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MEP funding freeze could lead to closures

Ohio’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership is facing a sudden freeze on millions of dollars in federal funding after the U.S. Department of Commerce cited an ongoing federal review of the program. According to the Ohio Manufacturers Association, the loss of funding could mean several programs will be halted at the end of the year. At issue is the Commerce Department’s Office of Inspector General looking into allegations of fraud or misconduct — and deviating from its usual procedure because it has not filed a report on preliminary findings that would give administrators of the MEP ...

Secretary of State offers update on latest scams

‘Tis the season for so many things including scams. We’ve written and reported on various scams aimed at all of us, especially our sometimes too-trusting seniors. Now we offer an update of the last scams making the rounds, courtesy of Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. Follows is information provided from his office via news release we received yesterday. Read and heed: do not become a victim and keep an eye out for any porch pirates roaming your neighborhood. The release reads: As Ohioans shop, travel, and donate throughout the Christmas season, Secretary of State Frank ...

As our population ages we must protect our elderly

Our region’s population is aging, and that growing older population is increasingly vulnerable to a number of abuses. Sometimes they fall victim to complex scams, in this digital age. Sometimes they fall prey to those on whom they should most be able to rely. WalletHub estimates elder abuse is an issue that costs more than $2.3 billion per year. But the human toll is incalculable. Certainly, policymakers do their best to put in place measures to stem everything from gross neglect and exploitation to financial abuse. But some parts of the country are doing better than others. ...

Legislators must act on Kids Online Safety Act

A Pew Research Center study shows approximately 20% of teenagers report social media has damaged their mental health. Interacting with online platforms (this includes video games and chats, too) can create a host of ways for young people to endanger not just their mental health, but their physical safety, too. U.S. Sens. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and John Thune, R-S.D., are joining Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in supporting the Kids Online Safety Act, which would help protect kids’ personal data on these online platforms and give parents ...

Ohio needs to modernize energy permitting system

Those who want a clear picture of the challenges facing Ohio’s economy would do well to take a look at the state Chamber of Commerce’s “Energy Permitting in Ohio: A Process Analysis,” which takes a look at just one industry, but reveals some larger truths. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation released the study at a policy forum Monday, where a number of stakeholders were discussing how to modernize the state’s energy permitting system and support growing demand. “Ohio is in a period of unprecedented opportunity, but our energy capacity has to keep pace,” said ...

Ohio making great strides in cleaning its waterways

For a state that at one time was known for rivers that caught fire, Ohio has made tremendous strides in cleaning up its waterways. More good news came last week from the state Department of Natural Resources, which is seeing success in its effort to reintroduce state-endangered lake sturgeon. The project has expanded to include the Cuyahoga, Sandusky and Scioto rivers, in addition to the Maumee River. Among the reasons for the sturgeon’s sharp decline here were dams blocking access to spawning sites and unregulated fishing. At one time, the Buckeye State had lost all known spawning ...