Ohio
Why haven’t Ohio recreational marijuana sales started yet?
Over 100 Ohio medical cannabis dispensaries could sell recreational marijuana soon, but they still have a few boxes to check
The future of marijuana legalization
Here’s what you need to know about the future of marijuana legalization in the United States, from its racist beginnings to today.
Over 100 Ohio medical cannabis dispensaries are on their way to selling recreational marijuana − but they still have a few boxes to check before sales can begin.
The Division of Cannabis Control began accepting applications last month from medical marijuana businesses that want to participate in the adult-use market. Ohioans voted last year to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older, but the licensing process for operators couldn’t begin until the division finalized those rules.
More: What you need to know as Ohio prepares to launch recreational marijuana sales
As of Thursday, the state had issued 112 provisional dual-use licenses to dispensaries and 78 to either cultivators, processors or testing labs. Businesses with a provisional license must do the following before regulators grant final approval:
- Notify local officials and law enforcement.
- Train employees.
- Ensure security equipment is up to date and meets state standards.
Dispensaries must also pass a test to show they can properly distinguish and sell medical and adult-use products.
It’s unclear how long the process could take. Some industry officials initially predicted a June or early July launch, but that timeframe already passed. Division of Cannabis Control spokesman Jamie Crawford said the turnaround depends on how quickly applicants can meet the various requirements.
Business owners still expect recreational sales at existing dispensaries to begin sometime this summer. The state is required by law to approve dual-use licenses for medical marijuana operators by September.
Dispensaries will likely be busy in the weeks after they launch recreational sales, but many have increased staffing to meet the demand, Cresco Labs spokesman Jason Erkes said.
“The state has been running this at lightning-fast speed compared to other launches − provisional licenses a week after applications were submitted is unheard of,” Erkes said. “This is a big effort with a lot of compliance and regulatory requirements and while it might seem like hurry up and wait, I know the Commerce Department wants to make sure it’s done right instead of done quickly.”
Separately, the Division of Cannabis Control has received nearly 200 applications for brand new dispensaries known as 10(B) licenses. Under the law passed last year, large cultivators can apply for three dispensary licenses at new locations, while smaller growers get one. Medical dispensaries that aren’t affiliated with a cultivator or processor are eligible for another dispensary license.
Those stores will take more time to get off the ground, potentially not opening until sometime next year.
See which dispensaries have dual-use provisional licenses below:
Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.
Ohio
8 states will raise flags to full-staff for Trump, Vance Inauguration. What will Ohio do?
Flags to be flown at full-staff during Trump inauguration
Flags at the U.S. Capitol will now be flown at full-staff on Inauguration Day following an order by House Speaker Mike Johnson, pausing a mourning period for Jimmy Carter.
Scripps News
Flags at the U.S. Capitol and in multiple states will now be flown at full-staff on Inauguration Day, despite a nationwide mandate for flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of former President Jimmy Carter.
House Speaker Mike Johnson announced today that he has suspended the 30-day mourning period and will allow flags to be displayed at full-staff for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. Flags in eight states, including Texas, Alabama, Tennessee and Florida, will also be raised on Monday.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered U.S. and state flags to fly at half-staff following Carter’s death, but will he reverse the order for the state of Ohio? Here’s what we know.
Will Gov. Mike DeWine raise Ohio flags for Donald Trump’s Inauguration?
Flags in Ohio will remain at half-staff on Inauguration Day, according to Dan Tierney, a spokesperson for DeWine.
“Ohio hasn’t made any changes and does not anticipate making any changes to the flags,” Tierney told the Columbus Dispatch.
Which states will raise their flag on Inauguration Day?
So far, governors from at least eight states have announced plans to raise the U.S. flag on Jan. 20th:
Ohio
No matter who wins between Notre Dame, Ohio State, this bettor’s positioned to profit
LAS VEGAS — Notre Dame and Ohio State winning their semifinal playoff games meant the wisdom of Tom Petty, once again, rang true.
“Even the losers / Get lucky sometimes.”
Sometimes, fortune smiles upon minnow bettors whose stacks of losing tickets provide so many bookmarks, coasters and, yes, even novel wrapping paper.
On Dec. 12, I studied the new 12-team College Football Playoff with a keen eye to newly released title-game exacta odds.
My college-pigskin rudder is points-per-play, ratios available at TeamRankings.com. The tale of teams is contained in those fractions.
On offense and defense, and overall margins, Notre Dame had sparkled since early October. “Past three games” reveals how teams are currently running.
I applied those figures to project each playoff game, best squad moving on. I played out the tournament, producing the finale exacta. I aimed to go into the championship game with a sweet ticket on both teams, guaranteeing profit.
That exercise compelled me to obtain South Point tickets on Notre Dame over Ohio State, 30-to-1 odds, and Ohio State over Notre Dame, at 25-1. Alas, the Buckeyes and Irish play for the national title Monday night.
“That’s awesome!!!” Long Island handicapper Tom Barton wrote in a text message.
“Looks like you played it 100% correct,” Southern California professional bettor Tommy Lorenzo told me. “Bull’s-eye, well done. TeamRankings is a great tool. I use a lot of its info for my power rankings.
“You’re sitting pretty, my friend.”
The two best teams
Barton entered the week 3-0 in this new playoff, and he sounded as if he’d be fine taking a pass on the championship game.
