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The Summer Olympics are underway in Paris, and while many will be rooting for Ohioans or other U.S. athletes, it will also be the first time in Ohio that fans at home can bet on the games.
Spectrum News 1 spoke with Derek Longmeier with Problem Gambling Network of Ohio about this subject.
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Spectrum News Staff
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OHIO — Enjoy the heat while we have it.
The “Old Farmer’s Almanac” has released its fall forecast for 2024 and predicts that much of the Midwest, including Ohio, will experience below-average temperatures this fall. That pocket of predicted colder weather extends east, stretching from Rhode Island all the way down to Florida.
If you’re looking for warmer weather, the almanac predicts you’ll just need to cross a few state lines. Just to our west, the almanac is predicting above-average tempuratures for much of the western portion of the U.S. This includes states like Iowa, Missouri, Texas and others.
The very northeast of the country, including part of New York, Vermont and Maine; the south, including Louisiana and Alabama; and a couple states in the Midwest including Minnesota and Wisconsin are predicted to experience near-average temperatures
The “Old Farmer’s Almanac” was started in 1792 and is known for making long-term weather predictions, though there is some doubt as to the accuracy and reliability of its predictions.
The prediction by the almanac is in contrast to the prediction from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Their Climate Prediction Center is predicting above-average temps for September through November this year.
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Cody Thompson
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OHIO — A new report from the personal financial website WalletHub shows Ohio is among the states with the most at-risk youth.
The ranking was based on employment and education, as well as overall health. These categories included youth poverty rates, rates of teen pregnancy, homeless youth, young people who are overweight, those without a high school diploma and much more.
Ohio ranked 15th out of the 50 states and District of Columbia.
“A high share of youth who are not working, not getting education and generally stagnating in life can spell trouble for the future,” wrote Cassandra Happe, a WalletHub analyst, in the report. “States that are most impacted by this problem, as well as related issues like high youth poverty rates, widespread drug use and low test scores, need a wake-up call to invest more into improving conditions for young residents. Otherwise, the future economic and social progress of the state is in danger.”
Additionally, Ohio was also ranked third for having the highest percentage of overweight and obese youth.
The top 10 states with the most at-risk youth are as follows:
View the full report here.
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Lydia Taylor
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State Fair is meant to entertain people, and the fair and Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) are working to make sure that entertainment can be shared by as many people as possible.
There will be charging stations for wheelchairs/mobility devices, remote agents to help people who are blind or have low vision navigate, ASL interpreters and more. And if you need more information, you can visit OOD’s mobile unit by the Lausche Youth Exploration Space.
“Ohio is the heart of it all, and we want people of all abilities to be able to enjoy everything our great State Fair has to offer,” said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in an OOD press release. “The Ohio State Fair provides a wealth of supports for individuals with disabilities, and this year our goal is to make it the most enjoyable yet for every person who comes through the gates.”
The mobility device charging stations can be found in various places at the fair:
Bricker MarketPlace Building
Kasich Hall
The Lausche Youth Exploration Space
Natural Resources Park pavilion
Voinovich Livestock and Trade Center
WCOL Celeste Center
“The Ohio State Fair offers a rejuvenating break from work and our daily routine,” OOD Director Kevin Miller said in the release. “Since fairgoers usually spend the entire day on the grounds, it’s important that charging stations are available to sustain wheelchairs, scooters, and other mobility devices.”
OOD also worked with the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, according to the release, to provide those are blind or have low vision with Aira. That’s an app that describes itself as able to connect “people who are blind or low vision to professional visual interpreters for secure access to visual information, anytime, anywhere.”
It works via GPS, and these remote agents can help these fairgoers get to where they’re going.
American Sign Language interpreters will be present at the following events, according to OOD:
Ohio State Fair opening ceremony on July 24
Sale of Champions Livestock Auction on August 4
Natural Resources Park Great Lakes Timber (lumberjack) shows
Marvelous Mutts shows at The Dog House
Ticketed concerts in the WCOL Celeste Center
There will be other, daily scheduled events with ASL interpretation as well, according to the release.
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 25, the fair will also have a “sensory-friendly morning.” That means rides with no flashing lights or music as well as educational activities and more.
“On sensory-friendly morning, the sights, sounds, and stimuli are reduced to enable individuals to experience our incredible State Fair in a way that helps them feel more comfortable and engaged,” said Shawn Henry, OCALI Executive Director, in the release.
There will also be two “adjustable-height universal changing tables” at the fair, one at the First Aid Center and the other at the Ag Pro Taft Coliseum family restroom.
“At the Ohio State Fair, we believe that accessibility is not just a checkbox; it’s a continuous journey of improvement and inclusivity,” said Adam Heffron, Ohio Expo Center & State Fairgrounds executive director, in the release. “We’re dedicated to building upon our existing accessibility efforts, working diligently to create an environment that is welcoming and accessible to all.”
