Time Warner customers might lose CBS

Dec. 30, 2011, Coshocton Tribune

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Time Warner Cable customers might lose access to 10TV and the Ohio News Network if a deal is not reached by midnight Saturday.

Judy Barbao, spokeswoman for Time Warner Cable, said The Dispatch Broadcast Group, which owns the CBS affiliate and 24-hour news operation, asked for too much money in the new contract.

The contract initially expired in August, but the sides agreed to a four-month extension of the 2011 contract. This extension expires at the end of the year.

Local legislators’ work thus far

Dec. 27, 2011, Port Clinton News Herald

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Ohio’s legislative term is halfway up, so CentralOhio.com decided to check up on local lawmakers to see what they have accomplished in the past year.

Instead of just focusing on the biggest issue of 2011 — the state budget, CentralOhio.com asked them to dig a little deeper, to talk about their individual accomplishments both in sponsored legislation and committee work.

As follows are profiles of the area’s local lawmakers, and what they have done with their time in Columbus. 

Growth an opportunity for Ohio cattle industry

Dec. 23, 2011, Port Clinton News Herald

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Ohio might gain jobs by giving its cattle a first-class ticket to Turkey.

Demand for livestock is growing in developing nations. A group of lawmakers recently visited Turkey to gauge interest in shipping cattle from the Wilmington Airpark.

The air facility is in a unique location. It once belonged to DHL, a shipping company that shuttered its Wilmington operations in 2008 and signed the airpark over to the Clinton County Port Authority.

Since then, the port authority has sought to make use of the facility, said director Kevin Carver.

It has enough space to land large jets — the kind that would likely be used for shipping cattle, Carver said. It is about 10 miles west of Sabina, which houses one of six agricultural export inspection facilities in the country.

Ohio enacts tax break for college students receiving grants

Dec. 13, 2011, Lancaster Eagle Gazette

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

If an Ohio college student’s Pell Grant or Ohio College Opportunity Grant is applied toward room and board or a meal plan, it no longer is considered taxable income by the state.

Gov. John Kasich signed a bill Friday that will allow students to take an income tax deduction for these situations. There was no opposition in the Legislature, and it takes effect immediately so students can take advantage of it on their 2011 tax returns.

Rep. Tim Derickson, R-Oxford, sponsored the bill.

Schools buying .xxx domain names

Dec. 12, 2011, Port Clinton News Herald

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

As a red light district forms this year in cyberspace using new .xxx domain names, universities and other groups are mulling strategies for keeping their trademarks from becoming adult websites.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers allowed universities, businesses and other organizations with registered trademarks to have first dibs in October at buying .xxx addresses that contain their trademarks. On Tuesday, ICANN opened up sales to the general public.

The .xxx domain is intended identify pornography sites.

Working to enrich Pike County

Dec. 11, 2011, Chillicothe Gazette

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

PIKETON — When Andrea McDaniel gets home after a long day at the Pike County Career Technology Center, she sends her four kids to their rooms and enjoys 15 minutes of quiet as she switches roles from student to single mom.

There’s not a lot of quiet in her life.

McDaniel, 29, is ambitious, and doesn’t want her kids to grow up on public assistance the same way she did. These ambitions were delayed by a rough marriage, but now being on welfare allows her to go to school.

“I definitely want to at least go for my LPN, but I don’t know if I’m going to be satisfied with that,” she said.

But the Piketon woman also is hesitant. “Sometimes I think, gosh, even if I do have a GED, there’s no jobs here, so does it matter?”

Pike County has the highest unemployment rate in Ohio, now at 15 percent. It’s a Catch-22 for the career center, which trains people for jobs that might not come.

She makes too much to get help, but too little to live on

Dec. 9, 2011, Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Marilyn Allread is poor. Yet she makes too much money.

She’s taking out payday loans, and spent a month homeless, but she still earns too much to get any kind of public assistance. Recently she found out that she made $2 a month too much to keep her housing subsidy.

The public assistance programs don’t take into account the fact that a big chunk of her paycheck goes toward medical insurance to keep subpar coverage for her health problems.

Here’s the thing about Allread, who previously lived in Pataskala but recently found her way to Canal Winchester. The woman is determined. She wants to work. She wants to stand on her own two feet. But she’s come to realize, she does need a little bit of help.

Building understanding between poor, middle class

Dec. 8, 2011, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Fatina Evans grew up in a middle-class family on the poor side of a mid-sized Ohio city. Surrounded by poverty, her family followed the same unwritten rules regarding money: If you have it, you spend it, because stressful circumstances make it hard to plan beyond the present.

One day it clicked that her family could afford something nicer, so they moved to a nicer neighborhood. Once there, she said they realized a shift in social norms — people were more likely to save money and maybe refinance a mortgage when money ran short. Neighborly expectations were different, too, because people were more aware of the effect of neighborhood conditions on property values.

While the neighbors were accommodating, the Evans family ultimately decided to move back to their original neighborhood, where they were more comfortable.

Evans said poverty brings about a different code, which drives behaviors the middle class might not understand or even scorn.

11 vie for new congressional seat

Dec. 8, 2011, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Eleven people are eying the new congressional district that includes the southern part of Fairfield County.

However, the field could change.

Wednesday was the filing deadline for partisan congressional candidates looking to run in the 2012 primary election.

Under the maps passed this fall, Fairfield County is divided between congressional districts.

They lost everything

Dec. 7, 2011, Newark Advocate

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Ursula Harris was not the type of person you’d expect to meet at a homeless shelter.

At a first meeting, she sat in the corner of the Salvation Army shelter in Newark. She wore makeup, nice clothes and jewelry. She spoke confidently and was willing to be photographed.

Harris, her daughter and her grandkids found themselves at the shelter after they were evicted from their home in Pataskala. It was a nice home, and they lost everything.

This wasn’t the first time Harris fell on hard times — several years ago, she was foreclosed on after losing her job — but it was her first time homeless.

She had been in the shelter for less than a week, and she’ll be out soon, she said — and stronger for the experience.

Harris is a former financial broker. She worked for herself, and when the economy collapsed, so did her finances.

Multiple primaries causing confusion

Dec. 5, 2011, Port Clinton News Herald

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Ohio congressional candidates don’t know what their districts will look like, or even when their primary will be, but the secretary of state is asking them to have petitions submitted by Wednesday.

