Darke County Ohio News

Politico... As debt ceiling deadline looms, default or compromise? By Carrie Budoff Brown & Manu Raju
7/29/11 - Washington awoke Friday morning to a possibility that has been widely shrugged off for weeks, but suddenly seems chillingly real: Could the government actually default? The delay and disintegration of a House vote on the debt limit late Thursday is the latest sign that Congress is mired in legislative gridlock just four days before the Aug. 2 deadline for lifting the country’s borrowing authority. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) vowed to return to his bill Friday... read more.

Politico... Debt deal compromise suggested by Democrats, By Carrie Budoff Brown
7/28/11 - Democrats are aiming for a debt-limit compromise similar to the House Republican plan, with at least one major difference: The second vote on raising the debt ceiling would not depend on Congress passing a broader deficit-reduction package. The shape of this potential compromise meshes major elements of the proposals offered in recent weeks by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry... read more.

Msnbc... US economy slowed to snail’s pace in second quarter
GDP comes in at 1.3 percent pace, much slower than expected - The U.S. economy slowed to a crawl in the second quarter as consumer spending stalled amid higher gasoline prices. The Commerce Department’s first estimate of second quarter growth, released Friday, came in at a 1.3 percent rate, much lower than the consensus estimate of around 1.8 percent. What’s more, first-quarter output was sharply revised down to a 0.4 percent pace from 1.9 percent... read more.

The Economist: Media’s ageing audiences... Peggy Sue got old
7/25/11 - Viewers, listeners and readers are ageing fast. Oddly, media companies don’t regard that as a catastrophe… A FEW years ago Universal Music Group spied a gap in the market. How about a CD for people who grew up in the 1950s and wanted to revisit the pop music of their youth? The label pulled together songs by British and American artists, some well-known (Buddy... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Ohio in top 10 worst for job losses
Monday, July 25, 2011 - Following Friday’s unsettling news that Ohio’s unemployment rate is climbing again, a new analysis of federal payroll data puts the state in dubious company for its job-loss track record over the past five years. A report by the Business Journals, the online arm of Dayton Business Journal parent American City Business Journals , found Ohio’s nonfarm payroll dropped 6 percent to 5.1 million between June 2006 and last month, marking the ninth-worth... read more.

Politico... Mitch McConnell: Forget perfect, make deal, By David Rogers
7/26/11 - Markets slid Tuesday after a White House veto threat and embarrassed House Republicans had to pull back their debt ceiling bill after new cost estimates showed the measure fell well short of its promised savings. Speaker John Boehner hopes to rebound still with a floor vote Thursday, but his strong ally, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, warned that it is time for leaders of both parties to “get back together” and be prepared to accept a solution to the debt... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Report: Technology withdrawal leads many to despair, by DBJ Staff
Tuesday, July 26, 2011 - As the Internet and other digital technology becomes even more entrenched in the lives of people, it also can lead to despair when it’s not available. A new study into the impact of online and digital technology on people’s lives in the UK found more than half of people feel upset at the prospect of being without the Internet even for a short time. The study of 1,000 individuals was done... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Foreclosures lead to long-term vacancies, by Ginger Christ
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 - The rise in foreclosures could lead to a long-term increase in vacancies, according to Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland researcher Stephan Whitaker. Even though foreclosures can be attractive buys given their low prices, many remain unoccupied for months, even years, after being purchased. According to Whitaker’s research, foreclosures maintain about a 15... read more.

Debt ceiling debate draws pols’ eyes to markets, By Manu Raju
7/26/11 - A growing number of lawmakers fear only one thing can bring the fight over raising the national debt limit to an end: market turmoil. Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are nervously watching financial markets and ratings agencies for fresh signals that they must overcome a bitter impasse that has left both parties digging in and has put the health of the economy on the line. It’s another sign of how far Washington has moved from hopes of reaching a sweeping compromise aimed... read more.

Politico... Credit hit worries Obama, Congress more than default, By Carrie Budoff Brown & Ben White
7/27/11 - It’s not the default that strikes the most fear in the White House and Congress these days. It’s the downgrade. Even Republican leaders say the country can’t go into default, and they’ll do everything possible to raise the debt limit by Aug. 2. But what really haunts the administration is the very real prospect, stoked two weeks ago by Standard & Poor’s, that Barack Obama could go down in history as the president who presided over his country’s loss of its gold... read more.

The Economist... A special report on the news industry: Bulletins from the future
7/7/2011 - The internet has turned the news industry upside down, making it more participatory, social, diverse and partisan—as it used to be before the arrival of the mass media, says Tom Standage - EVEN IF YOU are not a news junkie, you will have noticed that your daily news has undergone a transformation. Television newscasts now include amateur videos, taken from video-sharing websites such as YouTube, covering events like the Arab spring or the Japanese tsunami... read more.

Husted certifies Health Care Freedom Amendment signatures
Petitioners have met Constitutional requirements to place issue on November ballot - 7/28/11 - COLUMBUS – Secretary of State Jon Husted today certified 426,998 signatures for a Constitutional Amendment related to the federal healthcare reform legislation, meeting the necessary requirements to place the amendment on the 2011 November ballot. Petitioners needed 385,245 signatures or 10 percent of the... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Business travel on rise as economy rebounds, by Laura Englehart
Sunday, July 24, 2011 - Business travel, once a perk or headache of many an executive, slowed in recent years by a flattened economy and better teleconferencing equipment. But times are changing and the business community is again packing overnight bags and booking flights and hotels. With economic winds gathering speed, business travel has increased 6.3 percent this year. In the first half of 2011, an estimated $62.2 billion was spent on business travel nationwide. By... read more.

Politico... Peter Welch rises as liberal voice of reason, By Marin Cogan & Jake Sherman
7/24/11 - Democratic Rep. Peter Welch doesn’t scream on the House floor to get attention. He doesn’t gesticulate wildly on the split screen. And he seems to naturally get along with the conservative lawmakers who should be his sworn enemies in the debt-limit debate. In a medium that favors heat and light, the nebbishy, soft-spoken liberal from Vermont has quickly become an unlikely spokesman for the left on the debt limit. He is just as comfortable making the progressive case... read more.

Darke County Sheriff’s Office... 22-Month-Old Nearly Drowns
7/27/11 - Child listed in critical condition at Children’s Hospital - On July 26th, 2011 at approximately 2:20 PM, Darke County Sheriff’s Deputies along with the Pitsburg Fire Department, Arcanum Rescue and Careflight were dispatched to 4189 Swinger Road in reference to a possible drowning. Preliminary investigation revealed a 22 month old child was playing near a private pond while other children were... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Teamsters hit Bud distributor with EPA complaint, by Joe Cogliano
Saturday, July 23, 2011 - Teamsters Local Union 957 is turning up the heat on Dayton-based Heidelberg Distributing Co. Just a few weeks after launching a public campaign against one of the region’s largest beer wholesalers, the union announced it filed a complaint Friday with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency alleging that Heidelberg dumped contaminated water into a storm water... read more.

FoxNews.com... Dems, Republicans Craft Separate Debt Plans as Bipartisan Talks Hit ‘Deadlock’
Published July 24, 2011 - Unable to find common ground, Republicans and Democrats worked Sunday to prepare separate fallback plans for raising the debt ceiling as they tried to provide some assurance to the global financial markets that the country will not default on its obligations. But Asian stocks fell Monday after the U.S. leaders failed to reach a deal. Japan’s Nikkei 225 was off .6 percent at 10,068.6 points, while China’s Shanghai Composite Index declined by a... read more.

