Ohio
Ohio state Sen. Ben Espy, who died at 81, to be remembered at service for breaking barriers
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Respected Ohio attorney and former state Sen. Ben Espy will be remembered at a celebration of life Monday for his decades of service to the state and its capital city.
Espy died on Jan. 4 at age 81 after a brief illness.
Espy, a Democrat, broke racial barriers as the first Black person to serve as president pro tem of the city council in the capital, Columbus, for most of the 1980s and as minority leader of the Ohio Senate, where he served from 1991 to 2000.
Though his hopes of attaining higher office were ultimately dashed, Espy continued to earn honors from members of both parties throughout his career.
Then- Democratic Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann tapped Espy as his top lieutenant in 2007 and chose Espy in 2009 to lead a high-profile internal investigation into allegations of sexual harassment at the office. The final report was damning.
“I don’t think anyone anywhere is going to question Ben Espy’s integrity,” Dann’s spokesperson, Leo Jennings, remarked at the time.
Two years later, Republican Maureen O’Connor invited Espy to deliver the keynote address at her swearing-in ceremony as Ohio’s first female chief justice.
Espy’s most lasting efforts were probably in the city of Columbus.
He established the city’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration, now one of the nation’s largest, as well as the Columbus Youth Corps, a program teaching ethics and professionalism to young people that was designated as one of President George H.W. Bush’s “points of light.”
He also created “The Job Show,” a cable program produced by the city that helped people find jobs. It was named the best municipal cable program in the U.S. in 1986 and 1987.
“He was the community’s person,” daughter Laura Espy-Bell said. “We’re hearing countless stories of people whose lives were changed because of my dad.”
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther remembered Espy as “a remarkable leader and advocate” for city residents. U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, who represents Columbus in Congress, said Espy’s legacy “is felt in every corner of community.”
Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin called Espy “a towering statesman and a fighter for justice and equality.”
“Ben Espy is the kind of trailblazer on whose shoulders so many of us stand now,” Hardin posted on X.
Born in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 12, 1943, Espy graduated in 1961 from Sandusky High School, where he played football and ran track. He was recruited to Woody Hayes’ Ohio State Buckeyes football team, where he was a running back. He graduated from The Ohio State University in 1965 with a bachelor’s in political science and went on to earn a law degree from Howard University in 1968.
Espy began his legal career as a corporate lawyer for Allegheny Airlines and then entered the U.S. Air Force, serving as an assistant staff judge advocate. He returned to Ohio in 1972, where he began the first of his stints at the Ohio Attorney General’s office before starting his own law practice and eventually entering politics.
He and his wife, Kathy Duffy Espy, who died in 2022, had four daughters and 11 grandchildren. Espy-Bell said that by day her father worked hard for the community, but at night he always had time to read a bedtime story to his daughters or attend his grandchildren’s soccer games.
Espy was involved in a freak accident in 1984 in which he was struck by a falling cornice that broke off an aging building in downtown Columbus as he walked by. He lost the lower part of his right leg.
Espy-Bell said her father didn’t let that slow him down.
“Two things got him through that,” she said. “One was the strength of my mother to carry our family through, raising four little girls. The other was the strength of my father, in his resiliency, to come back even stronger and even better.”
Derrick Clay, president and CEO of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, said Espy’s story “reminds us all that challenges can become opportunities to make an even greater impact.”
Republican Gov. Mike DeWine ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff in Espy’s honor on the day of his funeral.
Piketon, Ohio (WSAZ) – Folks in southern Ohio are waking up to power outages and road closures.
Route 32 in Pike County is down to one westbound and one eastbound lane due to debris on the roadway.
Drivers are also dealing with tree limbs on roadways.
The Athens County 911 dispatcher told WSAZ that it’s not believed a tornado touched down, but there is storm damage.
The dispatcher said storm damage from flooding and trees being knocked down has affected US 50.
