Ben Wolford

Ohio, Tucson

Editor and Publisher at The Portager

I'm a journalist and entrepreneur. I created @theportager and edit @ilmanifesto. I used to run @latterlymag. [email protected]. he/him.

Articles

Voters back school levies and Issue 2 in low-turnout Portage County election

1 week ago | theportager.com | Ben Wolford

Portage County voters delivered key wins for public infrastructure and school funding during Tuesday’s primary election, even as turnout remained low. Just 13% of the county’s registered voters cast ballots in the May 6 primary, according to unofficial results from the Portage County Board of Elections. In Kent, five Democrats competed for three at-large city council nominations.
How to stay safe from ‘quishing’ and protect yourself from QR code scams

2 weeks ago | proton.me | Ben Wolford

Published on April 26, 2025 You may already be familiar with phishing — a form of cybercrime in which scammers trick people into revealing personal information or logins. As technology evolves, so do the hackers’ tactics. One of the rising threats in cybersecurity in the last few years is quishing. What is quishing? Quishing, or QR code scams, is a phishing attack that starts by getting the victim to scan a fake QR code. After following the link, they’re lured into entering personal information.
How to create a business email address

2 months ago | proton.me | Ben Wolford

Published on March 17, 2025 A business email address is an email address connected with your company that typically uses your company’s website as the domain name. It helps your customers and partners identify you as a legitimate representative of your organization. In this article, we’ll show you how to make a business email address that keeps your data secure against hacks, data breaches, and surveillance.
Our predictions for the internet in 2025

Jan 24, 2025 | proton.me | Ben Wolford

Published on January 24, 2025 At Proton, our goal is to help you protect your digital rights, which means we keep a close eye on trends that could affect our community. These include a variety of topics, ranging from the secretive ways Big Tech companies spy on you to the blatant crackdowns on internet freedom by authoritarian regimes.
Protected: The Portager: Dec. 9, 2024

Dec 6, 2024 | theportager.com | Ben Wolford

The Portager is a locally owned news source serving Portage County, Ohio. Our mission is to be a catalyst for ideas and action that help our community thrive. We believe everyone should have access to accurate local news, regardless of your ability to pay. Our subscribers make this possible. Subscribe
Help us choose recipients for our 2024 Lifetime Account Charity Fundraiser!

Nov 6, 2024 | proton.me | Ben Wolford

Published on November 6, 2024 The Proton Lifetime Account Charity Fundraiser has become a yearly tradition for our community in which we raise funds for organizations doing good in the world. Since 2018, we have donated over $2.7 million to 32 organizations promoting and defending privacy, freedom of speech, and human rights. Each year, we ask you to nominate an organization that’s important to you to be a beneficiary of the fundraiser.
Republicans sweep nearly every race, Zuchowski secures second term

Nov 6, 2024 | theportager.com | Ben Wolford

From the sheriff’s office to the White House, Portage County voters chose Republican candidates nearly across the board in the November 2024 elections, according to unofficial results released by the county Board of Elections late Tuesday night. Among the tightest races was for county sheriff, in which Democrat Jon Barber challenged incumbent Republican Bruce Zuchowski, whose first term earned him national attention over racist and intimidating language in a Facebook post.
Justice Department will monitor Portage County elections for intimidation

Oct 15, 2024 | theportager.com | Ben Wolford

Citing concerns about intimidation, the U.S. Justice Department will send staff to Portage County to monitor for violations of voting rights laws, the agency said Tuesday.
Appeals court says Kent can enforce occupancy rules, reversing February decision

Oct 2, 2024 | theportager.com | Ben Wolford

The Eleventh District appellate court has struck down a Portage County Common Pleas Court ruling that Kent’s zoning code is unconstitutional. At issue was the city’s 2022 denial of a rental license for landlord Reed Havel’s property at 248 Columbus St. in Kent. Havel wished to use the six-bedroom property as his mother had: to house up to four unrelated individuals.
Privacy washing: Google claims to support privacy while lobbying against it

Oct 1, 2024 | proton.me | Ben Wolford

Published on October 1, 2024 When speaking to the public, Google presents itself as a defender of privacy. “Privacy must be equally available to everyone in the world,” its CEO said in a New York Times op-ed(new window). And later he said(new window), “Privacy is at the heart of everything we do.”Out of the public eye, however, Google is telling a different story to policymakers.