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Protecting businesses

Ohio businesses have enough challenges on their hands without having to deal with pervasive scams and fraud attempts. But Buckeye State lawmakers are working to help protect them, with efforts such as Senate Bill 98, passed last week. The measure is meant to “address fraudulent business filings, deceptive mailings, reinstatement of canceled business entities, and addresses of statutory agents.” (This being the Ohio Legislature, SB 98 will also “make changes regarding property taxation, fire investigator firearms, acting or assigned judge reimbursements, common pleas clerk of ...

ARC must serve Appalachia

Each year, the Appalachian Regional Commission releases its report “The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2018-2022 American Community Survey.” This year’s is the 14th such update, and was a perfectly crafted blend of data to show improvement and progress toward fulfillment of the ARC’s mission, and the challenges that justify allowing the ARC to continue. This nearly 60-year-old federal agency meant to “strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation,” reports increased family income and decreased poverty ...

Cheers & Jeers

CHEERS to St. Clairsville Parks & Recreation for planning Community Day activities for residents of all ages to enjoy. Events get underway at 4 p.m. Saturday at the amphitheater, following a 9 a.m. 5K. JEERS to the lack of communication from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to the city of Martins Ferry regarding the Austin Master Services facility. CHEERS to the Girls of Grace youth group for conducting a shoe drive that will also serve as a fundraiser for the organization. People can contribute by dropping donations at Brace Presbyterian Church in Martins Ferry. JEERS to the ...

Keeping school children safe

It appears Ohio still doesn’t do a very good job of assessing and monitoring the non-public schooling options available to families. Lessons that should have been learned over and over — remember the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow? — just aren’t sinking in. Most recently, we learn three of the ACCEL schools that opened in Ohio have had to be shut down because of lead paint and asbestos concerns. According to a report by WKBN, it was the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that finally took action. ACCEL says the issues were “never brought to their attention or reported to ...

When is it our turn?

Politicians are excellent at using language to improve voters’ opinion of them. It’s an art. It’s why we see new numbers pop up, such as when the offices of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted announce not only that a new set of projects will create 707 new jobs, but that it will RETAIN 1,614 jobs. Further, the nine projects reviewed by the Ohio Tax Credit Authority after being presented by JobsOhio are EXPECTED to result in more than $44 million in new payroll and “spur more than $217 million in investment across Ohio.” Those nine projects may well be boons ...

Helping Ohio families

Though it’s a lot to wade through, Ohio lawmakers appear to have their hearts in the right place with the number of child care-related bills being churned through Columbus. A report by the Ohio Capital Journal detailed a few. There’s House Bill 576, supplementing federal tax credits “associated with acquiring, constructing, rehabilitating or expanding property used as the employer taxpayer’s qualified child care facility,” operating expenses for child care workers and “qualified resource and referral expenditures,” which can include contracts with child care ...