Ohio

Ohio drivers are seeing fewer injuries at roundabout intersections

Published

12 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Press Room

Ohio drivers are seeing fewer injuries at roundabout intersections

Jane Imbody
| Reporter assisted by AI

Roundabouts are proving to be a safer alternative to traditional intersections, according to an analysis by the Ohio Department of Transportation.

The study, which examined 76 intersections that were converted to roundabouts, found that single-lane roundabouts decreased injury crashes by 69% while multi-lane roundabouts saw a 25% decline, according to a community announcement.

“Safety is the driving force behind every decision we make, and the results are clear, roundabouts are very effective at reducing crashes and saving lives,” ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn said in the announcement. “Our goal is to continue to support our local, county and state partners by providing funding for roundabouts.”

Roundabouts part of larger safety initiative

In July, Gov. Mike DeWine announced an additional $137 million for 55 traffic safety projects across the state, with 25 of those projects including the installation of roundabouts.

One of the most notable success stories comes from Clark County, where the intersection of Ohio 41 and Ohio 235 had a long history of serious crashes. Despite several countermeasures, including rumble strips, multiple stop signs and flashing beacons, deadly and serious injury crashes continued to occur.

In 2014, a roundabout was installed. In the 11 years since, there has not been a single fatal crash. The lone serious injury crash occurred in 2023 and involved a motorcycle with the rider impaired by drugs and without a helmet or motorcycle endorsement on their license.

Marion and Richland counties see improvements

In Marion County, the intersection of Ohio 98 and Ohio 529 had 37 crashes in the four years before the roundabout’s construction, with nearly 60% resulting in injury. Since the roundabout opened in 2022, there have been 16 crashes with none resulting in injuries.

Richland County has also seen improvements at the intersection of East Cook Road/Illinois Avenue and Mansfield-Lucas Road. From 2015-18, the two-way stop-controlled intersection saw 21 total crashes, with 15 resulting in injury. The roundabout was opened in August 2022, and in the two years since, crashes have decreased by 40% with an average of three per year and zero injury crashes.

This story was created by Jane Imbody, jimbody@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/.

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Ohio

Ohio judge blocks DeWine’s ban on intoxicating hemp products for 14 days

Published

33 minutes ago

October 14, 2025

Press Room

Ohio judge blocks DeWine’s ban on intoxicating hemp products for 14 days

COLUMBUS, Ohio–A Franklin County judge on Tuesday paused Gov. Mike DeWine’s public health emergency health order banning the sale of intoxicating hemp products for 14 days.

Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Carl Aveni issued a temporary restraining order, which takes effect immediately, blocking an executive order DeWine issued last week, saying he is concerned that the governor is creating “new definitions” about what constitutes intoxicating hemp that don’t exist in state law.

The governor’s order, signed last Tuesday, directed all retailers to remove intoxicating hemp products from their shelves and cease sales. Failure to comply meant that authorities could cease products, and that businesses could be subject to a fine of $500 daily while the sales continue. The order was set to last for at least 90 days.

DeWine’s ban faced legal pushback in a lawsuit filed by three Ohio businesses affiliated with the hemp industry, Titan Logistics Group, Fumee Smoke and Vape and Invicta Nutraceuticals.

Jonathan Secrest, an attorney for the plaintiffs, told Aveni that DeWine’s executive order created a definition of “intoxicating hemp” out of whole cloth, and that his definition – cannabis products with a maximum of 0.5% of THC per serving or 2 mg of THC per package – was illegally stricter than state law.

“Gov. DeWine does not understand what he’s regulating,” Secrest said.

That’s because state law has no definition of “intoxicating hemp,” but it defines hemp as cannabis containing up to 0.3% mg of a specific form of THC – delta-9. Cannabis with THC levels higher that 0.3% is considered to be marijuana.

DeWine’s hemp limits in his executive order, however, were on concentrations of THC in general.

