Ohio
‘Off by quite a bit’: Ohio farmers nearly done with meager harvest weeks ahead of schedule

Drought in Ohio: How farms, ecosystems will be hurt by ongoing drought
A dried-up wetland is just one sign of the drought plaguing Ohio farms and ecosystems.
Ohio’s corn and soybean harvest is ahead of schedule and much smaller than farmers would have liked.
Some drought-stricken fields barely produced 20% of their potential, according to Amanda Douridas, the Ohio State University Extension Educator for Madison County who is also part of the state’s agronomic crops team.
“They’re really all over the board,” Douridas said. “It’s hard to put a finger on it because different areas held up really well, considering the drought, and others, depending on the soil type, did not.”
An Oct. 28 USDA crop weather report predicted that Ohio’s harvest would “wrap up in the next coupleweeks,” about 14 days sooner than normal.
As of Oct. 27, the state’s corn was 72% harvested, which was well ahead of the five-year average of 38% for the same timeframe. Soybeans were 90% harvested, compared to the five-year average of 74%.
Drought forced Ohio’s harvest to start two weeks early
Ohio’s lack of rain stressed crops to the point they stopped getting bigger and instead focused on making sure their seed would be complete enough to germinate this coming spring.
Of the Buckeye State’s 88 counties, 87 were highlighted as parched on the U.S. Drought Monitor map throughout most of the summer.
Crops withered in August and were so dry by the first week of September that many of the state’s farmers began their harvest two weeks early.
An early harvest for corn and soybean producers is never a good sign, especially in an age of modern genetics in which crops are designed to grow for as many days as possible.
‘It wasn’t even worth harvesting’
The state’s fields have not been affected equally by this year’s drought.
“You get into some pockets where it was off by quite a bit,” Douridas said.
West of Columbus, in Madison County, timely rains allowed many crops to flourish at crucial points in their growing phase.
“I’ve talked to farmers who didn’t really see that much impact at all with corn,” Douridas said. “Soybeans, maybe a little bit lower.”
But growers less than an hour away in Pickaway County, which is south of Columbus, are bringing in the worst harvest they’ve seen in their lives.
“Some of their sandy ground, they were harvesting 50 bushels of corn per acre,” Douridas said. “In a good year, and they’re irrigating, they’re averaging 250 bushels.”
Soybean yields have also varied drastically statewide from one field to the next.
A few farmers have chosen not to harvest their double crop, or second crop, of soybeans, which were planted over the summer after the wheat harvest.
“They were expecting severely low yields,” Douridas said. “It wasn’t even worth harvesting.”
‘Farmers are seeing less profit’
The reduced yields have come while farmers are seeing a decrease in commodity prices and an increase in inputs like fertilizer, herbicide and about everything else it takes to produce a crop.
Despite the financial hardship, most operations will likely turn just enough profit that they can afford to do it all again in 2025.
“I don’t see a lot of people going under from just this one year of drought,” Douridas said.
Once they put their equipment away at the end of autumn, growers statewide will likely turn their attention to land-rental contracts that are expected to increase by about 3% ahead of spring planting.
“Land owners are paying more taxes, but farmers are seeing less profit,” Douridas said. “That’s going to be something we need to figure out how to balance.”
ztuggle@gannett.com
419-564-3508

Ohio
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 31, Ohio State DE JT Tuimoloau

