Andrew Ginther

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther has proposed more than $21 million in his capital budget to purchase new fire trucks, which officials describe as the largest such investment in the city's history. The plan would fund eight engines, two ladder trucks and more than 10 medic units, with exact numbers depending on final costs.

The proposal follows reporting last year that found many Columbus fire trucks past their expected lifecycle, with some held together using makeshift repairs and vehicles sitting in the repair shop for hundreds of days. The city's fire union had raised concerns about the fleet's condition, while fleet management officials at the time disputed the characterization. Fire officials now say continued growth in the city and surrounding area is straining stations and equipment, making reinvestment necessary. Union leadership credits sustained advocacy for pushing the funding forward, framing it as essential to equipping firefighters, EMTs and paramedics safely. The proposal is part of the mayor's capital budget and must still go before Columbus City Council for review and a vote before taking effect.

Backlash against Flock Safety's license plate reader network continues to widen across the country. In Ohio, Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey has paused use of the county's 75 Flock cameras and payments to the company while seeking answers on data sharing, though she said no misuse occurred among her deputies. In Arizona, Cottonwood became the latest city to suspend Flock use, joining Tempe, Chandler and Pinal County, after community backlash and a statewide review launched by Attorney General Kris Mayes. Cottonwood's city council plans a work session later this month before deciding on the technology's future there.

Florida has gone further, banning local police from placing Flock and similar cameras on state highways and revoking existing permits, after Gov. Ron DeSantis said usage had "gotten out of control." That follows Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's order pausing state funding for the cameras. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found Americans split on Flock, with more opposing than supporting its use, along sharp partisan lines. Flock, which operates roughly 120,000 cameras nationwide, says it supports added privacy safeguards rather than bans. The issue is emerging as a flashpoint in midterm campaigns.

Ray Miller, a longtime Ohio state representative and senator, died Friday at age 77. Miller served a combined 24 years at the Ohio Statehouse, holding a House seat from 1981 to 1993 and again from 1998 to 2002, before moving to the state senate, where he served until 2011.

Before his legislative career, Miller worked for AFSCME/Ohio Council 8 in the 1970s and served in President Jimmy Carter's administration as deputy special assistant for the White House from 1979 to 1980. He also spent 14 years across three stints as vice president of Columbus State Community College and founded the Columbus African American news journal, for which he received this year's Poindexter Award from Columbus City Council.

Columbus officials including City Council President Shannon Hardin, Mayor Andrew Ginther, and City Attorney Zach Klein paid tribute, citing his role in passing major health care, human services, and education legislation and his advocacy for marginalized communities. Miller is survived by his wife, Marlene, and son, Ray III. A celebration of life will be announced later.