Ohio
Frustrated by Trump and Musk, central Ohio protesters push for senators’ attention
Video: Indivisible Central Ohio protests spending cuts outside VA
Indivisible Central Ohio protested spending cuts to veterans benefits during a rally Tuesday, March 25, 2025, outside the Veterans Affairs center in Columbus.
Over the weekend, more than a thousand people packed the Valley Dale Ballroom in Columbus for a rally hosted by Indivisible Central Ohio at which speakers derided their Republican members of Congress for not opposing cuts and other actions by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
Organizers called the Saturday event a “town hall” and set empty chairs on stage for Ohio’s Republican senators, Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted, who did not respond to organizers’ invitations to attend. Moreno was at the Tuscarawas County Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Dinner on Saturday.
In protest, the group posed questions they would’ve asked the senators to ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence platform.
“The purpose of the event was to show how desperate people are to protect their country, their democracy and how desperate they are to see our elected representatives, our senators, feel the same kind of concern we do,” said one of the organizers, Clintonville resident Mia Lewis, 63. “We knew that it was a congressional recess and we figured hey, they’re here, part of their job is coming home periodically to talk to their constituents. Let’s invite them to something.”
Indivisible Central Ohio also invited Franklin County’s U.S. representatives, Republican Mike Carey and Democrat Joyce Beatty, who both told organizers they had prior commitments. Beatty provided a statement to be read at the event.
Saturday’s event mirrors so-called town halls held nationwide over the weekend and in recent weeks as many Americans express outrage at Trump’s actions and frustration with their members of Congress. This event was part of a slew of protests in central Ohio, including demonstrations at the Ohio Statehouse; weekly Wednesday demonstrations in front of the John W. Bricker Federal Building, Downtown, where Moreno has an office; and weekly Saturday demonstrations against Musk outside the Tesla dealership at Easton Town Center.
Trump’s net approval rating is nearly even, according to recent polls, with about half of Americans disapproving and half approving. For many who disapprove, they feel compelled to speak out.
The recent level of constituents reaching out to members of Congress and participating in political events is unusually high and shows a lot of concern, said Paul Beck, professor emeritus of political science at Ohio State University.
“It takes a lot to motivate people to get out of their easy chair, particularly on a February or March day when it’s either snowing or cold outside,” Beck said.
Central Ohioans who have tried to reach their Republican lawmakers accuse them of being unresponsive to constituents. They say it’s difficult to get meetings even with staffers or they receive form letter responses that don’t address their concerns.
Indivisible Central Ohio and others have called on their members of Congress to host their own town halls and hear from constituents. Demonstrators have made missing posters to try to shame Moreno, Husted and Carey.
Husted and Carey’s offices say they are meeting with voters and attending public events. An aide for Husted said he is holding events open to Ohioans — in Washington, D.C. A spokesperson for Moreno accused Indivisible Central Ohio protesters of being funded by dark money. Organizers refute that.
Meryl Neiman, 58, a Bexley resident and organizer with Indivisible Central Ohio, said members of Congress should listen to their constituents, whether or not they voted for them.
“That’s your job — not to take abuse — but be willing to stand up and have the spine to explain why you’re doing what you’re doing or not doing,” Neiman said.
Republican leadership, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, has recently encouraged Republican lawmakers to avoid town halls since anti-Trump protesters have started showing up.
Neiman would like to ask Ohio’s senators:
“I’d like to know what line in the sand the president might cross that would cause you to speak up and say something or even consider impeachment,” Neiman said. “For example, if the president openly defies a decision by the Supreme Court, at that point would you stand up and say something?”
In her statement read at Saturday’s event, Beatty said:
“I hear you. We hear you. Democrats hear you. So many of you have called my office, sent letters, emails, posted on social media, and more, pleading with us to act. We see it all, and we’re hard at work to protect your hard-earned freedoms and resources. Personally, like you, I am frustrated and even angry with this Trump/Musk administration.”
