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.