Crash Causes 8-Hour Gridlock on I-71

Drivers on Interstate 71 northbound in Pickaway County were stranded for over eight hours overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning after an accident involving a semi-truck in a construction zone.

The truck, hauling 42,000 pounds of axles, crashed around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, closing the interstate until 6:50 a.m. on Thursday.

Crews struggled to clear debris from the roadway due to the narrow lanes and lack of a shoulder within the construction zone.

One driver returning from Kings Island with her three children told local media that motorists turned off vehicles overnight to conserve fuel, and that her family had no food or access to restrooms.

Buckeyes Claim Capital One Cup

The Ohio State University was named the men’s winner of the 2024-25 Capital One Cup, which is awarded each year to the nation’s top-performing men’s and women’s sports programs. 

Led by the national championship-winning football team, the Buckeyes secured top-10 finishes in seven men’s sports.

Soccer, tennis, gymnastics, and lacrosse each finished their seasons ranked in the top 10 nationally, while fencing and wrestling both placed in the top five at their NCAA championships.

Together, these seven teams earned Ohio State 113.5 points in the Capital One Cup standings—31.5 points ahead of runner-up Penn State. OSU received the award during Wednesday’s ESPY Awards ceremony. See the full rankings here.

Police Investigating ‘Ghost Employee’ Scheme

Cleveland police are investigating allegations that a “ghost” employee was paid $672,050 over 14 years despite performing no actual work for the city’s public access channel, TV20.

According to police reports, payments were issued to a man believed to be the nephew of an office manager, whose duties included scheduling freelance workers. Both individuals are reported to have lived at the same address at the time.

The alleged fraud was uncovered when a new station director looked into the payments, discovering several invoices had forged signatures.

Neither individual has been publicly identified, and the city declined to comment on an ongoing investigation.

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Columbus: GFS Chemicals, a North Franklinton company that experienced a chemical leak on Monday, has a history of hazardous waste violations, according to the Ohio EPA. (More)

➤ Cleveland: Officials have issued a public advisory urging visitors at Edgewater Park to avoid water contact after Wednesday night’s rain caused sewage to overflow into Lake Erie. (More)

➤ Also Cleveland: The Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival will celebrate its 40th anniversary this weekend with live music, Irish food, dance performances, and Catholic Mass. (See Lineup)

➤ Southwest Ohio: Eric Conroy, a U.S. Air Force veteran and former CIA officer, launched his Republican campaign for Ohio’s 1st Congressional District, challenging incumbent Democrat Greg Landsman. (More)

➤ Mansfield: State Route 545 will remain closed through Monday morning for Inkcarceration, a tattoo and music festival at the Ohio State Reformatory. Additional temporary closures are expected. (Details)

➤ Toledo: The city extended its moratorium on demolition permits for historic properties—including Sacred Heart Catholic Church—following public outcry over proposed tear-downs last year. (More)

➤ State: Two Ohio Virtual Academy robotics teams earned second-place finishes in their grade divisions at the K12 National Robotics Competition in Washington, D.C. (More)

➤ FC Cincinnati midfielder Evander set a club record for consecutive matches with a goal, leading Cincy to a 3-0 victory over Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami CF. (More)

➤ The Lake County Captains will celebrate Christmas in July on Saturday, featuring a Jhonkensy Noel “Big Christmas” bobblehead, reindeer races, and karaoke. (See Bobblehead)

➤ Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who once participated in a Vogue show at Paris Fashion Week, graced the cover of Sports Illustrated’s “Sports & Style” issue. (See Cover)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: Soccer | PGA | Tour de France

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Shine Your Car in Minutes With This Trick: Tired of spending hours waxing your car? This simple cloth makes your paint shine like new—in just minutes. No buffing, no mess, no hassle. It protects and restores any finish fast. (LEARN MORE)

➤ Cincinnati-based Skyline Chili was ranked the No. 1 regional restaurant in the U.S. for the second year, topping Biscuitville, Runza, and In-N-Out Burger in USA Today’s 10Best list. (See Ranking)

➤ Westerville-based Vertiv announced the acquisition of Great Lakes Data Racks & Cabinets, which specializes in manufacturing data rack enclosures and other data center infrastructure solutions. (More)

➤ Brightspeed, a North Carolina-based telecommunications company, acquired 235 miles of fiber-optic assets in southwest Ohio from Cincinnati Communications, allowing Brightspeed to reach an additional 69,500 locations. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Unlock big savings with an AARP membership—right now, get 25% off your membership for your first year when you sign up for auto-renew. Enjoy exclusive discounts on travel, dining, prescriptions, insurance, and more. Join over 38 million members and start saving money on the things you already use every day!

Flying together with our sponsor

“Big Plastic” Hates Them

Whether it’s water bottles or shrink wrap, traditional plastic suppliers should be worried.

That’s because Timeplast invented a new type of plastic that can dissolve in water, completely eliminating plastic waste. Even more impressively, their plastic can be programmed to dissolve at a precise time, whether it’s in 60 seconds or 60 years.

In a global plastic market worth over $1.3 trillion, Timeplast’s breakthrough is a game changer.

Even better? You can own a stake in the company as it expands globally. Learn more about the opportunity to invest in Timeplast stock here.

➤ The remains of U.S. Army 2nd Lt. William B. Bucey, a Cleveland native, have been identified more than 80 years after he died in a Japanese prisoner-of-war-camp. (More)

➤ The U.S. Department of Agriculture cited the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium after an April door failure allowed a male lion to seriously injure a lioness, leading to her euthanasia. (More)

➤ Pop and Pour, an annual beer and wine festival in Zanesville, returns Saturday to the Zanesville-Muskingum County Welcome Center, featuring samples from regional breweries and wineries. (Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ This Hose Attachment Cleans Like a $400 Pressure Washer. This simple hose attachment cleans like a commercial pressure washer—no electricity, no setup. Just snap it onto your garden hose and blast years of grime away in minutes. Safe for cars, decks, fences, and more. (Learn More)

What’s the longest you’ve ever been stuck in traffic?

1. Under 30 minutes
   
2. 30-60 minutes
   
3. 1-2 hours
   
4. 2-4 hours
   
5. 4+ hours (tell us where!)
   

Yesterday’s Results:

Should tax-exempt places of worship be allowed to endorse political candidates?

1. No: 39%
2. Yes: 35%
3. Not sure: 26%

Which university hosts the John Glenn College of Public Affairs?

Show me the answer