Tag: governor Mike Dewine

Ohio Governor DeWine Appoints Attorney Diana Stevenson to the Barberton Municipal Court

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced the appointment of Republican attorney Diana Stevenson to the Barberton Municipal Court serving the Barberton, Green, New Franklin, Norton, Copley, Coventry, and Clinton communities.

Judge-designee Stevenson started her legal career in 1993 as a judicial attorney for several judges in various counties, including a year as a judicial attorney at the Ohio Supreme Court. Stevenson started working for the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office in July 1996 as an assistant prosecutor, a position she held for four years. She then worked as a magistrate for the Summit County Probate Court for 12 years. She was chosen to serve as the Barberton Municipal Court’s clerk of court in 2012. Stevenson won the 2013 election and was returned to office in 2015 and 2021.

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Ohio Governor DeWine Requests Extension of Disaster Declaration for East Palestine Train Derailment

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine submitted a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requesting a second extension on the deadline for Ohio to request a major disaster declaration for damage resulting from the catastrophic East Palestine train derailment which occurred earlier this year.

The FEMA website states that a major disaster declaration provides a wide range of federal assistance programs for individuals and public infrastructure, including funds for both emergency and permanent work.

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Ohio Senate Budget Reinstates Proposal Requiring Verified Parental Consent Before Kids Can Use Social Media

Hannah Poling

Lawmakers in the Ohio Senate have reinstated Governor Mike DeWine’s requirement for verified parental consent before children use social media in their version of the state budget.

DeWine included the Social Media Parental Notification Act in the executive budget for 2023-24, which he submitted to the Ohio General Assembly in February. In April, the House Finance Committee removed the proposal from the budget in favor of a potential separate bill.

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Ohio U.S. Lawmakers Push to Relocate U.S. Space Command Headquarters to Ohio

Hannah Poling

A bipartisan group of Ohio U.S. lawmakers is pushing to relocate U.S. Space Command headquarters to Ohio.

In a letter sent this week to President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, and Chief of Space Operations General B. Chance Saltzman lawmakers from Ohio implored Biden to select Dayton’s Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as headquarters for the U.S. Space Command and to locate additional U.S. Space Force units in Ohio in partnership with the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky.

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Ohio to Award $30 Million in COVID-19 Funding to Support Minor League Sports Teams

Hannah Poling

The Ohio Department of Development along with director Lydia Mihalik announced that Ohio is awarding $30 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to support minor league sports teams statewide.

Eight minor league sports teams across the state will receive grant funding totaling $30 million as part of the Minor League Relief Grants administered through the Ohio Department of Development. Six of the state’s seven minor league baseball teams and two of the state’s minor league hockey teams are to receive the funding.

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Ohio Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis

Hannah Poling

A bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers introduced a bill that would legalize adult-use cannabis in Ohio.

House Bill (HB) 168 known as the “Ohio Adult Use Act” sponsored by State Representatives Jamie Callender (R-Concord) and Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) would permit Ohio residents over the age of 21 to grow, buy, and possess cannabis, as well as allow the expungement of conviction records for prior crimes involving cultivation and possession.

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Ohio Governor DeWine Authorizes Ohio State Highway Patrol to Assist with Texas Border Surveillance

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine authorized a contingent from the Ohio State Highway Patrol to assist local law enforcement in Texas with border surveillance.

The authorization by Governor DeWine came in response to a request for assistance from Texas Governor Greg Abbott in resolving the escalating border crisis, which has been marked by surging immigration rates and overburdened local law enforcement.

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Norfolk Southern Opens New Family Assistance Center in East Palestine

Hannah Poling

 Norfolk Southern announced an additional initiative to support the community of East Palestine following the catastrophic train derailment that occurred earlier this year.

The railway giant signed a two-year lease agreement for a new, closer, and more permanent Family Assistance Center (FAC) that will replace the current center located at the Abundant Life Fellowship Church. The original FAC was set up within 24 hours of the incident on February 3rd.

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Ohio Governor DeWine Appoints Attorney Robert Patton to the 11th District Court of Appeals

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has announced the appointment of Republican attorney Robert J Patton to the 11th District Court of Appeals serving Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Portage, and Trumbull counties.

