Ohio
Ohio tied for No. 4 in 2025 anti-LGBTQ incidents, GLAAD report shows
Ohio and Washington tied fourth in the nation for having the most anti-LGBTQ+ incidents last year with 50, according to a new report from GLAAD, a LGBTQ+ advocacy organization.
Cincinnati had seven incidents, and Columbus and Dayton both had five.
GLAAD’s Anti-LGBTQ Extremism Reporting Tracker (ALERT) documented 1,042 anti-LGBTQ incidents in 2025 nationwide from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31. About half of the incidents targeted transgender and gender non-conforming people and about a quarter of the incidents happened in June.
“We must join together in a united call against the violence and harassment that too many LGBTQ Americans face,” GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. “Instead of growing divides that lead to this violence, politicians should recognize that all Americans deserve freedom, fairness, and safety.”
ALERT tracked these incidents through self-reports, media, social media posts and data sharing from partner organizations and law enforcement.
California had the most incidents with 198, followed by New Hampshire with 72, and Texas with 66.
Breaking down Ohio’s incidents
Several incidents in Ohio involved the Dayton Street Preachers hosting anti-LGBTQ+ protests at universities, events, street corners, concerts, Pride events, or outside the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.
Many incidents involved White Lives Matter and Continental Resistance placing anti-LGBTQ+ stickers in cities last summer.
In September, a man threatened on social media to kill a transgender councilwoman in St. Marys in western Ohio. The FBI investigated the threat and arrested the man.
In another incident, a man set fire to LGBTQ flags hanging in front of Cincinnati homes in July.
In April, a man checked out 100 books on LGBTQ+, Jewish, and Black history from a library in Beachwood and set them all on fire.
Ohio had 19 incidents involving propaganda distribution, 11 involved a protest, five were vandalism or property damage, three were arsons, two were a bomb or shooting threat, and two were verbal or written threat.
Ohio anti-LGBTQ bills
The ACLU is currently tracking 366 anti-LGBTQ bills in the United States. Republican lawmakers in Ohio have introduced bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
Ohio House Bill 190 would prohibit school employees from calling a student a name that is not listed on their birth certificate and ban them from using pronouns that do not align with their biological sex.
Ohio Republican state Reps. Johnathan Newman and Josh Williams introduced the bill, which has only had one committee hearing.
Ohio House Bill 172 would not allow minors 14 and older to receive mental health services without parental consent. Currently, mental health professionals are permitted to provide outpatient mental health services to minors 14 and older on a temporary basis without parental consent.
Newman introduced this bill, which has has had three committee hearings so far – meaning it could be up for a committee vote soon.
Ohio House Bill 249 would ban drag performers from performing anywhere that isn’t considered a designated adult entertainment facility. Ohio states Reps. Angie King, R-Celina, and Williams introduced this bill, which has had two hearings so far.
Ohio Equal Rights has started collecting signatures to get two amendments on the November ballot – including one that would get rid of the ban on same-sex marriage in the Ohio Constitution.
Ohio’s constitution includes a ban on same-sex marriage after 61.7% of Ohio voters approved an amendment in 2004 that says marriage is only between one man and one woman. The United States Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in 2015 through the Obergefell case originating out of Ohio.
Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on X.
LICKING COUNTY, Ohio (WCMH) — When you think of wild animals in central Ohio, a black bear likely isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. That’s why one Licking County family said they couldn’t believe their eyes.
It was an average afternoon drive home for father and son, Justin and Aaron Rhodes, when something walked into the road in front of them.
“I didn’t even think it was real at first, so that’s why I had to do the double take,” Justin said.
Aaron said he thought it was “just a weird looking dog”.
To their disbelief, it was a bear. The sighting comes just one year after the animal was spotted in Licking County for the first time in more than two decades.
“It’s kind of hard to believe that they’re even around this area,” Justin said. “I’ve lived in this area for about 24 years now, so it’s been quite a while, and I’ve never seen one before.”
These sightings are becoming more common. The Ohio Division of Wildlife said the black bear population is growing in the state, and they expect those trends to continue. Ohio saw a record number of confirmed sightings in 2025.
Lindsey Krusling, a wildlife communications specialist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, said they are seeing more breeding females establish homes in the state, signaling the species is returning. Experts said the work restoring natural forest land is a big reason why.
