Anna Staver
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Ohio Statehouse reporter for Cleveland.com | Contributor @SpectrumNews1OH | Distance runner, plant hoarder, bibliophile, tiny human chaser and amateur baker
Articles by Anna Staver
Brown continues to outraise Husted as Ohio Senate race nears record-level spending
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio’s U.S. Senate race is likely to become the most expensive in state history. As of Friday, about $422.6 million has been spent or set aside for ads on TV, radio and online, according to AdImpact, a company that tracks political advertising. That’s about $61 million short of the record $483.4 million set in Ohio’s 2024 Senate race. Democrat Sherrod Brown is far ahead of Republican U.S. Sen.
No charges filed after protester punched during Youngstown Trump rally
COLUMBUS, Ohio — No charges have been filed after a protester was repeatedly punched during President Donald Trump’s rally in Youngstown on Monday, according to the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office. Trump was speaking at the Covelli Centre Monday night when chants of “U-S-A” erupted from the crowd. People turned toward a commotion in the stands, where a protester wearing a “Release the Epstein Files” shirt had stood up.
Ohio ramps up fight against prediction-market sports betting: Capitol Letter
Spreading the action: After scoring a federal appeals court victory over Kalshi, Ohio gambling regulators are now demanding nine other prediction-market operators either follow state sports-betting rules or stop allowing residents to put money on sporting events. As Jeremy Pelzer reports, cease-and-desist letters sent to Polymarket, Robinhood and several smaller operators warn they could face fines, lawsuits or criminal charges if they don’t comply within 14 days.
Are data centers a good deal for Ohio? 5 numbers from a new study raise questions
1 day ago One particularly crazy Republican out of Nevada wants to verify voters’ identities by “measuring their heartbeats.” This Week in the Laboratories of Democracy (Permanent Musical Accompaniment to This Post) Being our semi-regular weekly survey of what’s goin’ down in the several states where, as we know, …
Trump returning to Ohio as Republicans push turnout in Senate, governor races
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- President Donald Trump is coming back to Ohio, this time to Youngstown, a once reliably Democratic corner of the state that he helped turn red. Whether Democrat Sherrod Brown can win back Mahoning Valley voters is an open question in a Senate race that has become one of the most closely watched in the country. Brown is challenging Republican Sen. Jon Husted for the final two years of Vice President JD Vance’s old Senate term. A subscription is required to read this story.
Ohio’s gas tax holiday kicks off with uneven price drops
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Gas prices varied widely across Ohio on Sunday, the first day of the state’s 90-day gas tax holiday. A GasBuddy check found regular gas as low as $3.31 a gallon at a Meijer in Columbus and as high as $4.18 at a Kroger in Mt. Gilead, in Morrow County. Other stations fell somewhere in between, including a GetGo in Parma charging $3.74. The wide range shows why the tax holiday may not feel the same to every driver, at least right away. A subscription is required to read this story.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine mourns Haitian man at Springfield funeral
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine attended the funeral Saturday of Pierre Damas Bel, a young Haitian man who died by suicide in August after his family said he was bullied for wearing an immigration ankle monitor. DeWine did not speak during the two-hour service at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, but he and first lady Fran DeWine met privately with Bel's family before. The governor said they came as parents who also know the pain of losing a child.
Cleveland forecast: Sunny Sunday, with a cooler start to the workweek
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Greater Cleveland is expected to see sunny and mild weather Sunday before cooler air moves in for the start of the workweek. The National Weather Service forecast calls for a high near 69 degrees Sunday, with south winds shifting west during the afternoon. Skies should stay mostly sunny through the day. A cold front will move across the region late Sunday into Sunday night, bringing a slight chance of showers after midnight.
How a tool to fight blight became a suburban tax strategy in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- When a development is built in Cuyahoga County, the new property tax it generates can be redirected before libraries, social service agencies and county programs ever see a penny. In traditional tax increment financing districts, cities capture those dollars from the increased property values to pay for the roads, sewers and cleanup that make projects possible. For decades, local governments used TIFs sparingly.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine mourns Haitian man at Springfield funeral
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine attended the funeral Saturday of Pierre Damas Bel, a young Haitian man who died by suicide in August after his family said he was bullied for wearing an immigration ankle monitor. DeWine did not speak during the two-hour service at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, but he and first lady Fran DeWine met privately with Bel’s family before. The governor said they came as parents who also know the pain of losing a child.
Ohio gas tax holiday starts Sunday: Capitol Letter
Holiday road: Ohio’s 90-day gas-tax holiday will begin Sunday, as Gov. Mike DeWine signed the measure into law on Thursday. Jeremy Pelzer has more on what motorists stand to save at the pump, why the public likely won’t see all of the savings from the tax break, the political implications of the move, and whether lawmakers will have the political will to allow gas prices to rise again when the tax break ends in early January. A tale of two standards: U.S. Rep.