Judge-designee Patton of Willowick, Ohio will be taking the seat formerly held by Democratic Judge Cynthia Westcott Rice, who voters elected to the Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas. In order to retain the seat for the remainder of the term expiring in February 2027, Patton must win the general election in November 2024. Patton will assume office on June 5th.

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Ohio to Award $3 Million to Help Law Enforcement Agencies Combat Statewide Illegal Drug Activity

Hannah Poling

Governor Mike DeWine announced on Thursday that Ohio is awarding $3 million in new grant funding to local law enforcement agencies to support their drug task forces’ fight against illegal drug activity and to uphold the state’s drug laws.

According to DeWine, the funding will “support local authorities” as they work to take illegal drugs out of communities across the state.

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Governor DeWine Wants Additional Funding for Ohio Prisons Re-Entry Support

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine included additional millions of dollars in the 2024-2025 state budget presented to the Ohio General Assembly so that even more can be done to help individuals coming out of prison to reintegrate into society.

For fiscal year 2024, DeWine requested $2.3 billion in funds to operate the Ohio Department of Corrections, a 7.9 percent increase from 2023.

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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Backs State Issue 1 to Raise the Threshold to Amend the State Constitution

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said that he intends to vote for Ohio State Issue 1 aimed at altering the process of how initiative petitions can propose constitutional amendments at the statewide special election in August.

Issue 1, if approved by voters, would mandate a 60 percent approval percentage for any future constitutional amendments, call for signatures from all 88 counties, and do away with the opportunity to “cure” petitions by collecting additional signatures if necessary.

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Ohio Attorney General Yost Defends August Special Election in New Response to Lawsuit

Hannah Poling

State officials expanded their legal defense on Monday in a new filing against a lawsuit that challenges the Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment, Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 2, and an August special election to vote on.

The lawsuit filed by a Democratic-backed group, One Person One Vote, asserts that an August special election is illegal since statewide special elections were banned by the Ohio General Assembly in December due to their high costs and poor voter turnout.

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Ohio House Republicans Introduce Legislation to Update School Social Studies Standards

Hannah Poling

Two Republican Ohio House Representatives have introduced legislation to create new social studies standards through a task force of appointed state officials.

House Bill (HB) 103, sponsored by State Representatives Don Jones (R-Freeport) and Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville), tries to create the Ohio State Social Studies Task Force to craft social studies standards to replace the existing standards in Ohio.

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Ohio to Award over $23 Million in COVID-19 Funding to Support Arts Organizations Statewide

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik have announced that the state of Ohio is awarding more than $23 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to support arts organizations statewide.

One hundred thirty-nine organizations based in 35 counties will receive grant funding totaling $23,252,605.78 as part of the first round of the Ohio Arts Economic Relief Grant Program. The grant program was created in partnership with the Ohio General Assembly as part of a bill sponsored by State Senator George Lang (R-West Chester), which was later merged into House Bill (HB) 45. Over 400 groups applied for grants.

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Ohio Governor DeWine Signs Executive Order Expanding State’s Skill-Based Hiring Practices

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed an executive order to expand upon Ohio’s ambitions to be a national leader in skills-based hiring practices.

According to DeWine, the push toward skill-based hiring places more emphasis on specific coursework, skills, experience, and training while de-emphasizing earlier qualification standards expressed in academic degrees.

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Secretary of State LaRose Requests Ohio Supreme Court Throw Out One Person One Vote Lawsuit

Hannah Poling

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, through the Attorney General’s office, has asked the Ohio Supreme Court to throw out a lawsuit challenging the Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment, Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 2, and an August special election to vote on it.

A Democratic-backed group One Person One Vote, and a coalition of three Ohio residents Jeniece Brock, Brent Edwards, and Christopher Tavenor, filed the lawsuit with the Ohio Supreme Court in response to the passage of a resolution, the Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment, aimed at altering the process of how initiative petitions can propose constitutional amendments on May 10th on the grounds that the resolution is unconstitutional and illegal.

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Democratic-Backed Group Files Lawsuit Against Special August Election for Ohio Constitutional Amendment Vote

Hannah Poling

A Democratic-backed group that opposes the Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment, Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 2, and an August special election to vote on it has filed a lawsuit on the grounds that the resolution is unconstitutional and illegal.

