Parents are speaking out about the potential teachers’ strike and what is being done on both sides to resolve it as tensions between Akron Public Schools (APS) and its teachers intensify.
After many allegations of campus violence, APS teachers declared last week that they would strike mere days after kids are expected to return from winter break. According to a news release, safety was one of their primary concerns.
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Members of the East Cleveland City Council dissolved into an argument over the position of council president and who legally qualifies for the Ward 3 position.
Last month, Councilmembers Korean Stevenson and Pat Blochowiak filed a lawsuit against Council President Nathaniel Martin and Clerk of Council Tracy Udrija-Peters due to allegedly illegal actions without the council’s support.
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As the 135th General Assembly gets underway, lawmakers elected moderate Republican Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) as the new Speaker of the Ohio House on Tuesday to succeed State Representative Bob Cupp (R-Lima).
The choice comes despite the Republican Caucus’ previous selection in November of State Representative Derek Merrin (R-Moncolva) as the new Speaker.
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Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Wednesday, the completion of Charitable University, also known as CharitableU, is now mandatory for nonprofits who want to seek grant money from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office to promote organizations to be fraud-free this year.
According to Yost, CharitableU is a new training and accountability tool for Ohio charity organizations. The program ensures that they run their companies properly and prevent the squandering of crucial donations due to incompetence, carelessness, or fraud.
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A mere two days since the legalization of sports betting in Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine is already questioning the legality of some companies’ practices.
In his first remarks on the matter since the state’s legalized sports betting on Sunday, DeWine said he had taken a personal interest in upholding state laws governing gambling organizations’ advertising.
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Governor Mike DeWine appointed Republican Magistrate Rhonda Burggraf as judge of Marion County Family Court.
Burggraf, of LaRue, Ohio, is replacing Judge Robert Fragale, who retired from the court last month, ending his 40-year career in the legal profession, 30 of which he served as a Marion County judge. Burggraf will assume office on January 9th alongside fellow family court Judge Larry N. Heiser. Burggraf must run for election in 2024 to retain the seat.
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Ohio’s Republican Governor Mike DeWine has occupied political office for the better part of 50 years starting his political career as a county prosecutor and moving up to become an Ohio state legislator, congressman, lieutenant governor, senator, and now state governor.
DeWine prepares to be sworn in for his second and final four-year term as governor of Ohio on January 9th.
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In the 2022 general election, 17 of the Ohio State Senate’s 33 seats were up for grabs. As of January 2023, seven of those seats are held by members of the Democratic Party, and 26 are held by members of the Republican Party.
Four new Democratic state senators and three new Republican state senators have been sworn in to represent their constituents in the new legislative session.
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed 19 bills into law on Monday, the start of the new legislative session, that lawmakers approved during the lame duck session last year.
On December 22nd, DeWine’s office received a raft of 24 bills. He signed 18 of those 24 into law.
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In 2022 alone, the law enforcement task forces established under the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC) seized illicit substances worth more than $64 million. Attorney General Dave Yost claims that eliminating Ohio’s drug trafficking industry will inevitably save lives.
Outside of narcotics, Ohio task forces also seized 437 firearms and $7.7 million in currency last year. With the 2022 figures, the total amount of contraband seized by the task force during Yost’s first term is $239.9 million in drugs, 1,374 guns, and $56 million in cash.
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After Ohio Governor Mike DeWine chose her on Thursday to fill another open seat on the same court, long-serving Republican Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Joan Synenberg will stay on the bench for at least another two years.
Synenberg will assume the term of Democratic Judge Deborah Turner and will start her new term on January 14th. In order to retain the seat she must win the general election in November 2024. Turner resigned from her position on the bench to run for another one, which allowed Turner to continue serving as a judge for an additional four years.
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The Ohio Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the city of Cleveland is not required to repay $4.1 million to drivers who improperly paid traffic-camera tickets between 2005 and 2009 due to the motorists paying the fines without contesting them.
A number of drivers who got traffic-camera tickets but did not own the cars they were driving filed a class-action suit in 2009, alleging that the city of Cleveland had unfairly retained the fine money from persons who drove leased, rented, or utilized a vehicle that belonged to their employers. The claimants requested refunds of $4,121,185.89 and an additional $1,842,563.51 in interest.
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After many allegations of campus violence, Akron Public School teachers declared they would strike mere days after kids are expected to return from winter break. According to a Thursday news release, safety was one of their primary concerns.
The union scheduled the strike to begin on January 9th, 2023, while students return to classrooms on January 6th, 2023. Following incidents of aggressive behavior by kids, Akron Educational Association (AEA) union members asserted that school safety was one of their main concerns. The AEA represents around 2,800 licensed teachers and staff members, with about 20,000 students in the district.
