Dunbar Library | Photo by Monica Brutto | The Wright State Guardian
From local happenings to national topics and global events, here is the news worth knowing from the week of July 15, 2024.
Local
Proposal to change Ohio's political mapmaking system qualifies for November's ballot
On Tuesday, July 23, a proposal to change Ohio’s political mapmaking system qualified for November’s statewide ballot, according to the Associated Press. Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose said the bipartisan Citizens Not Politicians had submitted 535,005 valid signatures in 58 counties, well over the roughly 414,000 needed to appear on ballots this fall.
The amendment aims to replace the current Ohio Redistricting Commission, made up of three statewide officeholders and four state lawmakers, with an independent body selected directly by citizens. The new panel’s members would be diversified by party affiliation and geography.
National
California Park Fire blazes on
On Wednesday, July 24, a man pushed a burning car into a gully in Chico, California igniting the Park Fire, according to the Associated Press.
Thousands of firefighters are battling the wildfire, receiving some help from cooler weather hours after the fire exploded in size. The blaze was one of several tearing through the western United States and Canada, fueled by wind and heat.
Global
Olympic opening ceremony
On Friday, July 26, the 2024 Paris Olympics kicked off with the opening ceremony despite rainy conditions and suspected acts of sabotage targeting France’s flagship high-speed rail network, according to the Associated Press.
The ceremony has a mix of pre-recorded and live elements. In the pre-recorded footage, a mysterious torchbearer ran atop the Musee d’Orsay, dashed past Pont Neuf, rode a boat with a kid holding the flame and later cartwheeled down a red runway. The masked torchbearer was inspired by a number of characters from French culture: Belphégor, the Iron Mask, the titular character from “Phantom of the Opera,” Fantomas, Ezio from “Assassin’s Creed” and Arsène Lupin.
