Ohio
Northeast Ohio park named among most popular ‘hidden gems’ in country
**Related Video Above: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad back in service
PENINSULA, Ohio (WJW) — Those of us living in Northeast Ohio are already well-acquainted with the wonder of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, but one national study recently included the park on its list of “Hidden Gems” you need to visit right now.
The Places to Travel website looked at TripAdvisor hidden gem lists across all states, along with Google search data to determine which spots were true “hidden gems” off the beaten path for many.
Northeast Ohio park ranked among best national parks in US
“Hidden gems across America provide an excellent alternative to crowded, popular destinations, adding a unique charm to your travels,” Places to Travel CEO Jason Wilson said in a statement. “Venturing off the beaten path can be incredibly rewarding and allows you to explore a diverse range of regions you may otherwise have missed.”
Take a look at Paces to Travel Top 10 destinations below:
|
Rank |
Destination |
State |
Google searches per month (average) |
|
1. |
Crater Lake |
Oregon |
182,167 |
|
2. |
Havasu Falls |
Arizona |
147,881 |
|
3. |
Roosevelt Island |
New York |
119,567 |
|
4. |
Pinnacles National Park |
California |
92,208 |
|
5. |
Morton Arboretum |
Illinois |
88,083 |
|
6. |
Eastern Market Detroit |
Michigan |
86,950 |
|
7. |
Discovery Park Seattle |
Washington |
86,858 |
|
8. |
Descanso Gardens |
California |
82,125 |
|
9. |
Fall Creek Falls |
Tennessee |
78,688 |
|
10. |
Cuyahoga Valley National Park |
Ohio |
77,807 |
Highest-rated free things to do in Ohio, according to Tripadvisor
The park, which is one of the only free national parks, reportedly has garnered 4.5 star rating out of 5 on TripAdvisor, with many reviewers calling the spot “excellent,” according to Places to Travel.
Find out more about the park right here.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Ohio
$50K Powerball ticket sold in Northeast Ohio; jackpot reaches $1.5B
CANFIELD, Ohio (WJW) – Nobody took home the massive Powerball jackpot on Wednesday, but one Canfield man is still celebrating after purchasing a winning ticket worth $50,000.
According to Ohio Lottery, Bryan decided to try his luck after realizing the Powerball jackpot was over $1 billion. He bought a ticket from the Meijer grocery store on Boardman-Canfield Road in Boardman.
The next morning, Bryan woke up and checked the ticket, stunned to discover that he won $50,000.
After mandatory state and federal taxes, the lucky winner will take home more than $36,000.
Bryan told lottery officials that he doesn’t have specific plans for money yet, but the big win will certainly make for “a very good Christmas.”
It has been months since someone won the Powerball jackpot, which now sits at a massive $1.5 billion. There is also a cash option worth $689.3 million up for grabs.
The next drawing will be Saturday night at 11 p.m. Learn more about the Powerball right here.
Ohio
After her son died in car wreck, Ohio mom fought for public records
A mom searching for answers about her son’s death in a car wreck won a victory on Dec. 19 when the Ohio Supreme Court ordered the Richland County Sheriff to release records to her.
The court ruled in a unanimous decision that Andrea Mauk is entitled to three sets of records withheld by the sheriff, with only Social Security numbers being redacted. Mauk will be awarded $2,000 in damages but will not receive attorney fees.
On June 23, 2023, 18-year-old Damon Mauk lost control of his 1998 Ford Mustang and slammed it into a tree. His mother wanted to piece together what happened, collect his belongings and grieve the loss of her child. She didn’t think she’d have to fight for public records and take her case to the Ohio Supreme Court.
Following the crash, Richland County Sheriff’s deputies, a township fire department and the Ohio State Highway Patrol responded.
During the investigation, a trooper told a deputy to leave Damon’s iPhone and wallet in the car, according to Mauk’s court filings. Instead, the deputy took the belongings to the hospital and handed them off to someone who said he was Damon’s dad.
Mauk didn’t understand. Damon’s father was largely absent from his life. How could he have been there to pick up the wallet and phone?
A few weeks after the fatal crash, Mauk asked for records, including: the sheriff’s report and inventory of items taken from the car, body camera footage from deputies who gave away the belongings, the report, photos and videos created by the patrol and more.
Mauk, of the Mansfield area, received some but not all of the requested records. Mauk hired attorney Brian Bardwell to pursue records she believes exist but weren’t provided or were improperly redacted.
The sheriff’s office claimed that some of the requested records were exempt from disclosure because they are confidential law enforcement records or personal notes. The court privately reviewed the records withheld from Mauk and determined that they should be released.
The decision in favor of releasing records runs contrary to recent rulings from the high court.
In 2024, the court held that the cost of sending troopers to protect Gov. Mike DeWine at a Super Bowl game weren’t subject to disclosure and that the Ohio Department of Health should redact from a database the names and addresses of Ohioans who had died, even though that death certificate information can be released on an individual case basis.
In 2025 the court ruled that police officers’ names may be kept confidential if they’re attacked on the job, giving them privacy rights afforded to crime victims.
State government reporter Laura Bischoff can be reached at lbischoff@usatodayco.com and @lbischoff on X.
Ohio
No. 21 Ohio State women beat Norfolk State 79-45
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Kylee Kitts scored 13 points, Jaloni Cambridge added 11 and No. 21 Ohio State rolled past Norfolk State 79-45 on Thursday night for its eighth straight win.
Dasha Biriuk added 10 points for Ohio State, which is 10-1 overall and 7-0 at home.
Kitts was 6 of 12 from the field, and grabbed 10 rebounds to go with two steals and two blocks. Cambridge was 4-of-8 shooting and had eight rebounds and two steals.
Cambridge scored seven points in the first quarter as the Buckeyes jumped out to a 20-10 lead and built a 43-21 halftime advantage. Kitts and Cambridge each scored nine first-half points.
Ohio State outrebounded Norfolk State 55-32 and scored 21 points off 17 turnovers.
Jasha Clinton scored 18 points to lead Norfolk State (5-9). Ciara Bailey had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Up next
Norfolk State plays at Elon on Sunday.
Ohio State hosts Western Michigan on Mondahy.
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