Monday, March 24, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1962, the Cincinnati Bearcats won the NCAA men’s basketball national championship for the second straight season. The Bearcats defeated Ohio State in both the 1961 and 1962 title games.

If you’ve been thinking about visiting a zoo or safari park this summer, Ohio has some of America’s best spots to see and learn about animals. Read more in today’s Top Stories.

Later today, we will email you on behalf of our partner, New Sapience, with an investment opportunity in the emerging field of synthetic intelligence. We hope you find it worth exploring.

We’re sponsored today by Penny Hoarder. Check their article listing ways you can save money in today’s economy.

NTSB Identifies Six At-Risk Bridges

In the wake of last year’s bridge collapse in Maryland, the National Transportation Safety Board identified six bridges in Ohio vulnerable to collapse if struck by a ship.

Four of the six bridges are in Northeast Ohio: the Detroit Avenue Bridge, the Main Avenue Bridge, the Carnegie Avenue Bridge, and the I-490 Bridge.

Two are in Toledo: the Martin Luther King Bridge and the Anthony Wayne Bridge. The MLK Bridge was temporarily closed earlier this month for a lift test and concrete pouring.

The Ohio Department of Transportation said it will review the findings and re-examine the bridges, noting the state’s key bridges passed a check done after the Maryland tragedy.

Title Slips Past OSU Women’s Hockey

Wisconsin defeated Ohio State 4-3 in overtime of the NCAA women’s hockey championship game on Sunday, ending the Buckeyes’ bid for back-to-back national titles. It was Wisconsin’s eighth national championship win.

Ohio State led 3-2 with 18 seconds left in the third period, but a controversial penalty call gave the Badgers a penalty shot and a chance to tie. Kirsten Simms scored to send the game to overtime.

Simms capitalized on the momentum out of the third intermission, scoring the game-winning goal 2:49 into overtime.

Zoos, Safari Parks Among Nation’s Best

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium edged out the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for 2025. See the list of top zoos here.

Nationally, both zoos placed in the Top 10, with Columbus at No. 3 and Cincinnati at No. 5. The Cincinnati Zoo is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.

As for the nation’s best safari parks, The Wilds in Cumberland ranked No. 2 and the African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton ranked No. 10. Here are the top safari parks.

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➤ Worthington: A three-alarm fire destroyed Rodos Greek Taverna and damaged multiple neighboring businesses. (See Photos)

➤ Cleveland: A person claiming responsibility for a cyberattack on the Cleveland Municipal Court threatened to release sensitive information unless a $4 million ransom is paid. (More)

➤ Bellaire: The village issued a mandatory water conservation notice on Sunday that remains in effect until further notice. (More)

➤ Butler County: The county and the city of Fairfield agreed to a settlement that will pay $1.2 million to people jailed for more than 48 hours before seeing a judge. (More)

➤ Trumbull County: Nearly 2,400 additional homes and businesses will gain access to fiber-optic internet under a $1.5 million grant awarded to Brightspeed. (More)

➤ Put-in-Bay: The Miller Ferry to Put-in-Bay began running over the weekend, marking the start of the 2025 season. Service to Middle Bass Island will begin on March 27. (More)

➤ Ohio State women’s basketball was eliminated from the NCAA tournament after losing its second-round game 82-67 to Tennessee on Sunday. (More)

➤ Xavier men’s basketball coach Sean Miller is set to become the head coach of Texas, per reports. (More)

➤ The Cleveland Guardians signed right-handed pitcher Tanner Bibee to a five-year contract extension. (Details)

➤ Seven state champions in high school boys basketball were crowned over the weekend, including Division I winner Olentangy Orange. (See Brackets)

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➤ Cleveland Hopkins International Airport will add lanes at its central security checkpoint to reduce congestion. (More)

➤ Cheesecakes sold at Target stores across Ohio were recalled due to mislabeling that resulted in undeclared pecans. (More)

➤ Dairy Queen is offering 85-cent small Blizzard treats with at least a $1 purchase. The promotion runs from today through April 6. (More)

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➤ A wrong-way goat was safely corralled on a highway by the Akron Police Department earlier this month. The department has released body camera footage of the pursuit. (See Video)

➤ The Ohio Department of Natural Resources published its first 2025 Spring Wildflower Bloom Report, highlighting which wildflowers are blooming across the state and where to see them. (See List)

➤ The Ohio State University announced that U.S. Marine Maj. Gen. Charles Frank Bolden Jr.—a former NASA administrator and astronaut—will deliver its May commencement address. (More)

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