The two primaries, one March 6 and the other June 12, stem from the battle over the once-a-decade redistricting process. However, there’s still talk in the House of Representatives of moving up the later primary.

“Having two primaries is not an ideal situation,” Shannon Boston, a spokeswoman for Ohio House Republicans, wrote in an email. “... But we only moved the primaries that are affected by the situation we find ourselves in with the potential congressional map referendum.”

Having two primaries presents a complication for the secretary of state’s office and uncertainty for candidates seeking congressional seats. Here are some questions and answers about the situation.

At Chillicothe food bank, demand keeps increasing

Dec. 4, 2011, Chillicothe Gazette

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

CHILLICOTHE — Space is cramped at the Seventh-day Adventist Church. There are two adjoining rooms, both about the size of a doctor’s office examination room, that hold the church’s clothing and food bank. There’s no waiting room.

Clients line the perimeter of the clothing room, some standing, some sitting cross-legged on the floor, waiting for their turn to go into the food bank.

When their names were called, the clients would go into the other small room with two volunteers.

Together they would pick food off the shelves — seldom more than an arm’s length away, and place it in a box sitting on a table in the middle of the room.

School an oasis for kids who are poor

Dec. 4, 2011, Chillicothe Gazette

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

CHILLICOTHE — There’s not much in the Huntington Local School District except farm land and residential area, so the district’s three buildings are more than just educational centers. They’re the hub of the community.

As the economy deteriorated, the schools have taken on a new role: social service agency.

When some students attend school, Superintendent Jerry Mowery said, it might be the only good part of their day. It might be the only place they feel safe. It might be the only time during the day they eat a balanced meal.

Food for hungry, help for jobless

Dec. 4, 2011, Chillicothe Gazette

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

CHILLICOTHE — There wasn’t a long wait to get a free lunch at the Carver Community Center, but after one long folding table was vacated, another group or family was ready to sit down.

On a sweltering summer day, a steady stream of people came through for a smoked sausage sandwich, a vegetable medley and peaches from a can. As the kitchen opened, head cook Cheryl Hitchens just had finished preparing 300 meals to send out to area summer youth programs.

As she showed off the kitchen, a volunteer interrupted. One of the schools needed five more.

The demand just grows, Hitchens said. On average, the center will serve about 3,000 meals each month to low-income people.

In western Pike County, people do what it takes

Dec. 4, 2011, Chillicothe Gazette

Story by Jessica Alaimo and photos by Heather Cory and Frank Robertson

CentralOhio.com

Brock Brewster’s truck dominated the single-lane road in western Pike County and rumbled over an extension cord.

This extension cord has been strung across this Latham road for two years. It powers the lights of a white-and-brown trailer, using the electricity from a home across the road. It’s the only source of electricity for the trailer’s owner, who said she uses it to power her lights. She uses a wood stove to stay warm.

Her property and her sister’s across the road are cluttered with stuff, but it is packed up and placed under blue tarps. There’s an order to the chaos, with items appearing sorted and walkways clear. Four big dogs and a puppy run around loose outside. “I have severe arthritis, which is why this place is such a mess,” said the owner, who wouldn’t give her name.

“I’ve driven over that extension cord a hundred times,” said Brewster, the principal at Western Local High School. “Those people probably don’t think a thing about running their home with an extension cord. ... They’re survivors. They get up every day and do what they’ve got to do.”

Surviving is tough in Pike County. The county has the state’s highest unemployment and poverty rates. Earlier this year, cabinet-maker Masco closed, putting 1,200 people out of work. The uranium enrichment plant that once held hope for 2,000 new jobs instead issued a notice that 450 pink slips might be coming.

Although the going is tough, nobody seems to be going anywhere.

“I was born here, my dad lived here, and I guess this is where I’ll die,” said the trailer owner. “I try to stay here in my own place, and let other people stay in theirs.”

Deal opens competition for AEP Ohio customers

Nov. 29, 2011, Mansfield News Journal

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

A pending settlement could change the way AEP Ohio does business.

The subsidiary of Columbus-based American Electric Power is preparing for more competition in the marketplace, so it is planning on billing separately for wiring and distribution, a change from past practices.

The settlement could mean an increase of $2 to $3 per month for the average household using AEP Ohio services over the next three years. It is up to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to approve the settlement.

Election 2011: Endure campaigns. Cast your ballot. Repeat.

Nov. 11, 2011, Mansfield News Journal

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Elections are a constant cycle. As one ends on Tuesday, campaigning for the next has long since started, and 2012 will be a big year.

To complete the 2011 cycle, Ohioans head to the polls this week to vote on three statewide issues. They also will decide on local candidates and issues specific to where they live.

The new voting rules passed by the Legislature earlier this year will not take effect because signatures were filed for a referendum campaign to repeal them.

Union support kills Issue 2

Nov. 9, 2011, Coshocton Tribune

CentralOhio.com

If voters weren’t in a union themselves, many of them were close to someone who is.

Strong union support at the polls was one of the reasons Issue 2 was defeated 1,330,013 to 2,115,404 Tuesday, according to unofficial results.

The ballot issue sought to seriously curtail collective bargaining rights of public employees, including teachers, police officers and firefighters.

It was an emotional issue for many voting no, and either a fairness or a budgetary issue for many voting yes.

CentralOhio.com reporters fanned out around 11 counties Tuesday as voters left the polls, collecting thoughts and opinions from 138 voters.

Union membership rules could change

Oct. 30, 2011, Marion Star

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

CentralOhio.com is examining the most important facets of Issue 2 in a 10-day series. Our goal is to dive into the specifics of the bill so you will have the facts when you go to the polls.

Topic: Who can join a bargaining unit

Currently: Lower-level supervisors are able to join a bargaining unit, along with department heads in colleges and universities. To dissolve a union, 50 percent of its members must petition for decertification.

What Senate Bill 5 would do: The bill would prohibit some people from joining unions. These include lower-level supervisors in police and fire departments, and department heads in state colleges and universities. The bill also states that supervisor pay cannot be tied to union contracts.

Law would require merit pay

Oct. 29, 2011, Fremont News-Messenger

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

CentralOhio.com is examining the most important facets of Issue 2 in a 10-day series. Our goal is to dive into the specifics of the bill so you will have the facts when you go to the polls. You can read other parts of the series and view related videos at TheNews-Messenger.com/elections.