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Beginning on January 1st, 2023, sports betting will be legal in Ohio. Betting will be legal to take place through smartphone applications, at casinos, racinos, sports stadiums, and other retail sportsbook facilities. However, Ohio will also be the first state in the nation to offer over 1,000 self-service betting machines in bars, restaurants, grocery, and convenience stores around the state.
Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 29, which legalized sports betting in Ohio, authorizing the move and giving oversight to the Casino Control Commission.
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As Ohio prepares for the legalization of sports betting in January, the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas is launching its first-of-its-kind gambling addiction counseling for individuals who are convicted of a crime related to gambling. This is one of the first such court programs in the state and the largest in the country.
According to Judge Brendan Sheehan, the court moved quickly to get its Problem Gambling Addiction Program operative prior to the state’s new sports betting laws going into effect on January 1st.
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Hudson City Councilwoman Nicole Kowalski filed a civil suit against the city council’s recent decision to censure her over her expenditure of money that required legislative approval without the council’s knowledge or consent.
According to Hudson City Council President Chris Foster, Kowalski launched an investigation of a citizen’s complaint about an alleged campaign finance violation without the knowledge or consent of the council. Foster said that Kowalski also spent money that required legislative approval without informing the rest of the council.
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Summit County Republican Party Chairman and statewide party Vice-Chair Bryan Williams officially announced his candidacy for chairman of the Ohio Republican Party on Wednesday in a letter to state central committee (SCC) members.
The Ohio Republican Party’s central committee is meeting on January 6th to consider selecting a replacement for current Chairman Bob Paduchik who announced after the November 8th general election that he would not be seeking another term.
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced Thursday that he dispatched support from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to aid in emergency snow removal efforts in the state of New York following an “epic, once-in-a-lifetime” weather disaster responsible for killing over two dozen people.
A convoy of 28 ODOT workers, 12 tandem dump trucks, two utility mechanic trucks, and four crew cab pick-up trucks departed from Ashtabula Wednesday morning for a six-day deployment. The ODOT crew consists of highway technicians, mechanics, and managers from District 4 (Akron), District 11 (New Philadelphia), and District 12 (Cleveland).
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced Wednesday that he is nominating Republican Anne Vogel to become the next director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA). If the Ohio Senate confirms the nomination, Vogel will replace current director Laurie Stevenson who announced her retirement at the end of this year.
The Ohio EPA protects the environment and public health by enforcing environmental laws. According to DeWine, Vogel has the right experience for the job, and due to their history working together, she understands his priorities for the state.
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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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As the year ends, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is reviewing the legislation approved throughout the lame-duck session and deciding to either veto or sign it into law.
Before the holiday break, DeWine signed two bills into law Senate Bill (SB) 210 and House Bill (HB) 223.
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Now that Governor Mike DeWine appointed Republican Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters to fill a vacancy on the Ohio Supreme Court (OSC), his former long-time position as prosecutor will become vacant on January 7th, 2023, when he is sworn into the OSC.
Throughout his tenure, Deters has gained a reputation in a crucial office for being a “tough on crime” prosecutor, believing in strict punishments for violent crime, including the death penalty, bail reform boundaries, and policing in general.
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Waterville residents turned in a petition to overturn a city council resolution to construct a large amphitheater and concert venue on the city’s western edge. They plan to put the project on the ballot as a public referendum.
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During the legislature’s overnight culminating session, Ohio lawmakers approved over 30 pieces of legislation that now head to Governor Mike DeWine’s desk for approval. If DeWine does nothing the legislation will take effect without his signature. However, he has ten days, with the exception of Sundays, following the acquisition of the bills to approve or veto the legislation if he so chooses.
On December 22nd, DeWine’s office received a raft of 24 bills. The deadline for DeWine to take action on those bills to either sign or veto is January 3rd.
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A Republican-supported bill that would provide more transparency for local property tax exemptions passed in the Ohio Senate.
House Bill (HB) 66 sponsored by state Representative James Hoops (R-Napoleon) would require the Ohio Tax Commissioner’s biennial tax expenditure report to include information on local property tax exemptions and to require the Tax Expenditure Review Committee to periodically review local property tax exemptions.
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Lawmakers have proposed numerous pieces of important legislation that impact individuals throughout Ohio, such as major criminal justice reform, an overhaul of the state education system, and changes in Ohio’s voting laws; however, for every major policy proposal, is an obscure one that tends to go overlooked.
House Bill (HB) 379 sponsored by state Representative Phillip Robinson Jr. (D-Solon) pitched a new “Weirdo Cat Lovers of Cleveland” license plate which supports an organization that helps cat owners and their feline companions.
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Approximately 22,000 fentanyl pills and nearly 42 pounds of suspected fentanyl seized in a drug bust by the Central Ohio Major Drug Interdiction/HIDTA Task Force is proof we need a stronger southern border according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.
