“Terry, I am mad as hell right now. You were playing games at my expense,” Ashli Ford wrote under a post she made accusing Norwalk Reflector reporter Terry Burton of lying about her.

Idiot battle?

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Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here.

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Catching Our Eye

Water. Cleveland Scene’s Mark Oprea reports, “Cleveland Agrees to $3 Million Settlement in Water Department Discrimination Lawsuit.”

In 2013, after a post-stroke spinal fracture, Albert Pickett, Jr. moved back into his childhood home in East Cleveland. But there was a problem. His mother had about $550 in overdue water bill payments.

On disability, Pickett was denied a payment plan with Cleveland Water. That same year, his water was shut off. He went six years without running water.

A 2019 class action lawsuit against the city detailed his case and those of others that argued residents were denied proper due process: Pickett, like hundreds of other Cleveland Water customers in the past six years, was never directed to the utility’s Water Review Board for a chance to dispute his shut off.

Cop cameras. The Dayton Daily News’ Sydney Dawes reports, “‘This doesn’t feel like public safety’: Daytonians call for removal of Flock cameras.”

Dozens of Dayton residents are calling on city leaders to cancel their contract with an automated license plate reader vendor, remove the cameras from the city, release all audit reports associated with the camera system and hold a public hearing where officials must present facts under oath, among other actions.

Make pollution great again. ProPublica reports, “Trump Exempted Some of the Nation’s Biggest Polluters From Air Quality Rules. All It Took Was an Email.”

The Trump administration has granted more than 180 polluting facilities nationwide a two-year pause on compliance with Clean Air Act rules.

The administration set up an email address through the Environmental Protection Agency where companies simply had to send an email to make their request.

The EPA’s air quality experts played no meaningful role in determining whether a facility should be handed an exemption to the rules, according to the agency.

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The lawsuit, Siefke et al. v. Wolf Inn, LLC, claims that management didn’t just miss a few payments—they allegedly ignored their own time clocks to avoid paying workers what they were owed.

‘Systemic’ denial of OT

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BELLEVUE — For decades, it was the “open secret” of Bellevue Junior High. A requirement of nude swimming, justified by a thin veil of “sanitation,” that left generations of boys vulnerable in a basement pool. But while some remember the era with a nervous laugh, Ronnie Rideout remembers the sound of a 2x6 hitting skin and the sight of a predator watching from the shadows of the locker room.

In an exclusive, raw, and often profanity-laced interview with StayTunedSandusky.com, Rideout—now 65 and living in Portsmouth, Ohio—detailed a childhood defined by institutional violence and a total lack of “backup.”

“I was a little fucking skinny ass fucking boy didn’t weigh 100 fucking pounds,” Rideout recalls. “I had grown ass fucking men haul off and try and take a fucking Babe Ruth swing at my ass with the equivalent of a fucking 2 by 6.”

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SANDUSKY — If you’re heading toward the peninsula this weekend, the landscape looks a little different. Just in time for Cedar Point’s opening day today, the city officially opened the new roundabout at Cleveland Road and Cedar Point Drive.

As of Thursday afternoon, the barricades were down and traffic is flowing through the new circular intersection. It’s a major milestone for the Cleveland Road Safety Improvement Project, aiming to smooth out the white-knuckle congestion we’ve all experienced at that junction.

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SANDUSKY — State investigators declined to say Wednesday if criminal charges will be filed against a deputy caught in the act on surveillance video having sex with an indicted suspect, his badge and gun in full view.

More than a year after getting the complaint — with the video showing the deputy, a detective, having sex with the woman he was investigating, state agents and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost declined Wednesday to say if he will face charges.

Erie County Sheriff Paul Sigsworth said he’s disappointed that there hasn’t been any followup.

“He’s a disgrace,” Sigsworth told StayTunedSandusky.com on Thursday, referring to former Deputy Daniel Orzech. “This behavior was corrupt and extremely disappointing. It was a violation of the trust placed in him, his victimization of individuals under color of law.”

Sigsworth also expressed impatience with the pace of the investigation.

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Yost, who was named in March as the first-time recipient of the WOAT (worst of all time) public official for his abuse of the state’s Public Records Act, will resign from that office today to accept a private sector job., according to the reports.

COLUMBUS — Ohio’s race for governor this November is set. The Associated Press projects Republican Vivek Ramaswamy will face Democrat Amy Acton in November according to unofficial results.

Results remain unofficial until they are certified by election officials later this month.

Both candidates are political newcomers who’ve distinguished themselves as communicators. They’ll have ample opportunity to make their case.

Acton is breaking Democratic fundraising records in Ohio; according to pre-primary reports her campaign has cleared $10 million. Ramaswamy has spent that much on campaign ads already, and with a $25 million personal loan, appears ready to spend more. And that doesn’t even account for the Super PAC supporting his bid.

