AGP Executive Report

Toledo Festival Shooting: At least 12 people were shot near the Old West End Festival in Toledo, with two in critical condition; police say it appears two shooters were “probably shooting at each other” and a search for suspects is ongoing. High School Sports Spotlight: OHSAA State Track and Field wrapped up with local relay wins and standout performances, including Shelby’s boys 4x100 title and other area teams bringing home medals at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Community & Place: Akron launched its first Blimp Day, with Goodyear’s Wingfoot blimps looping over all 24 neighborhoods—an instant new summer tradition. Local Environment: Bluffton University is removing invasive shrubs like autumn olive and bush honeysuckle from its Nature Preserve, while an Allen County native plant and rain barrel sale promoted pollinator-friendly landscaping. Housing & Pay: In Columbus, “Your Week in Columbus” digs into CMHA leadership pay and how the housing authority funds public housing through its own developments. LGBTQ+ Culture: Pride events in multiple cities were canceled amid political pressure, with organizers citing funding and safety concerns.

Ohio Arts & Pride: Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus brings “Ancient Gods” to the Riffe Center June 13–14, mixing Pride Month with Greek, Roman, Norse, and Egyptian mythology and period costumes. Local Culture & Heritage: The Ohio Tobacco Museum’s annual dinner and reverse raffle honored longtime tobacco growers and funded upgrades, including landscaping and new accessibility work. Community Sports & Schools: Lexington’s Minutemen repeat as Division II 4x800 state champions, while Licking Heights principal Dawn McCloud earns Ohio’s Principal of the Year recognition for career-tech and student-support growth. Public Safety & Inclusion: Special Olympics Ohio’s Law Enforcement Torch Run hits Eaton, spotlighting local athletes heading to the Summer Games. Energy & Debate: Ohio’s nuclear sector forms the Ohio Nuclear Alliance, while GOP nominee Vivek Ramaswamy argues data centers should pay for their own power and water. Tech & Everyday Life: Americans lose nearly $900M to AI scams in 2025, with experts warning the worst is still coming. Sports & Entertainment: Brazil vs. Egypt lands in Cleveland for a FIFA World Cup 2026 tune-up at Huntington Bank Field.

Faith & Community: Akash Pamarthy’s NPR-documented look at Ohio’s Sikh community spotlights intergenerational tradition—gurdwara services, langar meals open to all, and turban-tying classes that blend faith and American life. Sports & Local Pride: Denison’s NCAA baseball title drew alumni back to Cleveland, from “jar of dirt” keepsakes to last-minute flights—proof that small-college wins still feel huge. Education & Career Pathways: Bluffton University hosted NetVUE’s regional gathering on vocation and collaborative learning, while Trinity Health System’s medical lab science program earned maximum 10-year accreditation. Youth & Inclusion: JCC Youngstown reopened its visual arts studio after accessibility renovations, and Columbiana County’s CCCTC honored student leaders in culinary and cosmetology. Community Events: Wheeling Fashion Week’s 2026 calendar is set, and the free Ohio River Splashtacular returns Sunday with water-ski shows and family activities. Civic Life: A proposed Ohio property-tax abolition measure missed the Nov. ballot again after signature shortfalls, with organizers aiming for 2027.

Education & Student Support: Kentucky State University named Adam A. Smith interim vice president for enrollment management and student success, bringing 25+ years of advising and retention work. Local Culture & Community: Jackson City School District booster Dan Morrow was profiled as a lifelong resident and longtime YMCA and education leader. Faith & Heritage: Sister Blandina Spegale’s sainthood cause advanced after Vatican consultants voted to move it closer to canonization, highlighting her healthcare and education work across Ohio and the region. Public Safety & Infrastructure: ODOT District 9 plans a Reduced Collision U-Turn at SR 32/SR 247 in Adams County, plus access changes tied to crash history. Health & Science: Cleveland researchers presented a faster lab method to detect C. difficile resistance to fidaxomicin, aiming to speed treatment decisions. Ohio Politics & Accountability: Ohio AG Dave Yost launched a statewide felony crime and sentencing dashboard for 88 counties. Tech & Local Impact: Meta’s AI data-center buildout in New Albany uses tent-style structures, raising new questions about speed, cost, and community effects. Arts & Education: TeachRock’s new Hendrix lesson gets a public kickoff tied to a street co-naming in New York.

