Ohio
Vance’s home town in Ohio does little to celebrate its famous son’s success
Ordinarily, the home town of an incoming vice-president of the United States ought to be awash with pride, vigor and celebration one month out from their big day.
But across Middletown, JD Vance’s home town in south-west Ohio, you would hardly know.
Its streets and shop fronts are full of festive cheer; sign after sign points drivers in the direction of the city’s famed Christmas lights display.
There’s little indication that, in a matter of weeks, this town’s most famous son will become second in line to the presidency of the most powerful nation on the planet.
Such is the apparent indifference in Middletown, that Vance’s mother, Beverly Aikins, felt it necessary to attend and speak at a recent city council meeting to plead for her son to be better recognized.
“I still live here, and his sister still lives in Middletown. [JD has] got two nieces who live here and I just think it would be nice if we could acknowledge that this is his home town and put up some signs,” she said.
The City of Middletown waited a full month before publicly acknowledging Vance and Trump’s election success on its Facebook page. One council member who supports Vance called that “unacceptable”.
City council members declined to respond to Vance’s mother’s request at that time, though the city has since said it was discussing plans to mark Vance’s new position that include erecting street signs.
Other Middletown residents say reasons for the lukewarm response to what should be one of the city’s proudest achievements are not difficult to figure out.
“When I look around and want to see what this quote-unquote financial heavy hitter has done for this community, I’m still looking,” says Dr Celeste Didlick-Davis, the head of the Middletown branch of the NAACP.
“Other individuals, a variety of people who have done substantial things, have supported growth and transformation [in Middletown]. To know what [Vance] has done for this community, I’d have to really, really research and I shouldn’t have to really, really research.
“You’ve had two years as a senator – have we had one visit that benefits someone?”
Vance first shot to fame as the author of the 2016 book Hillbilly Elegy, in which he portrayed his Appalachia-rooted childhood, life with a mother struggling with addiction in Middletown and a grandmother who played a major role raising him and his sister.
In the book, he delved into life in the blue-collar city of about 50,000 people, which has struggled with the fallout of manufacturing offshoring, the Great Recession and the opioid epidemic. Vance has since formulated a political career off the back of claiming to come from a working-class family and city, while banking on support from billionaire conservatives to help him win elections.
Trump picked Vance as his running mate in July, despite the Ohio native being seen as a relative political novice and being unknown for being involved in any aspect of public life in his home town.
Locals say that may explain why in Middletown 38% of voters chose candidates other than the Trump-Vance ticket in last month’s election. Voter turnout across many Middletown precincts ran in the 40-50% range – as much as 20 points below the national voting turnout rate.
“He comes back when he needs to make a political speech,” said Scotty Robertson, a member of the local Democratic party.
“If someone would take me to one thing that JD Vance has made better in Middletown, I’d retract everything I’ve said about him.”
Vance’s rhetoric and political positions, which includes calling for the mass deportations of immigrants, has turned many in the largely blue-collar town off.
“I’m hearing from people who are concerned that their grandmom is going to get deported. That is really sending chills up people’s spines,” said Adriane Scherrer, a business owner who helps people, including immigrants, launch and run non-profit organizations.
“There is no sign on the part of [Trump or Vance] that they understand the importance of immigration in our country. What worries people the most is that there’s no recognition of the damage that deportations would do.”
Some residents say that people in the local the LGBTQ+ community have reached out to family overseas to talk about leaving the US if the environment under the incoming administration worsens.
However, others believe Vance and Trump will do great things for this Ohio city.
“Politically he’s the most famous person to come out of Middletown. I always feel like we could do more,” said Savannah Woolum, a Vance and Trump voter who manages a bar in Middletown. “It’s opening a lot of eyes to realizing that you can come from a small town like he did, and make it as far as he has.”
She said it gave people here hope, but realized that naming a drink or dish after the vice-president-elect could be problematic.
“Maybe the city [officials] are a little scared of embracing his achievements because of the people that didn’t vote for him.”
Middletown high school’s marching band and cheerleaders have been invited to Washington DC for next month’s inauguration parade, with the city of Middletown contributing $10,000 to covering that expense.
Middletown’s mayor, Elizabeth Slamka, said that adding signage around the city acknowledging Vance’s achievement was in the works.
But others are concerned that if Trump and Vance follow through on their promises of cutting education funding and vaccination programs, it could be devastating for many Middletown residents.
“I just see my community being overlooked and underserved,” says Didlick-Davis.
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These real estate transactions were recorded in Marion County between June 12 and June 17.
