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Tag: CTV

  • Grassroots effort to prevent AEP rate hike

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    OHIO — The holidays are around the corner with Christmas songs on radio and movies decorated in red and green shiny colors, and while it’s a joyous time for many people, for others the holidays may be jarring.

    Julia Orban is a community advocate who said, this holiday season, there’s a problem brewing.

    What You Need To Know

    • A community advocate says families right now are having to choose between whether they pay their rent or their utilities or food for their kids, and an unprecedented amount of people are coming to her with disconnect notices
    • AEP is asking for a 2.14% increase in distribution base rates
    • Its media relations team says in a statement that if this rate increase is approved, an average customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month would see their monthly bill increase by $3.95
    • A grassroot campaign is fighting back by asking working families and small businesses to sign a petition and speak up during the December hearings

    “People are really struggling right now. I work with a lot of families that are having to choose between whether or not they pay their rent or their utilities or food for their kids,” Orban said. “There’s a woman who was on oxygen, she requires, to live and she had her power turned off.”

    Orban said that woman couldn’t afford to pay her electric bill, and she’s not the only one.

    “It’s been an unprecedented amount of people coming to me with disconnect notices really struggling,” Orban said. “And I’ve been trying to help them get connected to assistance, but a lot of the assistance programs that were out for different things are starting to go away.”

    In the meantime, there’s another threat to higher bills lurking around the corner.

    The American Electric Power or AEP has filed a request with the state to increase its distribution base rates.

    The company told Spectrum News 1 they would not provide an interview but they sent a statement as a response to the story.

    “AEP Ohio has requested the PUCO approve a 2.14% increase in distribution base rates,” according to AEP Ohio Media Relations. “Those rates cover the costs of equipment like power poles, lines and transformers, and pay the salaries of the line workers who restore power after storms and other outages and of those people who manage the electric grid to keep the lights on. AEP Ohio’s distribution rates have been essentially flat for the last 10 years — distribution rates like the one before the commission now are not the reason energy costs have been increasing for our customers. If this rate increase is approved, an average customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month would see their monthly bill increase by $3.95.”

    Morgan Harper is the co-founder of grassroots organization Columbus Stand Up, and she said they’re fighting back.

    They have a petition and are knocking on doors asking people to attend the public hearing to testify against the increase.

    “So, we launched a campaign called lights out on AEP to prevent the public utilities commission of Ohio from allowing AEP to raise electricity prices,” Harper said. “Even for people who are making decent money, they’re noticing that their price, their bills are getting up to $600, $700 a month they’re like, ‘I don’t know that I can continue to take this.”

    Harper said there’s also another concern regarding the request for the increase.

    “Look at the public utilities commission of Ohio staff report,” Harper said. “They’re also asking for more money to be able to improve the fitness center and the executive compensation retirement packages.”

    AEP Media Relations explained how customers get billed within their statement:

    “AEP Ohio customers’ bills are made up of three parts: generation, transmission and distribution. Ohioans are seeing increased energy costs for two primary reasons: generation costs and transmission costs. Generation costs are those that cover electricity generation to meet a person’s energy needs — the power plants, wind farms and other generation sources that provide electricity to the system. Transmission costs are the costs of building and maintaining high-voltage lines that move energy over large distances, from generation sources to communities. Simply put, there is not enough electricity being generated in Ohio to meet our state’s electricity needs, creating an imbalance in the supply of energy and the demand for it. That imbalance is now forcing Ohio to import electricity from other states through high-voltage transmission lines. As generation supply has decreased, both generation and transmission costs have increased. AEP Ohio shares our customers’ concerns about the imbalance between the supply of energy and demand for it, and we are frustrated, too. In Ohio, utilities like AEP Ohio are legally prohibited from building new generation sources. We sincerely hope the market will respond soon with additional generation sources in Ohio to help alleviate this burden for our customers.”

    “We serve Ohioans in 61 counties, and we care about them and their communities — we live in these communities, too. If customers are struggling with their electric bills, AEP Ohio can help. We offer programs to spread out the costs of electricity over multiple months, which can help families budget, and we can connect customers with programs that cover parts of their electric bill, depending on their income. Our energy dashboard can help customers understand how much energy they are using, and find ways to use less energy, which can help them save money. Customers can learn more about those programs or log in to view their personalized dashboard at AEPOhio.com/Savings/Home, or they can call us at 800-672-2231 for more information.”

    “Finally, we wanted to mention that we know energy bills can be complicated, and we hope to clarify those for our customers by providing more transparent and easier to understand information on bills. We have started sending weekly emails to customers to help them track their electricity usage, and we have filed a separate request with the PUCO to create a more transparent and easy-to-understand bill. We hope that request will be approved to help our customers better understand their bills.”

    But Orban said the assistance programs that are meant to help are often really hard to get. 

    And while the holidays are supposed to be a time of hope, Orban said her hope is for the state to hear their testimonies at public hearings, starting on Dec. 3

    “There was a woman that I was just working with a couple weeks ago, she’s a single mom, she has a five-year-old son, she’s fighting breast cancer and works full time at a school. She makes like $50 more, too much to qualify for the assistance programs,” Orban said. “I’m planning and just sharing just how hard it is for people right now.”

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    Chrissa Loukas

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  • St. Xavier gets the payoff at Paycor

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    OHIO — St. Xavier and Elder played on the biggest football stage in Cincinnati and didn’t disappont, with the Bombers winning Region 4 at Paycor Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals. 

    — Watch the full replay here —

    Moved after the original site sold out of 7,000 tickets in roughly an hour on Monday, the OHSAA announced a crowd of over 22,000 in rainy weather on the banks of the Ohio River. 

    One week after Elder (12-1) rallied from a 23-0 deficit to defeat Princeton, it was St. Xavier’s rally towels that worked Friday. Trailing 27-7 and then later by a 34-21 score, the Bombers (10-2) scored the game’s final 21 points in the 42-34 win. 

    Daniel Volmer, also the hero scoring the winning touchdown last week against Moeller, put X ahead for good with just over four minutes to play. 

    Middletown (11-2) is next in a Division I state semifinal next week for St. Xavier. 


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    Rob Kunz

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  • History making night for Middletown

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    OHIO — After a benign first half with no scoring, Middletown and Wayne turned up the excitement with the Middies scoring the winning touchdown with just 34 seconds left, to win the Region 2 championship, 21-14.

    — Watch the full replay here —

    Middletown’s Jordan Vann took back the opening kickoff of the third quarter to break the scoreless tie. On the ensuing kickoff, Ohio State commit Jamier Brown returned the favor. It was the second straight week the wideout scored a long special teams touchdown, returning a punt for six against Troy. 

