Jan 3, 2023 - News
7 stories that could shape Ohio in 2023
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
As the calendar turns to 2023, here are seven local storylines we're following over the next 12 months:
Gearing up for Intel
- In the first full year of construction at the Licking County site, development on nearby roads and communities will continue in support of the project.
- What we're watching: Which other companies will follow suit and expand in the Buckeye State?
It's always election season
- Activists of all political stripes are proposing statewide ballot initiatives to protect abortion access, prohibit vaccine mandates, legalize marijuana, outlaw indentured servitude and slavery and raise the minimum wage.
- Will any of these actually reach a ballot? And which Republicans are preparing to challenge Sen. Sherrod Brown in 2024?
City Council changes
- Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther is vying for re-election and City Council debuts new residential districts on this year's ballot. Find yours with this interactive map.
- After running unopposed four years ago, will Ginther face any serious opposition in his bid for a third term?
Education uncertainty
- Our state's largest university and school district are both searching for permanent leaders, with Ohio State president Kristina Johnson and Columbus City Schools superintendent Talisa Dixon both departing.
- Could CCS resume the massive building project it postponed amid last year's teachers strike?
Police reform
- Trust in the Columbus Division of Police remains tepid following high-profile fatal shootings by officers, one which goes to trial this year.
- The U.S. Department of Justice began a review of the division's potential racial biases in September 2021. Is 2023 the year it wraps up?
Place your bets
- Online and in-person sportsbooks have already seen a flurry of legal sports wagering since the program went live Sunday.
- Will tax revenues from betting match the sky-high projections?
- And will Ohio State football finally return to form and beat That Team Up North again?
Possible Amtrak expansion
- Billions of federal dollars toward passenger rail expansion are up for grabs this year.
- Will Gov. Mike DeWine give the go-ahead to pursue funding?
📬 What stories are you paying most attention to in 2023? Email [email protected]