Topic: Merit pay

Currently: Much of the current public employment compensation system is based on seniority. The longer you're there, the more you get paid. Public employee pay also has built-in longevity increases – added boosts for sticking around. There also are increases built in if an employee attains more education. If there are layoffs, the last hired workers are the first to be fired.

» What Senate Bill 5 would do: Senate Bill 5 dictates that pay increases for all bargaining unit employees be based solely on merit. Automatic disappear.

PETA turns out to protest Ohio’s exotic animal law

Oct. 27, 2011, Zanesville Times Recorder

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

COLUMBUS — Birgit Nazarian, of Granville, never has been involved in animal rights activism before, but the tragedy in Zanesville was enough to get her out to protest on a busy Columbus street Wednesday.

It bothered her that law enforcement officials killed 48 wild animals near Zanesville, but it also bothered her the animals were owned legally.

“It doesn’t seem appropriate for a private citizen,” she said. “It’s like having that many loaded weapons. I was shocked we didn’t have a law.”

Nazarian participated in a small, last-minute protest thrown together by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in front of the Ohio Statehouse on Wednesday.

Cash-strapped communities could alter contracts easily

Oct. 26, 2011, Fremont News-Messenger

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

CentralOhio.com is examining important facets of Issue 2 in a 10-day series. The goal is to dive into the specifics of the bill so you will have the facts when you go to the polls.

You can read other parts of the series and view related videos at TheNews-Messenger.com/elections.

» Topic: Entities under fiscal watch or fiscal emergency can alter a bargaining agreement.

» Currently: If a city, village, township or school district is in financial trouble, it can go to the State Employment Relations Board and argue that it faces “exigent circumstances” and can’t uphold current bargaining agreements.

SERB upheld a sudden contract change for Toledo police officers in April after determining the city faced a “situation that demands unusual or immediate action and that may allow people to circumvent usual procedures.”

» What Senate Bill 5 would do: Senate Bill 5 makes it easier for entities in fiscal trouble to change collective bargaining agreements.

Under the bill, if a city, school district or village enters fiscal watch or fiscal emergency, it can automatically alter collective bargaining agreements before they expire, without going through SERB.

When this happens, the entity and employees will bargain for a new contract.

Fiscal watch and fiscal emergency are classifications set by the state auditor’s office to identify entities in financial trouble.

Minimum staffing levels may be altered

Oct. 25, 2011, Fremont News-Messenger

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

CentralOhio.com is examining the most important facets of Issue 2 in a 10-day series. Our goal is to dive into the specifics of the bill so you will have the facts when you go to the polls.

» Topic: Elimination of minimum staffing requirements from the bargaining process, and anything that keeps an entity from privatizing.

» Currently: Minimum staffing requirements and restrictions on outside contracting can be part of negotiations between union and public employer.

» What Senate Bill 5 would do: Police and firefighters would no longer be able to negotiate for how many workers need to be on a shift. Teachers would no longer be able to set a maximum number of students in the classroom.

Issue 2 would end binding arbitration

Oct. 22, 2011, Fremont News-Messenger

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

» Topic: Binding arbitration

» Currently: All non-uniformed bargaining units can strike, though it is rare. But police officers and firefighters cannot.

Uniformed units instead have a process called binding arbitration, where a neutral party is brought in to resolve the differences between them and their employer. The arbitrator’s decision stands.

» What Senate Bill 5 would do: End this process. Requests for mediation would go through the State Employment Relations Board, and must be done 75 days before the agreement expires.

Under the proposed law, if an impasse still occurs 70 days before expiration, SERB must appoint a mediator.

Executive order from Ohio governor hopes to rein in exotic animal owners

Oct. 22, 2011, Zanesville Times Recorder

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

COLUMBUS — If an animal is seen being treated inhumanely, Ohio officials already have the ability to confiscate it and arrest the owner.

It doesn’t happen often with large, dangerous animals, Gov. John Kasich said in a news conference Friday, because state officials don’t know what to do with the animal once they have it in their possession.

Kasich promised Friday, via an executive order, to step up enforcement of Ohio’s existing animal laws and pursue new ones regarding private ownership of dangerous animals.

Ohio law mostly silent on regulating wild animals

Oct. 20, 2011, Marion Star

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

When animal sanctuary officials in neighboring states found out what happened in Zanesville, they said they weren’t surprised.

Ohio has some of the most lax laws regarding private ownership of exotic animals, being one of fewer than 10 states with no regulation.

“My reaction was, ‘Here we go again.’” said April Truitt, director and founder of the Primate Rescue Center in Nicholasville, Ky. “Ohio is simply full to the brim with exotic animal breeders. ... You can buy anything you want in Ohio.”

The same response came from Ohio’s eastern neighbor.

“We knew something like this was going to happen, we just hoped it wouldn’t be on this scale,” said Melissa Bishop, of the East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue in Fairfield, Pa.

Truitt and Bishop were responding to a situation that broke late Tuesday, when authorities killed 49 of 56 exotic animals that escaped from a Zanesville farm after owner Terry Thompson killed himself.

Expired Ohio rule regulated exotic animals

Oct. 20, 2011, Zanesville Times Recorder

By Russ Zimmer and Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

If you own a dog in Ohio, you have to license it every year. However, your neighbor can own 18 tigers and he doesn’t have to tell a soul.

A regulatory blind spot in Ohio explains how a private individual could have grizzly bears, African lions and Bengal tigers at their home without any state supervision — let alone someone like Terry Thompson, a man with a history of animal-related misdemeanors and fresh from a year in federal prison for illegally possessing a machine gun.

In his final days as governor, Ted Strickland, as part of a deal that resulted in the Ohio Livestock Standards Board, issued an executive order prohibiting the ownership or trading of certain species, deemed “dangerous wild animals.”

The language of the order would have made Thompson’s animal sanctuary illegal because of his conviction for cruelty to animals.

Tax breaks help, analysis shows

Oct. 15, 2011, Fremont News-Messenger

By Jessica Alaimo and Russ Zimmer

CentralOhio.com

When President Barack Obama or Ohio Gov. John Kasich speak, voters want to know: Where are the jobs?

When local candidates filled out CentralOhio.com’s voter guide, many echoed the same theme: “Residents consistently tell me that they want officials to focus efforts on creating jobs.”