Finally, OOD also includes a list of other accessibility efforts being made at the fair this year:
Ample accessible parking spaces
Accessible buildings and restrooms
Motorized scooter and non-motorized wheelchair rentals
A Quiet Room situated just east of Central Park, equipped to provide sensory relief
Communication boards for fairgoers who are nonverbal, available at all guest information services booths and on the Ohio State Fair accessibility webpage, featuring Fair-specific symbols to facilitate navigation and encourage exploration of Fair offerings
Accessible seats for concerts in the WCOL Celeste Center can be purchased at the same cost directly from Ticketmaster (to view accessible seats, click the “filters” button, then toggle on the “accessibility” button to see)
Free assisted listening devices for use at the WCOL Celeste Center, Main Street Stage presented by Ohio Lottery, and Wellcare Gazebo Stage
Audio descriptions for select exhibits and attractions, available within the Ohio State Fair app
Art Possible Ohio exhibit in Kasich Hall C, featuring artwork by Ohio artists with disabilities
Service animal relief areas with pick-up bags and waste receptacles at the Rhodes Center Lawn, Central Park, and Natural Resources Park
Designated accessible seating at additional stages
Accessible play area at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Park
Accessible picnic tables throughout the Fair
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Cody Thompson
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JD Vance is supposed to help Donald Trump win the Midwest this fall.
But almost immediately after the Ohio senator was announced as Trump’s vice presidential pick on Monday, one thing became clear: Vance, a 39-year-old Republican with less than two years in Congress, is not well-known among many in his party, even in the swing states Trump hopes he’ll deliver.
Michigan Republican Party Chairman Pete Hoekstra offered a blunt response when asked about Trump’s pick minutes after it was announced: “We don’t know him.”
“If he’s from Ohio, he understands our state and the other northern battlegrounds,” Hoekstra said, standing on the floor of the Republican National Convention. “But we haven’t had a chance to take his measure yet.”
Trump’s team now has less than four months to strengthen Vance’s profile in the states that matter most this fall in his 2020 rematch against Democratic President Joe Biden. Already, a collection of political foes — Democrats and Republicans — is working to fill the void by seizing on Vance’s inexperience in government, his nationalist views and his critical comments about Trump himself.
“I’m not sure he helps him in the campaign,” said veteran Republican pollster Neil Newhouse, suggesting Vance may be better positioned to help Trump enact his agenda on Capitol Hill if given the chance. “He’s not that well-known even in Ohio. … This isn’t a campaign pick. It’s a policy pick, a governing pick.”
Republican strategist Kellyanne Conway, who served as Trump’s chief counselor while in the White House, had encouraged Trump to pick a different running mate in the weeks leading up to his announcement. Privately, she believed that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio or Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin would do more to help Trump win.
Vance, who quickly developed a reputation as a MAGA firebrand in his short time on Capitol Hill, earned modest applause when he entered the packed convention hall for the first time Monday as Trump’s running mate. The Republican senator posed for selfies, shook hands and signed posters. Later in the night, the crowd was more excited as he greeted Trump — who entered the room with a bandage covering his right ear, injured in Saturday’s assassination attempt — for the ticket’s first public appearance.
Recent polling confirms the notion that most voters don’t know Vance.
Just 13% of registered voters said they had a favorable opinion of Vance with 20% an unfavorable one, according to a CNN poll conducted in late June. The majority said they had never heard of him or had no opinion.
Trump’s vice-presidential pick is arguably the most important decision of his 2024 campaign. Vance, who is literally half the 78-year-old Trump’s age, and has the least political experience on a short list that included Rubio and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
Sensing an opportunity, Trump’s critics in both parties quickly went after him.
“Almost any other choice might have expanded the map for them, but Trump needed a candidate who looked like him, talked like him, and thought like him. He needed a candidate who would grovel,” former New Hampshire Republican Party chair Jennifer Horn wrote on X. “JD Vance was the least experienced, least qualified, most obsequious, psychopathic, servile candidate on the list.”
But Trump made up his own mind based on a different set of criteria.
Trump especially liked Vance’s performance on television, where he has become a fixture on conservative media. The former president also likes Vance’s looks, saying he reminded him of “a young Abraham Lincoln.”
Trump is also hopeful Vance can draw from his life story growing up in Appalachia to help appeal to Midwestern voters. Vance has experienced poverty and addiction up close in a way that is uncommon among leading Republican officials.
Vance also had another advantage: his chemistry with Trump. The first-term senator has developed a strong rapport with Trump, his son Donald Trump Jr. and leading MAGA figures during his recent rise in Republican politics.
Vance is an Ivy League-educated author, former Marine and businessman. He is known for his aggressive questioning of Biden administration officials.
Biden’s campaign hosted a conference call Monday denouncing the pick, focusing especially on his limited record on abortion and the economy and his support for Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Vance previously said he would support a national abortion ban at 15 weeks of pregnancy. He also said he would not have voted to certify the 2020 election results, as former Vice President Mike Pence did over Trump’s objections.
