After bomb threat, Ohio election workers showed why they are the heroes | Opinion

Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, has worked with diverse communities to promote civic engagement and civil liberties for more than 20 years. This is an appreciation letter for all Ohio election workers. Without our bipartisan Board of Elections and poll workers, we wouldn’t have free, fair and accurate elections. This Election Day, Lucas County election workers showed us exactly why. In Lucas County, lots of things went wrong on Tuesday: a bomb threat temporarily closed a polling place; a large number of absentee voter ballots came in at the last minute, there were technology challenges and critical staff were reallocated to navigate unexpected challenges. But these election workers didn’t sit on their hands. They quickly regrouped and demonstrated incredible bipartisan teamwork and dedication to ensure the integrity of our election results. What happened in Lucas County on Election Day didn’t show a weakness in our system. It showed that Ohio’s elections work exactly as intended, even when the unimaginable happens. We would rather have results carefully verified than rush to meet a television deadline. And that’s what Lucas County election workers did. These workers demonstrated the kind of hard work and diligence that

Ohio State Highway Patrol announces Amy L. DeLaPena as BG post’s ‘Dispatcher of the Year’

Ohio State Highway Patrol Dispatcher Amy L. DeLaPena has been selected as the 2026 Dispatcher of the Year at the Bowling Green Dispatch Center. The award was given in recognition of outstanding service over the past year at the Bowling Green Dispatch Center. Sworn officers and dispatchers chose DeLaPena based on technical job knowledge and ability, enthusiastic work attitude, teamwork, and prompt and courteous responses to the public’s requests for information and assistance. She is now in contention for the District and State Dispatcher of the Year Award to be announced at a later date.

Central Ohio high school boys cross-country runners stand out at state

With seven central Ohio boys cross-country runners finishing in the top 14, the Division I state meet Nov. 7 at Fortress Obetz became a showcase for the Columbus area’s top competitors. New Albany junior Austin Benedict was central Ohio’s top placer. After winning the regional title Oct. 31 at Pickerington North , Benedict placed third (15 minutes, 11.6 seconds) at state behind the Morrow Little Miami duo of Ryne Reynolds (15:01.4) and Ian Patrick (15:10.7). “I’m happy with the race,” Benedict said. “I gave it a good run. I’m excited for what’s to come. I came down with a little bit of a sickness Thursday, but it held off for the most part, so I’m happy with the performance.” Benedict was joined in the top 14 by Hilliard Darby’s Logan Behm (fourth, 15:17.9), Thomas Worthington’s Calvin Watson (sixth, 15:22.7), Westerville North’s Holden Gray (10th, 15:35.6), Olentangy Orange’s Cowen Allender (11th, 15:35.8), Olentangy Berlin’s Vansh Sethi (12th, 15:36.8) and Dublin Coffman’s Benjamin Canales (14th, 15:40.8). “None of us would be where we are without each other,” Benedict said. “We’re always competing against each other – [it’s] very competitive – but we’re also extremely happy to have each other’s back.” Dublin Jerome

Long Winter Lines Prove These 5 Ohio Donut Shops Have Earned Their Loyal Following

Cold weather does not keep Ohio donut fans at home. If anything, a gray winter morning seems to send more people out the door in search of a warm coffee and a fresh glazed. The five shops on this list draw steady crowds even when the temperature drops, from college-town counters that never close to family bakeries that have been rolling dough for generations. Each one earns its spot for a different reason, so you may find a new favorite stop for your next weekend drive.

Ohio State suspends Sigma Alpha Epsilon after party results in medical intervention

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Ohio State University has placed the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity on interim suspension after a weekend incident left people needing medical care, a university spokesperson said. University spokesperson Ben Johnson described the incident as “extremely concerning.” He did not say how many people received medical...

