Ohio’s largest police union backs entire GOP slate
Ohio politics news and insights from the State Signals newsletter. Plus, Ohio regulators back off plan to streamline data center water permits.
LATEST NEWS FROM SIGNAL STATEWIDE
Election 2026
Top Ohio Democrats retreat on trans issues, leaving some transgender activists feeling abandoned
U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur voted for a GOP-backed measure requiring parental notification on gender identity in schools. Governor candidate Amy Acton said she opposes “boys playing in girls’ sports.” Both moves have drawn criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates within their own party.
Ohio progressive group turns FBI raid into voter mobilization pitch
Allies of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative are launching a social media ad campaign portraying the FBI investigation as an attempt at voter suppression that they say will backfire on Republicans this fall.
Why Democrats think they can compete in this ‘sleeper’ Ohio congressional race
Democrats hope Brian Poindexter will give voters in the Trump-supporting 7th Congressional District a blue-collar alternative to Republican Rep. Max Miller. The race could test how a Bernie Sanders-backed candidate plays in pro-Trump territory.
GOVERNMENT
Google is building a $500 million data center in rural Ohio. Neighbors are furious
In northwest Ohio, neighbors are clashing with Google over a massive data center spanning 373 acres, messy construction and two major tax breaks. One neighbor a few miles away – the Speaker of the Ohio House – is staying out of the fray.
EDUCATION
Some Ohio universities keep using Flock surveillance cameras as cities consider a pause
The technology helps universities monitor crime – but critics, including some students, worry it could also put immigrant students at risk.
HEALTH
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.
STATE SIGNALS NEWSLETTER
Ohio sees largest Obamacare enrollment rate decline in country as subsidies expire
Ohio politics news and insights from the State Signals newsletter. Plus, DeWine signs new Medicaid restrictions meant to reduce fraud.
PUBLIC SAFETY
What Ohio’s new traffic stop law means for drivers and passengers
Starting this fall, drivers and passengers who are lawfully stopped for suspected traffic violations must provide identifying information or risk criminal charges.
NEWS FROM NOTUS
DOGE Cut Off Small Town America’s 250th Birthday Money
Ohio Humanities was planning history projects for the 250th when DOGE axed its funding last year. Then Trump redirected federal money for his own beautification projects.
Local Newsrooms
Signal Ohio is a nonprofit statewide network of local newsrooms.
Why Local News
Local news is in crisis. Across the country, including here in Ohio, the commercial news industry has been on the decline, leading to the loss of nearly three-quarters of journalism jobs since 2005, leading to less accountability, more polarization, and more government waste. With the volume of original reporting in Ohio communities reduced to a small fraction of what it once was, nonprofit news offers a path forward