    In the fourth quarter, Brown hauled in a touchdown reception to put the Warriors ahead, 14-7. However, with just under five minutes remaining, Demetrian James, knotted things up again with a scoring run. 

    Vann’s secord touchdown with less than a minute to play provided the winning margin for the Middies (11-2), who advance to face St. Xavier next Friday in a Division I state semifinal. 

    Wayne’s season concludes with a 9-5 mark. 


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    Rob Kunz

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  • Jury reaches verdict in Connor Grubb trial

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — A jury found Connor Grubb, the Blendon Township Police officer who shot and killed a 21-year-old pregnant woman in a grocery store parking lot, not guilty on all charges on Friday.

    Connor Grubb was initially charged with murder, involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault in the death of Ta’Kiya Young and the unborn girl due three months later. 

    Grubb and the fellow officer from the Blendon Township force had approached Young’s car on Aug. 24, 2023, about a report she was suspected of stealing alcohol from a grocery store in suburban Columbus. She partially lowered her window, and the other officer ordered her out. Instead, she rolled her car forward toward Grubb, who fired a single bullet through her windshield into her chest, video footage showed.

    Body camera footage showed Connor Grubb shooting Young as he stood in front of her car, which started moving. During closing arguments, prosecutors argued that the body camera video showed Young turning her steering wheel away from Grubb, claiming that she was trying not to hit him. 

    Young was suspected of stealing hundreds of dollars worth of alcohol, but prosecutors argue that doesn’t justify a fatal shooting. 

    Meanwhile, the defense said their witnesses proved that Grubb’s actions that day were legal and reasonable. They said Grubb acted in self-defense and was in fear of being run over by Young. The defense asked the jury to put their sympathy for Young’s death aside and focus on the law when making their decision.

    The defense also asked twice for a mistrial, leading to a heated argument between them and the prosecutors. Ultimately, the judge denied that request. 

    The Associated Press and Anchor/Reporter Emani Payne contributed to this story. 

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    Lydia Taylor

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  • Over 80 Ohio sites highlighted for America 250 celebration

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    OHIO — Next summer, America will celebrate a milestone birthday.

    To help celebrate its 250th, more than 80 popular sites across the Buckeye State are being highlighted for contributions to innovation.

    America’s ‘Semiquincentennial’ is on July 4th, 2026, and states around the nation are showcasing what makes them unique..

    What You Need To Know

    • America celebrates its 250th milestone birthday on July 4, 2026.

    • States aross the nation are showcasing what makes them special and unique.

    • America 250 Ohio has launched a series of Trails and Tales to highlight the Buckeye State’s contributions.

    • The latest launch is the Ohio Innovation Trail, which features more than 80 popular sites.

    “Of course, we didn’t wait until 2026 to throw a party in Ohio. We have so many stories to tell, how Ohio has revolutionized the nation,” said Ohio Travel Association Executive Director Melina Huntley.

    “Ohio, I believe, is head and shoulders above other states in what we’re doing. One of the things that we’re doing is telling our story through Trails and Tales, the stories of Ohio contributions to our nation’s history over the last 250 years,” said Destination Toledo President and CEO Lance Woodworth.

    The unveiling of the ’Ohio Innovation Trail’ at Carillon Historical Park in Dayton was something volunteer Chuck Johnson said he needed to see.

    “I was going home after my talk but then I called my wife and said I can’t miss this,” he said.

    The 91-year-old Daytonian is a bit of a history buff and was even taking videos and pictures during the unveiling.  

    “Worked for Charles F. Kettering for two years when he was alive. I worked there for four years after he died in 1958,” he said.

    On the Innovation Trail, the sites include big ones like the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Cincinnati Museum Center, the Ohio History Center, and also many others including the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting and even smaller ones.

    “Like the Music Makers museum or the early television museum in Hilliard, or there are museums that are tucked away in places that you didn’t even know were open such as the Dittrick medical museum up in Cleveland,” said Huntley.

    “You can drive to them, you can ride a bike to them, however you want to get to them you’re going to be welcomed there, and it’s just a lot of fun,” Woodworth said. 

    As for Johnson, he might not get to all the sites, but he’ll be at Carillon and in Dayton discussing the community he knows and loves.  

    “This particular area is important. Dayton is doubly important with all of the manufacturing that went on here. And that’s why it’s important,” he said.

    This is the fourth statewide trail project by America 250 Ohio, and six are planned.

    A couple of other trails that have already been launched include the ‘Air and Space Trail’ and the ‘Ohio Creativity Trail’.

    The official kickoff for Ohio will occur the first week of January at the Ohio Statehouse.  

    For more information, click here.

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    Alese Underwood

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  • Group home opens to help fill mental health housing gap

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    CINCINNATI —   In Ohio, thousands of people living with mental illness are struggling to find stable housing, according to data from the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The group reports that one in five Ohioans experiencing homelessness also lives with a serious mental illness.

    For Jeno Shanklin, the crisis is personal — and the solution; he hopes starts with the home he recently bought. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports one in five Ohioans who are homeless also has a serious mental illness 

    • Jeno Shanklin, who grew up in and out of shelters, set out to change that by buying a home to open up as a group home to help men with mental illness 

    • He hopes the house will be one of many group homes that he wants to open on top of a day center to help families affected by mental illness 

    Walking through the doorway of a Cincinnati house, Shanklin pauses at the decoration on the wall and the furniture arranged just as it was years ago.

    “That’s actually an old picture my mom had,” he said. “These couches are actually my grandfather’s.”

    The memories still bring him to tears. Shanklin says he spent part of his childhood living in and out of shelters before his mother moved in with a man who he says struggled with mental illness, a situation that often turned volatile.

    “It was tough being in a house with someone who one second can be laughing and smiling, another second being physically aggressive, verbally abusive to whoever crossed their path,” he said. “I had to grow up really fast being the oldest of four.”

    Shanklin later moved in with his grandfather, and he credits his faith with helping him understand the long-term impact of a stable home.

    “A lot of people overlook adults,” he said. “They think they’re grown; they can handle it. But there are a lot of adults out there that, if they just had some type of stable environment, it would help them.”

    Shanklin recently purchased a home and is turning it into a group home for men living with mental illness — a place he calls the Safe Haven for Healing home in Cincinnati. He said the house will offer group classes, art and music therapy and other programs meant to support mental health and long-term independence.

    “I felt like I could be making a bigger impact on my community and my people,” he said. “So I did some research and found the model group home.”

