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Ohio Right to Life named attorney Michael Gonidakis as its new executive director. Gonidakis will be responsible for managing the anti-abortion organization, increasing grassroots advocacy, raising money and promoting the group.

Most recently, Gonidakis headed MLG Capitol Consulting and directed political campaigns, including those of Ohio Supreme Court Justices Robert Cupp and Terrence O'Donnell in 2006. He also worked as an attorney in the state auditor and attorney general's offices under Republican Jim Petro.

Strahorn in the Final Four for post

State Rep. Fred Strahorn, D-Dayton, is one of four candidates being considered by Gov. Ted Strickland for an appointment to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.

If Strahorn is appointed, he'll be the second commissioner with Dayton ties. Former Dayton city manager Valerie Lemmie was appointed to the PUCO by Gov. Bob Taft.

The PUCO regulates electric, telephone and natural gas companies in Ohio and oversees hazardous-materials carriers and railroad crossings. A seat on the commission pays between $97,760 and $119,995 per year plus benefits, and commissioners have the power to review some business mergers, open the books of multimillion-dollar companies, and make rules that affect every Ohioan.

State law requires a politically balanced PUCO. No more than three of the five commissioners can be from any one political party. The PUCO currently has two Republicans, two independents and one Democrat.

Poll worker training offerred online, free

The Ohio secretary of state is offering voluntary, free training online for poll workers in addition to the regular training given through the county boards of elections.

The online program gives basic information on voter identification requirements, provisional ballots and voting systems.

Ohio settles suit with Merck & Co.

Ohio will receive $30 million as its share of two settlements totaling $649 million with Merck & Co., which makes Zocor, Vioxx and Pepcid, Attorney General Marc Dann announced last week.

The agreements settle allegations that Merck failed to pay rebates due to state Medicaid programs. Under federal law, drug companies supplying medications to Medicaid recipients must give the Medicaid programs the "best price" available, including any discounts. Ohio and 48 other states contended that Merck failed to disclose deep discounts given to some hospitals for Zocor, Vioxx and Pepcid.

Boehner takes GOP campaign to Internet

House Minority Leader John Boehner is taking his crusade to give Republicans the majority of Congress again to the Internet.

Boehner, R-West Chester, this week unveiled an online grass-roots site aimed at helping Republicans organize and raise money to take back Congress in the fall. The site, FreedomProject.org allows visitors to craft and organize their own plans to help bring Republicans back into power, allowing them to use the site to recruit volunteers, raise money, sign petitions or call talk radio. Boehner calls the site a "virtual command center" for volunteers.

The Freedom Project is a political action committee established in 1995 to provide assistance to Republican candidates for federal office.

UHCAN Ohio chosen for health care project

The Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio – UHCAN Ohio – has been chosen to participate in a new grant program for Ohio and other states that will provide technical and financial help for health care reform.

The $15 million initiative, "Consumer Voices for Coverage", is backed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which focuses on health care issues, and Community Catalyst, a Boston-based non-profit consumer health advocacy group.

UHCAN Ohio will receive $750,000, said Cathy Levine, the group's executive director.

"The voices of real people who face real struggles because they do not have health coverage need to be heard by state policy makers," Levine said in a press release.