Congress members say they are holding events, meeting with voters
Jack Chambers, a spokesperson for Carey, said Carey spent the recess last week meeting with constituents, including at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission’s State of the Region event. He also pointed to meetings Carey had with the family of a World War II Aircraft gunner turning 100, the leadership of the Community Action Center of Fayette County, and the Messer Construction Company.
An aide for Husted told The Dispatch in an email that Husted has been part of 70 meetings with Ohioans and Ohio employers since being appointed senator in January and his staff has taken more than 140 meetings.
The aide wrote, “Sen. Husted is holding events that are public and open to all Ohioans, including one this morning. About 50 people attended his Husted Huddle on March 11.”
Asked where these open events are held, the aide said the huddles are held periodically in Washington.
Some residents have criticized Husted for not opening an office in Ohio yet. His aide said, “We are actively onboarding state staff and opening multiple offices across Ohio over the coming weeks.”
They added, “We’ve overcome technical challenges in the Senate voice mail system so that Ohioans can share their thoughts with the senator.”
Carey and Husted have frequently expressed support for Trump and Trump’s policies.
“Ohioans have made it clear they’re grateful to see Washington finally keeping its promise to stop the wasteful spending that fueled inflation and hurts Ohio families and workers,” the Husted aide said. “So far, we’ve seen this administration take steps to give taxpayers better federal services at lower costs — the opposite of the pattern they’ve seen from Washington for too long. If there are any unintended consequences of the administration’s work to save taxpayer money, we expect the president’s team will continue working to resolve them quickly.”
Moreno says protesters funded by dark money
Moreno’s office accused Indivisible Central Ohio of being funded by dark money in an emailed statement to The Dispatch.
“It’s no surprise that the same liberal billionaires who funded Sherrod Brown’s failing campaign are now propping up dark money groups like Indivisible to lie to Ohioans. Senator Moreno’s top priority is fighting every day for Ohioans of all stripes, no matter what lies radical leftists throw at him,” said Reagan McCarthy, a spokesperson for Moreno.
Moreno has previously accused protesters outside his office of being funded by dark money and on X earlier this month shared a screenshot from a conservative political website, The Washington Free Beacon. The screenshot of a headline said, “Activist with criminal record spearheads weekly Bernie Moreno protests,” referencing Neiman.
Neiman was arrested and charged with misdemeanor trespassing in 2018 for her involvement in a sit-in inside then-Sen. Rob Portman’s office during Trump’s first term. She was protesting family separation at the border.
“These people don’t have the courage to host a town hall but they take shots at constituents from behind social media,” Neiman said. “They’re constantly talking about our dark money funding, and I’m like, where is it?”
She said while the national Indivisible movement may have big donors, the local group doesn’t.
More protests planned
Mary Mynatt, 73, of Grove City, a leader with Indivisible Central Ohio who founded Progress Grove City, participated in two protests on Tuesday. She and others took a stack of postcards and pink slips written by constituents at the Saturday event to Carey’s office Tuesday afternoon at 140 E. Town St. Afterward, they demonstrated with signs outside Carey’s office.
On Tuesday, Mynatt, a Navy veteran, participated in a demonstration outside the Chalmers P. Wylie Veterans Outpatient Clinic in Columbus to protest Trump’s cuts to veterans’ services.
The momentum against Trump’s administration is only building in central Ohio, organizers say.
“The frustration is high right now in the general population, among all kinds of people, not just Democrats,” Mynatt said. “Republicans, independents, everybody sees what’s happening.”
Meanwhile, counter-protests are starting to pop up in central Ohio. Americans for Prosperity-Ohio announced it is holding its own rally Wednesday afternoon outside Moreno’s downtown Columbus office at the same time as the weekly protest by Ohio Progressive Action Leaders Coalition. Americans for Prosperity is a Virginia-based political action committee supported by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch.
In a release from Americans for Prosperity-Ohio, it said the rally comes as protesters flood Moreno’s phone lines with “disruptive tactics,” and that it will stand up for Moreno and “policies that promote prosperity and growth for all Ohioans.”
Government and Politics Reporter Jordan Laird can be reached at jlaird@dispatch.com. Follow her on X, Instagram and Bluesky at @LairdWrites.