Power outages are being reported in Athens, Pike, Vinton, Scioto and Meigs Counties and even as far south as Boyd County, Ky.
If you’re in a tornado warning area, you’re urged to get to the lower part of your home.
Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest.
Copyright 2026 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Clarence Burley, II, affectionately known as “Lil Man,” entered eternal rest on Thursday, June 5, 2026, at the age of 60, at Summa Health Akron City Hospital in Akron, Ohio.
Born on May 22, 1966, in Youngstown, Ohio, Clarence was the beloved son of Clarence L. Burley and Jacqueline Wilkinson-Burley.
He attended Ursuline High School and graduated with the Class of 1984.
Clarence was a hardworking and dedicated man who spent many years employed at Classic Optical Corporation as a Lens and Frame Specialist. Known for his skill and precision, he was recognized as one of the top lens shapers during his tenure with the company. He also worked for Goodwill Industries, where his exceptional work ethic earned him recognition and awards for outstanding service.
A devoted fan of the Oakland Raiders, Clarence enjoyed football, boxing, roller skating, and bowling. In his younger years, he was also an accomplished swimmer. He loved life and cherished spending time with family and friends. Whether enjoying a cruise vacation, visiting the lake to admire the water, debating sports statistics from A to Z, or simply sharing laughter with loved ones, Clarence brought joy wherever he went.
Known for his impeccable style, Clarence was often dressed to perfection. He was especially proud of his many Cadillacs, but none more than his beloved Cadillac Seville, affectionately known as “the baby caddy.” He could often be found cruising through the city, listening to music and enjoying the ride. His infectious smile, strength, humor, and generous spirit will forever be remembered by those who knew and loved him.
In 1999, Clarence met the love of his life, the former Cathy Winphrie. Their friendship blossomed into a lasting bond, and they were united in holy matrimony in 2015. Together they shared a life filled with love, companionship, and cherished memories.
Clarence leaves to cherish his memory his loving wife, Cathy Burley; his children, Shannie (Meisha) Burley of Atlanta, Georgia; DeShawn Burley (fiancée Ziah) of Warren, Ohio; Eddie W. Matthews; and Montell Cochrane; his beloved grandchildren, Zaira, DeShawn, Jr., Deondra, Audrionna, Eddie, Jr., Quiara, Azel, Anyia, Marquel, Aiden, Adalese, Meadow, and Amatureas; five great-grandchildren; his mother-in-law, Eula Winphrie; brothers-in-law, James (Jamie) Winphrie and Timothy (Kori) Winphrie; sisters-in-law, Regina Winphrie and Azella Burley; niece Helleenia Winphrie; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, and dear friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence L. Burley and Jacqueline Wilkinson-Burley; his brother, Wesley Burley; and his grandmother, Carrie Davis.
Though Clarence’s earthly journey has ended, his legacy lives on through the lives he touched, the family he loved, and the countless memories he leaves behind. His strength, perseverance, laughter, and love will continue to inspire all who were blessed to know him.
“To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”2 Corinthians 5:8
A homegoing celebration will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday June 20, 2026 at Jerusalem Baptist Church , a visitation with the family will be 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. at the Church.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Gregory-Martin Funeral Home. For additional information, please call (330) 743-4098.
To send flowers or plant a memorial tree in memory, please visit our flower store.
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) – A couple that was charged after investigators say they abandoned two dogs and a cat at an apartment in Warren entered guilty pleas in Warren Municipal Court this week.
Courtney Iser pleaded guilty to three counts of abandoning animals and two counts of cruelty to companion animals, and Isaiah Gilbert pleaded guilty to two counts of cruelty to companion animals. Sentencing is set for July 7.
The two were charged in May after the animals were found in unsafe and unhealthy conditions without food or water at an apartment on South Street SE. Police were called to the apartment on reports that the animals had been left without care. Iser was charged first, and Gilbert was charged a short time later.
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