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2025 NFL draft.
During Jeff Hafley’s first season as defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, the pass rush did disappearing acts in big games far too often.
The Packers dismissed defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich and replaced him with DeMarcus Covington, who spent this past season as the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots.
A player who appeared at his best on the big stage was Ohio State’s JT Tuimoloau—the Buckeye defensive end checks in at No. 31 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.
Tuimoloau played a vital role in Ohio State’s run to a National Championship. During the final six games, he recorded 11.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 23 pressures and 18 run stops.
“He was a key part to the nation’s No. 1 defense last season,” Stefan Krajisnik, an Ohio State reporter for Cleveland.com, said. ‘Playing with Jack Sawyer opposite him on the defensive line, Tuimoloau made life miserable for opposing tackles and quarterbacks. His talent has been evident for a while, highlighted by a 2022 game at Penn State in which he collected two sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two interceptions. In 2024, though, you saw how good he could be when talent was paired with consistency.”
Standing at 6-4, 265 pounds, with long arms, Tuimoloau looks like he was sent from central casting. He’s a ready-made run defender. With his long arms, he’s able to lock out and keep himself detached. The Ohio State Edge rusher has powerful hands to deconstruct blocks. He’s strong at the point of attack and sets a firm edge. With his power, he’s able to forklift blockers out of the way to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. He finished this past season with 22 tackles for loss and 39 run stops.
“He has good patience,” Krajisnik said. “There aren’t many edge rushers in this draft with more experience than Tuimoloau. That’s apparent in the run game.”
Tuimoloau’s pass rush plan is predicated on power and then more power. He keeps his feet moving at contact and uses a long-arm move to collapse the integrity of the pocket. He has a devastating bull rush and a powerful cross-chop. He’s not somebody that’s going to win with his first-step quickness or athleticism. He’s very detailed in his approach. His backup plan has a backup plan. Over the past three seasons, he recorded 21 sacks and 120 pressures.
Fit with the Packers
Brian Gutekunst made it crystal clear during the NFL Scouting Combine that they need the defensive line to create more chaos if they are going to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
“We need to affect the quarterback more in our front four, with just four players,” Gutekunst said. “I’m excited about the guys we have in the room, we’ll see if we add to it, but that’s gotta get better if we’re going to accomplish our goals we want to accomplish in this season.”
Tuimoloua has a knack for getting after the quarterback and his strong finish during his final season with the Buckeyes is proof that he may not have the quickest first-step or the most explosive, but he has a veteran-like pass rush plan that’s predicated on power and violence. On top of what he brings as a pass rusher, Tuimoloau is a pro-ready run defender.
“Tuimoloau is a former five-star prospect who consistently displayed talent late in his career, and there still feels like there’s untapped potential,” Krajisnik said. “Like many of Ohio State’s 2025 prospects, experience can’t be taught. He’s seen so many different offenses and so many different players.”
Tuimoloau is a well-rounded defensive end. If he’s still on the board when the Packers are on the clock with the 54th overall pick, it would not be shocking to see the Buckeye defender teaming with a former Wolverine and Hawkeye at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.
Ohio
Ohio school funding is inadequate and lawmakers may make it worse | Letters
School funding plan hurts public students
As a Columbus resident, I care about my community.
The Columbus City Schools district serves 45,000 students; 50% are economically disadvantaged. Without amendments, House Bill 96 would cut state basic aid for Columbus public school students by $45 million and more for special education services. Funding is inadequate; the proposed budget makes this worse.
Unfunded state mandates like transportation policies and charter schools make it harder to improve Ohio’s public schools.
In violation of the Ohio Constitution, HB 96 shifts greater burden to local taxpayers.
Legislators should amend HB 96 to achieve the Fair School Funding Plan. The current budget bill cuts foundation-formula-based funding for public schools by $103.4 million and increases state funding for private school vouchers by $265.4 million over the next biennium. As many as 359 districts will lose funding. Prioritizing private schools over public schools harms 1.5 million public-school students and favors unaccountable private schools that currently enroll 181,000 students.
Phase in the Fair School Funding Plan using up-to-date cost estimates. Amend HB 96 to make school funding fair for all students.
Cheryl Roller, President, League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Columbus
Columbus City Council choices underwhelming
The current choices for candidates to the Columbus City Council are beyond disappointing. If this is the look that the Democratic Party is seeking, I’m no longer a willing participant of the party. They seem to be seeking the role to expand their resume, not to be a public servant. Very unfortunate for a state that has evolved to become “red.”
Emily Prieto, Columbus
Broadband, but for who?
The Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program is getting an overhaul, and it’s looking like a raw deal — especially for rural residents. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick wants to prioritize “lowest cost” internet access. That sounds great on paper, but in reality, it’s a mess. What’s worse, these changes open the door for Elon Musk’s Starlink to swoop in as a government vendor.
States have already spent time and money crafting plans based on the original BEAD guidelines, which focused on fiber-optic infrastructure — the gold standard for fast, reliable internet. Thanks to President Donald Trump’s executive order, states might have to scrap their plans and start over. That could mean delays of a year or more before anyone even sees a benefit. In the meantime, rural residents will be stuck waiting — again.
And what do they get for their patience? Maybe satellite internet, which is no match for fiber when it comes to speed, reliability and longevity. Critics are calling this move “penny wise, pound foolish,” and they’re not wrong. Satellites have short lifespans, limited capacity and require constant replacements. Fiber, on the other hand, is built to last and creates real jobs in rural communities — good, union jobs that don’t disappear after the system’s installed.
Sure, satellites might look cheaper upfront, but in the long run, rural residents could end up with worse service and higher costs. Meanwhile, Elon Musk gets a shiny new revenue stream. If this is what “streamlining” looks like, we don’t want it.
Barbara Kaplan, Peninsula
Ohio
Ohio charter school announces abrupt shutdown due to ‘insurmountable financial’ woes

Crisis at Dohn Community High School: Financial troubles and staff layoffs
A chaotic start to the school year has left the parents, students and staff of a charter school in Cincinnati with more questions than answers.
After announcing it would be closing at the end of this school year, a struggling Cincinnati charter school will instead shut down next week.
The Dohn Community High School Board of Directors released a statement Friday, saying the school will close on Monday due to “insurmountable financial challenges stemming from the previous school year.”
The charter school serves mostly Black students who have behavioral problems, were expelled from other public schools or are otherwise on their last chance to get a high school diploma. The board agreed during an emergency meeting March 7 to sell its two buildings to Performance Academies, a Columbus-based charter school with a location in Mount Healthy, Dohn’s lawyer, Adam Brown, previously told The Enquirer. The idea was to use that money to cover the rest of the school year, before shuttering Dohn.
“Upon assuming leadership, the current administration took all measures to attempt to stabilize finances, restructure operations, and maintain the highest quality of education for our students,” Friday’s statement reads. “Unfortunately, despite these efforts, the financial burdens from the prior school year have proven too great to sustain operations.”
Interim Superintendent Bill Geraghty added in the release: “Despite our best efforts to overcome financial challenges, we have exhausted all viable options to keep the school open.”
School leadership is working to assist students and families in transitioning to new schools and to provide support for staff, the statement said. As for seniors who are set to graduate this spring, they will receive special attention to ensure they have opportunities to complete their education.
Further details regarding student placement and closure logistics will be shared in the coming days, according to the statement.
Dohn Community High School was founded in 2001 by local educator Kate Bower as a recovery-focused high school for students struggling with addiction, according to the statement. It was named after her sponsor, Blanche Dohn. “The school grew into a vital resource for the Cincinnati community,” and eventually began serving teen mothers, adult learners, and career and technical education students.
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