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$10 diesel? One Ohio analyst says it’s possible.

When truck stops and gas stations erected their signs, they didn’t anticipate needing two digits before the decimal point. But an Ohio-based data analyst who used to work in the energy industry says it’s a distinct possibility that they’ll need to find one for diesel. As President Donald Trump’s war with Iran has…

Ohio reading scores rise. Is the science of reading working?

This story was originally published by The 74. Ohio students’ reading scores rose slightly last school year, the first the science of reading was mandated, but it’s too soon to say whether the phonics-based lessons are making a difference. About 63 percent of Ohio third graders — the grade educators have long…

What does it really cost Ohio households to lose power for a day?

A couple months ago, I was spending time at a friend’s family cabin in Hocking County. When we awoke in the morning, the lights would not switch on. We got a call from his mother: “Don’t open the refrigerator!” When the power goes out, people lose more than electricity. We were lucky: we were on

Americans’ water bills are growing faster than groceries, overall inflation

Household water bills are increasing faster than inflation and income, according to a new analysis. The environmental advocacy nonprofit Food and Water Watch analyzed water bill data among the nation’s 500 largest community water providers. Those systems serve a collective 155 million people — nearly half the nation’s…

Democrats could win majority of governor’s offices for first time in 16 years

As the political prospects for Republicans worsen ahead of November’s midterm elections, the GOP is increasingly playing defense over its yearslong grip on state governments. That’s particularly true for gubernatorial elections, as Democrats could win a majority of governorships for the first time since 2010…

US Supreme Court orders another look at how WA political maps are drawn

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday set the stage for another redrawing of Washington state’s political maps. On the first day of its new session, the court accepted a legal challenge to the boundaries, then remanded it to a lower court to determine if the way a federal judge drew the lines in 2024 complies

Democrats more trusted on healthcare costs, survey shows

WASHINGTON — Democrats are more motivated to vote in November’s midterm elections than Republicans, potentially giving the party an advantage to flip at least one chamber of Congress, according to a poll released Tuesday by the nonpartisan health organization KFF. Democratic candidates also held an edge with voter…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Oct. 6, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

The promise of a free education is fundamental to our democracy

This commentary was originally published in the West Virginia Watch. The American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia announced a lawsuit last week over the unconstitutional underfunding of public schools. I’m not exaggerating when I say this may be the most important case we have filed in my 10 years with this…

Here’s what could happen if NC lawmakers pause the gas tax in a special session

Suspending state gas taxes in North Carolina could lead to delays in roadwork, according to a leading economist. House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell and Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, announced over the weekend they plan to call lawmakers back to Raleigh for a special session on reducing gas prices. Both…

Kratom, 7-OH laws diverge amid the spread of potent synthetic products

For years, the psychoactive compound kratom has been sold across much of the United States as an herbal supplement, available in powders, capsules and extracts with few of the restrictions applied to controlled substances. But the market is changing. Products containing a potentially dangerous kratom derivative known…

Trump drops longtime aversion to mail-in voting with GOP trailing in polls

President Donald Trump wants to sharply curtail mail ballots. He’s called them “inherently corrupt” and baselessly condemned them as a major source of fraud. But with Republicans falling behind in the polls, the president is now urging his supporters to vote in the midterm elections any way they can, including by…

US House Dems’ campaign chief predicts they’ll gain majority control in midterms

WASHINGTON — Democrats expect they’ll gain a majority of seats in the U.S. House following November’s midterm elections, giving the party a platform to serve as a check on the president’s power. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene said during an interview Monday that curbing the war in Iran…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Oct. 5, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

Poll: Dems open lead in two Ohio races

Former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, has an eight-point lead over U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, a Republican who was appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine, according to a poll of Ohio registered voters released last week. The same poll found that in the contest for governor, Democrat Amy Acton was up six points over Republican

Can Ohio do better than a gas tax suspension?

