State lawmakers advised to tweet with caution

Jan. 29, 2010, Fremont News-Messenger

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

COLUMBUS — It’s dangerous to tweet and drive. But, according to state legislative leaders, it’s also dangerous to tweet and legislate.

The use of Twitter — a microblogging service allowing users to easily send short messages to the masses—became an issue for debate after state Rep. Shannon Jones, R-Springboro, tweeted messages during the State of the State address Tuesday, including: “I believe! I believe! I believe! Lame. Governor Strickland how about the $7 BILLION deficit looming???”

At a conference Thursday with reporters and state leaders, it was a point of contention and a point of humor. Legislative leaders spoke about controlling technology on the floor as a schoolteacher would talk about controlling a group of unruly kids.

Challenger expected for Garrison in Ohio’s secretary of state race

Jan. 29, 2010, Zanesville Times Recorder

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

COLUMBUS — A challenger to Rep. Jennifer Garrison’s bid for secretary of state could emerge next week, state Democratic Party chairman Chris Redfern said Thursday.

The Marietta Democrat, whose district includes part of Muskingum County, announced her candidacy for the job in August and immediately stepped down as House majority floor leader.

Redfern, speaking at a seminar for reporters, said given the importance of the race, the state party likely will endorse the candidate with the strongest fundraising ability, endorsements and connections.

New era, new skill sets for a new work force

Jan. 28, 2010, Fremont News-Messenger

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

Special to the News-Messenger

Ohio needs to streamline its worker training to attract green energy jobs, according to a report issued Monday.

Policy Matters Ohio and the Apollo Alliance, a coalition of labor and environmental groups, looked at green energy training programs in the Buckeye State, and how they could be used and expanded to create a more skilled work force.

Instead of adding new programs, the report details ways to expand existing programs with unions and community colleges.

Strickland’s agenda: What’s in it for us?

Jan. 27, 2010, Coshocton Tribune

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

COLUMBUS — Gov. Ted Strickland painted a picture of a new economy during his State of the State speech Tuesday. An economy where green energy rules, and the eight biggest population centers become national hubs for specific industries.

But what about jobs for smaller cities and rural areas?

House Majority Whip Jay Goyal, D-Mansfield, said there is much in Strickland’s agenda that will favor rural Ohio areas, though they lack the resources of the big cities.

Differing rules of the road

Jan. 23, 2010, Newark Advocate

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

NEWARK — When teenagers taught by the Neff family take their road test, some are more likely to fail than others.

It’s not how they are taught, it’s where they take the test.

Don Neff, and his daughter, Angie Winmayer, teach in Chillicothe and Circleville. Both cities have exam stations — but Circleville flunks almost twice as many applicants as Chillicothe.

There are similar trends in Licking County and across Ohio. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles’ Newark examination station failed drivers 8 percent of the time in 2009, while Knox and Coshocton counties had much lower rates. Fairfield and Pickaway counties were much higher.

Driving instructors cite a number of causes for this disparity. The ease of the course is a factor, as are the socioeconomics of the area.

Applicants younger than 18 must take a driver education class, which costs about $300. If they wait, they don’t have to pay for the course, but they also go into the test with no formal training.

Numbers show depth of Ohio’s economic despair

Jan. 23, 2010, Newark Advocate

By JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

Barack Obama and state leaders could be forgiven if they thought a presidential visit to Ohio occurred on Friday the 13th, not the 22nd.

More bad news about the state’s economy preceded Obama’s visit to Lorain, where he promised, “I won’t stop fighting to bring back jobs here.”

Ohio’s unemployment rate rose to 10.9 percent in December, the latest figures from the Department of Job and Family Services.

The jobless rate was 10.6 percent in November, and the department blamed losses in service industries for the decline.

Pleasant only local district to apply for ‘Race to the Top’ grant money

Jan. 13, 2010, Marion Star

By JESSICA ALAIMO

Central Ohio.com

The federal government is poised to give Ohio school districts up to $400 million to improve education, but 60 percent of them said no thanks.

The “Race to the Top” grant money is intended to create programs that will help students participate in the global economy, find innovative ways to track student success, reward teachers who are most effective and improve the lowest-achieving schools.

While state officials touted the grant program as positive in all aspects, local school officials had mixed reactions. Grant language is vague, and as a result officials had different interpretations of what it meant.

In Richland County, Clear Fork Valley Superintendent Daniel Freund said he’d like to use grant money to find ways to make quarterly assessments of both teacher and student performance. He also supports provisions in the grant that allow expansion of technology in the classroom.

“It’s an opportunity for school districts to look at and formally assess our evaluations of student programs, and teacher impact,” Freund said.

Risks, rewards of having a C-section

Jan. 11, 2010, Fremont News-Messenger

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

Special to the News-Messenger

More than a quarter of the low-risk babies born in Ohio to first-time mothers are born by a Caesarian section.

There is a wide disparity in these numbers within state hospitals, according to 2008 data just released by the Ohio Department of Health. The rates range from 6.6 percent to 60 percent.

Women who undergo C-sections face the normal risks of surgery — infection, blood loss and an extended recovery time. Babies have a greater chance of respiratory problems or injury from the incision, medical professionals say.

Janet Runner, vice president of patient care services at Bellevue Hospital in Sandusky County, said even though the hospital’s C-section rate is higher than the state average, the mothers and babies have good outcomes.

“We have a system in place where we check all C-sections for appropriateness,” she said.

Ohioans have a choice to make: Fit or fat?

Jan. 7, 2010, Newark Advocate

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

It’s time to shape up, Ohio. The Buckeye State is tied for 10th in obesity among the 50 states.

Ohio has an obesity rate of 28.7 percent, and Licking County has a rate of 30.1 percent, according to the most recent data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The rate keeps going up, and it is causing medical professionals to worry what the lasting health consequences will be.

In Licking County, the obesity rate has increased four percentage points in three years. It’s an epidemic Dr. James Bacon at the Mid-Ohio Heart Clinic in Mansfield calls distressing.

“It’s a problem that really turns your stomach a bit,” Bacon said.

Congressional lines at heart of state races

Jan. 4, 2010, Lancaster Eagle Gazette

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

The reason control of the Ohio House of Representatives after the 2010 elections is so important has something to do with U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner.

In 2011, Ohio lawmakers will redraw congressional districts. They can start with a clean slate and draw the lines any way they’d like, providing they follow the population apportionments. Ohio stands to lose one or two seats after the 2010 U.S. census.

The Ohio Senate is likely to remain in Republican control. In the Ohio House, Democrats currently have a seven-seat majority. If Republicans gain control, they will have authority on who draws the congressional lines. They will also have the upper hand on all the important Ohio policy issues — the state budget, education and health care.

High stakes for legislative races in Ohio

Jan. 3, 2010, Newark Advocate

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

There’s much at stake in Ohio’s upcoming statehouse races.

In the Ohio General Assembly, Democrats hold a majority of seven seats. Republicans want to take control of the chamber they lost in the 2008 election.

Republicans have the majority in the state Senate — a majority they’re likely to keep. The gubernatorial race is likely to be very competitive.

The party that controls the House will have the upper hand in all of Ohio’s major policy issues including the state budget, education, health care and transportation.

Also, the Legislature will redraw Ohio’s congressional districts after the 2010 U.S. Census. Here’s an early look at the House and Senate seats up for grabs in our area this year.