“I will certainly take that matchup any day of the week and twice on Sunday,” said Jen O’Malley Dillon, the Biden campaign chairwoman. “Because while Trump and Vance have an agenda focused on themselves and their wealthy donor friends, President Biden and Vice President Harris are fighting for the American people.”
One of Biden’s greatest assets in his campaign against Vance might be what Vance previously said about Trump.
During the early stages of Trump’s political career, Vance cast Trump as “a total fraud,” “a moral disaster” and “America’s Hitler.”
“If you go back and listen to the things that JD Vance said about Trump … he said some things about me, but see what he said about Trump,” Biden told NBC’s Lester Holt in an interview Monday.
Vivek Ramaswamy, once considered a potential Trump running mate as well, described Vance as “a major asset” on the ticket whose evolution on Trump would ultimately help him connect with swing voters.
“He’s also somebody who can say, ‘You know what, in 2016, I may not have voted for Donald Trump either, but here’s why I am with him to the fullest today,’” Ramaswamy said.
But for now, Vance joins the Trump presidential ticket as a mystery to many voters and elected officials alike.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Vance was one of the few vice-presidential prospects that he “really haven’t crossed paths with.”
“I don’t know that much about him,” Kemp said.
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OHIO — The days of choosing a vice presidential running mate based on regional perspective are over.
In this election cycle, experts say it’s all about choosing someone that’s not going to be a liability and who can represent the presidential candidate well.
Tom Sutton, Provost and Political Science Professor at Baldwin Wallace University, said with the candidate pool former president Donald Trump will choose from, those candidates could give Trump the boost he needs in swing states.
“Picking JD Vance as a potential VP contender wouldn’t make that much difference in Ohio, but he would be one of the younger of the VP possible candidates and that might draw in some of the younger conservative votes,” Sutton said. “He tends to be a bridge. Sometimes he can be pragmatic. He worked with Senator Brown, for instance, dealing with the East Palestine railroad crash issue.”
Sutton said it’s these things that make Vance a strong contender.
Comparing Vance to Kamala Harris, when it comes to their individual impact on drawing in the support of young voters, Sutton said Gen Z and some millennials would get behind Harris.
“She has a record of being very pro-reproductive rights that attracts a lot of younger voters,” Sutton said. “She is younger. She is in her 50s.”
Sutton thinks those are things that would be attractive to younger voters. For JD Vance, Sutton believes the more conservative group of younger voters, who fully support Trump, would be very supportive of Vance as well.
Regardless of who serves as a running mate, Sutton said it all requires a balancing act between representing the campaign, its positions or support for the presidential candidate.
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Tonisha Johnson
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Former President Donald Trump was whisked off the stage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday night after a shooting that killed at least one rally attendee. The former president said he was “shot with a bullet” that pierced part of his ear.
The FBI early Sunday identified the suspected shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pa. He was killed by the United States Secret Service.
“The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania,” the FBI said in a statement, asking for anyone with more information to come forward.
Law enforcement officials told Spectrum News on Sunday that explosive devices were found inside Crooks’ vehicle. Two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press there were also bomb-making materials found at his home.
Not much is known about the suspect, save for that he was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania. He did, however, donate $15 to a progressive political action committee on the day of President Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20, 2021, according Federal Election Commission records.
Early on in his speech, Trump was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers when banging sounds started ringing through the crowd. Someone could be heard saying “get down, get down” and directing Trump to the ground. The ex-president could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his neck. There appeared to be blood on his face.
He quickly ducked behind the podium as agents from his protective detail rushed the stage and screams rang out from the crowd. The bangs continued as agents tended to him on stage. Trump could be heard on microphones asking about his shoes.
The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist. Police began vacating the fairgrounds shortly after Trump left the stage.
Officials said that one spectator was killed, and two others were critically injured.
According to a spokesperson for the Secret Service, a suspected shooter “fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue.”
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said that agents “neutralized” the suspected shooter and took protective measures to secure scene and get the former president to safety.
“The incident is currently under investigation and the Secret Service has formally notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Guglielmi added. The FBI said later Saturday that assumed the lead in the investigation into the incident.
A source told The Associated Press that an AR-style rifle was recovered by law enforcement at the scene of the shooting.
In a statement on his Truth Social platform on Saturday night, Trump thanked the Secret Service and law enforcement for their “rapid response” and expressed his condolences to the family of the person who was killed at the rally, as well as his thoughts for another person who was “badly injured.”
“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country,” Trump said. “Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”
“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin,” he added. “Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
Trump traveled back to his New Jersey golf club to spend the night. His campaign and the Republican National Committee said in a statement Saturday night that the Republican National Convention will continue as planned in Milwaukee next week.
“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday morning. “Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.”
He went on to write that it was “more important than ever” that Americans “stand United, and show our True Character,” ending his post by saying “I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.”
In remarks to the nation from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, President Joe Biden said he reached out to Trump, but the ex-president is “with his doctors” and said he’s hoping to speak to him soon. Biden expressed gratitude about Trump’s condition and condemned the attack, calling for unity.