Politico... All eyes now on John Boehner and Harry Reid, By David Rogers
7/24/11 - With markets waking, Washington’s debt standoff worsened significantly Sunday amid recriminations and distrust just eight days before the real threat on an unprecedented default. Having broken off talks last Friday with the White House, Speaker John Boehner is still trying to achieve much of the same $3 trillion package in a two-stage process tied to raising the debt ceiling in increments of $900 billion first and then about $1.6 trillion next year... read more.

Associated Press from Foxnews.com... Norwegian Suspect Wanted European Anti-Muslim Crusade
Published July 24, 2011 - OSLO, Norway – The man blamed for killing at least 93 people during terrorist attacks on Norway’s government headquarters and an island retreat for young people wanted to trigger an anti-Muslim revolution in Norwegian society, his lawyer said Sunday. An Oslo district court judge decided Monday to hold the arraignment for the suspect in the twin attacks in Norway behind closed doors. Judge Kim Heger made the decision on a request from... read more.

Congressman Boehner on GOP Spending Cut Plan… “It’s Reasonable, It’s Responsible, It Can Pass”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a press conference with Republican leaders today, Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) urged President Obama to support Republicans’ common-sense, two-step plan to cut spending and prevent a national default. Following are text and video of Congressman Boehner’s remarks: “I think I made it pretty clear last night: the President is looking for a blank... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Ohio jobless rate climbs, first bump in 20 months, by DBJ Staff
Friday, July 22, 2011 - Ohio’s unemployment rate increased in June for the first time in nearly two years to hit 8.8 percent, the state Department of Job and Family Services reported Friday. The state’s unemployment rate grew from 8.6 percent in May. The jobless rate has fallen or held steady since September 2009, when unemployment stood at 10.6 percent. The increase in the jobless rate... read more.

Unemployment Climbs, Markets get Nervous, and the Debate Goes On
County News Online has been following the Debt Ceiling debate as the deadline continues to grow closer. Amidst references to no Social Security checks, Medicare defaults and no pay for the military from the President’s Office and a required budget cut equal to or greater than the debt increase from the Speaker’s Office, the far right has said “let it happen” and the... read more.

President Barack Obama… Both Parties Have a Responsibility to Solve this Problem
Good evening. Tonight, I want to talk about the debate we’ve been having in Washington over the national debt -- a debate that directly affects the lives of all Americans. For the last decade, we’ve spent more money than we take in. In the year 2000, the government had a budget surplus. But instead of using it to pay off our debt, the money was spent on trillions of dollars in new tax cuts, while two wars and an expensive prescription drug program were simply added to our... read more.

Remarks by House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)
July 25, 2011 - “Good evening. I’m John Boehner. I serve as Speaker of the whole House -- of the members of both parties that you elect. These are difficult times in the life of our nation. Millions are looking for work, have been for some time, and the spending binge going on in Washington is a big part of the reason why. “Before I served in Congress, I ran a small business in Ohio. I was amazed at how different Washington DC operated than every business in America... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Borders starts liquidation sales, by Barton Eckert, DBJ Contributor
Friday, July 22, 2011 - A federal bankruptcy judge has approved Borders Group ‘s plan to liquidate and the company commenced going-out-of-business sales at some of its remaining 399 locations on Friday. The 40-year-old bookstore chain also reported Friday Books-A-Million wanting to buy 30 to 35 of the Borders (Nasdaq: BGPIQ) stores. The deal would save about 1,500 jobs, according to a Borders lawyer. Borders now has 10,700 employees. Borders now has 10,700 employees... read more.

Politico... Debt deal bill requested by House GOP, By Jake Sherman & John Bresnahan
7/22/11 - Private talks between Speaker John Boehner and President Barack Obama have left GOP lawmakers on edge — frustrated about an information gap, ill prepared for quick review of any potential mega-deal and, perhaps most worrisome for Boehner, wary of anything their party leaders tell them. Rapidly shifting developments on deficit talks Thursday left House Republicans surprised when they learned that Boehner and Obama had returned to discussions... read more.

Politico... Debt talks have senators angry about being left out, By Manu Raju
7/21/11 - The White House faced a near rebellion from senators who were blindsided by word of a possible deal between President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, with Democrats worried the president would cave on taxes while Republicans complained about being left in the dark on a potentially historic deficit plan. Furious Democrats directed their ire squarely at Obama’s budget director, Jack Lew, at a closed-door lunch meeting, while Republicans peppered... read more.

Columbus Dispatch... Turnover shakes up Assembly, By Jim Siegel
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - Many senators get seats without Ohioans voting - You could forgive Ohio Senate President Tom Niehaus if he needs to bring a roster with him to his Republican caucus meetings. In less than seven months, the president has been forced to appoint six new GOP members, including two last week, as sitting senators accept other opportunities in the public and private sectors. In a little more than six months, Ohio already has set a record for Senate... read more.

Politico... Democrats downplay prospect of short-term deal, By Jennifer Haberkorn & Matt Dobias
7/20/11 - Top congressional Democrats pushed back on the idea that President Barack Obama would support a short-term debt deal after meeting with him at the White House on Wednesday afternoon. The president “made it clear that he has not changed his position,” Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told reporters after the Democratic leaders returned to Capitol Hill. “He believes that a short-term debt ceiling extension is not in the best interest of our economy... read more.

Treasurer’s Office Tightens Belt through Top-Bottom Review
By Josh Mandel, State Treasurer of Ohio - As State Treasurer, I talk to Ohioans every day about the issues facing local families, farms and businesses. People across the Buckeye state are tightening their belts, and they expect government to do the same. I take my duty as fiscal watchdog over the hard-earned tax dollars of 11.5 million Ohioans very seriously, and have been working to lead by example... read more.

The News and the Voters… America reacts to the stalemate in Washington
The News… Newsmax: WASHINGTON — A grim-faced President Barack Obama convened fresh talks Saturday with congressional leaders aimed at averting a national financial default in just 10 days, shortly after the latest comments from both sides suggested no breakthrough was in sight. Obama: "We can come together for the good of the country and reach a... read more.

Politico... The art of the policy rider vendetta, By Darren Goode
7/18/11 - Congress doesn’t want Ken Salazar to have a personal chef or Eric Holder to buy first-class airline tickets. Those two Cabinet members have it easy — an angry appropriations cardinal once saw to it that a Reagan-era Health and Human Services secretary had a smaller car than everyone else. Earmarks may have gone away, but picayune policy riders are still peppering appropriations... read more.

Columbus Dispatch... Redistricting contest all set for your ideas, By Ben Geier
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - Organizers hope exercise helps find a viable solution - Think you could do a better job than politicians at drawing legislative and congressional districts? Your chance is now. The League of Women Voters of Ohio, the Midwest Democracy Network and Ohio Citizen Action kicked off a competition yesterday to allow Ohioans to create their own new maps for the Ohio House and Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives. “We are here today to... read more.

McClatchy Newspapers... Obama backing marriage act repeal effort, By Christine Mai-Duc
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama endorsed a bill by Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California to repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act, another step in what the president has termed his evolving views on same-sex marriage. “The president has long called for a legislative repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which continues to have a real impact on the lives of real people - our families, friends and neighbors... read more.

Dayton Business Journal… U.S. News ranks Dayton hospitals, by DBJ Staff
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 - U.S News and World Report has ranked the top Dayton hospitals with Kettering Medical Center claiming the No. 1 spot. The medical center has 10 high-performing specialties, compared to nine high-performing specialties from the second place finishers. The No. 2 ranking was shared by three hospitals: Good Samaritan Hospital and Health Center, Grandview Medical... read more.