Unless the point spread ekes up to 10 somewhere. It mostly opened around 9 to 9.5 points in favor of Ohio State. Last Sunday night, it got shaved to 8. Monday afternoon, it hit 7.5 before pumping back to 8.5 by Wednesday.
“I haven’t finished my homework on the championship game,” Barton said. “I tend to lean with the points. The over looks interesting, too, but I’m not sure if I’ll play anything.”
Monday, DraftKings posted a 45.5 total. Wednesday, it hit 46.5, -108 over (or risk $108 to win $100), -112 under. Odds subject to change.
Lorenzo said he felt fortunate to be holding a title ticket on Notre Dame, at 11-1, plus Ohio State at +340.
They represented the two top teams in his power ratings, “so I pulled the trigger.” He added, “I do kick myself, however, for not attacking the championship exacta on those two, given my conviction on those two being the best teams overall.”
More maneuvering
I have more work to do, since I’ve been on Notre Dame since the summer. I’m bullish on Irish coach Marcus Freeman, so I bought a 22-1 Irish title ticket Aug. 31.
It lost early to Northern Illinois but has won 13 in a row, and I nabbed a 30-1 ducat on the Irish on Nov. 21 at the Westgate -SuperBook. So I reap more profit with a Notre Dame victory.
To even that out, I’ll stake positions with Ohio State, likely via in-game maneuvering.
Should the Irish tally an early touchdown, say, the Bucks’ moneyline will shrink closer to even (from around -380), providing an optimal situation to bet on Ohio State and ensure my dividends will be nearly equal, no matter who wins.
I did scramble for a +560 Penn State ticket on New Year’s Eve, just in case, among other moves. I had already bought into the Nittany Lions, at 24-1, on Aug. 31 at William Hill.
There are other debits, and credits. For the semifinals, I played a moneyline parlay of Ohio State to Notre Dame, turning two units into five. In sum, I’ll likely net around 55 units of playoff profit.
Howard’s Will
A lifelong Notre Dame supporter, Lorenzo said he ultimately believes Ohio State will get the victory; the figures back up that outcome.
Ohio State boasts a 0.617 points-per-play ratio over its last three games; Notre Dame’s offense, at 0.374, has been faltering.
Turnovers might be an equalizer, though, as the Irish’s ball-hawking defenders snatched an NCAA-best 32 combined fumbles and interceptions this season. Senior free safety Xavier Watts yanked down six of those picks.
All of which funnels into this column’s final words from Paul Stone, arguably the country’s finest purveyor of college-pigskin prognostications.
He noted the game opening Ohio State -10.5 at Circa Sports, which drew early action on underdog Notre Dame. Wednesday, Vegas had the Buckeyes as consensus 8-point favorites.
From East Texas, Stone said he respected those early waves of cash on the Irish, but he views Ohio State as the “more-complete team” and will back the Buckeyes on the point spread.
“They have found another gear in the playoffs and have too much firepower for Notre Dame, in my opinion,” he said. “Ohio State defeated a talented trifecta of teams — Tennessee, Oregon and Texas — all by 14 points or more.
“The Buckeyes have averaged 7.5 yards per play in those victories, while allowing only 4.2 yards per play.”
The key is Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, the 6-4, 237-pound senior who left Kansas State for Columbus.
“If [he] takes care of the ball and the Irish don’t post a defensive or special-teams touchdown,” Stone said, “I think the Buckeyes win by double digits.”
Ohio
Notre Dame vs. Ohio State: Championship history and stats
Notre Dame and Ohio State will be facing off in the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship game. How did each team get here? Notre Dame — coming off playoff wins against Indiana, Georgia and Penn State — is riding a 13-game winning streak. But the Irish are a heavy underdog in the title game matchup. Ohio State — which went through Tennessee, Oregon and Texas in the playoffs — brings its top-ranked defense in a quest to capture its ninth national championship. This will be the first time Notre Dame reaches the title game in the CFP era after falling in the semifinal in the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons. The Buckeyes will be playing in their third CFP title game since winning the inaugural game in 2014.
Here’s a tale of the tape between the two squads ahead of Monday’s CFP National Championship game.
Established: 1890
Conference: Big Ten
Stadium: Ohio Stadium (102,780 capacity)
Head coach: Ryan Day (2019-present)
2024 season record: 13-2
2024 season leaders:
2024 AP Top 25 final ranking: No. 6
Total championships: Eight (2014, 2002, 1970, 1968, 1961, 1957, 1954, 1942)
All-time record: 977-335-53 (.744)
Bowl record: 26-23 (.531)
Heisman winners:
Head-to-head vs. Notre Dame: 6-2, 25.6 points scored per game
Established: 1887
Conference: Independent
Stadium: Notre Dame Stadium (80,795 capacity)
Head coach: Marcus Freeman (2021-present)
2024 season record: 14-1
2024 season leaders:
2024 AP Top 25 final ranking: No. 3
Total championships: 13 (1988, 1977, 1973, 1966, 1964, 1949, 1947, 1946, 1943, 1930, 1929, 1924, 1919)
All-time record: 962-338-42 (.740)
Bowl record: 23-18 (.561)
Heisman winners:
-
Tim Brown, 1987
-
John Huarte, 1964
-
Paul Hornung, 1956
-
John Lattner, 1953
-
Leon Hart, 1949
-
John Lujack, 1947
-
Angelo Bertelli, 1943
Head-to-head vs. Ohio State: 2-6, 17.4 points scored per game
Check out the ESPN college football hub page for breaking news, features, schedules, rankings and more.
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