“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence,” Biden said. “It’s sick. It’s sick. It’s one of the reasons we have to unite this country.”
“We cannot allow for this to be happening,” Biden said. “We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this.”
Biden hailed the Secret Service and local law enforcement for their efforts to protect Trump and secure the scene.
“The bottom line is: The Trump rally … he should’ve been able to conduct peacefully without any problem,” the president said. “But the idea, the idea, that there’s political violence or violence in America like this, it’s just unheard of. It’s just not appropriate. And everybody must condemn it. Everybody.”
“So far it appears that he’s doing well,” Biden said of Trump. The two spoke later Saturday night, per the White House. Biden also spoke with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Butler, Pennsylvania, Mayor Bob Dandoy. The president left Delaware to return to Washington, and will receive an updated briefing from homeland security and law enforcement officials on Sunday morning.
When asked by reporters if he believes it’s an assassination attempt, Biden declined to weigh in: “I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts.”
A Biden campaign official said that his reelection effort “is pausing all outbound communications and working to pull down our television ads as quickly as possible.”
In a statement earlier Saturday, Biden condemned the attack on his presumptive rival in November’s election, adding that he is “grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well.”
“I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information,” Biden said. “Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
Biden received multiple briefings on the incident, including one with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall, the White House said. The president and Vice President Kamala Harris were expected to recieve another briefing from homeland security and law enforcemnet officials on Sunday morning.
Mayorkas said in a statement Saturday night that the Department of Homeland Security is “engaged with President Biden, former President Trump, and their campaigns, and are taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was also briefed on the incident.
“Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable,” Shapiro wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States.”
Amid prayers for Trump and condemnations for political violence from world leaders and politicians on both sides of the aisle, some of his congressional allies called for investigations. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on NBC News’ “Today” on Sunday that Congress would launch a full investigation and that he spoke with Mayorkas on Saturday night and “asked him some pointed questions.”
“Political violence in all forms is unamerican and unacceptable,” House Oversight Chairman James Comer said in a statement. “There are many questions and Americans demand answers. I have already contacted the Secret Service for a briefing and am also calling on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear for a hearing. The Oversight Committee will send a formal invitation soon.”
One Republican lawmaker, Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia, even went as far as to say that Biden “sent the orders,” referencing comments reportedly made by the Democrat about putting Trump “in a bullseye” in terms of a campaign strategy.
Ohio Sen. JD Vance, a possible Trump running mate contender, also condemned rhetoric from Biden and Democrats and directly blamed them for the incident.
“Today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs,” Vance charged. “That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”
This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Spectrum News Staff
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The man identified as the shooter in the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump was a 20-year-old from a Pittsburgh suburb not far from the campaign rally where one attendee was killed.
Investigators were working Sunday to gather more information about Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, who they say opened fire at the rally before being killed by Secret Service days before Trump was to accept the Republican nomination for a third time.
An FBI official said late Saturday that investigators had not yet determined a motive. Two spectators were critically injured, authorities said.
Relatives of Crooks didn’t immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press. His father, Matthew Crooks, told CNN late Saturday that he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on” but wouldn’t speak about his son until after he talked to law enforcement.
A blockade had been set up Sunday preventing traffic near Crooks’ house, which is in an enclave of modest brick houses nestled in the hills of blue-collar Pittsburgh.
Crooks’ political leanings were not immediately clear. Records show Crooks was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he gave $15 to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day President Joe Biden was sworn in to office.
Public Pennsylvania court records show no past criminal cases against Crooks.
The FBI released his identity early Sunday morning, hours after the shooting. Authorities told reporters that Crooks was not carrying identification so they were using DNA and other methods to confirm his identity.
Law enforcement recovered an AR-style rifle at the scene, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.
An AP analysis of more than a dozen videos and photos from the scene of the Trump rally, as well as satellite imagery of the site, shows the shooter was able to get close to the stage where the former president was speaking.
A video posted to social media and geolocated by the AP shows the body of a person wearing gray camouflage lying motionless on the roof of a building at AGR International Inc., a manufacturing plant just north of the Butler Farm Show grounds where Trump’s rally was held.
The roof where the person lay was less than 150 meters (164 yards) from where Trump was speaking, a distance from which a decent marksman could reasonably hit a human-sized target. For reference, 150 meters is a distance at which U.S. Army recruits must hit a scaled human-sized silhouette to qualify with the M-16 rifle.
Investigators believe the weapon was bought by the father at least six months ago, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.
The officials said federal agents were still working to understand when and how Thomas Crooks obtained the gun. The officials were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity
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Associated Press
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Former President Donald Trump was whisked off the stage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday night after a shooting that killed at least one rally attendee. The former president said he was “shot with a bullet” that pierced part of his ear.
The FBI early Sunday identified the suspected shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pa. He was killed by the United States Secret Service.
“The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania,” the FBI said in a statement, asking for anyone with more information to come forward.