OhioSEE Vision Expansion: Gov. DeWine highlighted Dublin City Schools’ first-time glasses moment as OhioSEE ramps up statewide eye exams, aiming to reach thousands more students who need vision support to learn. School Safety Training: The Ohio School Safety Center expanded STOP THE BLEED® training statewide, arming students and staff with hands-on skills like direct pressure and tourniquets for severe bleeding emergencies. Addiction Recovery & Workforce: Flying HIGH’s Professional Development Center held graduations for chemical dependency counseling, CNA, carpentry, and welding credentials—mixing recovery support with job-ready trades. Community Health on the Road: Facing Fentanyl and Trucking Cares launched “Hope Hits the Highway” to spread naloxone awareness through driver ambassadors. Culture & Faith: A Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati nun, Sr. Blandina Segale, took another step toward sainthood after Vatican theologians advanced her cause. Arts & Institutions: The Kennedy Center began removing Trump references after a federal judge ordered the name change back to “John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.” Local Sports Spotlight: Connor Bendo won the Division IV 3200 at OHSAA state track, while Ohio’s state meets drew nearly 6,000 athletes.

Pride Month, Columbus and beyond: Central Ohio communities are gearing up for a full slate of family-friendly LGBTQ+ celebrations, from the Stonewall Columbus Pride March and Festival June 20 to smaller Pride events with vendors, music, and community resources across suburbs. Music access with global reach: Hungry for Music, a nonprofit founded in 1994, keeps repairing and redistributing donated instruments—placing thousands each year into kids’ hands in the U.S. and around the world. Comedy in Cleveland: Dave Chappelle’s arena stand-up stop hits Rocket Arena June 16, with a phone-free show format using locked Yondr pouches. Local culture and community arts: Hopewell Theatre postponed its “Glassheart” production to July, while Columbus-area arts groups keep announcing summer programming and events. Ohio policy and identity in the spotlight: Ohio’s Pride and education stories land alongside major national political fights over war powers and immigration enforcement—showing how culture and civic life are colliding right now.

Local Governance: Avondale councilmember Maxine “Max” White was reappointed to the National League of Cities’ Transportation and Infrastructure committee for a third term, pushing for safer streets and federal infrastructure funding. Education & Community: Bridgeport Exempted Village Schools marked farewells and new beginnings, including a retiring middle school principal and progress on the district’s “Bridge” multipurpose facility. School Leadership: Salem City Schools hired interim superintendent Jamie Kemats as permanent superintendent, while East Liverpool approved contract renewals for more than 60 staff members. Public Policy & Housing: Columbiana County commissioners are weighing a “piggyback” homestead property tax exemption, with treasurers warning it could strain school finances. Culture & Heritage: Middlefield’s Swiss Cheese Festival returns June 12–14, bringing back a longtime community tradition. Immigration & Civil Rights: A federal lawsuit targets warrantless immigration arrests across Ohio, with a Cuban immigrant set to testify from Butler County Jail. Health & Aging: CMS data highlights nursing home rankings and ratings across multiple Ohio counties, including facilities in Logan, Champaign, Wood, and Ohio County. Sports: East Liverpool’s Maddox Roach eyes a state title in the 1600, and Salem’s girls track team heads to state with multiple relay entries.

Workforce & Trades: A new look at the maintenance tech career path highlights how warehousing struggles to find skilled technicians—and why people skills matter as much as fixing conveyors and robotics. Mental Health Through Literacy: Ohio’s Department of Behavioral Health launches “Reading for Resiliency,” partnering with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to strengthen family connection and child wellness. Arts & Community: Loop Youngstown opens its new Arts + Culture Center with an open house and dedication, while the 2026 Sixth Street ArtsFest expands June 13. Culture & Food: Conner Prairie’s traveling exhibit “FOOD: Science, Culture, and Cuisine” debuts June 13, blending immersive storytelling with how we eat. Public Funding for Culture: Ohio lawmakers unveil a $3.7B capital budget with major Columbus-area investments, including the Poindexter Village African American Museum and zoo projects. Sports & Local Spotlight: The Memorial Tournament tees off in Dublin, Ohio, as Rory McIlroy keeps a selective schedule.