On Wednesday, the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate approved a 90-day suspension of the state’s gas tax, planning to backfill it with funds from the state’s General Revenue fund. With a two-thirds majority in favor of the bill in each chamber, the bill will take effect immediately. The governor signed…

Prediction markets spend millions to influence state, federal governments

Kalshi, Polymarket and the Coalition for Prediction Markets have spent at least $3 million this year on lobbying and campaign contributions across the federal and state levels, according to a new report from the government watchdog group OpenSecrets. Prediction market platforms say they are like commodity markets that…

Here’s what’s driving the Gen Z gender gap

Editor’s note: This story is part of Gen Z at the Ballot Box, a collaboration between States Newsroom and The 19th. Brenna Vandergeest was a teenager when her grandmother told her about Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court case that ended the federal right to an abortion. She said it lit a…

Hiring slows in September with job growth of 29K

Jobs across the United States rose by 29,000 in September, a disappointing result as recent growth was also revised down in Friday’s monthly jobs report, the last one before midterm elections. September growth was a large dip from a strong August number that was revised down from 162,000 to 133,000 in the new report…

Community groups lose HIV-prevention money as feds redirect dollars to states

Nearly 100 community-based organizations have lost their federal HIV-prevention grants this week as the Trump administration redirects dollars to state and local health departments. The funding change represents a departure from the decades-old national HIV prevention strategy favored by most public health…

After states sue, Trump administration walks away from disability rights enforcement

A court battle that began when conservative-led states sued to block protections for transgender people has ended in a rollback of protections for people with disabilities — a result disability advocates have feared for months. At the end of August, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services joined the handful…

Federal funds for local police enforcement accelerated Trump immigration crackdown

WASHINGTON — This summer, arrests of immigrants in the United States soared to the highest levels since President Donald Trump returned to office. An unprecedented increase in cooperation between local and state law enforcement and federal immigration officers through collaborations known as 287(g) agreements helped…

When will I see gas prices lower in Ohio?

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Even though Ohio is starting a gas tax holiday, drivers won’t see prices fall immediately. Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill temporarily reducing the state’s gas tax into law Thursday morning. While the provisions are effective now, the holiday won’t fully start until 12:01 a.m. this Sunday. “This will…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Oct. 2, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

How is Ohio doing amid safety-net cuts? Trump hasn’t released the data

Women — especially women of color — continue to lag average Americans in measures of wealth and wellness. But when it comes to tracking how Ohio women are doing in the aftermath of last year’s deep cuts to the social safety net, people who study the issue say they’re flying blind. That’s because the Census

Supreme Court will consider Trump’s mandatory immigrant detention policy

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a case challenging a Trump administration policy that threatens millions of immigrants with mandatory and indefinite detention while fighting their court cases. The policy, put into place in July 2025, requires people picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement…

Republican AGs sue abortion ‘shield law’ states in US Supreme Court

BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and the attorneys general in Arkansas and Alabama filed a lawsuit Tuesday in the U.S. Supreme Court, suing California, Massachusetts and New York to invalidate the so-called “shield laws” that have allowed providers in those states to send abortion medication…

Voters to weigh different approaches to housing affordability in November

Voters in four states will decide housing-related ballot measures in November, providing testing grounds for different strategies to boost affordable homes. The six measures across California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are the highest number in a single election year in at least two decades, according to…

Feds provide guidance on new federal K-12 scholarship tax credit program

The U.S. Department of the Treasury released new guidance Thursday for participating states, scholarship-granting organizations and taxpayers as the federal scholarship tax credit program prepares to take effect in January. Created through President Donald Trump’s massive tax and spending law in 2025, the Education…

Braun renews Indiana gas tax suspension, broadens untaxed diesel use for farmers

Gov. Mike Braun on Wednesday renewed Indiana’s gas tax suspension for another 30 days — until early November — and issued a new order lifting restrictions on the sale of untaxed diesel fuel for trucks operated by farmers and timber harvesters on public roads. The order cited continued disruption to global oil supply…

Outraged over ‘illegal’ wetlands rule, a GOP senator blocks dozens of Trump nominees

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Keith Sonderling as secretary of Labor on Wednesday, marking one of the few Trump administration picks to get through the upper chamber recently after a North Dakota senator put a hold on “any and all” nominees. But the Senate left town late Wednesday for its weeks-long…