The state allows local officials to offer businesses tax breaks for adding or keeping jobs. A CentralOhio.com analysis shows beneficiaries of the programs have mostly kept their promises.

Since enterprise zones were created in 1983, businesses in the zones created or kept 73 percent of the jobs they promised in exchange for breaks on real and personal property taxes.

Redistricting map satisfies few

Oct. 3, 2011, Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

How hard is it to divide Ohio into 16 equal parts?

When politics are involved, it's a decennial political brouhaha.

The Ohio Legislature completed the politically charged redistricting process last week, in which politicians draw up the U.S. Congressional and Ohio legislative districts where they'll seek election for the next decade. It's a process that brings about a lot of numbers, confusing terms, political warfare and squiggly lines.

It's complicated, and much of it is classic inside political baseball.

So why should you care?

County keeping Balderson

Oct. 1, 2011, Zanesville Times-Recorder

By Carl Burnett Jr. and Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

ZANESVILLE — State Sen. Troy Balderson, R-Zanesville, will continue to represent all of Muskingum County, providing he runs for re-election and wins in 2012.

He also will represent Lancaster — the hometown of State Sen. Tim Schaffer, who no longer will represent his home county after his fellow Republicans swapped districts and moved borders of Ohio’s new legislative districts Friday.

The state’s Apportionment Board approved changes to several districts after lawmakers approached them with concerns about original maps released Sept. 23., said State Rep. Jay Hottinger, R-Newark. Those maps placed Muskingum County in Schaffer districts.

Map shift brings Schaffer back

Oct. 1, 2011, Newark Advocate

By Jessica Alaimo and Carl Burnett Jr.

CentralOhio.com

NEWARK — Republicans moved the borders of Ohio’s new legislative districts Friday, putting state Sen. Tim Schaffer back into Licking County, although he won’t live in his remodeled district.

The moves cleared the way for state Rep. Jay Hottinger, R-Newark, to seek his former Senate seat in 2014 when term limits force Schaffer, R-Lancaster, out of the Senate and Hottinger out of the House. Hottinger confirmed he might run for the Senate in 2014, a seat he once had for eight years.

Friday’s changes came after several politicians didn’t like what they saw when the new state legislative districts were announced this past week by the Apportionment Board.

State changes rules for unpaid child support

Sept. 18, 2011, Coshocton Tribune

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Non-custodial parents will be able to continually pay just half of their child support obligations with no risk of losing their driving, recreational or professional licenses starting Oct. 1.

From Jan. 1 to Aug. 31 of this year, 100,533 parents lost their drivers’ license, 83 lost their professional license and 997 lost their recreational license for failure to pay child support, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. A parent could have more than one license suspended.

Those who lost their drivers’ licenses between Sept. 30, 2010, and Aug. 31, 2011, collectively paid just 19 percent of their child support obligations, according to the department.

This change is one of three the General Assembly made this year to child support enforcement. They were enacted as part of the state budget.

OSU games, other events featuring beefed up security

Sept. 11, 2011, Newark Advocate

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

COLUMBUS — As you try to balance a drink and a hot dog in your hands while forming the “O,” you never know — the “H” next to you could be a plain-clothes security officer.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, security has been beefed up at Ohio State University football games, and any other event in the state that attracts thousands of people.

“Football games have a high concentration of people. Certainly that’s something that al-Qaida or those supported by them may want to target,” said Robert Glenn, head of Ohio’s Homeland Security office.

Homeland security grants help agencies prepare for disasters as well as terrorism

Sept. 11, 2011, Lancaster Eagle Gazette

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

If terrorists were planning another large-scale attack against the United States, it’s unlikely their next target would be in Chillicothe.

Still, Sept. 11, 2001, was a wake-up call to public safety officials in this southern Ohio community.

As Assistant Fire Chief Steve Gallagher pulled out the key to the padlock that secures the county’s hazmat trailer, he said he has had one more question at each local disaster in the county since 9/11: Did someone do this on purpose?

The U.S. government has given Ross County agencies $1.3 million in homeland security grants in the decade since the Sept. 11 attacks.

While the money helped mitigate potential terrorist threats, much of it also helped the county be more prepared for any kind of disaster — natural, accidental or intentional.

Ohio unions fight dwindling numbers, Issue 2

Sept. 5, 2011, Lancaster Eagle Gazette

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

As members of organized labor face what they see as a major threat to their existence, they will have 222,000 fewer Ohio members this Labor Day to promote their cause, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Placing the figure in the realm of the total employed, Ohio is losing union members at a rate faster than most states.

In 2000, 17.4 percent of those employed in Ohio were labor union members. In 2010, 13.7 percent of those employed belonged to unions, according to the bureau.

As unions deal with declining membership, they face yet another threat this year — Issue 2, also known as Senate Bill 5 — which would curtail the rights of public sector bargaining units across the state.

No Child Left Behind still controversial

Aug. 21, 2011, Coshocton Tribune

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

In 2010, Newark High School received the bureaucratic equivalent of a grounding when report cards went out.

For the seventh consecutive year, the building received low grades in reading and math. For the seventh consecutive year, officials had to send letters out to parents explaining the rating and reminding them that their children could go elsewhere. School officials had to create a plan for improvement and do more professional development.

State report cards come out this week, and Newark High Principal Mark Fullen said his building for the first time will be up to par, getting a rating of “excellent” and meeting math and reading requirements.

He credits the school’s improvement in part to the accountability measures put in place by the No Child Left Behind Act, have rare aging disorder signed by former President George W. Bush 10 years ago.

The annual school report cards tell districts how they’re doing with test scores and graduation and attendance rates and gives them a final rating based on a number of indicators.

Schools, others work to find ways to help poor overcome obstacles

Aug. 12, 2011, Newark Advocate

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

NEWARK — A large portion of residents in Licking County can’t even think about saving for a down payment on a house or college tuition for their 10-year-old.

This is because they might not know how they’re going to feed their family tomorrow.

Those in poverty don’t just have less money than those in other economic classes. They speak a different language and live in a different culture. All of their actions involve living for the here and now because they never can be completely sure if they will survive to see next week.

Bridges Out of Poverty consultant Chris Ramsey didn’t need to explain this concept to the 20 people sitting around a conference room table Thursday.

PUCO staff opposes AEP proposed rate increase

Aug. 9, 2011, Newark Advocate

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

American Electric Power is asking too much of its customers in its proposed rate increase, staff members of a key state agency argued this past week.