Higher Ed & Work: Universities across the country are cutting jobs as state funding tightens, enrollment shifts, and costs rise—plus new uncertainty around federal research and international students. Affordability: A Brookings analysis finds Ohio households are under strain, with more than 40% struggling to make ends meet and 73% of single-parent households hit hardest. Nursing Home Watch: CMS Q1 2026 ratings spotlight Ohio-area facilities—some stand out (like Indian Lake Rehabilitation Center’s 5-star score), while others land below the state average, with details on bed counts, staffing, and fines. Local Business Support: Northwest State Community College is hosting a free business financing workshop aimed at helping veteran-, women-, and minority-owned founders access capital. Community & Youth: Akron’s North Hill students helped design a new schoolyard, “The Bowl,” turning a vacant lot into a soccer-and-mural community space. Civic Life: Ohio’s call-before-you-dig rules are changing June 9, with OHIO811 pushing new training and reporting requirements. Sports Spotlight: Salem’s Chaya Murray heads into the Division III state meet as a top 200-meter seed after setting school records.

Ohio Stadium Music Moment: Tyler Childers headlines Buckeye Country Superfest 2026 on June 13, with a free Tailgate Fan Fest and a lineup spanning roots and Americana acts like The Red Clay Strays, Lord Huron, Sierra Ferrell, Flatland Cavalry, and Kaitlin Butts. Community & Arts Funding: Ohio lawmakers are set to review a $3.7B capital budget that includes major school construction money plus arts, cultural, and history projects—along with state parks and Ohio Historical Center renovations. Local Business Spotlight: Marco’s Pizza opens in New Haven with a June 3 grand opening, bringing its family-recipe brand to the east side of Allen County. Food Culture Growth: Killer Brownie, the Ohio-made “layered dessert” brand, plans to expand production and warehousing into a bigger facility and add 82 jobs. Sports Policy Debate: A new push to “protect college sports” is drawing fresh attention to how athletes are treated and paid, as Congress weighs major changes. Immigration & Human Impact: Border Patrol arrested 36 commercial truck drivers in Arizona during an enforcement operation, while separate reporting highlights detainees’ accounts of medical neglect. Everyday Life: Toledo Public Schools is hosting a bus driver recruitment event with on-the-spot driving and interviews.

Ohio Education Policy: Ohio Senate Bill 113 faces mounting pushback after educators warned it’s vague enough to chill efforts tied to diversity, equity and inclusion—critics say it could even undercut recruiting and retaining Black teachers. Religious Instruction & Public Schools: Three Ohio men tied to LifeWise Academy—teachers and a volunteer—were charged or pleaded guilty in sex crimes involving minors, renewing scrutiny of the controversial religious release-time program. Immigration & Community Impact: Ohio lawmakers Mike Turner and Mike Carey voted to extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, framed by local advocates as protecting families already working and contributing in places like Springfield. Civic Life & Rights: In Youngstown, community leaders protested a Supreme Court decision they say further weakens the Voting Rights Act, calling it a step toward “life support.” Local Culture & Learning: Niles’ McKinley Memorial Library won a federal grant to boost summer reading events, including animal-themed activities and a gem-panning finale. Tech & Safety: A Latvian national was sentenced in federal court in Southern Ohio to 102 months for ransomware negotiations tied to Karakurt and related attacks.

Kennedy Center Fight: A federal judge ordered President Trump’s name removed from the Kennedy Center, blocking the board’s renaming and a planned closure—an immediate culture-policy clash with national ripple effects. LGBTQ+ Pride in Ohio: Stonewall Columbus spotlights LuSter Singleton as Patron of Pride and lays out Pride events across Columbus, keeping visibility at the center of the month’s “Until We’re All Free” theme. AI and Ethics: Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” ties AI’s moral risks to the Tower of Babel, raising the question of whether efficiency can come at the cost of human dignity and jobs. Mental Health Access: Fayette County’s first Grab N’ Go Suicide Prevention Breakfast aimed to meet people where they are, connecting farmers, men, seniors, and veterans with local resources. Local Journalism: SNO Sites recognized 84 student publications as Distinguished Sites for 2025–2026, celebrating strong digital reporting and ongoing coverage. Ohio Arts & Community: Youngstown Symphony announced an expanded 2026–27 season, adding concerts and staging.

