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Why Ohio is pushing away millions of dollars in solar energy development

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Why Ohio is pushing away millions of dollars in solar energy development


COLUMBUS, Ohio — Solar energy developers want to spend millions of dollars investing in Ohio, but the state won’t let them. Now, lawmakers are trying to challenge the anti-solar narrative.

Ohio has become a hot spot for green energy developers, with nearly 10 solar applications pending. Although these companies want to invest multi-millions, they can be blocked in just one meeting.

“They’ve chosen that they want to be able to lease that part of their land for energy production,” Sarah Spence, executive director of Ohio Conservative Energy Forum, said. “Shouldn’t they be allowed to do that?”

Any utility-scale solar project in the state must receive permission from the local government to build. That means that even if the landowner and the energy company agree to use private property for solar panels, county commissioners can veto it and ban all solar projects from the entire area.

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“If we’re going to do this, there’s going to have to be more effective partnerships and more voice and more discussion and input on how these happen,” Dale Arnold with the Ohio Farm Bureau said.

Some farmers fear land will be overrun by solar, Arnold added.

Other farmers argue the project will only impact their land, perhaps using solar to save the family farm for generations, Spence responded.

News 5 asked Arnold why shouldn’t the landowner be allowed to have solar panels on it’s on private property. He said he understood the argument. It’s one that is dividing his community.

“We have concerns with regard to soil, water conservation, protection repair, remediation of farm ground after construction is done, use of local roads, taxes, community benefits [and] the ability for local governments and community stakeholders to be involved more fully into the process,” he said. “What’s going to happen beyond your fence line, and the watershed, and the community.”

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Arnold isn’t anti-solar and acknowledges the benefits the energy source can provide. However, many farmers and citizens in rural areas are adamantly against it.

Spence understands where Arnold is coming from but argues that local governments should be able to veto project-to-project instead of just a blanket ban.

News 5 reached out to utility-scale facility developers and the state coalition representing them. However, none were available or interested in speaking.

Changing the narrative

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is trying to change Ohio’s anti-solar narrative.

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Republican state Reps. Jim Hoops (Defiance) and Sharon Ray (Wadsworth) introduced House Bill 197, joined by another colleague and representatives across the aisle.

H.B. 197 would establish a community solar pilot program, allowing homeowners to use green energy without installing panels.

“The pilot program created under House Bill 197 is really good, equitable energy policy,” Nolan Rutschilling with the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund said.

The bill, in total creates a 1,750 MW program, split up into three categories.

  • 1,000 MW spread across all of Ohio, allocated by customer base for each utility
  • 500 MW spread across Ohio focused on the redevelopment of distressed sites
  • 250 MW for the Appalachian area’s distressed sites in a standalone program

Rutschilling explained this would reduce utility costs and power anywhere from 250,000 to 300,000 homes. It could also bring great economic development, he said.
The community solar pilot program would account for roughly 3% of Ohio’s overall generation, he added.

“Solar projects will save folks money, they reduce pollution and they make sure we have less blackouts on our energy grid,” he said.

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There is currently a fluorescent nuclear stain on Ohio. Former Ohio House Speaker, and now-convicted-felon, Larry Householder sold out the Statehouse for millions in exchange for bailouts for FirstEnergy’s struggling nuclear power plants and Ohio Valley Electric Corporation (OVEC) coal plants. The main beneficiaries from this were American Electric Power Company (AEP), Duke Energy and AES Ohio.

Ohio lawmakers going over House Speaker’s head to repeal coal plant subsidies in corruption-linked HB 6

“We’re still bailing out these fossil fuel sources that have had a stranglehold on our economy and our energy system for way too long,” Rutschilling added.

It’s time for a change, he added.

The Farm Bureau has concerns about H.B. 197, mainly that it wants local governments to be able to have more say in the development.

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“Many township trustees, zoning, appeals boards, county commissions are saying, ‘we don’t have the zoning to do this, the prerequisite requirement,’ Arnold said. “I need better tools, more management, more ability to talk and discuss more protections for my community stakeholders going forward.”

It would be ideal to have the same ability to veto community projects, he added.

The free market is moving towards renewables like wind and solar, Spence said.

“If we have the ability to produce our own energy within the state, we should be able to do that,” she said.

That bill will likely be heard in the coming months.

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Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.





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Hoosiers face first real test in Ohio State; ‘Time is ticking’ for 49ers

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Hoosiers face first real test in Ohio State; ‘Time is ticking’ for 49ers


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Two of this weekend’s most-interesting football games will be broadcast over the FOX Sports airwaves. We’ve got you covered.

