Fracking Approved for Public Lands

The Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission last Friday approved fracking on more than 8,700 acres at Egypt Valley Wildlife Area, Valley Run Wildlife Area, and Salt Fork State Park.

Fracking is a method of extracting oil or natural gas by injecting liquid underground at high pressure.

One bid in Guernsey County was denied because it included parcels containing federal highways, and the Ohio Department of Transportation had not received federal approval.

More than 275 public commenters opposed fracking at Egypt Valley, while one commenter voiced support. After commissioners approved the bids, opponents of using public land for fracking shouted and booed.

Bill Mandates English-Only Driver’s Exams

Proposed state legislation would require the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles to administer written and skills-based driver’s license exams entirely in English.

Under House Bill 753—sponsored by Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Loveland—the registrar of motor vehicles would be prohibited from allowing translators, dictionaries, electronic devices, or interpreters during exams, except when required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

In a statement, Schmidt said drivers must understand English to properly follow traffic laws and road signs, and to interact with law enforcement.

HB 753 follows another bill, HB 722, that would bar noncitizens without legal residency from operating a motor vehicle in Ohio.

TV Doc Shows Off Griffey’s Photography

An upcoming documentary highlights the photography of Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. at a sporting event far from the baseball diamond: the Masters Tournament.

Photographer No. 24 follows Griffey’s work as a credentialed photographer at the 2025 Masters Tournament, where he documented Rory McIlroy’s win that completed his career Grand Slam.

Griffey graduated from Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller High School before the Seattle Mariners selected him with the first overall pick in the 1987 draft. He later followed his father’s path to the Cincinnati Reds, where he hit his 400th, 500th, and 600th home runs.

The documentary premieres at 1 p.m. on April 5 on NBC and will afterward stream on Peacock.

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➤ Warren County: County officials are studying the viability of replacing property taxes with a sales tax exceeding 17%. The county’s current sales tax rate is 6.75%, including the state portion. (More)

➤ Cincinnati: Construction is set to begin today on Glenway Avenue at the bridge between Glenhills Way and the intersections of Crookshank Road and Boudinot Avenue, with lane restrictions expected for seven months. (More)

➤ Hardin County: The county fairgrounds will remain closed until further notice after an EF-1 tornado struck the property last week, damaging multiple buildings. (See Photo)

➤ Toledo: The University of Toledo is seeking participants for a study on how algal blooms affect residents living near Lake Erie. (Details)

➤ Steubenville: The city’s new bulk water fill station is now open to the public, aiming to improve efficiency for customers filling bulk water containers or tanker trucks. (More)

➤ Cincinnati: A disorderly conduct charge against a man identified as a victim in last summer’s viral downtown Cincinnati brawl was dropped after two subpoenaed witnesses failed to appear in court. (More)

➤ The University of Akron has named Dustin Ford as its men’s basketball head coach, replacing John Groce. Ford served as associate head coach under Groce for the past nine seasons. (More)

➤ Cleveland Guardians rookie Chase DeLauter was named American League Player of the Week after hitting four home runs and batting .353 through the team’s first four games. Cincinnati Reds rookie Sal Stewart claimed National League honors, batting .700 with three doubles and a home run. (More)

➤ Cleveland Browns owner Dee Haslam said the Brook Park stadium project is “full steam ahead” despite a delay involving $600 million in state funding, which faces challenges over its use of unclaimed funds. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | MLB | NHL | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | Tennis

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➤ Resonant Sciences plans to open a radome production and sustainment facility in Greene County to manufacture critical components for U.S. military aircraft. The project is expected to create 101 jobs. (More)

➤ Dupon USA, a Belgian ice cream cone company, plans to invest $33 million to expand its Columbus corporate and logistics operations, adding 60 jobs. (More)

➤ Technicote Inc., operating as Beontag in Trotwood, said it will lay off 53 employees on May 24. The facility will remain open with reduced operations. (More)

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➤ An 11-year-old boy from Smithville with Down syndrome survived leukemia and rang the bell at Akron Children’s and at Green Elementary, walking through the school and high-fiving classmates who were wearing his favorite color—blue. (Watch Video Report)

➤ Daffodil Hill at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland won’t offer as vibrant a display as usual this year because the bulbs have reached the end of their life cycle. Cemetery officials say new bulbs are scheduled to be planted in the fall. (More)

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Should Ohio allow fracking at state parks and wildlife areas?

1. Yes
   
2. No
   
3. Not sure
   

Yesterday’s Results:

Do you still have your high school diploma?

1. Yes, still have it: 41%
2. Yes, not sure where: 25%
3. No, lost it: 18%
4. Never needed one: 16%

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 400th and 500th home runs on what special days, with his father in attendance?

Show me the answer