Ohio News Network Daily

The Ohio National Guard is helping hospitals out as they struggle with more Covid-19 patients and fewer staff members; Columbus nears its 200th homicide of the year; the Toledo area experiences a number of house fires in recent days; four Buckeyes say they won't play in Saturday's Rose Bowl against Utah.

Ohio hospitalizations from Covid-19 exceed 5,000 for the first time this year; Cleveland hospitals brace for a difficult January; Columbus nears its record 200th homicide of the year; the Cincinnati Bengals take control of the AFC North.

Ohio Department of Health reports nearly 16,000 new COVID-19 cases for Thursday, setting a single-day record for the third time this week; many Ohioans having to alter or cancel holiday plans at the last minute as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus spreads more quickly than ever before.

For the second time this week, Ohio sets a single-day record for new COVID-19 cases with 12,864; first responders also being hit hard by surge in new coronavirus infections, hospitalizations; authorities say a family of four is dead in a suspected murder-suicide in the central Ohio community of Lithopolis.

Hospital systems in Columbus give first-hand accounts of how healthcare workers are struggling to keep up with surge in preventable COVID-19 hospitalizations; Congressman Tim Ryan says WVa Sen. Joe Manchin is squandering a historical opportunity to help the middle class by opposing Pres. Joe Biden's 'Build Back Better' proposal; several hurt in shooting at a Toledo funeral being held for a victim...

Ohio-based missionaries return home after successfully plotting their own escape from captivity in Haiti, last week; Gov. Mike Dewine announces he will call upon 1,000 Ohio National Guard members to help remedy staffing issues at hospitals around Ohio, amid a new COVID-19 surge; Columbus-based football academy is the target of a scathing report by the Ohio Department of Education that calls for At...

Ohio officials warn that healthcare staffing, skyrocketing COVID-19 cases creating serious issues in hospitals around the state; officials from Ohio chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations says fired state director had been working with anti-Muslim hate group since 2008; Cleveland-area Democrat announces run for Ohio Attorney General.

Remaining Ohio-based missionaries released after nearly two months in captivity in Haiti; former Buckeyes Head Coach Urban Meyer fired from coaching job with Jacksonville Jaguars after eight months on the job; slew of bills moving through the Ohio Statehouse before holiday break would allow concealed carry without a license, eliminate abortion access through much of the state, widen access to medi...

Ohio chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations fires executive director after investigation finds he worked for years with anti-Muslim hate group; telethon raises more than $3 million for those affected by Kentucky tornadoes, boosted by donation from OSU basketball coach; Ohio Task Force One aids in search-and-rescue effort in Kentucky after weekend tornadoes.

A doctor from the Cleveland Clinic weighs in on the Omicron variant; Governor DeWine is ready to sign a bill legalizing sports betting in the state; the Columbus Zoo fails to regain accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums; eight players for the Cleveland Browns go on the NFL's reserve/COVID-19 list.

The Omicron variant has arrived in Ohio; the state's elite search and rescue team is helping tornado victims in Kentucky; an earthquake strikes in Southern Ohio; the Fulton County Humane Society gets a "Christmas miracle."

Deaths and hospitalizations from COVID-19 are increasing, but so are vaccinations; Toledo's record number of homicides continues to climb; severe storms and high winds are expected overnight across Ohio; a little league team from Hamilton is honored at the Ohio Statehouse.

COVID-19 continues to escalate in Ohio; legislation to legalize and regulate sports betting in Ohio heads to Governor Mike DeWine's desk while questions come from some about its constitutionality; police in Columbus are searching for suspects responsible for killing a man and two children Tuesday night; Ohio's deer-gun season finished ahead of recent averages.

Ohio Supreme Court begins hearing arguments about the constitutionality of legislative, congressional maps gerrymandered by Republicans in the Ohio Statehouse; two small children and a young man gunned down in shooting in southeast Columbus, last night; Ohio Hospital Association warns that a third of all hospitalizations, statewide, are now linked to COVID-19.

Suspect arrested in connection with hit-and-run near Mansfield that left teenager dead; information still sparse on the release in Haiti of three more hostages with ties to Ohio-based missionary group; major central Ohio hospital system implements pause on vaccine mandate, citing "regulatory and legislative issues."

Three more missionaries with ties to a northeast Ohio religious group were released from the custody of a Haitian gang, but 12 more remain hostages; Gov. Mike Dewine among those memorializing former senator and GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole, who died on Sunday; State Patrol looking for culprit in hit-and-run in Richland County that left one teenager dead.

Ohio tallies the highest number of new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations on Thursday since last winter; health officials encourage Ohioans to get COVID-19 tests from doctors, health departments to help identify potential Omicron variant cases; Gov. Mike Dewine, Sen. Sherrod Brown say they are looking out for Omicron variant, but Delta variant is a present threat to deal with.

Central Ohio sheriff's deputy faces murder charges in connection with shooting death of Casey Goodson Jr. last December; Ohio on Wednesday reported highest one-day total of new COVID-19 cases in nearly three months; hospitals around Ohio say staff, bed shortages loom as coronavirus cases continue to increase.

Ohio among three states who have successfully sued Biden Administration over vaccination mandates, as of Tuesday; second lawsuit filed accusing Republican lawmakers of creating unconstitutional, gerrymandered congressional map that makes nearly 90 percent of districts sure bets for GOP; Ohio Pharmacists Association pushes for greater latitude in prescribing drugs used to treat COVID-19.

Ohio's Republican senator takes to the Senate floor to describe opioid addiction as an "epidemic within the pandemic"; FBI concludes that Dayton shooter acted alone, fantasized for years about mass shootings and suicide killings; first 30 winners of Ohio's "Vax-2-School" initiative announced on Monday.

COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to climb as Ohioans gather for the holidays; state health officials bracing as new coronavirus variant begins to appear in countries around the world; Ohio doctors say Omicron variant of coronavirus has some different symptoms that those we've come to associate with the virus.

Black Friday doesn't begin as early, this year, as it has for many retailers in previous years, but turn-out for the holiday shopping day expected to be strong; former Ohio Congressman Pat Tiberi says he's worried about the future of the Republican Party that he once represented; Lima will soon swear in the city's first female and first black mayor.

COVID-19 cases in northwestern Ohio considered the highest-increasing, in the state; lawsuit filed at the Ohio Supreme Court calls Ohio's newly-passed congressional map unconstitutional, alleges Republican gerrymandering; Gov. Mike Dewine defends signing of map, saying the map produces the most competitive districts.

Five killed in Geauga County crash involving flat-bed semi, Cuyahoga County Board of DD van; risk of coronavirus, influenza infections increased as Thanksgiving holiday approaches; parade crash in Wisconsin has local safety officials re-thinking their event safety plans.

Two of 17 missionaries from an Ohio-based group freed after more than a month in captivity in Haiti; Gov. Mike Dewine signs gerrymandered congressional map despite public outcry over election boundaries; bill headed to President Joe Biden's desk would award fallen Ohio Navy corpsman with Congressional Gold Medal.