Not much is known about the suspect, save for that he was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania. He did, however, donate $15 to a progressive political action committee on the day of President Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20, 2021, according Federal Election Commission records.
Early on in his speech, Trump was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers when banging sounds started ringing through the crowd. Someone could be heard saying “get down, get down” and directing Trump to the ground. The ex-president could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his neck. There appeared to be blood on his face.
He quickly ducked behind the podium as agents from his protective detail rushed the stage and screams rang out from the crowd. The bangs continued as agents tended to him on stage. Trump could be heard on microphones asking about his shoes.
The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist. Police began vacating the fairgrounds shortly after Trump left the stage.
Officials said that one spectator was killed, and two others were critically injured.
According to a spokesperson for the Secret Service, a suspected shooter “fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue.”
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said that agents “neutralized” the suspected shooter and took protective measures to secure scene and get the former president to safety.
“The incident is currently under investigation and the Secret Service has formally notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Guglielmi added. The FBI said later Saturday that assumed the lead in the investigation into the incident.
A source told The Associated Press that an AR-style rifle was recovered by law enforcement at the scene of the shooting.
In a statement on his Truth Social platform on Saturday night, Trump thanked the Secret Service and law enforcement for their “rapid response” and expressed his condolences to the family of the person who was killed at the rally, as well as his thoughts for another person who was “badly injured.”
“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country,” Trump said. “Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”
“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin,” he added. “Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
Trump traveled back to his New Jersey golf club to spend the night. His campaign and the Republican National Committee said in a statement Saturday night that the Republican National Convention will continue as planned in Milwaukee next week.
“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday morning. “Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.”
He went on to write that it was “more important than ever” that Americans “stand United, and show our True Character,” ending his post by saying “I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.”
In remarks to the nation from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, President Joe Biden said he reached out to Trump, but the ex-president is “with his doctors” and said he’s hoping to speak to him soon. Biden expressed gratitude about Trump’s condition and condemned the attack, calling for unity.
“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence,” Biden said. “It’s sick. It’s sick. It’s one of the reasons we have to unite this country.”
“We cannot allow for this to be happening,” Biden said. “We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this.”
Biden hailed the Secret Service and local law enforcement for their efforts to protect Trump and secure the scene.
“The bottom line is: The Trump rally … he should’ve been able to conduct peacefully without any problem,” the president said. “But the idea, the idea, that there’s political violence or violence in America like this, it’s just unheard of. It’s just not appropriate. And everybody must condemn it. Everybody.”
“So far it appears that he’s doing well,” Biden said of Trump. The two spoke later Saturday night, per the White House. Biden also spoke with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Butler, Pennsylvania, Mayor Bob Dandoy. The president left Delaware to return to Washington, and will receive an updated briefing from homeland security and law enforcement officials on Sunday morning.
When asked by reporters if he believes it’s an assassination attempt, Biden declined to weigh in: “I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts.”
A Biden campaign official said that his reelection effort “is pausing all outbound communications and working to pull down our television ads as quickly as possible.”
In a statement earlier Saturday, Biden condemned the attack on his presumptive rival in November’s election, adding that he is “grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well.”
“I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information,” Biden said. “Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
Biden received multiple briefings on the incident, including one with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall, the White House said. The president and Vice President Kamala Harris were expected to recieve another briefing from homeland security and law enforcemnet officials on Sunday morning.
Mayorkas said in a statement Saturday night that the Department of Homeland Security is “engaged with President Biden, former President Trump, and their campaigns, and are taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was also briefed on the incident.
“Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable,” Shapiro wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States.”
Amid prayers for Trump and condemnations for political violence from world leaders and politicians on both sides of the aisle, some of his congressional allies called for investigations. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on NBC News’ “Today” on Sunday that Congress would launch a full investigation and that he spoke with Mayorkas on Saturday night and “asked him some pointed questions.”
“Political violence in all forms is unamerican and unacceptable,” House Oversight Chairman James Comer said in a statement. “There are many questions and Americans demand answers. I have already contacted the Secret Service for a briefing and am also calling on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear for a hearing. The Oversight Committee will send a formal invitation soon.”
One Republican lawmaker, Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia, even went as far as to say that Biden “sent the orders,” referencing comments reportedly made by the Democrat about putting Trump “in a bullseye” in terms of a campaign strategy.
Ohio Sen. JD Vance, a possible Trump running mate contender, also condemned rhetoric from Biden and Democrats and directly blamed them for the incident.
“Today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs,” Vance charged. “That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”
This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Justin Tasolides
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio mother who tried to stop two men from stealing her car with her 6-year-old son inside was killed when the vehicle struck her.
The boy was unharmed, police said, and no other injuries were reported.
Alexa Stakely, 29, of Pickerington, was at an apartment complex in Columbus to pick up her son from a babysitter around 1:30 a.m. Thursday. A single mother who was a speech-language pathologist for the Canal Winchester Local Schools district, Stakely also worked as a waitress and had just finished a shift for that job, Columbus police said.
