Farms and families will pay significantly more under the Biden administration’s net-zero climate policies, a new report from an Ohio-based policy group says.
The Buckeye Institute’s Net-Zero Climate-Control Policies Will Fail the Farm shows farmers will see a 34% rise in operational costs under the policies and family grocery bills will increase 15% based on modeling.
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As the push continues to transition to electric vehicles around Ohio and the country, state lawmakers want consumers to have a choice.
Senate passage and a signature from Gov. Mike DeWine are all that’s needed to stop the state from signing on to or taking steps to mandate emissions standards through emergency protocols established in the Clean Air Act of 1970.
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Ohio State University has more than doubled its diversity staff in just five years, hiring more than 100 new DEI-related employees between 2018 and 2023, swelling the headcount from 88 to 189, a College Fix analysis found.
In 2018, Ohio State employed 88 diversity-related staffers at a cost of $7.3 million annually, according to research conducted at the time.
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A bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers introduced a bill last week into the Ohio House of Representatives to address critical staffing issues in Ohio’s nursing workforce.
The Safe Patient Care Act, introduced by State Representatives Haraz Ghanbari (R-Perrysburg) and Elgin Rogers (D-Toledo), would ensure that patients in the state of Ohio receive the highest quality care and that nurses receive reasonable workplace protections.
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced Monday that Alisha Nelson will become the first executive director of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation.
The OneOhio Recovery Foundation is a private, non-profit foundation charged with distributing nearly $1 billion to support addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services.
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced the appointment of Republican attorney Chris Berhalter to the Belmont County Court of Common Pleas General and Domestic Relations Division serving the community of Belmont County.
Judge-designee Berhalter (pictured above), of Martins Ferry, has served as Belmont County Court Judge Northern Division since 2014. Before that, he began his law career in 1996 at Sommer, Librati, & Berhalter. He became a partner in the firm in 2000. Voters then elected him as Belmont County Prosecuting Attorney, where he served for 10 years.
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On Monday, former State Representative from Defiance and current candidate for Ohio’s 9th Congressional district in 2024 Craig Riedel received endorsements from four Republican members of the U.S. House leadership.
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-20), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA-01), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN-06), and House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) all vocalized their support for Riedel’s run for the House to unseat U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09) who is currently serving her 21st term in Congress.
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Former State Representative from Defiance and current candidate for Ohio’s 9th Congressional district in 2024 Craig Riedel has outraised U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), who is currently in that seat, in the second quarter fundraising by roughly $177,000.
According to Riedel, he has raised $537,951 in the second quarter of fundraising compared to Kaptur’s $360,540 a difference of $177,411.
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Newly declared candidate for the U.S. Senate, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, widened his lead in the race to unseat Ohio Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024 in a new poll conducted by Louisiana-based Causeway Solutions for Leadership for Ohio Fund.
The poll obtained by the Washington Examiner details that among Republican primary voters surveyed, LaRose is leading the three-way race by 17 points up from a 13-point advantage in a previous statewide survey conducted in May.
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Ohio Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who is an undeclared candidate for the U.S. Senate, told The Ohio Star that he hopes to make an announcement for a run for U.S. Senate against Ohio Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024 “soon.”
“It is a big logistical undertaking. You don’t undertake an effort this big without figuring out how you can do it successfully. I think it’s vitally important that we beat him (Sherrod Brown) next year. If I can do it right I want to do it. I hope to make an announcement soon,” LaRose told The Star.
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The Ohio House of Representatives advanced a Bipartisan piece of legislation that aims to require insurance providers to cover hearing aid costs for minors.
The Ohio House Insurance Committee passed the legislation 14-0 advancing it to the House floor for further consideration.
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An “anti-racist” dance instructor is set to start at The Ohio State University this upcoming semester as the school’s new “artist laureate.”
The university named Nyama McCarthy-Brown its first “artist laureate.” She is also an associate professor at the university and has taught there since 2018.