“We’re starting to get some black bears coming in from neighboring states like Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky,” Krusling said. “They’re naturally crossing those state borders and coming back to Ohio because we have more of that habitat available to them, especially those forested areas.”
As the black bear population grows, the Division of Wildlife is expanding its research. They are putting radio collars on some bears they find in the state to help track data, such as if the bears are staying here, how far they’ve traveled and if they’re successfully having cubs.
“We’re trying to get quite a bit of data from these bears, and we’re super excited to see where this takes us,” Krusling said.
The research is in the beginning stages, but they expect population growth to continue, Krusling said.
Sighting reports can be submitted here to help the Division of Wildlife track black bear populations throughout the state.
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Real estate transfers in Licking County, Ohio, range from $85,000 to $865,000
The following are property transfers recorded in Licking County from June 1-5, 2026.
First name indicates the seller; second name represents the buyer
Buckeye Lake
- 502 Providence Lane; Cohagen, Christopher C and Lori A; Adams, Jeffrey L and Boyce-Adams, Jo Anna; 6/1/2026; $511,000
- 131 Cranberry Lane; Smart, Amy and Kidwell, Kevin K; Sew and Minor, Christian; 6/1/2026; $262,000
Etna Township
- 116 Cameron Drive SW; Ray, Erica L; Darjee, Sanjay and Laxmi and Dil; 6/2/2026; $412,000
- 119 Kraner St. SW; Adkins, Zane and Amy; Culbertson, Brenton Howard; 6/1/2026; $368,500
- 160 Dusky Willow Drive; Willow Reserve LLC; Martin, Alaina K; 6/2/2026; $290,940
Granville
- 119 Derwyn Del Way; Lifer, David C and Julia H; Martin, Michael and Lisa; 6/1/2026; $865,000
- 39 Victoria Drive; Acton, Wendy S and Paul J; Cannon, Matthew Evan and Zywica, Natalie Nicole; 6/2/2026; $835,000
Granville Township
- 49 Alberry Drive; Halliday, Lucas and Breayne; Howe, Jason and Kathryn; 6/2/2026; $570,000
Harrison Township
- 102 Whirlaway Loop; Rice, Dawn (Trustee); Bope, Maria and Shane; 6/2/2026; $420,000
Heath
- 1306 Kacey Court; Fischer Homes Columbus II LLC; Owens, Blake Andrew and Taylor Marie; 6/2/2026; $437,779
- 805 Fieldson Drive; Flowers, Ingrit; Harder, Noah C; 6/2/2026; $250,000
Hebron
- 802 Cumberland Meadows Circle; Lines, Marlene S; Gerhart, Jamie A and Ralph W Jr; 6/2/2026; $232,000
Johnstown
- 101 Bigelow Drive; McGovern, Matthew S and Jennifer L; Sanford, Jessica; 6/2/2026; $442,500
Liberty Township
- 5844 Nichols Lane Road NW; La Jeunesse, Garth E and Debra; Nesselroad, William Heath and Annie; 6/1/2026; $629,000
- 7211 Northridge Road NW; Devault, Robert E Jr and Joann; Esbenshade, Travis M and Lowe, Shelby M; 6/1/2026; $495,000
Newark
- 2110 Overlook Way; D.R. Horton-Indiana LLC; Tarsha, Michele A; 6/1/2026; $433,335
- 1162 Taylor Ave.; Heath Fluid LLC; Anglada, Gabriel P and Salina T; 6/1/2026; $200,000
- 32 Postal Ave. W.; Palmisano, Phil; Moore, Dominic Michael and Miksich, Paige Elizabeth; 6/1/2026; $198,900
- 75 Gay St.; Velez, Marcos A; Camell, Campbell; 6/1/2026; $155,000
- 655 Evans St.; TNL; McRada Properties LLC; 6/1/2026; $145,000
- 63 Wallace St.; FDA Peachtree LLC; Burns, Amber L; 6/2/2026; $86,500
- 404 10th St.; Synergy Group Properties LLC; Busy Boys Restoration LLC; 6/2/2026; $85,000
Reynoldsburg
- 8447 Rodebaugh Road; Collins, Carol J; Thorpe, Kimberley Lynn and Henry, Steven; 6/2/2026; $340,000
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