In addition to the increase in base rates, AEP also is requesting for numerous riders, or extra charges.

Public Utilities Commission of Ohio staff came out against AEP’s proposal Thursday in a series of testimonies.

Next, the proposal will go before the full commission, which will issue a decision by the end of the year.

Fewer Ohioans enrolled in state’s private colleges

Aug. 9, 2011, Bucyrus Telegraph Forum

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

While enrollment at Ohio private colleges and universities stayed level and in some cases increased in the past decade, fewer of those students are from Ohio.

This is in part because of the 2009 elimination of the Student Choice Grant program, funded by the state, which gave students grant money to attend private schools, according to a group supporting these entities.

Last year, 61 percent of students entering Ohio’s private colleges were from the state. In 2004, that figure was at 70 percent, according to the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio.

But that doesn’t mean enrollment is declining.

Ohio bucks trend, shifts funds to home-based care

July 16, 2011, Port Clinton News Herald

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

While budget shortfalls have forced many states to move away from home-based care, Ohio is shifting toward it.

However, all providers, regardless of their setting, saw a decrease in Medicaid reimbursement rates this month.

Gov. John Kasich’s first two-year budget, which began July 1, decreases Medicaid reimbursements for nursing homes and increases funding for home-based care.

New law means more thieves will go to jails, not prisons

July 9, 2011, Fremont News-Messenger

By Jona Ison and Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Law enforcement officials fear savvy career criminals will start swiping bigger-ticket items once the law allows them to steal $999 worth of stuff and still get slapped with a misdemeanor.

In a sweeping overhaul of Ohio’s sentencing laws last month, the General Assembly approved a provision increasing the threshold for felony-level thefts and vandalism. The legislation, which aimed to keep lower-level offenders out of prison as a cost-savings issue, passed with strong bipartisan support. Gov. John Kasich signed the bill into law June 29.

Projections differ when it comes to how much the legislation will save the state. Legislative analysis puts the savings at $78 million a year, while the Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections estimated savings of $46 million over four years, The Associated Press reported.

Could Jordan lose district in debt fight?

July 30, 2011, Mansfield News Journal

By Jessica Alaimo and Bryan Bullock

News Journal

MANSFIELD — Some believe there could be backlash against Republican Party leadership if U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan loses his seat in the redistricting process.

Jordan, R-Urbana, is at odds with U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, also of Ohio, over raising the federal debt ceiling.

Jordan, who leads the 176-member Republican Study Committee, urged the more conservative GOP members to oppose Boehner’s plan.

10 changes coming to Ohio elections

June 26, 2011, Coshocton Tribune

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

When you vote next year, you’ll likely see some notable changes. Ohioans might be voting in different precincts or even in different districts for Congress and the Ohio General Assembly.

The rules could change for voting early, by absentee ballot, or casting a provisional ballot.

The Ohio Senate passed sweeping changes to Ohio’s election laws Thursday evening. A similar version of the bill passed the House in May. The bill now will go back to the House for concurrence, then to Gov. John Kasich for his signature.

Rep. Robert Mecklenborg, R-Green Township, sponsored the overhaul, and fellow Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted supports many — but not all — of the measures. Republicans tout the bil as “incorporating 21^st Century technology and establishing much needed uniformity throughout all 88 counties in Ohio.”

Any voting law changes will be in addition to the redistricting that is done every 10 years.

Advocacy groups have grave concerns about some of the proposals, saying they might keep minorities and those in poverty from voting and increase voter confusion.

Some AEP clients may see rate hike

June 19, 2011, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

American Electric Power wants to raise its rates on customers and decrease rates for small businesses.

The utility has submitted a plan for approval by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, which will make a decision by the end of the year.

AEP said an increase in costs and new environmental mandates are behind the increase. A consumer watchdog agency said unnecessary additional costs might be in the plan.

Fewer train crashes in Ohio in the 2000s

June 8, 2011, Port Clinton News Herald

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

There were half as many rail-car crashes in Ohio last year compared with a decade ago, despite an increase in train traffic. State officials say this is because of better warning systems at crossings.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio released its 2010 railroad statistics, which showed 64 car-rail crashes in 2010, down from 123 in 2001. Fatal crashes statewide fell from 13 in 2001 to four in 2010.

Gasoline costs more in Midwest

June 7, 2011, Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum

By Greg Gardner and Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Gas prices in the Midwest are higher than those in the rest of the country.

Late Monday afternoon, the average for Ohio was $3.86 – 10 cents per gallon above the national average, according to GasBuddy.com.

At this time last year, gas prices were about $2.60 per gallon in the Buckeye State.

There's no one factor contributing to the spiking prices, other than a whole lot of bad luck at the refineries that supply the oil, said Kimberly Schwind, a spokeswoman for the AAA Ohio Auto Club.

GOP moving too fast on union bill, some Republicans complain

June 6, 2011, Newark Advocate

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

A measure to overhaul Ohio’s collective bargaining laws is being rushed through the Legislature too fast, some Republican state senators say.

The bill, which would limit the scope of issues public employees could bargain on and prohibit strikes, was approved by the Ohio Senate three weeks after it was introduced by state Sen. Shannon Jones, R-Springboro.

It passed through committee and the full Senate on Wednesday despite requests for additional hearings. The bill now before the Ohio House.

State Sen. Tim Grendell, R-Chesterland, said Senate Republicans didn’t even meet in caucus to discuss the final version of the bill before it hit the floor. Grendell was one of six Republicans opposing the bill.

With no state mandate, Ohio’s gifted children may see services cut

June 4, 2011, Port Clinton News Herald

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Rayne Wilson hid behind his mom on the couch, scared to talk to the company in the room.

His younger brother explained a computer game where players build a world around four basic elements. It requires math. It requires logic.

“I only made it to Level 2,” 6-year-old Brayson said.

The urge to brag finally was enough to break his silence.

“I made it to Level 11,” Rayne said.

When it comes to anything numerical or measurable, Rayne is brilliant. At age 7, he knows the full multiplication table. Give him a date two years out, he’ll tell you what day of the week it falls on — even accounting for the leap year. One day he visited his brother’s karate studio. His mother saved the map of the room that he drew from memory — done to scale.

Rayne is fortunate. Next year, a gifted specialist at Bucyrus Elementary School will work with him and his teachers to accommodate his skills. He’ll be in second grade, but move up to a third-grade math class.

