WYSO Public Radio

04/29/2025

WYSO currently receives around $200,000 per year in direct support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, but the current Presidential administration plans to submit a request to Congress this month to rescind that funding. This is more than a line item in a federal budget—it’s about the future of fact-based independent journalism, emergency communications, local music programming, and community storytelling.

On May 1 and 2, you can join people nationwide as they express their love for their local public media organizations, which need financial and community support now more than ever. Don’t want to wait? Donate today at https://bit.ly/wyso-spring-2025.

04/29/2025

The House budget eliminates a 30-year-old commission intended to enforce campaign finance laws.

The House budget eliminates a 30-year-old commission intended to enforce campaign finance laws in Ohio.

04/29/2025

Ohio's treasurer said he is not sold on a bill suggesting he invest taxpayer dollars in crypto.

House Bill 18 would enable the state treasurer to invest as much as 10% of state funds from interim sources — like those in the General Revenue Fund and the State Lottery Gross Revenue Fund — in digital assets, like crypto and nonfungible tokens.

Ohio's Republican Treasurer Robert Sprague said he is not sold on a bill suggesting he invest taxpayer dollars in digital currencies.

04/29/2025

This is the last week of early voting in Ohio for the May primary. And so far, very few of the state's registered voters have cast an early ballot for the May 6 election.

Of the roughly 8 million registered voters in Ohio, only 83,229 have returned ballots during the early voting period.

04/29/2025

Ohio's budget director said the state shouldn’t put up $600 million bonds for the Browns stadium project, which she calls "risky." The bonds are included in the budget approved by House Republicans earlier this month.

Office of Budget and Management Director Kimberly Murnieks says the state shouldn’t put up $600 million bonds for the project, which is included in the budget approved by House Republicans earlier this month.

04/29/2025

The budget appropriates $10 million to pilot a “tri-share” program, which creates cost-sharing of child care costs between workers, their work and the state government.

04/28/2025

It could take years to make a full recovery from the devastating impact of the bird flu, but steps are underway to help, according to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.

On Monday, Rollins joined Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in hard-hit Darke County to meet with egg producers.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins visited Darke County, Ohio, to talk about their bird flu response. "There's no part of America that has been more ravaged with the avian bird flu than where we stand right now and so that's why we're here."

04/28/2025

Ohio’s state budget is in the hands of the state's Senate.

The budget includes a provision from House Republicans that would require doctors to collect more information about the abortions they perform, and for that information to be showcased in a new, public facing database.

Ohio’s state budget has a provision from House Republicans that would require doctors to collect more information about the abortions they perform, and for that information to be showcased in a new, public facing database.

04/28/2025

On an early spring day, one of the Cincinnati’s Zoo’s giraffes enjoyed an afternoon snack. The food wasn't grown on a farm thousands of miles away. Instead, it was produced hydroponically in a storage container less than a mile from her habitat.

The Cincinnati zoo is growing feed for its animals locally.

04/26/2025

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a self-defense martial art that uses grappling techniques. Athletes fight primarily on a mat, and it is a male-dominated sport.

The leaders of a martial arts center just outside Cincinnati explained to WYSO how they take a different approach than many other centers, making the sport accessible to women, q***r people, and survivors of violence that are traditionally underrepresented in the sport.

The Thrive Empowerment Center near Cincinnati, Ohio, uses a trauma-informed approach to teach Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. They are trying to make the sport accessible to women, q***r folks and survivors of violence.

04/26/2025

Esther Price Fine Chocolates has been sweetening the Miami Valley for almost 100 years, navigating everything from sugar rations in their early years, to modern cocoa bean price spikes.

The CEO told WYSO that he has had larger companies and private equity groups interested in buying Esther Price. But he’s not planning to sell any time soon.

Esther Price Fine Chocolates has been sweetening the Miami Valley for almost 100 years, navigating everything from historical sugar rations, to modern cocoa bean price spikes.

04/26/2025

The Trump administration is restoring financial support for a landmark study of women's health, an official said Thursday, reversing a defunding decision that shocked medical researchers.

One of the project's four regional centers is in Ohio.

The unexpected elimination of funding for the decades-long research project focused on women's health shocked scientists. They were heartened by the quick restoration of support.

04/25/2025

04/25/2025

This story is the season premiere of WYSO Youth Radio. We hope you'll take a listen and stay tuned for next week's installment!

WYSO Youth Radio works with middle and high school students across Ohio to share their stories through sound, straight from their lives to your ears.