Ohio
Ohio Man Arrested After Puppy Found Abandoned and Tied in Drawstring Bag at Local Park
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(745x234:747x236)/ryder-harold-dean-lilly-050424-8effe989494f4c7391a21e1b3db77f33.jpg?ssl=1 "Ohio Man Arrested After Puppy Found Abandoned and Tied in Drawstring Bag at Local Park")
An Ohio man has been arrested on animal cruelty charges after a puppy was found “tied up” in a drawstring bag at a local park in April.
Harold Dean Lilly of Middletown was charged with second-degree misdemeanors — cruelty to a companion animal and abandoning animals — on Friday, May 3, per a Facebook post from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.
His arrest comes more than a week after a puppy was found “tied up in a bag and abandoned” on April 24 at 700 Joe Nuxhall Boulevard in Hamilton, the office said in the post.
The Butler County dog wardens then took the dog to the local Animal Friends Humane Society, which updated its Facebook followers about the pup’s plight soon after he was discovered.
As the organization shared, the 2- to 3-month-old dog was located in a “closed drawstring bag” in a Hamilton park, and they have since begun referring to the animal as Ryder.
credit: Animal Friends Humane Society/Facebook
“Yesterday on intake, he was not acting like a normal puppy. He was lethargic and weak. While we accounted for his traumatic experience, we also had to rule out sicknesses. He tested negative for parvo and was vaccinated and dewormed. We then let him rest and regain his strength and stability, under the watchful eye of our medical team,” Animal Friends wrote of Ryder on Facebook.
“Today, Ryder was alert, curious and ready to eat! We appreciate everyone’s support for the little guy already and we hope to update with every step of Ryder’s journey,” the organization continued.
After the puppy was discovered in L.J. Smith Park last month, Sheriff Richard K. Jones went live on Facebook with dog warden Elizabeth Burkett and they revealed that the bag Ryder was found in was “drawn tight” so that the puppy would “not get out of the sack.”
“I assume somebody put it out there to die and be done with the dog,” Jones said.
Burkett added that she was dispatched to the park after an employee there said she “had a very hard time” untying the dog.
“When I arrived on scene the dog looked very defeated, overall seems healthy by appearance, just seems very defeated right now,” she recalled.
Butler County Sheriff’s Office
On April 27, Animal Friends noted that Ryder was “improving every day” and had been “up moving around his cage, wiggling his little butt and crying for attention” since being found days earlier.
“We have received A LOT of interest in lil Ryder. While we know he is adorable, he is still a part of an ongoing cruelty investigation,” the shelter said at the time, prior to Lilly’s arrest. “The sheriff’s office has received many tips and are following up on them all. We are uncertain when or if he will become available. Ryder’s well being and the investigation come first.”
Per the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Lilly is awaiting his appearance in Hamilton Municipal Court.
When’s Ohio’s 2026 primary election? Date, candidates, changes to know
See which candidates are conditionally qualified for Ohio’s 2026 primary ballot and key election deadlines.
Ohio’s primary election season has begun – Election Day is May 5. Ohio’s candidates are vying for spots on the ballot for the November midterm elections.
That’s nothing new, but Ohio made significant changes to mail-in voting that voters need to know about.
What has changed with Ohio’s mail-in ballots?
Voting through a mail-in ballot? There are some changes voters should know.
Signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine in December 2025, Senate Bill 293 requires absentee ballots to arrive by the close of polls to be counted, with an exception for military and overseas voters.
Any mail-in or absentee ballots must now be received before or on Election Day by 7:30 p.m. in order to be counted. There is no longer a 4-day grace period after Election Day.
The primary election is May 5, and the general election is Nov. 3, 2026.
So, when should you send your mail-in ballot in Ohio? The sooner the better. The U.S. Postal Service does not necessarily postmark your mail the day it is received unless you specifically request it. So, you ballot may not make it to a postal processing center until the day after you drop it in a mailbox.
When does Ohio early voting start? Key dates for early, absentee, mail-in votes
The primary election will be held May 5, 2026, according to this year’s voting schedule.
