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Ohio legislature won't take on marijuana law tweaks: “there's just not that consensus”

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Ohio legislature won't take on marijuana law tweaks: “there's just not that consensus”


With adult-use marijuana sales in Ohio on track to start in early fall, the window for state lawmakers to retool the state’s pending recreational program is closing. But Republican Ohio House leaders said the legislature can’t and likely won’t find common ground on the issue.

Voters approved Issue 2 in November, legalizing recreational marijuana, allowing each household to grow up to a dozen plants, and creating a 10% sales tax that would be split among a state social equity and jobs program fund that would help people who’d been harmed by previous marijuana convictions, communities with dispensaries, addiction treatment and administrative costs. The statute took effect in December, but the regulatory system to permit sales wasn’t expected to be in place for months.

About six hours before possession, use and home growth became legal, a bill to make some changes cleared the Ohio Senate 28-2. It would have cut the limit on household plants in half to six, increasing the tax to 15% and sending the revenue to law enforcement training, state-run funds on substance abuse treatment and prevention and on safe driver training, and the state’s general revenue fund.

But the House didn’t move that proposal or its own version and negotiations across the chambers seemingly broke down, and since then, there’s been little movement. It’s not for a lack of discussion among the majority party, House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) said last Tuesday.

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“Getting those to where we have a consensus of saying, ‘This is what needs to be different than what the people passed,’ there’s just not that consensus right now, and it’s not a contentious thing,” Stephens said.

But administrative rulemaking by the Division of Cannabis Control, under the Ohio Department of Commerce, is moving ahead on the timeline outlined in Issue 2. Under the current plans, the first round of licensure applications—reserved for existing medical retailers to get dual licensure—will go live in June.

Since February, the division has submitted batches of draft regulations for consideration. Some are scheduled for hearing in front of the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review this month.

“It will play out as the voters passed it, for now,” said Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington). “I am not very optimistic that there will be some large, cannabis bill that comes out of these chambers, maybe some small changes around the edges.”

Those tweaks, Russo said on Tuesday, could include expungement and safety proposals.

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For months, Gov. Mike DeWine has routinely urged lawmakers to pass regulations outside the rulemaking process. Before the Senate voted on their package of proposals in December, DeWine called an early evening press conference backing them.

“What we don’t want is a situation where the black market grows and we don’t want a situation really where people don’t know what the rules are, and we just need to get this done,” he said then.

One of the biggest modifications would have enable licensed medical marijuana dispensaries to begin selling products to non-medical customers within 90 days of the governor’s signature—much sooner than the present timeline put forth under Issue 2.





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Ohio Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 Midday winning numbers for March 3, 2026

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The Ohio Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 3, 2026, results for each game:

Mega Millions

Mega Millions drawings take place every week on Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m.

07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16

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Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 3

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.

Midday: 5-4-7

Evening: 5-5-9

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Pick 4

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.

Midday: 0-0-0-4

Evening: 9-4-6-2

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 5

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.

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Midday: 0-1-8-0-0

Evening: 8-6-0-3-3

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Rolling Cash 5

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 7:05 p.m.

01-18-27-30-31

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Check Rolling Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Millionaire for Life

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 11:15 p.m.

09-10-13-25-54, Bonus: 05

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

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This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Enquirer digital news director. You can send feedback using this form.



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Ryan Day explains Arthur Smith’s hiring as Ohio State coordinator

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Ryan Day explains Arthur Smith’s hiring as Ohio State coordinator


Ryan Day explained the hiring process that led to former Falcons head coach and NFL assistant Arthur Smith becoming the offensive coordinator of Ohio State football.

Appearing as a guest on “The Jim Rome Show” March 3, Day emphasized the importance of hiring a someone with an extensive body of work to coach the Buckeyes’ offense.

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“When Brian [Hartline] moved on to South Florida [we] wanted to go bring in somebody with great experience,” Day said.

Day said the Buckeyes first looked at coaches with collegiate coordinator experience, then the NFL. Smith’s three-year tenure as a head coach in the NFL, along with his extensive time with the Tennessee Titans as an assistant and offensive coordinator, made him stand out as a candidate, Day said.

“…[I] had a chance myself to sit down and talk with him. It was excellent,” Day said. “He’s a great communicator, very intelligent, and really loves the game of college football. 
When you hear a story about growing up and how much time he spent around college football, you could just see it in his eyes.”

Day added that the new role has been almost “refreshing” to Smith when given the chance to work with college players and young talent.

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Smith has spent the majority of his coaching career in the NFL. He served a year as a graduate assistant at North Carolina, his alma mater, and brief stint with Ole Miss as an administrative assistant.

Smith was then hired by his hometown Titans in 2011 and spent the the rest of the decade with them, rising from quality control coach to assistant offensive line coach to tight ends coach. Promoted to offensive coordinator in 2019, he led Mike Vrabel’s Titans to proficient offensive seasons with running back Derrick Henry.

Day said hiring Smith will allow him to take a back seat on the offense.

“It was great to have Matt [Patricia] on defense, and Brian [Hartline] did a great job as well, but I think this year will allow me to even step back even more and try to do as much as I can from the head coaching seat,” Day said.

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After Hartline accepted the South Florida head coaching job, Day stepped in to call plays during the Cotton Bowl against Miami. Ohio State lost 24-14.

Smith joins Buckeyes defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as an Ohio State coordinator hire with previous NFL head coaching experience. Smith went 21-30 as the head coach of the Falcons for three years.



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Woman dies after saving grandchild playing in driveway from out-of-control car, Ohio officials say

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Woman dies after saving grandchild playing in driveway from out-of-control car, Ohio officials say


A woman in Pickaway County, Ohio, died after moving a child out of the way of an out-of-control car, authorities said.

The Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on Facebook that 52-year-old Laura J. Hammond of Mt. Sterling was fatally struck by the vehicle on Feb. 27 on Walnut Creek Pike in Circleville.

The sheriff’s office said officials were called to the area for a report of a crash around 10 a.m. At the scene, investigators learned that the driver of a Nissan Sentra was headed southbound on Walnut Creek Pike when they went off the west side of the road. The car then careened through two yards before hitting a Chevrolet Equinox parked in the driveway of a home, officials said. 

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The Nissan, at the same time that it smashed into the Chevrolet, hit Hammond, pinning her between the two vehicles. Before being hit, the sheriff’s office said Hammond moved a child out of the way, which “more than likely saved his life.” CBS affiliate WBNS reported that the young child Hammond saved was her grandson.

“Laura actually picked up the child and tossed him. At the end of the day, it saved his life,” Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office Capt. John Strawser told the news outlet. “And when Laura tossed him, very unfortunately, she took the brunt of the vehicle.”

Hammond was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The young child was taken to a local hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. 

The driver of the vehicle was also taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 

The Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol are investigating the crash. The sheriff’s office did not release any additional information about the crash. 

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