Ohio

WASHINGTON- Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) made the following statement regarding updated Ohio unemployment county numbers released today by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Of the 16 counties within Ohio’s Fifth Congressional District, five counties have an unemployment rate of 15 percent or higher.

Letter from JCN:

March 3, 2010

Justice Maureen O’Connor
Supreme Court of Ohio
65 South Front Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215-3431

Dear Justice O’Connor,

Health industry growth slows, hospital tax costs jobs
Although one of the key features of the health care industry is its ability to withstand economic cycles, Ohio’s public policy agenda must make investments in health care to keep the state’s economy growing. Ohio’s health care industry is one of the few sectors with strong growth potential for the future.

Ohio Economy Depends on Health

http://www.ajc.com/business/ohio-s-pain-is-321987.html

In all, 43 Midwestern companies have established headquarters, warehouses, distribution centers, factories, branch offices or testing labs across the region since 1999, according to the Metro Atlanta Chamber. Ohio alone has shipped 20 of those companies or their units down Interstate 75. Only three other states -- California, Florida and Texas -- have been more generous toward Atlanta.

Since October, 2009 groups of concerned citizens, survivors, and professionals attended Community Forums, organized by CeCe Norwood, of Nirvana Now!, to discuss the eradication of incest, child sexual abuse, and sexual violence in Northwest Ohio.

Offers testimony on cost-containment legislation to improve Medicaid system

Columbus—State Representative Barbara Sears (R-Sylvania) today offered sponsor testimony on House Bill 240, legislation that would fix inefficiencies in Ohio’s Medicaid system.

If you were like me and a bit frustrated on people talking about the 2k pages, but not seeing it yourself, here it is. No need to download all 2000 pages (unless you want to; better have highspeed internet; it is 113 MB).

Woo Woo Woo. I can't wait to pay more taxes to support a service that will not directly support Toledo. Looks like a future drain of our money...but hey we call can spread our wealth around right?
====

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio is getting about $400 million in federal stimulus money to restore passenger train service among its major cities.

Gov. Ted Strickland said Wednesday that U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called him about the grant. Ohio is planning a 79-mph, startup train service connecting Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati.

I was not sent this directly, but wanted to publish it here. I am a happy customer of Tireman service centers. The local company's tire prices are very competitive and they back their warranties. I know this from the experiences I have had.
===

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Black Swamp Conservancy Partners With Community Foundation to Establish Endowment Fund
Fund is Part of Conservancy’s Planned Giving Program

Perrysburg, OH (December 23, 2009) Black Swamp Conservancy has established an endowment fund with Toledo Community Foundation.

The fund is known as “Black Swamp Conservancy Endowment Fund.”

Toledo, Ohio. St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church hosts its annual Chili Cook-Off to benefit the parish’s community outreach programs. There will be two awards for Best Chili: the People’s Choice and the Celebrity Judges’ Choice. This family-friendly event includes Game Night where participants can play card and board games.

This year’s celebrity judges are friends from other churches:

Jane Weber, organist, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Maumee
Bob Morris, clerk of the Vestry, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Toledo

Increased unemployment and business exodus plagues state

Columbus—With Ohio’s unemployment at 10.9 percent, Governor Strickland and House Democrats have had more than a year to demonstrate how little their majority has accomplished. Since Governor Strickland took office in 2007, more than 330,000 jobs were lost and 25 major employers abandoned Ohio for better business environments. Among these businesses are DHL of Wilmington, which took 8,000 jobs out of state, and NCR of Dayton, which accounted for 1,200 job losses.

In the Blade:
===
After weeks of confusion in the Lucas County Republican Party over who’s in charge, Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates Thursday said the dispute is tying the Lucas County Board of Election in knots and asked Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner to step in.

In a two-page letter to Ms. Brunner, Mrs. Bates said she’s aware of "significant irregularities in this intra-party dispute which I believe warrant your intervention." Both elected officials are Democrats.

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100121/NEWS09/10...

Inclement Weather Service Currently Being Offered

Toledo, Ohio ‑ The Toledo Area Regional Paratransit Service, TARPS, already is the nation’s second fastest growing transit service specifically for persons with disabilities and the fastest growing such service in Ohio. Plans and activities in place will advance this heavily used service even more.

In May 2009, Forbes ranked Toledo as the worst job market among mid-sized cities, citing massive industry decline in the past decade. However, the plight of our community is not isolated; Cleveland, Dayton and Youngstown make the list for worst job markets in the nation, and businesses continue to hemorrhage from our borders. National Cash Register abandoned Dayton over the summer, and this month American Greetings announced plans to possibly relocate from its Brooklyn headquarters.

Sylvania resident, Steve Yarbrough, has announced his candidacy for the Sixth District Court of Appeals – serving eight counties in northwest Ohio. Yarbrough, who has served as a judge in numerous courts for nearly 20 years, has experience in each of the eight counties of the district, including cases involving juvenile, domestic relations, divorce, child custody, domestic violence and criminal law.

The Sixth District Court of Appeals hears cases from the municipal, county, and Common Pleas courts located in Lucas, Erie, Fulton, Huron, Ottawa, Sandusky, Williams and Wood counties.

Multi-billion dollar debt looms without plan to repay

COLUMBUS—State Representative Barbara Sears (R - Sylvania) today opposed legislation to place the renewal of the Third Frontier initiative on the May ballot, citing that increasing spending during the recession will put Ohio farther into debt.

You can pick up and read the story in El Tiempo.
===
El Tiempo Article Kevin Milliken

Former TPS Administrator Ordered Probes of Private Citizens Investigations Occurred at Taxpayer Expense

The former business manager at Toledo Public Schools hired a private investigation firm at taxpayer expense to look into the backgrounds of five people who were private citizens at the time, including three people who would eventually be elected to the TPS board of education.

Jon is now seeking a temporary restraining order against the BOE and Ohio Republican Party. Free Press has the latest and I will update this thread with the latest (there will be more). If you missed it, the Board of Elections certified the lists of both parties and sent them to the State today.
===

Lawmaker Proposes Solution to New Costly Mandates

Columbus – State Representative Randy Gardner (R-Bowling Green) today offered sponsor testimony for House Bill 366, a legislative measure that would permit schools to be exempt from the costly all-day kindergarten and other unfunded mandates included in the state’s biennial budget.