Following Ohio’s shocking unemployment rate increase of 2,565 percent, one economist says the COVID-19 coronavirus’ economic impact will be “long lasting” and provides a list of recommendations.
Read the full storyAuthor: Jason M. Reynolds
DeWine May Cut State Budgets by Up to 20 Percent, But Public Sector Cannot Match Loss of Private Sector’s 188K Lost Jobs
Even as Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine orders state departments to cut up to 20 percent of their budgets and implement a hiring freeze, state workers are not feeling the coronavirus economic burn like the private sector.
Read the full storyOhio Hit Harder with Unemployment Than Other States
Ohio was hit harder with unemployment filings than other states during the immediate aftermath of the coronavirus.
The U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday that 3.28 million claims were filed in the week that ended March 21. That marked an increase of more than 3 million claims over the week prior, when 282,000 claims were filed, The Ohio Star reported.
Ohio’s claims totaled 187,784, the Cincinnati Enquirer said, up from 7,046 the previous week.
Read the full storyThink Tank Calls for Ohio Government to Take Common-Sense Measures to Fight Coronavirus and Aid in Economic Recovery
A new policy brief lays out actions that Ohio policymakers can immediately implement so Ohio can fight and yet recover from the coronavirus pandemic, and it doesn’t involve unilaterally moving primaries or shutting down businesses.
The Buckeye Institute released the brief on Monday.
The brief, Policy Solutions for the Pandemic: How Ohio Can Fight the Impact of Coronavirus, is available here.
Read the full storyCoders Building Database Need Health Care Workers to Report Coronavirus Testing Sites So They Can Provide Data to Officials Battling Disease
A coalition of computer coders and medical experts is looking for volunteers — including from the Volunteer State — to help provide better information on COVID-19 coronavirus testing sites.
TechCrunch reported on the one-week-old Coders Against Covid project, which is building a database of testing sites. The team of about 15 developers includes Andrew Kemendo of KesselRun, an Air Force software developer, and Dr. Jorge A. Caballero, a clinical instructor of Anesthesia at Stanford University. The goal is to inform officials tracking the disease and to better distribute the tests where they are needed.
Read the full storyConnecticut Relents, Orders All Labs to Report Negative Coronavirus Test Results, Leaving Ohio One of Two States to Fail to Comply With Federal Law
The State of Connecticut has gotten on board with the CDC to report negative test results to help the agency better track the spread of the coronavirus, leaving Ohio and Maryland as the only holdouts in complying with federal law.
Read the full story22 Percent of New York State Residents Tested for Coronavirus are Positive, Ohio Refuses to Release Negative Test Data So No One Knows Rate in State
How many people have tested negative for the coronavirus in Ohio? That’s on a need to know basis, and Gov. Mike DeWine has decided you don’t need to know.
Meanwhile, in New York State, 22 percent of people who took the test were positive, according to The COVID Tracking Project, so residents there at least know what they’re facing.
Read the full storyLaRose Draws Heat for Moving Primary Election Date, a Move Called ‘Anarchy’ and ‘Executive Fiat’
Skeptics are calling Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s June 2 primary election date theoretical, saying the Legislature, not he, has the power to move the date.
Adjectives that are being thrown around include “anarchy” and “executive fiat.”
LaRose is already dictating the rules 88 county boards of elections should follow, the Ohio Capital Journal said. These LaRose rules include the dictate that county boards of election should not accept any new voter registrations ahead of the not-yet-official June 2 election.
Read the full storyAntimalarial Drug Chloroquine Shows Promise in Treating COVID-19 Coronavirus in China, South Korea
Chloroquine, a common antimalarial drug, has shown promising results in treating COVID-19 coronavirus in South Korea and China, according to a white paper.
Read the full storyOhio Supreme Court Justice Pat DeWine Recuses Himself from Voting on His Father Gov. Mike DeWine’s Effort to Quash State Primary
When Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine went court shopping to quash the state’s primary Tuesday as a way to fight the coronavirus, one of three Supreme Court justices who abstained from voting in his favor was his eldest son, Justice Pat DeWine.