As THC can come in other forms, such as delta-8, Secrest argued that DeWine’s order would effectively ban hemp products with lower percentages of delta-9 THC than what state law defines as hemp.

Aveni agreed, saying DeWine’s hemp limits are “antithetical” to the definition of hemp passed by the state legislature.

Aveni said DeWine’s order “basically attempts to supercede” the definition of hemp passed by the Ohio legislature, which allows the sale of hemp products at a higher THC level than what DeWine’s executive order permits.

He added that without a court injunction, hemp companies would “face immediate and irreparable harm through substantial disruptions to their business operations.”

Aveni concluded his ruling by urging state lawmakers to take additional action “to determine the appropriate scope of comprehensive hemp regulation.”

“The intent was not to ban an entire category of products,” Secrest said, adding that DeWine’s order was “vague” and “overly broad.”

Drew Campbell, a lawyer defending DeWine’s order, said that was “plainly not the case” and that DeWine’s order is “clearly” lawful.

Aveni asked Campbell what changed since last year, when DeWine told reporters that he didn’t have the unilateral authority to restrict intoxicating hemp.

Campbell replied by pointing to DeWine’s argument that many gas stations and other stores in Ohio sell hemp products that are marketed to children — including gummies with packaging mimicking popular brands of candy — despite containing dangerous amounts of THC.

“Children are being poisoned,” Campbell replied. “They’re being poisoned and people are making money off that process.”

As temporary restraining orders cannot be appealed, the lawsuit will now proceed to the question of whether DeWine’s executive order should be permanently overturned.

Aveni, when issuing the temporary restraining order Tuesday, said plaintiffs “have shown a likelihood of success on the merits” of such an argument.

Since Ohio voters decided to legalize recreational marijuana in 2023, a variety of products with low levels of hemp-derived THC — including candy, gummies, chocolate, and drinks — have popped up at a wide assortment of retailers around the state.

DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney, in a statement, said that Ohio voters decided in 2023 to pass a state law legalizing recreational marijuana, they never intended for cannabis to be sold outside of a set number of licensed, regulated dispensaries.

Ohio voters, Tierney continued, also mandated that cannabis products not target children and be tested for safety.

“While we continue to fight in court, today’s developments underscore our continued desire to work with the General Assembly to pass permanent legislation regarding intoxicating hemp,” Tierney stated.

Since Ohio legalized recreational marijuana in 2023, DeWine has pushed state lawmakers to enact restrictions on both hemp and marijuana products.

However, so far, the legislature has been unable to pass any such legislation — even regarding regulations that they all generally agree on, such as restricting sales to children.

The sticking points regarding hemp products include whether they can only be sold in marijuana dispensaries, and whether hemp-based THC drinks can be sold in bars.

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Ohio

Photo Essay: A Look Back at Ohio State-Illinois, Buckeye Nation’s Traveling Circus

Published

24 hours ago

October 13, 2025

Press Room

Photo Essay: A Look Back at Ohio State-Illinois, Buckeye Nation’s Traveling Circus

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Buckeye Nation is known to travel, so it was no surprise that on Saturday in Champaign, “O-H” and “I-O” were heard almost as much as “I-L-L” and “I-N-I.” The national champions were in town for the first time since Nov. 14, 2015. FOX Sports’ “Big Noon Kickoff” was in town for the second time in three weeks.

That meant Brutus Buckeye and Bret Bielema were up early, preparing for a matchup between 5-0 Ohio State, looking to become the first Big Ten team to win back-to-back national titles since before World War II, and 5-1 Illinois, looking to burnish its College Football Playoff chances.

In the end, the Buckeyes won their 10th straight game over the Fighting Illini, though Illinois did become the first team this season to score double-digit points against OSU’s vaunted defense. Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith led the way to a 34-16 Buckeyes victory.

But that was just part of the story. On and off the field, the cast of characters made it a day to remember. Let’s take a look back in photos.