Ohio
Ohio lawmakers seek millions for Pro Football Hall of Fame, other Stark projects
The Pro Football Hall of Fame, Akron-Canton Airport, downtown Minerva and some Stark County higher education projects are in line to receive a funding boost from state lawmakers.
Ohio House legislators on Wednesday released their list — House Bill 2 — of how they want to spend their half of $700 million allocated for the One Time Strategic Community Investments Fund, which is what lawmakers have set aside from federal pandemic relief funds to spend on local community projects. The Ohio Senate is expected to decide this spring how it will spend its $350 million.
Under House Bill 2, nearly $13 million has been designated for regional projects, including $7 million for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s modernization project and $2.5 million for the Akron-Canton Airport’s West Side Development for Aeronautic Activity.
State Rep. Scott Oelslager, a Republican who serves as second-in-command in the Ohio House and who represents the 48th district that includes most communities northeast of Canton, said the proposed Hall of Fame and airport investments also will help boost the local economy as they bring in out-of-town visitors who will stay to shop in local stores, sleep in local hotels and eat at local restaurants.
“Both of these are transformational in the sense that they have an economic ripple effect for Stark County and the region,” he said.
House Bill 2, which totals $2 billion for the next two years, also includes $600 million for school building projects, $400 million for public works infrastructure projects and $250 million for local jail construction and renovations, all of which Oelslager noted could be used for eligible Stark County projects.
The House also designated nearly $398 million for higher education projects, with nearly $7.2 million slated for projects at Stark County institutions.
Lawmakers from both the House and Senate also are working through which projects to recommend for the state’s two-year capital bill, which has funded roughly $7 million in Stark County projects in each of the last two cycles.
Here’s what to know about the proposed local projects under House Bill 2:
Pro Football Hall of Fame plans multimillion-dollar upgrade
The Pro Football Hall of Fame and Museum is planning an $80 million modernization project that its leaders say will represent the most comprehensive renovation and expansion project since the museum opened in 1963.
“We believe this project will position the Hall to be the leader in economic development for the area that was envisioned when it opened 61 years ago,” said Hall of Fame President Jim Porter, who thanked Oelslager and the state legislators for sharing the Hall’s vision for how the project would benefit Canton and the entire Northeast Ohio region.
The museum at 2121 George Halas Drive NW, which is separate from the Hall of Fame Village entertainment complex that surrounds it, plans to renovate and modernize its existing 120,000-square-foot footprint, build a new 8,000-square-foot grand lobby featuring high-tech interactive exhibition gallery spaces, create additional office and storage space, and construct an 18,500-square-foot community event center complex that would be available to charity groups at reduced rates.
The Black College Football Hall of Fame is expected to make the Hall of Fame its permanent home as part of the project.
The first phase of the four-phase project is expected to begin in late spring. The project, which has been nearly two years in the making, is expected to take between three and five years to complete. SoL Harris/Day Architecture and Beaver Excavating Co. have been hired to complete the designs and preliminary work.
Minerva looks to revitalize its downtown
Minerva, which straddles Stark, Carroll and Columbiana counties, is in line to receive $200,000 to revitalize its downtown, which has been an ongoing goal for the past decade.
The village already has plans to create a downtown pocket park along High Street that will hold a music stage, seating areas, landscaping and interactive components such as permanent corn hole boards. The pocket park, which would be between Main and Market streets, would be located within the village’s existing designated outdoor drinking district, according to Village Administrator Benjamin W. Gunderson.
Other regional projects in line for funding include $2.9 million for Columbiana County’s Annex/Drug Task Force Building, $200,000 for Carroll County’s Agricultural Service Center and $2.5 million for the Akron-Canton Airport’s planned improvements to its west side to create additional space to accommodate the growth of its aircraft operations.
Upgrades planned for Stark State, Kent State Stark
Stark State College is in line to receive $6.5 million in state higher education funds. Among the projects proposed for the college, which has campuses in Stark and Summit counties, are $3.17 million for heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades and replacements; $1 million for roof replacements, $1.47 million for elevator restorations and $842,000 for fire alarm system upgrades.
As part of Kent State University’s $29 million in proposed funding, $652,392 is being recommended to replace Kent State Stark’s chiller plant.
Reach Canton Repository staff writer Kelli Weir at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com.
Throughout the week of Nov. 17-21, the Ohio High School Athletic Association will vote on whether to permit name, image, and likeness deals at the high school level, a decision that Ohio State football coach Ryan Day stated could be “a great opportunity” for student-athletes.
“If we would have said this about 10 years ago, I think all of would have been like ‘no way.’ But here we are,” Day said. “We’re in this phase, and I can see it obviously benefiting the student athletes.”
In 2022, the OHSAA voted against allowing NIL for high school athletes, but a lawsuit filed by Jasmine Brown, whose son Jamier Brown is an Ohio State football commit from Huber Heights Wayne, forced the association to reevaluate its NIL guidelines.
According to the lawsuit, it is alleged that Jamier Brown has missed out on over $100,000 in potential NIL revenue because of the state’s prohibition.
Ohio is one of the seven states that still prohibit NIL deals for high schoolers. Two other states, Michigan and Wyoming, also have the possibility of high-school NIL under consideration.