Politico... Debt ceiling talks see Senate, House GOP go separate ways, By Jonathan Allen & Manu Raju
7/20/11 - Senate Republicans are starting to send a message to their increasingly isolated House counterparts: It’s time to abandon the hard line or face a public backlash. Whether it’s the top two Senate leaders’ plan to avert a debt crisis or the recently resurrected Gang of Six framework, most senators have shown interest in the kind of bipartisan compromise that provides political cover to all involved. But House Republicans leaped further to the right this week, endorsing a Cut, Cap... read more.

Politico... Barack Obama’s 2008 bundlers flee political ‘machine’, By Ben Smith & Maggie Haberman
7/21/11 - When Senator Barack Obama began running for president in 2007, a small handful of determined, inspired supporters found a new political calling. A new group of professionals - from a San Juan jewelry story owner to a West Coast biotech executive - raised hundreds of thousands of dollars each for him and their “bundling” was crucial in helping Obama offset Hillary Clinton’s profound financial and institutional advantages... read more.

The Columbus Dispatch... Poll: Kasich’s approval rating takes a dive, By Darrel Rowland
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - Despite signing a historic budget, Gov. John Kasich’s approval rating took a dive among Ohio voters, a new poll released today shows. Exactly half of Ohioans disapprove of the Republican governor’s performance, while 35 percent approve, the Quinnipiac Poll says. Two months ago it was 49 percent disapproving and 38 percent approving. And the push to repeal Senate Bill 5, supported strongly by Kasich and most legislative Republicans... read more.

From the Speaker of the House...
Dear Colleague, Our economy is not creating enough jobs, and the policies coming out of Washington are a big reason why. Because of Washington, we have a tax code that is stifling job creation. Because of Washington, we have a debt crisis that is sowing uncertainty and sapping the confidence of small businesses. Because of Washington, our children are financing a government spending binge that is... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Ohio leads nation in toxic air pollution, by Ginger Christ
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - Ohioans are subject to the most industrial toxic air pollution, according to a recent study. Ohio’s toxic air pollution levels are 36 percent higher than any other state in the country, according to an analysis of Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxics Release Inventory by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Physicians for Social Responsibility... read more.

Columbus Dispatch... Ohio lawmakers key players in debt debate, By Jessica Wehrman
Monday, July 18, 2011 - While Boehner looks for compromise, Rep. Jordan doesn’t fear a U.S. default - WASHINGTON - Deep divisions among Ohio lawmakers mirror the broad chasm separating Democrats and Republicans on how to increase the federal government’s $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by Aug. 2. One Ohio lawmaker is a central figure in the debate. Another is a former White House budget director who is guiding his fellow Republicans on the technicalities of the debt... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Report: Security breaches alarm executives, by Laura Englehart
Monday, July 18, 2011 - Nearly two-thirds of IT business leaders estimate their company experiences three or more security breaches annually, a recent survey shows. Robert Half Technology polled 1,400 technology executives nationwide to examine their top concerns. Twenty-four percent who participated said they worry most about keeping sensitive data secure at a time when many companies have had security compromises. That level of concern also is found at the local level... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Small business lending up 20% at Ohio credit unions
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 - Small business lending by Ohio credit unions was up 20 percent during the first quarter of the year, according to a recent report. During the first quarter, Ohio credit unions originated $28.4 million in business loans, up 20 percent from $23.7 million during the first quarter of 2010, according to the Ohio Credit Union League’s Quarterly Performance Summary. Loans were originated by 101 of Ohio’s 384 credit unions. As of March 31, credit unions reported... read more.

Judge Jason Aslinger cuts 6.6% from budget
Darke County Probate/Juvenile Judge Jason Aslinger recently submitted the Court’s preliminary 2012 budget to the Darke County Commissioners. The proposed budget cuts expenditures from $2,075,608 to $1,938,767, a reduction of $133,841 (or 6.6%) from 2011 to 2012. The Commissioners approved the preliminary budget. One significant cut was achieved by not replacing a probation officer who resigned... read more.

Cleveland Plain Dealer... Richard Cordray caught in the middle as GOP, Obama wrestle over Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, By Stephen Koff, The Plain Dealer - Tuesday, July 19, 2011
WASHINGTON --- Former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray appears caught in a political no-man’s land only hours after his nomination as the nation’s new consumer-lending cop. President Barack Obama, standing alongside Cordray, 52 in the White House Rose Garden, vowed Monday... read more.

Husted: New Business filings for June continue increasing
COLUMBUS – Secretary of State Jon Husted today announced that 6,831 new entities filed to do business in Ohio in June. So far in 2011 (January, February, March, April, May and June), the Secretary of State’s office has assisted with 44,443 new business filings. This is an increase from last year’s 41,891 new business filings during the same time period. “The number of new business selecting Ohio as the place to do business is heading in the right direction,” said Husted... read more.

Cleveland Plain Dealer... Ohio’s credit outlook upgraded by Standard & Poor’s, By Peter Krouse
Saturday, July 16, 2011 - Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services upgraded Ohio’s credit outlook on Friday, a forecast that bodes well for the economically challenged state’s future borrowing needs. S&P kept the state’s rating at AA+, but improved the outlook from negative to stable. The change means S&P expects Ohio to be a better credit risk going forward, said Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols, and if the state’s rating is eventually upgraded to AAA, the highest rating, that should... read more.

Columbus Dispatch... ‘Scheduling conflict’ keeps Kasich away, By Joe Vardon and Joe Hallett
7/17/11 - The Ohio Republican Party’s biggest event of the year will be minus the state party’s most recognizable star. When hundreds of GOP donors and politicians gather in Cleveland for the state party’s annual dinner on Friday, Gov. John Kasich won’t be there to toast his legislative triumphs or rev up the troops for a fall defense of Senate Bill 5. Instead, Kasich has an “economic development event” scheduled for early Friday in southwestern Ohio and “two other meetings” set... read more.

Two-year search yields corporate headquarters
By Bob Robinson, Photos by Jessica Transue - Integrity Ambulance has ceremonial groundbreaking for business park on Martin Street. As temperatures approached the 90-degree mark Tuesday morning, public officials and business leaders gathered under the shade of trees in the Greenville Inn parking lot on Martin Street. They announced the ceremonial groundbreaking for Integrity... read more.

Columbus Dispatch... Ohioans will get a health exchange, By Joe Vardon and Catherine Candisky
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 - DAYTON - Although Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor repeatedly has ripped the new federal health-care law, the Kasich administration still plans to fully implement it in Ohio. Gov. John Kasich said yesterday that plans are moving forward to create a statewide marketplace or exchange for health insurance, as mandated by the Affordable Care Act championed by President Barack... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Movie studios pare back on-screen smoking, by Laura Englehart
Saturday, July 16, 2011 - Three motion picture companies have cut back on-screen smoking incidents almost 96 percent in films directed toward children and teens after implementing policies to reduce tobacco use in movies, a recent study shows. Overall, the number of tobacco-related incidents in films rated G, PG and PG-13 declined almost 72 percent in the past five years, but... read more.

Politico... Default could ‘sink the whole boat’ By Josh Gerstein & Ben White
7/18/11 - The warnings are apocalyptic. “Armageddon,” President Barack Obama intones. “Catastrophic,” Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner insists. “Calamitous,” Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke admonishes. But suppose — just suppose — the unthinkable happens: Despite all the talk of deals — small, medium or large — and of clever ways to pass the political buck, Congress and Obama can’t agree on legislation to raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling before... read more.