    Shanklin hopes this first site will be one of many. He plans to open additional group homes and eventually a day center focused solely on mental health services.

    “Come as you are,” he said. “We will do our very, very best to see that when you walk back out these doors, you are better than when you came inside them.”

    As Ohio continues to grapple with gaps in mental health housing, Shanklin said he’s committed to helping one person at a time.

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    Sheena Elzie

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  • Local Honor Flight Trip Helps Veterans Reconnect

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio —Honor Flight Cleveland has launched a new initiative to help veterans build social connections through regional memorial visits.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Honor Flight Cleveland pilot program offers bus trips to Columbus for veterans unable to travel to Washington, D.C.

    • Veterans said the trip helped them reconnect, heal and feel recognized for their service

    • Organizers plan to expand the program with four additional trips next year

    The pilot program brought veterans by bus from Cleveland to Columbus for visits to the National Veterans Memorial and Museum and the Ohio Statehouse, offering an option for those unable to travel to Washington, D.C.

    Retired Sgt. Robert Piatak of American Legion Post 572 said the trip offered an important space for shared experience. “We had some bad days and like to forget it, but you also like to talk about it.” Piatak said.“It’s a brotherhood and a sisterhood. So even though someone served in the Army I served, we can joke around with each other.”

    Piatak emphasized that recognition, rather than praise, remains significant for many veterans. “It’s not that we want to be thanked all the time, but just recognized.”

    Honor Flight Cleveland Vice President Bill Synk said the pilot trip was developed to reach veterans who experience isolation or have limited ability to travel longer distances. He said the outings are intended to be therapeutic, giving participants opportunities to share experiences that can lead to new friendships.

    Synk said the positive response to the program calls for more opportunities. Honor Flight Cleveland plans to offer four additional regional bus trips in 2026, continuing to bring veterans to Columbus for museum and Statehouse visits.

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    Saima Khan

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  • Browns weighing use of PSLs at new Brook Park stadium

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    CLEVELAND — How much would you pay to see the Cleveland Browns play in the new covered stadium in Brook Park?

    What You Need To Know

    • The Cleveland Browns are surveying current season ticket holders about PSLs at the new domed stadium in Brook Par

    • The PSLs would be needed to purchase season tickets in the new stadium and range from $500 to over $140,000

    • The team hasn’t made a final decision on if PSLs will be instituted at the new stadium

    That’s the question the team is asking season-ticket holders in a recent survey. The survey shows several pricing options for PSLs, or personal seat licenses, which may be required to purchase season tickets at the new stadium.

    Cleveland State University Director of Sports and Entertainment Jim Kahler said PSLs are common in new stadiums. 

    “PSLs have been around for years but they’re becoming more and more common for new construction buildouts,” said Kahler. 

    In a recent survey sent to season ticket holders, the Browns put out potential price points for PSLs in the new stadium. A general seat in the upper level from the 30-yard lines to the endzone requires a one-time payment of $1,050 to be able to purchase a season ticket. The PSL to be able to buy a coveted club seat on the home side 50-yard line for the season could cost over $130,000 in the new stadium. 

    “It’s a partnership with fans and the owners of the team,” Kahler said. “We’ve got raise enough money in this case in Cleveland to build a state-of-the-art domed stadium. Is the Haslam family going to get some contributions from the state? They’ve done that. Are they going to put their own money into it? They’ve done that too. To be fair to the equation, the fans are going to own a piece of it and they way they do that is through PSLs.” 

    PSLs were used in 1999 for the current lakefront stadium. Rodney Symons remembers it well as a former season-ticket holder but says higher priced PSLs and tickets could ice out loyal fans. 

    “If their tickets are going to be right around $200 a piece once again with the PSLs people just can’t afford that,” Symons said. “It’s overpriced.” 

    Symons is excited for the new domed stadium but thinks the team could struggle filling it due to high prices and lackluster performance on the field.  

    “If you build it, they’re going to come we already know that,” said Symons. “But once that newness wears off you’re going to be in a situation where it’s like okay, ‘we’ve seen the facility’. If the product is the way it is right now, they’re only going to come for so long and then what are you going to do?” 

    The Browns have not made a final decision on whether PSLs will be a part of the new stadium. Kahler thinks it’s not a matter of if PSLs are instituted but when.

    “It’s just a natural way to fund the financing of the new facility,” said Kahler. 

    Kahler thinks the Browns have an opportunity to do right by the fans by gathering feedback so early in the process. 

    “You don’t want to alienate the fans that have been with you for a lifetime,” Kahler said. “I’m sure that they will come up with some sort of scoring or rating system that rewards people. The Browns have an opportunity to do that and in my professional opinion the right time to do that is when you’re going to open a new stadium.”

     

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    Jack Berney

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  • Search heats up for escaped killer 60 years after Ohio teen’s murder

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Investigators say a convicted child killer and known sexual predator could be anywhere except where he is supposed to be: behind bars.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lester Eubanks, 82, is one of the U.S. Marshals Service’s “15 Most Wanted Fugitives”

    • Eubanks was sentenced to death for the Nov. 1965 murder and attempted rape of Mary Ellen Deener, 14, but his sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional in 1972

    • On Dec. 7, 1973, Eubanks escaped from custody during an unsupervised furlough at a Columbus shopping center

    Lester Eubanks, 82, is one of the U.S. Marshals Service’s “15 Most Wanted Fugitives,” and Dep. U.S. Marshal Vinny Piccoli is now the lead investigator tasked with tracking him down.

    “It’s kind of surreal and crazy to look back at a case from, you know, when this initial incident happened in 1965, and then now it’s come all this time and all this way,” Piccoli said.

    On Nov. 14, 1965, Mansfield police found Mary Ellen Deener’s body behind a vacant house on North Mulberry Street. Within hours, Eubanks confessed to killing the 14-year-old during an attempted rape.

    “My poor sweet sister,” said Myrtle Carter. “Gotta fight you. A person that has karate experience, black belts or yellow, whatever color. And you fight a child.”

    At the time, Eubanks was out on bond for another attempted rape.

    “He should have been in jail then, because it wasn’t his first one then,” Carter said.

    Carter said her mother sent Mary Ellen and another younger sister, Bonnie, to finish chores at the laundromat after their home washer or dryer broke. She said Mary Ellen went by herself to get some change for the machines and Eubanks grabbed her on her way back.

    Mary Ellen Deener. (U.S. Marshals Service)

    “If she hadn’t run out of change, it would have been a whole different story,” Carter said. “Because he would have had to fight both of them.”