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Acton, who didn’t have a primary challenger, described herself as a “scrappy kid from Youngstown” in a speech to supporters Tuesday night. She drew comparisons between her own struggles as a child facing homelessness and the challenges Ohioans today face in making ends meet.

“I am running for governor because people in this state are struggling,” Acton said. “They are doing everything right. They’re working harder than they ever have, but there is no more breathing room. They’re struggling with the cost of everyday life, and I refuse to look the other way.”

And Acton needled her opponent for criss-crossing the state in a private jet.

“When you are looking at a state from 30,000 feet, my opponent cannot possibly see the struggles and the stories that I’m hearing on the road,” Acton said. “Vivek Ramaswamy isn’t just out of touch. He is out for himself. That is what is happening here.”

The AP called the Republican primary race for Ramaswamy less than 30 minutes after polls closed.

“I do believe that this marks, without exception, the single most consequential election for governor that our state has ever seen in our history,” Ramaswamy told a crowd of supporters at sports bar in Columbus’ Arena District Tuesday night.

“There has never been a greater contrast between two candidates,” he said, insisting he celebrates success while Acton villainizes it.

“She will remind you every day that I’m a billionaire,” he said, “and I will remind you that I was not born a billionaire. I was not born a millionaire. I was not born an anything-aire.”

Meet the candidates

Acton built a career in public health both as a practicing physician and a teacher at Ohio State University. But her introduction to Ohio voters came as the calming voice alongside Gov. Mike DeWine early in the COVID-19 pandemic. She conveyed empathy and encouragement to Ohioans stuck in their homes, and she had a knack for breaking down complex information in an understandable way.

The rare Democrat in a state government dominated by Republicans for more than a decade, Acton was blamed by some in the GOP for COVID lockdowns. She ended up resigning as state health director in June of 2020, just months after the pandemic began.

Ramaswamy told supporters the COVID lockdowns were bad, but Acton quitting was the greater sin.

“To me, that is the most damning indictment of somebody who wants to lead this state,” he said. “I will never quit on Ohio.”

Ramaswamy is not the first billionaire businessman to try his hand at politics, but that resume isn’t really what brought him here.

About the time he stepped down as CEO of his biotech firm, Ramaswamy wrote the first in a string of books tapping into growing “anti-woke” sentiment on the right. He rode that success to frequent appearances on cable news and then launched a quixotic 2024 presidential bid.

The fast-talking, long-shot candidate made big promises and got under the skin of his Republican rivals.

But Ramaswamy never criticized Donald Trump and later endorsed him after bowing out of the race. He parlayed that support into a short-lived stint at the head of the Department of Government Efficiency alongside Elon Musk.

Primary competition

Since emerging in 2020, Acton has been a high priority recruit for state Democrats. She announced her candidacy in Jan. 2025, while big name Ohio Democrats were still mulling their 2026 plans.

Following his loss in 2024, former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown left the door open to running for U.S. Senate again or for governor. Last August he decided on a U.S. Senate run. Democratic former U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan weighed his chances for governor or U.S. Senate, too. In the end, he pursued neither.

When Ramaswamy announced he was running for governor in Feb. 2025, Trump’s endorsement came just hours later. In May of last year, the state party endorsed Ramaswamy. A few days later, his most significant challenger, Attorney General Dave Yost, dropped out of the race. Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel never jumped in.

But Ramaswamy did draw a notable challenger in Casey Putsch. The Perrysburg man has a following on YouTube and started the nonprofit Genius Garage which trains students to build race cars.

Putsch also has a history of Holocaust denial and last month made winking reference to the Beer Hall Putsch — Adolf Hitlers first, failed attempt to gain power — in a Putsch “beer hall rally” in Toledo. On Facebook, Putsch dismissed that characterization as a “psy-op,” and offered to buy a beer for anyone who showed up in a German car.

He’s also made openly race-based attacks against Ramaswamy and courted ‘groypers’ — a far-right fringe group known for nativism and antisemitism.

Follow Ohio Capital Journal Reporter Nick Evans on X or on Bluesky.

The outcome in the general election Nov. 3 could determine which party claims the majority going into 2027. The Ohio 2026 Primary Election Day was yesterday, May 5.

Kaptur, who has represented Ohio’s 9th congressional district since 1983 — making her the longest-serving woman in congressional history. Results are remain unofficial until they are certified by election officials later this month.

Merrin, who did not answer a single question during the primary campaign or respond to a single inquiry, issued a statement after Tuesday’s victory, saying Northwest Ohio was “ready for fresh new leadership.”

He served four terms as an Ohio state representative for the Toledo district from 2016 to 2025. He was the GOP nominee two years ago, with Kaptur edging him out by less than 1% of the vote.

Ohio state Rep. Josh Williams, former deputy director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Madison Sheahan, healthcare industry worker Anthony Campbell, and Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Alea Nadeem also ran in the Republican Primary.

Kaptur vowed to defeat her opponent in the fall, calling Merrin a “self-serving politician who has spent his career showing up for himself."

President Donald Trump won this district by 11 points in 2024.

The Ohio Redistricting Commission unanimously passed a new congressional map in October, increasing the Republican advantage in the state 12-3.

Republicans currently hold 10 out of 15 Ohio U.S. Congressional districts.

There are currently 217 Republicans and 212 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. There are five vacancies.

Ohio Capital Journal contributed to this article. Follow Ohio Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on X or on Bluesky.

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At about 9:30 p.m., a westbound 2014 Chevrolet Sonic driven by Janet Hirt, 68, of Fremont, on U.S. 20 just east of Township Road 214, struck an eastbound 2014 Dodge Dart. The Dodge Dart was operated by Ezekiel E. Rodriguez, 32, of Fremont.

Hirt sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Rodriguez was taken to Fremont ProMedica Hospital and later moved by ground ambulance to Saint Vincent’s Hospital in Toledo with injuries described as non-life-threatening.

The eastbound lanes of U.S. 20 were closed for about two hours following the crash. The Highway Patrol has confirmed the crash remains under investigation.

Dear Claiming Soon: Deciding when to claim your Social Security benefit is a decision you should make only after careful consideration of your personal circumstances. And details are, indeed, important. For example, if you claim at age 62 (when you first become eligible), your monthly SS benefit will be only 70% of the amount you would get by waiting until age 67 to claim. And there are other considerations as well, including:

• If you are still working and claim at 62, you will be subject to Social Security’s Annual Earnings Test (AET) which limits how much you can earn from working while collecting early SS benefits. The earnings limit changes each year, and for 2026 it is $24,480. If the annual limit after you claim early is exceeded, SS will take back $1 in benefits for every $2 you are over the limit. And, if your work earnings substantially exceed the annual limit, you may even be temporarily ineligible for early SS benefits (until you either stop working full time or reach your SS full retirement age). FYI, the AET lasts until you reach your FRA (age 67).

• The benefit reduction for claiming SS early is permanent. After you claim, you will only get increases for Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) which occur annually according to inflation. FYI, the average annual COLA adjustment is about 2.5%.

• If you are married, the reduced benefit you get by claiming early will potentially be the basis of your spouse’s survivor benefit if you pass first. Surviving spouse benefits are based on the amount you are receiving at your death, thus waiting longer for a higher personal benefit may also provide your spouse with a larger survivor benefit as your widow.

• If you wait longer than age 62, your monthly benefit will continue to increase (by approximately 6% per year) until you reach your FRA, when you get 100% of the amount you are entitled to from a lifetime of working. FYI, you can even wait longer - up to age 70 - to claim an even higher monthly amount (8% more for each year of delay after FRA). At age 70, your SS benefit would be about 75% more than your age 62 benefit amount.

If you haven’t already done so, I suggest setting up your personal online “my Social Security” account at www.ssa.gov/myaccountto see what your SS benefits are estimated to be at various ages. Then, when you are closer to age 62, contact us again to talk about your specific personal circumstances at the time, and we can provide you with everything you need to know about applying for Social Security.

In the end, when claiming your Social Security benefits, you should consider your financial need, your health and life expectancy, your plans for working, and your marital status. We commend you for exploring this well in advance of becoming eligible and we will be here to assist when it is time for you to apply.

This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-dvisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

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The 2.4 million member Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC] amac.us is a vibrant, vital senior advocacy organization that takes its marching orders from its members. AMAC Action is a non-profit, non-partisan organization representing the membership in our nation’s capital and in local Congressional Districts throughout the country. And the AMAC Foundation (www.AmacFoundation.org) is the Association’s non-profit organization, dedicated to supporting and educating America’s Seniors. Together, we act and speak on the Association members’ behalf, protecting their interests and offering a practical insight on how to best solve the problems they face today. Live long and make a difference by joining us today at www.amac.us/join-amac.

But for those who live in the communities Ford covers, the four-minute segment felt less like journalism and more like an editorial failure.

While correspondent Deborah Roberts allowed Ford to take a victory lap on a national stage, the network remained silent on a crucial detail: the “investigator” they were spotlighting is a convicted felon whose specialty, according to prosecutors, isn’t justice—it’s intimidation.

Vetting gap

The most glaring omission in the broadcast was Ford’s criminal history. ABC failed to mention that just last year, Ford was convicted on four felony counts of intimidation. These were not abstract crimes; they were directly related to her conduct as a self-described “journalist” and “advocate” using social media to threaten public officials.

The network also skipped over the fact that Ford is due in Erie County Common Pleas Court in just two weeks to face a new set of felony charges for fraud and forgery.

‘Clickbait’ vs. credibility

The 20/20 segment framed Ford as a catalyst for the Hicks case, but local investigators and victim families tell a different story.

Prosecutors have characterized Ford’s claims of “solving” cases as bogus, alleging she exploits grieving families as clickbait to generate social media revenue. This sentiment was echoed by Caroline Tokar, the mother of murder victim Amanda Dean.

Following the broadcast, Tokar pointedly ignored Ford’s claims of solving her daughter’s case, instead showing gratitude to the state investigators who actually secured a conviction. “Thank you for all the hard work investigating and conviction on my daughter Amanda Dean case,” Tokar wrote, crediting the professionals over the podcaster.

Pay-to-play?

Perhaps the most troubling allegation surfaced a few weeks ago, before Friday’s segment aired. Ford reportedly told the Sandusky Register that she was hired by ABC News as a “field producer“ and paid $2,800.

If true, this represents a staggering breach of journalistic ethics. Standard industry practice strictly prohibits paying the subject of a news story, as it incentivizes biased or sensationalized testimony. When asked about this potential “pay-to-play” arrangement and their vetting process, ABC News producers have thus far remained silent.

Real cost of fame

Beyond the courtroom and the editing bay, there is a human cost. Ford has been credibly accused of using her platform to dox private citizens, harass grieving mothers, and even falsely accuse a judge of participating in a “sex ring”—all without offering a shred of evidence.

By granting Ford “four minutes of fame” without providing the context of her criminal background, ABC News didn’t just miss the story. They may have emboldened a pattern of digital hostility that the region has been dealing with for years.

The Regina Hicks case was a tragedy solved by diligent police work and a persistent prosecution. Whether Ashli Ford was a help or a hindrance is a question 20/20 should have asked before they hit “record.”

ABC News correspondent Deborah Roberts did not question Ford’s credibility or mention her prior criminal convictions on intimidation charges during the broadcast. Furthermore, the segment omitted any mention of Ford’s upcoming trial in Erie County Common Pleas Court, scheduled in two weeks, where she faces felony fraud and forgery charges.

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It’s unclear at this point if the program gave Ford the broad credit she and her supporters giver her for the information and evidence the led to the arrest and murder conviction late last year of Paul Hicks, for killing his wife in 2001 in Huron County.

Some of Ford’s fiercest supporters claimed Ford would be heralded by the program for her work, while investigators and prosecutors have clearly said Ford was not of any assistance in Hicks’ arrest.

“Jeff Logan,” a woman who portrays a man at their Facebook page and promotes Ford’s portrayal of herself as a crime “investigator,” a “journalist” and “advocate,” on Wednesday announced the association at Facebook using exclamation points.

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“Regina Rowe Hicks murder and Ashli Ford! Watch Friday!” “Jeff Logan” posted at Facebook on Wednesday.

“Logan” is a fake name the person uses to promote the convicted podcaster, often parroting Ashli Ford’s posts and following up with praise for her when she claims to solve crimes, like Regina Hicks’ murder.

Ford recently told a Sandusky Register reporter that 20/20 hired her as a field producer. The reporter also said another TV network paid him for notes he’d taken while covering the trial of Hicks’ husband late last year. The reporter said Ford believed she would be featured for about 14 minutes during Friday’s program.

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It’s the same cat-and-mouse, clickbait behavior that led to a slew of criminal charges against Ford last year. The reporter told Tricia that Ford told him she turned over the information. Ford may be motivated, perhaps hoping to get Tricia to back away from a criminal complaint she filed against Ford. A family spokesperson said the sheriff’s office confirmed earlier today that it has not received anything from Ford, contrary to what she told the reporter.

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During a hearing Tuesday morning in Erie County Judge Beverly McGookey’s courtroom, Ford confirmed she and her attorney declined to discuss any plea agreement with prosecutors and were opting for a jury trial.

Ford, according to court filings, forged her ex-husband’s signature in loan and grant documents in order to obtain a $30,000 COVID relief loan to refinance her mortgage. She was already living in the home with her new husband at the time, but the property was in foreclosure. The COVID relief money enabled Ford to refinance the mortgage as if she was still married to her first husband, using his credit.

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U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary has issued a federal Case Management Order that puts Corbin, his deputies, and the Huron County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) on a collision course with a federal jury.

The date is set: May 2027.

Blueprint for Accountability

This isn’t just a scheduling update. This order is the blueprint for how the truth about the 2017 “disappearance” of Amanda Dean will be dragged into the light.

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SANDUSKY — The Sandusky Police have joined in an investigation into an association that allegedly spans decades and involved two men hosting underage parties and raping teenagers.

Rob Stein, 42, of Sandusky, who was arrested in February and charged with disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, was hit with additional charges on Friday of rape and gross sexual imposition. The incident that led to the new charges happened some time ago.

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