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January 2010
Rep. Lehner introduces bill to combat domestic violence
Rep. Peggy Lehner, R-Kettering, today, Jan. 28, introduced legislation to combat domestic violence - to protect victims, punish abusers and prevent recurring violence.
The issue too often is discussed behind closed doors and “it’s time to bring out the issue into the sunshine,” Lehner said at a Statehouse press conference.
She teamed up with Rep. Marian Harris, D-Columbus, in a bipartisan effort.
University of Dayton graduate Jessica Bennett, 24, of Columbus was at the press conference and said she was in an abusive relationship for four years until just after entering college at 18. The physical scars heal but “it’s the mental and emotional ones” that stay, she said.
Lehner and Harris said they hope hearings will begin soon and would like to see the bill passed this year, although it could be difficult. Lehner said, however, it’s the kind of issue “people are afraid not to take up.”
The bill would:
*Require than an arrest be made when a protective order has been violated.
*Establish judicial review hearings for those convicted of domestic violence.
*Require a person convicted of domestic violence to enroll in a batterer intervention program certified by the court.
*Allow judges to impose a jail term of up to a year for first-time domestic violence offenders, up from six months.
*Create Domestic Violence Fatality Review Boards - Montgomery County already has one, said Lehner.
*Set up a tracking system to collect the number of civil and criminal protection orders issued in each county.
*Allow judges to extend the term of a protection order until the end of probation for a domestic violence offender.
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TweetKasich raises $5 M for governor’s race; has $4 M on hand
Republican John Kasich raised $5 million in seven months last year and had $4 million on hand at the start of 2010 for his campaign to unseat Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland.
The information came from the campaign finance report Kasich and his lieutenant governor running mate Mary Taylor, the state auditor, plan to file by the Friday, Jan. 29, deadline.
“Ohioans are coming out very strong for John and Mary,” campaign manager Beth Hansen said in a press release.
“The campaign’s fundraising is going exceptionally well because Ohioans know that we must have new, better leadership and that with John and Mary we’ll deliver it — to create jobs, to transform state government and to bring prosperity back to Ohio.”
Kasich, a former Columbus-area U.S. House member, entered the race last June 1. Political scientist John Green said the $5 million “is a good start for any statewide campaign in Ohio.”
“Given the competitive nature of the race and the absence of a primary, I think the Republicans are likely to have enough money to be competitive in the fall,” said Green, director of the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron. Strickland’s campaign was not impressed. He had $4 million on hand as of last July 1 and plans to file the new report by the Friday deadline.
“Gov. Strickland will have more cash on hand than any incumbent governor in Ohio history at this point in his campaign,” Lis Smith, campaign spokeswoman, said in an e-mail.
Given Kasich’s career in Congress, as an investment banker and presidential candidate, “we’re frankly surprised that he didn’t raise more,” she said.
Kasich’s campaign provided this breakdown:
*$5,071,901 raised
*$4,680,644 from individuals
*11,754 total contributions from 9,838 individual contributors
*More than $300,000 raised online from 3,457 contributors - 29 percent of all contributions were made online
*9,321 donations of $100 or less
*$4,289,434 from 10,920 Ohio contributors
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TweetSen. Cates to attend State of Union as Boehner’s guest
State Sen. Gary Cates, R-West Chester, is set to attend President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech tonight, Jan. 27, at the invitation of U.S. House Minority Leader, R-West Chester.
Cates said he has never attended one of the speeches.
“I kind of feel like a kid going to the all-star game,” he said. “You have to soak it in.”
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TweetNew prisons director appointed
Gov. Ted Strickland named Ernie L. Moore as the new director of the state Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. Moore replaces Terry Collins, who is retiring after a 33 year career.
Moore began his career as a corrections officer in 1987 and worked his way up to warden and assistant director. He has worked in adult prisons in Warren, Dayton, Chillicothe, Madison and Lebanon as well as a juvenile facility in Circleville.
Moore, 47, of Sabina, begins his new job Feb. 1 and will be paid $119,454 a year.
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TweetColumbus casino plan set for May 4 ballot
The Ohio House today, Jan. 27, gave final approval for putting a proposed constitutional amendment on the May 4 ballot asking voters to approve changing the site for a Columbus casino.
The Senate earlier approved Senate Joint Resolution 8. Gov. Ted Strickland’s approval isn’t needed to put a proposed constitutional amendment before the voters.
The bipartisan House vote was 71-26.
The House tabled - or voted not to consider - an amendment from Rep. Bob Hagan, D-Youngstown, to permit an additional casino in Youngstown.
The amendment would permit moving the casino from the Arena District near downtown to the site of a former Delphi auto parts plant on the city’s west side, near I-270.
Voters statewide approved a constitutional amendment last November to allow casinos at specific sites in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo. Residents and leaders in Franklin County, which includes Columbus, objected to the Arena District site and persuaded legislators to put the new issue on the ballot.
Penn National Gaming, developer of the Columbus casino, has agreed to the switch.
Hagan said the state for too long has ignored the economic decline of the Mahoning Valley, which includes Youngstown, and said the area would benefit from a casino.
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TweetSen. Jones tweets as Strickland speaks
State Sen. Shannon Jones, R-Springboro, like most Republicans, didn’t think much of Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland’s State of the State speech on Tuesday, Jan. 26.
Jones didn’t keep her thoughts to herself but used Twitter to register them as Strickland spoke.
Here are her tweets:
Upon reflection…The return on Ohioan’s investment in Mr. Strickland has been “unyielding.”
So fed money, loans and a map to Kroger will turn around Ohio?
I believe! I believe! I believe! Lame. Governor Strickland how about the $7 BILLION deficit looming???
If you say it, the jobs will come. Right? Anyone?? Anyone?? Bueller??
Strickland’s plan: say you will create jobs, ignore the 330,000 jobs lost under his watch, extoll virtues of earlier gop initiatives.
I really think my head is going to explode! Revisionist history. Spin. Convenient memories.
can’t wait til Kasich is here. But we have to deal with this now! A tidal wave in horizon.
Underfunded system that cut education is not reform, Mr. Governor.
Education Week ranks Ohio schools 5th in nation — under the old system, governor.
Hey all you teachers, parents, and school board members: Apparently Strickland has fixed school funding. You just didn’t get the memo!
A laundry list of new programs with focus on successful gop initiatives like tax reform.
About a half dozen new programs. What about spending??
Strickland has talked for nearly a half hour… So far he supports old gop initiatives and hasn’t talked about spending!
Governor, do you have anything that is not a gop idea? Gop tax reform, gop 3rd frontier, gop college co-op program, etc
Strickland is encouraging the legislature to do what the GOP had already done — co-ops.
NO! DON’T PUT LEE IN CHARGE OF JOBS AGAIN!!!
so why did strickland oppose free trade when in congress?
Listening to Strickland talk about advanced/renewable energy is laughable — since he opposed us on this at every turn.
Governor Strickland, the state of our state is unemployed!
Listening to state of state. The 330,000 lost jobs since strickland took office is proof of his commitment to job creation.
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TweetGanley for Senate TV ads up in Columbus, Cleveland
Cleveland-area car dealer Tom Ganley started advertising on broadcast TV on Tuesday, Jan. 26, in the Columbus and Cleveland markets in the race for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination.
The ad comes with Ganley’s opponent, former U.S. Rep. Rob Portman of the Cincinnati area holding a big lead in campaign cash on hand. Portman has $6 million in the campaign bank after raising $1.4 million in the final quarter of 2009, Portman’s campaign said.
