Saturday, May 23, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1934, the “Battle of Toledo” erupted as 1,300 Ohio National Guard troops clashed with nearly 10,000 Auto-Lite strikers.

A new report just exposed the five biggest financial fears haunting American retirees, and the findings are sounding alarms across the country. On The Flyover Podcast, Amy Hess reveals what those fears are, why so many Americans are being blindsided, and the critical steps families can take right now to set themselves up for success. Tune in here!

Today’s sponsor, Lemonade Pet Insurance, helps pet owners manage rising vet costs with affordable plans starting around $10/month and flexible coverage designed to protect both your pet’s health and your budget.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Ohio Bags 122 in Trafficking Sting

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Thursday that “Operation Spring Cleaning”, a weeklong statewide sting targeting commercial sex buyers, netted 122 arrests across the state.

The operation ran May 13–20 and involved dozens of local, state, and federal agencies working undercover to catch offenders. Of the 122 arrested, 84 were charged as buyers and 38 face felony charges including promoting prostitution and trafficking.

Four central Ohio massage parlors were hit with search warrants as part of the sweep, and the arrested group included current and former Cleveland firefighters.

Yost noted the total now stands at 1,065 arrests since Ohio’s statewide stings began in 2019.

Huffman Kills Cleveland’s Stadium Deal

Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman blocked a stadium funding plan that had the unanimous support of Cleveland’s mayor, county executive, and every major pro sports ownership group.

The proposal would have let Cuyahoga County voters decide whether to quadruple the sin tax on cigarettes and alcohol to fund maintenance at aging venues for the Browns, Guardians, and Cavaliers.

Huffman, a Lima Republican, declared Wednesday the plan wouldn’t be “self-sustaining” and killed it.

The Haslams, who own the Browns, were major contributors to the Huffman-championed effort that successfully stopped an anti-gerrymandering amendment just last year. Without a deal, stadium leases and billions in downtown development remain in limbo.

Ohio’s Ugly Plates May Be Ending

Ohio’s notoriously cluttered license plates could get a sleek makeover if the state House follows the Senate’s lead.

Senate Bill 358, sponsored by Sen. Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville), cleared the Ohio Senate unanimously 30-0 this week. The bill would add a “blackout” option: a clean black plate with white lettering, a style already popular in more than a dozen other states.

Supporters say Ohio’s current plates are “visually cluttered and often clash with the aesthetics of modern vehicles,” a sentiment plenty of Buckeye drivers would probably agree with. Ohio already offers more than 300 specialty plate options, but none as minimalist as the proposal.

Ohio drivers would need to opt in and pay an extra $50 for the new plate, should it be approved by the House.

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➤ Columbus: The Ohio House is expanding its Medicaid Committee by five members following fraud allegations, a move supporters say will strengthen oversight. (More)

➤ Dayton: A new WalletHub survey ranked Dayton among the most affordable small cities in America for homebuyers, highlighting the city’s relatively low housing costs. (More)

➤ Toledo: A dispute over seating at a kindergarten graduation at Queens of the Apostles School turned into a brawl among parents, resulting in at least one arrest. (See Video)

➤ Cleveland: Heavy rain is expected to soak northeast Ohio Friday night into Saturday, raising excessive rainfall concerns over already-saturated soils, with scattered storms possible through Memorial Day weekend. (More)

➤ Cleveland: Homeowners are arguing before the Ohio Supreme Court that Cuyahoga County illegally kept surplus proceeds from tax-debt foreclosures, retaining funds beyond what was owed on the debt. (More)

➤ Ohio: A judge found Maria Dearaujo, 63, not guilty of illegally voting as a noncitizen, ruling she had been entrapped by a BMV clerk who told her to register. The case has drawn statewide attention amid ongoing election integrity debates. (More)

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➤ The Cleveland Cavaliers, trailing the Eastern Conference Finals 0-2, host the New York Knicks in Game 3 tonight as 2.5-point favorites. (More)

➤ The Cincinnati Reds traded outfielder Rece Hinds to the Miami Marlins on Thursday for minor-league right-handed pitcher Zach McCambley, days after designating Hinds for assignment. (More)

➤ The Cleveland Guardians swept division rival Detroit in four games on Thursday—their first such sweep of the Tigers since 2019. (More)

➤ University of Cincinnati baseball was eliminated from the Big 12 tournament after a 10-2 loss to Arizona State. The Bearcats struck out 15 times and committed four errors. (More)

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➤ Taste of Cincinnati returns to downtown this Memorial Day weekend with hundreds of menu items from local restaurants and a packed concert lineup. (More)

➤ Bears, bobcats, and badgers are quietly reclaiming Ohio, with wildlife officials reporting surprising population rebounds in areas where all three species were rarely spotted for decades. (More)

➤ Memorial Day parades and ceremonies fill northeast Ohio this weekend, with dozens of wreath-laying services and community events honoring fallen service members across the region. (More)

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