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Ohio's Political Pulse

Money flowing to replace Regula
(Akron Beacon Journal © 07/18/2008)
Indexed 2008-07-18 02:54:36 (Article ID 199865729)

State Sen. John Boccieri, the Democratic candidate for the 16th Congressional District, has raised more than $1 million, with more than half coming from political action committees. State Sen. Kirk Schuring, his Republican opponent, has brought in slightly less — about $820,000 — with much of it from big-name, local business executives, including those with Timken and J.M. Smucker

Salary bump-up shows distorted priorities
(Athens Messenger © 07/18/2008)
Indexed 2008-07-18 02:18:38 (Article ID 199847799)

Thinking Ohio University President Roderick McDavis might feel undervalued if they did not bring his salary "in line" with those of other Ohio college presidents, the board of trustees bumped up his pay by $85,000 per year. Outrageous. And ironic that money is suddenly available to be lavished upon an administrator when there wasn't enough to prevent dozens of local residents from being laid off

Governor Meets With Wilmington Economic Task Force
(Cincinnati Post © 07/18/2008)
Indexed 2008-07-18 02:18:38 (Article ID 199861767)

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland met with Wilmington's economic task force Thursday about DHL's proposal to hand over its U.S. air cargo operations to UPS. They are working to keep more than 6,000 jobs in the area continues our look at the tristate at this hour. The CEO of Air Transport Services Group, Joe Hete, says he appreciates that the governor and other elected officials in Ohio have

Medicare legislation prompts mixed feelings among Central Ohio health-care providers
(Columbus Business First © 07/18/2008) (Registration Required)
Indexed 2008-07-18 07:52:43 (Article ID 199865587)

Physicians and medical equipment sellers escaped huge cuts, for now, when Congress overrode President Bush's veto of a Medicare bill, but one Columbus hospital system now must assess the law's impact on its own business. The measure passed Tuesday prevents a 10.6 percent cut to physician payments that would have gone into effect on July 1. It also delays implementation of a competitive bid

Autism-funding order won't budge
(Columbus Dispatch © 07/18/2008)
Indexed 2008-07-18 07:52:43 (Article ID 199923343)

A federal judge's preliminary injunction preventing the state from changing funding for a Medicaid program for autistic children will remain in place while the case is appealed. U.S. District Court Judge James L. Graham yesterday rejected the state's request to drop the injunction that he granted two weeks ago. He concluded that changes the state proposed "may have the effect of denying many

Businesses to fight sick-day proposal
(Columbus Dispatch © 07/18/2008)
Indexed 2008-07-18 07:52:43 (Article ID 199923346)

Calling a proposal to make paid sick days mandatory a "job killer," a group of businesses and trade associations have joined to fight the issue that might be headed for Ohio's Nov. 4 ballot. Ohioans to Protect Jobs and Fair Benefits said yesterday that it will conduct a statewide grass-roots campaign against the proposal. If passed as a statewide initiative, the law would require employers with

State audit cites errors in health insurance plan
(East Liverpool Review © 07/18/2008)
Indexed 2008-07-18 02:54:36 (Article ID 199868776)

Accounting errors related to the billing of medical claims for the now disbanded Columbiana County Schools Health Care Benefits Consortium resulted in already settled findings for recovery in an audit released Thursday. The audit report issued by Auditor of State Mary Taylor showed that the Salem City school district reimbursed the Columbiana County Educational Service Center for $14,925 on April

Air park workers meet with Strickland
(Hillsboro Times Gazette © 07/18/2008)
Indexed 2008-07-18 07:06:09 (Article ID 199904746)

Petitions with more than 9,000 signatures handed over to governor, attorney general, DHL officials From staff, wire reports Wilmington Air Park workers and their families met in Columbus Monday with Gov. Ted Strickland to request his continued help to prevent DHL from leaving Wilmington. DHL wants United Parcel Service to replace ABX Air and ASTAR Air Cargo in transporting DHL packages. That

Don't miss economic stimulus
(Hillsboro Times Gazette © 07/18/2008)
Indexed 2008-07-18 07:06:09 (Article ID 199904764)

By Rep. JOHN BOEHNER Ohio's Eighth Congressional District At the beginning of this year, Congress worked together in a bipartisan way to create a legislative package that would help to spur our economy by letting Americans keep more of the money they earn instead of letting Washington spend it. Economic stimulus checks, for those who met certain criteria, were part of the package, and

Ohio Democrats seek military vote
(Hillsboro Times Gazette © 07/18/2008)
Indexed 2008-07-18 07:06:09 (Article ID 199904754)

COLUMBUS (AP) - It's election season, and supporting military veterans is a popular cause - one that both Democrats and Republicans would like to call their own. Traditionally, the Republican Party has enjoyed a widespread perception as the party of national security and the military. But with the unpopularity of the Iraq war and the public souring on Republican rule in Washington, Gov. Ted

Ohio revamping higher education funding plan
(The Pataskala Standard © 07/18/2008)
Indexed 2008-07-18 02:18:38 (Article ID 199854727)

COLUMBUS (AP) -- Ohio is embarking on an aggressive 10-year plan to increase state spending on higher education, cut tuition costs and increase enrollment at public colleges, something that has national experts skeptical and excited. "No state has put it all together, so it will be interesting to see what Ohio can do," said Joni Finney, vice president of the National Center for Public

COLUMBUS - Two women whose claims of sexual harassment triggered a scandal at the Ohio attorney general's office have been accused of harassing co-workers. Complaints filed against Vanessa Stout and Cindy Stankoski say they fostered a hostile work environment by intimidating co-workers with dirty looks and inappropriate comments. A spokesman for the attorney general's office said the employment

Mayor's courts in Ohio showing backlog of cases
(Toledo Blade © 07/18/2008)
Indexed 2008-07-18 06:24:53 (Article ID 199897607)

COLUMBUS - Ohio's mayor's courts are falling behind in their caseloads, potentially adding to the arsenal of critics seeking their dissolution. An annual report released yesterday by the Ohio Supreme Court showed that the small-crime courts over which mayors or their substitute magistrates preside had 4,514 unresolved cases that were more than six months old as of the end of 2007. That number

More complaints filed in AG’s office
(Warren Tribune Chronicle © 07/18/2008)
Indexed 2008-07-18 02:18:38 (Article ID 199857199)

The two women whose complaints sparked a sexual harassment investigation that eventually led to former Attorney General Marc Dann's downfall now find themselves accused of creating a hostile work environment. Cindy Stankoski and Vanessa Stout had complaints filed against them by two female co-workers, accusing them of poor behavior, including giving dirty looks to co-workers and making rude

Union: Sale of hospital a mistake
(Warren Tribune Chronicle © 07/18/2008)
Indexed 2008-07-18 02:18:38 (Article ID 199857196)

It would be a mistake for Forum Health to test their resolve by selling Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital, union leaders said Thursday night. They were backed by members of a community group that would like to dissolve the 1997 merger of Trumbull Memorial Hospital and Northside Medical Center that formed Forum Health. They say money from the two Trumbull county hospitals is supporting continued l

Agencies asked to assess antitrust action
(Willmington News Journal © 07/18/2008)
Indexed 2008-07-18 07:06:09 (Article ID 199908264)

All Ohio members of Congress have signed off on letters to the U.S. Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission, asking the agencies to consider an antitrust initiative against the planned transaction between DHL and the United Parcel Service (UPS). “It highlights at least two areas of the law that they [Ohio legislators] believe are relevant to an antitrust action,” said Ohio Gov. Ted