Local Education & Community: Southern Local’s Senior Awards Assembly highlighted more than $200,000 in scholarships and honor cords for Class of 2026 students. Mental Health Access: OhioRISE held its fifth annual Monroe County mental health awareness walk, spotlighting local partners and services for families. Arts & Heritage: The CAT in Columbiana will host a final screening of “Brier Hill,” based on a Youngstown novel, with a guest speaker and announcement. School Funding Pressure: A new look at Ohio K-12 finances finds “tremendous” stress, with many districts projecting negative cash balances by 2029. Faith & Learning: A new rabbinical college is trying to intervene in a lawsuit over Hebrew Union College’s shuttered Cincinnati campus and assets. Privacy & Tech: Dayton city workers covered Flock license plate readers with trash bags amid a dispute over policy and immigration-related search requests. Culture Calendar: June is Ohio Wine Month, with state trails and wineries inviting visitors to celebrate. Civic Life: Warren-Trumbull libraries are hosting free, nonpartisan presentations on new Ohio property tax legislation.

Medicaid & misinformation: A far-right outlet’s claims of “mass” Medicaid fraud in Ohio are being used to justify a bill that critics say would devastate the program—despite officials saying there’s no real evidence of widespread fraud. Data centers & state budgets: Policy Matters Ohio reports Ohio’s data-center tax breaks are costing far more than projected, with major revenue losses tied to exemptions for new projects and scholarship donations. Local education pressure: Ohio is projected to see the highest rate of public school districts with negative cash balances since the Great Recession, as districts cut staff and programs to close budget gaps. Community culture & organizing: Palestine Day events in Columbus bring families together for learning, advocacy, and divestment organizing. Indigenous arts: The Powwow Mountain Man Rendezvous returns to Little A Town Arena in Avella with dance, crafts, food, and Native American Indian Cultural Society programming. Student leadership: OSU-bound Romy Nazario credits Youth Leadership Toledo for building communication and teamwork skills. Civic service: Lorain Lions Club marks 20 years beautifying Elmwood Cemetery entrances with flowers and flags. Environment: A Tribune investigation highlights plastic “nurdles” washing toward Lake Erie as industry downplays the risks.

Voting Rights Act & Courts: The U.S. Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s 2024 congressional map as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, putting fresh focus on Section 2’s role in protecting minority voting power. Ohio Elections: Ranked-choice voting’s losing streak continues, with Ohio joining Indiana in banning the system. School Choice Watch: An Ohio Senate bill would boost voucher transparency by requiring scholarship students to take the same standardized tests as public schoolers and forcing schools to report how voucher money is used. Labor & Industry: Ohio moves to end or scale back data center tax breaks as the state weighs jobs, costs, and community impact. Immigration & Faith: In Youngstown, an interfaith prayer vigil targets immigration detention at the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center, calling for better religious access for detainees. Arts & Identity: A federal judge ordered removal of Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center and paused planned renovations, reigniting a fight over who controls cultural institutions. Local Culture: Cincinnati’s Spencer family is set to be honored with a new “water monument” tied to civil-rights history at Sunlite Pool.

Local Arts & Pride: Toledo muralist Chris “Chilly” Rodriguez painted two tiger-themed murals for Newton Falls High School, adding school-spirit art in the gym and commons. Community Food & Travel: Brandy Gleason brought her road-trip storytelling to the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library, promoting her Ohio restaurant book and the people behind places like Cockeye Barbeque. Education Leadership: Mathews Local Schools hired Dennis Hynes as superintendent, while nearby districts also reshuffled leadership with new interim roles and superintendent appointments. Faith & Community: The Diocese of Youngstown named Meagen Farrell communications and social concerns director, linking multimedia work with prison ministry and respect-life efforts. Culture & Learning: The Butler Institute of American Art tapped Anastasia James as its new director, bringing experience from the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. Sports & Youth: South Range’s Raider Regatta returned with cardboard-boat creativity, and local athletes qualified for state meets. Policy & Public Life: Ohio’s data center tax break is under pressure as opposition grows and lawmakers weigh impacts. National Legal/Arts: A federal judge ordered Trump’s name removed from the Kennedy Center, blocking a planned closure/renovation.