Stakely initially brought the sleeping boy to her car, which she had left running, then returned to the babysitter’s unit to get the child’s belongings, police said. As she returned to her vehicle, Stakely saw someone starting to back it out onto the roadway and she ran toward the car, screaming for her son and telling the driver to stop.
Stakely was struck by the car and knocked to the pavement, suffering a head injury. She was pronounced dead at a hospital.
The two men abandoned the car a short distance away from where Stakely was struck, then ran past her as they fled by jumping a fence and heading into a neighboring apartment complex, police said. They remained at large Friday.
Surveillance video had recorded a group of men looking into apartments in another nearby complex earlier that morning, according to police, who said they matched the description of the men later seen running past Stakely.
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CLEVELAND — Stephen McDonnell recently retired as a school principal and is in a great place in his life, but that wasn’t the case four years ago.
“I didn’t read anything about it. I refused to do that. My wife had read a lot, I could tell it was bad,” McDonnell said.
McDonnell was referring to the type of he was diagnosed with in 2020, sarcoma. It developed near his thyroid.
Sarcomas is a rare and aggressive type of cancer that develops in bones and muscle, according to Dr. Nicole Fowler, a surgical oncologist at University Hospitals.
McDonnell’s cancer came on very quickly as a mass that grew as big as a baseball near his neck.
He said he had dark thoughts when he was first diagnosed, but that changed when he met Fowler.
“To have your world change from dark thoughts to hope and optimism, that’s what she did for me,” McDonnell said.
Sarcomas don’t typically have risk factors like smoking or exposure to toxins, which means anyone can get them and they usually catch people by surprise.
“Unfortunately…there is no screening test for sarcoma at this time as much as we wish that there were,” Fowler said.
McDonnell had his thyroid removed and 33 straight days of radiation. Despite losing his booming voice that once came in handy as a principal, he was able to thank Fowler in his speech at his daughter’s wedding.
“I’m not there if she (Fowler) isn’t in our life,” McDonnell said. “She was an honored guest.”
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Kimberly Perez
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WAVERLY, Ohio — As Intel’s new chips plant is being built in central Ohio, trucks have been hauling giant equipment across the buckeye state to Licking County.
Another one of those trips is happening this week.
The load carrying equipment for Intel is massive. It’s nearly the length of a football field and weighs about 900,000 pounds.
It was carrying an air processor, which is used in the silicon chip manufacturing process.
Matt Bruning with the Ohio Department of Transportation has been keeping an eye on the convoys these last several months. He said while the equipment is heavy, ODOT came prepared.
“When we found out that the companies were wanting to move these loads,” Bruning said. “We started working with the various stakeholders and figuring out what’s the best route from Adams County to Licking County that has roadways that can handle the weight.”
And the sheer size of it was another big task for ODOT.
“We had to analyze a lot of vertical clearance issues.” He said. “So, can it fit under traffic signals like the ones behind us here? Can it fit under bridges or do we need to pick a different route?”
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is escorting the convoy the entire way, but if drivers cross its path, Bruning said it may cause an inconvenience.
The superload left Manchester on Monday and isn’t expected to reach New Albany until next Tuesday.
ODOT said this is Intel’s 13th superload to make its way through the state this year, with about 10 additional ones still to come. The next one is supposed to happen later this summer.
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Aliah Keller
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OHIO — Major League Soccer and Columbus-based Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream are teaming up to release a limited-edition flavor for the upcoming 2024 MLS All-Star game.
The flavor, Cookies & Cleats, will be available starting Saturday, July 20. The flavor includes dark chocolate and truffle-like cookies with white chocolate flecks in a vanilla-scented cream, according to a release.
“We are huge soccer fans at Jeni’s and are so excited to partner with MLS to bring Cookies & Cleats, a limited-edition ice cream that celebrates the spirit of soccer, to fans and ice cream lovers in our hometown of Columbus,” said Stacy Peterson, Jeni’s CEO, in a release. “We are on a mission to bring people together over ice cream and are thrilled to be part of this exciting All-Star week.”
However, the flavor will only be available in Columbus at some Jeni’s locations and events.
From July 20 to July 24, fans can get a scoop at the following places and events:
“In bringing the MLS All-Star Game to Columbus, there was no better way to celebrate the city, and the ‘best of’ spirit of MLS All-Star then to collaborate with the beloved Jeni’s Ice Creams,” said Jesse Perl, vice president of MLS Brand Marketing, in a release. “We’re excited to share Cookies & Cleats with fans this summer, and tap into the Jeni’s tradition of remixing the classics.”
The All-Star game is on July 24 and starts at 8 p.m.
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Lydia Taylor
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AKRON, Ohio — The Akron Police Department said Tuesday it has made an arrest in connection to a shooting in Akron Saturday night, which injured four people, including a 4-year-old child.
The department said it has arrested Delrico Thomas, 25, of Canton at his home on Sunday. He’s been charged with four counts of felonious assault.