Jingle Bells & Giraffes returns to The Wilds with Santa, animals and fun

The Wilds is inviting the community to celebrate the holiday season with Santa, animal visitors, performances and family activities Nov. 14, 15 and 22. Jingle Bells & Giraffes: Holidays at The Wilds will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on each of the three dates, according to a community announcement. Admission costs $5 for ages 13 and older and $2.50 for younger guests. Activities will include photos with Santa, cookie and ornament decorating, games, trivia and balloon animals. Animal Ambassadors from the Columbus Zoo also will take part in the celebration. A Character Ambassador from the zoo is scheduled to appear from noon to 2 p.m. Guests also can enjoy holiday performances by local choirs and orchestras along with coffee and treats. Those planning to attend Nov. 14, 15 or 22 are encourage to RSVP at thewilds.org before the dates sell out. This story was produced with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct . This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Jingle Bells & Giraffes returns to The Wilds with Santa, animals and fun

Ohio’s Hocking Hills turn into a winter wonderland of frozen waterfalls, and a decades-old hike celebrates it

Ohio – The waterfall is the first thing your eyes look for, but in winter it may not behave like a waterfall at all. Thin sheets of ice cling to the rock, pale icicles hang from the ledges, and the enormous sandstone recess seems to hold the cold air in place. Somewhere in the woods, water is still moving. It is simply doing its best to stay out of sight.

For half a century, one Ohio agency has been fighting utility price battles

An Ohio agency is celebrating a half a century of championing fair utility prices. The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel is the only government agency whose sole mission is to advocate for consumers. In 1976, the state legislature created the counsel office to represent Ohioans in legal battles against utility companies.

711-mile Rover pipeline: FERC approves $10-MM settlement over Tuscarawas River drilling

(P&GJ) — The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on Nov. 6 approved a $10 million civil penalty settlement with Rover Pipeline LLC and Energy Transfer LP, resolving its enforcement case over horizontal directional drilling (HDD) beneath the Tuscarawas River in Ohio during construction of the 711-mile Rover pipeline. Under...

Ohio voters stood up for the power of the people this Election Day

Copious content will be written about what happened on Nov. 3, 2026, parsing the polls, interpreting the results, guessing what comes next. There will be plenty of opportunity for political junkies like me to join the fray. But in the bleary-eyed morning after of a stunning midterm election night that ushered in a slew of historic firsts — including first elected woman governor of Ohio, Dr. Amy Acton — all I can think about are the voter lines.

Four CVC teams advance to regional semifinals as playoff field narrows

Four Chagrin Valley Conference football teams moved one step closer to a state championship Friday, while four others saw their postseason journeys come to an end in the regional quarterfinals of the Ohio High School Athletic Association playoffs. Kirtland Football and Perry Football continued their dominant seasons with shutout victories,...

West Virginia-Virginia Freeze Warning Tonight: 30° Lows by Sunday Nov 8

Temperatures may fall to 30 degrees early Sunday, threatening crops, plants and exposed plumbing.

Nov. 6-7, 2026 High School Football Scoreboard

Week 11 of West Virginia High School Football scores & 2nd round playoff scores for Ohio High School Football

Here are the scores for High School Football across the Ohio Valley. If you are viewing this from the WTRF 7News app, please click here.

WOWK High School Football 2026: Week 12

(WOWK) – It’s Week 12 of high school football in the Tri-State, and here’s a look at your scores and highlights from West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio. The top-ranked Class AAA Herbert Hoover Huskies hit the road to face Huntington. Huntington would get to fourth down, but Marek Midkiff rolls to his left and heaves […]

Sunshine Takes Over Ohio Sunday, With Gusty Winds North and Frost Back Monday

The freeze that started Ohio’s Sunday is over, and sunshine has taken its place in every corner of the state. The Freeze Warning that covered central, south-central and southwest Ohio expired at 10 a.m., according to the National Weather Service, and by mid-morning Columbus was already sunny near 50 degrees and climbing toward a high […]

Muskingum County Fair Board Sees Major Turnover as Two Former Members Return

ZANESVILLE, Ohio — A year of resignations, vacancies and debate over the Muskingum County Fair’s direction ended with a sweeping turnover on the fair board, as only two incumbents kept their seats in the Oct. 28 election and two former members who had resigned within the past year won their way back, according to reporting […]

Aggressive H1N1 flu strain drives rising respiratory cases across Ohio

Health officials said flu season is starting with a trend.

United Properties Acquires Two Retail Centers in Iowa, Ohio for $34.4 Million

Davenport, Iowa and Mansfield, Ohio — East Meadow, New York-based United Properties Corp. has acquired two retail centers in Iowa and Ohio for a total price of $34.4 million. The company now owns more than 10 million square feet of retail. Village Shopping Center in Davenport totals 233,100 square...