Collective bargaining process won’t go down without a fight

Dec. 31, 2010, Fremont News-Messenger

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

Special to The News-Messenger

Incoming state leaders plan to target public employment laws in 2011, but on Thursday backers of the collective bargaining process promised to put up a fight.

Officials from Policy Matters Ohio, a progressive think tank, argue that states without collective bargaining have the same budget shortfalls as Ohio. They also defended the state’s prevailing wage law and say that, overall, the state’s public employment laws are good for the economy.

“The right of public workers to unionize is not driving the fiscal crisis of states,” said Wendy Patton, a senior associate with Policy Matters Ohio.

Policy Matters Ohio has traditionally backed Democratic causes, and executive director Amy Hanauer has given to a number of Democratic candidates, including outgoing Gov. Ted Strickland.

Republicans will control state government next year. Gov.-elect John Kasich and GOP legislative leaders say collective bargaining leads to higher costs for state government and overpaid workers. They would like to see substantial changes to the state’s laws.

GOP looks to public workers for savings

Dec. 26, 2010, Zanesville Times Recorder

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

The new year will bring major changes to the way Ohio governments and schools manage and pay public employees, if Republicans have their way.

In recent weeks, Ohio’s next leaders have suggested the General Assembly make substantial changes to the state’s collective bargaining law, which allow public employees to organize and negotiate labor contracts, and binding arbitration, when a neutral party settles labor disagreements with final rulings on pay and work rules.

Republicans also want to enact changes within Ohio’s public pension systems.

Unmarried men outnumber unhitched women

Dec. 18, 2010, Port Clinton News Herald

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

Special to the News Herald

Guys, a word of advice: If you like it, put a ring on it. Because in Ohio, women can be picky — especially those with a college education.

According to data just released in the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, there are more unmarried men than women in Ohio. Statewide, there are 11 unhitched men ages 15 to 44 to every 10 available women.

More men than women have never been married. Only 50 percent of households have a married couple. Only 20 percent of households have a married couple and a child younger than 18, according to the census data.

Edwards’death shines spotlight on Ohio efforts to beat breast cancer

Dec. 12, 2010, Zanesville Times Recorder

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

The death of Elizabeth Edwards, wife of former presidential candidate John Edwards, sparked a nationwide awareness of breast cancer. However, this is nothing new for Ohio.

State celebrities Stefanie Spielman, wife of football player Chris Spielman, and Donna Newberry, Muskingum University softball coach, have led to a flurry of fundraising and research efforts to combat the disease in the state in recent years.

Many treatment and research dollars have gone to early detection — catching the disease before it is too late.

Grim numbers join December trend: 24 hours, six fire deaths in Ohio

Dec. 11, 2010, Lancaster Eagle Gazette

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

Three fatal fires killed six people in 24 hours in Ohio. That’s the most one state fire official said he has ever seen happen at once.

In Bucyrus, a mobile home burned, killing three people early Friday morning. In Zanesville, two died in a house fire early Thursday. Another house fire early Friday in Butler County killed one person.

These six deaths mean 137 people have died this year in fires. In 2009 a total of 153 were killed, and 188 died in 2008.

Fearing casinos, nonprofit groups seek video bingo games

Dec. 5, 2010, Newark Advocate

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

As gambling expands in Ohio, several nonprofits are asking the Legislature to allow electronic bingo machines in licensed halls.

This will allow them to stay competitive as skill games continue and casino construction begins in Ohio, say officials from the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

“Obviously, if there are casinos in every corner of the state, (people) are not going to come in and play tickets,” said Don Lanthorn, department service director for the Ohio American Legion.

Bingo down, but not out

Dec. 5, 2010, Newark Advocate

By JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

Bingo cards are placed neatly in front of them. Colorful daubers are lined up within grasp. They’ve gotten food from the concession stand, and paper bags are by their feet to dispose of used cards. It’s showtime.

Five minutes later, the games start. Shelby Wright, of Zanesville, and Tina Maxwell, of Dresden, are focused, scanning their cards for the numbers called out and displayed on the video monitors.

As more numbers are called in each play, the chatter picks up and excitement brews. When someone yells “bingo,” it is met with a collective groan and simultaneous crumpling of paper.

It’s Wednesday night at MASS Bingo in Zanesville, and the room is crowded. But it used to be full for every game, said Wright, whose bingo-playing days outdate the daubers and video monitors.

It’s a typical story across the state, with nonprofits hosting bingo games seeing a decline in revenues and profits. Many organizations have dropped traditional bingo altogether in favor of pull-tab games.

Licking, Knox counties get funds to fight prescription drug abuse

Dec. 4, 2010, Newark Advocate

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

COLUMBUS — County Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health boards will split $5 million for opiate addiction treatment, Gov. Ted Strickland announced Friday.

The board for Licking and Knox counties will get $62,816, according to figures released by the governor’s office.

The funds come from a federal spending bill approved in August. Congress increased the federal contribution for Medicaid, which allowed states to spend those resources elsewhere.