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.