The task force, created under the state attorney general’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission and led by the Columbus Police division intercepted the smuggling of the illegal drugs this week.
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The Ohio Supreme Court ruled that a state law capping the number of damages awarded for “pain and suffering” claims in a personal injury lawsuit applied to child sex abuse cases is unconstitutional.
A 4-3 decision from the Supreme Court ruled that youth victims who “suffer traumatic, extensive, and chronic psychological injury as a result of intentional criminal acts and who sue their abusers for civil damages,” should not have caps on “non-economic damages.”
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed Executive Order 2022-17-D on Thursday, to suspend the normal rule making process to allow the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy to classify all products containing tianeptine, as a Schedule I controlled substance.
According to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) tianeptine is an antidepressant drug that is not approved by the United States for medical use. The FDA has warned that many companies are illegally marketing and selling products containing tianeptine to the public with unproven beneficial claims (i.e., dietary supplement, treatment for anxiety, depression, or opioid disorder). Effective December 22, 2022, no one may sell or pocess any product containing tianeptine in the state of Ohio.
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Governor Mike DeWine has appointed Republican Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters to fill a vacancy on the Ohio Supreme Court.
Deters will fill the seat that Justice Sharon Kennedy is vacating at the end of the year to replace Maureen O’Connor as Chief Justice. O’Connor is stepping down at the end of the year due to Ohio’s age limit for judges. One may not run for a seat on any Ohio court if one is more than 70 years of age. This limit often forces the retirement of long-time justices.
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Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced the launch of a new digital outreach initiative with a focus on educating Ohioans about elections and entrepreneurship.
Through the new messaging platform called @VerifyOhio, Ohioans can fact-check myths and answer common questions regarding elections for themselves. According to LaRose, election officials will use the platform throughout the 2023 and 2024 election cycles. LaRose said this would be a “rapid response” resource during the voting period around Election Day, when he said misinformation is typically at its peak.
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A Greene County prosecutor requested an opinion from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost on whether Ohio civil rights law requires local governments to permit individuals to use public restrooms according to their stated gender identity rather than their biological sex.
The formal request filed by Greene County Prosecutor David Hayes was filed last week as people who prefer to use their stated gender identity over their biological sex is an area of the law that is receiving increasing attention throughout the United States and in the state of Ohio. Both public and private institutions are up against questions and lawsuits over policies relating to biological males being permitted to use biological females’ public restrooms and changing facilities.
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A Republican-backed bill that will authorize emergency medical personnel to transport injured police dogs by ambulance heads to Governor Mike DeWine’s desk for signature.
House Bill (HB) 392 sponsored by state Representatives Ron Ferguson (R-Wintersville) and Kevin Miller (R-Newark) expands the ability of a medical professional to allow for life-saving transportation of a K-9 to a veterinarian center for treatment.
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The Toledo Diocese took a stand against a proposed Toledo city ordinance that would provide funds to transport women seeking abortions out of state.
The resolution, sponsored by Councilmembers Nick Komives, Theresa Gadus, and Michele Grim, calls for the appropriation of $100,000 from the COVID relief money provided to the city through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) taxpayer dollars intended to address the public health and negative economic impacts of COVID-19.
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As Governor Mike DeWine considers whether to sign a Republican-sponsored bill that aims to require a photo ID for nearly all Ohio voters, elections officials are questioning the necessity of the major voting reform.
House Bill (HB) 294 sponsored by state Representatives Bill Seitz (R- Green Township) and Sharon Ray (R-Wadsworth) would require voters to show a photo ID in order to vote and would issue a free photo ID to any Ohioan who wants one who does not have a drivers license.
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A Republican-supported bill to codify the Tenth Amendment Center in the Ohio Solicitor General’s Office heads to Governor Mike DeWine’s office for signature.
House Bill (HB) 506 sponsored by state Representatives Jeff LaRe (R-Violet Township) and Adam Bird (R-New Richmond) creates a Tenth Amendment center to “actively monitor federal executive orders, federal statutes, and federal regulations for potential abuse or overreach, including assertion of power inconsistent with the United States Constitution.”
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Ohio lawmakers passed a Bipartisan bill that requires schools to provide age-appropriate sexual abuse prevention education with the caveat that provided materials must not promote abortion.
House Bill (HB) 105 sponsored by state Representatives P.Scott Lipps (R-Franklin) and Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) known as Erin’s Law, was inserted into Senate Bill (SB) 288, a criminal justice bill sponsored by state Senator Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville) on December 15th.
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In an 8-1 vote on Monday night, the Columbus Civilian Police Review Board recommended the removal of one of its members due to the member posting anti-police rhetoric on social media.
The decision comes in response to board member Gambit Aragon making anti-police social media posts after the cancellation of a controversial holiday story time event at a Clintonville church featuring drag queens.
