Ohio
For fishing splendor, the wonder that is Cold Creek hardly seems home in Ohio
900-pound dolphin leaps onto small fishing boat
New Zealand fishermen were coming to the end of a competition, when a 900-pound dolphin leapt out of the water and landed in their boat.
Few streams in Ohio keep their cool sufficiently throughout the summer to sustain cold-water fish.
Cold Creek, a 5-mile, meandering run of clear water that starts from holes in the ground and flushes into Sandusky Bay within view of Cedar Point, is one. The Ohio Division of Wildlife operates a trout hatchery near a source hole where rainbows are grown from eggs.
Lake Erie’s steelhead fishery is almost entirely a product of that Castalia hatchery.
Cold Creek, meanwhile, is a product of local geology where lowland water seeps into a limestone base and at a few sites emerges in volume cool and refreshed at 50 degrees, more or less, but without much oxygen.
Cold Creek is prone neither to freezing during the winter nor to warming during the summer. The oxygen problem long has been addressed, enough at any rate to suit fish.
Near the entrance to the hatchery and just outside state property, the winding, tentacled creek flows steadily over a dark, undulating bottom, passes under a bridge, then disappears just beyond showy evergreen shrubs growing on both banks. The picturesque package hardly seems home in Ohio.
Rainbows of size and in numbers suspend in the shallow water. Facing a steady current, their dark backs blending with the bottom makes them a little hard to locate at first, especially when the shimmering surface glows at angles under reflected sunlight.
Along the creek toward the bay are stretches of private land with fly aficionados who can afford to pay big money for limited access to stocked rainbows, browns, brookies and a few brown-brook hybrids.
A pay-to-fish site is located near the creek’s entry to the bay. Fish are caught, though at what frequency is hard to say. Not hard to say is the setting doesn’t match what’s a few miles upstream.
Most years, including this one, the wildlife division opens a half-mile stretch of Cold Creek inside hatchery grounds from May through September. The catch, so to speak, is that dates and times are assigned to winners of a lottery open to applicants through the end of this month.
The entry cost is a non-refundable $3. Applications, along with details, can be found at the web site wildohio.gov. A single application may be submitted through the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System or by using the HuntFish OH mobile app.
Winners will be notified by email in early April at which time they will be able to download through their customer accounts a permit and instructions covering fishing date and times. Applicants age 16 and older must hold a current Ohio fishing license.
Permit winners can bring a limited number of guests.
Turkey draw
The wildlife division this month is holding a drawing that might interest turkey hunters looking for a place to bag a gobbler. At stake are permits entitling holders to participate in controlled hunts at five wildlife areas.
Two of the locations – Killdeer Plains in Wyandot County and Killbuck Marsh straddling Wayne and Holmes counties – are within reasonable driving distance of Columbus and central Ohio.
Applications, which require a $3 non-refundable fee, are available through the end of the month via the web-based licensing system or by using the HuntFish Ohio mobile app.
Successful applicants will be notified by email.
Trout stocks
Rainbow trout stockings, which eventually will include 90 sites, including many in central Ohio, began last week with infusions in five locations.
Heritage Park Pond in Groveport is scheduled to get fish on March 19, Blue Limestone Park in Delaware on March 20. Details on additional stockings will be forthcoming.
outdoors@dispatch.com
When’s Ohio’s 2026 primary election? Date, candidates, changes to know
See which candidates are conditionally qualified for Ohio’s 2026 primary ballot and key election deadlines.
Ohio’s primary election season has begun – Election Day is May 5. Ohio’s candidates are vying for spots on the ballot for the November midterm elections.
That’s nothing new, but Ohio made significant changes to mail-in voting that voters need to know about.
What has changed with Ohio’s mail-in ballots?
Voting through a mail-in ballot? There are some changes voters should know.
Signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine in December 2025, Senate Bill 293 requires absentee ballots to arrive by the close of polls to be counted, with an exception for military and overseas voters.
Any mail-in or absentee ballots must now be received before or on Election Day by 7:30 p.m. in order to be counted. There is no longer a 4-day grace period after Election Day.
The primary election is May 5, and the general election is Nov. 3, 2026.
