Ohio Republican senator called cops seeking charges against blogger
Sen. Jerry Cirino, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, asked police to charge blogger D.J. Byrnes, known as The Rooster, over text messages and a Shrek image.
Jake Zuckerman
Articles by Jake Zuckerman
As political pressure mounts, Ohio’s data centers buy $10,000 in ads and lobby up
Google, Meta, and Amazon have deployed 51 lobbyists and spent $10,000 on ads as Gov. DeWine pauses tax breaks after discovering the exemption cost the state $1.6 billion in 2025.
Progressive blogger arrested outside statehouse, charged with harassment
Byrnes was arrested on a warrant from Kirtland police, allegedly over text messages to state Sen. Jerry Cirino, a frequent target of his online criticism.
6,000-acre solar project permit nixed by Ohio Supreme Court, for now at least
The state's Republican-led high court sided with Madison County officials who opposed the Shell subsidiary's project, citing missing visual renderings of substations.
Ohio data center tax break cost $1.4 billion more than expected in 2025
New data from the Ohio Department of Taxation indicate a sales tax break for the technology companies behind Ohio’s data center boom is far more lucrative that previous forecasts have estimated.
A $620 property tax debt cost him his house. Ohio’s Supreme Court will decide if the county owes him.
Plaintiffs say their homes were worth more than their tax debts. But Cuyahoga County isn’t passing on the surplus.
Ohio counties can’t divest from Israel on political grounds, AG says
Treasurers can only consider risk and returns when investing county money, not any “non-economic factors,” Yost said in an advisory opinion to county officials.
MAGA-friendly Richland county voters preserve ban on wind and solar
In a Republican-dominated district, voters narrowly upheld a ban on utility scale renewables in most of the county in a 53% to 47% vote. A referendum backer called the result disappointing, yet ‘telling.’
No payout for fracking waste company that caused earthquakes, Ohio court says
Regulators’ suspension of two fracking waste wells that caused two earthquakes was not a government “taking,” justices rule, nixing a requested $20.5 million payout.
Truck companies owe Ohio $5.2 million in unpaid tolls, officials say
Some 315 truck companies, mostly from out-of-state, owe $5.2 million in unpaid tolls on the turnpike, state officials say.
Ohio electric bills are up. So are electric company CEO salaries.
News and insights from the State Signals newsletter. Plus, the property tax abolition campaign is set to show its hand while opposition gets organized.
Ohio property tax abolition campaign hits 305,000 signatures. Here’s what that means for its chances.
Abolishing Ohio’s property taxes would cut $20 billion in annual funding for schools, libraries and emergency services. The anti-property tax campaign faces a July 1 deadline to gather the remaining signatures.
