Ohio is becoming more diverse.
More than a decade ago, in 2011, people of color made up 18.6% of the population. By 2021, that number had grown to 22.2% — an increase of 3.6%.
But that growth did not happen equally across the state.
Athens County’s friendship benches are tucked discreetly into pockets of public spaces: libraries, a community center, the health department.
Sometimes they’re vacant.
But other times, a trained and trusted community member with a listening ear, like Shari Blackwell, will sit on one side of the tête-à-tête style bench, inviting strangers to join her.
It’s six in the afternoon and Rachel Niyonsaba is packing two dozen bags with food in the back corner of a church basement.
“I started with some fresh zucchinis, some green peppers, red onions. We have some peanut flour,” Niyonsaba said.
Researchers from the Middle West Review, a scholarly journal studying the Midwest, posed a simple question to people across the country’s mid-section: ‘Do you consider yourself a part of the Midwest?’ Nearly 80% of Ohioans said, “You betcha!”
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) gave the state more than $5.4 billion in the State Fiscal Recovery Fund to help Ohio’s economy bounce back from the COVID pandemic. Billions more went to individual local city and county governments.
Tally it all together, and Ohio received almost $11 billion in state and local fiscal recovery funds.
Voters are casting ballots on two statewide issues today. But there’s lots of local levies and races for Ohioans to decide on as well. Among those: school board positions. The races are nonpartisan – candidates don’t run as a Republican or Democrat. But the contests are still fraught with controversial political issues.
Ohio voters are set to decide two highly contentious issues this week — one about abortion access, the other about legalizing recreational marijuana.
The geese greatly outnumbered people in Garfield Park on a sunny Thursday in Mentor. They swam, sat in front of park benches, strolled on the sidewalks. A car honked at one blocking the road. The goose honked back.
Stress-related health conditions, mental illness and suicide rates have been higher in agriculture than in other industries for decades.
Yet, rural areas don’t always have the resources to get people the help and support they need.
A newly formed alliance aims to fill that gap.