Judge blocks federal prosecutors from refiling charges in Reflecting Pool case

WASHINGTON — A D.C. Superior Court judge ruled Thursday that prosecutors cannot, for a second time, charge former Olympic canoeist David Hearn with damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Judge Todd E. Edelman wrote in his ruling that “the observed damage to the Reflecting Pool was due to a contractor’s ‘rushed…

US Senate leaves nation’s capital in advance of midterms with much still undone

WASHINGTON — U.S. senators departed Capitol Hill on Wednesday night for their campaign break, leaving numerous policy disputes unresolved. The chamber won’t return until Nov. 9 for the five-week lame-duck session, when party leaders will have to decide which bills they want to negotiate during what could be the final…

Trump launches campaign tour in GOP-friendly states ahead of midterms

President Donald Trump is scheduled to kick off a month-long blitz of campaign stops with a Thursday rally in deep-red Oklahoma before heading to other states with strong Republican leanings. The first events in the closing stretch of the midterm election campaign suggest his strength with swing voters is limited, as…

US Senate Dems block bill curbing congressional stock trading, calling it too weak

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans did not gain any support Wednesday from Democrats as they attempted to advance a bill that mashed together two hot-button midterm issues: requiring voter ID in federal elections and limiting stock trading for members of Congress. The Republican-led bill, titled the Stop Insider…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Oct. 1, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

Ohio’s next education fight could be over how kids learn math

This story was produced by The 74, a non-profit, independent news organization focused on education in America. Ohio officials are tackling the math struggles of students with an effort resembling its science of reading push, but have yet to deal with perhaps the most fundamental issue — how instruction should change…

AG Liz Murrill sues states with shield laws protecting abortion-pill providers

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and her counterparts in Arkansas and Alabama announced Wednesday they are suing three Democratic-led states over laws that grant immunity to doctors who prescribe abortion-inducing medication to people in states where it is illegal. The lawsuit, filed directly with the U.S…

The federal tax credit as a boon for public schools?

Starting in January, Americans can “donate” $1,700 to a “scholarship granting organization” (or SGO) and get every penny back on their federal taxes. The program, created in last year’s reconciliation bill, was sold as a way to subsidize private school tuition. But because school vouchers like these are strikingly…

States OK solar panels for balconies. Safety guidelines haven't caught up.

Over the past year and a half, a dozen states have embraced a new vision for solar power: small, cheap panels that can be hung from a balcony or porch, be plugged into a standard wall outlet and take a dent out of residents’ utility bills. These systems, known as balcony solar or plug-in solar,

Schumer: Democratic US Senate may block Trump nominees for Supreme Court, lower courts

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer indicated Wednesday that should Democrats regain control of the chamber following the elections, they plan to block judicial nominees sent up by President Donald Trump, including for any possible vacancies on the Supreme Court. “Look, the bottom line is, one of…

Ohio lawmakers approve 90-day gas tax holiday just weeks ahead of election

Ohio state lawmakers have approved a 90-day gas tax holiday at the urging of Republican candidate for governor Vivek Ramaswamy. The House and Senate also cobbled together the two-thirds supermajority necessary for an emergency clause which ensures the measure takes effect immediately. The move comes as the rising cost…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Sept. 30, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

Ohio job growth is slowing, analysis says

Unemployment rates in Ohio remained low in August but Ohio’s job growth has also slowed, a recent analysis by Policy Matters Ohio said. There are several reasons for low unemployment happening along with slow job growth, and none are encouraging. Ohio added an average of 3,100 jobs per month from January to August…

Will gas tax gimmick make Ohioans forget why we are in this mess and who got us here?