Read the full storyOhio Hides Number of Coronavirus Tests It Is Conducting
Ohio leaders are so busy sending restaurant workers to the unemployment line over fears of the coronavirus they apparently do not have time to actually test for the presence of the virus among their citizens, nor do they want you to know how many they have tested.
As Monday afternoon, Ohio had 50 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, according to The COVID Tracking Project. Out of 551 tests that have been taken, 140 were negative and 361 results are pending.
Read the full storyA New Jersey Hospital Has Six Male ICU Patients with Coronavirus, All Ages 28 to 48
One New Jersey hospital in the front lines of fighting the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak shows startling statistics as its section of the Garden State braces for more cases.
Of 11 cases at Holy Name Medical Center, six are in the ICU, and all six are men between the ages of 28 to 48, according to a story by ROI-NJ. Forty more patients are under observation at the Teaneck, NJ hospital, according to CEO Mike Maron.
“From what we’ve seen, it’s not impacting children at all — or pretty much anybody under 20,” he said. “That doesn’t mean they don’t have it. They may just process it in a better way, a faster way. That’s the beauty of being young.
Read the full storyRep. Green Says Chinese Official Told ‘Baldfaced Lie’ that American Troops Unleashed Coronavirus on Wuhan
U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green called China’s statement that American troops committed biowarfare by unleashing the COVID-19 coronavirus on Wuhan a “baldfaced lie.”
Read the full storySix WSMV Employees Self-Isolate Over Possible Coronavirus Exposure at Country Music Television Telethon, Report Says
Scoop: Nashville reported Tuesday that WSMV has ordered six employees to self-isolate for 14 days at home after they were potentially exposed to the coronavirus.
Read the full storyCoronavirus Fears Lead to $40M Loss in Bookings for Ryman Hospitality Properties
Nashville-based Ryman Hospitality Properties Inc. estimates it has lost about $40 million in revenue over fears of the coronavirus.
Read the full storyCleveland Has 3 Cases of Coronavirus, Gov. DeWine Says, While Declaring State of Emergency in Ohio
Ohio’s first three confirmed cases of coronavirus are all in Cuyahoga County, said Gov. Mike DeWine, who announced a state of emergency on Monday.
The three patients in Cuyahoga County had contact with other people who had confirmed cases of COVID-19, DeWine said. The three patients are all in their 50s.
Read the full storyFederal Court Deals Blow to Ohio Laws Barring Driver’s Licenses to Children of Suspected Illegal Aliens
Up to 4,000 illegal aliens and refugees in Ohio without green cards may qualify for driver’s licenses thanks to a federal court striking down two state laws.
U.S. District Court Judge Edmund Sargus, for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in Columbus, overturned two State of Ohio policies blocking up to 4,000 illegal aliens — mostly teens — from receiving driver’s licenses, Yahoo News reported.
Read the full storyOhio Prioritizes Coronavirus Testing for Hospitalized Patients
Ohio has a new protocol to check for the coronavirus now that in-state testing is available for high-priority cases for hospitalized patients.
“As the COVID-19 situation evolves, the Ohio Department of Health, working in conjunction with hospitals, primary care providers, and other health care experts, has a plan to maximize our testing resources,” Gov. Mike DeWine said Saturday in a press release. “We are prioritizing the patients who are the most vulnerable to be tested in the Department of Health’s State Laboratory, while ensuring those that need COVID-19 testing will be able to be tested.”
Read the full storyNashville, Memphis Report Tennessee’s Second, Third Cases of Coronavirus
Nashville Mayor John Cooper confirmed a case of coronavirus on Sunday, making it the third in Tennessee, coming the same day Shelby County announced a case.
Read the full storyCoronavirus Symptoms Can Show Within Two to 14 Days of Exposure
Fever, cough and shortness of breath are symptoms to watch for with the coronavirus, the CDC says.