Fans got their first glimpse of the 2026-2027 Buckeyes during their spring game earlier today. In contrast to last year’s offensive takeover, it was the defense this year that shined for the most part.
With this, we still saw plenty of Buckeyes that proved that they are ready to play, and ready to play now. Here are three standouts from the Ohio State Spring Game.
Chris Henry Jr.
Coming into the game, most Ohio State fans had already penciled Chris Henry Jr., the No. 1 WR in the 2026 class according to ESPN, as the successor to Carnell Tate in the Buckeye offense.
Anyone that didn’t, probably should now.
The freshman wideout hauled in 4 passes for 96 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter.
Playing all snaps on the outside, Henry Jr. looked very poised, showcasing smooth route running and breakaway speed. The connection between him and another Buckeye on this list was the highlight of the offense for the day. There is no doubt he should be an immediate contributor in this Ohio State offense.
Tavien St. Clair
After a subpar showing at the spring game last year, Tavien St. Clair showed flashes of the top-10 recruit he was just two years ago.
He dazzled early with two big completions to Chris Henry Jr., showing off his big arm in the process.
His touchdown pass to Henry Jr. was a beautiful look off from St. Clair, who launched it right to the right pylon to find the freshman wideout.
It was not all sunshine and rainbows for St. Clair on the day though, as he was forced into a couple three-and-outs as well as a few balls that could have been intercepted.
All in all, all tools are there for St. Clair to be great when his number is called, and another year of growth under Julian Sayin should help him get there.
Beau Atkinson
Buckeye fans were surprised when Beau Atkinson was basically a non-factor on the defensive line a season ago, as the hype around him coming from North Carolina was immense.
The player they expected to see last year was on full display, as the senior finished the day with a sack and an interception off a Julian Sayin batted ball at the line of scrimmage.
His high motor was one to watch early, as his get-off and confidence at the position looked vastly improved from last year. He is one to seriously watch to be the starter next to Kenyatta Jackson Jr. come September.
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A vulnerable woman, suffering from multiple health conditions and alcohol-related dementia, was “dumped” at a homeless shelter by an Ohio nursing home, prompting staff to call the fire department.
The woman, who was diabetic, managing a tibia fracture, and incontinent, arrived at the shelter carrying “a large bag of medications.”
Federal inspectors from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) documented the incident following an August 3, 2023, inspection, noting the woman was “unclear of what was going on, scared, and not sure who dropped her off there.”
The Eastland Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Columbus had involuntarily discharged the woman after she was caught drinking beer at the facility. While staff reportedly sought a substance abuse rehabilitation bed, none were immediately available.
Eastland staff failed to contact the county’s psychiatric bed board for alternative placement before taking her to the shelter, where she faced a waiting list of about 100 people.
The incident highlights a disturbing trend, described by industry experts as rare but increasingly common, where nursing homes transfer medically fragile patients to homeless shelters. CMS, which funds most nursing home care in the U.S., has previously faulted Eastland and six other facilities for similar discharge practices in recent years.
The shelter at first declined to admit the woman, leaving her outside in the late-summer heat. Staff eventually relented, letting her sit in the lobby with a glass of cold water while they summoned a city rapid response team, including the fire department and a social worker.
Neither Eastland nor the CMS inspectors could locate the woman by the time the report was published.
“In addition, the events of what occurred at the addiction recovery center or how/why Resident #83 ended up at the homeless shelter … could not be determined as the facility was unable to provide any additional information regarding Resident #83,” the inspection report says.
The administrator at Eastland declined to return phone calls about the inspection. Facility staff declined to provide contact information for Garden Healthcare, the corporate owner of the nursing home, which operates five other facilities, according to CMS data. It doesn’t publish any contact information online.
Most of the patients in these situations are older, homeless, unemployed and lack support networks of family or friends that might be checking in on them, according to Chip Wilkins, who leads the city of Dayton’s Long Term Care Ombudsman program, which acts as a legal advocate for long term care patients.
“We are starting to deal with it more and more. The facilities are so closely monitored on discharges, but yet they still try and send them to hospitals and not take them back. Or drop them off at homeless shelters,” he said in an interview.