Ganley’s campaign said he took in more than Portman in the fourth quarter - $1.477 million - but has $1.3 million in the bank. Ganley has said is willing to personally help finance his campaign but Jeff Longstreth, his campaign manager, declined to say how much of the $1.477 million was Ganley’s own money.
Longstreth declined to say how long the ads would be on the air. Ganley advertised on cable last year.
Here’s the ad:
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TweetColumbus casino plan moves toward ballot
The Ohio House today, Jan. 27, could take the final step to get an issue on the May 4 ballot that would permit changing the location of a Columbus casino.
The Senate on Tuesday approved Senate Joint Resolution 8, which would let voters decide whether to move the casino from the Arena District near downtown Columbus to the site of a former Delphi auto parts plant on the city’s west side.
Keary McCarthy, spokesman for House Speaker Armond Budish, said said the House vote could come today if House leaders determine that there’s support to move ahead without going through the normal committee process. It takes a two-thirds vote - 66 out of 99 - to suspend the rules and vote without going through the normal process.
If that happens, it then would take 60 votes to approve the resolution. The deadline for putting the issue on the ballot is Feb, 3.
Voters approved a constitutional amendment last November to allow casinos at specific sites in Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo. Columbus and Franklin County residents and leaders, however, objected to the Arena District site and persuaded legislators to try to put another issue on the May 4 ballot. Penn National Gaming, developer of the Columbus casino, has agreed to the switch.
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TweetSending smut to kids via Internet barred, court says
The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday, Jan. 27, ruled that a state law designed to protect children from pornography and predators on the Internet applies only to material sent via person-to-person communications, such as instant messages, e-mails and private chat rooms.
The court said in a 7-0 decision that the law does not apply to material posted on generally accessible websites and public chatrooms when the person distributing the obscene material can’t prevent a juvenile from seeing it.
The court did not address the constitutionality of the law. Instead, its ruling gives the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals direction on which types of electronic communication are subject to prosecution under the state law. The federal court asked the Ohio Supreme Court to decide whether the Ohio attorney general’s interpretation of the law was correct — and the supreme court said yes.
The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression argued that the law is too vague for the average citizen to know what is prohibited and it violates First Amendment protections.
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TweetStrickland wraps up State of State address
Gov. Ted Strickland wrapped up his fourth State of the State address to the General Assembly by promising to create jobs and rebuild an economic foundation.
He quoted football coach Vince Lombardi saying that it’s not whether you get knocked down but rather whether you get back up that matters.
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TweetOhio food for Ohioans
Gov. Ted Strickland wants to find ways to get Ohioans to eat a larger percentage of food grown in Ohio.
Ohio families spend $43 billion a year on groceries but only 3 percent of it comes from Ohio farms, he said.
He is advocating the ‘Ohio Neighborhood Harvest,’ a mapping system to help Ohioans find locally grown, healthy food.
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TweetState saving pennies and dollars
Gov. Ted Strickland highlighted changes his administration has made to save taxpayer money:
- The Ohio Department of Health has saved $232,000 by making long-distance calls over the internet.
- Restrictions on when the state will pay for meals has saved $1.6 million.
- Ohio Medicaid began aggressively billing third party insurers to pay $796 million in medical bills.
“We have tracked down waste and inefficiency like a hungry blood hound because our taxpayers deserve no less,” Strickland told the audience.
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TweetGirl power in Strickland’s appointments
Gov. Ted Strickland noted that half of the members of his cabinet are women, 40 percent of the judges he has appointed are women, and one-third of the judges he has appointed are African-American.
He also noted that he appointed the first two judges who identify themselves as gay.
“My friends, public servants should look like the public they serve,” he said.
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TweetOhio schools rank high, Strickland says
Gov. Ted Strickland’s comments on his reforms to K-12 education in Ohio only brought his fellow Democrats to their feet for a standing ovation during his State of the State address.
But Democrats and Republicans both stood and applauded when Strickland noted that Education Week ranked Ohio schools first in the midwest and fifth in the nation.
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TweetSomething everyone can applaud
Gov. Ted Strickland received a robust standing ovation when he noted that while California jacked up college tuition by 32 percent, Ohio held tuition increases to the lowest in the nation in the last three years.
As a result, there are 65,000 more Ohioans in colleges this year than in 2006, he said.
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TweetStrickland: universities to work with P&G
The Strickland administration is working an a “ground breaking agreement” between the state’s public universities and Cincinnati-based Proctor & Gamble that will allow the consumer giant to collaborate with university researchers, Gov. Ted Strickland announced during his State of the State address.
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TweetStrickland: Ohio business climate better
During his State of the State address, Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat, said the state will increase infrastructure spending by 30 percent this year while at the same time, the Ohio Department of Transportation is operating on its smallest workforce in 30 years.
He noted that state job training programs have helped re-train 140,000 people since he took office in January 2007.
Strickland also said Ohio is reforming regulations to make it easier to do business. He noted that his administration scrapped 220 rules and revised more than 1,000 others.
He announced that state Treasurer Kevin Boyce and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher are working to establish the Small Business Growth Partnership, which will run a business lending clearinghouse to help small businesses find capital.
He also said he’ll start programs to foster entrepreneurs and to encourage companies to switch from using non-Ohio labor to hiring in-state workers and vendors.
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TweetStrickland: Ohioans hurting
Gov. Ted Strickland said Ohio is still suffering from the “worst economic collapse in generations.”
He noted a news story about 835 people scrambling to apply for a single janitor’s job in an Ohio school district.
Ohio’s unemployment rate sits at 10.9 percent, which translates to 641,000 adults looking for work.
“I will move heaven and earth to create jobs in Ohio,” the governor pledged.
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TweetStrickland touts green economy
Gov. Ted Strickland is highlighting energy projects across the state and an electricity reform law that is laying the ground work for Ohio’s recovery.
Delivering his fourth state of the state address, Strickland said only a few years ago, DuPont Corp. said it wouldn’t expand its plant in Circleville south of Columbus because electric service was unreliable. Yet, last week, DuPont announced $175 million retooling of the plant so it could produce film for solar panels, Strickland said.
The governor announced the creation of the Energy Gateway Fund, which will use $30 million in federal stimulus money and $10 million in state stimulus money to help new and expanding advanced energy companies in Ohio.
He said there will come a day when Ohio casts off the moniker ‘rust belt.’
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TweetOhio making progress on green jobs
Gov. Ted Strickland kicked off his state of the state address this afternoon with the statement: “I believe in Ohio because you can’t write history without us.”
He cited Ohio’s role in bringing the world tomatoes, tires, ignition switches, Jesse Owens, John Glenn, street lights, powered flight, professional football.
“I believe in Ohio because Ohio will power the future,” he said.
He touted Ohio’s new law requiring that utilities use renewable energy sources and said the state ranks first among the 50 states in renewable energy projects. Ohio has made smart, responsible investments and policy changes, Strickland said.
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TweetStrickland begins his fourth state of the state address
Gov. Ted Strickland entered the House chambers to applause from lawmakers, his cabinet members, supreme court justices and guests.
“Thank you very much. You are very kind. Thank you for the warmth of your welcome,” Strickland told them.
He immediately invited the audience to applaud Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, and Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Moyer, who are leaving office at the end of the year, and prison director Terry Collins who is retiring next week.
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TweetGovernor to begin state of the state address
House Speaker Armond Budish, D-Beachwood, and Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, are calling the joint session of the General Assembly to order so that Gov. Ted Strickland can deliver his fourth State of the State address.