Additionally, the department gave an update on the victims. Three of them sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while a 33-year-old woman is in critical condition.
“Detectives are following up on leads and working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident,” the release from over the weekend stated. “There is no other information available at this time.”
The shooting occurred at the 800 block of Morningview Avenue around 7:41 p.m. Saturday. The investigation is ongoing, and police urge anyone with more information to contact the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2Tip. They can also contact the Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS, text TIPSCO with tips to 274637 or submit info on the Akron PD app.
Digital Producer Cody Thompson contributed to this report.
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Lydia Taylor
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CLEVELAND — As many are still grieving the death of Cleveland Police Officer Jamieson Ritter, chaplains can often play a crucial part in healing after a tragedy as they provide resources and can lend a confidential, listening ear.
Feelings of grief can be very different for family members and friends when their loved one gave their life in the name of service.
Ritter, a native of upstate New York, was killed in the early hours of Thursday while responding to a call about a male wanted for felonious assault. He was shot while he and other officers were attempting to arrest the suspect and was taken to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Officer Jamieson Ritter. (Courtesy Cleveland Division of Police)
Not only did Officer Ritter serve on the Cleveland Police Department, he was formerly a member of the Ohio Army National Guard and most recently transferred to the U.S. Army Reserves.
“The community experiences one sense of the tragedy, right, there’s a loss of life,” Police Chaplain Patrick Mitchell said. “There’s that shattering of sometimes i think police departments almost seem untouchable.”
Mitchell is the lead Pastor at Liberty Assembly of God, a volunteer Chaplain with the Liberty Police Department, and the South East Ohio Director for 46.1 Response.
He and the crisis management team responded to the Charter bus crash on I-70 just last year.
“Incidents like this are tricky because, not only do you have a family who is grieving, but you have a family who is seeing the loss of their loved one play out on the news,” he said. “So that can be tough.”
Mitchell said a strong support system is crucial.
“The men and women who put on any uniform, especially Officer Ritter, who honestly was a hero in the sense that he wore both uniforms as different points in his life — wearing the military uniform of our country and also putting on the uniform of the Cleveland Police Department. I think the men and women that step into that role understand what they’re stepping into,” he said.
Mitchell said most people who serve do so simply because they love it.
“They not only have their community in mind, but I’m sure they have their own families in mind,” he said. “And so they do what they do because they want to be that line of defense. They want to be a part of creating an environment that’s safe not just for their families but for all the families of their community.”
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Alese Underwood
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Someone in Ohio is having a very nice holiday weekend, having won the Powerball jackpot prize of $139.3 million Wednesday, according to a Powerball press release.
The winning numbers were 02, 26, 33, 55, 57 and red Powerball 22. There was also a 2x multiplier in play.
This was the fifth jackpot won this year, according to the release, with the last one being won in June in New Jersey for $222.6 million.
The winner of the ticket is now faced with the choice many dream of. Do they take a one-time payment of $66.5 million or do they take $139.3 million spread across 29 annual payments? Those prices are, of course, before taxes are taken out.
In total, this drawing saw 388,650 winners to some degree. Three tickets won $1 million, and five won $50,000.
“The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9,” the release reads. “The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.”
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Cody Thompson
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LIMA, Ohio — History is being made in Lima, Ohio. It’s the first full orchestra to perform inside of an Ohio prison.
“Music, I believe, is healing, and it does restore,” said Allen/Oakwood Correctional Institution inmate, Kevin Karszewski.
Kevin Karszewski is an inmate at Allen Oakwood Correctional Institution, but he is also a member of the one hundred man choir. Along with Kevin is Jeff Hawkins, and he says this experience is great for the inmates.
“It’s great from all different aspects because it’s great for the inmates to see what a real symphony orchestra is to come actually in and hear it live, because many of these guys have never, ever heard a live orchestra, you know, especially something as large as a symphony orchestra,” said Allen-Oakwood Correctional Institution inmate, Jeff Hawkins.
But it’s also great for people on the outside to see what really happens inside a prison.
“But it’s also good, I think, for people on the outside that see this, to understand that we do so much more in prison than what you see in movies or our reality TV shows where we always portray prison as violent or, you know, all the bad things,” said Hawkins.
This performance is a part of the Lima Symphony’s “Healing through music” program. A program that began in 2018 with the intent of helping individuals fight addiction and mental illness. According to Lima Symphony executive director, Elizabeth Brown-Ellis, music can help everyone.
“Music is therapeutic. Music unites us. It just transcends. I think our place and our the limitations of our current reality,” said the Executive Director of the Lima Symphony, Elizabeth Brown-Ellis.
Bringing an experience like this to a community that is often overlooked and stereotyped gives inmates hope for the future of their rehabilitation.
“It’s so progressive to have the administration here team up with an organization like the Lima Symphony Orchestra because, again, it’s just not something that either organization is, is usually experienced,” said Hawkins.
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Kennedy Chase
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In Donald Trump’s immunity case, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that presidents are shielded from prosecution for official acts, but not unofficial ones.