Read the full story2019 Was the Slowest Year for New Jobs in Ohio in a Decade, Economist Says
An economic expert says Ohio’s latest unemployment data show 2019 was the slowest year for new jobs in a decade — and the state lagged behind the nation in creating new jobs.
Read the full storySen. Blackburn Tours Tornado-Damaged Communities, Advances Bill to Allow Faster Repairs of Telecom Infrastructure
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has been busy checking in on the state’s response to the deadly tornadoes that hit Middle Tennessee this week.
Read the full storyOhio Gov. DeWine Overcomes ‘The Governator’ Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forces Arnold Sports Festival to Bar Spectators Except for Parents
A bodybuilding competition sponsored by Arnold Schwarzenegger turned into a battle of wills with the governor of Ohio, who expressed concerns about potentially exposing crowds to the coronavirus.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther sent the former California governor/actor and his partner a letter stating they reached an agreement Tuesday to go forward with the event provided there were no spectators. Event organizers, however, moved forward with issuing tickets, passes and other admittences to the The Arnold Sports Festival, which began Thursday and runs through Sunday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
Read the full storyWilliamson County Coronavirus Patient Flew Home Recently From Boston, Has Child Attending Battle Ground Academy
New reports on the Williamson County man diagnosed with the coronavirus indicate he flew home from Boston, and has a son attending Battle Ground Academy.
Read the full storyU.S. Officials Battle Coronavirus on Multiple Health Care, Economic Fronts Even as Death Toll Reaches Nine
The coronavirus death toll in the United States hit nine on Tuesday, even as more areas around the world report infections.
Read the full storyDeWine, Timken Hit Public Speaking Tour to Tout Positive News But Ignore Gun Control, High Unemployment, and Refugees
The classic Wizard of Oz quote “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” could apply to the attitude of the top leaders of the Ohio Republican Party.
Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Republican Party Chairwoman Jane Timken have taken to the roads to proclaim how wonderful the economy is and talk about government spending plans for children’s programs. Noticeably absent are comments about red flag laws, refugees and primary endorsements that the two have drawn heat on lately.
Read the full storyUT Knoxville Professor Arrested, Charged for Double-Dealing with Chinese Government and NASA
A University of Tennessee – Knoxville associate engineering professor has been arrested and indicted on three counts of wire fraud and three counts of making false statements for allegedly hiding his relationship with a Chinese university while receiving funding from NASA, the Department of Justice said in a statement. Anming Hu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK). “Hu allegedly committed fraud by hiding his relationship with a Chinese university while receiving funding from NASA,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “This is just the latest case involving professors or researchers concealing their affiliations with China from their American employers and the U.S. government. We will not tolerate it.” “The United States Attorney’s Office takes seriously fraudulent conduct that is devised to undermine federally-mandated funding restrictions related to China and Chinese universities,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “The University of Tennessee has cooperated with the investigation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office values the university’s assistance in this matter.” The indictment alleges that beginning in 2016, Hu engaged in a scheme to defraud NASA by concealing his affiliation…
Read the full storyTennessee Star Adds New Daily Feature: Coronavirus Updates
Even as the coronavirus has claimed its first fatality in the U.S., The Tennessee Star is adding a new reference feature to help you keep track of the virus’s spread in the country and around the world.
We are providing a badge using data from Worldometer near the top of the page. The Worldometer badge will always appear near the top of our homepage, just underneath the Top Story link.
Read the full storyRep. Green Seeks Assistance for Veterans Exposed to Toxins During Deployment to Uzbekistan
U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green (R-TN-07) on Thursday helped introduce a bipartisan resolution directing the Secretary of Defense to assess the toxic exposure of American military service members deployed to Karshi Khanabad Air Base (K2) in Uzbekistan.
Read the full storyProject Veritas Records ABC News Staff Vent Frustrations Over Biased Coverage of Trump, Admit Networks Do Not Understand Voters
An ABC News correspondent and a news producer were secretly recorded by Project Veritas venting their frustrations over their network’s refusal to cover news that matters to voters and choosing instead to cover rumors about President Donald Trump and the impeachment.