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The Ohio State University’s (OSU) Board of Trustees voted in mid-May to adopt a new campus free speech policy and a resolution affirming the school’s commitment to preserving intellectual diversity.
The free speech policy is an updated version of one that OSU passed last August and creates a system through which students can submit complaints of free speech infringements, a requirement set forth under Ohio’s S.B. 135.
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Two Ohio Republican candidates have announced their candidacy to run for Ohio’s 9th Congressional district in 2024. U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), who is currently in that seat, is serving her 21st term in Congress.
Former Republican Mayor of Walbridge Dan Wilczynski was the first contender to enter the running last week, announcing his candidacy with the focus of finally defeating America’s longest tenured Congresswoman Kaptur.
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Farmers from the East Palestine region met with officials from the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) on Thursday to discuss the potential effects of last month’s Norfolk Southern hazardous train crash on their crops and livestock.
The conference was held in order to address any worries local farmers might have regarding the forthcoming planting season, even though the ODA has stated it has no reason to believe crops cultivated in the area would be harmful.
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Ohio Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose told The Ohio Star that he is actively considering running for U.S. Senate against Ohio Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024.
“I’m giving it a lot of thought. No announcements yet,” LaRose told The Star.
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Republicans swept the statewide positions, beginning with the governor, in the November general election. However, a probable Republican candidate for the upcoming 2026 election for governor has already been identified.
Former president of the conservative policy organization Buckeye Institute, Matt Mayer now serves as president of Opportunity Ohio. Due to the time and resources required to create that campaign, he has decided to launch an exploratory campaign for the Republican nomination for governor in 2026.
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Prospective attorneys in Ohio have to fill out a questionnaire, undergo a background check, and participate in an interview to ascertain if they meet the necessary ethical and moral standards to practice law in the state. After January 17th, 2023, Ohioans will no longer have to list a mental or psychological disorder on the questionnaire.
According to the changes to Rule I of the Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio, a person’s mental health would only be relevant as part of an application when there is conduct that could be detected during the investigation, such as a criminal offense, substance use issues, or financial irresponsibility.
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The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center detailed in a survey how it incorporates diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) into its hiring and admissions practices, according to materials obtained in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by Do No Harm, an education watchdog group.
The survey, obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation, was administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and asked the school to detail how it commits itself to DEI standards in categories including leadership and mission, faculty and staff, students and communication and engagement. It shows the center has made diversity “central” to its mission as “a driver of institutional excellence.”
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Within 24 hours of presenting the idea, Ohio Senate Republicans passed legislation on Wednesday that aims to expand the ability to drill for oil and gas on state-owned lands.
A 2011 state law gave state agencies the power, if they choose, to lease out state lands for oil and gas exploration and production. However, the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission has been slow to approve any projects. Former Governor John Kasich signed that bill into law but didn’t appoint anyone to the commission for years. Under Governor Mike DeWine, the commission has met more often but has not approved leases.
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Ohio State University (OSU) President Kristina M. Johnson PhD, announced Monday night that she will transition out of her role as president in May 2023 at the end of the current academic year.
According to reports by The Columbus Dispatch, the university’s board of trustees asked Johnson to resign after an investigation was conducted by an outside firm into concerns about her which were raised by staff. What those concerns consisted of and the details of the investigation are not clear. Johnson allegedly had a contentious relationship with several members of the board and reportedly is being held personally responsible for the departure of at least two high-ranking university officials.
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Thirty-three higher-education institutions across the Buckeye State will get $5 million in total for safety related enhancements, Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) announced this week.
The allocations from the state’s 2022 Campus Safety Program will largely fund equipment such as metal detectors, alarms, loudspeakers, security cameras and lock technology. Schools getting the largest amounts include the University of Akron ($422,630), Kent State University ($387,567), Terra State Community College ($338,598), Bowling Green State University ($278.075.63) and Washington State Community College ($226,345.90).
