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AEDs require training

From high-profile nationally broadcast incidents to small-town tragedies that fly under the radar, each of us can think of a situation in which a sudden cardiac arrest might have resulted in a very different outcome if an automated external defibrillator had been on the premises. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine has signed House Bill 47, requiring AEDs in every public and chartered nonpublic school in the state, in addition to municipally owned or operated sports or recreation venues. DeWine signed the bill at Worthington Kilbourne High School in Columbus, where he was joined by student ...

Preparing for the future

As Ohio works to reinvent itself as the tech capital of the Midwest, officials understand there are many Ohioans who need nothing but a little education and training to be part of our evolving workforce. To their credit, the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation set out to help with its TechCred program. Since 2019 the program has awarded more than 100,000 credentials. “This milestone is a celebration of the hardworking Ohioans who have dedicated time and effort to learning new skills and earning the tech-focused credentials necessary to support Ohio’s economy well into ...

Ohioans at a disadvantage

Buckeye State residents who feel as though they are struggling to a greater degree than those other parts of the country are not imagining things. A report by Oxfam America says nearly one-quarter of Ohio workers earn under $17 an hour. According to Axios reporting, that is the figure Oxfam America considers to be a living wage. But the nonprofit anti-poverty group dug deeper into Ohio’s data and found we have a higher number of people under that line than the national average; and that about 1.3 million Ohioans may be struggling to keep up with expenses. Axios broke down the Oxfam ...

Spread the word about 988

Good ideas don’t always prove to be effective once put into practice. But the implementation of Ohio’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline two years ago has proven to be worth the effort. According to a report from Gov. Mike DeWine’s office, the lifeline has responded to nearly 340,000 contacts during that time. Hundreds of thousands of people facing emotional distress or thoughts of suicide found support when they picked up their phones. “988 is saving lives,” DeWine said. “The lifeline is providing free, around-the-clock support to Ohioans in crisis by connecting them with ...

No outside help needed

Ohio’s elections officials take pride in safeguarding our elections process. They know their responsibilities and handle the job well. It seems some advocacy groups believe they need a little help, and that’s a problem. According to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal, the Ohio Election Integrity Network has been approaching officials in multiple Ohio counties with lists of hundreds of voters THEY say should be deemed ineligible to vote and removed from the rolls. Voting rights advocates are asking Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose to do something about it by creating ...

Cheers & Jeers

CHEERS to news that Martins Ferry city leaders are taking action to ensure they are ready in the event of an emergency at the Austin Master Services facility, where dangerous waste is being held. JEERS to the fact that Bridgeport residents are concerned about a wide variety of issues, ranging from speeding traffic to trafficking in drugs. CHEERS to the Belmont County Department of Job and Family Services for receiving a Perfect Audit Award. The department has a long history of clean record keeping and thorough monitoring of its spending. JEERS to the need for an investigation into ...