Ohio
Hamilton County judicial primary features endorsement by Afroman
Hamilton County has two judicial primaries this Election Day, including one that prompted an endorsement from Afroman, an Ohio-based rapper.
Incumbent Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Chris Wagner will face defense lawyer Bill Gallagher on May 5. There is no Republican challenger, so the winner of the primary will serve as judge.
Wagner was first elected to the bench in 2020, defeating Republican former judge Curt Hartman with 58% of the vote, according to the Hamilton County Board of Elections. He cited jury service reform as one of his achievements on his campaign website and said jurors now serve half the number of days that they used to, and their pay has been increased.
He has been endorsed by the Hamilton County Democratic Party, Commissioner Denise Driehaus and Prosecutor Connie Pillich, among other county and city officials. Wagner was also endorsed by Clyde Bennett, a high-profile defense lawyer who’s represented former judge Tracie Hunter and more recently Rodney Hinton, who is charged with killing a Hamilton County sheriff’s deputy.
Gallagher is a co-founder of the Ohio Innocence Project, which has used new evidence to free or exonerate over 200 people who were imprisoned. He is the founder of Friends to the Indigent, a nonprofit organization that supports lawyers representing clients who otherwise could not afford legal representation.
County officials endorse Wagner, Afroman endorses Gallagher
Afroman, who recently won a defamation lawsuit brought by Adams County deputies, made a video endorsing Gallagher.
Afroman, which is the stage name of Joseph Foreman, sported a star-spangled shirt and sunglasses in the video and said Gallagher is all about people protesting lawfully. A campaign Facebook page for Gallagher said Afroman and Gallagher are friends.
“We don’t need somebody that’s preprogrammed, taking sides and corrupt. He’ll be a just judge, and he’ll help innocent people get out of jail,” he said.
Gallagher said in a video posted on his Facebook page that a lot of judicial candidates made promises about reform after the George Floyd protests in 2020.
“I watched some of those people uphold the promises but a couple didn’t. The one I’m running against is someone who just didn’t uphold all those promises that were made and it’s really time for a change,” he said.
Former public defender faces former judge
There is one other judicial primary this year with Democratic magistrate Sarah Henry running against former judge Glenda Smith.
Henry is a former public defender who is endorsed by the Hamilton County Democratic Party and Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio ACT.
Smith is a former judge who was appointed to the Butler County Area III Court in West Chester by then-Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland in 2008, according to her campaign website. Smith has a history of encounters with law enforcement, including police response to disputes with family members, according to previous Enquirer reporting.
The winner of that primary will face incumbent Republican Court of Common Pleas Judge Chris McDowell in November.
What’s next in the judge races
The primary election is May 5. Early voting started April 7. To check your voter registration or find your polling location, visit VoteOhio.gov.
Common pleas court candidates run in partisan primaries, though the general races are considered nonpartisan and party affiliations do not appear on the general ballot. Common pleas judges in Ohio are elected countywide to six-year terms and are paid $171,982. The judges handle felony cases, ranging from drug possession to robbery to murder, and lawsuits involving more than $15,000.
Courts reporter Kevin Grasha contributed reporting.
Regional politics reporter Erin Glynn can be reached at eglynn@enquirer.com, @ee_glynn on X and @eringlynn on Bluesky.
UPDATE 6/30/26 @ 6:30 p.m.
VINTON COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) – Four people are in custody Tuesday after a search found 16 children inside a home in the Hamden area of Vinton County, officials said during a news conference.
“This is pure evil what we saw down here today,” said Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson, who described it as one of the worst scenes he has ever seen.
It happened in the 100 block of Ohmer Street.
Two children had to be life-flighted to trauma centers, and the victims are being treated at hospitals throughout Ohio.
Their ages range from one and a half to 18 years old.
“Lives were in danger,” officials said during the news conference, saying it has been a long-term investigation.
They said there is a secondary investigation underway at the property.
The suspects are set to be arraigned at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in Vinton County Common Pleas Court.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office, the Vinton County Sheriff’s Office, the Vinton County Prosecutor’s Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are among the investigators.
We have a crew at the scene working to get more details. Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest.
ORIGINAL STORY
VINTON COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) – A news conference is scheduled Tuesday evening about a search warrant that was executed at a home in the Hamden area of Vinton County.
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson’s office made that announcement, saying the news conference is scheduled at 6 p.m. in McArthur, Ohio.
Along with Wilson, Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain, Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer and members of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are set to attend the news conference.
The search warrant was executed at a home along Ohmer Street, with a heavy law enforcement presence reported throughout the day.
Additional details are unavailable now, but we have a crew headed to the scene.
Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest.
Copyright 2026 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
Central Ohio 2026 summer weather forecast
Weather forecasts call for a hotter- and drier-than-normal summer in the region.
The Columbus Dispatch
Central Ohio is under an extreme heat warning starting at noon due to dangerously hot conditions.
The National Weather Service in Wilmington issued the extreme heat warning from noon June 30 to 8 p.m. July 2 in central and south central Ohio as well as parts of Kentucky. The heat index will rise to about 105 degrees, the weather service said.
On June 30, there will be sunny skies and a high near 95 degrees in Columbus, according to a forecast by the weather service. The heat index will reach about 106 degrees.
Columbus will see a high of 98 both July 1 and July 2, with a heat index as high as 106 on July 2, the weather service said.
People should drink plenty of fluids, stay in air conditioned rooms and out of the sun and check on their relatives and neighbors.
People should not leave young children and pets in unattended vehicles because car interiors will reach lethal temperatures in minutes, the weather service said.
Cooling centers will open June 30, and the city has waived bus fares and public pool entry fees during the heat wave.
Public safety and breaking news reporter Bailey Gallion can be reached at bagallion@dispatch.com
Two people were found dead in a vehicle at a park in North Canton, Ohio, authorities said.
The North Canton Police Department said in a news release on Facebook that officers were called to Eastwoods Park around 11 a.m. on Sunday for reports of a suspicious vehicle. When officers arrived, they found a Honda with its engine running and two unresponsive people inside.
The two people, a 24-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman, were pronounced dead at the scene. They have not been identified as of Monday night.
Police said the preliminary findings show carbon monoxide levels in the vehicle were at levels exceeding what is considered safe. The North Canton Fire Department responded to the scene to help confirm the findings.
“At this time, there are no signs of foul play and no indication of violence or struggle associated with this incident,” North Canton police said in the news release.
The Stark County Coroner’s Office will determine the cause and manner of death for the two people. No other information was released by law enforcement.
“This remains an active investigation, and no further information is available at this time,” the news release said.
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