The color guard from Thurgood Marshall High School in Dayton is presenting the flags.
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TweetHusted urges campaign finance “transparency” in wake of U.S. Supreme Court ruling
In the wake of last week’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling prohibiting a ban on spending by corporations and unions in candidate elections, state Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, has proposed safeguards to “ensure transparency in campaign finance and advertising.”
Husted, who is running for secretary of state, outlined the proposal on Monday, Jan. 25, in a letter to Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, and House Speaker Armond Budish, D-Beachwood. Copies were sent to Gov. Ted Strickland and Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.
Husted said that he is drafting legislation to require:
*That all corporate and union expenditures on campaigns must clearly identify who is paying for the advertising.
*That corporations and unions must report the among of the expenditure and the individual corporate or union donors to the secretary of state.
“…we should act on the fact that the (Supreme) court did not prohibit disclosure requirements and take full advantage of this open door to shine light on these expenditures,” Husted said in the letter.
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TweetYost launches auditor campaign; says Morgan not “viable”
Republican Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost on Monday, Jan. 25, launched his campaign for state auditor after nearly a year of campaigning for attorney general.
His candidacy sets up a possible GOP primary with state Rep. Seth Morgan, R-Huber Heights. Yost said Morgan was not “viable” because he would not have time to set up an effective campaign before the November election.
Yost also declined to endorse former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine of Cedarville for attorney general. Yost had been running against DeWine for the GOP nomination for AG.
“To the people of this state, I pledge to you that every tax dollar sent to Columbus will be spent for a public purpose, and according to law - and I shall take decisive action whenever it is not,” Yost said at state Republican headquarters in Columbus.
Yost entered the auditor’s race at the request of state Republican Chairman Kevin DeWine of Fairborn, Mike DeWine’s second cousin.
Jason Mauk, Ohio Republican Party executive director, said he expects Yost to get the state party’s endorsement. Mauk also said that the state party committee would likely not endorse Mike DeWine for AG at a special meeting where it will discuss the auditor’s race. The committee “could very well” endorse Mike DeWine at a regularly scheduled meeting in April, when it has agreed to reconsider the AG race, said Mauk.
Earlier, this post incorrectly quoted Mauk as saying the state party would not endorse Mike DeWine. Mauk said a Mike DeWine endorsement probably would not come at the special meeting but could come at the regular meeting in April.
Morgan, a certified public accountant, is staying in the race, said Rob Scott, Morgan’s spokesman.
“Seth Morgan has enormous statewide support from many Republicans, conservative grassroots organizations, regular citizens and businesses,” Scott said in a prepared statement.
“Instead of backroom political deals, the next Ohio auditor will be selected by the citizens of Ohio and we look forward to that process.”
Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper is the Democratic candidate for auditor.
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TweetStrickland to focus on job creation in Tuesday state of the state speech
Gov. Ted Strickland’s State of the State speech on Tuesday, Jan. 26, will focus on “creating jobs and employing more Ohioans as Ohio emerges from the international recession,” Amanda Wurst, Strickland’s spokeswoman, said on Monday.
“The governor will outline a plan to continue investing in Ohio’s working families with initiatives that won’t break the bank,” said Wurst. The governor will offer “creative and economical solutions,” she said.
The proposals will draw on Ohio’s strengths in advanced energy, the university system of Ohio and Ohio’s “second-to-none workforce,” said Wurst. The governor also will cite the Third Frontier high-tech economic development program, she said. Strickland has urged lawmakers to put a renewal of the Third Frontier on the May ballot.
The speech will be streamed live at noon at www.governor.ohio.gov, Strickland’s offce said.
The speech comes with the Democratic governor facing re-election this year in the face of a stubborn economic slowdown. The state lost 121,100, 900 jobs in 2009 and has lost 349,600 jobs since Strickland took office in January 2007, according to federal data.
December’s unemployment rate stood at 10.9 percent, the ninth straight month of double digit unemployment.
A Dayton Daily News/Ohio Newspaper Poll released on Sunday showed Strickland trailing John Kasich, his Republican challenger for governor, 51-45 percent.
“He doesn’t pay a whole lot of attention to polls,” said Wurst. “He’s focused on creating jobs for Ohio and putting Ohio on a path to recovery once this international recession is over.”
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TweetLebanon conservative Viars mounts campaign to keep Yost in AG race
Lebanon conservative Lori Viars, executive director of the Family First political action committee, has launched a campaign to keep Republican Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost in the race for attorney general.
Yost today, Jan. 25, plans to announce that he now will run for auditor, after Ohio Republican Chairman Kevin DeWine of Fairborn asked him to consider the switch from AG. State Rep. Seth Morgan, R-Huber Heights, already is running for auditor.
Viars, in an e-mail on Sunday, urged her allies to call or e-mail DeWine.
“Tell Chairman Kevin DeWine at Ohio Republican Party that we want conservatives Seth Morgan AND Dave Yost!” Viars said in the e-mail. “We want ‘em both!”
“We need conservative Seth Morgan CPA for State Auditor AND we want conservative Dave Yost for Attorney General.
“Tell Kevin DeWine it’s his liberal cousin Mike DeWine he should be taking out of the Attorney General race! Kevin DeWine should not be trying to pit one conservative against another!”
Former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine of Cedarville, Kevin DeWine’s second cousin, is running for attorney general.
Viars said that she was acting as an individual, not on behalf of Family First.
“I’m very upset that once again Chairman DeWine chooses to kick conservatives to the curb,” Viars said by phone.
State GOP spokesman John McClelland could not be reached.
Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper is the Democratic candidate for auditor.
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TweetYost to announce for auditor on Monday
Delaware County Auditor Dave Yost will announce his candidacy for the Republican nomination for state auditor on Monday, Jan. 25, setting up a possible primary with state Rep. Seth Morgan, R-Huber Heights.
Matt Borges, Yost’s spokesman, confirmed the announcement plans on Sunday.
The announcement will come at a news conference at 2:30 p.m. at Ohio Republican Party headquarters in Columbus, a sign of the support Yost has from state Republican Chairman Kevin DeWine, who asked Yost to consider getting in the auditor’s race.
Yost has been running for the GOP nomination for attorney general against former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine of Cedarville, Kevin DeWine’s cousin.
The possibility that Yost would leave the AG’s race and give that nomination to Mike DeWine has upset some anti-Mike DeWine conservative Republicans, including some in the Tea Party movement.
Morgan remains in the race, said Rob Scott, Morgan’s spokesman.
“We welcome the challenge,” said Scott.
The state GOP was faced with finding a candidate for auditor after Republican incumbent Auditor Mary Taylor became Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich’s lieutenant governor running mate.
Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper is the Democratic candidate for auditor.
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Tweet4 Dayton city commissioners taking on GOP gubernatorial candidate John Kasich
Dayton City Commissioners Nan Whaley, Joey Williams, Matt Joseph and Dean Lovelace - all Democrats - are holding a press conference at downtown Dayton’s Cooper Park on Monday, Jan. 25, at 3:30 p.m. to criticize John Kasich’s tax plan for Ohio.
Kasich, a Republican, is challenging Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland in November’s governor’s race.
In a press release from the Ohio Democratic Party, the event is to “highlight the devastating effects that Republican gubernatorial candidate and former Congressman John Kasich’s reckless tax plan would have on local communities, including Dayton.”
According to the Associated Press, legislative analysts have determined that a proposal to phase out Ohio’s income tax would cost state and local governments and libraries more than $800 million next year.