Read the full storyOhio Department of Education Lowers the Bar for High School Graduation Requirements
Despite having a budget of more than $11 million for the Department of Education, Ohio Superintendent Paolo DeMaria decided high school graduates only need to know barely more than the basics in order to graduate.
Read the full storySpirit Airlines Moving Control Center to Williamson County to Escape South Florida’s Hurricanes
Miramar, Florida-based Spirit Airlines decided it likes the Volunteer State’s spirit and has decided to move its control center to Franklin.
Read the full storyAllow Public Money to Follow Students to Their Chosen Education Provider, Researcher Tells Ohio Legislature
Greg R. Lawson, a research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, testified Wednesday before Ohio legislators looking at solutions to the problems facing Ohio’s EdChoice program.
Read the full storyAnti-Gun Group Calls for End to Active-Shooter Drills in Cincinnati Schools
An activist group is calling for an end to active-shooter drills at Cincinnati schools, arguing the readiness efforts are traumatic to students and teachers.
Read the full storyCincinnati Police Officer Who Was Brutally Beaten by Suspect Forced to Defend Himself to Civilian Board
Cincinnati police officer Doug Utecht, who was beaten and left bloodied after trying to de-escalate a situation last June, was forced to defend himself to a civilian oversight board last Thursday, Fox 19 reported.
Read the full storyU.S. Attorney’s Office in Cleveland Expresses Intent to Continue to Prosecute Illegal Alien Reentry Cases
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, in Cleveland, has expressed its intent to continue to prosecute illegal alien reentry cases, which account for the majority of immigration offenses.
Read the full storyKlobuchar Calls for Over 500 Percent Increase in Refugees, But Just Not in Her Neighborhood, Reports Say
“Do what I say, not as I do,” could be the mantra for Presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar when it comes to resettling more than 500 percent more refugees under her proposal since virtually none of them would end up in her neighborhood, according to a report. And one of her motives is to support the big businesses that handle resettlement, according to reports. The Democratic U.S. senator from Minnesota wants to skyrocket the number of refugees taken in every year from President Trump’s cap of 18,000 to the Obama-era level of at least 110,000, Breitbart reported. While Minneapolis has resettled thousands of refugees since 2009, almost none live in Marcy-Holmes, where Klobuchar owns a home with her husband. Nearly 85 percent of all residents in Klobuchar’s neighborhood are native-born American citizens and of the less than ten percent of foreign-born residents, half arrived from China, India, Korea, Germany, Thailand, and Malaysia — countries from where only five refugees have been resettled in Minnesota in the last decade and none of whom have been resettled in Minneapolis much less Klobuchar’s neighborhood. Klobuchar is not the only Democratic presidential candidate to call for drastically flooding America with refugees. South Bend, Indiana,…
Read the full storyMayor Pete Would Increase Refugee Influx by 511 Percent If He Becomes President Pete
Mayor Pete says he would inundate America with at least 110,000 refugees a year if he were to become President Pete, an increase of 511 percent. Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, made the remark in a Q&A interview on human rights with Amnesty International. The full interview is available here. Going from the current limit of 18,000 annually to 110,000 annually would represent a 511 percent increase. One question was, “What role should U.S. refugee admissions play in our response to the global refugee crisis?” His response was: The world is facing the largest refugee crisis since World War II. Instead of providing leadership, the Trump administration has abdicated its responsibility. We need to restore our place as a global leader in refugee resettlement. I would return to the 110,000 admissions target last proposed by the Obama administration and would be open to going beyond that number. Far from being “full”, many communities like my own have actually lost population and would welcome more immigrants and refugees. It is not only the right thing to do, but in our interest, as it would help grow our tax base and plug labor gaps as Americans age.…
Read the full storySen. Alexander Throws Lot in With Democrats to Try to Block President Trump’s War Powers to Respond to Attacks by Iran
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) threw his lot in with his Democrat colleagues Thursday to try to block President Donald Trump from using his war powers authority to handle attacks by Iran without begging for congressional approval first.