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A new electee in the Ohio statehouse, Republican Beth Lear, says she will advocate for Ohio families, protect constitutional rights, address economic concerns, and restore integrity in education upon assuming office.
Lear, secured the position of State Representative for District 61 during the midterm election with 59% of the vote.
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Responding to major learning loss suffered by Ohio students as a result of the school closures following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Columbus-based Buckeye Institute recommended policy solutions this week to help students regain what the education system did not provide.
On March 30, 2020, Republican Governor Mike DeWine ordered all in-person K-12 schooling closed throughout the state for the remainder of that school year. Students instead participated in “virtual classrooms” wherein they would watch their teachers’ instructions online. During the 2020-21 school year, many school districts continued to keep school buildings closed at least part-time.
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Georgia’s Democrat gubernatorial candidate sits on the board of a far-left organization based in Seattle, that has handed out millions of dollars in grants to radical left-wing professors.
Stacey Abrams is listed as a Board Member of the Marguerite Casey Foundation, a group that says it “supports leaders, scholars and initiatives focused on shifting the balance of power in society — building power for communities that continue to be excluded from shaping how society works and from sharing in its rewards and freedoms.”
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Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called Ohio State University’s decision to raise tuition unwise as inflation continues to rise around the country.
OSU’s board voted earlier this week to impose a 4.6% increase for incoming in-state freshmen and to guarantee that rate for the next four years. It amounts to a $549 annual jump from the current tuition rate.
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The Ohio State University (OSU) publicly released a report from an independent consultant on the effectiveness of new security measures put into place.
The security provisions, which were implemented following a spike in crime around the university, aimed to ease concerns of students and parents.
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With midterm elections this year, Ohio’s 2022 congressional redistricting plans are under scrutiny. The state lost one congressional district last year, bringing the total number down to 15.
The Ohio Supreme Court recently struck down new redistricted maps and gave the Ohio Redistricting Commission until Feb. 17 to draw new maps. As the deadline approached, the Commission decided they were at an “impasse” and negotiations came to a halt as of this writing.
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Law Enforcement Appreciation Day was celebrated this year on January 9, 2022. The day is dedicated to recognizing and honoring all law enforcement officers who unselfishly serve and protect our communities, often at great risk to themselves and their families.
Unfortunately, there is pervasive negative political and activist rhetoric in American society that undermines support for law enforcement by recasting our men and women in blue as the enemy of an orderly society.
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Ohio State University’s annual “Sex Week,” which begins Sunday, will feature two days for students to meet and thank abortion providers.
“Meet [Student Advocates for Sexual Health Awareness] (SASHA) in the Union on the 1st floor on to help thank abortion providers in Ohio and Texas for the valuable work they do for reproductive rights! We will be creating valentines,” the group’s schedule says.
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Ohio State University encouraged students to “thank abortion providers” as part of its organized “Sex Week,” Fox News reported.
Student Advocates for Sexual Health Awareness is hosting a “Sex Week” funded by the Ohio State University Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies and the College of Social Work, Fox News reported. The event is funded through student activity fees from the Council on Student Affairs, according to the “Sex Week” website.
On Feb. 16, an event called “Valentine’s for Abortion Providers” is described as an opportunity “to help thank abortion providers in Ohio and Texas for the valuable work they do for reproductive rights!” according to the Sex Week at the Ohio State University website.
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Through a Freedom of Information Act request, Campus Reform obtained copies of the syllabi from Spring 2021 undergraduate sociology classes at six universities.
Universities include: the University of Virginia, the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Ohio State University–Columbus, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign.
In total, Campus Reform surveyed 201 undergraduate course syllabi across these institutions. This number included 25 100-level introduction to sociology courses, which are sometimes taken by non-majors to fulfill general education requirements. The results of the survey, divided into the categories of assignments, biased language, and common textbooks and readings, are below.