Across the state, however, budget-crunched school districts are cutting their gifted staff, and the proposed state budget could eliminate dedicated gifted students.

School districts learn how deep state cuts might be

May 31, 2011, Zanesville Times Recorder

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com and

LEEANN MOORE

Staff Writer

Local school officials figured they would have less state and federal aid in 2012.

Now they know what the cuts could be.

Last week, Gov. John Kasich touted more state aid for local districts. However, the slight increases in state foundation aid don’t make up for what school districts stand to lose from the expiration of stimulus funds and an accelerated phase-out of the personal property tax reimbursement.

The Office of Budget and Management unveiled projections of how much less schools would receive from the reimbursements under Kasich’s proposed budget.

Corn crop could be lost cause

May 27, 2011, Fremont News-Messenger

By Jessica Alaimo

Special to The News-Messenger

Hope for a successful corn crop in Ohio is dwindling with every passing rainy day.

As of Sunday, Ohio farmers had 11 percent of planned corn crops in the ground. They had 87 percent at this time last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Two percent have emerged, compared with 72 percent last year. The 2006 to 2010 average amount of crops is 80 percent planted by May 22, and 58 percent emerged.

Ideally, corn crops should be planted by May 15, said Jack Fisher, president of the Ohio Farm Bureau. Farmers will plant up until June 5, but as the days go by, the yield from them gets lower.

Brown proposes consolidating student loans

May 26, 2011, Fremont News-Messenger

By Jessica Alaimo

Special to the News-Messenger

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown touted a plan Wednesday he said would make repaying college loans easier and cheaper, and make more grants available for low-income students.

Last year the federal government stopped contracting with private lenders to service new student loans, instead administering all payments through the U.S. Department of Education.

However, 6 million people found themselves caught in the middle when the transition took...

Proposal would allow ads on school buses

May 25, 2011, Newark Advocate

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

NEWARK — Cash-strapped school districts could have the right to sell advertising on the outside of school buses under a law proposed last week.

State Sen. Joe Schiavoni, D-Canfield, said anything that can help a school buy a new computer or textbooks or not lay off a teacher is a positive, with school districts facing less revenue.

However, a national interest group is fighting the proposal in Ohio and several other states, claiming the small revenue boost is not worth the exploitation of captive audience of students.

Students explore alternate routes to escape high debt

May 21, 2011, Fremont News-Messenger

By Jessica Alaimo

Special to The News-Messenger

Short rainstorms gave brief moments of relief from an otherwise humid Thursday on the shared campus of Ohio State University’s Mansfield branch and North Central State College.

Many students commute. Some will graduate with a two- or four-year degree from these campuses; others will transfer elsewhere.

So why forgo going away to school, a rite of passage for many young adults? Students interviewed all said the same thing: It’s cheaper.

Bill would allow concealed weapons on corps properties

May 21, 2011, Newark Advocate

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

When Congress voted to allow guns in Ohio’s national parks in 2010, it did not include lands owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville, wants to make sure people otherwise allowed to carry firearms can take them into these properties as well.

Gibbs’ 18th District includes all or part of 16 counties in rural southeastern Ohio, including Coshocton, Muskingum, Ross and Licking counties. Gibbs recently introduced the “Recreational Lands Self-Defense Act.”

The heavy load of student loans

May 21, 2011, Fremont News-Messenger

By Jessica Alaimo

Special to the News-Messenger

COSHOCTON – Peter Madsen graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1978 with $1,500 in student loans. His parents didn't help him pay for school.

The Coshocton father started saving for his sons' college education when his oldest, Michael, was in second grade. Michael was accepted into Ohio Northern University with grant money. Nonetheless, he graduates this year with almost $20,000 in loans to pay back. Michael's brother, Matthew, a sophomore at Ohio Northern, will have a similar burden. Both are majoring in graphic arts.

Not only are this spring's college graduates more likely to enter adulthood deeper in the red, but with a historically poor economy providing fewer jobs, they are more likely to default on their loans within three years.

Census: Residents older, more likely to be unmarried

May 12, 2011, Coshocton Tribune

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

COSHOCTON — Fewer people in Coshocton County are living in traditional married-couple households than in 2000. This is partially because the population is getting older.

The U.S. Census Bureau released more details on the 2010 population counts today. The census asked the U.S. Population about age, sex, race and housing.

The median age (half above, half below) in Coshocton County has increased to 40.8 in 2010 from 37.8 in 2000. The oldest area, Plainfield, increased to 50.5 from 39. Conesville and Nellie are tied as the youngest areas, with a median age of 37.5. Nellie has stayed the same age throughout the decade, while Conesville increased from 35.3.

High school harder than it used to be

May 11, 2011, Newark Advocate

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

High school is more difficult than it was in 1990.

Students have to take more classes and more difficult classes.

Some students no longer wait to have a diploma in hand before college begins.

The National Center for Education Statistics examined the transcripts of 2009 high school graduates across the country.

According to the report, students averaged 420 more hours of instruction than those in 1990, with more emphasis on math and science courses.

Some small businesses start push to repeal Senate Bill 5

May 10, 2011, Port Clinton News Herald

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

NEWARK — Rob Romine wants public employees who walk through his door to know he has their backs.

His downtown Newark business, Backstreet Haircutters, has displayed stickers on his doors that read: “This establishment proudly accepts business from hard working public and private employees.”

The stickers are part of the Proud Ohio Workers campaign, an effort to show Ohio’s small businesses support collective bargaining rights for public employees, said campaign spokeswoman Rebecca Scott. The stickers are placed on 600 business doors throughout the state.

Throwing away ‘throw away the key’

May 8, 2011, Marion Star

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Judge Richard Berens knows there are problems with Ohio’s corrections system and more needs to be done to help ex-prisoners adjust back into society.

But the Fairfield County Common Pleas judge also thinks the people he sends to prison belong there.

State lawmakers have proposed sweeping reforms to Ohio’s corrections system. A comprehensive bill passed the House on a 96-2 vote Wednesday, and it’s been the subject of ongoing Senate committee hearings. Gov. John Kasich supports the measure.

While Berens supports the bill’s efforts to reduce recidivism and boost rehabilitation, he fears some provisions will tie judges’ hands and put more stress on county departments.