FoxNews... Top Republican: House Conservatives Will Not Support McConnell Debt ‘Cop-Out’
Published July 17, 2011 - House conservatives will not support Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s backup plan to raise the debt ceiling, a leading House conservative told “Fox News Sunday,” calling it a “cop-out.” Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, chairman of the Republican Study Committee, slammed a plan that is looking increasingly vital as deficit-reduction talks aimed at a “grand bargain” lose steam. With time running out to reach a deal and credit rating agencies... read more.

Politico... GOP split over McConnell plan, By Manu Raju & Abby Phillip
7/17/11 - The House and Senate are on a collision course this week over a compromise plan to raise the national debt limit, with enraged conservatives trying to derail the deal even if it risks an economic default. Top senators from both parties are increasingly focusing on an emerging proposal by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to give President Barack Obama the authority to raise the national debt ceiling with... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Ohio among Top 10 manufacturing states, by DBJ Staff
Monday, July 18, 2011 - Ohio is among the top 10 states in the country in reliance on the manufacturing industry for its economy. An analysis from The Business Journals On Numbers of new federal data indicates that 16.74 percent of Ohio’s gross state product (GSP) is generated by manufacturing. That adds up to $79.9 billion annually for Ohio, out of a total state GSP of $477.7 billion, and... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Colleges collect less from credit card deals, by Ginger Christ
Monday, July 18, 2011 - Credit card companies paid U.S. colleges less money last year for allowing them to market to students on campus. In 2010, credit card issuers paid $73 million to colleges through marketing agreements, down 14 percent from $85 million in 2009, according to a Federal Reserve report. And only 1,004 institutions had marketing agreements with credit card companies last... read more.

Rasmussen... What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls
Saturday, July 16, 2011 - President Obama continues to insist that tax increases be part of any deal to raise the federal debt ceiling before he agrees to the level of spending cuts Republicans are seeking. But most voters don’t see it that way. In fact, just 34% of Likely U.S. Voters think a tax hike should be included in any legislation to raise the debt ceiling. Of course, there is a huge partisan divide on the question. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Democrats want a tax hike in the deal... read more.

Gov. Kasich’s Week in Review... Saturday, July 9 through Friday, July 15, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011 - Gov. John R. Kasich visited with senior citizens in Sandusky to talk about reforms in the state budget that will help provide them with the choice to remain in their own home rather than entering a nursing home. - Kasich appointed James C. Boland, Steven A. Davis, E. Gordon Gee, C. Martin Harris, Gary R. Heminger, Mark D. Kvamme, Bob McDonald and Pamela Springer to the board of directors of JobsOhio, the state’s new private, nonprofit corporation... read more.

Governor Signs Buchy’s Omnibus Agriculture Legislation
COLUMBUS—State Representative Jim Buchy (R-Greenville) today attended the ceremonial signing of House Bill 229, which will make a number of changes to Ohio law in order to allow for added flexibility, interaction and efficiency in the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s regulatory interactions. The provisions for the bill were developed in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Agriculture under the leadership of Director Zehringer (Fort Recovery). These provisions are all... read more.

Politico... In debt talks, GOP suffers from lack of lead messenger, By Jake Sherman
7/14/11 - Republicans think they have an easy message to sell to voters: Slash the size of government and stop tax increases. But a sideshow has percolated on Capitol Hill: There are too many Republican messengers with too many messages — often undercutting one another — as the nation teeters on the brink of financial default. It’s a problem for a party searching for a national... read more.

Darke County Sheriff’s Office... One dead, one seriously injured following US 127 crash
ANSONIA - On July 16th, 2011 at 01:12 hours, the Darke County 911 Center took a call of a serious 2 vehicle crash at the intersection of US127 & SR47. Darke County Deputies along with Ansonia Rescue, Ansonia Fire and Careflight responded to the scene. Preliminary investigation revealed a Ford F150 truck driven by Michael Short of Chillicothe was eastbound on State Route 47 when it... read more.

CNO's June Top Ten… Top Story: CNO’s exclusive interview with Don Wright
Greenville was a Cow Town… and people had fun! “This was a wonderful place back then,” he said. “It had the greatest bunch of old men you could have found anywhere.” Don Wright smiled as he thought back to April 24, 1954, the day he arrived in town. “I came here with $1,500 in my pocket and took over a closed gas station that nobody else was dumb enough to want.” The gas station was at the corner... read more.

The Columbus Dispatch... Taylor rips U.S. health-care law, By Ben Geier
Lieutenant governor sees Ohio paying - Tuesday, July 12, 2011 - The health-care law passed by Congress last year will hurt Ohio consumers, Lt. Governor Mary Taylor told the Kiwanis Club of Columbus at its weekly meeting yesterday. Taylor said that Ohio’s health-care industry is healthy, and she doesn’t want that to change. “We are concerned that the advantages that we see here in Ohio, those lower premiums, are going to go away,” she said. In recent weeks, Taylor has come out... read more.

From Darke County P4P... CNBC Ranks Ohio Fifth in the Nation for Cost of Doing Business
State’s business-friendly redesign helps companies retain more profits and keep costs down - COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --Cost is a major consideration when a company chooses a location. The ideal business location maximizes the value of the investment by delivering a perfect balance between access to mission-critical resources and low overhead costs. Ohio continues to gain recognition for its favorable business climate and tax structure, combined with... read more.

Huffington Post... Obama Debt Ceiling Press Conference: President Keeps The Pressure On
By Jim Kuhnhenn - 7/15/11 - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama declared Friday Congress has a “unique opportunity to do something big” and stabilize the U.S. economy for decades by cutting deficits even as it raises the national debt limit ahead of a critical Aug. 2 deadline. He said was willing to make tough decisions himself, including trimming Medicare benefits for wealthy beneficiaries, but said, “We’re running out of time.” Obama challenged Republican lawmakers to... read more.

Congressman Boehner Responds to President Obama’s Press Conference
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) today issued the following statement following President Obama’s press conference regarding his request for an increase in the debt limit: “President Obama has been talking tough about cutting spending, but his deeds aren’t matching his words. Consider all of the government boondoggles he has refused to put on the table for cuts: ObamaCare; the so-called ‘green jobs’ initiative; high-speed rail; and a vast... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Apple claims No. 3 rank in domestic PC sales
Thursday, July 14, 2011 - New reports show mobile tablets are eating into personal computer sales, while Apple Inc. has risen to No. 3 in the U.S. in that sector. Research firm IDC said global PC shipments rose only 2.6 percent in the second quarter, compared to the 12 percent rise reported in the first quarter. Research rival Gartner Inc. put the second-quarter increase in shipments... read more.

Senator Faber’s Weekly Newsletter, Mid-Year Report
July 12, 2011 - Balanced Budget & Tax Relief - After many weeks and countless working hours, the final version of the biennial budget has passed. This budget has been the subject of much debate over the past couple of months, but as we cross the finish line, I believe that we can all be very proud of the result. Looking towards Ohio’s future, we chose to fund the next two years without looking to the... read more.

From Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel’s Office... Mandel tightens money belt
When I ran for State Treasurer I committed to continue the principled, fiscally conservative record I built as a City Councilman and State Representative. I promised to conduct an immediate top-bottom review of the Treasurer’s office in order to cut the budget, reduce personnel, consolidate regional offices, and apply private sector business principles to running the Ohio Treasury. My vision for... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Kasich pledges $2M for research by Ohio children’s hospitals, by Carrie Ghose
Thursday, July 14, 2011 - Gov. John Kasich pledged $2 million, possibly from casino revenue, to jump-start collaborative research among Ohio’s six pediatric hospitals in an impromptu move Thursday while touring the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. “If I commit $1 million here, can we work with the other hospitals?” he said while touring a lab where frozen samples of cancerous tumors from around the country are processed. “If I commit $2 million... read more.