Up first, No. 2 Ohio State welcomes No. 5 Indiana to The Horseshoe on Saturday. Then on Sunday, Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady will guide you through the San Francisco 49ers-Green Bay Packers tilt at Lambeau Field.

You can watch ‘em both on FOX Sports and the FOX Sports app.

A second shameless plug complete.

Seriously, though, the Buckeyes-Hoosiers matchup is extremely polarizing in the betting market. Circa Sports in Las Vegas opened Ohio State -12 this past Sunday and initial money showed for the underdog. Indiana got bet down to +11 before a blitz on the favorite shoved the line out to -13.

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The line climbed as high as Ohio State -13.5 before news broke that OSU’s top offensive lineman, center Seth McLaughlin, tore his Achilles.

“I took Indiana +13.5,” a respected professional bettor told FOX Sports.

“I bet it right when word got out about Ohio State’s center. You know the books are going to move the line, so you bet it. Center is a big position for me. Changing centers this late in the season can cause some issues. And I think Indiana is a good team. I guess we’re going to find out how good.”

My FOX teammate Geoff Schwartz played offensive line at the highest level for six years, and he’s well-aware of the musical chairs in Columbus.

“It’s concerning because offensive line depth is non-existent in this sport,” Schwartz said. “When you lose a starting left tackle and center, there’s not much you can do to replace their production. They already moved the left guard to left tackle, so now you’re moving the backup guard to center. 

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“You hope that scheme and situation will remain favorable to help that group. Running the ball and staying out of high-leverage situations like third and long will be helpful. Indiana’s defensive line has good pieces, but it’s probably not good enough to render Ohio State inoperable for 60 minutes.”

Schwartz likes OSU to pull away late and win 31-14.

Colin & JMac’s Big Ten Bets: Take the over on Indiana-Ohio State, UCLA covers vs. USC

Colin & JMac's Big Ten Bets: Take the over on Indiana-Ohio State, UCLA covers vs. USC

The elephant in the room is that “InDiAnA hAsN’t PlAyEd AnYbOdY” and almost every television pundit believes Ohio State will emerge victorious. 

Come to think of it, the narrative isn’t about the Hoosiers losing, as opposed to how much they will lose by.

“Of course there are concerns about their schedule,” the bettor continued. “But you can only play who’s in front of you. They’ve taken care of business in every game. Great coach, great quarterback. Don’t get me wrong, they could lay a total egg and Ohio State could blow them out. I still took the points.” 

Over to the NFL, the reigning NFC champions have attracted a ton of betting action over the last two days. Green Bay got as high as -2.5 for Sunday’s showdown against San Francisco, then Niners resistance arrived.

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The Niners went from +2.5 to +1.5 by Thursday morning and wise guys will likely keep fighting around the 2. 

There are clearly opinions on both sides.

Can San Francisco 49ers pull off the UPSET vs. Green Bay Packers in NFL Week 12?

Can San Francisco 49ers pull off the UPSET vs. Green Bay Packers in NFL Week 12?

“We like Green Bay at a cheap price,” the bettor said.  “San Francisco has a lot of problems right now and it’s more than just the injuries. 

“This is not the Niners team from last year or the last few years. Nobody’s really lowering their power rating, though, because the pedigree is blinding. There’s always going to be someone who thinks they’ll bounce back. They’re not a top-five team to me.  

“Next week at Buffalo, they make the line [Buffalo -3.5 vs. San Francisco] and Buffalo was only 2.5 on Kansas City. So you’re telling me Kansas City and San Francisco play to almost the same rating? Stop.”

It certainly doesn’t help that Nick Bosa, George Kittle, Brock Purdy and Trent Williams are all dealing with injuries. Perhaps they could all play, but there’s a difference between playing and performing.

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“Time is ticking,” the bettor said. “If the Niners lose these next two games, the season’s over.” 

Sam Panayotovich is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and BetQL Network. He previously worked for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. Follow him on Twitter @spshoot.

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Drake Bell unmasked on ‘The Masked Singer,’ his career, Ohio connections

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Drake Bell unmasked on ‘The Masked Singer,’ his career, Ohio connections


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Drake Bell, the former child star turned singer and actor, was featured on the hit singing competition television series “The Masked Singer” and was unmasked as the Ice King.

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Bell took the stage on “The Masked Singer” after opening up about his traumatic experiences as a child star in the documentary series “Quiet on Set.” 

What connections does Drake Bell have to Ohio? Here’s what to know.

Drake Bell performed as the Ice King on ‘The Masked Singer’

On the Nov. 20 episode, Bell competed as the Ice King on the singing competition show “The Masked Singer” for Miley Cyrus Night, according to People.

Bell had a “freeing experience” while performing on the show after opening up about the abuse he endured as a child star. Bell shared his experience of alleged sexual abuse at the hands of Brian Peck in the docuseries, “Quiet on Set.”