Kasich has made a 10-year phase-out of the income tax central to his campaign platform.
Cooper Park is located next to the downtown Dayton Metro Library at Second and St. Clair streets.
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TweetState GOP chairman asks Yost to consider auditor’s race; primary with Morgan possible
Ohio Republican Chairman Kevin DeWine of Fairborn has asked Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost to consider running for state auditor, setting up a possible primary battle with state Rep. Seth Morgan, R-Huber Heights.
DeWine released this statement on Thursday, Jan. 21, as Morgan was officially launching his auditor campaign:
“Dave Yost is eminently qualified to run for auditor, having served as a county auditor and county prosecutor.
“I’ve heard from party leaders across the state that they would like to see Dave represent the party as our candidate for auditor, so I’ve asked him to consider it.
“Seth is an outstanding young legislator and has a great future in our party. I’m responding to the great demand from party leaders across the state to ask Dave to run for this office.”
Yost is “very seriously considering” the auditor’s race, said Matt Borges, Yost’s spokesman.
Yost, currently is running for the GOP nomination for attorney general against former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine of Cedarville, Kevin DeWine’s cousin.
Yost is a former Delaware County auditor.
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TweetState of State speech moved to Tuesday
Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland’s State of the State speech has been rescheduled for noon on Tuesday, Jan. 26, Strickland’s office announced on Thursday, Jan. 21.
The speech had been set for noon on Wednesday, Jan. 27, the same day that President Barack Obama will deliver his State of the Union speech.
Strickland’s speech was rescheduled out of deference to the president, said Allison, Kolodziej, Strickland’s spokeswoman.
The governor’s speech to the Ohio House and Senate is given in the House chambers. Governors use the speeches to outline their plans for the year.
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TweetWith Tea Party backing, Morgan launches state auditor campaign
With backing from the anti-establishment Tea Party movement, state Rep. Seth Morgan, R-Huber Heights, on Thursday, Jan., 21, launched his campaign for state auditor in Columbus at the Statehouse.
A rally was scheduled for Thursday afternoon at Huber Heights City Hall where Morgan served on city council.
Morgan, a certified public accountant, said he has the credentials and qualifications to be “the ultimate financial watchdog for the people of Ohio.” His wife Debra was at his side and his parents, Terry and Debra, were in the audience.
Rob Scott, president and founder of the Dayton Tea Party, introduced Morgan and called him a “man of principle.”
The Ohio Republican Party has not endorsed an auditor candidate.
John McClelland, state party spokesman, said Morgan “is one of several candidates under consideration.”
Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper is the Democratic candidate.
Morgan decided to enter the race after incumbent Republican Auditor Mary Taylor last week became GOP gubernatorial candidate John Kasich’s lieutenant governor running mate.
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TweetKasich campaign hires veteran press handler
Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich hired veteran communications guru Scott Milburn as his communications director.
Milburn, 40, who currently works for a paper and pulp industry trade group, starts his new gig Feb. 8.
Milburn knows the Ohio press corps and politicians well. He worked in communications roles for Republicans Bob Taft, George Voinovich and Dave Hobson as well as in the Bush White House.
Kasich, a former Congressman and Wall Street investment banker, is going up against incumbent Gov. Ted Strickland in this year’s race.
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TweetHusted reports $2 million on hand for secretary of state race
Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, on Wednesday, Jan. 20, announced that he has more than $2 million on hand in his campaign fund for the secretary of state’s race.
“This is evidence that support for my campaign for Secretary of State continues to grow,” Husted, a former House speaker, said in a press release.
“With every passing day we build new support for the campaign and get closer to the day when new statewide leadership will rebuild a more prosperous Ohio.”
Husted faces Republican primary opposition from former Ashtabula County Auditor Sandra O’Brien. Rep. Jennifer Garrison of Marietta is the Democratic candidate for secretary of state.
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TweetDem Chairman Redfern “welcomes” Morgan to auditor’s race
Ohio Democratic Chairman Chris Redfern has “welcomed” state Rep. Seth Morgan, R-Huber Heights, to the state auditor’s race.
Redfern’s press release “welcome” on Wednesday, Jan. 20, was not friendly:
“Are Republicans so desperate in looking for anyone to run for State Auditor that they have settled on someone whose home county soundly rejected him as a candidate for county auditor?”
Morgan lost the Montgomery County auditor’s race in 2006.
Redfern also criticized a lawsuit Morgan filed to get information on Gov. Ted Strickland’s school funding plan.
“Rep. Morgan’s one big accomplishment is slamming the governor’s office with a massive and frivolous public records request that was a waste of taxpayer dollars,” said Redfern.
Morgan’s campaign fired back with a prepared statement:
“Rep. Morgan believes in transparency and honesty in government and that is why he held the governor accountable to Ohio taxpayers.
“Morgan as a CPA has a track record fighting for taxpayers at the local, state levels and runs his own successful business. These are clear differences between Seth Morgan and David Pepper.”
Morgan is to launch his campaign on Thursday, at events in Columbus and Huber Heights.
The Huber Heights rally is at 5 p.m. at City Hall, 6131 Taylorsville Road.
David Pepper, a Hamilton County commissioner, is the Democratic candidate for auditor.
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TweetSeth Morgan plans to launch campaign for auditor on Thursday
Republican Seth Morgan is done “exploring” and on Thursday, Jan. 21, will launch his campaign for state auditor.
“We are doing this because I believe that Ohio needs to maintain an auditor who understands local and state government finances,” Morgan, a state representative from Huber Heights, said. “We need a CPA in that office. Mary Taylor has proven the effectiveness of that. We need to continue that.”
Morgan said he plans to launch his campaign at the Statehouse at 10:30 a.m. and follow that up with an afternoon event at City Hall in Huber Heights where he was a city council member.
Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper is the Democratic candidate for auditor.
Ohio Republican Chairman Kevin DeWine could not be reached.
Morgan, 31, last week said he would “explore” the race after Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich picked incumbent Republican Auditor Mary Taylor as his lieutenant governor running mate. He is in his first term as a state representative. He and Taylor are certified public accountants.
The auditor’s office is a key one in its own right. The auditor basically inspects the books of state and local government entities to make sure they’re functioning correctly and honestly.
This year’s auditor has added importance, however. The auditor sits on the five-member Apportionment Board that will draw new state legislative districts based on the 2010 census. The governor, secretary of state and a legislator from each party round out the board. The party that controls two of the three statewide offices on the board controls how Ohio House and Senate districts are drawn.
The Senate has passed a resolution to put a constitutional amendment on the May 4 ballot to replace the apportionment board with a bipartisan system but the House has not acted. The deadline for putting the issue on the ballot is Feb. 3.
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TweetObama returns to Ohio
President Obama is scheduled to meet with students, workers and business leaders on Friday, Jan. 22, in Lorain County, the White House announced on Tuesday, Jan. 19.
The president plans to focus on ways to turn the economy around during a town hall meeting at Lorain Community College in Elyria.
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TweetStrickland names Yvette McGee Brown as running mate
It’s Ted and Yvette.
Gov. Ted Strickland on Tuesday, Jan. 19, told his supporters in an e-mail that he has picked Yvette McGee Brown for his lieutenant governor running mate.
She is a former Franklin County domestic relations and juvenile court judge and currently is president of the Center for Child and Family Advocacy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
“I know that Yvette will make a wonderful lieutenant governor because she’s spent her entire life fighting for Ohio families,” Strickland said in the e-mail that went out at 12:33 p.m.