    She said that when her little sister tried to resist Eubanks, he shot her and left the scene. She said Eubanks returned when he heard her moaning.

    “That’s when he hit her in the head with a brick and killed her,” Carter said.

    She said the laundromat the girls were using was next to their grandmother’s house.

    “And her mother lived, like, say, 10 houses down on the opposite side of the street,” Carter said. “So where Mary Ellen’s body was found, that’s like halfway between both houses.”

    She said Bonnie saw Eubanks outside the laundromat.

    “We don’t know what he came back for, but she saw him in the window,” Carter said. “And when he left, she ran over to my grandmother’s house.”

    Carter said their grandmother went looking for Mary Ellen and found a group of police officers. When she told them about her missing granddaughter, Carter said her grandmother was asked to identify Mary Ellen’s body.

    “I never recall her talking about it,” Carter said.

    Carter said she attended every day of the Eubanks’ trial.

    “I wanted him to turn around and see me,” she said. “I just wanted him to know that somebody was here and somebody was there for her.”

    “This is a court document from Nov. 26, 1968, from Richland County Court of Common Pleas showing that Eubanks was found guilty by a jury of his peers and sentence should be carried out,” Piccoli said, referring to a scanned document on his computer screen. “At the time, it was the death penalty.”

    But before Eubanks had his appointment with Ohio Penitentiary’s electric chair, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional in 1972. His sentence was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

    “But you get to go Christmas shopping,” Carter said. “Make it make sense.”

    On Dec. 7, 1973, Eubanks was treated to an unsupervised shopping trip in Columbus with other inmates as a reward for good behavior.

    “Who are you buying a gift for?” Carter said. “The people that let you out?”

    “Someone like him, he was supposed to be doing life,” Piccoli said. “He was literally sent to death and then was commuted to life in prison. So how he made his way onto an honor group, an honor assignment, is beyond me.“

    Eubanks used the opportunity to escape.

    “You look back at what he did, his crime back in 1965, and, you know, he spent roughly seven years in prison and then has been free for 50 plus years,” Piccoli said. “So it’s just, it’s not fair to Mary Ellen. It’s not fair to her family.“

    Piccoli now oversees the manhunt for Eubanks. In his first year as lead investigator, he brings a fresh perspective to the case.

    “I don’t believe that if he were to run, you know, now and try to escape, I don’t think he would be on the run for 50 years,” Piccoli said. “It’s just unfortunate. Back then, you know, investigators did all that they could with what they had. And he got lucky in a way.”

    “Fugitives … on the run,” U.S. Marshal Peter Elliott said, “will make up a story about their past where nobody’s going to go back and ask questions about. And they’re not going to have any family or friends, you know, to the ones they’re talking to, because they’re going to say that ‘my family was killed in a fire, traffic accident,’ or so on and so on.“

    But one thing Eubanks can’t change is his genetics.

    Elliott said 60 years after Mary Ellen’s murder, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office re-tested the clothes Eubanks wore that night and found his DNA in a pocket.

    “It’s a game changer,” Elliott said. “It’s going to get us a step closer to catching him. It’s only a matter of time.”

    Eubanks could be anywhere.

    Age-progression photos of what Lester Eubanks could look like now at age 82.

    Age-progression photos of what Lester Eubanks could look like now at age 82. (U.S. Marshals Service)

    One of his last known sightings was in Southern California where Piccoli said Eubanks likely worked in a mattress factory in the 1970s using the alias “Victor Young.”

    “There’s no doubt in my mind that someone has had recent contact with him,” Piccoli said. “You know, maybe not as recent as this week, but over, you know, the last month or years.”

    He hopes that person will offer information leading to the violent fugitive.

    “We have a job, and our job is to find individuals, no matter how long it takes to find individuals,” Piccoli said.

    The arrest would give Mary Ellen’s family some long-awaited closure.

    “I like to think I’d be like my mother would probably want me to be,” Carter said. “And say, ‘I forgive you.’”

    The U.S. Marshals Service is offering up to a $50,000 reward for information leading to Lester Eubanks. His only known distinguishing feature is a 1-to 3-inch scar or burn mark on the upper outer portion of his right arm.

    If you have any tips, call 1-866-4-WANTED.

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    Jenna Jordan

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  • Ohio GOP lawmaker to vote for measure to release more Epstein files

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    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House of Representatives is poised to move forward on a bill to force the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, opening another chapter in the ongoing controversy around the late convicted sex offender and disgraced financier’s relationship with President Donald Trump.

    What You Need To Know

    • Enough lawmakers signed a petition to force a vote on legislation to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein

    • Though President Trump warned Republicans against joining efforts to release more files, Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, said he would vote for the measure

    • House Speaker Johnson said the House will vote on the measure next week

    On Nov. 12, enough lawmakers signed a petition to force a vote on legislation that would mandate the Justice Department release all files related to Epstein, minus identifiable information about his victims, within 30 days of the bill passing.

    Trump, who has argued the Epstein controversy is a distraction, is opposing the measure. House Speaker Mike Johnson has also opposed the measure and refused to bring it up for a vote, resulting in Democrats and four Republicans signing the discharge petition to force a vote.

    The action comes after Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released emails Wednesday from Epstein that referenced Trump. One email from 2019 said that Trump “knew about the girls.”

    Though the emails make clear that Epstein and Trump were once friends, as Trump has acknowledged, they do not allege any criminal behavior by the president.

    Rep. Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, who sits on the Oversight Committee, said she supports the measure to release more files.

    “The bottom line is we want the files should be released so that we can get to the bottom of this and give those who have been impacted by this pedophile the justice that they are long overdue,” she said.

    Trump this week warned Republicans against joining efforts to release more files, posting on Truth Social, “Only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap.”

    That admonition is not deterring Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, who said he plans to vote for the measure.

    “If crimes have been committed, I want the Attorney General of the United States or the Attorneys General in the U.S. district courts to bring charges against individuals, for the evidence to come out at trial, where there’s convictions and jail time. That’s what I think the people want,” Davidson said.

    Davidson added he thinks the files will not reveal any improper conduct by the president.

    Even if the bill passes the House, it faces a frosty reception and uphill battle in the Republican-controlled Senate.

    Speaker Johnson said the House will vote on the measure next week.

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    Harri Leigh

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  • New movie ‘Lost & Found in Cleveland’ paints ode to Ohioans

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    CLEVELAND — Keith Gerchak and Marisa Guterman’s new film “Lost & Found in Cleveland” is an ode to the city told by weaving the story of five residents together through the objects they bring to a fictional TV show.

