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Voter turnout imperative for critical Issue 1 ballot

At the voter registration deadline earlier this week, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said there are nearly 8 million registered voters here. Ahead of the Aug. 8 special election regarding Issue 1, however, LaRose does not appear confident there will be a representative number of Buckeye State residents making the decision for everyone. “We’re doing all we can to get the word out, to make sure people know. But I’m not going to predict numbers. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s similar to what we saw in last year’s primary that was held in August,” LaRose told Statehouse ...

Strong job market proving to be a challenge in Ohio

While a strong job market might sound like a good problem to have, Ohio faces a challenge. According to a report by the Dayton Daily News, the state has approximately twice as many job openings as unemployed people. “Ohio’s job market is robust, particularly for job-seekers,” Bill Teets, director of communications with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, told the Daily News. “Unemployment claims remain low and the number of job openings remain high.” For many public officials and employers, that means the focus must shift to recruitment and ...

Cemetery caretakers should utilize grants issues in W.Va

It’s not every day Ohioans get a glimpse into what gets done with some of those little fees we see hidden on various bills and invoices. But the state Department of Commerce’s Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing spelled out the use of one when it opened the application period for the fiscal year 2024 Cemetery Grant Program. Grants are funded by $1 of every $2.50 paid in burial permit fees received by the division. For this round, that has added up to $104,000 in available funding for cemetery upkeep and operation costs. “Cemeteries are the keepers of our state’s ...

Ohio is part of ‘Tobacco Nation’

Ohio residents may be surprised to learn a new report by Truth Initiative says the state is part of what the group refers to as “Tobacco Nation.” That group is made up of 12 states in which both adults and young adults have a 50% higher smoking prevalence and smoke many more cigarettes per capita annually than those in other states. Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and West Virginia make up “Tobacco Nation, meaning those residents could end up smoking nearly 500 more cigarettes per year than the average ...

Ohio advocacy group displays its solidarity

Ohio doesn’t often follow Michigan’s lead, but in a matter that overshadows any sports rivalry, one Ohio advocacy group appears to have scored a victory. According to Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, the group was able to drop off more than 700,000 petition signatures to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office Wednesday, in the hope of having an amendment placed on the Nov. 7 ballot. “Today, we take a huge step forward in the fight for abortion access and reproductive freedom for all, to ensure that Ohioans and their families can make their own health care decisions ...

Ohio’s youngest students need better preparation

Officials already understand there is a need to increase affordability and access to quality early childhood education in Ohio, but new data from the Ohio Department of Education hammers home the point. Nearly two-thirds of our state’s kindergarteners are not ready to learn at that level when they arrive. That data is based on the results of the standardized Kindergarten Readiness Assessment conducted by teachers for each child entering the kindergarten classroom. Academic, physical and socio-emotional readiness is measured, according to a report by WCMH-Columbus. Last school year, ...