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Statements made by Democratic gubernational candidate Amy Acton regarding qualified immunity and ICE have riled progressives and leftist activists throughout Ohio.
Acton told reporters on Tuesday she supports keeping qualified immunity in place for government workers – even though she signed the petition to end qualified immunity, say activists. Acton also said she backs local police cooperating with ICE agents to apprehend immigrants.
Columbus resident Cynthia Brown has led the Ohio Coalition to End Qualified Immunity (OCTEQI) for nearly a decade. After years of underhanded rejection from duplicitous state officials, the Ohio Attorney General in 2024 finally allowed the OCTEQI to begin collecting the 400,000-plus signatures needed for the “Protecting Ohioans’ Constitutional Rights Amendment” to be put on a future ballot.
Brown’s inspiration to end qualified immunity in Ohio began after her 30-year-old nephew Kareem Ali Nadir Jones in 2017 was shot in the back and killed by Columbus police who should never have approached Jones in the first place because he was simply walking down a back alley.
Thurs., Aug. 27, 6 p.m. ET
Register here
Join the ACLU of Ohio's Policy & Advocacy Team for an introduction and examination of our latest toolkit, Eyes on You: The Rise of Mass Surveillance in Ohio. In recent decades, the list of surveillance technologies utilized by our government has not just expanded; it’s grown exponentially.
Learn how to fight back against Big Tech and protect privacy rights in your community.
Wednesday, August 26, 6:30 – 8pm
First Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 W. Weisheimer Rd.
Meet the candidates running for office in Franklin County, Delaware County, and Statewide, then sign up to volunteer for those who inspire you most!
We need boots on the ground to get good candidates elected. This is an opportunity for you to help in whatever way you can. Consider this a match-making party where you get to choose your match!
Here's the list of candidates who will attend:
Statewide Candidates: John Kulewicz - Attorney General
Congressional Candidates: Don Leonard (OH15); Jerrad Christian (OH12); Joshua Kolasinski (OH4).
Candidates for Ohio Statehouse: Bill Demora - Senate; Scott Charland - Senate; Stacie Baker - House; Munira Abdullahi - House; Ukeme Jeter - House; Vince McGrail - House.
Other Candidates: Chris Brown - Common Pleas Judge; Andy Miller - Common Pleas Judge; Carl Aveni - Common Pleas Judge; Ryan Grissinger - Delaware County Commissioner.
This story was originally published on an Arabic website called Stories from History, and I found it both unique and compelling. What especially caught my attention was that the story involved a white school principal and a Black student whose lives became unexpectedly connected. Two of my recent articles have focused on human-interest stories from Egypt. This story, however, took place much closer to home—in my home state of Ohio.
Here is how the story began.
In 2024, 16-year-old American student Landerius “DeDe” Hayes found himself facing an extraordinarily difficult situation through no fault of his own. He was experiencing homelessness after his family’s housing situation changed, and the school district determined that he no longer had an address within its boundaries. As a result, Hayes was ordered to withdraw from Lakota East High School.
For a teenager already struggling with instability, losing his school could have meant losing one of the few sources of structure and support in his life.
This article first appeared on the Buckeye Flame
The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) has confirmed that individuals now must submit an amended birth certificate issued by the Ohio Department of Health in order to change the sex marker on their driver’s license, identification card or driving record.
Previously, Ohioans were able to complete a “Declaration of Gender” form that allowed an individual “under the guidance and direction of a qualified and licensed professional, to change their gender designation.”
This new BMV policy does not affect name changes.
LGBTQ+ advocates noticed this week that the gender-change form was abruptly removed from the BMV’s website without an announcement of policy change.
As a musician it took me decades to learn the difference between hearing and listening.
Sure, you can hear that another musician might be rushing or dragging a phrase, but are you adjusting to that? Are you also making a change to help?
That’s what listening is all about and it’s a huge difference.
- You hear what is going on around you and adjust to make it better.
- You choose to make a change musically not because you have to, but because it helps someone else and creates a more beautiful piece of music.
Great musicians automatically listen and it’s wonderful to experience. Average musicians hear the same music, but do nothing. They don’t change what they are doing. They just play the notes on the page. Then there’s Columbus City Council.
They hear what you’re saying, but do nothing. Hearing is easy. Listening demands effort and empathy; two things missing from the halls of City Hall.
Why Don’t they Listen?
Easy. They don’t have to.
There are no repercussions to not listening.
Diabetes is just one of the diseases that the men of Eta Nu Nu have committed themselves to addressing. Yesterday’s Walk with Me Sugar 5k run/walk was a resounding success and a lot of fun. Nearly 400 people showed up for a morning of exercise and fellowship. DJ Reesee kept the atmosphere loose and upbeat meanwhile the diverse crowd was treated to a show-stopping performance by members of the Linden McKinley High School Marching Band. Buckeye Brutus was also on hand to soak in the festivities as was City Attorney Zach Klein. Participants had the option to run or walk the 5k course or the 1k route. It seemed that many chose the former.
Help us support homeless neighbors living on the land who have lost both shelter and necessities from the extreme storms and flooding.
Drop off items at Trinity or donate at TrinityColumbus.org/storm
Columbus City Council is voting on Monday, August 24 to place a competing charter amendment on November’s ballot against Our City Our Say’s charter amendment, but what exactly council will be voting for is still unknown to many.
Will they vote to approve 9 council districts and 4 at-large seats, or will they vote for 9 council districts and 2 at-large seats – or something completely different?
At last Monday’s hearing, council never expressed the specifics of what its competing ballot measure will be, and this has some members from the grassroots Our City Our Say (OCOS) on edge. Mostly because the difference between 9-4 and 9-2 is consequential.
If 4 at-large seats are on November’s ballot and this ballot measure defeats the OCOS measure, it likely means the establishment, “The Columbus Way,” retains its grip on Central Ohio.
Saturday, August 22, 2026 - 12:00-5:00pm
Whetstone Park, 3923 North High Street, Columbus, OH 43214
Family-friendly community event with music, food vendors, guided nature walks, Whetstone Prairie tours, bird-spotting walks, and a live tree pruning demonstration. educational presentations on bats, ecopoetry, native tree care, and the "Fighting for the Urban Forest" panel, a native plant sale with local nurseries, a pop-up market, river critter searching, kid-friendly story time, and sustainable crafts, live performances by local bands like Six Feet Apart and Roscommon Sessions, alongside local food trucks.