Common Core Standards aim to transform education in state of Ohio

The U.S. economy could grow at a "remarkable increment" if its students were just a little better at math, a group of Harvard researchers recently concluded.

That's one reason Ohio teachers already are learning a new set of curriculum standards that will be in place by 2014 -- the Common Core State Standards.

These standards call for educators to tackle fewer subjects in class, but with more depth. They encourage long-form answers on tests, and teachers using material beyond the textbook. Students will be asked to stop memorizing and start explaining.

Read more in the Zanesville Times Recorder.

Common Core setting a new education standard for Ohio

Place three rectangles of varying shapes and sizes in front of a group of third-graders.

In today's classes, a teacher might ask what the length of one side is, or what the area is. In a year or two, however, the broader question might just be: "What size are these?"

Educators are being asked to teach differently, thanks to the new Common Core State Standards. This means the classroom could operate much differently come 2014 -- although some districts are implementing them sooner.

Read more in the Zanesville Times Recorder.

Ohio GOP divides between Romney, Santorum

Mar. 7, 2012, Zanesville Times-Recorder

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

A collective opposition to President Barack Obama trumped excitement about any individual hopeful as the reason Republican voters cast primary votes for president Tuesday.

Voters interviewed by Central Ohio.com were divided fairly evenly between GOP presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, with a few Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul supporters thrown in the mix.

However, news reports from across the state suggested voter turnout was low.

For many Ohioans who did vote, they did so strategically.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ohio politicians review security after shooting

Jan. 11, 2011, Zanesville Times Recorder

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

Several Ohio members of Congress said they will review security procedures after the weekend mass shooting that targeted an Arizona congresswoman. None indicated it would lessen their public appearances.

In Tuscon, Ariz., a gunman fired on a crowd attending an event Saturday for U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. Six died, including a federal judge, and 14 were injured, including Giffords.

GOP looks to public workers for savings

Dec. 26, 2010, Zanesville Times Recorder

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

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

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

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

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

Dec. 12, 2010, Zanesville Times Recorder

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

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

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

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

Bill seeks to revamp Ohio child support payment guidelines

Nov. 28, 2010, Zanesville Times Recorder

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

It costs more to raise a child now than it did two decades ago, and some state officials say child support payments need to increase.

If passed, a bill in the Ohio General Assembly would increase current child support payments in many cases. It also would establish a base income before noncustodial parents have to start paying support and add provisions for shared custody arrangements, possibly lowering payments for some parents.

The legislation, sponsored by state Sen. Shirley Smith, D-Cleveland, is based on guidelines drafted by an advisory council, led by Jobs and Family Services officials.

GOP pulls out all stops to regain 18th district

Oct. 17, 2010, Zanesville Times Recorder

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

The Republicans want the 18^th Congressional District seat they lost in 2006 back, and they are spending big money to recoup it.

However, Democratic incumbent Zack Space of Dover is putting up a fight, thanks to a multimillion-dollar war chest.

According to The Washington Post, Space is one of the Democrats who votes with his party the least often — which is still 93 percent of the time when every roll call vote is considered.

He received the National Rifle Association endorsement, one of four Ohio Democratic congressional candidates to do so. He voted against the final version of the controversial health-care bill, breaking with his party. He voted against President Barack Obama’s latest budget. Lately he has been vocal in his opposition to free-trade deals, a position that resonates with many displaced factory workers in his district.

As Space tries to distance himself from his party, opponent and state Sen. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville, wants to fit into the Republican Party’s rebranding.

Solar project to begin in 2011

Oct. 6, 2010, Zanesville Times Recorder

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

A Southeastern Ohio region bruised and battered by the recession received some good news Tuesday, delivered by two politicians who are fighting for their political lives.

About 300 construction and engineering jobs will come to Muskingum and Noble counties in 2011 to build Turning Point Solar, a 50-kilowatt solar farm, the biggest in the country. About 400 jobs will be created in two to-be-determined Ohio locations to build the 250,000 panels and trackers needed for the solar farms.

Space announces solar project

Oct. 5, 2010, Zanesville Times Recorder

By JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

NEWARK – Plans are in the works to build the largest solar energy field in southeastern Ohio, U.S. Rep. Zack Space said.

Gov. Ted Strickland and Space, D-Dover, will announce the full details of the project during a news conference at 2 p.m. today in Columbus.

During a meeting with CentralOhio.com editors and reporters Monday, Space said this will be a $250 million project in partnership with a private venture capital firm. Two manufacturers will make solar panels and tracking devices to be shipped across the U.S. and Canada.

Space launches attack, accused of being deceptive

June 17, 2010, Zanesville Times Recorder

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

The 18^th Congressional District race has become ugly, and a non-partisan group saying a nevative ad launched last week by incumbent Zack Space is unfair.

Space, D-Dover, began airing the ad against opponent and state Sen. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville, last week. He accuses Gibbs of “voting himself a pay raise” and lying about his record as a tax cutter.

But the non-partisan Web site FactCheck.org issued a critical report on the ad, accusing Space of lying on one point and being deceptive on two others.

Gibbs' campaign filed an official complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission. Today the commission will decide if the case will proceed. However, even if Space is found to be in violation of Ohio's election law, it's highly unlikely there will be serious consequences.

Ballot counting drags on in 18th District

May 18, 2010, Zanesville Times Recorder

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

Straggling ballots in the 18th Congressional District have stopped coming in, but they will take another week to be counted.

Barring any surprises, they likely will then be recounted.

This means U.S. Rep. Zack Space and two minor party candidates will have to wait until at least the end of the month to find out who their Republican opponent will be this fall.

18th District recount could take 2 weeks

May 6, 2010, Zanesville Times Recorder

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

Ohio political observers still are digesting the complex preliminary results of the 18th Congressional District Republican primary, and it could be two weeks before a winner is determined.

The eight-candidate race ended in a near-tie Tuesday, with state Sen. Bob Gibbs, of Lakeville, leading 2008 nominee Fred Dailey, of Mount Vernon, by 164 votes. Jeanette Moll, of Zanesville, trailed Dailey by 867 votes.

Gibbs and Dailey anticipate a recount. The soonest this can happen is 16 days after the election, according to standards set by the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office. The eventual winner will face Rep. Zack Space, D-Dover, in November.