OSU Taps New President

Following the resignation of former President Ted Carter, Ohio State University appointed Ravi Bellamkonda as its 18th president. Bellamkonda currently serves as Ohio State’s executive vice president and provost.

Several state lawmakers had urged the university to name Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel as president. Tressel previously served as president of Youngstown State University and as Ohio State’s head football coach.

The university also confirmed that a JobsOhio-sponsored podcast, The Callout, is part of an investigation into Carter’s resignation. Carter resigned after disclosing an inappropriate relationship with a woman who was seeking public resources for her business.

JobsOhio is now seeking to recover $60,000 paid to Krisanthe Vlachos to produce episodes of The Callout that were never completed.

Ohio Celebrates St. Patrick’s Day

Cities across Ohio are kicking off St. Patrick’s Day celebrations this weekend, with parades and festivals beginning as early as today ahead of the March 17 holiday.

Geneva-on-the-Lake’s St. Patrick’s Day Weekend runs from today through Sunday and includes family events, a bar crawl, and a 5K Leprechaun Run. Dublin, Cincinnati, Akron, and Portsmouth will hold their parades on Saturday.

Columbus’ St. Patrick’s Day parade is scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, and will be preceded by a Catholic Mass at St. Patrick’s Church. Cleveland’s parade will also be held on St. Patrick’s Day.

St. Patrick’s Day is the Christian feast day honoring St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Irish Christians began observing the feast about 1,000 years ago. You can read more about the holiday’s history here.

Bigfoot ‘Sightings’ Sweep Northeast

Reports of Bigfoot sightings have surged across northeast Ohio, with at least seven alleged encounters reported since last Friday in the Akron and Youngstown areas.

In Streetsboro, a woman reported encountering a “6-and-a-half-foot, lean, brown Bigfoot.” Other accounts describe figures as tall as 10 feet that carried a musky odor or made deep grunting sounds.

No photos of the supposed Sasquatches have surfaced. One resident questioned whether Bigfoot could survive in northeast Ohio, saying, “That boy is not going to make it past Youngstown.”

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➤ Statewide: Most of Ohio could see wind gusts up to 60 mph today, raising the risk of power outages as forecasters issue high wind watches and wind advisories across the state. (More)

➤ Darke County: The Sheriff’s Office warned residents about a scam in which callers impersonate Sheriff Mark Whittaker and threaten arrest to obtain personal or financial information. (More)

➤ Whitehall: Nearly 500 residents filed a petition seeking the recall of Whitehall Mayor Michael Bivens and two council members in an effort co-led by a former council candidate removed from the ballot over residency issues. (More)

➤ Pike County: California-based Oklo and Maryland-based Centrus have begun discussions on a joint venture in Pike County to support advanced nuclear energy by converting enriched uranium into fuel for Oklo’s proposed small modular reactors. (More)

➤ Cadiz: The city received a $1.1 million congressional appropriation grant to help replace a main waterline during the third phase of the village’s water system improvement project. (More)

➤ Toledo: Unison Health will open a Child Wellness Campus in Toledo with 12 residential beds and outpatient services for children with complex behavioral needs, funded by $2.6 million from the state. (More)

➤ Ohio State fended off a late rally from Iowa for a 72-69 win, advancing to a Big Ten men’s basketball tournament quarterfinal against top-seeded Michigan. (More)

➤ No. 20 Miami University was eliminated from the Mid-American Conference men’s basketball tournament with an 87-83 loss to UMass—the RedHawks’ first loss of the season. (More)

➤ University of Toledo athletic director Bryan Blair will reportedly become the next athletic director at Syracuse University. He’s been the AD at Toledo since 2022. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | Golf

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➤ Three automated semi-trucks hauling deliveries for Nussbaum Transportation are now operating in Ohio, equipped with blind-spot sensors, automatic lane correction, and a safety system that can stop the truck and activate its hazard lights if the driver becomes unresponsive. (See Photo)

➤ The Acura Integra Type S, built exclusively at the Marysville Auto Plant, will be exported to Japan beginning this year, becoming the first Acura-branded vehicle sold there. (More)

➤ Wisconsin-based Boelter Companies Inc.’s Custom Deco manufacturing facility in Toledo will shut down by the end of May, laying off 63 employees. (More)

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➤ The Ohio State University Marching Band travels to Ireland this weekend for an eight-day trip featuring performances at Kilkenny Castle and Cobh, plus appearances in the Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Celbridge parade. (More)

➤ The Columbus Clippers announced a packed 2026 season at Huntington Park featuring theme nights, giveaways, weekly deals, seven fireworks shows, and the return of Tansky Tuesday dime-a-dog night with Sahlen’s hot dogs. (More)

➤ GolfPass ranked the top public golf courses in Ohio, placing Chippewa Golf Club in Doylestown first, Stillwater Valley Golf Club in Versailles second, and Pine Hills Golf Club in Hinckley third. (See Ranking)

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Which folklore creature would you least want to exist?

1. Bigfoot
   
2. Lake Erie Monster
   
3. Loveland Frogman
   
4. Mothman
   
5. Yeti
   
6. Other
   

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you been watching the World Baseball Classic?

1. No: 63%
2. Yes: 37%

Which Ohio city hosts the state’s oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade?

Show me the answer