June 15, 2012, Marion Star
By Jessica Alaimo
CentralOhio.com
NEWARK - U.S. Sen. Rob Portman's appearances around Ohio with GOP
presidential candidate Mitt Romney are, in a way, an audition for the
vice presidency.
The Romney campaign will be watching Portman's campaign style, and critiquing his ability to stay on message.
The pair will stop in Newark Sunday for a rally on the Licking County Courthouse Square, among other stops.
Read more in the Marion Star.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Health care law ruling a concern for Fairfield County hospitals
June 10, 2012, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
By Jessica Alaimo
CentralOhio.com
Ohio's community hospitals eagerly are awaiting the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul and its insurance mandate.
If the court affirms the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and mandate, hospitals expect to be paid for more patients, although lower government reimbursement rates will cut into those revenues.
If justices rule against the mandate, hospitals face continued demand for uncompensated care to the uninsured, lower reimbursements and a renewed political fight over how to care for their communities at a time of rapid change, increasing costs and, in some markets, more competition.
By Jessica Alaimo
CentralOhio.com
Ohio's community hospitals eagerly are awaiting the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul and its insurance mandate.
If the court affirms the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and mandate, hospitals expect to be paid for more patients, although lower government reimbursement rates will cut into those revenues.
If justices rule against the mandate, hospitals face continued demand for uncompensated care to the uninsured, lower reimbursements and a renewed political fight over how to care for their communities at a time of rapid change, increasing costs and, in some markets, more competition.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Coming soon: grades for teachers
June 3, 2012, Chillicothe Gazette
By Jessica Alaimo
CentralOhio.com
The education community has known teacher evaluations were coming for quite some time.
Even so, many fear the deadline for establishing an evaluation system is coming up too quickly and amid too many other changes.
All school districts must have teacher evaluation systems in place by the 2013-14 school year.
The teacher evaluations come as other major education reforms also are being implemented. These include new curriculum standards and new assessments, which are expected to be in place by the 2014-15 school year.
Read more in the Chillicothe Gazette.
By Jessica Alaimo
CentralOhio.com
The education community has known teacher evaluations were coming for quite some time.
Even so, many fear the deadline for establishing an evaluation system is coming up too quickly and amid too many other changes.
All school districts must have teacher evaluation systems in place by the 2013-14 school year.
The teacher evaluations come as other major education reforms also are being implemented. These include new curriculum standards and new assessments, which are expected to be in place by the 2014-15 school year.
Read more in the Chillicothe Gazette.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Protecting officers goal of Blue Alert
June 2, 2012, Port Clinton News Herald
By Jessica Alaimo
CentralOhio.com
If a police officer goes missing, or if one has been injured with a suspect at large, Ohio now has a tool to alert the public.
It's called a Blue Alert, and after a test showed no issues with it Friday, it is now live.
Managed by the Ohio Department of Public Safety and the Ohio Amber Alert Steering Committee, it works like this: Once an officer is missing or injured, public safety officials enter the details into the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System.
Read more in the Port Clinton News Herald.
By Jessica Alaimo
CentralOhio.com
If a police officer goes missing, or if one has been injured with a suspect at large, Ohio now has a tool to alert the public.
It's called a Blue Alert, and after a test showed no issues with it Friday, it is now live.
Managed by the Ohio Department of Public Safety and the Ohio Amber Alert Steering Committee, it works like this: Once an officer is missing or injured, public safety officials enter the details into the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System.
Read more in the Port Clinton News Herald.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Concealed carry law variations create confusion
May 29, 2012, Chillicothe Gazette
By Jessica Alaimo
CentralOhio.com
If an Ohio concealed carry permit holder drives to Pennsylvania and gets out of his or her car with a weapon, that's breaking the law. Or vice versa.
If a sportsman preloads his rifle magazines and then drives to the shooting range with the matching weapon, he's also breaking the law.
These are all issues state Rep. Terry Johnson, R-McDermott, is trying to address in House Bill 495, which is in front of the Ohio House State Government and Elections Committee.
Read more in the Chillicothe Gazette.
