Local
Amid heat wave, energy assistance is available in Ohio
A family of four earning under $57,750 a year can qualify for help with AC repairs, bills or shutoffs through the state's Summer Crisis Program, running through Sept. 30.
Poverty
Local
68% of Ohio fourth graders are not proficient in reading, according to new study
Reading proficiency has dropped 4 points since 2019 despite Ohio's science of reading mandate, though the state still outperforms the national average.
National News
Climate change could double household water costs in some cities, study finds
Stanford researchers project Santa Cruz's poorest households could see water bills jump from $60 to $111 monthly by midcentury without state or federal help.
National News
Food stamp changes will cost states billions, raising fears about SNAP’s future
Ohio is among 36 states facing new SNAP cost-sharing rules starting fall 2027, tied to payment error rates that advocates call unfair and unworkable.
National News
Medicaid meal deliveries reduce hospital visits and costs
Massachusetts researchers found the meals cut hospitalizations 31% and saved $3,433 per person, nearly offsetting the program's full cost to taxpayers.
Local
Ohio children unable to access mental healthcare because of insurance, costs, and lack of providers
A Health Policy Institute study finds nearly half of Ohio families cite insurance barriers, with out-of-network therapy costing $220 monthly versus $28 in-network.
Local
One year after biggest SNAP cuts ever, 100,000 Ohioans without help, state bracing for costs
Ohio faces $160 million in new SNAP costs after federal cuts shifted 75% of administrative expenses to states, threatening food security for 1.4 million monthly users.
Local
‘It’s a big help.’ Weekly mobile routes provide meals to hundreds of Ohio children during summer
Children's Hunger Alliance operates four mobile routes across Ohio, serving hundreds of kids weekly as summer hunger peaks for families losing school meal access.
Local
Jon Husted opposes making the wealthy pay their fair share into Social Security
Husted opposes the bipartisan plan to lift the Social Security payroll tax cap, which would require higher earners to pay more into the system.
Local
People experiencing homelessness in Ohio went up 3% in 2025, according to federal report
Ohio's count rose to 12,196 even as U.S. homelessness fell 3%, with Franklin County projected to see a 68% spike in unsheltered homelessness by 2028.
Local
Ohio will lose 51,000 jobs, $5.3 billion due to Trump cuts by 2029, new analysis finds
The Commonwealth Fund projects Ohio loses $368 million in state and local tax revenue, while the $200 million rural health fund Republicans added fails to offset ACA subsidy losses.
National News
More Americans are hungry in the face of federal cuts, rising grocery prices
More than 4 million Americans lost SNAP benefits since February 2025, and 23 state attorneys general are now urging the Senate to reverse cuts in the pending farm bill.