    “I grew up watching Antique Roadshows with my dad. I just fell in love with the people on the show,” Guterman said, explaining she always wanted to make a movie centering on Antiques Roadshow. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The movie”Lost & Found in Cleveland” is in theaters nationwide November 7th
    • Filmakers Marisa Guterman and Keith Gerchak raised funding for the movie independently
    • The movie proudly features Cleveland, shooting in locations like Playhouse Square, the Hope Memorial Bridge and the West Side Market

    “They’re coming with these objects that they’ve collected that have been passed down to them that take on special meaning, and our own identities get wrapped up in these special objects that come into our lives,” Gerchak said. 

    Gerchak grew up in Cleveland, Guterman in LA, but now they both live in the movie’s titular city. 

    “Cleveland is the protagonist of the film, and we really celebrate it,” Guterman said. 

    They filmed scenes at iconic Cleveland locations.

    “We had 20 locations in 20 days,” Gerchak said, filming at places like Playhouse Square, University Circle and The Hope Memorial Bridge. 

    They shot at the historic West Side Market with actor Dennis Haysbert, who made his movie debut in another Cleveland classic picture, “Major League.”

    “In the first shot we’re inside there, and getting him standing here, with the ‘Go Tribe’,” Gerchak said, motioning to the Dionne’s Meats Booth the film used as a location at the market. The booth had a ‘Go Tribe’ sticker, a reference to the Cleveland Indians baseball team that was featured in the movie ‘Major League.’

    The movie features Clevelanders as extras, like Sam, an employee at the West Side Market. 

    “Taking this concept of what people think Cleveland is and showing you, it can feel different, it can be beautiful,” Guterman said. 

    Set during the holidays, the movie cast big names like June Squibb, Jon Lovitz and Martin Sheen. 

    “I think it is the perfect marriage of material and setting. There’s a Midwestern optimism, there’s an earnestness, an authenticity,” Gerchak said. 

    Directed, written and produced by Gerchak and Guterman, the film is a labor of love they worked on for over a decade, raising funds independently. 

    “We had a book club in Cleveland that invested in the film,” Guterman said. 

    Finally realizing their vision and getting to bring it to the big screen. 

    “People have an underestimation of the film and I think they also have an underestimation of Cleveland, and the Cleveland’s of the country, and I think that they’re gonna be in for a surprise when they come and see the film,” Gerchak said. 

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    Corey O’Leary

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  • Mayor showdown tight, strong voter turnout expected

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    CINCINNATI — Election Day is underway across Ohio, and all eyes are on Cincinnati as voters decide whether to reelect Mayor Aftab Pureval or hand the city’s leadership to Cory Bowman — the half brother of Vice President J.D. Vance.

    What You Need To Know

    • Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval cast his ballot this election day, his opponent Cory Bowman, the vice president’s half brother, cast his ballot on the first day of early voting 

    • The two candidates have debated on their approach to public safety and policing, issues they both say will be top priorities should either become elected 

    • Nine city council seats are also up for grabs. Candidates also campaigned and pushed for anti-violence efforts 

    At the Clifton Recreation Center polling place, a steady flow of voters filed in throughout the day, including Pureval himself. He cast his ballot alongside his wife and children Tuesday morning.

    The Democratic mayor is in a tight race to keep his seat after a contentious campaign that has focused heavily on policing, public safety and housing.

    “We’re really focused after today on continuing to govern,” Pureval said after voting. “As I look at the next 100 days, the next four years, our priorities will remain largely the same — public safety, basic services, housing and growing our economy.”

    Bowman, who voted early, has debated Pureval over the city’s approach to crime and community safety. The race has drawn national media attention due to Bowman’s family ties to the vice president. 

    Nine Cincinnati City Council seats are also on the ballot. Candidates have emphasized the city’s anti-violence plan as a key issue for voters.

    “There are a few things that we need to do,” said council candidate Mark Jeffreys. “One is hire more officers. We’ve added twice as many officers in the last four years than in the previous four, but it’s still not enough.”

    The Hamilton County Board of Elections expects voter turnout to reach between 25% and 28%, similar to the city’s last mayoral election.

    Voter Karen Morris said every ballot matters. “It’s important for everyone to contribute,” she said. “People like to complain, but if you don’t raise your hand and raise your voice, then you’re out of the process.”

    Polls close at 7:30 p.m Tuesday., with results expected to begin rolling in shortly after.

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    Sheena Elzie

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  • Growing Food Insecurity Prompts Communities to Step Up

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    BELLEFONTAINE, Ohio — As federal SNAP benefits remain on hold, food pantries across Ohio are struggling to meet rising demand, prompting residents and volunteers in Logan County to hold a community food drive to help families who have lost access to food assistance.

    What You Need To Know

    • With SNAP benefits on hold, food pantries across Ohio are struggling to meet growing needs
    • Community members are stepping up to collect food and support families facing food insecurity
    • Local pantries said meal-ready items are in short supply as more families seek help

    Dustin Ragland, who organized the Logan County Food Drive, said the effort aimed to fill the gap left by shrinking benefits and limited resources.

    Ragland once relied on SNAP himself 20 years ago as a single father and said he understands how quickly families can fall into food insecurity.

    “We all need help,” Ragland said. “I think it’s the job of the community to come together and fill that gap, no matter what the circumstances are.”

    He said the event was designed to ensure families don’t go hungry when government systems fail to provide adequate support.

    “Our leaders may not be able to work together, but our community still can,” he said.

    The donations collected during the drive will be divided equally among the food pantries that participated, helping distribute resources across Logan County.

    Bobbi Allen, pastor of Buckeye Gospel Barn, said her pantry serves more than 400 families each month. She said calls for help began increasing as soon as SNAP benefits were paused.

    “It’s going to be hard,” Allen said. “Because already, before I even arrived here, I’ve got people calling, saying, ‘Hey, can we come over and get some food?’”

    Allen said even simple, kid-friendly foods such as canned spaghetti are getting harder to keep on the shelves. She said pantries especially need items that can serve as complete meals and don’t require extra ingredients.

    Allen said she’s already noticed a sense of panic among SNAP recipients as parents worry about how they’ll feed their children in the coming days, with many running low on groceries and unsure how they’ll make it through next week.

    Despite the growing strain, Allen said the community’s response gives her hope.

    “Just reach out to each other, be kind to each other and help each other,” she said. “Because if we all start binding together, we can do it.”

    Ragland said he plans to continue organizing community efforts through the holidays.

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    Saima Khan

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  • Day of the Dead sawdust carpets, altars celebrate life through tradition

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    CLEVELAND — A decades-long tradition from Guanajuato, Mexico is now returning to the Pivot Center for Art, Dance & Expression to celebrate Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.

