We break down how Springfield found itself in the middle of a national immigration debate - and what is and is not happening in the community.

We discuss Sen. JD Vance's record on addiction recovery, the status of Larry Householder's appeal, an effort by Republicans to recruit poll watchers for Ohio and how lawmakers want to change the rules around name, image and likeness.

We discuss the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and who showed up from Ohio -- and didn't.

USA Today Network Ohio Bureau Chief Anthony Shoemaker speaks with politics reporter Erin Glynn on the latest episode of the Ohio Politics Explained podcast. During this edition we preview next week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago, how JD Vance and Tim Walz will face off in an official debate, and recap everything that happened in Ohio’s first week of recreational marijuana sales. Finally, we talk about how Ohio Secretary of state Frank LaRose announced election violation allegations, and how the Ohio Supreme Court will decide a frozen embryo case between a devoiced couple.

A decade ago, Ohio's former deputy state treasurer Amer Ahmad fled the country to avoid sentencing in federal court in a bribery and kickback scheme − traveling to San Diego, walking into Mexico and flying to Pakistan with a suitcase full of cash. Retired FBI agent Jeff Williams joined Ohio Politics Explained podcast to dust off the details on this nearly forgotten public corruption case. Williams served as team leader of a Columbus-based public corruption team that investigated the case.

Campaigns to rein in payday lending led to the downfall of two Democrats serving in the Ohio House: Carlton Weddington and Clayton Luckie. Retired FBI agent Jeff Williams joined the Ohio Politics Explained podcast recently to talk about how one case led to the next and what lessons can be learned.

We discuss the launch of recreational marijuana sales, how Sen. Sherrod Brown is snubbing his party, the latest in a fight for transgender health care for minors and why Ohio leaders are talking about redistricting in Iowa.

We discuss Gov. Mike DeWine's take on the redistricting proposal on the November ballot, how Ohio is modernizing state IDs, what Donald Trump said about JD Vance this week and why the state is removing people from the voter rolls.

We discuss the latest in the presidential race, a proposal to change how Ohio draws district maps, why a federal judge blocked a state election law and how lawmakers want to help workers with disabilities.

We recap the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and how Ohio grabbed the spotlight.