Five things to know for Thursday, Jan. 15

Williams calls out Lucas commissioner for ‘terrorist group’ remark

State Rep. Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Twp., is calling out Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken for referring to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol collectively as a “terrorist group.”

“Since December 2025, these agencies have changed from a legitimate agency to a terrorist group,” Gerken said during a recent commission meeting, WTOL reported.

🚨 INSANE: Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken refers to DHS, ICE, and Border Patrol as a "terrorist group."

This kind of unhinged rhetoric is why ICE agents are facing an unprecedented increase in threats.

Law enforcement are not terrorists for deporting illegal aliens and… pic.twitter.com/gPg6svcCtk

— Rep. Josh Williams (@JoshWilliamsOH) January 14, 2026

Woman thinks she was targeted because of license plate. A woman with a “MAGAGRL” license plate thinks she was targeted after she heard something hit her car earlier this month while driving home on Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway in the Cincinnati area, according to a television station’s report. She later found dents in her bumper, apparently made by a small-caliber weapon. “It’s just not right as a human to want to hurt someone else just because they disagree with you,” the woman told Fox 19.

Athens council members push back on pledge request. A trio of Athens council members, including one who is a recently minted United States citizen, has reportedly come out against the Pledge of Allegiance. According to Inquisitr, council members Michael Wood, Jessica Thomas and Paul Isherwood, citing their faith, pushed back on a proposal by fellow council member Alan Swank. “I have no desire to introduce religion or fealty pledges into local government,” Thomas, a “very longtime atheist,” said on Monday, according to the report. The report caught the attention of Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

We’ll say the pledge of allegiance every day at every public school after I’m elected. And no, there’s nothing “anti-immigrant” about it. We need more national unity, not less. https://t.co/RPUmesYm8D

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) January 14, 2026

Lawmakers push for senior protection from foreclosure. State Reps. David Thomas, R-Jefferson, and Adam Mathews, R-Lebanon, are advocating for House Bill 443, The Senior Protection from Foreclosure Act, which they said would codify protections statewide to stop counties from enforcing property tax foreclosures on homeowners age 65 or older or a qualifying surviving spouse. The bill applies to homes valued at under $750,000, while guaranteeing that homeowners continue to make monthly payments toward an outstanding tax balance.

Lawmakers want PUCO to deny FirstEnergy’s request for more frequent electric service interruptions. A group of 19 House Energy Committee members, including state Reps. David Thomas, R-Jefferson, and Tristan Rader, D-Lakewood, sent a letter to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio urging it to deny FirstEnergy’s request to allow longer and more frequent electric service interruptions. Lawmakers said that it would hurt the economy, public safety, and consumers.