Ohio Guard to Leave D.C. After February

The 150 Ohio National Guard members stationed in Washington, D.C., won’t remain in the nation’s capital beyond February, Gov. Mike DeWine said.

National Guard troops from several states were deployed to the nation’s capital last fall as part of President Trump’s push to curb crime in Washington.

DeWine approved the U.S. Army’s request in August and, in November, extended the mission through Feb. 28.

Washington recorded 128 homicides in 2025, the city’s lowest total in eight years. Metropolitan Police Department Cmdr. Kevin Kentish said the department’s relationship with U.S. attorneys is “probably the best it’s been in a very long time.”

Big Money Looms Over Governor Race

Ohio’s 2026 governor race could become the most expensive in state history, with both leading candidates already raising tens of millions of dollars.

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy has raised $20 million. His campaign collected $9.88 million in the second half of 2025, breaking an Ohio fundraising record for gubernatorial candidates—a mark he first set last summer.

Democrat Dr. Amy Acton has raised $5.3 million over the past year, and 83% of donations in the latest filing period came from Ohio donors.

In Ohio’s other major 2026 contest, former Democrat U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown leads Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted in fundraising for the 2026 Senate special election.

Dublin Teacher, Students Look to Honor Revolutionary Veteran

A Dublin middle school teacher and his students are urging Ohio lawmakers to recognize a Revolutionary War veteran with central Ohio ties as part of America 250–Ohio’s celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Shawn Kaeser, a social studies teacher at Grizzell Middle School, and his students are backing House Bill 539, which would mark Feb. 4 as Thaddeus Kosciuszko Day in Ohio.

Thaddeus Kosciuszko was a Polish military engineer who designed the fortifications at West Point and contributed to the American victory at Saratoga.

For his service, Kosciuszko was granted 500 acres in what is now Dublin. He never settled in Ohio, but visitors can find placards about his life along a trail on part of the land tied to that grant.

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➤ Statewide: Ohio opted into the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit program, allowing taxpayers to claim up to $1,700 in federal tax credits for donations to approved school choice scholarship groups. (More)

➤ Cleveland: Craig Scanlon, a 68-year-old Ohioan convicted of fraud and money laundering in 2001, was arrested in Miami, Florida, after spending 18 years on the run, authorities said. (More)

➤ Cortland: Voters recalled Mayor Diedre Petrosky in a special election, with about 75% backing her removal amid allegations of intimidation and criticism over city spending. (More)

➤ East Palestine: Federal lawmakers marked the third anniversary of the East Palestine train derailment by pushing for rail safety legislation that hasn’t advanced in Congress, despite bipartisan support. (More)

➤ Mount Orab: The Village Council introduced two ordinances to temporarily ban data centers after residents raised concerns about a proposed 1,000-acre development project. (More)

➤ Troy: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it will begin a soil cleanup at the East Troy contaminated aquifer site, with work expected to wrap up by summer. (More)

➤ No. 23 Miami (Ohio) men’s basketball held off Buffalo 73-71, survived a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, improved to 23-0, and extended the Mid-American Conference’s record winning streak. (More)

➤ Ohio lawmakers introduced legislation to ban middle and high school athletes from earning money from their name, image, and likeness. Last fall, the OHSAA voted to allow youth athletes to profit from NIL. (More)

➤ McNicholas High School’s boys’ varsity basketball team must forfeit 10 wins after the OHSAA ruled a student-athlete ineligible, though the Rockets remain eligible for the postseason tournament. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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Should the state ban middle and high school athletes from profiting from their name, image, and likeness?

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