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Kratom to remain illegal in Ohio, judge rules, handing DeWine a win on drugs
Botanic Tonics plans to appeal, but the ruling holds until a June 2027 trial as the DEA separately moves to classify kratom alongside heroin and LSD.
Articles by Jake Zuckerman
Local
Electric bills hit new highs across Ohio, state data shows
Experts point to PJM's slow approval of new power plants, data center demand, tariffs on grid steel and aging infrastructure as prices climb toward 2030.
Local
Investors are buying Ohioans’ unpaid property tax debts, with 18% interest
Ohio counties are selling record levels of residents’ property tax debts to private investors, who charge up to 18% interest when they collect. Bipartisan lawmakers have proposed eliminating the lien sales outright, while gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton has called for a crackdown.
Local
More Ohio agencies deploy Flock AI cameras, including workers comp and the fire marshal
State agencies investigating workers’ compensation fraud, suspicious fires, and crimes in state prisons are all turning to Flock’s AI-powered, license plate reading cameras. Ohio’s cities, meanwhile, have considered pulling back amid concerns over privacy the cameras’ use in deportations.
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Feds advance plan to open 2,800 acres of Ohio’s Wayne National Forest to fracking
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management scheduled a September 2026 lease sale for 2,800 acres of Wayne National Forest, a preserve long sought by the oil and gas industry. This could mean fracking Ohio’s only national forest for the first time.
Local
Google is building a $500 million data center in rural Ohio. Neighbors are furious
Google used shell companies and NDAs with commissioners to secretly assemble the site before securing $600 million in tax breaks, while House Speaker Matt Huffman stays silent nearby.
Local
Ohio has made $314 million by opening state lands to fracking
Signing bonuses and early royalty payments signal Ohio’s decision to open state parks and wildlife areas to fracking means big money for the state. Environmentalists say it’s not worth the tradeoff.
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Ohio officials to vote on opening 23,000 acres of public lands to fracking
State officials are scheduled to vote Monday to open or select a winning bid on about 23,000 acres of publicly owned wildlife preserves. This would significantly expand oil and gas exploration on Ohio’s public lands.
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Legal protections for submetered renters saved by DeWine veto
Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed legislation that would have rolled back a new legal protection extended to renters at “submetered” apartments.
Local
Deadly neglect lawsuits and fines follow Ohio nursing home chain
In courtrooms and Ohio Department of Health inspections, Arbors at Ohio facilities have repeatedly been accused of neglectful care with fatal outcomes. The chain has paid hundreds of thousands in regulatory penalties.
Local
The Ohio Supreme Court set safeguards for renters’ electric bills. Republican lawmakers rolled them back
In a late-night vote Wednesday, lawmakers rolled back legal protections for submetered renters’ electric bills that were established by the Ohio Supreme Court.
Local
Ohio Republicans back off effort to kill a beefy tax credit for data centers
Lawmakers around 10 p.m. Wednesday nixed a vote on a data center package, aborting efforts to eliminate or lower a tax break that saved Big Tech $2 billion last year.
