Health Care Workers Face Layoffs

More than 500 workers face layoffs after West Chester Hospital and the University of Cincinnati Medical Center opted not to renew contracts with Morrison Healthcare and Crothall Healthcare.

UC Health said it has chosen a new partner for food and environmental services at both hospitals, and many affected employees may apply for positions with the new vendor. The layoffs are effective July 25.

Morrison Healthcare will lay off 256 workers and Crothall Healthcare will release 300 employees, according to notices sent to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Columbus’ Downtown Recovering

Columbus’ downtown continued its post-pandemic recovery last year, with gains in population and jobs, according to an annual report.

The downtown area grew by about 500 residents to 12,500, and the downtown workforce increased by about 4,000 to 92,000, helping lower the office vacancy rate to 22.3%.

Thirteen construction projects totaling $174 million were completed, including the $56 million Astor Park office building and the $60 million The Madison apartment building. Ten new businesses opened.

According to the report, an increase of about 1,000 housing units per year could boost the downtown population to 14,100 by the end of 2025 and 17,100 by 2027. You can read the full report here.

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➤ Colerain Township: Vietnam veteran Tom Ludwick received his Colerain High School diploma during a special ceremony, 57 years after leaving school to serve in the U.S. Army. (Watch)

➤ State: Cincinnati will play Wake Forest, Miami will face Tennessee, and Wright State will play Vanderbilt in their opening regional games of the NCAA baseball tournament on Friday. (Schedule)

➤ Ohio State: Student ticket sales for the 2025 Ohio State football season open today, and three-game mini-plans will go on sale to the public June 16. OSU Alumni Association single-game tickets will be available starting June 24. (Details)

➤ Cincinnati: The Cincinnati Zoo announced the hatching of a rare Sihek bird, also known as a Guam kingfisher, as part of efforts to protect a species extinct in the wild since the 1940s. (See Photos)

➤ Toledo: The Toledo Walleye advanced to the ECHL Kelly Cup hockey finals with a 5-2 victory over Kansas City on Saturday, marking their third finals appearance since 2019. (More)

➤ Noble County: Seneca Lake Park hosted a ribbon cutting on new amenities, including a splash pad, basketball and pickleball courts, and a Storybook Trail, as part of a $1.8 million project. (Watch)

➤ Warren: Rural King opened its first Mahoning Valley store at 2485 Parkman Road, offering agriculture and home supplies. (More)

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