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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2009 > November > 23
Monday, November 23, 2009
Prisons donate to food pantries
Inmates harvested 106,734 pounds of winter wheat, corn and other crops this fall from state prison farms and donated it to the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Food Banks, according to prison officials.
The offenders harvested the food between August and October at four of Ohio’s prisons. And 100 acres of winter wheat had been planted specifically for the food bank donation.
The food was valued at roughly $23,500.
“By growing and harvesting crops for the Second Harvest Food Bank, offenders are given an opportunity not only to give back to their community, but by working on the farms they are learning a valuable skill that can assist them upon their release,” Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections Director Terry Collins said. “We look forward to continuing and expanding this partnership in the years to come.”
Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, Second Harvest’s director, called it a first of its kind effort.
The food banks reported a 21 percent increase in demand for emergency food assistance and a new report said 13.3 percent of Ohioans are “food insecure,” meaning they don’t have consistent access to adequate, nutritious food, according to Hamler-Fugitt.
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Gov. Strickland: Senate GOP budget plan “ridiculous, pathetic”
Gov. Ted Strickland on Monday, Nov. 23, intensified his war of words with Senate Republicans over their proposal to fill an $851 million budget hole.
“What they have put forth is ridiculous, pathetic and they need to get serious about the needs of Ohio,” Strickland said after participating in a ceremony to celebrate the completion of the $145 million I-70, I-75 interchange north of Dayton.
Maggie Ostrowski, spokeswoman for Senate Republicans, said there aren’t enough votes in the Senate to pass Democrat Strickland’s plan. Republicans control the Senate, 21-12.
“So the only way to get through this impasse and make sure (funds for) Ohio schools aren’t cut is if the governor and the leadership in the Senate can sit down and work out a compromise,” said Ostrowski.
Strickland’s plan calls for postponing for two years a 4.2 percent personal income tax cut. The Senate GOP plan would accept two-thirds of the tax cut freeze but adds provisions such as drilling for oil and gas at Salt Fork State Park and taking money from the Ohio Housing Trust Fund. It also projects savings from sentencing reforms at Ohio prisons.
Strickland said the Senate GOP plan is based on “phantom revenue and make-believe resources” and that Republicans couldn’t even get “three or four” Republicans members to go along with it.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Carey, R-Wellston, said he thought at least five Senate Republicans would have supported the plan. If all 12 of Strickland’s fellow Democrats support a plan in the Senate, it would take at least five Republican votes to get the 17 needed for passage.
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Jay Goyal gets White House invite
State Rep. Jay Goyal, D-Mansfield, scored an invitation to the first official state dinner held by the Obama administration.
Goyal, who has served in the Ohio House since 2006, will attend the dinner at the White House on Tuesday, Nov. 24, when President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcome the prime minister of India, Manmohan Singh and his wife, Gursharan Kaur.
Goyal, 28, will take his mom as his guest.
Goyal said, “The work ethic and patriotism my parents displayed throughout my life was crucial in my decision to enter public service and is a continuing example to me today.”
Goyal’s parents immigrated to the United States from India and started Goyal Industries.
