The morning newsletter of the Ohio Capital Journal
Reporting for the People
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By David DeWitt | Editor in Chief
Good morning Ohio!
Ohio saw a small loss of jobs in May, but more significant are the large numbers of Ohioans leaving the state's workforce.
Stock photo from Getty Images.
By Marty Schladen
The United States added 172,000 jobs in May, more than doubling economists' expectations. But Ohio saw a modest decrease, losing 2,400, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
By Susan Tebben
For the 1 in 10 Ohioans who identify as LGBTQ+, media representation and social acceptance may have improved, but stigma and discrimination still impact them in large aspects of their lives, including healthcare access, a new report shows.
By Zurie Pope
More than 130 medical calls have been made from the Butler County, Ohio jail since their Immigrations and Customs Enforcement contract resumed last year, records obtained by the Ohio Capital Journal show, a 25% increase from the year before.
COMMENTARY
(Photo by kali9/Getty Images)
By Nicole Lesnick
Rather than removing our children from platforms that have become central to how their peers connect and learn, Ohio parents should lean in, understanding the tools, setting boundaries, and staying engaged in how our children are using these platforms.
STATELINE
The big challenges and policy issues that cross state lines.
By Kelcie Moseley-Morris
In the four years since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, access to abortion in more than a dozen states has dramatically decreased.
By Alex Brown
The state of California and the Trump administration are on course for a major legal clash that could determine whether the state will continue to have unique authority to shape the American automotive market.
By Nada Hassanein
Seventeen Republican attorneys general have sued California over a state law that requires plastic packaging producers to move away from single-use plastics, alleging that the law will raise costs for consumers across the country.
THE RUNDOWN
News from other states
By Ben Solis, Michigan Advance
With two members of the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission on the ballot this year, a Republican lawmaker is proposing a constitutional amendment to bar commissioners from seeking partisan state or local office until after the next census.
NATIONAL NEWS
By Jonathan Shorman
The U.S. Postal Service won’t deliver mail ballots in states that refuse to turn over lists of voters under a proposed rule, the agency’s chief executive said Wednesday, angering Democrats who warn the decision will disenfranchise voters.
By Jonathan Shorman
A federal appeals court on Wednesday ruled the Department of Justice isn’t entitled to access the sensitive personal data of Michigan voters, a setback in President Donald Trump’s push to assert power over state-run elections.
By Ashley Murray
The Republican-led U.S. Senate served up a rare public check on President Donald Trump’s agenda Tuesday when it voted to approve a House-passed War Powers Resolution to end hostilities in Iran.
By Jacob Fischler
The U.S. House cleared a bipartisan housing policy overhaul Tuesday, aiming to lower the cost of homeownership as members of both parties attempt to focus on affordability issues ahead of November’s midterm elections.
By Jacob Fischler and Jennifer Shutt
President Donald Trump derailed a housing overhaul that he was set to sign into law Wednesday, canceling a signing ceremony for the broadly popular bipartisan bill until Congress passes an election security measure.
By Ashley Murray
Parties, protests, displays of historic documents, odes to the Founding Fathers — and a massive political rally by the president — will mark a deeply polarized nation’s 250th anniversary on this Fourth of July.
HISTORY THURSDAY
On this day, June 25, in 1978, the first version of the rainbow flag, which represents LGBTQ+ pride, was flown during the 7th Annual Gay Freedom Day Parade in San Francisco. Read more from Brittanica
CATCHING OUR EYE
JobsOhio reform going nowhere fast. The Statehouse News Bureau’s Sarah Donaldson reports, “Why reform of JobsOhio won’t go anywhere this legislative session.”
Earlier this year, state lawmakers introduced bills establishing stricter government oversight into JobsOhio, the powerful and private arm that pursues economic projects on the state’s behalf. But any effort at reform is dead for now.
JobsOhio faced a wave of scrutiny in March for giving money to Krisanthe Vlachos, the military podcaster tied to the resignation of Ted Carter, the former Ohio State University president. On social media, a spokesperson wrote it fulfilled a $60,000 contract with Vlachos in 2025, who Carter has since admitted to an “inappropriate relationship” with.Ohio nurses. The Ohio Newsroom’s Kendall Crawford reports, “Ohio nurses are overwhelmed. Could a mandatory staffing ratio help?”
The Ohio Nursing Association (ONA), one of the state’s nursing unions, polled Ohio direct care nurses in 2024. More than half said they were considering changing jobs due to overwhelming patient loads.
Advocates across Ohio say it’s a sign that the state needs to revamp its staffing standards. “Right now across the state, nurses show up to provide care in situations that are less than ideal,” said Rick Lucas, executive director of the ONA. Nursing shortages have plagued hospitals for years.First responders. The Dayton Daily News reports, “Ohio bill would activate PTSD fund for first responders after years of delays.”
First responders in Ohio will soon have access to state funds meant to offset costs related to post-traumatic stress injuries, years after the idea was first codified into Ohio law.
In House Bill 479, which requires Gov. Mike DeWine’s signature to become law, the legislature creates a new commission within the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health and tasks it with overseeing, creating the rules for, and administering the Ohio Post-Traumatic Stress Fund.
THE POD
THAT'S ALL FOR NOW, FOLKS.
Mahalo!
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