What you missed in Columbus for May 9
Ohio State graduates observe a moment of silence for two students who died; pro-choice advocates rally at the Statehouse; the Crew rallies for a tie; and more from the weekend
Two Ohio State students died of a suspected drug overdose last week and a third was hospitalized. In a 911 call obtained by the Dispatch, a female student said she discovered her roommate and two of her roommate’s friends unresponsive, along with a “white substance” on the counter. "I think they did some kind of drug," the caller said, telling dispatchers that two of the people appeared to not be breathing. Police have not yet released the names of the three involved.
During Spring Commencement on Sunday, OSU president Kristina Johnson led a moment of silence in remembrance of the two students who died. “Our hearts go out to their families and friends at this moment of shock and grief,” she said in her speech. “This of course comes on the heels of two years of grief and loss caused by the pandemic. Although these loved ones and friends cannot be physically with us, their impact will always be present.”
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Over the weekend, pro-choice advocates rallied in support of reproductive rights outside of the Ohio Statehouse. The protests followed last week's leak of a majority opinion authored by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, which suggested the constitutional protection of abortion rights will soon end. Should the Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade in the coming weeks as expected, it would set off a rash of “trigger laws” banning abortion in more than a dozen states. At the moment, bills have been introduced in both houses that would bring a similar ban to Ohio.
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Russia’s war against Ukraine shows no signs of nearing an end. During a Victory Day parade in Russia, President Vladimir Putin gave a speech in which he stuck to allegations that Ukraine was a threat and offered zero signals that the Russian offensive might slow. Putin’s speech followed the Sunday bombing of a school in Ukraine where more than 90 people were sheltering in the basement. Officials estimated that more than 60 were killed in the blast.
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Tony Award nominations were announced this morning, led by 11 nods for “A Strange Loop,” Michael R. Jackson’s 2020 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about a Black gay man writing a show about a Black gay man.
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The Crew managed to rally against New England on Saturday, scoring a late equalizer to escape Massachusetts with a 2-2 tie. Erik Hurtado came off the bench to score the Crew’s final goal in the 89th minute.
Columbus’ next game is against New York City on Saturday, May 14.