Grid manager delays data center power auction over concern on who gets the bill
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A plan to add more power to the electric grid has been postponed after federal regulators raised concerns about who would pay for it. PJM Interconnection, which manages the power grid for Ohio and 12 other states, had planned to open a special auction Wednesday. The goal was to buy more electricity for peak usage times like the dead of winter and hottest summer days.
Republicans block Ohio Dems’ broader relief plans - data centers and utility bills, property taxes
COLUMBUS, Ohio --Ohio lawmakers returned to the Statehouse on Wednesday to pass a three-month gas tax holiday, but Democrats wanted to talk about a lot more than gas. They tried to offer plans for utility bill relief, a bigger child tax credit and a larger homestead exemption. They also wanted to debate the war in Iran and whether Ohio should redirect money set aside for sports stadiums into checks for ratepayers.
Ohio has no statewide shield against new data center power costs
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The clock is ticking for Ohio lawmakers to protect regular electric customers from higher bills and possible outages tied to the data center boom. PJM, the grid operator for Ohio and 12 other states, opened a special auction Wednesday to buy more power after its regular auction came up short this summer. It’s offering power plant operators much higher prices to hopefully entice them to make more electricity available when the grid needs it most.
DeWine moves to end E-Check program for Northeast Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Northeast Ohio drivers could soon make their last trip through E-Check. Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tuesday that he directed the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to begin the process of ending the vehicle emissions testing program in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit counties. But don't skip your next E-Check appointment just yet. Ohio still needs approval from the U.S. EPA before it can eliminate the program.
DeWine moves to end E-Check program for Northeast Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Northeast Ohio drivers could soon make their last trip through E-Check. Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tuesday that he directed the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to begin the process of ending the vehicle emissions testing program in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit counties. But don’t skip your next E-Check appointment just yet. Ohio still needs approval from the U.S. EPA before it can eliminate the program.
Trump to rally in Ohio this weekend as Senate, governor’s races heat up
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- President Donald Trump is coming to Ohio this weekend as Republicans look to fire up voters ahead of a high-stakes November election. Trump is scheduled to hold a rally Saturday, Oct. 3, at Butler High School in Vandalia, a Dayton suburb. The event is set to begin at 5:30 p.m., with Trump expected to speak at 7 p.m., according to the Republican National Committee. People who want to attend can request tickets through the GOP’s event page.
Ohio lawmakers push to make utilities credit customers for power outages
By Anna Staver • cleveland.com (TNS) COLUMBUS — Ohioans could get money back from their electric utility when the power goes out under a new bipartisan bill. The Ohio Power Outage Relief Act would require utilities to give customers automatic bill credits after long or repeated outages. Customers could also be reimbursed for spoiled food and medicine. “When the power goes out, the electric bill still comes,” said Lakewood Democratic Rep. Tristan Rader, one of the bill’s sponsors.
Data centers opponents want pause when lawmakers return this week
By Anna Staver• cleveland.com (TNS) COLUMBUS — The group trying to ban large data centers in Ohio wants lawmakers to approve a 12-month pause on new projects when they return to the Statehouse this week. “If Ohio’s lawmakers can find the time to ease the strain of excessive fuel prices before the upcoming election, they can also find the time to ease Ohioans’ excessive electricity bills,” Conserve Ohio said Wednesday.
FirstEnergy plans $28 million grid project in Northeast Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- FirstEnergy plans to install new technology on power lines in Northeast Ohio to see whether they can carry more electricity without building new lines. The $28 million project will be paid for with $14 million in federal funding and $14 million from FirstEnergy. Work is expected to begin early next year and take several years, the company said Friday.
By Anna Staver • cleveland.com (TNS) COLUMBUS —Ohio’s power grid could soon carry a lot more electricity, thanks to a new federal project announced Thursday. But Ohioans might end up paying for half of it. The project costs $273 million total. The U.S. Department of Energy is putting in $136 million, and Ohio’s utility companies will cover the other $137 million. That utility share might not come from company profits, though.
Moreno asks DOJ to consider charging Ohio doctor who forced abortion pills on girlfriend: Capitol Letter
Bitter pill: U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno is asking Attorney General Todd Blanche to review the six-month jail sentence given to a Toledo-area doctor for forcing abortion pills on his pregnant girlfriend and to consider federal charges, Sabrina Eaton reports. Hassan-James Abbas pleaded no contest to four felonies over the December 2024 incident and could have received up to 60 months in prison. In a letter to Blanche, Moreno also urged the Justice Department to help conclude Louisiana v.