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Ohio State University (OSU) was not very forthcoming Tuesday after the American Enterprise Institute’s (AEI) Mark J. Perry posted a report detailing the school’s spending on diversity, equity, and inclusion bureaucrats.
According to the report, Perry claims that OSU has 132 staffers in administration roles focused on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), costing the Ohio taxpayer more than $13 million per year.
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Ohio State University (OSU) and President Kristina Johnson announced a new program that will help students obtain a degree without going into debt.
The initiative, entitled the “Scarlet and Gray Advantage,” was announced during a program honoring Johnson, who was recently hired by the university.
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The Early Childhood Education program at Ohio State University includes several courses that focus on racism, oppression, sexuality and privilege.
The OSU Bachelor of Science in Education, Primary Education (P-5) program requires students to take “Equity & Diversity in Education,” “Teaching & Learning of Social Studies Grades PreK-5,” “Language and Word Study for All Learners” and “Diverse Literature and Comprehension” as part of their degree plan.
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Parents and students at Ohio State University (OSU) welcomed additional security measures announced by Ohio State President Kristina Johnson.
The added security actions will provide $20 million over the next 10 years to improve safety for students on and around the university’s campus.
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The Ohio State University used this week’s full approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to mandate all students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated by Nov. 15.
OSU President Kristina Johnson wrote in a letter “the university is taking this step because vaccines are the safest and most effective form of protection against COVID-19. We are focused on enhancing the health and safety of our community.”
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Song Guo Zheng, a former professor and researcher at Ohio State University, will spend 37 months in prison after being convicted of lying about his ties to the Chinese government on applications for NIH grant funding and failing to disclose his China ties to his employers. Zheng will also be required to pay roughly $413,000 to Ohio State University and $3.4 million to the National Institutes of Health.
“Zheng pleaded guilty last November and admitted he lied on applications in order to use approximately $4.1 million in grants from NIH to develop China’s expertise in the areas of rheumatology and immunology,” said the DOJ when it announced the sentencing.
Zheng’s teaching and scholarship were in the medical field, with emphasis on rheumatology and immunology at Ohio State University. Zheng’s researcher biography states that he has also taught at the University of Southern California and Penn State University.
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The Columbus Division of Police experienced a large division both internally and between it and the community during the protests resulting from the death of George Floyd in 2020, according to a report published by Ohio State University.
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Song Guo Zheng, a former researcher at Ohio State University and Penn State University, pleaded guilty to using millions in federal grants to increase medical expertise for China.
Zheng — a professor who led an autoimmune research team for both universities — received $4.1 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health for research projects. Instead of using the funds to benefit the United States, he developed China’s expertise in immunology, according to the Department of Justice.
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Ohio State University students are upset after the school published information about two Black hate crime suspects, as it is required to do under federal law. On September 3, the Ohio State University sent a public safety notice to students, which mentioned a “hate crime” perpetrated by two African-American suspects near Ohio State’s campus. The first correspondence did not mention the victims’ race.
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In a video statement posted on Twitter Wednesday, Ohio State University President Kristina Johnson ignited controversy with a statement about Breonna Taylor.
In the 45 second clip Johnson said:
“Breonna Taylor deserves justice, and this does not feel like justice. We cannot accept what has happened in Louisville, we grieve the tragic and senseless loss of Breonna Taylor, a daughter, a friend, a niece, a loved one, who was unarmed and asleep. The breakdown in the justice system and the killings of unarmed Black and Brown people in our country has become all too familiar, tragically. This isn’t going to stop until we create an anti-racist world. We must come together to draw strength from each other and advance our collective vision for a better world where we’ll one day have justice for all. There is much work to be done.”
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This is part four in an eight-part series on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System (OPHAS) – the color-coded system designed to give a county-by-county threat assessment of COVID spread in Ohio.
This article will further examine indicator three (of seven) in the OPHAS: the proportion of cases not in congregate settings.
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Outrage is growing as Ohio State University remains silent about the Big 10’s decision to postpone football.