“She is the daughter of a single mother who worked two jobs to support her family. Yvette found remarkable opportunities here in Ohio. She’s taken those remarkable opportunities and used them not to further her own goals, but to make life better for average Ohioans, especially our children.”
She and Strickland will kick off their campaign at 2:30 p.m. at Ohio Democratic headquarters in Columbus.
Strickland invited supporters to tune in live at: www.TedStrickland.com/Live
Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich last week named Auditor Mary Taylor as his running mate.
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TweetU.S. Rep. Boehner names new chief of staff
U.S. Rep. John Boehner, R-West Chester, has named Barry Jackson as new chief of staff for the office of House Republican leader, the job Boehner holds.
Jackson will replace Paula Nowakowski who died on Jan. 10.
“No one in America is better prepared or better qualified than Barry to pick up the torch in the wake of our tragic and unexpected loss,” Boehner said in a press release on Tuesday, Jan. 19.
Jackson, who comes from West Chester, has served as chief of staff in Boehner’s congressional office and as director of the Contract with America. He also worked in the White House as assistant to President George W. Bush for strategic initiatives and external affairs.
As Boehner’s chief of staff and executive director of the House Republican Conference in the 1990s, Jackson brought Nowakowski to the the “Boehner team” in 1995, the release said.
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TweetAlternate site picked for Columbus casino
Penn National Gaming on Tuesday, Jan. 19, announced that it has entered into an option to purchase land for an alternate site for a Columbus casino.
The new 123-acre site is the former Delphi auto plant on the city’s west side. Voters statewide in November approved a casino for the city’s Arena District near downtown but community leaders mounted a campaign against that site.
The new site is on Georgesville Road near the intersection with West Broad Street and close to I-270.
“Ultimately we chose the Delphi site because of its excellent highway access, its status as a brownfield site which fits well with our original vision of urban revitalization and because it received very strong support from local community and business leaders,” Tim Wilmott, Penn National president and CEO, said in a press release.
The relocation is not a done deal, however.
Voters statewide must approve a constitutional amendment identifying the site. Legislators have until Feb. 3 to approve putting the amendment on the May 4 ballot. It requires super majorities - 60 votes in the 99-member House and 20 votes in the 33-member Senate - to put an amendment on the ballot.
While voters statewide in November approved casino sites for Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo and Cincinnati, voters in Franklin County, which includes Columbus, rejected he casino plan.
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TweetLeppla drops out of supreme court race
Dayton attorney Gary J. Leppla decided to drop out of the race for chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court.
Leppla, a Democrat, told supporters: “I love practicing law. The thought of giving up that independence ultimately does not suit me. I feel I can be more effective as an advocate, which is what I suppose I was born to do.”
Chief Justice Thomas Moyer, a Republican, is retiring. Justice Maureen O’Connor, a Republican, is running for the chief seat. The GOP currently holds all seven seats on the supreme court.
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TweetKevin DeWine: Strickland Lt. Gov. choice “uninspiring”
Ohio Republican Chairman Kevin DeWine doesn’t think much of Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland’s expected choice for his lieutenant governor running mate.
Strickland is expected to name Yvette McGee Brown, a former Columbus judge and currently president of the Center for Child and Family Advocacy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
“He’s had nearly a year to make this selection, and the best he could come up with in the face of an unprecedented fiscal emergency is a social worker with no experience in public finance or state government,” DeWine said in an e-mail.
Chris Redfern, Ohio Democratic chairman, was equally critical last week when Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich named Auditor Mary Taylor as his running mate. Among other things, Redfern questioned Taylor’s work ethic.
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TweetFormer Columbus judge expected to be Strickland Lt. Gov. choice
Gov. Ted Strickland on Tuesday, Jan. 19, is expected to name Yvette McGee Brown, a former Columbus judge, as his lieutenant governor running mate.
“It’s done,” a Democratic Party insider with close ties to the Strickland campaign said on Monday of the choice.
The choice is to be named at 2:30 p.m. at Ohio Democratic Party headquarters in Columbus, Strickland’s campaign announced on Monday.
The event will kick off Strickland’s re-election efforts, the campaign said.
Strickland offered the job to his choice on Saturday and the person accepted, said Lis Smith, Strickland’s campaign spokeswoman. Smith declined to say who the choice was.
Strickland last week promised to announce his choice first to his supporters by e-mail. That e-mail is expected to go out before the 2:30 p.m. event.
McGee Brown is president of The Center for Child and Family Advocacy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, an advocacy group. She is a former Franklin County domestic relations and juvenile judge.
The choice is seen as helping Strickland in three ways - with women voters, with black voters (McGee Brown is black) and in Franklin County, the home base for Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich, a former Columbus-area U.S. House member.
It would leave the ticket, however, without a representative from populous and strongly Democratic northeastern Ohio. Strickland is from Duck Run in Scioto County in southern Ohio.
Kasich last week introduced Auditor Mary Taylor, from the Akron suburb of Green, as his running mate.
Strickland’s current lieutenant governor, Lee Fisher, is running for the U.S. Senate.
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TweetSheriff Jones, Betty Montgomery endorse Portman for U.S. Senate
Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones and Betty Montgomery, former Ohio auditor and attorney general, have endorsed Republican Rob Portman for U.S. senator, Portman’s campaign announced on Friday, Jan. 15.
Jones and Montgomery will serve as co-chairs of the Portman for Senate Law Enforcement Coalition, the campaign said.
“Rob Portman understands that we are a nation of laws and that fighting crime requires efforts at all levels of government,” Jones said in a press release.
Portman, a former U.S. House member from suburban Cincinnati, is running against Cleveland-area car dealer Tom Ganley for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate.
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher are the Democratic candidates.
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TweetKasich leading Gov. Strickland in latest poll
Republican challenger John Kasich is still leading incumbent Democrat Ted Strickland in the latest Rasmussen Reports poll on Ohio’s governor race.
The new poll, released on Thursday, Jan. 14, is telephone survey of likely voters in the state shows Kasich with a seven-point lead, 47 percent to 40 percent. Four percent like some other candidate, and eight percent (8%) are undecided.
Kasich led Strickland 48 percent to 39 percent in early December.
Male voters prefer Kasich by 19 points over Strickland. Women favor the incumbent by four.
On Thursday, Kasich announced that state Auditor Mary Taylor would be his running mate.
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TweetTaylor joins Kasich in governor’s race
Republican governor candidate John Kasich named Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor as his choice for lieutenant governor at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 14.
Kasich made the announcement on Twitter. He will make a formal announcement at a 3 p.m. press conference in Columbus.
Taylor would give Kasich, a former U.S. House member from suburban Columbus, a connection to vote-rich northeastern Ohio. Taylor is from Green, an Akron suburb.
While no date has been set, Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland also told his followers on Twitter to be watching for a lieutenant governor announcement. Current Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio.
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TweetPortman leads Dems in U.S. Senate poll
Republican Rob Portman leads Democrats Jennifer Brunner and Lee Fisher in a new poll for Ohio’s 2010 U.S. Senate race.
In the Rasmussen Reports poll, released on Thursday, Jan. 14, the matchup with Brunner, the secretary of state was close, a virtual tossup, with Portman leading, 43-40 percent, a lead within the poll’s margin of error.
Portman leads Fisher, the lieutenant governor, 44-37 percent, with the rest undecided or for another candidate.
Portman is a former Cincinnati-area U.S. House member who served as budget director and U.S. trade representative under President George W. Bush.