Federal grant targets Ohio power grid as electricity demand climbs; will consumers get a bill?
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Federal grant targets Ohio power grid as electricity demand climbs; Will consumers get a bill?
COLUMBUS, Ohio —Ohio’s power grid could soon carry a lot more electricity, thanks to a new federal project announced Thursday. But Ohioans might end up paying for half of it. The project costs $273 million total. The U.S. Department of Energy is putting in $136 million, and Ohio’s utility companies will cover the other $137 million. A subscription is required to read this story. Subscribe now to continue. That utility share might not come from company profits, though.
91% of Ohio voters want a modernized electric grid — a new group is pushing lawmakers to act
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio voters overwhelmingly agree the state needs more energy infrastructure, but the details of what to build and where are more divisive. Build Ohio First, a new coalition backed by conservative groups, wants to harness that broad support for improving the electric grid and translate it into legislation. Its priorities could range from more accurate forecasts of future electricity demand to policies governing new power plants and transmission lines.
As Ohio lawmakers return to tackle gas prices, data center opponents want a pause, too
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The group trying to ban large data centers in Ohio wants lawmakers to approve a 12-month pause on new projects when they return to the Statehouse next week. “If Ohio’s lawmakers can find the time to ease the strain of excessive fuel prices before the upcoming election, they can also find the time to ease Ohioans’ excessive electricity bills,” Conserve Ohio said Wednesday. Lawmakers are coming back to Columbus next week to consider a 90-day break from the state gas tax.
Ohio Lawmakers Pitch Bills to Limit Flock Safety Cameras
(TNS) — With voters raising concerns about Flock cameras, Ohio lawmakers have introduced four competing plans to rein in the technology weeks before the November election. The proposals range from punishing officers who misuse camera data to requiring police departments to shut down their networks almost entirely. None appears likely to become law before Election Day.
Public concerns prompt Ohio lawmakers to pitch flurry of bills to limit Flock cameras
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- With voters raising concerns about Flock cameras, Ohio lawmakers have introduced four competing plans to rein in the technology weeks before the November election. The proposals range from punishing officers who misuse camera data to requiring police departments to shut down their networks almost entirely. None appears likely to become law before Election Day.
Ohio lawmakers push to make utilities credit customers for power outages
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohioans could get money back from their electric utility when the power goes out under a new bipartisan bill. The Ohio Power Outage Relief Act would require utilities to give customers automatic bill credits after long or repeated outages. Customers could also be reimbursed for spoiled food and medicine. “When the power goes out, the electric bill still comes,” said Lakewood Democratic Rep. Tristan Rader, one of the bill’s sponsors. “Families are paying for a service they depend on.
Where Senate candidates Brown, Husted stand on data centers
Sen. Jon Husted, left, and former Sen. Sherrod Brown, right By Anna Staver • cleveland.com (TNS) COLUMBUS — Data centers have become one of the biggest issues in Ohio’s U.S. Senate race, with both candidates promising to protect residents from the costs of the industry’s rapid expansion. Democrat Sherrod Brown and his allies have seized on Republican Sen. Jon Husted’s record promoting data center development, casting him in campaign ads as a driving force behind Ohio’s boom.
Ohio group bets texting your friends win an election
By Anna Staver • cleveland.com (TNS) COLUMBUS — Voters have never been easier to contact or harder to reach. Campaigns can text your phone, call you, knock on your door, fill your mailbox and follow you across the internet. But those tactics are losing their punch. Texts get deleted. Unknown numbers get screened. Mailers go straight to the trash. Doorbell cameras let people screen visitors without leaving the couch. But what if the message to vote comes from a friend?
Audit raises concerns about how Ohio’s utility regulator manages staff, money
By Anna Staver • cleveland.com (TNS) COLUMBUS — The agency that decides how much Ohioans pay for electricity and natural gas doesn’t track how much staff work goes into those cases. That’s one finding in a new state audit of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, which also found the agency holds twice as much money in reserve as it needs and has some of the lowest pipeline safety fines in the country.
Did closing coal power plants cause spike in Ohioan’s electric bills? Claim fizzles under scrutiny
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohioans are getting hit with rising electricity bills, and they want to know who’s to blame. Nearly eight in 10 recently told Bowling Green State University pollsters they wanted to pause data center construction, but Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted says a big culprit is power plant closures. “(Sherrod) Brown voted to close down 23 power plants in Ohio alone,” Husted said during a recent energy summit in Columbus.
Facts undermine ‘pump and dump’ attack on Ramaswamy: Capitol Letter
Pumped-up claims: Democrats have spent weeks accusing Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy of previously running a fraudulent “pump and dump” scheme involving a company he founded to develop an Alzheimer’s drug.