Politico... As debt ceiling scramble continues, Boehner signals options are open, By David Rogers
7/14/11 - With White House debt talks at a make-or-break stage, Speaker John Boehner signaled Thursday that he’s open to new options to avert a default next month, including a novel Senate plan that would surrender much of Congress’s power over Treasury’s borrowing to the president. It would be a remarkable shift for House Republicans — something like telling Pickett’s charge to go around Cemetery Ridge and not up it. And Boehner’s remarks may be a ploy as he keeps throwing... read more.

Boehner calls for president, Democrats, to support Balanced Budget Amendment
WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a press conference with Republican leaders today, Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) called on President Obama and the Democrats running Washington to support a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. Boehner said the Amendment would help “stop the Washington spending binge” and “create a better environment for long-term job growth.” A link to the video and text of Boehner’s remarks are below: “I’ve told the president... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Wealthy boost spending on luxury goods, by Laura Englehart
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 - Luxury magazine the Rob Report’s publisher David Arnold said in a recent CNBC article that some wealthy consumers were hesitant in the past to showcase their fortune in an economic climate that left others struggling financially. But, Arnold said, “That conspicuous consumption feeling, or that concern, has really diminished over the last 18 months or so... read more.

Wall Street Journal... A Stadium’s Costly Legacy Throws Taxpayers for a Loss
By Reed Albergotti and Cameron McWhirter - CINCINNATI—Here in Hamilton County, where one in seven people lives beneath the poverty line and budget cuts have left gaps in the schools and sheriffs department, residents are bracing for more belt-tightening: rollback of a property-tax break promised as part of a 1996 plan to entice voters to pay for two new stadiums. The tax hit is just the latest in a string of unforeseen consequences from what has turned into one of the worst professional... read more.

From the Governor’s Office... JobsOhio Overview
JobsOhio in Brief - Ohio has no greater priority than creating jobs and revitalizing its economy. JobsOhio, a not-for-profit corporation, will lead Ohio’s job-creation efforts by singularly focusing on attracting and retaining jobs, with an emphasis on strategic industry sectors in areas of statewide and regional strength. Using a private-sector approach, JobsOhio will work at the speed of business, enabling Ohio to be more nimble and flexible and thus more competitive in... read more.

Dayton Daily News... Medicaid shifting to home care, By Ben Sutherly
Tuesday, July 5, 2011 - To address budget issues, Ohio is spending less on nursing homes - The new state budget means seismic policy shifts for Ohio’s Medicaid program, especially long-term care. A hallmark of the largest Medicaid overhaul in decades is a funding transfer from institutional to home-based care, a move widely endorsed by consumer advocates such as AARP Ohio. Effective Friday, nursing homes took a 5.8 percent rate cut per patient, on average... read more.

Toledo Blade... Budget not an ‘assault’ on anyone, Kasich says, By Jim Provance
COLUMBUS -- Gov. John Kasich on Friday dismissed the suggestion that the $55.8 billion, two-year budget he signed into law this week is “an assault on anybody.” Seeking to put a period at the end of what was at times a contentious budget season, Mr. Kasich suggested that Democrats and local governments facing budget cuts were afraid to break out of the pack to support his policies. “A lot of these Democrats were hiding in the shadows, afraid they were going to get a... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Report: Graphic cigarette labels to have slim impact, by DBJ Staff
Sunday, July 10, 2011 - Despite new graphic warning labels slated to appear on cigarette packs next fall, the impact on tobacco sales will likely be marginal, at least early on. The new warnings are expected to cause a drop of less than 1 percent in U.S. tobacco sales by 2013, according to research firm IBISWorld. However, an official said the warnings could eventually have a more significant sway in curbing smoking. The Food and Drug Administration... read more.

Cleveland Plain Dealer... Unequal crack cocaine penalties cleaned up as cost balances anti-crime pressure By Reginald Fields, The Plain Dealer - Sunday, July 03, 2011 - COLUMBUS, Ohio -- For more than a decade, Ohio lawmakers, faced with political pressure, failed to correct one of the most glaring inequalities in the criminal-justice system: penalties for crack versus those for powder cocaine. In the late 1980s and early-1990s, when the country was embroiled in the war on drugs, when labels like “kingpin” and “drug czar” became household terms... read more.

Dayton Daily News... Organ donations declining in Ohio, By Mary McCarty
Tuesday, July 5, 2011 - Meanwhile, drivers registering to become organ donors is rising. Kim Snow hated sitting still. The 38-year-old Centerville mother and wife maintained a dizzying schedule with her full-time job coupled with countless hours of charity work — not to mention her duties as “the best mom ever,” according to daughters, Maddie, 9, and Marin, 4. “She always put everyone else first,” recalled her husband, John Snow. That tendency didn’t end with her tragic... read more.

‘No Child’ soon will flunk most schools, By Rob Hotakainen, McClatchy Newspapers
Tuesday, July 5, 2011 - Feds might waive rules if Congress doesn’t revise law - WASHINGTON - With the clock ticking, federal education officials fear that calamity awaits. If Congress doesn’t move quickly to change the “No Child Left Behind” law, they project that a whopping 82 percent of the nation’s public schools could fail to meet proficiency targets this year, facing sanctions that ultimately can include a loss of federal aid. That’s up from 37 percent last year... read more.

Politico... Lights out for GOP energy agenda? By Darren Samuelsohn
7/10/11 - House Republicans will bow to their tea party base on Monday by bringing up legislation to save the incandescent light bulb. But for those keeping score at home, the proposal that reflects the catcalls of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Michele Bachmann is likely to land in the same dustbin now home to many other GOP energy proposals. Republicans say Senate gridlock is the primary reason none of their big energy ideas has reached President Barack Obama’s desk... read more.

Politico... Debt ceiling debate turns to yacht class, By Scott Wong
7/6/11 - Democrats turned to a tried-and-true strategy this week in the fight over the debt ceiling, casting Republicans as the guardians of yacht owners, hedge fund managers and Big Oil. And there are signs Republicans are feeling the heat. After a week of speeches laced with populist rhetoric and shortly after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced a vote on a resolution written... read more.

Commissioners pass 2012 budget in deficit, By Bob Robinson
Lack of local funds from Columbus will make additional impact on the budget - Darke County Commissioners passed their 2012 budget Monday showing more than a $330,000 shortfall. It was not unanimous, as Commissioner Diane Delaplane cast the negative vote. According to Darke County Auditor Carol Ginn, the estimated revenue for 2012 is $14,486,552.67; the... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... 1 billion Apple apps downloaded in month, by DBJ Staff
Thursday, July 7, 2011 - Apple Inc. said there have been 15 billion software applications downloaded from its App Store, a billion more than it reported a month ago. The company also confirmed it now has more than 100,000 native apps designed specifically for its iPad tablet among the 425,000 apps available in the App Store. Apple said it now has more than 200 million users of its mobile iOS software on its iPad, iPhone and iPod touch... read more.

Politico... John Boehner’s ‘grand bargain’ - with House GOP
By John Bresnahan, Jonathan Allen & Jake Sherman - 7/11/11 - Speaker John Boehner’s decision not to “go big” on a debt-limit deal is the starkest demonstration yet of the limits of the Ohio Republican’s power. The internal GOP backlash against his efforts to secure a package of $4 trillion in spending cuts and revenue-raisers revealed that Boehner sometimes is little more than the first among equals — capable of synthesizing Republican sentiments but unwilling to drive them... read more.

