Updated March 20, 2026, 1:52 p.m. ETPIKETON — Just outside the once-bustling Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant there is a national focus on producing energy, enough perhaps to power half the state of Ohio.Amid the rusting hulks of old buildings and decades-old water towers, there is land that the U.S. Department of Energy hopes will become an energy hub for Ohio and model for the rest of the nation.The U.S. Departments of Energy and Commerce on March 20 announced a unique public-private partnership with SoftBank and AEP Ohio to redevelop the...

Sheree R. CurryMarch 20, 2026, 8:30 a.m. ETOn Erica and Eric Sawatzke’s Minnesota farm, the math of farming has grown increasingly unforgiving. Even with strong yields, the numbers often don’t add up. A new round of federal aid announced in late 2025, while welcome, underscores how far the gap has grown between what it costs to produce crops and what farmers earn selling them. To help them do better financial planning, they turn to expert advice, online tools and loan programs.The Sawatzkes raise turkeys, corn and soybeans on 500 acres...