The group One Person One Vote, and a coalition of three Ohio residents Jeniece Brock, Brent Edwards, and Christopher Tavenor, filed the lawsuit with the Ohio Supreme Court in response to the passage of a resolution, the Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment, aimed at altering the process of how initiative petitions can propose constitutional amendments on May 10th.

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Ohio Higher Education Bill to Stop Diversity and Equity Training at State Colleges and Universities Revised

Hannah Poling

A Republican-backed bill in the Ohio Senate that aims to stop diversity and equity training for faculty and students at state colleges and universities has been revised.

Senate Bill (SB) 83 known as the Ohio Higher Education Enhancement Act introduced by state Senator Jerry Cirino, (R-Kirtland) would eliminate the need for professor, staff, or student participation in diversity, equity, or inclusion training or courses. It would also create transparency for all tasks, as well as compulsory and suggested reading.

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Democratic-Backed Group Releases Advertisement Praising Speaker Stephens for Lack of Vote on Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment

Hannah Poling

A Democratic-backed group that opposes the Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment released an advertisement praising House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) for the lack of a House floor vote on the resolution.

The group One Person One Vote praises Stephens in its advertisement for the lack of a House floor vote on the resolution and the August special election for voters to decide on it.

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Ohio Marijuana Legalization Advocates Begin Collecting Signatures to Place Issue on November Ballot

Hannah Poling

An activist-led petition for marijuana legalization in Ohio could be on the November ballot now that state lawmakers have declined to evaluate the change.

The 34-page bill proposed by The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol aimed to impose a 10 percent tax on the sale of all cannabis products and legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

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Ohio to Award Nearly $500,000 to Boost Law Enforcement Recruitment

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and his Department of Safety Director Andy Wilson have announced that the state of Ohio is awarding nearly $500,000 in funding to law enforcement agencies throughout the state to help aid in the recruitment of new officers.

31 law enforcement agencies in 21 counties will receive the grant funding totaling $445,449 as part of the second round of funding offered as part of the new Ohio Law Enforcement Recruitment Grant Program. The program was created by Gov. DeWine in 2020 to enable police departments throughout Ohio to focus on recruiting efforts.

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Ohio Republican Party State Central Committee Announces Ohio Supreme Court Endorsements

Hannah Poling

On Friday, the Ohio Republican Party State Central Committee voted to endorse Ohio Supreme Court Justice Joe Deters, Franklin Court of Common Pleas Judge Dan Hawkins, and Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Megan Shanahan for the 2024 Ohio Supreme Court elections.

According to Ohio GOP Chairman Alex Triantafilou, all three candidates have judicial experience, and their success as prosecutors show that they are committed to fighting crime hard and making Ohio safer for all Ohioans.

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Commentary: Stop the Corporate Bailouts

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Ohio residents are tired of corporate welfare. They’re tired of politicians bailing out major corporations with their tax dollars. Unfortunately, however, the 2023 Piglet Book released by the Buckeye Institute this week prove that this sad reality is happening more often than ever.

Over $3 million on marketing for the state’s wine grape growers.  Nearly $4 million on grants for sporting events. Over $160 million on “earmarks” — spending provisions that secretly award companies that don’t have to go through the government’s competitive and thorough vetting process large rewards. Ohio is doing all of this on the taxpayers’ dime. Frankly, that’s unacceptable.

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Ohio Republican Party State Central Committee to Consider Supreme Court Endorsements and Resolution to Protect State Constitution

Hannah Poling

The Ohio Republican Party State Central Committee is scheduled to meet on Friday to consider endorsements for the three Ohio Supreme Court seats up for grabs in 2024, as well as a resolution to support the Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment.

In the Ohio Supreme Court, Democratic Justices Michael Donnelly and Melody Stewart are up for re-election and Republican Justice Joe Deters must run for retention in 2024 and re-election in 2026. It will give Republicans an opportunity to hold 6 of 7 seats in the high court. Currently, the GOP has a 4-3 majority in the state Supreme Court.

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Google Announces Addition of Two New Data Centers in Central Ohio

Hannah Poling

Google announced on Wednesday the addition of two new data centers in central Ohio.