Over the last 20 months, Republican majorities in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate have subordinated themselves to the president of the United States. They abrogated their Article 1 responsibilities as a co-equal branch of the federal government to carry water for the convicted felon in the White House. History will…

Governors pledge to oppose federal overreach — even when their party runs Washington

Democratic and Republican governors say they will more aggressively push back on federal overreach regardless of which party controls Washington. Earlier this month, the bipartisan National Governors Association for the first time in over a decade updated its internal principles on federalism — the system of power…

Trump TV ads paid for with $20M in Homeland Security funds, Dems find

President Donald Trump is tapping $20 million in Homeland Security funding to pay for TV ads that heavily feature him ahead of the midterm elections, Democrats said Tuesday as the promos critics call propaganda come under bipartisan attack. The Trump administration recently moved the funds into a U.S. Customs and…

Gas tax holiday proposal gets first hearing in Ohio Senate

Ohio senators got their first chance Tuesday to discuss a gas tax holiday Republican leaders announced last week. The GOP is aiming to pass its plan with an emergency clause so the measure can take effect immediately. To do that, they’ll need to pick up Democratic votes in the House. If the reaction among state

Trump thwarted in hunt for rare noncitizen voters as midterms near

Five weeks before Election Day, President Donald Trump’s sprawling effort to identify and remove noncitizen voters hasn’t produced the kind of large purges that could meaningfully affect the midterm elections. Even a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision giving states access to a supercharged Department of Homeland…

‘Dumbfounds us all.’ Congress struggles with policies rippling from AI development.

The challenges and dire threats surrounding the unchecked growth of artificial intelligence appear unlikely to move Congress or President Donald Trump to act as the U.S. Senate enters its last week before the midterms. The rapid emergence of the technology has sparked a host of policy debates, with some warning of an…

Trump used impossible foreign labor standards as tariff workaround, small businesses say

WASHINGTON — Small businesses will once again challenge President Donald Trump’s tariffs in federal court this week as they continue to feel the squeeze of the administration’s roller coaster policy on import taxes. Spice importer Burlap & Barrel and rare watch importer Collective Horology will argue Wednesday in the…

Major bill to set standards for college athletes’ pay passes US Senate

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan measure to overhaul the college sports landscape got a step closer to becoming law Monday after passing the U.S. Senate. The bill — which sailed through on a 77-22 vote — would set a national framework for college athletes’ compensation, provide certain antitrust protections to the NCAA…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Sept. 29, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

Head of JobsOhio board to be deposed in federal civil lawsuit against FirstEnergy

The chairman of the JobsOhio board, Josh Rubin, will be deposed Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 in advance of a federal civil trial in which Akron-based FirstEnergy is the defendant, according to court records. In the suit, state pension systems and other investors accuse FirstEnergy of failing to tell them of “an illicit…

Race for Ohio Treasurer decides who invests the state’s billions and how

The nation is keeping an eye on Ohio’s November general election, particularly the governor’s race and those at the top of the ballot. But no matter who is elected to be the next governor, as secretary of state, or to a seat in the legislature, they all have to partner with the leader of the

High-risk pregnancy doctors publish new standards for care under state abortion bans

As physicians continue to navigate care for patients with complex pregnancies in states with abortion bans, a group of maternal-fetal medicine specialists has developed new guidelines to help providers in those states navigate legal risks for themselves and medical challenges for their high-risk patients…

CDC’s latest youth behavior report offers a narrower look at teen health

For more than 35 years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has surveyed American high school students every two years about their health and behavior. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey, established in 1991, draws a nationally representative sample of students in grades 9 through 12 at public and private…

The signs offer quick cash for homes. But states want more oversight.

WE BUY HOUSES. CASH 4 HOMES. FA$T CA$H. The signs, text messages and mailers promise cash, quick sales and a seamless means of unloading unwanted homes. But advocates say the business of buying homes for cash can confuse vulnerable homeowners and rob them of home equity. And now, many states are cracking down…

US Supreme Court again blocks Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional map

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday drove a stake through the heart of Missouri’s undead congressional map, ordering it be buried for the year and for voters to cast ballots in the districts they’ve used the past two election cycles. In a unanimous decision, the court said that state law rules in the case. “In

‘Very bad idea.’ Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine pumps brakes on proposal to suspend gas tax

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is pumping the brakes on the current proposal to suspend the state gas tax, warning that taking money away from the Department of Transportation could be devastating. On average, Ohio’s motor fuel tax brings in more than $8 million a day. The money is used to maintain and construct roads, highways

