Congressional races and an open Senate seat have once again put Ohio in the national political spotlight. What's unusual this time is the influence of a former president and other national figures who are taking an unprecedented interest in the outcome of these races. It all begs the question: is all politics still local or has the polarized political climate made district and statewide races an extension of national interests?

In this episode, Curtis talks to Washington Bureau reporter Taylor Popielarz about what he's seeing in Washington and on the ground in Ohio.

The government added 850,000 jobs last month in another sign that the economy is rebounding after the pandemic, but the recovery is happening amidst an unprecedented demand for workers.

The good news is more people are actively looking for jobs. The bad news (for employers) is jobseekers are being more selective. As a result, employers are offering incentives, including higher wages, bonuses and more flexible schedules. All are signs of how the pandemic has changed the labor market and the economy.

In this episode of Dear Ohio, Curtis looks at what this all means for the future of work.

Happy Birthday, America! As we near the 245th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we're going to take a look at what drives American exceptionalism.

Our national character is defined by optimism and a belief in the impossible, but what happens when that can-do spirit devolves into magical-thinking and a refusal to accept empirical evidence that's contrary to one's beliefs? Ohio recently became a powerful example of this kind of conspiracist thinking.

On this episode of Dear Ohio, Spectrum News 1 anchor Curtis Jackson interviews Kurt Andersen, author of Fantasyland, who explains why sometimes rejecting reality can be as American as the 4th of July.

Can anything be done to slow or stop the spread of disinformation and delegitimizing surrounding the 2020 election?

In this episode of Dear Ohio, Curtis Jackson talks to Spectrum News 1 political analyst and University of Cincinnati professor Brian Calfano about a new study that reveals how disinformation spreads and the impact of conspiracy-minded thinking by voters and elected officials had on the presidential election and the threat it poses to democracy in the future.

The Biden Administration recently announced an effort to close the racial wealth gap between white and Black Americans. But how big is that gap and how did it form?

In the third and final part of our Roots of Racial Inequality series, Curtis Jackson explores the origins of wealth disparity along racial lines and why some believe a broken promise that dates back to the end of the Civil War could provide a solution.

There is a new battleground in the culture wars: the classroom. Republican legislatures are targeting Critical Race Theory, including lawmakers in Ohio. But what is Critical Race Theory and how much a presence does it have in the state's public elementary, middle and high schools?

In this episode of Dear Ohio, Spectrum News anchor Curtis Jackson looks at what CRT is (and isn't), and how the debate surrounding it could threaten local control of schools and important discussions about race and inequality.

The federal government is moving to repay the loans of socially-disadvantaged farmers, including Black, Latino and Asian producers. The initiative is meant to address financial disparities laid bare by the pandemic, but those same inequities can be traced back even further— to Reconstruction and Manifest Destiny. The discussion surrounding the repayment program for disadvantaged producers is also connected to national conversations about race and public policy, including Critical Race Theory and reparations for the descendants of African American slaves.

In this series of reports, Curtis Jackson examines how the past is informing current policy in Ohio and political debate in the state and beyond.

The first lotteries of $1 million and college scholarships for vaccinated adults and adolescents will be held Wednesday, May 26. The Ohio Department of Health said the lotteries are driving more Ohioans to get vaccinated.

In this episode of Dear Ohio, Curtis Jackson explains why it's working.

White police officers in Columbus have killed five Black people in five months. The shootings have once again amplified calls for police reform that reached a fever pitch last summer, but the components of reform, and how best to implement them, are seldom agreed upon. And even the best intentions can lead to bad outcomes.

In this episode of Dear Ohio, Spectrum News 1 anchor Curtis Jackson walks listeners through some proposals for change and explains why some are misguided and others will take time.

This year's celebration of AAPI Heritage Month comes at a time of unprecedented pain and promise for Asian Americans in Ohio and across the country. An increase in violence against Asian Americans is being driven by xenophobia and the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode of Dear Ohio, state Sen. Tina Maharath, the first Asian American woman elected to the Ohio Senate, and University of New Mexico law professor Vinay Harpalani, detail the challenges facing the AAPI community before and since the pandemic started.