Read the full storyOhio Republican Party Withdraws Its Endorsement of Joe Dills After Vowing Not to Endorse Primary Candidates
State representative candidate Joe Dills may have been unendorsed by the Ohio Republican Party — but the question on many people’s minds is why he was endorsed in the first place, when the state party leader once said she would steer clear of making endorsements in primaries and that she wanted to unite the party.
Read the full storyAs President, Billionaire Mike Bloomberg Vows to Increase Refugee Admissions 694 Percent to 125,000 a Year
Billionaire Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg wants to flood America with refugees by 694 percent.
Read the full storyPending Senate Bill Would Amend Ohio Constitution to Require Supermajority Vote to Raise Income Taxes
A bill that is pending in the State Senate Ways and Means Committee would make it more difficult for the Ohio General Assembly to raise taxpayers’ income taxes.
Read the full storyBuckeye Institute Fights for Lawyers’ Rights to Not Join Bar Associations that Lobby
The Buckeye Institute announced on Monday it filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court to support lawyers’ First Amendment rights — by ensuring they are not compelled to join bar associations that lobby for political and ideological issues that they oppose.
Read the full storyThales Academy to Open High Quality, Affordable K-3 School in Franklin This July, Informational Meeting on Tuesday
Franklin parents are gaining a new option for providing their children with a private prep school education and setting them on the path for college.
Read the full storyRep. Wenstrup Calls Out Democrats for Trying to Limit Trump’s War Authorization Powers
U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH-02), an Iraqi War veteran, is calling Democrats out over the House’s passage of two measures to hamper President Donald Trump’s war powers toward Iran and Iraq.
Read the full storyOhio Grants Police Drug Task Forces More Than $2M to Combat Trafficking
The State of Ohio on Monday awarded 27 law enforcement task forces more than $2 million in grants to disrupt the drug trade and promote awareness, prevention and recovery. Gov. Mike DeWine held a presentation at the Ohio Statehouse for the announcement of the RecoveryOhio Law Enforcement Fund, according to a press release. DeWine tweeted, “Ohio’s drug task forces work day & night to investigate drug traffickers who are fueling addiction. Today I announced that $2M in extra funding will be going to 27 #Ohio drug task forces thanks to the new #RecoveryOhio Law Enforcement Fund that was part of the #OHBudget.” Ohio’s drug task forces work day & night to investigate drug traffickers who are fueling addiction. Today I announced that $2M in extra funding will be going to 27 #Ohio drug task forces thanks to the new #RecoveryOhio Law Enforcement Fund that was part of the #OHBudget. ⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/TbUZa5GnSF — Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) February 3, 2020 DeWine in March 2019 released the RecoveryOhio Advisory Council’s Initial Report that makes recommendations on how to address the public health crisis – mental health and substance use. The RecoveryOhio Council issued more than 70 recommendations in the areas of…
Read the full storyNashville Mayor Cooper Says He Wants Soccer Plan That Makes Financial Sense
Nashville Mayor John Cooper has been no fan of Nashville’s major league soccer team on the Fairgrounds Nashville site.
Read the full storyState Rep. Gant Introduces Bill to Address Refugee Resettlement Issue
The Tennessee House of Representatives is considering a new bill aimed at stopping Gov. Bill Lee from allowing an influx of refugees without legislative approval.
Read the full storyOhio Ranks Third in Nation in Ongoing Hepatitis A Outbreak
As of Jan. 21, the Buckeye State had experienced 3,468 cases of hepatitis A in a statewide community outbreak that officially began Jan. 1, 2018, according to data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sixty-two percent of patients were hospitalized, and 16 died.
Read the full storyOhio House Committee Considers Anti-Sanctuary Cities Act
An anti-sanctuary bill is pending in the Ohio House of Representatives.
Read the full story