State audit raises concerns about how Ohio’s utility regulator manages staff, money
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The agency that decides how much Ohioans pay for electricity and natural gas doesn’t track how much staff work goes into those cases. That’s one finding in a new state audit of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, which also found the agency holds twice as much money in reserve as it needs and has some of the lowest pipeline safety fines in the country. “PUCO is making decisions each and every day that affect the pocketbooks of Ohioans,” Auditor of State Keith Faber said.
Where do Ohio’s candidates for U.S. Senate stand on data centers and their development?
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Data centers have become one of the biggest issues in Ohio’s U.S. Senate race, with both candidates promising to protect residents from the costs of the industry’s rapid expansion. Democrat Sherrod Brown and his allies have seized on Republican Sen. Jon Husted’s record promoting data center development, casting him in campaign ads as a driving force behind Ohio’s boom.
DeWine declares Dolly Parton Day, honoring music legend's career, efforts to help Ohio children
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dolly Parton is getting her own day in Ohio, again. Gov. Mike DeWine has declared Sept. 25 “Dolly Parton Day” in honor of the country music legend's career and her work helping Ohio children learn to read. The proclamation is the latest chapter in a years-long relationship between Parton and the DeWine family, largely built around Parton's Imagination Library. First lady Fran DeWine made expanding the program one of her priorities after her husband became governor in 2019.
DeWine declares Dolly Parton Day, honoring music legend’s career, efforts to help Ohio children
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Dolly Parton is getting her own day in Ohio, again. Gov. Mike DeWine has declared Sept. 25 “Dolly Parton Day” in honor of the country music legend’s career and her work helping Ohio children learn to read. The proclamation is the latest chapter in a years-long relationship between Parton and the DeWine family, largely built around Parton’s Imagination Library. A subscription is required to read this story. Subscribe now to continue.
NE Ohio Democrat wants to end property tax breaks for data centers
COLUMBUS, Ohio — As Ohio homeowners struggle with rising property taxes, one state lawmaker is questioning why multibillion-dollar data centers should get a break on theirs. Rep. Daniel Troy, a Willowick Democrat, introduced legislation that would prohibit cities, counties and townships from granting new property tax abatements to data centers, arguing the industry no longer needs taxpayer subsidies to build in Ohio.
Can texting your friends win an election? This Ohio group is betting on it
Columbus, OHIO -- Voters have never been easier to contact or harder to reach. Campaigns can text your phone, call you, knock on your door, fill your mailbox and follow you across the internet. But those tactics are losing their punch. Texts get deleted. Unknown numbers get screened. Mailers go straight to the trash. Doorbell cameras let people screen visitors without leaving the couch. But what if the message to vote comes from a friend? A subscription is required to read this story.
Ohio delays SNAP ban on sugary drinks at federal request
By Anna Staver • cleveland.com (TNS) COLUMBUS — Ohio is delaying a new ban on using food assistance benefits to buy certain sugary drinks at the request of the federal government. The restriction was scheduled to take effect Oct. 1 for Ohioans enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It would prohibit them from using their benefits to buy fountain drinks and some carbonated beverages with added sugar.
ACA insurance costs keep climbing for Ohioans
By Anna Staver • cleveland.com (TNS) COLUMBUS — Ohioans who buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace are facing another double-digit premium increase next year, on top of the steep increase they already faced this year. The 11 insurers remaining in Ohio’s marketplace are proposing to raise premiums by an average of 14.7% for 2027, according to an analysis by the Center for American Progress.
Husted campaign fires political director over Nazi photo
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- U.S. Sen. Jon Husted fired his campaign’s political director Friday after The Washington Post reported the 25-year-old staffer had used a photo of Nazi SS soldiers as his Facebook profile picture. Stephen Woytek joined Husted’s campaign in August after working as a legislative aide in the Ohio House of Representatives.
Moreno says he’ll deliver on Trump’s promised $5,000 checks: Capitol Letter
Political dividend: Bernie Moreno is ready to turn President Donald Trump’s promise of a $5,000 “Trump Dividend” for every adult American into legislation if Republicans retain control of Congress, Sabrina Eaton writes. The Westlake Republican said he’ll have a bill ready to pass immediately after the Nov. 3 election, even though Trump has not said how he would finance a proposal that could cost more than $1 trillion.
$500 Obamacare refund checks coming in October, Trump says
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Nearly 1 million Americans, including some Ohioans, could get $500 checks from the federal government next month. The Trump administration announced Thursday that it plans to send money back to people who bought health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace but didn’t get federal help paying their monthly premiums.
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