Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1855, John Mercer Langston was elected clerk of Brownhelm Township, becoming the first black man elected to government office in the U.S.

A serval cat was on the loose in Washington County on Monday but was found safe. Did you know that servals can jump up to 10 feet high? Read more in today's Top Stories.

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DeWine Signs $11B Transportation Plan

Gov. Mike DeWine signed a two-year, $11 billion transportation budget that funds highway and bridge projects, trucker rest areas, and a new division on air services.

The measure also eliminates speed cameras for automated traffic enforcement.

The budget passed the state House and Senate unanimously, and DeWine signed it with no line-item vetoes.

DeWine called the spending plan a "commitment to providing our great state with a transportation system that is safe, reliable, and prepared for the future."

Severe Weather Expected Today

Ohioans are bracing for severe weather for the second time this week, with the National Weather Service forecasting potentially dangerous storms across the Ohio Valley today.

Hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes are possible.

In northwest Ohio, two severe weather periods are expected—the first from the late morning until just after noon, and the other from the late evening through about 2 a.m.

Cincinnati is under a flood watch from today until Sunday with 3 to 6 inches of total rainfall expected over that period.

Exotic Cat Found Safe

The Washington County Sheriff's Office issued a warning this week to be on the alert for an exotic serval cat on the loose, urging residents to keep an eye on children and pets.

The department later announced on Facebook that the cat was found safe.

Servals are native to Africa and known for their agility and hunting prowess.

The public warning was issued after the cat was spotted near Cherokee Drive and Bender Road. The Ohio Department of Agriculture was also notified.

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➤ Greene County: Crews will transport a nearly 370,000-pound power transformer from Fairborn to Xenia starting at 9 a.m. today, causing traffic delays during the six- to eight-hour process. (Details)

➤ Cleveland: The county board of elections approved new ward and precinct boundary lines for Cleveland, reducing the number of wards from 17 to 15. (More)

➤ Youngstown: Col. Christopher E. Sedlacek will assume command of the 910th Airlift Wing at Youngstown Air Reserve Station. (More)

➤ Columbus: A Delta Air Lines flight from Raleigh, N.C. to Detroit, Mich., diverted to John Glenn Columbus International Airport on Monday due to a smoky odor in the cabin. (More)

➤ Cincinnati: Several fire departments responded to a fire at the Rumpke recycling facility, which a spokeswoman attributed to lithium-ion batteries. (More)

➤ Perrysburg: Prosecutors filed a criminal trespassing charge against a teacher who allegedly followed a student's bus home to check their homework. (More)

➤ Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz went 4-for-5 with two home runs and seven RBIs in a 14-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Monday. (More)

➤ The Ohio Casino Control Commission issued cease and desist notices to three prediction markets, likening some of their offerings to sports gambling. (More)

➤ Jefferson County athletes and Steubenville Rural King employees played a basketball game to mark the end of National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. (Watch)

➤ Yesterday's results: MLB | NBA | NHL | NIT | NCAABB | NCAASB | Soccer

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➤ Sherwin-Williams will light the sign on its new 36-story downtown Cleveland headquarters on April 7 and start moving into the building after the summer. (More)

➤ B-K Tool & Design in Kalida received a seven-year tax credit from the state to support the creation of 37 jobs. (More)

➤ A new Northwestern Mutual Investment Services office in the Madison area, opened by a local high school graduate, hosted a belated ribbon-cutting ceremony. (More)

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➤ Church of the Resurrection in New Albany broke ground on a new parish community center with Bishop Earl Fernandes in attendance. (See Photos)

➤ The state Division of Wildlife seeks volunteers for this month's Midwest Crane Count to tally sandhill cranes in 33 Ohio counties. (Details)

➤ A 60-ton construction crane valued at more than $500,000 was stolen from a south Columbus construction site. (See Photos)

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