Though the signs are up all across Ohio, elected officials still feel compelled to remind us that the Buckeye State is “the heart of it all.” Lt. Gov. Jon Husted took another such opportunity earlier this week when he visited the Rotary Club of Toledo to talk about the jobs landscape. According to a report by WTOL, Husted said of the slogan: “We brought it back because we are a state that’s growing. We have more jobs than people to fill them right now.”

In fact, WTOL says Husted told the group there are 16,000 open positions in northwest Ohio alone, in a variety of industries. He said the challenge now is finding workers with the skills to fill those open jobs. At the same time, Husted talked about attracting and retaining young people. But his cheerleading begs a few questions. Is there enough housing for those we hope will fill these jobs? Are we providing the right education? And while central and northwest Ohio remain a focus, what are residents of Eastern/Appalachian Ohio to think? Husted’s contention that Ohio high school students should graduate “career ready” is a wonderful idea. Half of the state’s parents and students might well think “what careers does he have in mind?”

For goodness sake, what will it take for those in Columbus to look south and east? Is the problem that local and county officials are not doing a good enough job showcasing the potential in those parts of the state?

Whatever the barrier, public officials at all levels had better get past it. As it is, the assertion that Ohio is the heart of it all seems, well, rather half-hearted.