The case was sent back to a lower court, further delaying the historic prosecution against the Republican ex-president on charges that he sought to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, which culminated in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of his supporters.
The ruling was 6-3 along the high court’s ideological lines, with Trump’s three appointed conservative justices ruling in favor, but the three liberal justices on the bench dissenting.
“Under our constitutional structure of separated powers, the nature of Presidential power entitles a former President to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority,” the ruling reads. “And he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts. There is no immunity for unofficial acts.”
In a blistering dissent, liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, an appointee of Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama, expressed grave concern for how this ruling could impact the future of American democracy.
“Looking beyond the fate of this particular prosecution, the long-term consequences of today’s decision are stark,” she wrote. “The Court effectively creates a law-free zone around the President, upsetting the status quo that has existed since the Founding. This new official-acts immunity now ‘lies about like a loaded weapon’ for any President that wishes to place his own interests, his own political survival, or his own financial gain, above the interests of the Nation.”
“When he uses his official powers in any way, under the majority’s reasoning, he now will be insulated from criminal prosecution. Orders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune. Organizes a military coup to hold onto power? Immune. Takes a bribe in exchange for a pardon? Immune. Immune, immune, immune. Let the President violate the law, let him exploit the trappings of his office for personal gain, let him use his official power for evil ends. Because if he knew that he may one day face liability for breaking the law, he might not be as bold and fearless as we would like him to be. That is the majority’s message today.”
“Even if these nightmare scenarios never play out, and I pray they never do, the damage has been done,” Sotomayor wrote. “The relationship between the President and the people he serves has shifted irrevocably. In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law.
“Never in the history of our Republic has a President had reason to believe that he would be immune from criminal prosecution if he used the trappings of his office to violate the criminal law,” she later added. “Moving forward, however, all former Presidents will be cloaked in such immunity. If the occupant of that office misuses official power for personal gain, the criminal law that the rest of us must abide will not provide a backstop.”
“With fear for our democracy, I dissent,” Sotomayor concluded.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called it a “BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEMOCRACY” in all-caps.
“PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!” he added.
This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.
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Justin Tasolides
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AKRON — The Akron-Summit County Public Library’s inception dates all the way back to 1874, so they are celebrating their 150th anniversary this year.
In a post on their website, they say the library “has been a community pillar, fostering a love for learning, knowledge and culture.” They have also announced various events and initiatives surrounding it.
The first of these is the Grand Gala on June 29, which will include music, food and a silent auction for a chance to win various signed books.
They also launched their Library Passport program, which has participants traveling throughout the county, stopping at their various branches. They have also released commemorative tote bags and library cards.
Mayor Shammas Malik even recently made a stop to present a proclamation for the anniversary to the library’s board of trustees.
Learn more about their 150th anniversary celebrations and events here.
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Cody Thompson
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State Athletics is about to have a new leader for the first time in almost 20 years as Athletic Director Gene Smith is retiring after this weekend.
After 39 years as an athletic director, including 19 at Ohio State, Smith is saying goodbye as the leader of OSU Athletics and his prolific career.
“There’s just so many student athletes whose names just run through my head,” Smith said, as he reflects on his career.
In those years, Smith has seen the Buckeyes win 32 team and 117 individual NCAA championships.
During Smith’s 19 years OSU has won 32 team and 117 individual NCAA championships as well as 115 team and 369 individual Big Ten Championships. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)
“Of course, the football championship was huge, and did so many other championships,” Smith said. “You know, the wrestling championship was significant.”
But the thing Smith is most proud of is the change in culture in the classroom for student athletes.
Smith hugs Keith Diebler, OSU’s men’s basketball head coach’s dad. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)
“I’m proud of a lot of things, but, most proud that we’ve changed the culture with our student athletes,” he said. “We recruit character, we recruit athletes who want to compete in the classroom.”
In 2005, 324 student athletes maintained a 3.0 GPA. This year, it’s up to 811. And while Smith leaves behind quite a legacy, he says the hardest part about leaving is not seeing the student-athletes each day.
Smith is often seen on the sidelines of football games and other OSU athletic events. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)
“I think it’ll probably be more emotional as I follow our teams from afar. It’ll just be new for me,” he said. “I won’t be able to just, you know, say, ‘oh, we got a tennis match today. I’m gonna run over or, you know, we got a swimming meet or whatever.’”
Smith and his wife are moving to Arizona after his retirement to be closer to family and allow new AD Ross Bjork to make his own decisions. But Smith is hopeful to see his Buckeyes out west.
Ross Bjork takes over as AD on July 1. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)
“Fiesta Bowl holds the quarter final this year in football,” Smith said. “So, you know, fingers crossed.”
Smith, a Cleveland native, says finishing his career in his home state has been the honor of his life.
“To be able to end my career in a state that I grew up in, it means a great deal to me,” he said. “I love Ohio, will always love Ohio. You know, I’ll slide back into Ohio at the right times.”
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Katie Kapusta
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