Early in‑person voting began on April 7, including the Saturday and Sunday before Election Day. Absentee voting by mail also began on April 7.
On Election Day, May 5, polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Absentee ballots must be received by your local board of elections by 7:30 p.m., per the voting schedule.
Ohio voter registration deadlines for 2026 elections
Ohioans must register or update their voter registration no later than 30 days before an election. The registration deadline for the May 5 primary was April 6, 2026.
Here are the upcoming voter registration deadlines in 2026:
- April 6, 2026, for the May 5, 2026, primary and special election
- October 5, 2026, for the November 3, 2026, general election
If you register or update your information after the deadline, the changes will apply for the next election.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Mrs. Mary Lucille Young, 74, of Youngstown, departed this life on Friday, April 10, 2026 at her residence where God welcomed her home.
Mary, affectionately known as “Mary Lou” and “Tang”, was born March 8, 1952 in Youngstown, a daughter of Lawrence and Ada Mae Alexander Hamilton Young.
She was a proud 1971 graduate of South High School.
Mary was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church.
She attended Louis Weinberger Hill Beauty School, and was accepted as a model with Barbizon Modeling Agency.
Mary worked and retired from Youngstown Sheet and Tube.
She enjoyed looking her best, dancing, shopping, casinos and decorating her home. Mary was strong, bold and took no mess. She was loved by many people.
She leaves to cherish her memories, her pride and joy, two daughters, Adalatesha Bright and Richlynn Bright; two sons, Ja-Juan Young and Dr. Ty-Juan Bright all of Youngstown; five grandchildren; two sisters, Cynthia (Floyd) Davis, Janet (Steve) Gardner both of Youngstown; and a host of family and friends.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Michael Lamar Young; three brothers, Isaiah, Edward, Lorenzo Young.
Private services were held at the L.E. Black, Phillips & Holden Funeral Home.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Lucille Young, please visit our floral store.
The NWSL is once again expanding, this time the league is heading to Ohio where Columbus NWSL 2028 will take the field. Of course, Columbus NWSL 2028 is a placeholder for now and the the new team will unveil its name, crest, and uniform to build an identity around as it approaches its first season.
News of the club was announced yesterday, though this has been in the works for some time, in a press conference. Team owners, the Haslam Sports Group (HSG), Nationwide and Drs. Christine and Pete Edwards, spoke about what they hope the club will bring to Columbus and women’s soccer more broadly.
“Our family is thrilled to help bring an NWSL team to Columbus and further invest in Ohio, with the honor of bringing the 18th team into the league,” said Haslam Sports Group Managing Partner Whitney Haslam Johnson. “We believe in the power of women’s sports and are humbled to be part of the number one women’s soccer league in the world.”
Nationwide insurance has been a corporate partner in both NWSL and MLS for years and now joins an ownership group deepening those ties. “Today’s announcement is about inspiring young athletes across Central Ohio, elevating women’s professional sports and reminding the world that Columbus is a first-class sports city,” said Kirt Walker, Nationwide Chief Executive Officer. “As Nationwide marks 100 years, this is a powerful way to celebrate our milestone with the community that has been our home from the very beginning.”
The Edwards family has deep roots in the Columbus soccer scene with Dr. Pete Edwards serving as team doctor for the Crew in 1996 and the family joining the team’s ownership in 2019 during the Save The Crew effort. “Columbus is very important to our family. For over 30 years, we’ve supported the Columbus Crew and MLS. We’ve seen how a men’s professional soccer team has brought people together and created a positive impact in our community. It’s truly special to now welcome an NWSL club and the incredible women athletes who will also uplift our city on and off the pitch,” said Dr. Christine Edwards. “We’re very excited to partner with Haslam Sports Group and Nationwide for NWSL Columbus 2028, and we can’t wait to share even more memorable moments with fans, especially during the Club’s first game at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.”
The NWSL has continued its expansion with the announcement and the team will join Atlanta in its inaugural season in two years.
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