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.