Politixia
Ohio learned how a youth prison riot from October 2022 started. The State Supreme Court dismissed the challenge to the map of Ohio’s congressional districts, and we got a status update on fracking underneath state parks.
We break down what it all means in this week’s episode of Ohio Politics Explained. A podcast from the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau to catch you up on the state’s political news in 15 minutes or less.
This week, host Anna Staver was joined by reporter Laura Bischoff.
1) Fracking under state parks
Ohio is getting closer to leasing the mineral rights underneath its state parks to oil and gas companies.
At least 10 preliminary applications have been filed with the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission, and it’s expected to decide whether to approve these nominations by the end of the year.
Gov. Mike DeWine has said none of the drilling would occur on public lands or get in the way of visitors’ experiences. But environmental groups aren’t convinced.
“This is 3% of our land in Ohio that has been set aside for these parks and wildlife areas,” said Cathy Cowan Becker, co-founder of grassroots environmental group Save Ohio Parks. “They’re meant to be protected.”
2) What triggered a youth prison riot?
A dozen teenagers took over a school building at a youth prison in October 2022, and this week, we learned how it started.
The riot at Indian River Juvenile Correctional Facility began when a teen requested a cup of water and used the opportunity to steal an officer’s keys. He then used those keys to unlock other cells.
The new officer said he didn’t know he shouldn’t open the cell door. The teens said they were frustrated by lengthy confinements to their rooms.
3) Does the Ohio Matters PAC matter?
After losing the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 2022, state Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, promised to help raise money for other GOP politicians.
He created Ohio Matters, a political action committee to boost candidates like himself who wanted to move the Republican Party past former President Donald Trump.
But more than a year after launching, the PAC hasn’t raised much money, Dolan hasn’t made the personal contribution he promised, and the PAC’s primary beneficiary is Dolan himself as he runs for U.S. Senate again.
“The fact that he’s contributed nothing leads me to believe that the PAC was nothing than a public relations gimmick,” said David Cohen, a political scientist at the University of Akron.
4) No more mapmaking
Ohio won’t be redrawing the boundaries for its 15 Congressional districts.
The state Supreme dismissed a legal challenge to the current congressional map this week after opponents dropped their legal challenges.
Attorney Freda Levenson with the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio wrote that using the 2022 map again gives Ohio voters some “much-needed certainty.” Candidates must file to run by December and the primary is in March.
Listen to “Ohio Politics Explained” on Spotify, Apple, Google Podcasts and TuneIn Radio. The episode is also available by clicking the link in this article.
The USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau serves The Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.