City of Marion
336 Silver St., Marion; Jeffery A. Hallie to Cassidy Manley and Jamal Tyre Manley; $100,000.
597 E. George St., Marion; Robert E. Edens Jr. and Kristin Edens to Clifford D. Hall and Judith K. Hall; $100,000.
395 Park St., Marion; Robin Hirsch to Christian Jaimes Mejia; $165,500.
1007 Fariwood Avenue, Marion; Sherry D. Smith, Jerry L. Winget and Vickie L. Pinyerd to Tami S. McCarty; $149,900.
302 Silver St., Marion; Heaven M. Daniel to US Bank National Association; $44,100.
358 Nye St., Marion; Trever Rinehart to Daniel Murfield and Athena Murfield; $199,000.
538 Cherry St., Marion; Marry On LLC to Tylere Shuster; $150,000.
618 Irey Avenue, Marion; Keith A. Radebaugh to Brittany Marie Crampton; $125,000.
1138 Independence Avenue, Marion; Marion County General Surgery LLC to Independence Avenue Medical LLC; $215,000.
1950 Linda St., Marion; Ralph W. Smith Jr. and Betty J. Smith to Dawn Comer; $116,000.
555 Avondale Avenue, Marion; Angela R. Rivers to Prospect Endeavors LLC; $75,000.
523 Mary St., Marion; Frank Hoffman and Robin Hoffman to Crystal A. Bonsel and John H. Thacker; $175,000.
436 Thompson St., Marion; Shovel City Investment LLC to Duel Patrick Davidson; $47,500.
661 Adams St., Marion; Hideaway Properties 4 LLC to Crystal Lynn Hall; $85,200.
288 Chicago Avenue, Marion; Jeffrey L. Young and Kimberly M. Young to OpenDoor Property Trust; $179,900.
691 Bennett St., Marion; Steven Higgins, Larry Higgins Jr. and Shawn Patrick Higgins to Kyle R. White; $200,000.
Richland Township
5544 Tittlebaugh Road, Marion; John E. Morgan, Rebecca Sue Morgan, Bridget Corcoran and Patrick Corcoran to John E. Morgan and Rebecca Sue Morgan; $87,340.
Pleasant Township
2.345 acres on Gooding Road, Marion; 533 Farm Holdings LLC to Thomas Savage and Lissa Savage; $250,000.
4714 Larue Prospect Road S., Prospect; Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance to Allyson Fitch and Brandon Fitch; $260,000.
1552 Marion County Club Drive, Marion; WY Corp II to ABI Development LLC; $40,000.
Prospect Township
8323 Hughes Road, Prospect; Cole A. Hess and Cheyenne Hess to Kamryn Miah Jean Sutherland and John Daniel Yersavich; $415,000.
608 Water St., Prospect; EyE Homes Inc. to Mary Elizabeth Machingo and Jeffrey Paul Machingo; $305,000.
Tully Township
2946 Martel Road, Caledonia; Vincent L. Cleveland and Jo D. Cleveland to Carly Rene Bailey-Stultz and Dennis Stultz; $375,000.
Ohio
Ohio lawsuit alleges new NCAA rule unfairly denies high school Class of ’22 athletes a 5th season
Why artists are dropping out of the Great American State Fair
Musicians cancel appearances at the Great American State Fair after questions over Freedom 250 and claims the July Fourth event is nonpartisan.
As several states pull out of the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., questions are coming up closer to home — Is Ohio still participating?
Massachusetts and North Carolina won’t participate in the fair, according to USA TODAY. Reports also indicate that Connecticut, Illinois, Maine and Oregon are also expected to skip the event, with some states citing a combination of financial and political concerns as reasons for opting out.
Here’s what we know about Ohio’s role in the event so far.
Is Ohio skipping the 2026 Great American State Fair?
Ohio has confirmed its participation with a booth titled “Ohio: The Heart of it All,” which showcases state parks and childhood development. The governor’s office began the planning process for the booth in February, shortly after the Great American State Fair was announced, said Lisa Peterson director of communications in the governor’s office.
The Great American State Fair, organized by Freedom 250, is a 16-day exposition that will be displayed on the National Mall from June 25 to July 10.
Additionally, Ohio will host a stop from the “Freedom Truck,” a traveling exhibit tied to Freedom 250. The exhibit will appear at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus. Organizers describe the Freedom Truck as a mobile museum that visits existing fairs and community events, not a version of the Great American State Fair itself.
When does the ‘Freedom Truck’ stop in Ohio?
The Freedom Truck is scheduled to be at the Ohio State Fair from July 27 through Aug. 10, 2026 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus.
The exhibit includes interactive and historical exhibits about the founding of the United States, according to organizers.
The mobile museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends, with the final day closing at 6 p.m.
What is the Great American State Fair?
The Great American State Fair is a 16-day event planned for June 25 through July 10 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Organized by Freedom 250, the fair is part of a broader effort to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary with state exhibits, food, entertainment and cultural programming, according to USA TODAY.
President Donald Trump announced he will headline the Freedom 250‑organized Great American State Fair and hold an “America Is Back” rally, the publication reports.
America250 vs. Freedom 250: What’s the difference?
The Great American State Fair is part of Freedom 250, a Trump-backed initiative to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary.
That effort is different from America250, the official, congressionally-authorized program coordinating nationwide commemorations. Meanwhile, America 250‑Ohio, the Ohio Commission for the U.S. Semiquincentennial, is the official state-level partner to the national America250 effort.
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