Thursday, July 23, 2026

Before modern washing machines, early Ohio Country pioneers faced the grueling task of cleaning clothes in creeks and iron kettles. Columnist Paul Locher dives into the smelly history of 19th-century laundry chores and the evolution of the scrub sticks and patented washboards that followed.

Looking for giant bluegills and aggressive largemouth bass? Former wildlife officer Jim Abrams shares humorous angling tales from northwest Ohio's Lake La Su An Wildlife Area, along with the specific rules, limits, and season dates you need to know before planning your next trip.

The Ohio Power Siting Board is hearing public comment on two more proposed natural gas fired power plants — one in Fairfield County and one in Pickaway County. These two projects would join a handful of other natural gas fired power plants planned in central Ohio that are providing round-the-clock energy for data centers.

The West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame celebrated six new inductees at its annual banquet. The honorees represent decades of outstanding leadership, innovation, and service in agricultural education, public policy, sustainable forestry, and youth development.

Cyclospora outbreak linked to lettuce sickens hundreds in Midwest. Learn symptoms, risks, and expert tips from OSU and PSU to safely enjoy fresh produce.

Struggling with weeds, overgrazing or the midsummer pasture slump? Sandra Trushel of Ohio State University Extension outlines how to use flexible rotational grazing to break selective grazing cycles, fight weeds, and protect your grass through dry July and August weather.

Reporters Liz Partsch and Paul Rowley give a rundown of the top stories in Farm and Dairy newspaper for the week of July 16, 2026.

Remember when summer survival meant drinking from a garden hose, sliding down scorching metal slides, and riding in cars with sticky vinyl seats? Columnist Kymberly Foster Seabolt takes a nostalgic, humorous look at how we survived childhood heat waves in the 1970s without air conditioning.
an unconventional oil and gas drilling rig sits in a green field in eastern Ohio

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has signed House Bill 170, establishing a regulatory framework for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). This key step brings Ohio closer to securing primacy over Class VI injection wells to streamline permitting for carbon storage.
Guernsey Co. well rig

Ohio's newly signed Senate Bill 219 streamlines oil and gas drilling, shortening permit approval times and protecting the state's well-plugging fund. While industry advocates say it boosts competitiveness, environmentalists warn of rapid fracking on public lands with less oversight.