaurant’s official Instagram page this week.
But Fish says this project is very different from Melt’s previous projects, with more than a dozen locations across Ohio.
“I’m starting from scratch. Brand new concept. Brand new feeling, brand new attitude,” Fish said. “I wanna get back to basics.”
Fish describes Proof Public House as a punk rock-inspired neighborhood bar and restaurant with elevated comfort food, craft drinks, and an evolving seasonal menu.
“I’ve always wanted to get back to my roots,” Fish said. “I’ve always wanted to get back to a small place and recapture that magic of what Melt Bar and Grilled was when it first opened up.”
The longtime chef and restaurateur says music and creativity will help define the atmosphere and capture the essence.
Fish grew up on punk rock music and is also a drummer.
He says Cleveland’s history and punk rock roots make this latest project feel even more special.
The menu, he says, will feature chef-driven comfort food with rotating seasonal dishes and a specialized beverage program.
“Just have fun with the menu,” Fish said. “The beverage program will be very seasonal. It’s gonna be very evolving.”
Although many fans still associate Fish with the iconic grilled cheese sandwiches that helped make Melt Bar and Grilled a Northeast Ohio staple after opening in 2006, he says this new chapter is about moving forward.
“That part of my life is over and gone, but it was something special to so many of us,” Fish said.
Still, longtime Melt fans may notice subtle nods to the past.
Fish hinted there would be occasional “odes to Melt” appearing on the menu in the future, in some capacity.
He also credits former Proof BBQ and current Visible Voice Books owner Dave Ferrante for encouraging him to jump back into the hospitality business.
Fish quietly consulted on projects behind the scenes after Melt’s closure, including work connected to Visible Voice.
“I want to do something for myself, do something for the City of Cleveland, do something for my family and friends,” Fish said.
Proof Public House is expected to announce an official opening date soon.
News 5 promises to Follow-Through.
We Follow Through
Want us to continue to follow through on a story? Let us know.
-
Indiana6 minutes agoThe newest spots to eat, drink and shop along the coast of Indiana and southwest Michigan
-
Iowa9 minutes agoDemocrats put a ‘bullseye’ on Iowa, eager to turn the red state purple
-
Kansas21 minutes agoWhere to watch Kansas City Royals vs Texas Rangers: TV channel, start time, streaming for May 30
-
Kentucky24 minutes agoIt’s National Mint Julep Day! How many are served during Kentucky Derby weekend?
-
Maryland29 minutes agoKittleman breaks with Republicans, the party of his father
-
Louisiana29 minutes agoAs Seas Rise, Louisiana Faces a Choice: Plan for Movement or Let Crisis Decide – Inside Climate News
-
Maine36 minutes ago25 best places to eat for cheap across Maine
-
Michigan44 minutes agoThe Top 25 Michigan men’s basketball players since 1989: No. 22-20