Trump administration revokes $810M approved by Congress for refugee aid and more

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has, once again, infuriated lawmakers from both political parties by using a controversial maneuver to cancel funding previously approved by Congress. The $810 million in the “pocket rescission” would have gone to refugee assistance programs at the Department of Health and Human…

Trump administration asks Supreme Court to permit quick third-country deportations

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration Thursday made an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to allow for rapid third-country deportations of noncitizens to continue, after an appeals court blocked the policy last week. In a brief, U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer asked the high court to temporarily halt the…

Democrats gain 4 in US Senate GOP on Iran war resolution, but vote falls short

WASHINGTON — Despite skyrocketing fuel prices and sinking approval ratings for President Donald Trump’s conflict in Iran ahead of the November midterms, Senate Republicans blocked Democrats’ efforts Thursday to check the president’s unfettered military action in the Middle East. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Sept. 28, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

Ohio gets a failing mark on sex education policy from national group

Ohio received an “F” for its sex education policy, according to a new report from the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States. This is the second year in a row Ohio has earned an “F” on the report card from SIECUS, a national organization that advocates for comprehensive, medically accurate…

Ohio economists: Abatements may attract data centers, but is that a good thing?

In a recent survey, most economists said Ohio’s tax abatements are an effective way to attract AI data centers to the Buckeye State, but many also questioned the desirability of doing so. They were more split on the economic benefits of making data centers generate their own electricity. There has been a swift, sharp…

Ohio farmers are getting crushed by our politicians’ failure to fight for us

I’m Joe Stimmell. I am a lifelong resident of Ashland County and farmer of more than 20 years, where I raise 25 head of beef cattle and farm about 700 acres of corn, soybeans, and small grains with my brother and uncle. I am unaffiliated with any party or candidate. I’ve been through tough times,

Ohio families are paying the price for the government-induced energy crisis

Last month, gas prices hit a record high here in Ohio, and honestly, that tracks: 94% of Ohio voters say energy costs are extremely or somewhat important to them. Whether it’s the gas pump or the AC bill, Ohioans can’t catch a break. And that’s not bad luck. It’s a choice Republican elected officials keep

Doctors and hospitals to see lower Medicaid payments in three dozen states

New federal rules likely will force three dozen states to reduce their annual Medicaid payments to doctors and hospitals by a total of more than $50 billion — potentially shrinking the number of providers willing to see Medicaid patients, according to a new analysis. The analysis in the peer-reviewed Health Affairs…

States put criminal justice, marijuana policies before voters in 2026

Voters in nine states will weigh changes to their criminal legal systems and drug policies this fall. The Nov. 3 ballot measures include questions about pretrial release, fentanyl and human trafficking penalties, immigration enforcement, traffic cameras, drug cartels and marijuana regulation. The measures reflect a…

Judge dismisses President Donald Trump's 2024 Iowa Poll lawsuit

An Iowa district court judge on Wednesday dismissed the lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump against the Des Moines Register and pollster J. Ann Selzer for the 2024 Iowa Poll published shortly before the election. Trump filed the lawsuit against the Iowa newspaper; its parent company, Gannett Co., now renamed USA…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Sept. 25, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

Ohio’s biggest solar project finally gets permit after long legal limbo

This story was originally published by Canary Media. Ohio’s largest solar and battery project can finally move forward after years of slogging through legal and regulatory challenges. The Ohio Power Siting Board on Thursday approved a permit for Oak Run Solar, which will combine 800 megawatts of solar with 300 MW of…

Ohio lawmakers turn their backs on public schools again

The Heights Coalition for Public Education is a grassroots organization formed in 2014 by public education activists in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights (CHUH) school district. Like most taxpayers across Ohio, we want our public schools to excel so that our children, economy, and democracy can thrive. Our…

More Americans lose SNAP as Congress weighs food stamps’ future

Tens of thousands of Americans continue to lose access to food assistance each month, even as Congress debates slowing down major cuts to federal food stamps. New data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows more than 330,000 Americans lost access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP…