“A lot of people know it as the old school board building at Lions Park,” Schade said. “It’s right here on the new school campus.”

Learn more. Watch the entire 18-minute podcast.

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But U.S. Sen. Jon Husted and U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno both declined invitations, saying they could not fit the forum into their schedules even after it was rescheduled in an effort to try to accommodate when Congress is on recess.

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COLUMBUS — Ohio has reported 1,316 cyclosporiasis cases as of Thursday, according to the Ohio Department of Health, as the parasite makes headlines around the country for causing gastrointestinal illness described by some as “explosive diarrhea.”

There have been 96 hospitalizations and Lucas County in Northwest Ohio has had the most cases with 278 as of Thursday, according to the state health department.

Ohio has reported 1,316 cyclosporiasis cases as of Thursday, according to the Ohio Department of Health, as the parasite makes headlines around the country for causing gastrointestinal illness described by some as “explosive diarrhea.”

There have been 96 hospitalizations and Lucas County in Northwest Ohio has had the most cases with 278 as of Thursday, according to the state health department.

“Michigan seems to be leading much of the outbreak that we’re seeing here in the Midwest, and that’s just across the border,” said Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff.

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Michigan has reported 4,312 cases and 102 hospitalizations as of Thursday, according to their state health department.

Shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bells in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia have been linked to the current cyclosporiasis outbreak, according to the CDC.

More than 1,644 people who have had cyclosporiasis reported eating at Taco Bell locations in the five states, and the CDC is recommending to not eat shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Balls in those states.

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, which is also known as Cyclospora.

People become infected by eating food or drinking water that contains the parasite, and folks can prevent cyclosporiasis by not eating food or drinking water contaminated with feces, according to the CDC.

People who have been sick reported symptoms starting either on or after June 22, according to the CDC.

“This organism is one that thrives in warm tropical or subtropical climates,” Vanderhoff said.

“Anytime we see an outbreak in Ohio or the broader Midwest, that outbreak is generally going to be traceable back to imported fresh produce, especially things like leafy greens, berries, fresh herbs that were contaminated at their original source.”

Cyclosporiasis is not typically life-threatening, but can cause severe watery diarrhea, Vanderhoff said.

Other symptoms include loss of appetite, bloating, weight loss, cramping, nausea, and fatigue, according to the CDC.

It can take anywhere from two days to up to two weeks to become sick after getting infected, and people can get infected more than once. Cyclosporiasis is generally not spread person-to-person.

“I would discourage people from avoiding the foods that are most likely to be at risk because they’re the kinds of foods that are really healthy and your body really needs fresh leafy greens, fruits, especially things like melons, raspberries, some herbs like cilantro and basil,” Vanderhoff said.

He recommends people wash their hands with soap and water before and after preparing fruits and vegetables.

“Thoroughly wash all of your fresh fruits and vegetables under running water,” Vanderhoff said.

“We don’t want you soaking them. We want you to scrub them (and) clean them under running water. … Once you’ve gotten them thoroughly cleaned, dry them, and then put them into your refrigerator promptly.”

Cyclosporiasis can be treated with certain antibiotics. Symptoms can last from a few days to more than a month without treatment, according to the CDC.

“We want people to seek medical attention because otherwise they can get very ill,” Vanderhoff said.

“They can become severely dehydrated, and can have a whole variety of problems related to that.”

Follow Ohio Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on X or on Bluesky.

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The city and the Greater Sandusky Partnership made the decision at about noon today to cancel the scheduled Party at the Pier concert due to the air quality from the wildfires.

The showing of Tommy Boy is canceled as well.

“The rest of the events this weekend, including IRONMAN 70.3 Ohio, are still planned to go on as scheduled, but we are monitoring the situation,” the announcement from the city states. “We are hopeful the worst of the smoke will blow out by the weekend. We will communicate any changes. “

Find more info about precautions to take from the Ohio Department of Health: https://odh.ohio.gov/.../bhp/resources/air-quality-wildfires You can track air quality and view a fire & smoke map at https://www.airnow.gov/?city=Sandusky&state=OH&country=USA

Dear Rusty: My spouse is 63 and I am 65. I am planning to take my Social Security benefits at age 70. Can my lower earning spouse take his own benefits now, and then - when I take my full benefits at age 70, can he then file for 50% of mine instead of the lower benefit he is getting because he claimed at age 63? Signed: Higher Earning Spouse

Dear Higher Earning Spouse: Yes, your lower-earning spouse can take his benefits based on his personal lifetime earnings record at any time (i.e., age 63) and, when you later claim your own SS at 70, your spouse will be evaluated to determine whether he is eligible for a “spousal boost” based on your Social Security record. But to be sure you are clear, if you claim at age 70, your spouse will not get 50% of your age 70 benefit amount.

Spousal benefits are always determined by comparing each partners’ full retirement age (FRA) entitlement and, if your spouse’s FRA entitlement is less than half of your FRA entitlement, your spouse will get a “spousal boost” to bring his monthly SS retirement payment up to what he is entitled to as your spouse. The amount of the “spousal boost” would be the difference between his FRA entitlement and 50% of your FRA entitlement, which would be added to his own (age 63) SS retirement amount. And that means that his total benefit amount would be less than half of your age 70 amount (less also than 50% of your FRA amount, because he claimed at age 63).

One caution for your spouse to be aware of: if he is still working and claims at age 63, he will be subject to Social Security’s Annual Earnings Test (AET), which limits how much he can earn before SS takes away some benefits. The earnings limit for 2026 is $24,480 (changes annually) and if that is exceeded, SS will take back $1 of benefits for every $2 he is over the limit. FYI, Social Security will “take back” by withholding future benefit payments, so he will not get his benefits for some months if he exceeds the annual earnings limit. And if the annual earnings limit is significantly exceeded, your spouse could even be temporarily ineligible to receive SS benefits (until he either earns less or reaches his full retirement age (the earnings limit goes away when FRA is reached)).

The only way your spouse can avoid both a reduced personal benefit and the annual earnings test limitation is to wait until his own full retirement age to claim Social Security. However, if he’s not working full time and needs the Social Security money sooner, then claiming at age 63 may be a good choice. In any case, he won’t get half of your age 70 amount.

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 or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org).

The Erie County Health Department has officially launched an active investigation following a sudden surge of 19 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis right here in Erie County.

With the summer months marking peak season for this nasty little bug, and a wider surge actively hitting Northern Ohio and the Midwest, health officials are sounding the alarm for residents, local healthcare providers, and especially commercial kitchens.

Here is what you need to know to protect yourself, your family, and your customers.

🦠 What is Cyclospora (and How Do You Get It)?

Cyclosporiasis is a prolonged, painful gastrointestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite called Cyclospora cayetanensis.

• The Transmission: You get it by consuming fresh produce or water contaminated with microscopic amounts of human feces.

• The Good News: You cannot catch it directly from another person. The parasite requires 1 to 2 weeks in the environment outside the body before it becomes infectious, so brief interactions with an infected person won’t spread it.

• The Culprits: No single food source has been identified yet, but past outbreaks have been heavily tied to raw, imported fresh produce like pre-washed bagged salads, cilantro, basil, green onions, raspberries, and snow peas.

⚠️ What to Look For: Symptoms usually hit about a week after eating contaminated food. If left untreated, they can drag on for weeks or even months, frequently disappearing only to return in miserable waves.

The Tell-Tale Symptoms:

• Watery, frequent, or explosive diarrhea (the most common symptom)

• Severe abdominal cramps and bloating

• Prolonged fatigue and body aches

• Loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss

• Nausea and low-grade fever

🥗 Directives for Erie County Restaurants & Food Vendors

Because standard chemical sanitizers do not easily destroy this resilient, “sticky” parasite, the Board of Health is advising all commercial kitchens to immediately escalate their food handling protocols:

• Ditch the Bags, Buy Whole: During this investigation, kitchens are strongly encouraged to buy whole heads of lettuce instead of pre-washed, pre-cut bagged salad mixes. Discard the outer 2 to 3 layers of leaves completely, and wash the inner leaves thoroughly under cold running water.

• Use Friction: Wash all herbs (like cilantro and basil) and green onions under running water. For firm produce like melons and cucumbers, scrub the exterior vigorously with a clean produce brush under running water before cutting.

• Separate and Clean: Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. Always thoroughly wash cutting boards and knives after handling unwashed fruits and vegetables before moving on to clean food.

• “Cook When You Can”: Whenever practical, cooking vegetables and herbs is the safest route because heat completely neutralizes the parasite.

• Strict Sick Leave: Any food service employee exhibiting diarrheal symptoms must be excluded from work. They cannot return until their diarrhea has completely stopped and they have started an effective antibiotic regimen.

🚫 Community Guidance: What Not to Do

To keep this outbreak from spreading to our local waters and neighborhood kitchens, the Health Department has issued a strict list of “don’ts”:

• DO NOT swim if you are sick: If you have diarrhea, stay out of public pools, hot tubs, water parks, lakes, or splash pads. Fecal contamination in recreational waters can easily spread the parasite to hundreds of other swimmers.

• DO NOT prep food for others: Avoid preparing meals for family, friends, or coworkers until you are completely recovered.

• DO NOT assume a routine test will catch it: If you have persistent diarrhea, see your doctor and explicitly ask them to test for Cyclospora.

🩺 Important Note for Local Healthcare Providers

The Erie County Health Department is reminding local medical facilities that there is no in-house testing for Cyclospora in Erie County.

Furthermore, Cyclospora is not detected by routine Ova and Parasite (O&P) examinations.

If a patient presents with persistent, watery diarrhea, providers should order a full gastrointestinal (GI) pathogen panel. Testing is currently in high demand and specimens must be sent to contracted outside laboratories (such as Quest or LabCorp).

Providers are also encouraged to test for other GI illnesses, as the county is seeing a concurrent rise in cases of salmonella, campylobacter, and norovirus. Because treatments differ, misdiagnosing these illnesses can actually worsen symptoms.

Cyclosporiasis is a legally reportable disease in Ohio. All positive findings must be reported immediately to the Health Department so epidemiologists can conduct interviews and trace the source.

📞 Need to Contact the Health Department?

• For Medical, Testing, & Symptom Questions: Contact ECHD Chief of Epidemiology, Taylor Kula, at 419-626-5623, Ext. 5103 (or via email at tkula@echdohio.org).

• For Commercial Food Safety & Restaurant Inquiries: Contact ECHD Environmental Health Director, Mark Janowich, at 419-626-5623, Ext. 5108.

Five things to know

1. A Historic Multibillion-Dollar Proposal: A massive, privately funded 250-megawatt data center campus dubbed “Project Andromeda” is being proposed for a 146-acre rural site in southwest Erie County. Developed by AVAIO Digital, the planned 1.2 million-square-foot campus would consist of four buildings. If fully realized, the combined investment from AVAIO and its future tech-tenant (such as Amazon, Google, or Microsoft) would top $5.5 billion—making it the single largest financial investment in Erie County’s history.

2. The Local Hurdles and Ban: Despite the historic price tag, the project is currently blocked. Oxford Township currently has a local prohibition banning data center construction. For the project to proceed, the township’s zoning board must first issue a recommendation to the township trustees. From there, the three-member board of trustees holds ultimate authority; they would have to vote to lift the local ban and approve the development. Trustee Mike Parker has stated they will not approve any application unless they are certain a majority of local residents favor the proposal.

3. Massive Economic Promises: AVAIO claims Project Andromeda will generate monumental economic benefits, including up to 3,000 local construction jobs and 120 permanent, in-house positions paying at least $150,000 annually. Over a 15-year period, the developer projects the campus will pump $28 million a year ($420 million total) in new tax revenue into local school districts, infrastructure, and public services.

4. No Local Tax Breaks Requested: Crucially, AVAIO is actively distancing itself from the controversy surrounding Perkins Township’s Aligned Data Center project, which drew heavy local criticism for receiving a massive 70% local tax break. AVAIO partner Kevin Murphy stressed that his firm will not seek any local tax breaks or county grant funding, instead relying entirely on private capital and state-level tax incentives. Murphy also claims the campus’s closed-loop cooling system will use minimal water, and because it sits directly on a major power grid and fiber-optic corridor, it will require no disruptive new utility routing.

5. The Public Confrontation: Tonight’s highly anticipated public town hall is a critical first step as local officials and county commissioners remain officially neutral. AVAIO representatives are attempting a transparent public-outreach campaign to convince skeptical neighbors that Project Andromeda won’t disrupt their rural lifestyle with noise or resource depletion. This meeting represents the public’s first major opportunity to directly challenge the developers before any formal zoning or trustee votes are scheduled.

There was no condition update for Angela McGraw, 48, from St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo, where she was flown after accident at about 4:45 Monday evening.

McGraw was riding a 2001 Harley Davidson motorcycle westbound on Mason Road when an eastbound 2024 Jeep Cherokee on Patten Tract Road, driven by Randy Fifer, 60, of Maumee, made a left turn in front of McGraw, Ohio Patrol Lt. Shaun Robinson told StayTunedSandusky.com.

McGraw, who was not wearing a helmet, was ejected from the motorcycle when the two vehicles crashed, Robinson said, suffering serious injuries.

The accident remains under investigation.

Editor’s note: Article corrected to state day of accident was Monday.

But when his commitment to freedom of the press begins to crowd his desperate need for attention, his need to be in the limelight, Pattakos shows his true colors. In an “Affidavit of Disqualification” Pattakos filed with the Ohio Supreme Court last week he comes off as a self-serving, unprincipled hack whose support for press freedom ends at the pointy end of his nose.

The affidavit is copied below for your convenience. It’s aimed at throwing the entire Erie County judiciary off his client, Ashli Ford’s, criminal cases. In legal circles, experts would not even conclude this filing to have enough legal foundation to be called a “Hail Mary.” Pattakos and Ford are continuing the losing argument that Ford is the victim of two liars—her ex-husband and her ex-friend—and a vast conspiracy of all judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers in Erie County. Everyone’s out to get her, he contends.

Ashli Ford is too big for Erie County; she’s too influential, too smart and too important to be investigated, arrested or tried by anyone in Erie County. There’s no judge, no prosecutor, nor any police officer in the entire county who is good enough, or honest enough to handle Ashli Ford, according to Peter. Everyone must be removed, he told the Supreme Court.

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OXFORD TWP. — A medical helicopter is on the scene at an accident involving a motorcyclist and a passenger vehicle at Patten Tract and Mason roads.

The accident happened at about 4:45 p.m..

Erie County Sheriff Paul Sigsworth confirmed the State Highway Patrol is investigating. The roads are closed in both directions, he said, and will be for some time.

“Avoid this area,” the sheriff said.

According to the Norwalk Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the crash took place at about 4:30 at New State Road and Dublin Road in Bronson Township.

Scott A. Wilkes, 53, of West Salem, was driving a Chevrolet Impala eastbound on Dublin Road. Wilkes failed to yield at a posted stop sign at the New State Road intersection, the Patrol said.

The Impala was struck by a southbound Chevrolet Silverado HD, driven by Kyle E. Smialowski, 45, of Norwalk. The force of the impact sent both vehicles off the roadway:

• The Chevrolet Impala came to a rest off the southwest corner of the intersection.

• The Chevrolet Silverado HD went off the southeast corner.

Wilkes was transported by ambulance to Fisher Titus Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The driver of the truck, Kyle Smialowski, sustained minor injuries. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts at the time of the collision, the Patrol said.

By Rev. Carl Ruby
Ohio Capital Journal
COMMENTARY

I’ve lived in Springfield, Ohio for 45 years.

In that time I’ve seen the city go from a seemingly unstoppable economic and population decline to a thriving locale fully on the upswing.

That miracle turnaround was thanks in part to the thousands of Haitian people seeking safety, many of them recipients of a little-known legal protection called Temporary Protected Status (TPS), who’ve arrived in recent years ready to contribute to the community and make Springfield flourish.

Haitian residents are business owners, workers, and church members. They’re parents, they’re students. They’re our neighbors, and they belong here. Yet our political leaders continue to attack them.

Every Springfield resident has their own story of the terrible days and weeks following Donald Trump’s dissemination of a racist hoax targeting hard-working Haitians making their home here.

There were bomb threats, assaults on the street, and children being pulled from school due to dangerous conditions.

Personally, I’ll never forget the fear on my congregation members’ faces during Sunday service.

But I also remember the good, the resilience and bravery from the broader community throughout that terrible period.

We resisted Trump’s cowardly bullying, sticking by each other when it mattered most. And now it’s time to do so again.

The president’s recent efforts to eliminate TPS for tens of thousands of Haitian residents aren’t just callous — they represent a new attack on our entire community.

Since it was first established in 1990, the TPS program, which offers safety and status in the U.S. to people from other countries who cannot return to their homes because of perilous conditions, has been uncontroversial and with bipartisan support. But no more.

Trump has been belligerent in his efforts to kick out TPS recipients with little consideration for both the dangerous conditions they fled in the first place as well as the lives they’ve built in the U.S., now teetering on the verge of collapse.

In response, we’ve witnessed not just indifference from members of Congress, including those representing us Ohioans, but in some cases, even celebration of this cruelty.

One sees this and can’t help but wonder how they could have strayed so far from the teachings of Christ.

As a pastor, it’s my job to help guide my congregation towards holiness not just in word but also in deed — a commitment that requires real courage and conviction.

It’s a responsibility I take with complete seriousness, something severely lacking these days among our political leaders.

It’s hard to imagine a faith leader taking the pulpit to deliver insults and inspire hate towards those brave enough to flee their homelands in perilous times, to label kindness as weakness or tell us to ignore essentially every moral teaching in the Bible.

They’d be run out of the parish, and with good reason. Yet that’s exactly what we’ve come to expect from the president and his supporters in Congress.

Luckily, there’s a better path. As soon as this month, the U.S. Senate could vote on a bill to preserve TPS protections for Haitians for three more years (the same bill already passed the House with bipartisan support).

This wouldn’t just thwart Trump’s reckless rug-pull from beneath people fleeing unimaginable danger back in Haiti, it would also offer stability and security to the broader Springfield community.

Now is the time for our leaders in Congress and justices of the Court to stand up for Ohio communities and against Trump’s bullying of our hard-working residents and neighbors. They must keep Haitian residents here, at home, where they belong.

Rev. Carl Ruby serves as senior pastor of Central Christian Church in Springfield; he founded Springfield Neighbors United and G92, both dedicated to supporting Haitians in Springfield facing deportation.

That’s where residents will gather for a forum about the future of Social Security and Medicare. Husted finally responded earlier today to an invite he’s had for many months to attend and participate in the forum.

“The scheduling department responded he will not be able attend,” Lorie Brodie, Husted’s regional director, wrote in an email to Serving Our Seniors. “We have received letters from seniors in your area and we are working on responding to each one individually concerning any questions they may have.”

Since being appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine to fill the Senate seat vacated by J.D. Vance when Vance became vice president in January 2025, Husted and his staff have failed to respond to all press inquiries from StayTunedSandusky.com, and other news organizations.

They didn’t offer any explanation to Serving Our Seniors, which represents more than 20,000 Erie County residents age 60 and older, why Husted is refusing to participate, or send anyone to the forum.

“I’m disappointed,” said Daugherty, the executive director of Serving Our Seniors. “This is an important issue, and given the advance notice, the amount of time given for them to arrange this, and we changed the date to accommodate their schedules. It’s disappointing they can’t fit this into Sen. Husted’s schedule.”

The forum will still happen as planned, Daugherty said. She’s still hoping U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, who also took office in January 2025, will accept the invitation. The 9th District will be represented at the forum; U.S. Rep.Marcy Kaptur has already agreed to participate, or have someone from her office participate.

It’s Congress’ job to manage the program. Under the current structure, by 2031 age Social Security Trust Fund could is projected to be underfunded, and automatic benefits cuts up to 28% or more (-$300 for every $1,000 in current benefits) could occur.

Make reservations to attend the Social Security forum from 1:30-3 p.m. Aug. 20 at the UAW Hall on Hayes Avenue by calling 419-504-0585. The forum is audience participation, Q&A with a panel of experts. Sponsors of the forum are Serving Our Seniors and StayTunedSndusky.com.

Moreno, whose staff has been even more hostile to the press than Husted since he took office, recently co-authored a New York Times op ed with U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren supporting a bipartisan approach to solving the Social Security and Medicare funding crisis.

Here’s another read

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Apparently, Cleveland-area attorney Peter Pattakos missed the memo.

In a lengthy, highly emotional post published on his law firm’s official social media page Thursday afternoon, Pattakos chose to bypass standard legal decorum. Instead, he staged a bizarre digital public relations campaign—doubling down on unproven claims of jury corruption, railing against a “procedural mess” in the Erie County Courthouse, and dedicating multiple paragraphs to lobbing personal insults at this publication.

When a high-priced defense attorney stops focusing on the criminal statutes and starts acting like a drama queen on Facebook to protect a pathetic, serial-scheming client, it likely means just one thing: The facts of the case are completely against them, and they are desperate to change the subject.

Say what you mean

Pattakos’s social media tirade labeled our coverage as “deranged” and “fake journalism.” But there is a glaring, massive omission in his public temper tantrum.

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COLUMBUS — Ohio is the state that saw the biggest drop in enrollment in health plans under the Affordable Care Act, according to federal data first reported by the Associated Press.

The losses come after the Republican-controlled Congress last year allowed pandemic-era subsidies to buy insurance on ACA exchanges to expire. That caused premiums to double for most of the 25.2 million Americans who got their insurance there.

Ohio is the state that saw the biggest drop in enrollment in health plans under the Affordable Care Act, according to federal data first reported by the Associated Press.

The losses come after the Republican-controlled Congress last year allowed pandemic-era subsidies to buy insurance on ACA exchanges to expire. That caused premiums to double for most of the 25.2 million Americans who got their insurance there.

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After the subsidies expired, national enrollment dropped by 2.6 million in February 2026 when compared to February 2025, the AP reported. That’s about a 10% drop.

In Ohio, the losses went much deeper.

Enrollment dropped from just under half a million in February 2025 to 336,000 four months ago. That’s a loss of nearly a third of enrollees, 32.4% or 161,385 people.

Oklahoma, the state with the next-highest losses, saw a decrease of 32.3%.

Among neighboring states, Michigan and Indiana also saw big losses of more than 25%. Meanwhile, Kentucky and West Virginia lost 14.3% and 13.1%, respectively.

Pennsylvania lost just 1.2% of its enrollees.

Congressional Republicans — including Ohio’s senators — allowed the subsidies to expire months after voting in favor of President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The legislation kept Trump’s 2017 tax cuts from expiring. That provision is estimated to have created a $1 trillion windfall over 10 years for the richest 1% of Americans while the law cut a similar amount from Medicaid and nutrition assistance.

During his first term, Trump tried repeatedly to repeal the ACA — or Obamacare — but he was unsuccessful. However, the provisions in Trump’s 2025 spending bill have diminished former President Barack Obama’s signature program.

Simply dropping coverage purchased on Obamacare exchanges doesn’t mean people didn’t get it elsewhere, but some are likely to become uninsured.

The subsidies helped bring down the share of uninsured Americans to its lowest level ever. With them expiring Dec. 31 and with the Trump bill’s Medicaid cuts, it’s reasonable to assume that the portion of Ohioans who lack health insurance is going to go up substantially this year, said Natasha Murphy, health policy director at the Center for American Progress.

“While it’s still too early to quantify the full increase in the uninsured population for 2026, the direction is becoming increasingly clear,” Murphy said in an email. “Early marketplace enrollment data already show coverage declines, and the combination of the loss of enhanced premium tax credits and other recent federal policy changes is making health insurance harder to afford, leaving many families without a realistic alternative.”

The cuts to Medicaid are also leading some insurers to exit states that expanded eligibility to include Americans making 138% or less of federal poverty guidelines. For example, the Arkansas Advocate on Monday reported that Centene — the largest provider of Medicaid managed care in the United States — was exiting that state’s Medicaid program.

NORWALK — Ohio has a new Attorney General, but when it comes to transparency regarding local police corruption, the status quo remains firmly locked in place.

Andy Wilson officially took over as Ohio’s 52nd Attorney General, pledging a commitment to “integrity and transparency.” Yet, his administration is already practicing the same stonewalling that came to define his predecessor. Wilson has declined to comment or respond to repeated inquiries regarding high-profile corruption investigations involving Huron County Sheriff Todd Corbin and former Erie County sheriff’s deputy Detective Daniel Orzech.

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SANDUSKY — Big questions linger heading into Ashli Ford’s arraignment this morning in Erie County Common Pleas Court on a perjury charge stemming from her testimony in her own defense on May 21 at her fraud trial.

• Get updates from courthouse here later today; subscribe now

Ford lied, according to prosecutors, when she testified that her current husband’s uncle was a witness the day she and her ex-husband signed and had loan documents notarized. Ford recalled details of the interaction she, her ex- and the notary all had that day with “Uncle Gene.”

But former Sandusky Schools superintendent Dr. Eugene “Doc” Sanders was in Florida on that day, according to prosecutors. A post Sanders made at his Facebook page provided them photographic evidence that Ford was lying, they contend.

Sanders said he’s been estranged from Ezekiel Ford, Ashli Ford’s husband, for years. It’s not known if Sanders was called before the grand jury, or if he will be a witness at Ford’s trial in September. The trial in May ended in a hung jury.

Stormy weather ahead?

Huge questions still hang like storm clouds over Ford’s forgery case, including whether her defense counsel, Peter Pattakos, will be in the courtroom today. Pattakos was a no-show June 30 when Ford was initially summoned to appear for an arraignment on the new charge. She showed up; he didn't.

Attorneys who represent clients who get charged with perjury walk an incredible fine line between being a zealot advocate for their clients while fulfilling their absolute obligation to the court to be truthful and transparent. Pattakos is more reckless bull dog than a fine line counsel.

One of Ford’s supporters—Terry Burton—posted at social media that Ford told him Pattakos is a very busy attorney and was unable to attend the first arraignment. Burton, who worked briefly for the Norwalk Reflector, asked the court on June 30 to give him permission to photograph at today’s hearing. The court had not ruled on the request as of this morning.

But when he did work for the newspaper Burton wasn’t authorized to cover Ford’s trial because of his relationship with her. Neither Burton, nor the Reflector, ever announced why Burton no longer works for the newspaper.

What happens next, exactly?

Pattakos has not responded to questions about his situation, or made any social media posts about his intentions since the perjury charge was returned by the grand jury nearly a month ago. An extended comment at his firm’s Facebook page posted May 26—a debriefing of sorts immediately after a mistrial was declared in Ford’s first fraud trial—includes demonstrably false information.

The post also suggests that Erie County Prosecutor Kevin Baxter and Common Pleas Judge Beverly McGookey colluded to corrupt the jury. In the post, the firm asks jurors to come forward and confirm the corruption. It’s unknown if any jurors did, or if Pattakos will bring evidence of the jury corruption allegation. In the past he’s made claims of prosecutorial misconduct and retaliation, but did not back them up with any evidence. It’s the same M.O. (modus operandi) that Ford and her mentor follow.

Pattakos did not answer questions posted in the comments section under the firm’s post and the firm deleted some comments. The firm also did not respond to emails and declined to correct demonstrably false information in the post, or address concerns raised about it.

Oops. Did she just testify to that?

Ford is accused of scheming to obtain $30,000 in COVID relief money using her ex-husband’s identity and his credit to secure a mortgage in his name without his knowledge. Ford forged the loan documents and provided false information about her ex-’s income after she and her new husband failed to pay rent or make mortgage payments for three years while living in the home, according to prosecutors. Ford’s new husband, Ezekiel Ford, does not work or have an income, according to an earlier court filing.

Ford was indicted June 12 by a county grand jury on one count of perjury, which is being added to Ford’s pending forgery case. Her original 12-count indictment was returned in July 2025 and included forgery, identity fraud, theft, tampering and records charges. She now faces 13 counts, in all.

Stay tuned Sandusky.

LIVE coverage after arraignment from the courthouse on Thursday.

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The Sandusky Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol confirmed it is actively investigating the fatal crash, which occurred on July 8 at about 11:15 a.m. at the intersection of Huron Avery Road and Scheid Road.

The Chain of Events

According to the Highway Patrol’s preliminary investigation, the sequence of the crash unfolded in two rapid impacts:

• The Initial Collision: A Honda CR-V driven by Karam Alananzeh, 31, of Burbank, Illinois, was traveling eastbound on Scheid Road when it was struck by a southbound Jeep Grand Cherokee operated by Landon Selka, 18, of Norwalk.

• The Secondary Impact: The force of the first crash pushed the Honda CR-V directly into the path of a northbound Lincoln MKZ, driven by Roberto Quiroz, 38, of Sandusky.

Casualties and Injuries

State troopers reported that the front-seat passenger in the Honda CR-V, identified as Luz Guillen, 74, of Chicago, Illinois, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The two drivers involved in the secondary impacts required emergency medical transport:

• Karam Alananzeh (driver of the Honda CR-V) sustained serious injuries.

• Roberto Quiroz (driver of the Lincoln MKZ) sustained minor injuries.

Both men were transported via ground ambulance to Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky. The driver of the Jeep, Landon Selka, sustained minor injuries and declined medical treatment at the scene.