The poll was taken Tuesday, Jan. 12, with 500 likely voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
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TweetHouse Approves Third Frontier Ballot Plan
By a bipartisan 85-13 vote, the House on Wednesday, Jan. 13, agreed to put a proposal on the May 4 primary ballot to renew the Third Frontier high tech economic development program.
The proposal calls for the state to issue $950 million in bonds over five years. Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and House Speaker Armond Budish, D-Beachwood, had advocated a $1 billion bond plan but Republicans wanted a smaller amount.
The proposed constitutional amendment now goes to the Senate.
It takes 60 votes in the 99-member House and 20 votes in the 33-member Senate to approve putting a constitutional amendment on the ballot. The governor’s signature is not required.
The Third Frontier provides money to businesses and universities for research aimed at developing technologies and products and creating jobs. It has created or retained 48,000 jobs so far, according to a state report.
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TweetKasich to “tweet” choice for Lt. Gov. - expected to name Taylor
Republican John Kasich will use Twitter to “tweet” his choice for lieutenant governor at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 14, before making the announcement at a 3 p.m. press conference in Columbus.
Kasich, the Republican candidate for governor, is expected to name Auditor Mary Taylor as his running mate.
Rob Nichols, Kasich’s spokesman, would not confirm that Taylor is the choice but said Thursday’s action is about naming a running mate.
Chris Abbruzzese, Taylor’s spokesman, said Taylor is “flattered to be considered” but declined further comment.
Taylor’s apparent decision to run for lieutenant governor has prompted state Rep. Seth Morgan, R-Huber Heights, to explore a campaign for auditor.
Taylor would give Kasich, a former U.S. House member from suburban Columbus, a connection to vote-rich northeastern Ohio. Taylor is from Green, an Akron suburb.
While no date has been set, Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland also told his followers on Twitter to be watching for a lieutenant governor announcement.
Here’s what Kasich told his followers about Thursday:
Tomorrow afternoon, I will be making a special announcement which will have a tremendous impact on Ohio’s future. While the rest of the world will hear this announcement at a 3:00pm EST press conference, I am excited to be able to share this information with you exclusively on Twitter at 1:30pm EST.
Please make sure you sign up for a Twitter account and follow me so you can learn about this historic announcement before anyone else. If you’re new to Twitter or just beginning to learn the ropes, please be sure to check out the Kasich for Ohio Twitter Guide. Then, look for my tweet at 1:30pm EST tomorrow afternoon.
Afterward, you will be able to watch the press conference live on KasichForOhio.com at 3:00pm EST.
Sincerely,
John R. Kasich
Candidate for Governor
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TweetRep. Seth Morgan mulls run for state auditor
With incumbent Republican Mary Taylor now expected to run for lieutenant governor, state Rep. Seth Morgan, R-Huber Heights, said on Wednesday, Jan. 13, that he is “exploring” running for the GOP nomination for auditor this year.
Like Taylor, Morgan is a CPA - Certified Public Accountant.
“We’re going to continue to look at the best way to serve the people of my district,” Morgan said. “We are exploring a potential run for state auditor.”
Morgan said that he was interested in “carrying on the professional legacy” of Taylor.
Taylor is expected to be named the lieutenant governor running mate of GOP gubernatorial candidate John Kasich as early as Thursday, according to a key GOP insider.
Morgan, 31, is serving his first term in the Ohio House. Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper is the Democratic candidate for auditor. The filing deadline is Feb. 18.
Morgan’s entry into the race would give the Dayton-area three statewide candidates. State Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, is running for the GOP nomination secretary of state, and former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine of Cedarville is seeking the GOP nomination for attorney general.
Both auditor and secretary of state have special importance this year. That’s because both are members of the Apportionment Board which will draw new state legislative lines after the 2010 census. The governor also is a member of the the board, along with a legislator from each party.
The party that wins two of the three statewide offices in November will control legislative redistricting.
House Speaker Armond Budish, D-Beachwood, on Tuesday signaled that it’s unlikely the legislature will agree by a Feb. 3 deadline to put a proposed constitutional amendment on the May 4 ballot to replace the Apportionment Board with a more bipartisan plan for redistricting.
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TweetVoters split evenly on Obama approval; blame Bush for economic woes
For the first time, voters across the country split evenly - 45-45 percent - on whether they approve President Barack Obama’s performance as president.
A new Quinnipiac University Poll released on Wednesday, Jan. 13, also found that voters blame former Republican President George W. Bush more than Democrat Obama, 55-20 percent, for the nation’s economic woes.
Release of the poll comes just a week before the first anniversary of Obama’s inauguration as president on Jan. 20, 2009.
Here’s your chance to get in the discussion:
Previous polls had shown more approval than disapproval for Obama. On Dec. 23, 2009, a poll showed 46 percent approved and 43 percent disapproved, down from a high of 59-31 approval rating in a June 4, 2009 poll.
Still, the poll found that by a 45-30 percent margin, voters said Obama has been a better president than Bush. However,by a 35-24 percent margin, they said Obama’s policies have made the United States less safe than the polices of Bush. About 38 percent said safety is about the same.
“When asked to compare, voters give Obama a higher rating that George W. Bush, but that’s not much to write home about since Bush’s approval at one point was among the lowest of any president in history,” Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Polling Institute, said in a press release.
In other key poll findings, voters said Obama
*Is honest and trustworthy, 56-37 percent.
*Is a strong leader, 66-32 percent.
*Does not share their views on issues they care about, 50-46 percent.
*Is being fiscally irresponsible in his spending of federal money, 53-43 percent.
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TweetHigh court upholds death sentence for Ohio killer
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously reinstated the death penalty for Frank Spisak, Jr., for the 1982 shooting rampage at Cleveland State University.
Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray personally argued the case before the high court in October after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit had set aside the death sentence, ruling that the trial jury had been given improper instructions and Spisak’s attorney had given an inappropriate closing argument.
“We are pleased with the court’s decision,” Cordray said. “Mr. Spisak’s murder campaign is one of the most infamous in Ohio’s history. The jury’s decision to impose a death sentence was appropriate given the horrific nature of his crimes.”
Spisak, who claimed to follow the teachings of Adolf Hitler, killed three men and a fourth victim survived.
Cordray’s office said this is the third time in eight months that the U.S. Supreme Court has reversed the 6th Circuit in an Ohio murder case.
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TweetSpeaker Budish: Redistricting reform not likely on May ballot, Third Frontier renewal “Number one priority”
House Speaker Armond Budish, D-Beachwood, strongly signaled on Tuesday, Jan. 12, that it’s unlikely lawmakers will agree to put a legislative redistricting reform proposal on the May 4 ballot.
“I’m not sure we’ll be able to make it on the May ballot,” Budish told reporters.
The Republican-controlled Senate has passed a redistricting plan but Budish said that he didn’t know when the Democratic-controlled House would unveil its version.
Budish said his “number one priority” as the legislature returns this week is putting renewal of the Third Frontier high tech economic development program on the May ballot.
“I would expect it to pass the House no later than next week,” said Budish.
The deadline for approving proposed constitutional amendments for the May ballot is Feb. 3. Budish said he is confident agreement can be reached with House Minority Leader William Batchelder, R-Medina, and Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland.
On redistricting reform, Budish cited the complexity of the issue. He said it might be possible to put it on the November general election ballot but that might be difficult, too, because of the highly-charged political atmosphere when statewide offices and control of the legislature will be at stake.
The Senate passed a proposal sponsored by Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, that would set up a seven-member commission after each census to draw up new state legislative and U.S. House districts.