“I would say certainly over the last six months there has been an uptick.”
Leilani Pelletier, the statewide ombudsman, said she didn’t have ready access to data that could confirm whether the discharges to homeless shelters have increased in frequency statewide.
But health care is as subject to macroeconomic forces like inflation as other sectors of the economy. And Medicaid, which pays for most nursing care, is under increasing cost pressure as federal lawmakers have reduced program funds.
The challenges nursing facilities in Ohio are facing reflect a broader and concerning trend affecting facilities across the country, said Scott Wiley in a statement, CEO of the Ohio Health Care Association, an industry trade group.
“This issue has been growing as more residents face unstable housing,” he said. “State oversight and resources are needed to help tackle the issue on a larger scale to find meaningful, long-term solutions for Ohioans who struggle with homelessness. It will require a collaborative approach that a single nursing facility provider is not equipped to manage on their own.”
The state ombudsman’s office gets copies of every involuntary discharge from a nursing home in Ohio. One of the first things they check, Wilkins said, is the proposed discharge location.
Homeless shelter discharges are priority cases because they’re almost always unsafe, he said. They can’t manage the 10 to 20 medications they might need daily. Some rely on wheelchairs or walkers.
“Invariably, that ends up being a horrible experience for the individual because they’ll go to the shelter, and typically, within two to three days, the shelter will send them to the hospital because they can’t meet their needs,” Wilkins said.
Often, the issues trace back to insurers, including Medicaid and Medicare, that cut off residents’ benefits. Sometimes the facilities cite aggressive behavior or substance use.
Homeless shelters aren’t built to handle medically fragile patients. They aren’t medical centers. Some may require residents to climb to a top bunk, a tall task for older patients.
Marcus Roth, director of communications of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, said the practice puts the shelters in a tight spot. They’re tending to a population they’re not equipped to handle, but they’re also the de facto safety net.
“The emergency shelter system, to the extent we have a system, is often the only thing available when other interventions don’t work,” he said.
Pelletier emphasized in an interview that such involuntary discharges to shelters against residents’ wishes are rare. That said, she estimated about 13,000 Ohioans are discharged from a nursing home each month.
Nursing homes, she said, have legal obligations to make sure that discharges are “safe and appropriate.” And it’s not up to the facilities, she said, to unilaterally decide where a person should go.
Whether a shelter is “safe and appropriate” is a fact-specific question. Pelletier said there are instances where it could be, pending the care needs of the resident and abilities of the shelter. It’s the kind of thing that ombudsmen hone in on when reviewing discharges.
“The real issue is when people are discharged to a homeless shelter and there’s been no work or investigation done on if that would be a safe or appropriate discharge,” she said.
It didn’t matter that its patient was diabetic and struggled to manage his blood sugar. Neither did his history of glaucoma, cataracts, or suspected autism, or his 22 years of residency at the nursing home.
What mattered is that his insurance stopped paying, and the Laurels of Hillsboro wanted him out, according to a Dec. 29, 2025 CMS inspection of the facility. The facility was sold in July 2025 and rebranded to Hillsboro Health and Rehab, but state and federal records reflect the previous name.
The man told CMS inspectors in an interview that nursing home staff never told him he was being taken to a homeless shelter.
Federal law says nursing home residents must be given at least 30 days’ notice before a discharge, barring health and safety emergencies. But the patient at Hillsboro, who isn’t identified in the investigation, wasn’t given any. According to his former roommate, facility staff misrepresented the discharge, claiming he’d be going to an assisted living apartment as opposed to an emergency shelter that would only house him for up to 90 days.
The man wasn’t taught to manage his medications and showed up at the shelter without any needles to use. He struggled to see with his cataracts. He had no driver’s license, birth certificate or other documents he would need to get a job, income or housing.
“I can’t believe they would do someone dirty like that,” the patient’s roommate said to CMS inspectors.
Hillsboro, via a receptionist who declined to provide her name over the phone, declined to comment but said the facility is now in “substantial compliance” with the state.