Politico... Debt talks to resume after testy 75-minute session, By Carrie Budoff Brown & David Rogers
7/10/11 - President Barack Obama called congressional leaders back to the White House for another round of budget talks Monday, telling them during a testy meeting Sunday that they will gather daily until a deal is reached, Democratic and Republican officials said. In a bid to take his case to voters, the president also will hold a press conference Monday morning, the White House announced at the conclusion of the meeting. During a 75-minute session Sunday at the... read more.

Ohio Supreme Court... Mayor’s Court New Case Activity Drops Below 300,000 in 2010
July 8, 2011 - After climbing above 300,000 in the number of new cases filed in Ohio’s mayor’s courts in 2009, statistics show that new cases dropped below that number last year. These and other findings are contained in an annual report released today by the Supreme Court of Ohio on the state’s 320 mayor’s courts. The total new filings for all case types fell to 291,470 in 2010, mainly due to more... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Most Ohio small-business owners say economy still in recession
Tuesday, July 5, 2011 - Ohio’s small-business owners still see the economy as being in a recession and most don’t expect to generate revenue growth next year. Those are among the key findings in the new 2011 U.S. Bank Small Business Annual Survey. The survey found 74 percent of Ohio’s small-business owners believe the economy is still in a recession. That’s better than the U.S. response... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Report: Apple orders 25M iPhone 5 units, by DBJ Staff
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 - Apple Inc. has ordered 25 million units of its next generation iPhone -- possibly the much-rumored iPhone 5 -- by the end of the year, according to a report. The Wall Street Journal cites sources as saying Apple has placed that many orders with its component makers, and is expecting to have first units delivered in August. The report added some details about what the new... read more.

Columbus Dispatch... Local officials worry that improving tax revenue won’t offset state cuts
By Elizabeth Gibson and Doug Caruso - Monday, June 27, 2011 - Economic recovery helping, but complications lie ahead... Columbus and the area’s most-populous counties are collecting more taxes as the private sector recovers. But “the economic recovery is not enough to cover the loss of state support” to local governments, Franklin County Administrator Don Brown said. “We’ll see no growth. We’ll actually have to cover the loss by trimming the budget and services... read more.

Newsmax/InsiderAdvantage Poll... Voters Don’t Want Debt Ceiling Hike, By David A. Patten
Friday, 08 Jul 2011 - Republican and independent voters are strongly opposed to any deal to increase the federal debt ceiling, and any GOP politician who dares to do so could be vulnerable to a primary challenge, according to a Newsmax/InsiderAdvantage poll. Overall, voters oppose raising the debt ceiling by a strong 45 percent to 32 percent margin, with the remainder undecided. But the real eye-opener in the poll is the stiff Republican and swing-voter opposition to a deal. Sixty... read more.

Cleveland Plain Dealer... New Ohio criminal sentencing bill to save millions, By Joe Guillen, The Plain Dealer
Monday, June 27, 2011 - Lets inmates out early, sending low-level felons to prison alternatives... COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Nonviolent felons will be sent to rehabilitation facilities instead of prison, and some inmates will be released sooner under an overhaul of Ohio’s criminal sentencing laws aimed at easing prison overcrowding and saving the state money. Republican Gov. John Kasich will sign the massive bill this week. The dramatic changes drew strong bipartisan support -- a rarity... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Teamsters angry at Budweiser distributor, by Joe Cogliano
Friday, July 8, 2011 - One of the region’s largest beer wholesalers may be facing a strike. Officials from Teamsters Local Union 957 are accusing Dayton-based Heidelberg Distributing Co . of breaking of contract negotiations and implementing a wide range of changes. The union — which represents delivery drivers and warehouse workers at Heidelberg — alleges the company wants to force... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Report: Obesity rate increases in Ohio, 16 states
by DBJ Staff - Friday, July 8, 2011 - Ohio is 13th on an annual ranking of the most obese states in the U.S., with even more obese people than ever before. A joint report from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation pegged Ohio’s adult obesity rate at 29.6 percent, ranking it 13th in the nation. Last year, Ohio also was 13th but the obesity rate was lower... read more.

Rasmussen... What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls
Saturday, July 09, 2011 - There was more bad news on the unemployment front Friday, and Americans continue to express little optimism that the elected officials they have now will be able to do anything about it. They also strongly question the national security direction the country has taken. Americans are less confident than ever that the nation’s policymakers know what they are doing when it comes to the economy. Last November, the Rasmussen Employment Index... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... PETA proposes Procter & Gamble stop animal testing, by DBJ Staff
Friday, July 8, 2011 - Owners of Procter & Gamble Co. stock will have an opportunity to vote on a couple of new shareholder proposals at this year’s annual meeting, including one by PETA calling for P&G to stop animal testing at labs in Dayton and Preble County. The gathering will take place on Oct. 11 at 9 a.m. at the Aronoff Center downtown, according to a preliminary proxy P&G filed this week. In addition to a repeat proposal that would authorize cumulative voting... read more.

Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel... Update on the Treasurer’s Office... Death Tax Dead
Financial Literacy Training, Smart Money Choices Tour Stops in Cincinnati and Independence: A couple weeks ago we launched the Smart Money Choices conference series at the University of Cincinnati. I spoke to attendees of all generations and from throughout southwest Ohio about the importance of managing one’s finances in a fiscally responsible fashion. Our day-long conference was a great success, executed well by my staff and highlighted by impressive... read more.

msnbc.com... Obama faces new obstacles in high-stakes debt talks
Failure to act may mean first-ever default on nation’s financial obligations, which some warn could trigger global financial chaos - WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will try to salvage high-stakes debt talks on Sunday after Republicans pulled back from a joint effort to craft a broad $4 trillion deficit-reduction deal as part of a plan to avoid a government default... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Ohio State forfeits football victories, by Jeff Bell
Friday, July 8, 2011 - Ohio State University will vacate all 12 victories from the 2010 football season and its Big Ten co-championship as part of its self-imposed punishment for the Tattoogate scandal that has hounded the program since December. Those corrective actions and a number of others were outlined Friday in OSU’s response to allegations from the NCAA over the scandal that involved at least... read more.

Unemployment now at 9.2 percent
Breaking News Friday on the recent report that unemployment has risen again. Politico, msnbc, Foxnews… Obama and Boehner comments, plus story from msnbc - Politico... The unemployment rate rose to 9.2 percent in June, the Labor Department reported Friday morning. The economy added 18,000 jobs last month, the report says. Politico continues... President Barack Obama, responding to disappointing job numbers this morning, said that the sooner Congress reaches... read more.

Politico... President Obama frames 2012 campaign, By Glenn Thrush & Carrie Budoff Brown
6/29/11 - One of President Barack Obama’s 2012 themes will likely revolve around what his aides call “the contrast” — a portrayal of Obama as a responsible, moderate adult harassed by infantile Republicans who favor the wealthy. During his East Room press conference Wednesday — his first since the kickoff of the 2012 Republican campaign — Obama drew that comparison in the starkest terms to date, likening veteran politicians in their 40s, 50s and 60s to his young daughters... read more.