In an open letter on the decision, Big 10 Commissioner Kevin Warren said:
“We thoroughly understand and deeply value what sports mean to our student-athletes, their families, our coaches, and our fans. The vote by the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) was overwhelmingly in support of postponing fall sports and will not be revisited.”
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Ohio State University (OSU) is “preparing for a variety of situations” after violations of the school’s COVID-19 guidelines lead to a wave of suspensions.
Two hundred twenty-eight students received interim suspensions due to breaches of the school’s “Together As Buckeyes Pledge,” The Ohio Star previously reported. The suspensions came after a weekend of partying that violated the new guidelines against large social gatherings of more than 10 people.
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Ohio State University (OSU) suspended 228 students Tuesday for violation of the school’s coronavirus guidelines, according to 10WBNS.
Students found hosting or attending parties were issued interim suspensions, though it is unclear if anyone in attendance was at high risk or had been in contact with anyone who tested positive for the coronavirus.
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The Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged Son Guo Zheng, an Ohio State rheumatology professor and researcher, with alleged grant fraud and making false statements for not disclosing that he maintained employment in China while continuing to work at American universities. Zheng allegedly accepted “$4.1 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop China’s expertise in the areas of rheumatology and immunology,” according to the DOJ press release. The affidavit says that Zheng has been a participant in a Chinese Talent Plan, which is a Chinese government program that recruits individuals with knowledge or access to foreign technology intellectual property. Zheng was arrested on May 22 in Anchorage, Alaska aboard a charter flight. The professor was about to board another charter flight to China. When authorities apprehend Zheng, he had “three large bags, one small suitcase and a briefcase containing two laptops, three cellular telephones, several USB drives, several silver bars, expired Chinese passports for his family, deeds for property in China and other items.” “Yet again, we are faced with a professor at a U.S. University, who is a member of a Chinese Talent Plan, allegedly and deliberately failing to disclose his relationship with…
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Dr. Amy Acton on Friday discussed how the state will develop its plan to reopen the economy.
DeWine said, “Ohioans have done a great job, a phenomenal job, fighting back, staying home, ensuring physical distancing. We’ve been doing all the things that needed to be done. I’ve never been prouder to be an Ohioan and I’m very grateful for what you have done. You have flattened the curve.”
Beginning May 1, the state will begin a phased-in reopening of the state economy. The plan will be fact-driven over a long period of time to minimize the health risk to business owners, employees, and customers.
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Ohio health officials and Gov. Mike DeWine continue to reference a coronavirus model that hasn’t been updated since March 28.
The Ohio Star still hasn’t been provided with any information on the identities of the Ohio State University researchers behind the controversial model.
The Ohio Department of Health (OHD) claims on its website for the forecast model that it was “created based on current data” and becomes “more precise as more information is available.”
However, the model still predicts that the coronavirus pandemic will reach its peak in Ohio on April 25 when the state is projected to have 9,689 new cases. But that number is based on the information that was available as of March 28 and hasn’t been updated since.
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Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the state of Ohio has been in an effective shutdown for 12 days. Governor DeWine and Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director Amy Acton have, on several occasions, referred to an evolving series of slides depicting what they say are projections of the number cases of the coronavirus disease in Ohio between March 1 and the end of May to justify these extraordinary actions. However, despite repeated requests by The Ohio Star, there has been a lack of transparency about the data used to make these projections, as well as the people studyin. The ramifications of the “data driven” policy decisions – like the Stay-at-Home order – have been immediate and life-altering for many. In the last two weeks alone, 468,414 people have filed for government assistance. The number of unemployment requests will continue to increase as Ohio is under a “stay-at-home” order until May 1 – five days after the state’s Department of Health say will be the peak of the virus’ impact on April 25. One slide used by ODH Director Acton disclosed that the data the ODH has been using in its projections came from Ohio State University (OSU)’s Infectious Disease…
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