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Lawmakers right to step back from family caregiver ban

A group of lawmakers appears to have listened to advocacy groups and ordinary Ohioans, as they have stepped away from sections of state House Bill 795 that would have banned family members from serving as paid caregivers in the state. The anti-fraud effort is understandable, but as is often the case in Columbus, lawmakers took it a step too far. “How dare you come in my house and tell me who can care for my child! I’m not standing here telling you thank you,” Marlana Kendrick said last week, according to Statehouse News Bureau. “I drove two and a half hours from Cleveland with ...

Much still to figure out on data center question

Among the concerns about the proliferation of data centers in Ohio, water consumption is fairly low on the worry list, according to a new study by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. The organization took a look Ohio’s water resources compared with the rapid growth of data centers across the state and found “Ohio appears broadly capable of supporting near-term data center growth from a water resource perspective in both of the analyzed regions (Columbus and Cincinnati-Dayton), in addition to ongoing water supply for other businesses and residents. “Data centers and AI infrastructure ...

Capital project investments a big deal for communities

State Sen. Brian Chavez, R-Marietta, gave us a little window this week into the work our elected officials do in Columbus that doesn’t always make the state-wide headlines, but means a great deal here at home. Sure, those folks tackle big issues such as education, housing, healthcare, law enforcement … taxes … and the decisions they have a significant impact on all our lives. But they also — particularly when it comes time to work on the budget — make decisions that will improve quality of life in our communities. Speaking about his own 30th Senate District, Chavez announced ...

Blood donors needed as much as ever

There’s a lot to be cheerful about as the end of the school year, warmer weather and the arrival of the travel/vacation season have most people in more chipper moods. But for some, summertime coincides with the “100 deadliest days,” the period from approximately Memorial Day to Labor Day during which there is a dramatic increase in serious incidents such as car accidents, ATV crashes, sports-related injuries and other summertime activities. Sharon Kesselring, executive director of the American Red Cross of the Ohio Valley called it “trauma season.” Meanwhile, Kesselring said ...

Lawmakers must remain focused on healthcare

Increases in healthcare costs are stressing individuals and families more in West Virginia than in nearly every other state. The Mountain State has the fifth highest cost of health care as a share of median monthly household income in the country, at 9.14%. Only Mississippi, Maine, Oregon and Alaska are worse, in WalletHub’s report “States Where People Spend the Most and Least on Healthcare.” West Virginia’s extremely low median household income certainly plays into the ranking, but the rise in healthcare costs has outpaced inflation everywhere in the U.S. Twenty years ago, ...

Shine light on JobsOhio

King Bureaucracy and its robe of red tape aren’t exactly the model for how to get things done effectively and efficiently. But state government agencies are bound to operate transparently enough that Ohioans can SEE what they would like to improve. JobsOhio brags on its own website that it operates in the shadows, using public money. “We’re private, which means less red tape,” the agency tells prospective development partners. “We ensure your confidentiality and safeguard you from unexpected setbacks.” Given such a message, combined with JobsOhio’s mixed-at-best success ...