According to the firm, one of the centers will be constructed in Lancaster and the other on South High Street in South Columbus, bringing Google’s total investment to date in the state to over $2 billion. According to Google, it has generated nearly $13 billion in economic activity for businesses and nonprofits.

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Political Action Committee Pushes for Vote on Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment

Hannah Poling

A newly formed political action committee (PAC) has been set up to push House Republicans to vote on the Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment which aims to alter the process of how initiative petitions can propose constitutional amendments

Save Our Constitution PAC is urging lawmakers to set an August election for Ohio voters to decide on the proposed amendment. The measure, if approved, would mandate a 60 percent approval percentage for any future constitutional amendments, call for signatures from all 88 counties, and do away with the opportunity to “cure” petitions by collecting additional signatures if necessary.

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Ohio Senate Unanimously Passes Legislation to Preserve Student’s Religious Expression

Hannah Poling

The Ohio Senate has unanimously passed legislation that aims to require local boards of education to draft “non-exhaustive” lists of religious holidays and excuse students for up to three days each academic year.

Senate Bill (SB) 49 known as the “Religious Expression Days” (R.E.D.) Act sponsored by State Senator Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester) would require schools to accommodate “any missed assignments including tests” and teachers would have to accept these absences “without question” while maintaining “alternative accommodation requests confidential.”

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Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment Supporters Say They Have the Necessary Votes to Pass Legislation on House Floor

Hannah Poling

Supporters of legislation that aims to alter the process of how initiative petitions can propose constitutional amendments have told Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) that they have the support of at least 59 House Republicans who want a floor vote on the resolution.

It will take a three-fifths majority of the 99-member House to pass the resolution to put before voters House Joint Resolution (HJR) 1 requiring 60 percent voter approval for future constitutional amendments.

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Ohio House Speaker Stephens Denies Debate or Amendments on State Operating Budget

Hannah Poling

The Ohio House passed its version of a two-year operating budget on Wednesday despite objections from Republican lawmakers that no amendments were allowed to be made. The state operating budget includes a $1 billion tax cut, higher income limits for school vouchers, and a ban on TikTok from government devices.

House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) advanced the budget to a vote without allowing for any debate or amendments. There were 24 amendment proposals to the budget that Republicans say should have been debated prior to the vote.

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Ohio House Panel Passes More than $86 Billion State Operating Budget

Hannah Poling

An Ohio House Panel has passed the state operating budget including a $1 billion tax cut, higher income limits for school vouchers, and a ban on TikTok from government devices.

On Tuesday, the plan to spend more than $86 billion over the subsequent two fiscal years contained in the 5,300-page proposal known as House Bill (HB) 33 passed the House Finance Committee with bipartisan support.

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Governor DeWine Says He Would Sign Bill Allowing an August Election to Decide on the Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said on Monday that he would sign a bill allowing an August special election to decide whether to alter the process of how initiative petitions can propose constitutional amendments if both chambers of the state legislature pass it.

The proposed August election would decide whether the voter threshold for initiative petitions should be raised to a 60 percent approval percentage for any future constitutional amendments, call for signatures from all 88 counties, and do away with the opportunity to “cure” petitions by collecting additional signatures if necessary.

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Ohio to Award over $42 Million for Safety Upgrades for More than 600 K-12 Schools

Hannah Poling

Governor Mike DeWine announced Tuesday that Ohio is providing over $42 million in new grants to support physical safety and security upgrades at hundreds of local schools across the state.

According to DeWine, “Our educators care deeply about the safety of Ohio students, as evidenced by the thousands of schools that came forward with solid security improvement plans that they intend to carry out with this funding.”

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Lt. Governor Husted Pushes Ohio Lawmakers to Pass Proposal Requiring Verified Parental Consent Before Kids Use Social Media

Hannah Poling

According to Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted, if lawmakers do not pass a separate bill that includes the requirement for verified parental consent prior to children’s use of social media by June 30th, lawmakers should add it back into the state budget due for Governor Mike DeWine’s signature by that date.

“The Lt. Governor’s support for the Social Media Parental Notification Act remains very strong and he will continue to advocate for its passage this spring. The budget, along with the social media provision, is currently under consideration in the Senate and we are urging members’ support there as well,” Husted spokesperson Haley Carducci told The Star. 