The legislation would mean first-time, nonviolent, low-level felony offenders could not be sent to state prison, and instead would get three years probation. The bill also doubles the threshold for felony-level thefts, meaning more would head to the county jail on theft charges.

Ohio House to vote on budget changes

May 5, 2011, Fremont News-Messenger

By Jessica Alaimo

Special to the News-Messenger

The revised version of Gov. John Kasich’s budget contains both good and bad news for local governments.

The good: A House committee eased proposed cuts to tangible personal property tax reimbursements, increased aid to schools, and provided funds to help local entities share services.

The bad: The new legislation repeals the estate tax, cutting off one revenue stream for local governments. It also reverses a proposal by Kasich that would have lessened local entities’ pension obligations.

Kasich and Republican legislators, who have the majority in both houses, must mend an $8 billion budget gap in the next state biennium. To keep repeated promises to voters, they must do so without raising taxes.

Hey kids: Want a shorter school year?

Apr. 28, 2011, Chillicothe Gazette

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

One lawmaker wants to change Ohio’s school year so the state’s amusement parks, resorts and tourist attractions can flourish from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Rep. Bill Hayes, a Licking County Republican, is sponsoring a bill that would force Ohio’s schools to only operate after Labor Day and before Memorial Day.

Students would spend the same amount of time in the classroom, but Hayes wants to change how it is measured. Instead of requiring students to be in school for 182 days, he wants to require elementary students to be in school for at least 960 hours, and middle and high school students to be in school for 1,050 or more hours.

To meet the hours requirement, schools could schedule their days however they see fit — with shorter days and shorter breaks, or longer days with traditional breaks.

Local governments get more details on cuts

Apr. 21, 2011, Newark Advocate

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Ohio municipal governments found out more details last week about the steep cuts they could face under Gov. John Kasich’s proposed budget.

The Ohio Department of Taxation released figures showing the depth of the cuts from the proposed accelerated phase-out of state reimbursements for certain taxes for Ohio’s counties, cities, villages and townships.

Kasich’s proposal also calls for the local government fund, which provides state assistance to government entities, to be cut in half by the end of the next biennium.

Gannett honors work of Ohio media group, Gazette

Apr. 17, 2011, Chillicothe Gazette

The Media Network of Central Ohio and the Chillicothe Gazette won three Best of Gannett honors for 2010, including national first-place honors in two of eight categories, the Gannett Co. announced this week.

MNCO, which includes nine other daily newspapers and websites, won first-place honors in digital journalism for its continuing online and mobile coverage of breaking weather stories and high school sports scores using live feeds of updated information at ChillicotheGazette.com/storms and Chillicothe Gazette.com/hss.

“These approaches clearly have helped Central Ohio residents stay informed about severe weather and get the latest on high schools sports,” judges wrote.

Enterprise and Data Reporter Russ Zimmer also won the top honor for beat reporting for database reporting on topics such as an analysis of anticipated tax increases, progress on bridge inspections in the state and ticketing trends on speeders driving 100 mph or more.

“It is clear that Russ Zimmer knows how to use database work to bring readers and online users extensive information on various topics,” judges wrote. “His stories were clearly written, understandable, interesting and informative.”

MNCO placed second in the Public Service and Watchdog Journalism category for articles examining the pension systems in local governments and school districts in Ohio. The systems’ policies result in some public employers paying all or most of their employees’ retirement contributions, a practice that pads employees’ pensions at taxpayers’ expense. Reporters from all 10 MNCO sites, including the Gazette, contributed to the project researched by Enterprise and Data Reporter Jessica Alaimo.

“The Central Ohio newspapers did a terrific job of taking a complex pension issue and showing how taxpayers were footing extra dollars, in many cases resulting in no retirement contribution payments by employers,” the judges wrote. “The articles were strengthened by helpful graphics and excellent localization and online supplements.”

MNCO’s honors were in Division III for Gannett’s smaller community sites. The contest is judged by non-Gannett editors and journalists.

Separately, MNCO Online and Audience Development Editor Len LaCara, who played a key role in all of the Best of Gannett honors, was recognized recently as a Gannett News MVP for his work in 2010, including assisting in the development of new websites. LaCara supervises Zimmer’s and Alaimo’s work, along with content on MNCO’s Web sites.

Stewart wants local authorities to enforce immigration laws

Apr. 15, 2011, Zanesville Times Recorder

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

State Sen. Jimmy Stewart wants to give local police more authority to enforce federal immigration laws.

Under Ohio law, if police find an illegal immigrant through a routine traffic stop or other investigation, officers can detain the person if another criminal charge is applied. If not, the police department must contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

If immigration officials don’t take custody of the individual within two days of his or her scheduled release, which Stewart said is common, the suspect is freed.

Local officers can get the authority to press criminal charges for illegal immigration if they first get a memorandum from the federal government, then go through training.

Stewart’s bill would allow Attorney General Mike DeWine to pursue the memorandum on behalf of all of Ohio’s local police departments. Then interested officers or departments would just need to go through the training.

State tax revenues exceed estimates

Apr. 13, 2011, Marion Star

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Ohio’s General Revenue Fund is slowly getting healthier.

Tax revenues collected in March exceeded expectations by $157 million, according to the state’s monthly financial report released Tuesday.

Among the highlights:

» Income tax collections exceeded expectations by $80 million.

» Sales tax collections exceeded expectations by $69 million.

» Corporate franchise taxes exceeded expectations by $21 million.

Tiberi: Interim budget likely to be adopted

Apr. 12, 2011, Newark Advocate

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

This year’s federal spending debate will be a drama in three acts, said U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi, who represents part of Licking County.

The first act concluded early Saturday, when Congress passed an 11th-hour deal averting a federal government shutdown. The stopgap measure includes about $39 billion in cuts.

The second debate also is under way, with the release of the Republican budget proposal for federal fiscal year 2012 last week.

Finally, this summer or fall, Congress will decide whether to raise the federal debt ceiling.

Kasich plan for schools not just cuts

Apr. 9, 2011, Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum

By JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

A questioner at Gov. John Kasich’s town hall had a daughter who had just been identified as gifted and talented by her school.

But now, it appeared, Kasich planned to strip all funding for specialized gifted programs. The father wanted to know: Would services still be provided for her?

Kasich’s budget proposal goes beyond basic cuts to schools in an effort to mend an $8 billion budget gap. He wants to completely revamp how Ohio’s public and private schools do business.

