Five things to know for Friday, Sept. 19
(Photo courtesy of the Ohio Department of Transportation)
Ohio’s unemployment claims drop
Unemployment claims filed in Ohio for the week of Sept. 7 to Sept. 13 totaled 47,825, while the state’s unemployment rate in July was 5%, higher than the national unemployment rate of 4.2%. The state’s labor force participation rate in July was 62.6%, higher than the national rate of 62.2%.
According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the tally included 4,672 initial unemployment claims, 75 fewer than the week before, and 43,153 continued unemployment claims, 195 fewer than the week before. Of the initial unemployment claims, state officials flagged 949 to ensure they are not fraudulent.
Corcoran departing Medicaid division
Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced that Ohio Department of Medicaid Director Maureen Corcoran will leave her position, effective Oct. 31. Corcoran has led the department since January 2019. She was previously Vorys Health Care Advisors’ president and founder.
PUCO: Maintain service for SOBE Thermal customers
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio issued an order requesting that the Ohio Attorney General seek the appointment of a receiver for SOBE Thermal Energy Systems, which heats and cools 27 buildings in downtown Youngstown, including two with roughly 90 residential units.
On Sept. 12, 2025, PUCO staff penned a letter requesting an investigation amid reports that equipment essential to SOBE’s operations was scheduled to be repossessed following a judgment against the company.
WalletHub: Ohio ranks 10th for student debt
Ohio has the 10th most student debt, according to an analysis by personal finance site WalletHub.
Its review, “States with the Most and Least Student Debt,” compared 12 metrics across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The data includes average student debt, the unemployment rate among residents aged 25 to 34 and the share of students with past-due loan balances.
ODOT: Roundabouts are safer
In honor of National Roundabouts Week, the Ohio Department of Transportation studied crash data from 76 intersections that were changed to roundabouts. The department’s data revealed that single-lane roundabouts reduced injury crashes by 69% while multi-lane roundabouts led to a 25% decline.
