Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1940, legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus was born in Columbus. Nicklaus won the U.S. Amateur Championship twice while at Ohio State and went on to capture a record 18 major championships.

Monday brought the strongest solar storm in years, creating chances to see the northern lights. If you snapped photos, reply to this email to share them!

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Northern Lights Visible After Solar Storm

The strongest solar storm since 2003 hit on Monday, triggering a geomagnetic event that made the northern lights visible in Ohio.

Auroras were visible as far south as Cincinnati, with green, purple, and red lighting the night sky.

The solar radiation storm was classified as an S4, the second-highest rating and a level not reached since October 2003.

Forecasters said the effects could continue for days, with possible disruptions to satellites, radio communications, and GPS.

Bill Targets AI Chatbots

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers wants to hold artificial intelligence companies accountable when their chatbots suggest self-harm or violence against others.

House Bill 524 would allow the state to investigate these incidents and impose penalties of up to $50,000 per violation on an AI company. The money would go to the state's crisis hotline.

State Rep. Christine Cockley, D-Columbus, cited the suicide of a California teenager allegedly discouraged by ChatGPT from seeking mental health help.

ChatGPT developer OpenAI, facing several lawsuits over similar allegations, denies wrongdoing and says users circumvented guardrails.

Castle Condo Lists for $1.9M

A 5,350-square-foot condo within a Scottish castle-inspired estate went on sale for $1.9 million in Columbus.

The estate was built in 1908 as a replica of a Scottish castle. In the 1970s, the castle was split into two condos: Manor North and Manor South.

Manor North is now on the market. The space is largely separate from Manor South, with its own entrances and floor plans. The lone shared space is the rear terrace.

The condo features five bedrooms and four bathrooms across three floors, two fireplaces, and a grand patio. You can see 131 photos here.

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➤ Statewide: A group began circulating petitions to place two amendments on the November ballot: one to overturn the state ban on same-sex marriage, and another to expand anti-discrimination protections. (More)

➤ Mahoning County: Aluminum building products manufacturer Shapes Unlimited Inc. opened its new 80,000-square-foot corporate headquarters and factory in North Jackson. (More)

➤ Coshocton: The fire department is nearing completion on a new training facility—the tallest Forge Fire and Co. has designed in the U.S., with separate training spaces for residential and commercial blazes. (More)

➤ Steubenville: Two Franciscan University students were found dead inside a vehicle on campus Monday, possibly due to vehicle exhaust or an engine malfunction. (More)

➤ Columbus: Ohio State military science professor Lt. Col. Michael Kelvington agreed to plead guilty to the charge of having a prohibited relationship with an ROTC cadet. (More)

➤ Beachwood: University Hospitals opened a clinic for patients with kidney stone disease at its Cutler Center for Men at UH Ahuja Medical Center. (More)

➤ Ohio State football emerged as the betting favorite to win next year's national championship, followed by Indiana, Notre Dame, Texas, and Oregon. (See Odds)

➤ Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said he expects the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold state laws that bar transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. (More)

➤ An attorney released more allegations of verbal and emotional abuse by Heidelberg University women's basketball coach Erin Eaton, who was cleared of any NCAA and legal wrongdoing following an investigation last year. (More)

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➤ Buried Hiroshima secret finally EXPOSED: If you thought history books taught you everything you needed to know about Hiroshima… you need to see this shocking video. The full story is finally coming out… and it's incredible. Watch Now.

➤ Dublin-based STG Logistics, one of the nation's largest trucking companies, filed for bankruptcy protection with a plan to shed most of its nearly $1 billion in debts. (More)

➤ Rising Star Cafe workers in northeast Ohio voted to unionize at the roastery's six Cleveland-area locations. (More)

➤ Recalled canned tuna sold by Tri-Union Seafoods was inadvertently shipped to several states, including Ohio, federal authorities said in a consumer alert. (More)

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➤ The Ohio State Fair added three concerts to its August lineup: Bailey Zimmerman, for KING + COUNTRY, and a group of alternative rock bands. (Details)

➤ Ohio's go-kart racing championships will take place on Feb. 1 at Columbus K1 Speed in Hilliard, with drivers vying for a shot at the national and world championships. (More)

➤ The Akron Zoo welcomed orphaned mountain lion cubs Ozette and Neah, which were rescued from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. (See Photo)

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