The series also features many former Nickelodeon staff members. They spoke out against former producer Dan Schneider, who was accused of engaging in unprofessional and inappropriate behaviors in the Nickelodeon workplace.

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Drake Bell had legal trouble in Ohio years before going on ‘The Masked Singer’

Before competing on “The Masked Singer,” Drake Bell was charged with disseminating harmful matter to juveniles and attempted child endangerment after being accused of sexual contact and grooming an underage fan in June 2021. He pleaded guilty to attempted child endangerment, the Dispatch reported.

At the time in court, the victim, who was a fan of Bell, claimed the exchanges began when she was 12. She said Bell exchanged explicit photos online and engaged in sexual conduct with her on several occasions, including at a 2017 concert venue in Cleveland and at a hotel.

Furthermore, the victim contacted Toronto police in October 2018, and they forwarded its findings to Cleveland police, prompting an investigation.

Bell claimed he was “unaware” of her age and communicated with her only through text and no physical contact, and also admitted that his interactions with the fan were “reckless and irresponsible.”

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Bell found fame on Nickelodeon, which has Ohio roots

The “Drake and Josh” actor began his career at Nickelodeon, a kids’ channel that was developed in 1977 with the help of a Columbus, Ohio-based company, Qube, the first two-way interactive cable system/remote control by Warner Cable.

Before Nickelodeon was Pinwheel, a Qube channel that aired commercial-free, kid-friendly content 12 hours a day. Pinwheel later became Nickelodeon once Qube went under in 1984.

What shows has Drake Bell performed on?

Bell began his singing and acting career as a child. He acted on Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show” and later “Drake & Josh,” according to IDMb.

Bell also starred in many movies, including “Yours, Mine & Ours,” “Superhero Movie,” and two “Drake & Josh” movies. 

Grace Tucker and Jenna Ryu contributed to this report.

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How can Ohio State football beat Indiana? 3 keys for top-five matchup against Hoosiers

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How can Ohio State football beat Indiana? 3 keys for top-five matchup against Hoosiers


Here are three keys for No. 2 Ohio State against No. 5 Indiana on Saturday:

Start fast

The Buckeyes have played in big games, having been in two top-five matchups over the past month and a half. The matchup is a much steeper ramp up in competition for the Hoosiers, who have not faced a ranked opponent and only one in the top half of the Big Ten standings this year. The gap in experience adds incentive for Ohio State to build an early lead and energize the crowd at the Horseshoe. It would put Indiana in an unfamiliar position, having to come from behind in a rabid environment. The Hoosiers had not even trailed in a game until this month.

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Get pressure

Kurtis Rourke, the sixth-year starting quarterback who transferred to Indiana from Ohio, is one of the most efficient passers in the Football Bowl Subdivision, especially when he is well protected. Among quarterbacks with a minimum of 100 dropbacks, only three have a higher NFL passer rating from a clean pocket, according to Pro Football Focus. It’s why the Buckeyes must find ways to disrupt him. When Michigan gave the Hoosiers a scare earlier this month, it did so by sacking Rourke four times, including three during a second half in which the Wolverines held them to 18 total yards.

Account for Mikail Kamara

Between Marshall’s Mike Green and Penn State’s Abdul Carter, the Buckeyes have seen some of the best edge rushers in the sport. Kamara fits into that group as well. One of the James Madison transfers who followed Curt Cignetti to Indiana last offseason, Kamara leads the FBS with 53 total pressures, including nine sacks, per PFF. It’s the biggest test for the Buckeyes’ reshuffled offensive line since facing Carter earlier this month. While Carter had two sacks, twice getting around left tackle Donovan Jackson, the line held up and kept quarterback Will Howard from facing too much pressure. It will need to do so again.

Key matchup

Ohio State secondary vs. Indiana receivers

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The defensive backs were a liability for the Buckeyes in their loss at Oregon last month as the Ducks’ receivers got behind them in coverage, and they have not fully quelled concerns in the following weeks. While the Hoosiers lack a burner like Tez Johnson, they have a deep collection of pass catchers. Five receivers have caught multiple touchdowns, led by Elijah Sarratt’s six scores. Rourke and Sarratt execute a high volume of back-shoulder throws that could challenge cornerbacks Denzel Burke or Davison Igbinosun who will need to keep the James Madison transfer from pulling in his share of 50-50 balls on the perimeter. The receiving corps is as good as the Buckeyes will see outside of Oregon and one of the biggest factors in Indiana’s upset bid.   

Key stat

13: Total points allowed by Indiana in the first quarter over a span of 10 games.

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @joeyrkaufman or email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com.

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