“We’ll let the people making the decision, make the decision,” Day said. “But I think across the country, you’re seeing it’s becoming standard.”
bmackay@dispatch.com
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Rutgers vs. Ohio State has college fans on the edge of their seats. The game is set to kick off at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, which is Ohio State’s last home game of the season.
The Scarlet Knights are coming off an open weekend and a 35-20 victory over Maryland, although it’s important to keep in mind that Ohio State has been undefeated against Rutgers in prior matchups. Ohio State is also coming into this matchup following a win against UCLA 48-10. This marks the two teams 11th matchup.
Ohio State has a few powerhouse players on their side including safety Caleb Downs, wide receiver Carnell Tate and linebacker Arvell Reese, while overall, their defense seems to be the team’s strongest suit. Rutgers’ key player this season is quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis who leads the teams “red-hot” offense which is a stand-out. With that in mind, it should be interesting to see how Ohio State’ s iron-clad defensive line deals with Rutgers’ sneaky, but strong offensive line.
At a Glance: How to Watch Rutgers vs. Ohio State Online
Want to see the game live? See where to buy tickets here.
Looking to watch Rutgers face off against Ohio Sate? Keep reading. Below, we’ve put together a quick guide on some of our favorite ways to watch the game, and a ton of other sports, online including ways to watch games for free.
How to Watch Rutgers vs. Ohio State Online
editor’s pick
DIRECTV
➤ $39.99/month (best plan)
➤ Five-day free trial
➤ Up to 185+ channels
DirecTV is one of our favorite live TV streamer for sports, offering FOX, along with other major sports channels in a few of its plans. The most affordable package with FOX is the MyNews plan, which will run you $39.99 a month. All DirecTV packages start with a five-day free trial.
FUBO
➤ $54.99/month
➤ Up to $30 off first month
➤ Up to 300+ channels
Another one of the best live TV streaming services for sports is Fubo. This one carries FOX in all of its plans, which start at $54.99 a month, letting you tune into the Rutgers vs. Ohio State games without hassel. However, new subscribers can get a five-day free trial and up to $30 off their first month.
Sling
➤ $45.99/month
➤ Short-term passes available
➤ Up to 50+ channels
Sling is another service that carries FOX in a few of its plans, giving you access to watch the game with the click of a button. The channel is included in Sling’s Blue and Orange + Blue plans. These start at $45.99 a month.
Hulu + Live TV
➤ $89.99/month
➤ Three-day free trial
➤ 95+ channels
Football fanatics can also watch the Rutgers vs. Ohio State game this Saturday on Hulu + Live TV. This is one of the more expensive options on our list, with plans starting at $89.99 a month, but you get 95+ channels, Hulu’s on-demand content, Disney+, and ESPN Unlimited included. The trial period for Hulu + Live TV is three days, plenty of time to watch the game.
Rutgers vs. Ohio State Odds
Ohio State is a significant favorite over Rutgers, with betting lines showing the Buckeyes as a 30.5 to 31.5-point favorite against the spread.
If you want to put money on the Rutgers vs. Ohio State game, check out BETMGM. Rolling Stone readers can get $1,500 paid back in Bonus Bets if they don’t win with code RS1500.
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How to Spot Credit Card Skimmers: Top Safety Tips
How to check for credit card skimmers
A Romanian man who according to court documents conspired with others to install card-skimming devices on ATMs in multiple states has been sentenced to one year in prison and is expected to be deported after his release.
Danut Urseiu, 32, pleaded guilty in May in federal court in Cincinnati to a bank fraud conspiracy charge. The sentence was handed down Nov. 18.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Cincinnati-area charges against Danut Urseiu relate to a two-week spree in early 2023, when card-reading devices were installed on nine ATMs in Cincinnati, Green Township and Liberty Township.
But federal prosecutors in Michigan say Urseiu and his foreign national co-conspirators stole information from thousands of people in multiple states.
The crime spree resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses.
According to court documents, a card-skimmer at an ATM can collect account numbers and personal identification numbers when a person uses their card. A concealed camera above the keypad captures the PIN, to correlate the card data with the PIN.
The information is then re-encoded on the magnetic strip of other cards, including gift cards, the documents say. Those fraudulent cards can be used to withdraw cash at ATMs or make purchases.
When Urseiu was arrested in Royal Oak, Michigan last year, police found 62 gift cards in his pockets and another 192 gift cards in the vehicle he was driving, documents say.
Man in U.S. illegally
Urseiu entered the U.S. illegally in January 2023, according to court documents. In February 2023, he was seen on surveillance video in Liberty Township installing card-skimming and video devices on at least one ATM.
In total, an unnamed financial institution reported more than 3,900 compromised credit card or debit card numbers at 23 ATMs, according to court documents.
In March of 2023, Urseiu and several co-conspirators were arrested in Monroe County, New York for allegedly installing skimmers on ATMs in that area.
Urseiu was then arrested by immigration authorities, and an immigration judge ordered him deported to Romania, court documents say. He was deported in May 2023, but approximately three months later returned to the U.S. illegally.
His conviction in the Cincinnati-area case is his third since 2024. According to court documents, Urseiu was convicted in Michigan of identity theft and related state charges in May 2024. He was sentenced to 122 days. After being released, he was charged in federal court in Detroit with unlawfully re-entering the U.S. He pleaded guilty to that charge and was sentenced to 10 months in prison.
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