    What You Need To Know

    • Day of the Dead is rooted in Mexican and Latin American history but is now celebrated by millions of people across the globe during the first two days of November

    • Ways of celebrating the holiday can vary, but all traditions center around the believed unification of the living world and spirits in the afterlife

    • A local artist is partnering with the Mexican Committee of Cleveland and other groups to share the art and history of making Day of the Dead sawdust carpets and altars

    El Tapete de la Muerte/ Carpet of Death

    Artistic Director Hector Castellanos Lara is leading workshops to assemble a grand “tapete de muerte,” or, “carpet of death,” made of sawdust, sand and other natural materials. He said sawdust rugs are a Holy Week tradition in several Latin American countries but was transformed into a Day of the Dead tradition by a group University of Guanajuato students in 2008. 

    The tradition grew in popularity and was adopted by the Pivot Art Center in 2022, and has returned each year since, Castellanos Lara said.

    “We start making classes [on] how to apply the sawdust and the colored sand to tiles that are made of foam board,” he said. “And, parents and grandparents and children, they come and they’re making their own.”

    He said each student makes decorates an individual tiles that are placed around a central image, altogether forming a larger art. He said, the carpets will remain on display until the center’s Day of the Dead celebration on Sunday.

    “La Catrina” is a skeletal figure that’s become a national symbol for Day of the Dead in Mexico. (Spectrum News 1/Tanya Velazquez)

    “The ceremony will end with the Catrina [who] will walk over the tapete de la muerte and everything will be moved around. All this, all those colors… those will be all over,” Catellanos Lara said.

    Ofrendas/ Altars 

    The Pivot Arts Center is also inviting members of the community to participate in a more common Day of the Dead tradition: building altars. These displays also known as “ofrendas,” hold offerings meant to invite the spirits of loved ones.

    Frances Araujo is one of several families invited by the Comité Mexicano de Cleveland to construct one of these altars. 

    Day of the Dead ofrendas often showcase a mix of indigenous and Spanish histories, commonly featuring items like a “copal” – used in ceremonies as incense – and religious crosses.

    Day of the Dead ofrendas often showcase a mix of indigenous and Spanish histories, commonly featuring items like a “copal” – used in ceremonies as incense – and religious crosses. (Spectrum News 1/Tanya Velazquez)

    “Despite the pain that the death of a loved one can cause us, we also take it with joy and remember it with with affection,” she said.

    Day of the Dead altars typically showcase which often include, photos of deceased loved ones, bread of the dead, flowers and other symbolic objects, Araujo said.

    “We put candles, which is for them to walk toward the light,” she said. “We put the water to them, so they aren’t thirsty on the way. … Also the food that they liked or their favorite.”

    The holiday’s history

    Ancestral elements also hold an important space on the altar, said Lucia Gutierrez, who is an indigenous, Purépecha medicine woman and biochemical engineer.

    Gutierrez grew up in Michoacán, Mexico, where she said the holiday spans longer than two days and is known by a different name.

    “So we actually don’t call it Noche de Muertos.’ We call it ‘Noche de las Ánimas,’ which can be translated to ‘Return of the Souls.’ But it’s actually like weeks for that celebration,” Gutierrez said.

    A growing number of people celebrate Day of the Dead each year, she said, but it’s important to recognize its indigenous roots.

    Lucia Gutierrez shared her homeland’s traditions with other community members at the Young Latino Network’s

    Lucia Gutierrez shared her homeland’s traditions with other community members at the Young Latino Network’s

    “For a lot of indigenous people … in order to preserve traditions, we have to mix our tradition with religion, or different things that now we are used to,” she said. “Before that, there were elements that were part of our daily life, like the use of ‘copal’, or the use of salt, or the use of fire.”

    While Día de los Muertos traditions can vary, Castellanos Lara said, all represent the celebration of life.

    “It’s important because that’s the only way we can transmit those to our children,” Castellanos Lara said. “And the new generation that will continue these beautiful events and traditions annually.”

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    Tanya Velazquez

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  • High school athletes could engage in NIL deals 

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — It could be a game changer for high school athletics in our state. 

    A judge’s ruling has prompted the OHSAA to schedule a vote that could allow student-athletes to make money off their name, image, and likeness. 

    What You Need To Know

    • A judge’s ruling has prompted the OHSAA to schedule a vote that could allow student-athletes to make money off their name, image, and likeness

    • This already exists in other states

    • Ohio high school athletes can now sign endorsement deals and earn money through social media

    It’s an opportunity that that most high school athletes in other states already have.

    Ohio high school athletes can now sign endorsement deals and earn money through social media.

    It became legal when a judge issued a temporary restraining order in October in response to a lawsuit by a star football player who’s committed to Ohio State.

    And regardless of how schools vote in a few weeks, many believe NIL is here to stay.

    For Tony Cornett, NIL is about more than just making money.

    “You’re basically getting paid to represent yourself, on how you carry yourself as a person rather than just basketball itself,” said Cornett, a junior at Westerville North High School.

    The junior guard on the Westerville North basketball team started gaining recognition when he helped lead the Warriors to a state title last season.

    Now he’s is hoping to take advantage of this new opportunity being given to Ohio high school athletes.

    “I’m very close with my family, mom, dad, grandmas, grandpas, uncles, aunts, I feel like my parents would be extremely proud of me if I ended up getting a deal,” Cornett said.

    Westerville North Athletic Director, Wes Elfrritz, said the Ohio High School Athletic Association is doing the right thing by scheduling a vote that could bring Ohio in line with 44 other states. 

    “The OHSAA has gotten ahead of this vote, and they’ve kind of put some parameters in place so if its passed we’re looking at making sure our student athletes keep their potential deals separate from their school, so we don’t have any conflicts of interest,” said Elifritz.

    For example, if a student athlete is promoting a business, Elifritz said they wouldn’t be allowed to do so while they’re representing their school during a practice or a game. 

    “And also, if they’re at the business, or promoting in a commercial, they cannot be displaying or verbalizing the school that they’re a part of so the goal is to kind of keep those two things separate,” Elifritz said.

    Some high school athletes get thrown into the spotlight quickly. Favour Akih is a senior running back at Delaware Hayes high school. He never touched a football until his freshman season.

    Three years later, he’s become a top-10 recruit in Ohio and has committed to play for the Buckeyes. 

    But he’s excited that he won’t have to wait for college to profit from his talent.

    “It would be a major opportunity because I know a lot of single parent households families that are really talented football players that could capitalize on this opportunity here,” said Akih.