In some of the facilities cited by CMS, the providers allegedly failed to ensure patients got their medications as they were discharged to homeless shelters. And some failed to provide patients their 30 days of notice before an involuntary discharge.
Meadowbrook Manor, in Trumbull County, sought to discharge a patient with an array of long-term illnesses and a history of substance use and homelessness, according to a July 8 inspection. He was given a 30-day discharge notice, but was sent to a shelter 20 days later regardless.
He was given two weeks’ worth of medications, but no prescriptions, medical appointments or care plan. The shelter staff identified a “mismatch” given the man had trouble walking and couldn’t climb a ladder to reach a top bunk, as the facility requires.
Meadowbrook staff refused to take him back.
At New Lebanon Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, a woman’s insurer sent her a termination letter for her treatment for a series of neural and spinal disorders, plus depression and arthritis.
While she was entitled to 30 days’ notice, the facility gave her roughly 24 hours before discharging her to a homeless shelter. The facility’s social services director said he didn’t know where the woman actually went, only that a friend picked her up.
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Friday, April 17, 2026 | 7:01 PM
Central Catholic lineman Jimmy Kalis warms up before the Vikings’ game against Pine-Richland on Aug. 29, 2025, at CMU. (Christopher Horner | TribLive)
Central Catholic’s Jimmy Kalis blocks as Chrys Black carries through the Harrisburg defense during their PIAA Class 6A state semifinal on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at Mansion Park in Altoona. (Christopher Horner | TribLive)
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Jimmy Kalis will play his college football at Ohio State.
Central Catholic’s 6-foot-8, 285-pound star lineman, surrounded by family, friends and other supporters, gave a verbal commitment to the Buckeyes live on Rivals’ YouTube channel Friday evening.
He thanked many of the people who supported him along his journey, including teammates and coaches.
“I want to thank all of the schools that gave me a chance and believed in me,” Kalis said. “I am really thankful and blessed for all these opportunities I got.”
The soon-to-be senior chose Ohio State over a group of five other finalists that included Georgia, Texas, Clemson, Miami and LSU.
Kalis, a Rivals 4-star offensive tackle, collected more than 40 Power Four scholarship offers with Alabama, Cal, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Indiana, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, Tennessee, Washington, WVU and Wisconsin among the others.
He is the No. 234 overall prospect and No. 21 offensive tackle in the Class of 2027, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.
Kalis went through an extensive recruiting process that included visits to several of the top schools on his list.
In an interview with Rivals in February, Kalis said Ohio State was “very high on my list because they have been there and been very consistent since Day 1. They develop OL at a high level and have an elite culture and they take pride in getting guys to the next level.”
Kalis was part of a powerful Central Catholic offensive line in 2025 that helped the Vikings rack up 40.8 points per game.
Central Catholic went undefeated in Class 6A, finished 13-2 overall, defeated North Allegheny, 42-7, for the WPIAL title and advanced to the PIAA championship game before falling to La Salle College.
Kalis’ efforts were celebrated with numerous all-star honors including an all-conference second-team nod.
“It’s been an awesome ride watching Jimmy grow and mature,” Central Catholic coach Ryan Lehmeier said. “He’s earned this opportunity. He’s played really well throughout his career with us. He’s a great kid who is so focused on what he wants, and he’s worked so hard towards that. He’s been a delight to coach, and I hope all of our kids are able to reach their max potential. For guys like Jimmy to have this opportunity, I couldn’t be more happy for him.”
Kalis has had a strong support system, and throughout the recruiting process, he leaned on the experience of both his father, Todd, and older brother, Kyle.
Todd Kalis, a Minnesota native, attended Division I Arizona State as a 6-6, 300-pound guard and was selected by the Vikings in the fourth round of the 1988 NFL Draft. He played for the Vikings, Steelers and Bengals over his eight-year NFL career.
Kyle Kalis, recruited by Michigan out of St. Edward High School in suburban Cleveland, got an opportunity as a lineman (6-4, 305) in the NFL with Washington, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and Oakland from 2017-2020.
Jimmy’s mother, Kristen, was a former college basketball player. She is 6-1.
Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.
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