Members would include: governor; secretary of state; auditor; House speaker; Senate president and House and Senate minority leaders. To encourage bipartisan agreement, approval of any plan would require five votes, with at least two coming from representatives of the party in the minority on the commission.
On the Third Frontier, Budish said he would like to see a proposal that calls for issuing $1 billion in bonds over five years. Republicans, however, are advocating a $500 million bond plan.
Budish said he recognized that he might have to compromise but said the program has been a proven success. According to a recent state report, it has created or retrained 48,000 jobs.
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TweetOhio flunks in traffic safety study
Ohio was one of just nine states that got the lowest grade on traffic safety laws in a report issued on Monday, Jan. 11, by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, an advocacy group funded by insurance companies.
A major reason for Ohio’s low grade was the lack of primary enforcement of seat belt laws in Ohio, said Judith Lee Stone, the group’s president. Not wearing a seat belt is a secondary offense in Ohio, which means police can cite people for violations only if a car is stopped for another violation such as speeding.
The report also cited Ohio’s lack of laws restricting text messaging.
Ohio got a “red” rating, “indicating poor performance because of a dangerous lack of basic laws,” the report said. The rating was down from last year when Ohio got a “yellow” rating, showing “moderately positive performance.”
Other states with “red” ratings: Arizona, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming.
Ten states and Washington, D.C. got “green”, the top mark, while 31 states received “yellow.”
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TweetState grants expected to create 348 new jobs
Peerless Technologies Corp. is in line to receive a $50,000 state grant to help purchase equipment needed for a $186,175 expansion project in Fairborn. The project is expected to create 42 positions and retain 47 jobs.
The grant is among $1.86 million in state aid approved Monday, Jan. 11, by the state Controlling Board. The grants, administered by the state Department of Development, are expected to create 348 new jobs and retain another 1,584 workers.
Peerless, founded in 2000 and based in Fairborn, is an information technology and management company that handles multiple government contracts. Last year, the company received a 50 percent, six-year Ohio Job Creation Tax Credit worth more than $278,000 for its expansion.
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TweetU.S. Rep. Austria visits Guantanamo Bay
U.S. Rep. Steve Austria, R-Beavercreek, has returned from a congressional fact-finding mission to the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Austria’s office announced on Monday, Jan. 11.
The trip, which also included a stop at U.S. Central Command Headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla., occurred last Thursday and Friday, Jan. 7-8, Courtney Whetstone, Austria’s spokeswoman said.
Austria made the trip as a member of the House Homeland Security Committee. In Florida, members were briefed by Gen. David Petraeus, CENTCOM commander.
In a press release, Austria questioned President Barack Obama’s plan to close the Guantanamo Bay prison where terrorists now are held.
“As we saw with the attempted attack on Flight 523 to Detroit on Christmas Day and the attack this fall on Fort Hood, there are very real threats here at home that we must confront,” Austria said in the release.
“It is important to be able to ensure the American people that the administration and Congress are doing everything possible to protect their safety.”
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TweetAllstate grant to aid domestic violence victims
The Allstate Foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network to help survivors of domestic violence with economic issues.
The grant will focus on financial planning, credit repair, job opportunities and will create a matched savings program for domestic violence survivors. A person who saves $250 could get a match of $750 for $1,000 in total savings under the plan, Nancy Grigsby of Yellow Springs, ODVN economic empowerment director, said on Monday, Jan. 11.
The grant will be coordinated by the ODVN in connection with domestic violence programs in Batavia, Alliance, Bowling Green and Toledo.
Announcement of the grant comes with House Bill 167, legislation to aid domestic violence victims, pending in the Senate after passage by the House.
The bill would prohibit terminating employees solely because they are victims and provide limited unpaid leave for court hearings and medical treatment. It also would require landlords to change locks at a victim’s request and expense and allow victims to end leases under certain circumstances.
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TweetPalin to headline Ohio Right to Life event
Former Republican vice presidential candidate and Alaska governor Sarah Palin is coming to Ohio once again, this time to help Ohio Right to Life raise money.
Palin will give a speech at a $40 per person event Friday, Mar. 5, at the Aladdin Shrine Center at Easton in Columbus. Capacity at the venue is 4,000 people.
She’ll also attend a private reception with a smaller group of big donors, said Ohio Right to Life spokeswoman Elyse Putnam. Ticket prices for the private reception have yet to be set, she said.
“We are paying Sarah for the event but we’re under contract so I can’t discuss that,” Putnam said.
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TweetJeb Bush coming to Mason, Cincinnati for Kasich
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will be in Mason on Tuesday, Jan. 12, to participate in a small business forum with fellow Republican John Kasich, who’s running for Ohio governor.
According to information from Cox Ohio’s Denise Callahan, the forum will be at 11 a.m. at FANUC Robotics, 7700 Innovation Way in Mason. The forum will focus on topics such as how to keep major employers in Ohio and what barriers must be broken down for businesses to thrive in Ohio, according to Callahan’s information.
Bush also will be the featured attraction on Tuesday morning in Cincinnati at a breakfast fundraiser for the Republican Governors’ Association, according to Kasich’s campaign.
Then Tuesday evening, Bush, brother of former President George W. Bush, will be the big draw at a fundraiser for Kasich, Kasich’s campaign said.
Meanwhile, the Kasich campaign announced that on Jan. 28 it will hold an “88 County House Party for a New Way and a New Day.”
In an e-mail, Kasich told supporters “I will be joining you via the Internet and laying out my thoughts for the race to come.”
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TweetBrunner campaign “takes it to the streets” in Senate campaign
Jennifer Brunner’s U.S. Senate campaign will “take it to the streets” statewide this weekend, the campaign announced on Wednesday, Jan. 6.
The two-day statewide canvass to meet “friends and neighbors” will be on Saturday, Jan. 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Sunday, Jan. 10, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at locations across the state, her campaign said.
For more information, click here.
Brunner, Ohio secretary of state, is running for the Democratic nomination against Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican George Voinovich who is retiring.
Rob Portman, a former U.S. House member from suburban Cincinnati, and Cleveland-area car dealer Tom Ganley are seeking the GOP nomination.
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TweetPortman opens statewide headquarters for U.S. Senate campaign
With a promise to focus “like a laser” on jobs and the economy, Republican Rob Portman on Thursday, Jan. 7, opened his statewide U.S. Senate campaign headquarters in Columbus.
An estimated 200 Portman backers packed the suite of offices about four miles from downtown Columbus, despite an escalating snow storm outside.
The weather was reminiscent of the launch of Portman’s campaign nearly a year ago on Jan. 14 at the historic Golden Lamb in Lebanon.
Portman, a former U.S. House member from suburban Cincinnati and former trade representative and budget director under President George W. Bush, is the state Republican party’s endorsed candidate but faces a primary challenge from Cleveland-area car dealer Tom Ganley.
State Republican Chairman Kevin DeWine of Fairborn told the crowd that Portman was part of the “best slate of candidates that Republicans” have had in Ohio in more than a generation.
“I agree with what Chairman DeWine said,” said Portman. “This is going to be a good year.”
Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher and Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner are seeking the Democratic nomination.
The race is for the seat being vacated by Republican U.S. Sen. George Voinovich who is retiring.
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TweetStrickland campaign hires communications chief
Lis Smith hasn’t been to Duck Run yet but says “I look forward to making the trip there.”
Smith, 27, is the new communications director for Gov. Ted Strickland’s re-election campaign.
She’s a graduate of Dartmouth College and comes from Bronxville, near New York City, a different kind of place than Strickland’s hometown of Duck Run in Scioto County.