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Ohio Governor Appoints Magistrate Nathan Shaker to Wayne County Municipal Court

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced the appointment of Republican magistrate Nathan Shaker to the Wayne County Municipal Court.

Shaker, of Wooster, Ohio, will be taking the seat formerly held by Republican Judge Timothy VanSickle. To retain the seat, he must win the general election in November 2024. VanSickle is leaving the position as he was elected to the Wayne County Court of Common Pleas. Shaker will assume office on May 1st.

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Ohio Republican Lawmaker Introduces State Budget Amendment to Retain March Primary for the 2024 Election

Hannah Poling

As a bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers push to move Ohio’s presidential primary elections from March to May, a Republican state Representative has introduced an amendment to the state budget to retain Ohio’s March primary for the 2024 election.

Every four years, during the presidential election season, Ohio’s holds their primary election in March. The state generally holds other statewide primaries in May but in 1996, the Ohio Legislature changed the presidential primary to March.

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Ohio to Award Nearly $50 Million for Jail Improvements Across the State

Hannah Poling

Governor Mike DeWine announced on Thursday that Ohio is providing nearly $50 million in new grants to local governments to support construction, renovation, and security improvement projects at nearly a dozen local jails across the state.

According to DeWine, “the funds will help these jails better meet the demands of our modern criminal justice system and keep both staff and inmates safe.”

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Republican Lawmakers Advance Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment Towards August Election

Hannah Poling

The Ohio Senate advanced a Republican-led resolution on Wednesday that tries to alter how initiative petitions can propose constitutional amendments and a bill to allow for special elections to be held in August for certain purposes.

Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 2 and Senate Bill (SB) 92 passed along party lines. The resolution passed 26 to 7. The bill passed 25 to 8, with State Senator Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville) voting with the Democrats.

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Ohio State Republican Senators Amend Resolution to Protect State Constitution

Hannah Poling

On Tuesday, Ohio State Senators amended a piece of legislation 4-1 that aims to alter the process of how initiative petitions can propose constitutional amendments.

There are currently two pieces of legislation Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate are working to put on the ballot in August that would require 60 percent of voters to approve constitutional amendments.

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Ohio Narcotic Intelligence Center Warns People of Varying Forms of Fentanyl Found in State

Hannah Poling

The Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center (ONIC) has released a public safety notice in order to warn Ohioans of the various forms of fentanyl being found across the state.

According to ONIC Executive Director Cynthia Peterma, ONIC has found fentanyl in six different physical forms in Ohio, including powder, tablets, chalk, rocks, black tar, and gum. The various forms reported in Ohio contained fentanyl primarily mixed with other substances.

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Former Vice President Mike Pence to Headline Ohio Christian Fundraiser

Hannah Poling

Republican former Vice President Mike Pence, who is reportedly considering a 2024 presidential bid, will deliver the keynote address at a gala fundraiser thrown by the Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) in Cincinnati, Ohio next month.

The Cincinnati Celebration Gala for the Center for Christian Virtue, Ohio’s largest Christian public policy organization, will take place at the Duke Energy Convention Center on Tuesday, May 9th, 2023. According to the Center for Christian Virtue, it will be an evening of music, inspiration, and fellowship. They highlight that Pence will be speaking on the pro-life battle facing both Ohio and the nation.

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Ohio Governor Appoints Prosecuting Attorney Jason Given to the Coshocton County Court of Common Pleas

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has announced the appointment of Republican Prosecuting Attorney Jason Given to the Coshocton County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile and Probate Division.

Given, of Coshocton, Ohio will be taking the seat held by Judge Van Blanchard who is retiring form the bench after being appointed in November 2011 upon the death of Judge David Burns. In order to retain the seat, Given must win the general election in November 2024. Given will assume office on May 1st, 2023.

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Permanent Health Clinic Opens Two Months After Toxic East Palestine Train Derailment

Hannah Poling

Residents of East Palestine and the surrounding areas now have a permanent location to go in the village for medical attention as worries about short- and long-term health continue to grow in the wake of February’s Norfolk Southern train catastrophe.

On Monday, the East Palestine Health Clinic formally opened its doors in collaboration with East Liverpool City Hospital and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH).

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