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    Cassidy Wilson

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  • Wedding couples celebrate the spooky season at Akron Civic Theatre

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    AKRON — Dressing up for Halloween is an annual tradition for Brian Rubenstein, but this year, he isn’t just wearing his costume for trick-or-treaters.

    What You Need To Know

    • More than two-thirds of Americans are celebrating Halloween this year, according to the National Retail Federation

    • This holiday, several northeast Ohio couples are showing how walking down the aisle is nothing to be scared of

    • Akron Civic Theatre is partnering with Summit County to provide people with an opportunity to get married at the nearly 100-year-old venue

    Rubenstein and Ian McCormick were one of many couples walking down the aisle at the Akron Civic Theatre this holiday weekend. 

    “It is my favorite holiday,” Rubenstein said. “I like the, you know, pretty much the whole month of October. A spooky, scary thing. but it’s also tied to, you know, a deep changing of the seasons, the changing of the year.”

    And they aren’t the only ones keeping the spooky spirit alive on their special day.

    Nico Stinziano and Jessica Wheeler are also celebrating their next big milestone, while representing a classic, dark romance: Morticia and Gomez Addams. 

    The two are high school sweethearts, now tying the knot after getting engaged on the same date two years ago.

    “We just kind of went up to the courts, and they actually told us that was the only day available, which was perfect because that’s the day we wanted. So it kind of just works in our favor,” Stinziano said.

    And next Halloween, Rubenstein said he and McCormick are planning to host a larger wedding party for all their friends and family.

    “More to be able to save up money and have the actual celebration and stuff that we want,” Rubenstein said. “But we did want to get the actual, legal part done with first, and that just removes one obstacle that we don’t have to deal with on that day.”

    Still, Rubenstein and McCormick said they’re celebrating more than just their marriage and Halloween.

    “I remember a time when I didn’t think this was something we’d ever be able to do, and it it’s like a dream come true, a miracle to be able to do this here,” McCormick said. “We made it. We hit the finish line. It’s on paper now.”

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    Tanya Velazquez

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  • Local bakery spreads nourishment and kindness through government shutdown

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    OHIO — As anxiety and stress continue to build for federal workers as they go without paychecks and as food banks brace for growing lines, many local community members are sharing acts of kindness and generosity.

    What You Need To Know

    • Community kindness continues to spread as the government shutdown lingers

    • The Neighborhood Nest is a gluten-free bakery near Wright-Patterson Air Force base in Fairborn, Ohio

    • During the shutdown, the bakery has been offering special store credit to furloughed workers and federal workers struggling without paychecks and giving them access to a new store pantry

    Even on a rainy day, sweet smells and thoughtful gestures rise to the occasion inside The Neighborhood Nest.

    Amber Tipton owns the gluten-free bakery, and they’ve been in business for more than a decade in Fairborn, Ohio, near Dayton.

    The bakery is also just a short drive from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

    Bakers can accommodate up to 19 different allergies.

    If you need something dairy, egg, nut, and soy free, they’ve got you covered.

    “We try really hard to just give people back the things that had to be eliminated out of their diet when they had to go gluten free,” Tipton said.

    As the government shutdown continues, they’re still giving back.

    “We have noticed kind of a drop off in actual shopping but what we have been able to do is offer furloughed families a store credit every week,” Tipton said.

    A single person can receive $40 in store credit and a family can receive $60, plus access to the newly created store pantry stocked by customer donations, gift cards and Venmo.

    “Nobody is the wiser. They think they’re just shopping. That’s a bigger deal to me, that people maintain dignity,” Tipton said.

    “So many families are simply concerned about how they’ll put food on the table for their kids,” said Kara Pappas.

    Pappas is the Chief Advancement Officer for the Military Family Advisory Network.

    For communities like Dayton, where so many rely on the base for employment, the shutdown is causing tension.

    Civilians find themselves furloughed or continue working without a paycheck.

    “This is impacting the medical workers on bases, this is impacting child development centers, daycare for military families, it’s impacting school activities, all of these different components that make up the fabric of a military family’s daily life,” Pappas said.

    Tipton said the work isn’t over, and if SNAP benefits get put on hold, they’ll be adding SNAP allergy families to their roster.

    “There is so little at a food pantry, or at a food bank, that people with allergies can actually eat and not be ill,” she said.

    That’s not the only reason helping families hits close to home.

    “The looks that people give you when you’re using those or WIC certificates or your EBT card, they act like you’re lazy,” she said.

    Tipton remembers when her husband was in college and they had small kids.

    He worked part time and she worked two full time jobs just to get by.

    “I just want to give back and to give people what we needed when we were struggling but with dignity,” she said.

    For more information on the Neighborhood Nest, click here.

    If you’re a military family needing help through the Military Family Advisory Network including an emergency food box, click here.

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    Alese Underwood

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  • Female kicker leads Springfield into playoffs

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    SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — It’s not every day you see a female athlete trading her soccer cleats for football pads, but one Ohio high schooler is kicking her way to the playoffs.

    She’s proving that talent knows no boundaries, no matter the sport.

    What You Need To Know

    • Natalie Erdman is a junior soccer and football player 

    • The football team saw her kick and recruited her to join the team

    • She’s proving that determination, not gender, defines a true competitor

    For more than a decade, Natalie Erdman has excelled using her feet.

    “Soccer always; it’s been that way since I was two,” said Natalie Erdman, a junior at Springfield High School.

    The Springfield High School junior plays defense on the varsity soccer team.  

    But a conversation she had with one of the school’s football players changed her life.

    “He was like, ‘You’re a kicker,’ and I was like, ‘I mean I’m a person that can kick,’ and he was like ‘You gotta go meet the coaches.’ Next thing I know, they were meeting my parents, and next thing I know they were having me kick,” Erdman said.

    That chance encounter landed Erdman a spot on the Wildcats football roster.

    During the regular season, she made 32 of her 34 extra points and also converted the only field goal she attempted.

    “Nat’s a good girl all-around — good student, good athlete and a good teammate, really good attitude. That’s Natalie,” said Larry Ham, defensive line coach at Springfield High School.

    Her success goes beyond the football and soccer fields. Erdman also powerlifts for the school as well.

    All of her activities force her to excel in time management.

    “It’s definitely a lot to balance. A lot of late night, student practices, soccer games, things like that. I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s nice to be on both teams,” Erdman said.

    After school, it’s back-to-back soccer and football practices.

    Erdman starts her day at 6 a.m. and sometimes doesn’t get home until 9 p.m. 