Smith has been to Toledo where she worked in 2004 for Democrat John Edwards’ presidential campaign.
Last year she worked for two losing causes - Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine’s re-election campaign in New Jersey and earlier for Terry McAuliffe’s unsuccessful effort to be the Democratic candidate for governor in Virginia.
She was on the winning side in 2006 when she worked for the successful U.S. Senate campaign of Democrat Claire McCaskill in Missouri.
Strickland is being challenged by Republican John Kasich, a former U.S. House member from suburban Columbus.
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TweetFormer Rep. Michelle Schneider enters state senate race
Former state Rep. Michelle Schneider made it official on Wednesday, Jan. 6 - she took out petitions to run for the Republican nomination for the 7th District State Senate seat.
The district includes Warren County and parts of eastern Hamilton County.
Her entry makes a primary likely against incumbent Republican Sen. Shannon Jones of Springboro. Jones was appointed to the Senate seat last August to fill the vacancy caused by the death of former Sen. Robert Schuler.
Schneider, 55, also sought the Senate appointment that went to Jones.
A former Madeira mayor and council member, Schneider served four terms in the Ohio House. She is president and owner of Hillebrand Home Health and owner of Hillebrand Nursing and Rehab Center.
“I’m the only candidate who has owned and operated a business for 30 years,” said Schneider.
Meanwhile, Jones said she welcomed “anyone who wishes to run into the mix and I’m hopeful for a very vigorous debate on the issues.”
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TweetPresident Obama to visit Lorain County on Jan. 22
President Barack Obama will visit Lorain County in northern Ohio on Friday, Jan. 22, for the next stop on his “White House to Main Street Tour,” the White House announced on Tuesday, Jan. 5.
Obama will meet with workers, local CEOs, small business owners and local leaders to talk about growing the economy and putting Americans back to work, a press release said.
The president will speak to Ohioans “about the challenges they are facing and listening to their ideas for how we will continue to work together to turn the economy around,” the release said. It will be his fifth visit to Ohio since his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2009.
Obama kicked off the tour in December with a trip to the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania.
Democrat Obama carried Ohio in 2008 against Republican John McCain but state polls have shown a dip in his approval rating as the economy continues to stumble.
The state has lost 98,600 jobs since Obama took office in January 2009 and Ohio’s 10.6 percent unemployment rate in November was the highest since a 10.7 percent rate in November 1983.
While Obama won’t face voters again until 2012, his fortunes are tied to those of Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland who’s being challenged for re-election this year by Republican John Kasich, the former U.S. House member from suburban Columbus.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-0hio, who represented Lorain County in the House for 14 years, welcomed news of the visit. Brown plans to be with Obama when the president visits.
“I don’t believe a sitting president has visited Lorain County since President Harry Truman’s whistlestop visit to Elyria in 1948,” Brown said in a press release.
“….Harry Truman fought for workers and the middle class and President Obama is doing the same.”
Trip details will be available “in the coming days,” the Obama press release said.
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TweetWeb site launched to provide Ohioans with census information
The state has launched a new Web site, www.census.ohio.gov, to provide Ohioans with easy-to-get information on the upcoming 2010 census.
“The Web site not only provides information about the importance of the filling out and returning (of) census forms, but offers insight into how the data collected will impact communities across the state,” Ohio Treasurer Kevin Boyce, chairman of the Ohio Complete Count Committee, said in a press release on Tuesday, Jan. 5.
The homepage features links to a site with information on temporary census jobs and to a site with lesson plans, maps and other material to help teachers and students learn about the census, the release said.
In addition to the Web site, there will be a “2010 Census Rally” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 11, at the Statehouse in Columbus with speakers and displays.
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TweetPrivate group pledges to post public pay
A private group promised Tuesday, Jan. 5, to post online the budgets, salaries and other financial data for 3,000 local governments in Ohio by April 15.
OpenOhio.org is a project of the Ohio Citizens Accounting Standards Board, which is a private non-partisan research group. The board’s funding and backers are undisclosed.
“We are not ready to go public with our structure yet,” said Michael Mauer, a former newspaper reporter who now works as the editor for the board.
The group plans to publish online financial data that will allow Ohioans to check on how local government is spending money on salaries, contracts and other items.
“This is extremely helpful to our organization,” said Eric Weber of Kettering Liberty Group, which is associated with the Dayton chapter of the anti-tax Tea Party. The data can be used to determine whether proposed levies or tax increases are merited, he said.
The group already published salary information for school district employees and state workers. That information is available by clicking here.
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TweetNew patrol superintendent to be sworn-in
Gov. Ted Strickland on Wednesday, Jan. 6, is scheduled to swear-in Capt. David W. Dicken as 16th superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Dicken, 48, succeeds Capt. Kevin Teaford, who has served as interim superintendent since September when Col. Richard Collins retired.
Dicken joined the patrol in 1990 as a trooper and worked his way up the ranks, most recently serving as commander of the fiscal services unit.
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TweetFormer Sen. Mike DeWine and family buy baseball team
Former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine of Cedarville and his family have given DeWine a special present to celebrate his 63rd birthday - they’ve bought a baseball team, the Class A Asheville Tourists in North Carolina.
DeWine, whose birthday is Tuesday, Jan. 5, talked about it with Hal McCoy who posted the details on his blog.
DeWine’ son Brian will be the team’s president and Mike DeWine’s main job on the baseball front will be attending a few games. The team is a Colorado Rockies’ affiliate.
He’s running for the Republican nomination for attorney general this year against Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost.
DeWine and his family are long-time Cincinnati Reds’ fans.
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TweetBill Clinton, VP Biden to raise bucks for Gov. Strickland
Former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden are trying to make the campaign cash registers ring for Gov. Ted Strickland.
Clinton on Tuesday, Jan. 5, will appear at evening fundraisers for fellow Democrat Strickland in Toledo and Youngstown, said Aaron Pickrell, Strickland’s campaign manager.
Pickrell said he thinks the donation is $1,000 a person and the Biden event will be “something comparable.” The Toledo and Youngstown events are closed to the press, said Pickrell.
Biden is expected to appear Monday, Jan. 11, at a Strickland fundraiser in Cleveland, Pickrell added.
Pickrell said he also hopes to hold Strickland fundraisers in the Dayton-area with high-profile guests although none is scheduled yet.
Strickland and former President Clinton have a friendship that “goes back over the years” to when Strickland ran for and served in the U.S. House, said Pickrell.
“We’re in the campaign season,” said Pickrell. “We’ll see a lot of activity on both sides.”
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TweetState orders more H1N1 vaccine doses
The Ohio Department of Health ordered another 288,000 doses of H1N1 flu vaccine that is expected to be shipped directly to hospitals, clinics and doctor offices. Ohio has ordered a total of 4 million doses of the vaccine used to combat H1N1 flu, also known as the swine flu.
Health officials are still advising people to wash their hands thoroughly and frequently, cover their mouth and nose when they cough or sneeze, and stay home from work or school when running a fever.
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TweetStrickland’s “State of the State” speech set for Jan. 27
Gov. Ted Strickland will deliver his election year State of the State address at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 27, Strickland’s office announced on Monday, Jan. 4.
The legislature has scheduled a joint session of the Ohio Senate and Ohio House of Representatives in the House chambers to hear the speech.
Governors use the speeches to outline their plans for the coming year. Strickland is expected to seek re-election this year against a challenge from Republican John Kasich, a former Columbus-area U.S. House member.
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