Kasich’s answer during the March 15 meeting embodied much of his approach: Take money out of the specialized pots. Put it into one big pot, so schools can use it how they see fit.

If gifted education is important to your school, Kasich told the man, “Go and see the superintendent and stand up for your daughter.”

Shutdown would affect thousands

Apr. 7, 2011, Fremont News-Messenger

By Malia Rulon and Jessica Alaimo

WASHINGTON — If the federal government shuts down, the effects will ripple across Ohio. National parks will close. Federal agencies will shut their doors. Personnel dubbed “essential” may have to work without pay.

Ohio is home to 22,836 federal employees, according to an analysis of federal data conducted by Gannett’s Asbury Park Press.

If the government were to shut down for an extended period, many of those workers could be put on furlough and have their salaries frozen, and the work they do could come to a halt.

Chief justice seeks changes in how Ohio appoints, elects judges

Apr. 3, 2011, Newark Advocate

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

Although Ohioans elect their judges, three of the seven jurists in Licking County initially were given their robes by a governor.

Statewide, about one-third of those on the bench today got their start through a gubernatorial appointment, Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor said.

For this reason and others, O’Connor has proposed several changes to keep the politics off the bench. Her proposed reforms include:

» Requiring a bipartisan judicial appointment recommendation panel to approve all midterm gubernatorial appointees.

» Requiring state Senate confirmation of Supreme Court appointees.

» Eliminating party labels from the primary ballot.

Experts: Union law fight will influence ’11, ’12 races

Apr. 3, 2011, Chillicothe Gazette

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

Senate Bill 5 could be more than a powerful piece of policy. It could turn into a jackhammer that might shake up Ohio’s entire political landscape come the 2012 presidential election, experts said.

Gov. John Kasich signed legislation on Thursday that dramatically curtails collective bargaining rights for public employees.

The bill passed the Legislature amid a crowd of jeering union supporters, and the political battle that already had heated up reached a boiling point. Opponents vowed to take their protests to a referendum campaign. Supporters vowed to fight them.

Official: Federal budget cuts would gut Ohio poison control centers

Apr. 1, 2011, Newark Advocate

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

The Central Ohio Poison Control Center — frequently a lifeline for those poisoned by opiates and addictive prescription drugs — stands to lose almost one-third of its funding under the proposed federal budget.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the first version of the budget in February. Among the cuts were $27.3 million — 90 percent of funding — to poison control centers nationwide, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

As poison control awareness week concluded last week, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, called for a full restoration of funding to the centers. He has an unusual ally — Attorney General Mike DeWine, a former Republican senator defeated in 2006 by Brown.

DeWine authored the legislation establishing a national poison control hot line in 2002.

SB 5 revision protects death benefits

Mar. 30, 2011, Marion Star

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

Sara Winfield,whose husband was killed in the line of duty in Marion County, told a legislative committee that Senate Bill 5 might keep her and other survivors of slain police officers from getting their full benefits.

The controversial legislation seeks to curtail collective bargaining rights of public employees. On Tuesday, Republican lawmakers added a clause to protect the benefits of surviving spouses and families of officers and firefighters who die in the line of duty. The legislation goes before the full House for a vote today.

However, one Fraternal Order of Police representative said he is not sure if the complex Senate Bill 5 language would interfere with death benefits, even with the change.

School districts learn how deep state cuts might be

Mar. 30, 2011, Marion Star

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

Local school officials figured they would have less state and federal aid in 2012. Tuesday, they learned what the cuts could be.

Last week, Gov. John Kasich touted more state aid for local districts. However, the slight increases in state foundation aid don’t make up for what school districts stand to lose from the expiration of stimulus funds and an accelerated phase-out of the personal property tax reimbursement.

The Office of Budget and Management unveiled projections of how much less schools would get from the reimbursements under Kasich’s proposed budget.

CHEERY PART OF SCHOOL FUNDING PICTURE RELEASED

Mar. 25, 2011, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

Most school districts could expect increases in basic state aid under Gov. John Kasich’s proposed budget, Ohio executives told school districts Thursday.

But school officials knew not to get excited, because these numbers only reveal the cheerier half of an otherwise grim picture. School districts will lose funds in other places, most likely resulting in a net loss, school and union officials say. Districts don’t know how those losses will be divided.

Barbara Shaner, associate executive director of the Ohio Association of School Business Officials, said the group cautioned its members as the numbers came out: The big picture could look a lot different.

These projections make for strange bedfellows: The Ohio Education Association, the largest teachers’ union in the state, echoed the business officials association in calling the figures misleading. Union spokeswoman Michele Prater referred to the calculations as “sleight of hand” that seeks to disguise an overall drop in state funding for schools.

House backs Teach for America plan

Mar. 24, 2011, Zanesville Times Recorder

By JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

Ohio lawmakers are on their way to approving a new source of teachers for troubled Ohio schools, but not without opposition.

The Ohio House approved a bill Tuesday to allow Teach for America participants to be certified in Ohio. If it passes in the Senate, it already has the support of Gov. John Kasich.

Teach for America is a national organization of recent college graduates willing to teach in low income and under-performing schools. The graduates must have a college degree, though not necessarily in education, and undergo a screening process. They also attend an intensive five-week training course and must commit to their school for at least two years.

More than a budget: Kasich aims to shake up Ohio governments

Mar. 20, 2011, Mansfield News Journal

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

With an $8 billion budget hole and a pledge not to raise taxes, Gov. John Kasich had no choice to issue cut after cut in his first budget proposal.

But he also went a few steps further, by suggesting changes that could mean a radical departure from the way Ohio government does business.

“Years of neglect, switching programs into the next fiscal year, smoke and mirrors, refusing to address the basic fundamental structural problems of our budget. That’s what it is, a structural imbalance in our budget because we didn’t take care of the foundation,” Kasich said in his State of the State address. “… We’re trying to give everybody flexibility from state rules and regulations. Let’s have common sense.”

Kasich plans to get rid of what he considers to be costly regulations that come via collective bargaining and prevailing wage agreements.

Then there’s the hammer. Kasich is asking that, by 2013, state aid to local governments be cut in half. To deal with these cuts, he’s asking governments to share services, personnel, and to buy in bulk. He also seeks to remove obstacles to privatization and is promising to get rid of other costly mandates and regulations.