By Jessica Alaimo
CentralOhio.com
If an Ohio concealed carry permit holder drives to Pennsylvania and gets out of his or her car with a weapon, that's breaking the law. Or vice versa.
If a sportsman preloads his rifle magazines and then drives to the shooting range with the matching weapon, he's also breaking the law.
These are all issues state Rep. Terry Johnson, R-McDermott, is trying to address in House Bill 495, which is in front of the Ohio House State Government and Elections Committee.
Read more in the Chillicothe Gazette.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Deer forcing park leaders to protect trees
May 27, 2012, Lancaster Eagle Gazette
By Jessica Alaimo
CentralOhio.com
With 4,500 unique types of trees, Dawes Arboretum is like a Vegas-style all-you-can-eat buffet for the state's increased deer population.
Director of horticulture Mike Ecker has tried a number of tactics to keep them away. But here's the thing about the four-legged herbivores: They're smart little buggers. Ecker, who has been at the Newark arboretum since 1983, has tried a number of tactics. He tried putting garlic cloves around the plants. That didn't work. He tried baiting an electric fence with peanut butter. After some trial and error, the deer ignored the peanut butter and hopped the fence.
He hung deodorant soap on the plants, hoping the strange scent would throw them off. A couple years later, not only did the deer come back to the plants, but they realized the soap itself didn't taste that bad.
Two things have worked, Ecker said: Placing physical barriers around the trees, and allowing a limited number of people around the grounds each year for a bow hunt.
As a whole, Ohio's recreational areas are dealing with an increased deer population. The population peaked in the late 2000s. While it has since decreased in many counties, it is still much higher than the goal population, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Read more in the Lancaster Eagle Gazette.
By Jessica Alaimo
CentralOhio.com
With 4,500 unique types of trees, Dawes Arboretum is like a Vegas-style all-you-can-eat buffet for the state's increased deer population.
Director of horticulture Mike Ecker has tried a number of tactics to keep them away. But here's the thing about the four-legged herbivores: They're smart little buggers. Ecker, who has been at the Newark arboretum since 1983, has tried a number of tactics. He tried putting garlic cloves around the plants. That didn't work. He tried baiting an electric fence with peanut butter. After some trial and error, the deer ignored the peanut butter and hopped the fence.
He hung deodorant soap on the plants, hoping the strange scent would throw them off. A couple years later, not only did the deer come back to the plants, but they realized the soap itself didn't taste that bad.
Two things have worked, Ecker said: Placing physical barriers around the trees, and allowing a limited number of people around the grounds each year for a bow hunt.
As a whole, Ohio's recreational areas are dealing with an increased deer population. The population peaked in the late 2000s. While it has since decreased in many counties, it is still much higher than the goal population, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Read more in the Lancaster Eagle Gazette.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Sponsor still pushing for drug tests tied to benefits
May 17, 2012, Bucyrus Telegraph Forum
By Jessica Alaimo
CentralOhio.com
COLUMBUS -- Two courts in other states have struck down similar measures and, here in Ohio, Gov. John Kasich has reservations.
Yet state Sen. Tim Schaffer, R-Lancaster, still is plugging away at a proposal to require drug tests for some welfare recipients.
Schaffer introduced the measure more than a year ago. It was thrust back into the spotlight this week after lawmakers put it in the midterm budget bill, but then pulled it after Kasich had concerns and indicated he would rather work them out through separate legislation.
Schaffer will pursue the proposal as a separate piece of legislation, but what he is asking for now is significantly watered down from his original intent.
Read more in the Bucyrus Telegraph Forum.
By Jessica Alaimo
CentralOhio.com
COLUMBUS -- Two courts in other states have struck down similar measures and, here in Ohio, Gov. John Kasich has reservations.
Yet state Sen. Tim Schaffer, R-Lancaster, still is plugging away at a proposal to require drug tests for some welfare recipients.
Schaffer introduced the measure more than a year ago. It was thrust back into the spotlight this week after lawmakers put it in the midterm budget bill, but then pulled it after Kasich had concerns and indicated he would rather work them out through separate legislation.
Schaffer will pursue the proposal as a separate piece of legislation, but what he is asking for now is significantly watered down from his original intent.
Read more in the Bucyrus Telegraph Forum.
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