So, when should you send your mail-in ballot in Ohio? The sooner the better. The U.S. Postal Service does not necessarily postmark your mail the day it is received unless you specifically request it. So, you ballot may not make it to a postal processing center until the day after you drop it in a mailbox.
When does Ohio early voting start? Key dates for early, absentee, mail-in votes
The primary election will be held May 5, 2026, according to this year’s voting schedule.
Early in‑person voting began on April 7, including the Saturday and Sunday before Election Day. Absentee voting by mail also began on April 7.
On Election Day, May 5, polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Absentee ballots must be received by your local board of elections by 7:30 p.m., per the voting schedule.
Ohio voter registration deadlines for 2026 elections
Ohioans must register or update their voter registration no later than 30 days before an election. The registration deadline for the May 5 primary was April 6, 2026.
Here are the upcoming voter registration deadlines in 2026:
- April 6, 2026, for the May 5, 2026, primary and special election
- October 5, 2026, for the November 3, 2026, general election
If you register or update your information after the deadline, the changes will apply for the next election.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Mrs. Mary Lucille Young, 74, of Youngstown, departed this life on Friday, April 10, 2026 at her residence where God welcomed her home.
Mary, affectionately known as “Mary Lou” and “Tang”, was born March 8, 1952 in Youngstown, a daughter of Lawrence and Ada Mae Alexander Hamilton Young.
She was a proud 1971 graduate of South High School.
Mary was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church.
She attended Louis Weinberger Hill Beauty School, and was accepted as a model with Barbizon Modeling Agency.
Mary worked and retired from Youngstown Sheet and Tube.
She enjoyed looking her best, dancing, shopping, casinos and decorating her home. Mary was strong, bold and took no mess. She was loved by many people.
She leaves to cherish her memories, her pride and joy, two daughters, Adalatesha Bright and Richlynn Bright; two sons, Ja-Juan Young and Dr. Ty-Juan Bright all of Youngstown; five grandchildren; two sisters, Cynthia (Floyd) Davis, Janet (Steve) Gardner both of Youngstown; and a host of family and friends.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Michael Lamar Young; three brothers, Isaiah, Edward, Lorenzo Young.
Private services were held at the L.E. Black, Phillips & Holden Funeral Home.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Lucille Young, please visit our floral store.
The NWSL is once again expanding, this time the league is heading to Ohio where Columbus NWSL 2028 will take the field. Of course, Columbus NWSL 2028 is a placeholder for now and the the new team will unveil its name, crest, and uniform to build an identity around as it approaches its first season.
News of the club was announced yesterday, though this has been in the works for some time, in a press conference. Team owners, the Haslam Sports Group (HSG), Nationwide and Drs. Christine and Pete Edwards, spoke about what they hope the club will bring to Columbus and women’s soccer more broadly.
“Our family is thrilled to help bring an NWSL team to Columbus and further invest in Ohio, with the honor of bringing the 18th team into the league,” said Haslam Sports Group Managing Partner Whitney Haslam Johnson. “We believe in the power of women’s sports and are humbled to be part of the number one women’s soccer league in the world.”
Nationwide insurance has been a corporate partner in both NWSL and MLS for years and now joins an ownership group deepening those ties. “Today’s announcement is about inspiring young athletes across Central Ohio, elevating women’s professional sports and reminding the world that Columbus is a first-class sports city,” said Kirt Walker, Nationwide Chief Executive Officer. “As Nationwide marks 100 years, this is a powerful way to celebrate our milestone with the community that has been our home from the very beginning.”
The Edwards family has deep roots in the Columbus soccer scene with Dr. Pete Edwards serving as team doctor for the Crew in 1996 and the family joining the team’s ownership in 2019 during the Save The Crew effort. “Columbus is very important to our family. For over 30 years, we’ve supported the Columbus Crew and MLS. We’ve seen how a men’s professional soccer team has brought people together and created a positive impact in our community. It’s truly special to now welcome an NWSL club and the incredible women athletes who will also uplift our city on and off the pitch,” said Dr. Christine Edwards. “We’re very excited to partner with Haslam Sports Group and Nationwide for NWSL Columbus 2028, and we can’t wait to share even more memorable moments with fans, especially during the Club’s first game at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.”
The NWSL has continued its expansion with the announcement and the team will join Atlanta in its inaugural season in two years.
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