Dayton Daily News... Estate tax repeal to cost cities millions
By Lynn Husley - June 29, 2011 - Area cities took in about $18M from the tax, which would end Jan. 1 - Repeal of Ohio’s estate tax is virtually certain today, leaving local government officials wondering how to replace the money, while critics of the tax are elated. In 2010, cities, villages and townships in Montgomery, Greene, Warren and Miami counties received nearly $18 million from the estate tax, which would end Jan. 1, 2013, under the state budget approved by the Ohio Senate... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Poll: Low marks for politicians in debt ceiling dispute, by Joe Cogliano
Friday, July 1, 2011 - As Republicans and Democrats battle over raising the nation’s debt ceiling, and whether to work through the Fourth of July holiday weekend in order to get a deal, a new poll reveals the public’s perception of some of the key players in the talks. While none of the politicians involved in the dispute had high marks from the public, slightly more people are pleased than unhappy with U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, the West Chester Republican whose district... read more.

Politico... Obama debt ceiling taunts draw fire from Republicans, By Jonathan Allen
6/30/11 - President Barack Obama is quickly finding out that hell hath no fury like Republicans scorned by a comparison to pre-adolescent girls. On Thursday, Republicans lashed back at Obama’s schoolmarmish scolding of them for taking time off and failing in, his words, to do their “homework” on a debt-limit increase. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called on Obama to drop what he’s doing and come to the Capitol for a meeting... read more.

Columbus Dispatch... With Blackwell out of U.S. Senate race, Coughlin focuses on Mandel
By Joe Hallett - Thursday, June 30, 2011 - Blood was drawn yesterday in the Ohio GOP race for the U.S. Senate, 11 months before the two remaining candidates will face off in the May primary election. Just five days after J. Kenneth Blackwell, the party’s nominee for governor in 2006, announced that he would not seek the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in 2012, former state Sen. Kevin Coughlin, attacked his lone Republican opponent... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Dayton-area GM plant sold, 2,000 jobs planned, by Ginger Christ
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 - The former General Motors site in Moraine has been sold to California-based Industrial Realty Group by The RACER Trust. IRG, which plans to redevelop the site into a five-building, multi-use complex called Progress Park, initially hoped to close on the property in April, but the purchase was delayed by paperwork and due diligence. IRG’s plans for the site could... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Honda, Toyota top ‘American-made’ cars list
Monday, June 27, 2011 - Two Japanese automakers’ flagship sedans – the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord – have the most credibility for claiming Made in the U.S.A., according to an annual ranking. The Web site Cars.com said the Camry held on to the top spot for the third year in a row in its American Made Index, which ranks vehicles based on the percentage of parts that are made... read more.

Ohio Health Care Freedom Amendment... Husted Receives 546,000 signatures
COLUMBUS – Earlier today, petitioners seeking to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot related to the federal healthcare reform legislation filed more than 546,000 signatures with Secretary of State Jon Husted’s office. The Secretary of State’s office must now determine if petitioners have gathered the required number of valid signatures – 385,245 or 10 percent of the total vote cast for... read more.

Dayton Daily News... House approves texting-while-driving ban, By William Hershey
Tuesday, June 28, 2011 - By an overwhelming bipartisan majority, the House Tuesday approved legislation that would ban texting while driving. The vote was 88-10. The bill now goes to the Senate where Jason Mauk, spokesman for President Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond, said it was “premature” to say what might happen. Consideration would not come before the fall, however, Mauk indicated. House Bill 99 is jointly sponsored by Rep. Rex Damschroder, a Fremont... read more.

cbsnews... Kasich: Congress needs to look in the mirror, By Lucy Madison
(CBS News) Republican Gov. John Kasich of Ohio says Washington lawmakers need to look at themselves in the mirror and re-evaluate their political motivations. On CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday, Kasich suggested that Washington politicians were acting out of their own individual political interests rather than those of their constituents, and called on them to “start thinking about how they’re going to feel about themselves when they leave” office... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Ohio has largest decrease in jobless claims
by Ed Green, DBJ Contributor - Thursday, June 30, 2011 - The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits for the week ended June 25 fell to 428,000, a decline of 1,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 429,000, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday. The four-week moving average was 426,750, an increase of 500 from... read more.

Darke County Drug Task Force... Investigation Leads to ‘meth lab’ arrest
ANSONIA - On July 5th, 2011 at approximately 9:35 PM, the Darke County Drug Task Force, in conjunction with Deputies from the Darke County Sheriff’s Office arrested Lorraine Combs, 40, of West Manchester. Narcotics Detectives received an anonymous complaint of a meth lab at 2632 State Route 47 in Ansonia. Upon the arrival of deputies, several ingredients used the manufacturing of... read more.

Rasmussen... What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls
Saturday, July 02, 2011 - As the United States prepares to celebrate its 235th birthday, Americans still overwhelmingly agree with the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence. Ninety percent (90%) agree that “we are all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Americans also strongly support the beliefs that we are all created equal and the governments derive their only just authority from the consent of... read more.

Politico... GOP suffers from pledge fatigue, By Scott Wong
6/28/11 - Republicans aren’t racing to sign on the dotted line of a new anti-spending pledge, even as dozens of conservative grass-roots groups and tea party kingmaker Sen. Jim DeMint demand it. Of the leading Republican presidential candidates, only former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has signed the so-called Cut, Cap, Balance pledge; 12 of 47 Republicans in the Senate are on board; and in the House, only 22 out of 242 party members have come forward to support it... read more.

Politico... Medicaid cuts could come from Democrats, By J. Lester Feder
6/28/11 - Defenders of Medicaid have been fighting hard against Republican proposals to cut the program, but they’re just waking up to the threat of one proposed by the Obama administration. It’s an idea to change the way federal matching funds work and save money in the process — and it would probably do it by shifting costs to the states. If that happens, Medicaid advocates fear, the states will just pass on the cuts to providers and, ultimately, the patients... read more.

Columbus Dispatch... Ohio bill would ban synthetic drugs yet to be developed, By Ben Geier
Friday, July 1, 2011 - Legislation to criminalize ‘Spice,’ bath salts is sent to Kasich - Enterprising chemists may soon lose their ability to turn a profit with synthetic drugs - even those they haven’t created yet. The General Assembly has sent a bill to Gov. John Kasich that would ban a synthetic version of marijuana known as “Spice” or “K2,” as well as chemicals in products marketed as bath salts that some say have effects similar to PCP or LSD. The synthetic substances, which have... read more.

Dayton Daily News... Unclaimed funds pile up in Ohio, By Jim Otte, Staff Writer
Ohioans have left money in old bank accounts, apartment deposits. The state budget that was passed this week helps balance the state’s spending with the equivalent of coins from underneath Ohio’s couch cushions. The bill gives the state the authority to transfer $215 million of “unclaimed funds” being held by the state to the general fund to help cover the state’s $8 billion budget hole. Ohio has records of $1.4 billion in unclaimed funds — money that was orphaned in accounts and... read more.

Cincinnati Enquirer… Sebelius: Ohio’s efforts won’t block health-care reform, Written by Cliff Peale
Jun. 30, 2011 - AVONDALE - The nation’s top health care official said Thursday that efforts in Ohio and other states to block President Barack Obama’s health-care reform won’t stop implementation of the landmark law. Conservative groups are gathering signatures on a measure they hope to get on the November ballot that would exempt Ohioans from the central measure of the law, the mandate to buy health insurance or pay a penalty... read more.

Toledo Blade... Kasich signs measure allowing guns in bars, By Jim Provance
Governor also OKs drilling in state parks - COLUMBUS -- Guns could be taken into bars and alcohol-serving restaurants, and oil and natural gas rigs could be installed in state parks under a pair of bills signed behind closed doors by Gov. John Kasich Thursday. Both will take effect in 90 days. While a number of states allow concealed handguns in restaurants, Ohio has now gone a step further than most in adding bars and other places that serve alcohol such as arenas, stadiums... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Ohio a hotbed of biotech job growth, by Brittany Hart
Sunday, June 26, 2011 - The Dayton region and Southwest Ohio has seen a boom in biotech and pharmaceutical jobs, with 20 percent growth since 2000 and making it one of the fastest-growing industries in the region. Hundreds of Dayton-area amputee patients are walking, working and even playing sports again after a helping hand from Hilmo Hodzic. Hodzic is the... read more.

