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Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Portman unveils 4th TV ad in Senate race
Republican Rob Portman on Tuesday, Aug. 31, unveiled a fourth TV ad in his U.S. Senate race against Democrat Lee Fisher, the lieutenant governor.
The 30-second ad features Portman, his wife Jane and their three children.
“We want our kids to be able to have a future here in Ohio and we are falling behind,” Portman says.
He says the state needs to try a “different way” on taxes and business regulation.
Holly Shulman, Fisher’s campaign spokeswoman, said in an e-mail that Portman “must think Ohioans have amnesia.”
Portman, a former Cincinnati-area U.S. House member, also was budget director and U.S. trade representative for President George W. Bush.“ Shulman blamed Bush’s policies for the current “economic crisis.”
Here’s Portman’s ad:
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TweetResolution to keep OSU-Michigan game tradition heading to legislature
There are a few things certain in life: death, taxes and Michigan-Ohio State football rivalry.
Death and taxes are still a go but whether the Wolverines and Buckeyes cap off the regular season together is in jeopardy now that the Big Ten Conference is adding Nebraska.
State Sen. Kevin Coughlin, R-Cuyahoga Falls, said Tuesday, Aug. 31, that he will introduce a resolution in the Ohio Senate to urge the Big Ten Conference to keep the Big Game as regular season final.
“Millions of Ohioans, Ohio State alumni, current and former Buckeye players, and fans around the world look forward to that Saturday afternoon in late November when the Buckeyes and the Wolverines meet on the field,” Coughlin said. “This season finale has become the greatest rivalry in sports history, and I believe it would be unfortunate to dilute one of college football’s most important traditions.”
It has been said that millions of Michiganians as well as University of Michigan alumni, fans and players also look forward to the game, although less so in recent years.
The two teams have played their game as the season finale since 1934.
“There are plenty of important issues for us to deal with in Ohio. But we can take a few minutes and express our concern that the Big Ten Conference is tinkering with something that many fans feel isn’t broken,” Coughlin said.
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TweetAnimal rights group condemns veal industry
An animal rights group on Tuesday, Aug. 31, called on the newly created Ohio Livestock Standards Board to come up with rules that phase out the practice of chaining male calves in narrow crates so that they someday become tender veal cutlets.
Mercy For Animals Ohio campaign coordinator Corey Roscoe said, “Veal production represents one of the cruelest industries on the face of the planet.”
Roscoe showed undercover video footage shot in mid-April at Buckeye Veal in Apple Creek, Ohio near Wooster. Former ‘Price Is Right’ host Bob Barker narrated the four-minute video. Warning: Video contains graphic content and is not suitable for all ages. > Watch video
That farm used to chain the animals by the neck in narrow wooden crates, which is standard practice in the veal industry, but has since transitioned to group housing for calves.
On June 30, the Humane Society of the United States, Gov. Ted Strickland and the Ohio Farm Bureau struck a deal to address farm animal treatment and other issues. The agreement calls for phasing out veal crates by 2017.
Roscoe accused the Livestock Standards Board of dragging its feet and failing to implement any parts of the agreement.
Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, executive director of the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks and a standards board member, said livestock standards board is actively working on rules stemming from the agreement. “It’s something Ohioans should be proud of,” she said.
Roscoe urged consumers to switch to a vegan diet — one without meat, eggs or dairy products.
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TweetPoll: Ohio Senate race back to “toss-up”
Republican Rob Portman still leads Democrat Lee Fisher in Ohio’s U.S. Senate race in the Rasmussen Reports poll but the poll has moved the race back into the “toss-up” column from “leans Republican.”
The poll, released on Tuesday, Aug. 31, shows Portman leading Fisher, 44-39 percent among likely voters, compared to a 45-37 percent lead for Portman two weeks ago.
When “leaners” are included, Portman still leads, 47-41 percent.
Portman is a former Cincinnati-area U.S. House member and was budget director and U.S. trade representative for President George W. Bush. Fisher is lieutenant governor.
The statewide telephone survey, done by automated interviewers, was taken Monday, Aug. 30 with 750 likely voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
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TweetAudit identifies potential $2M savings for Ohio Lottery; calls for change to “quasi-public corporation”
State Auditor Mary Taylor has identified potential savings of more than $2 million for the Ohio Lottery Commission in a performance audit released on Tuesday, Aug. 31.
The audit also said that Gov. Ted Strickland and the legislature should consider reorganizing the lottery as a quasi-public corporation to increase effectiveness and maximize profits.
If the lottery doesn’t convert to a quasi-public corporation, the commission should be eliminated, the audit said. Its role is “duplicative” and does not maximize efficiency or the mission of generating money for education.
The audit said that while the commission has responsibility for adopting rules, that the executive director practice “defers to the governor’s judgment for major policy decisions, especially those which could be viewed as expanding the lottery in any way….”
“The Ohio Lottery is a multi-billion dollar enterprise,” Taylor, a Republican running for lieutenant governor on the ticket with John Kasich, said in a press release.
“I am pleased my office was able to work with lottery officials to develop recommendations that will help ensure the Lottery’s continued success and enhance its important support for education in our state.”
Recommendations include:
*Consider reducing the number of regional lottery offices by two and eliminating jobs associated with closed offices for $633,000 in annual savings.
*Consider eliminating other lottery staff positions for annual savings of $1,376,000.
*Consider studying the impact the emergence of casinos will have on lottery sales.
*Implement leading business practices in planning and strategic management.
Click here to see a copy of the full audit on the auditor’s Web site.
The audit also commended the lottery commission for a successful conversion of the lottery’s gaming system to a new vendor and for a “high level of employee engagement.”
In a response letter to Taylor, Kathleen Burke, lottery commission executive director, said the audit report “will be integrated into the strategic planning process.
“We will carefully review your office’s findings and recommendations with a view towards taking appropriate responsive measures.”
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