    “The support from the team and everything like that, just to know, it makes it worth it of waking up early knowing that I’m appreciated at the team, and I’m respected like that,” Erdman said.

    With her focus set on Friday night, she’s proving that determination, not gender, defines a true competitor.

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    Cassidy Wilson

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  • Earth’s quasi-moon: Recent discovery has space lovers ‘over the moon’

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    TEXAS — Some space lovers are geeking out over the latest celestial event that has been hidden in plain sight for the last six decades. 

    What You Need To Know

    • This summer, astronomers in Hawaii discovered a quasi-moon near Earth called 2025 PN7

    • This quasi-moon has been in our orbit for approximately 60 years, to be exact

    • Experts say the quasi-moon is expected to stick around for about another 60 years

    This summer, astronomers in Hawaii discovered a quasi-moon near Earth called 2025 PN7.

    Ryan Bennett and other stargazers have their eyes set on the latest space invader looping around the galaxy.

    “This guy is just really close to us in our orbit, and it’s going around us in a racetrack. Kind of about the same speed we are, but sometimes we get ahead of that. Sometimes it gets ahead of us. We’re starting to observe these things a lot better. So really what we’re just starting to see are just things that have been there for a while,” said Bennett, planetarium and astronomy program director at the University of North Texas.

    This little guy has been in our orbit for approximately 60 years, to be exact.

    “One astronomer said, ‘It’s like trying to look at a picture of a piece of charcoal five miles away.’ It’s dark, you can’t really see much, and it’s so far away you need a very powerful telescope to even detect it,” said Michelle Risse, planetarium coordinator at the Scobee Education Center in San Antonio.

    Not even the telescope at UNT’s observatory is gonna cut it.

    Earlier this year, astronomers in Hawaii discovered that the near-Earth asteroid had been orbiting the sun unnoticed.

    “I would say it’s probably not a huge deal. It’s just interesting; it’s a new discovery that we’ve actually made of these quasi-moons and quasi-satellites,” said Bennett.

    Bennett said there have been six discoveries like this before. Most recently, last year, Earth had a second moon for about two months around this same time.

    He may say it’s not a huge deal, but other space lovers say otherwise.

    “There’s nothing more spacey than near-Earth asteroids, and I’ve been passionate about them and trying to inform any audience that I have willing to listen,” said Ken Ruffin, president of the National Space Society of North Texas.

    His love for this subject led him to give his new company the name of his favorite near-Earth asteroid. 

    “The name of the asteroid is Didymos. The name of the company is Didymos Consulting,” said Ruffin.

    Earlier this month, this quasi-moon was the topic he presented at his monthly meeting.

    “There’s about 40,000 of them that we have found. We believe there’s a million. We’ve only found 4%. That is an extremely risky situation,” said Ruffin.

    Risse also shared with the public about the asteroid.

    “They often ask us, like, hey, can you show it, and I’ll be like, I wish I could, unfortunately, it’s so tiny especially with our current modern-day telescope,” said Risse.

    She said there are no concerns or threats with this recently discovered asteroid because of its distance and how it’s not gravitationally bound to Earth at all.

    “I kinda think it’s really great that this is something that we’re paying attention to,” said Bennett.

    Experts say the quasi-moon is expected to stick around for about another 60 years.

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    Blessing Iwuchukwu

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  • Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame honors migrant women advocate

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    CLEVELAND — Mónica Rámirez has dedicated most her life to helping migrant women, and now she’s being recognized for advocacy work as part of the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame’s class of 2025.

    What You Need To Know

    • Seventy percent of agricultural workers are foreign-born, according to the National Center for Farmworker Health, Inc.

    • In Ohio, immigrants account for around 5% of the state’s population, and within this group, around half are women

    • Mónica Rámirez, founder of Justice for Migrant Women, is being recognized for her lifelong commitment to advancing the rights of migrant and rural women

    • The Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame has been honoring the state’s pioneers of human rights each year since 2009

    Born and raised in Fremont, Rámirez is the daughter and granddaughter of farmworkers. Rámirez said she began her advocacy work at age 14, later graduating from The Ohio State University in 2003, and becoming the first attorney in the country to specialize in handling cases of sexual violence and gender discrimination against farmworker women.

    She eventually made her way back home, and is now the president and CEO of nonprofit Justice for Migrant Women based in Fremont.

    Rámirez created “The Bandana Proect” to raise public awareness of sexual violence against U.S. farmerworker women while working at the Southern Poverty Law Center in 2007. (Spectrum News 1/Tanya Velazquez)

    “Unfortunately, sexual violence against farmworker women is a crisis in our country,” Rámirez said. “When that first report came out in the 1980s, 90% of the women who had participated said sexual violence was a major workplace problem for them.”

    Rámirez said this percentage has remained steady over the last few decades. Still, she said the organization’s reach extends beyond this issue.

    The center also provides legal aid, civic training, mental health services and other resources to thousands of other migrants and farmworkers nationwide.

    “All together, since 2020, we have distributed more than $10 million in aid,” Rámirez said. “Here in Ohio, we’ve distributed about $2 million in aid. And then we’ve also worked with partners across the country to provide resources to individuals in 34 other states and in Puerto Rico.”

    Rámirez launched “The Humans Who Feed Us” – a national project telling the stories of immigrants employed across the food supply chain.

    Rámirez launched “The Humans Who Feed Us” – a national project telling the stories of immigrants employed across the food supply chain. (Spectrum News 1/Tanya Velazquez)

    Mary Alice Espiritu is the office manager for the Justice for Migrant Women center. She also grew up in northwest Ohio but has strong roots in Texas and Mexico.

    “My grandparents are from Mexico … my parents were born in Texas. They decided to finally come to Ohio, to have other opportunities of work, and they settled here in Fremont,” she said.

    Espiritu said came to know many other immigrant families of similar backgrounds in the area, now working directly with the community.

    She said, while the organization has made significant strides over the last decade, migrant women continue facing several disparities.

    “Low wages, the childcare, but also the transportation,” Espiritu said. “And to be able to travel to their workplace or even taking their children to school – since [we’re] in the rural area we don’t have, like the public transportation that there are in bigger cities.”

    Working alongside Rámirez, she’s hoping to bridge that gap.

    “In the migrant or rural communities, I feel that those resources, resources are even more limited simply because if there’s language barriers, those resources aren’t offered to them, in their language.”

    While Rámirez has made her mark in Ohio history, she said the organization’s work is far from over.

    “We have to keep telling the stories of everyday people because that is how we’re going to be able to better know people,” Rámirez said. “But also … best protect people in this time of attempting to erase.”

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    Tanya Velazquez

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