A nearly 1,500 mile loop of hiking trails in Ohio could soon join the ranks of the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail.

The National Park Service is evaluating whether to add the Buckeye Trail, which runs from Lake Erie to the Ohio River, to its National Trails System. Over the next several weeks, the service will share information about its feasibility study and hear from the public at cities around the state. One of those meetings will be held in Cincinnati on Jan. 16.

The Buckeye Trail was built from 1959 to 1980 by the Buckeye Trail Association, a nonprofit. The loop of trail systems stretches 1,454 miles across farmland in northwest Ohio, the Bluegrass region of southwest Ohio, the Black Hand sandstone cliffs around Hocking Hills and the hills of Appalachia. More than half of the route overlaps the North County National Scenic Trail.

What are National Scenic Trails?

Currently there are 11 National Scenic Trails:

• The Appalachian Trail stretches 2,190 miles through 13 states between Maine and North Carolina.
• The Arizona Trail stretches 800 miles through Arizona.
• The Continental Divide Trail stretches 3,100 miles through Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico.
• The Florida Trail stretches 1,300 miles through Florida.
• The Ice Age Trail stretches 1,000 miles through Wisconsin.
• The Natchez Trace Trail stretches 65 miles through Mississippi.
• The New England Trail stretches 215 miles through Connecticut and Massachusetts.
• The North Country Trail stretches 4,600 miles through eight states including Ohio.
• The Pacific Crest Trail stretches 2,650 miles through California, Oregon and Washington.
• The Pacific Northwest Trail stretches 1,200 miles through Idaho, Montana and Washington.
• The Potomac Heritage Trail stretches 710 miles through Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

A hiker’s journey to Katahdin: Family trip sparked desire to tackle the Appalachian Trail

The designated routes for hiking and biking showcase some of the country’s beautiful landscapes and attract tourists from around the world. They are managed by federal and state agencies.

Make your voice heard

Ohioans can voice their stance on whether the Buckeye Trail should become a National Scenic Trail at the following meetings for public comment:

• Jan. 13 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Hines Hill Conference Center at 1403 West Hines Hill Road in Peninsula.
• Jan. 14 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Henry County Hospital Heller Community Room at 1600 E Riverview in Napoleon.
• Jan. 15 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Huffman Prairie Flying Field Interpretive Center at 2380 Memorial Road in Dayton.
• Jan. 16 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Digital Futures Building Level 1 Conference Room at 3080 Exploration Ave. in Cincinnati.
• Jan. 17 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Athens Community Center Room B and C at 701 E State St. in Athens.

There will be a virtual public meeting, too, on Jan. 23 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Participants can attend online.

The public comment period is open now through Feb. 19. Members of the public are invited to review the National Park Service’s study process and share feedback online.

The law signed Wednesday by Gov. Mike DeWine makes makes sexual extortion a third-degree felony, with harsher penalties possible

Sextortion schemes that often target minors and caused the death of a suburban Columbus high school student are now illegal in Ohio.

Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation Wednesday named for Olentangy High School football player Braden Markus that criminalizes sexual extortion, which occurs when someone blackmails another person over the release of private images. Ohio lawmakers passed the bill last month, more than three years after Braden fell victim to sextortion and killed himself.

“We can’t bring Braden back, but what we can do is something in his name today and say we’re going to make a difference,” DeWine said during a signing ceremony at the Ohio Statehouse, surrounded by Braden’s family and friends.

House Bill 531 makes sexual extortion a third-degree felony, with harsher penalties if the victims are minors, seniors or people with disabilities. When sentencing offenders, courts must consider whether the victim died by suicide or suffered “serious physical, psychological, or economic harm.”

The law also makes it easier for parents to access their child’s digital assets if they die as a minor. Rep. Beth Lear, R-Galena, who co-sponsored the bill, said Braden’s family wondered for months what happened to him because they couldn’t get into his cell phone.

Federal authorities received over 13,000 reports of online sexual extortion involving minors − primarily boys − from October 2021 to March 2023, according to the FBI. In Braden’s case, someone posing as high school girl on social media asked Braden for intimate photos and then demanded $1,800 so they wouldn’t be published. He died a half hour later.

“I’m hoping that there’s a deterrent,” Braden’s mother, Jennifer Markus, told the Columbus Dispatch last month. “Knowing that this law is there, that they will quit preying on our kids.”

An early version of the bill would have made victims and their families eligible for compensation through the attorney general’s office, but lawmakers axed that provision. A spokesperson for Attorney General Dave Yost did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Donovan Hunt contributed to this report.

Haley BeMiller covers state government and politics for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

There is some uncertainty surrounding the Cotton Bowl entering Friday’s College Football Playoff semifinal between Texas and Ohio State at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium, with bowl organizers preparing “contingencies” due to the weather forecast.

Arlington, Texas is under a winter storm warning from Thursday morning to Friday afternoon, with the possibility of several inches of snow.

While the stadium has a roof, the weather could create dangerous road conditions for fans traveling to the game.

A joint statement from AT&T Stadium and the Cotton Bowl Tuesday night said the game will be played as scheduled at 7:30 p.m. ET, with the two teams arriving to town Wednesday.

“We continue to monitor weather reports, and over the last 24 hours, the forecast for later this week has improved according to the National Weather Service,” the statement said. “We have been meeting routinely with city officials, the Director of Transportation for North Texas and the College Football Playoff. Should the forecast shift, we are prepared for contingencies.

“North Texas highways are already being brined and plans are in place to ensure a safe environment for everyone in and around AT&T Stadium on game day.”

More than 70,000 people are expected to attend Friday’s game, the winner of which will face the victor of the Penn State-Notre Dame Orange Bowl semifinal in the national championship game on Jan. 20.

Kevin Oden, the Dallas director of emergency management and crisis response, said staffing will be increased Wednesday in anticipation of the storm.

“We’re closely monitoring travel conditions into the city, especially as we prepare to host fans and teams for the Cotton Bowl,” Oden said. “Our priority is ensuring safe travel for the teams and their fans visiting Dallas and the metroplex.”