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Richland County Juvenile Court Judge Steve McKinley will meet Wednesday with Governor Mike DeWine’s chief legal counsel to discuss a vacancy on the Ohio Supreme Court.
According to McKinley, as an Ohio Supreme Court justice, he would define the state constitution “reasonably and in accordance with our tradition … protecting individual rights and the separation of powers.”
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that natural resources and wildlife officers with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) will now be outfitted with body cameras.
Officers of the ODNR must uphold all state legislation and laws within their areas of responsibility as certified peace officers. Last year DeWine ordered ODNR to begin outfitting its officers with body cameras. The agency used $3.5 million in funding from the Federal Coronavirus Relief Fund under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to buy the new cameras.
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The General Assembly approved a Republican-backed bill aimed to require governmental evidence-retention entities to test rape kits when investigating human trafficking cases through the criminal justice reform package that passed last week.
House Bill (HB) 390 sponsored by state Representatives Marilyn John (R-Shelby) and Laura Lanese (R-Grove City) applies to the current state law for preserving and cataloging evidence of sexual assault examination (SAE) kits for victims and survivors of human trafficking.
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An investigation conducted by the Ohio Auditor of State found a longtime former employee of the Clark County Auditor’s Office stole over $1.8 million of public funds over about 15 years to pay for his own lavish vacations.
According to a release from Auditor of State Keith Faber, 64-year-old Robert Vanderhorst, a former employee of Clark County in Springfield since 1991, stole over $1.87 million of public funds in a scheme involving a fake vendor between the years 2005 and 2021.
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A judge in Fairfield County granted Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s request for a temporary restraining order temporarily stopping Columbus’ new restrictive gun laws from going into effect for 14 days.
Judge Richard Berens issued the ruling Thursday morning, immediately enjoining the ordinances.
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Ohio lawmakers gave final approval Thursday, on a Republican-backed bill that aims to cut down on unemployment fraud by revising and updating the state’s unemployment compensation system.
Senate Bill (SB) 302, sponsored by State Senators Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin) and Bob Hackett (R-London), looks to tighten the rules for verifying the identity of applicants for unemployment benefits in the state.
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A bipartisan Ohio bill to establish a temporary tax amnesty program that would forgive interest and penalties on delinquent taxes and fees passed in the State Senate on Wednesday.
House Bill (HB) 45, sponsored by State Representatives Bill Roemer (R-Richfield) and Thomas West (D-Canton), aims to “create a temporary amnesty program for delinquent state taxes, forgiving taxpayers of penalties and interest accrued if they pay the full amount of their taxes owed during an established time period. Any person who pays that amount due during the amnesty period would also be immune from criminal prosecution or civil actions related to their taxes or fees paid.”
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Penn Sports Interactive (Penn) could face a $250,000 fine over promoting sports betting in Ohio to underage bettors on a college campus.
Penn Sports Interactive is the parent company of Barstool Sportsbook, an online sports betting site. The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) claims that Barstool violated the rules at the University of Toledo when the company promoted a pre-registration deal on its app during a show.
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The Columbus City Council unanimously voted on Monday to ban the sale of flavored tobacco and vaping products within city limits. Under 48 hours later, the Ohio Senate approved a bill that would make Columbus City Council’s ban illegal.
House Bill (HB) 513, sponsored by state Representatives Jon Cross (R-Kenton ) and Bill Roemer (R-Richfield), passed in the Ohio Senate on Wednesday by a vote of 23-8. The legislation includes an amendment known as a “preemption law, prohibiting local governments in Ohio from enacting any laws regarding tobacco or vaping products that are more strict than state law.”
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The Ohio Board of Education passed a resolution Tuesday that rejects proposed changes to broaden the definition of sex-based harassment and discrimination to include gender identity and sexual orientation for LGBTQ students.
In a 10-7 vote, board members passed the resolution to “support parents, schools, and districts in rejecting harmful, coercive, and burdensome gender identity policies and to protect federal funding subject to Title IX.”
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A bipartisan bill in the Ohio House aims to classify the crime of animal cruelty as an act of violence and increase the penalties in animal abuse cases.
Senate Bill (SB) 164, sponsored by State Senators Jay Hottinger (R-Newark) and Kenny Yuko (D-Richmond Heights), would enhance Goddard’s Law that was passed in 2016, classifying serious physical harm of a pet as a fifth-degree felony.
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Teenagers in Ohio could be permitted to work until 9:00 p.m. on a school night if a bipartisan bill progressing through the Statehouse passes.
Senate Bill (SB) 251, sponsored by State Senators Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster) and Tina Maharath (D-Columbus), aims to allow kids as young as 14 to work late during the school year if their parents give permission, to help with “staffing problems.”
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