A federal lawsuit has been filed against Governor Mike DeWine by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), according to reports from the Statehouse News Bureau’s Jo Ingles. The lawsuit challenges an executive order signed by Governor DeWine earlier this week concerning college athletic eligibility.
Governor DeWine’s order permits students who graduated from high school in 2022 to have a fifth year of collegiate sports eligibility. He stated that this measure is necessary, arguing that an NCAA age-based eligibility rule unfairly denies a fifth season of competition to a small number of students from that graduating class, even as it grants five seasons to other students currently playing on college sports teams.
In response, the NCAA has asserted that Governor DeWine's executive order provides Ohio's schools with an unfair advantage. DeWine's order specifically instructed state colleges and universities to disregard the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility rule.
In related state news, some Ohio residents are reacting to controversial Flock Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) in ways that have crossed into criminal territory, as reported by The Dayton Daily News’ Cornelius Frolik. People across Ohio have intentionally damaged, vandalized, and stolen these cameras, which are utilized by many police departments.
Documents obtained by The Dayton Daily News, including search audit records, indicate that more than 30 Ohio police agencies conducted searches over the summer related to ALPR cameras that were moved, removed, dismantled, struck, chopped down, rammed with automobiles, and covered over with spray paint and bags.
On the political front, special interest money continues to play a significant role in Ohio’s election landscape. Signal Ohio’s Jake Zuckerman reports that Ohio insurers and investor-owned electric utilities have contributed millions of dollars to groups aiming to influence Ohio’s governor’s race and other similarly close contests in different states.
Specifically, one Democratic group received $75,000 from the company FirstEnergy Corp., described as "scandal-plagued," and an additional $10,000 from its chief executive officer.
As Ohioans continue to identify government corruption as a primary concern ahead of the November election, all three candidates for governor have put forth ideas to reform the Ohio Statehouse. The Toledo Blade’s Danny Eldredge reports on these discussions.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has indicated he is open to implementing a prohibition that would prevent lobbyists from serving on state boards and commissions. Meanwhile, Dr. Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for governor, has stated her intention to issue an executive order addressing corruption on her first day in office, should she be elected.
Looking abroad, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia utilized ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones to launch further attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The Associated Press conveyed this information.
Zelenskyy noted that Kyiv did not receive any early warning from partner countries regarding this attack, despite those countries having shared such intelligence in the past. The Ukrainian president is also navigating the implications of recent decisions made in Washington that have benefited Russian President Vladimir Putin, including the waiver of U.S. sanctions on Moscow and the signing of a deal to import Russian diesel.