New York Times… In Ohio, a New Governor Is Off to a Smooth Start, By Sabrina Tavernise
Published: July 1, 2011 - In Washington, Congress may still be fighting over the national budget, but in Ohio, where Republicans control the House, the Senate and the governor’s office, the budget passage has been about as smooth as a knife through butter. That is partly because Republicans kept tight party unity, voting together on bills that Democrats say are some of the most conservative the state has ever seen. But the driving force was Ohio’s governor, John... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Trucking index slips as economy slows, by Joe Cogliano
Monday, June 27, 2011 - The trucking industry slipped in May, reflecting a shaky economic recovery. On Monday, the American Trucking Associations’ announced its advance seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index dropped 2.3 percent in May. The figure was a 2.7 percent increase compared with the same month last year, but marked the smallest year-over-year gain since February 2010. “Truck tonnage over the last four months shows that the economy definitely hit... read more.

Politico... 2012 contenders shun Hill support, By Manu Raju
6/26/11 - Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley is a Republican powerhouse in his home state, so you’d think GOP presidential candidates would be knocking down his door for an endorsement ahead of the caucuses in the Hawkeye State. Not so much this year. “It’s happening a lot less,” Grassley told POLITICO, saying just two candidates have bothered to come calling. Grassley may even delay making an endorsement decision until October, and he warned it’d be “stupid” for any candidates... read more.

Dayton Business Journal... Manufacturers hopeful Obama plan will create jobs, by Malia Spencer
Saturday, June 25, 2011 - President Barack Obama offered his vision on what it will take to reinvigorate American manufacturing at a speech Friday at a Carnegie Mellon University robotics lab. in Pittsburgh. Sitting in the audience, Georgia Berner, CEO of Berner International , said she hoped Obama’s remarks would help to propel the industry into the future and ensure that manufacturing remains cutting edge... read more.

Truthout... Right to Rent: Will the Obama Administration Finally Fix Housing? by Dean Baker, Truthout
Monday 27 June 2011 - The concept of “right to rent” has been floating around Washington for almost four years. Under this proposal, foreclosed homeowners would be allowed to remain in their house as renters, paying the market rent, for a substantial period of time (e.g. five years) following a foreclosure. While several bills have been introduced in Congress, President Obama may now have a new opportunity to take the lead on this issue... read more.

The Star Press... Muncie-Delaware County government reorganization financial study released
By Keith Roysdon and Douglas Walker - May 31, 2011 - Members of the public can comment today during a 6 p.m. meeting at the Horizon Convention Center - MUNCIE -- Local officials got their first glimpse Tuesday evening of a financial impact study of Muncie-Delaware County government consolidation and reorganization. Some of them will get their first chance to comment on it at a public hearing at 6 p.m. today at the Horizon Convention Center... read more.

Indy Channel 6... Muncie, Delaware County Take Step Toward Consolidation
June 15, 2011 - City, County Officials Vote Unanimously For Merger - MUNCIE, Ind. -- Delaware County and Muncie took a big step Tuesday night toward consolidation. City and county officials voted unanimously in favor of the merger. The bill would eliminate the mayor and county commissioners, along with both councils. They would be replaced by a city council and an elected county executive. “In this day and age, I don’t think that this county of 114,000 people needs... read more.

Politico... For Dems, health law is chronic pain, By David Nather
6/26/11 - Democrats may be on the offensive against the Republican Medicare plan, but they’re not finished playing defense on their health care law. That’s the lesson from the latest series of PR crises on the law they’ve had to deal with, including a survey that suggested many employers would stop offering health coverage and a widely circulated news story that reported 3 million middle-class people could qualify for Medicaid because of the law. The new criticisms... read more.

Mood celebratory as Continental Carbonic “officially” opens, By Bob Robinson
“This is the largest (manufacturing) project to come to Darke County in 30 years… it represents a $15 million investment.” Jeff Hoagland, CEO of Dayton Development Corporation. “This is a big deal. It is the biggest investment, and moment, in our history. It creates an opportunity for expansion and growth.” Bob Weiseman, Vice President and CEO, Continental Carbonic... read more.

Dry ice process is food grade quality, environmentally friendly, By Bob Robinson
As in many manufacturing facilities, workers and visitors have to wear hard hats, earplugs and plastic glasses. At Continental Carbonic, workers also have to wear protective gloves when working with dry ice. “If it just touches your skin, no problem,” said Gerald McGinnis, Group Manager of Manufacturing. “More than a few seconds, you will get a slight burn.” Dry ice keeps its solid form... read more.

Congressman Boehner Applauds Ohio Budget
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) released the following statement applauding Governor Kasich and the Ohio Legislature for closing Ohio’s $8 billion budget shortfall without raising taxes and calling on the president to show similar leadership in Washington: “This evening, Governor Kasich will sign legislation closing Ohio’s $8 billion budget shortfall without a tax increase. The governor’s actions are bringing fiscal common sense back to... read more.

Insider Report from Newsmax.com
Headlines (Click Read More for full stories): 1. Jeb Bush Won’t Rule Out White House Run in 2016 2. White Working Class Will Decide Obama’s Fate 3. Romney Supporters Form Super PAC 4. Sheriff Babeu: More Troops for Korea Than for Border 5. Canadians Leaving Country for Medical Care 6. We Heard: Alice Walker, Harry Reid, Ahmadinejad... read more.

Politico... President Obama struggles with economic message, By Carrie Budoff Brown
6/24/11 - President Barack Obama isn’t just grasping for ways to jolt the flailing economy. He’s struggling simply to find the right words to talk about it. A growing number of Democratic strategists — including Obama senior campaign adviser David Axelrod — said the party needs to let go of George W. Bush and the past once and for all. Democrats now “own” the economy, says party chief Debbie Wasserman Schultz. With the past out of bounds, the present gloomy and the... read more.

Columbus Dispatch... Agreements reached on Ohio budget, By Jim Siegel
Tuesday, June 28, 2011 - Changes to affect charter schools, teachers’ pay; votes this week - A major overhaul of Ohio’s public-construction law, authority for the state Department of Education to sponsor charter schools and a new system to evaluate teachers were among the agreements reached last night by the state-budget conference committee. Charter-school oversight was a major area of disagreement between House and Senate Republicans. Although majorities... read more.

msnbc.com... Challenges to red light cameras span US, By Alex Johnson
6/24/2011 - Studies touting safety benefits sometimes contradictory, incomplete - In more than 500 cities and towns in 25 states, silent sentries keep watch over intersections, snapping photos and shooting video of drivers who run red lights. The cameras are on the job in metropolises like Houston and Chicago and in small towns like Selmer, Tenn., population 4,700, where a single camera setup monitors traffic at the intersection of U.S. Highway 64 and Mulberry Avenue... read more.

Darke County Drug Task Force Investigation Leads to Arrest
Ansonia- On June 29, 2011 at approximately 3:16 PM, the Darke County Drug Task Force, consisting of Deputies from the Darke County Sheriff’s Office and Officers from the Greenville Police Department arrested Sherry Tomlinson, 61, ofGreenville. This arrest comes after approximately a one month long investigation on Ms. Tomlinson... read more.

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