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Cleveland Plain Dealer... Sherrod Brown blasts Republicans for ‘cuts’ -- the same ones President Obama wanted, By Stephen Koff, The Plain Dealer - Wednesday, June 22, 2011 - WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown on Wednesday blasted Republicans in the House of Representatives for passing a bill that would create “draconian” cuts in aid for local firefighters -- cuts that effectively are a “punch in the stomach for first responders,” the Ohio Democrat said. Brown neglected to mention: The House bill would provide the same amount of money... read more. 
msnbc.com... As debt talks break down, clock ticks toward crisis, By John W. Schoen
6/24/2011 - Day of reckoning is coming, but nobody can say when - The breakdown of talks between the White House and congressional Republicans has intensified worries about the financial bomb known as the national debt. Without serious budget reforms, that bomb will almost certainly explode — with widespread collateral damage to the U.S. economy and the global financial system. But no one can say for certain just when the bomb will go off. The fuse may be... read more. 
Columbus Dispatch... Medicaid cuts could cost Ohio billions, By Catherine Candisky
Friday, June 24, 2011 - Republican plan would devastate businesses, jobs, recent study finds - Deep cuts in federal funding for Medicaid would not only impact services for the 2 million Ohioans - children, nursing home residents and people with disabilities - who rely on the government program for health care. The Republican plan also would cost Ohio thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in lost business, a study released yesterday found. “Every federal Medicaid dollar... read more. 
Cleveland Plain Dealer... District-shopping Rep. Dennis Kucinich to visit Seattle again in July
By Sabrina Eaton, The Plain Dealer - Wednesday, June 22, 2011 - Cleveland Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich, who has discussed running for Congress in Washington state if his current Ohio district is eliminated, will make another trip to Seattle on July 9, according to the Northwest Progressive Institute. He will address the 2011 NWroots Conference, the group says. Kucinich has said he’s contemplating running for office in other states because his district will face significant... read more. 
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From newsnet5... State budget clears House, heads to governor, By Elizabeth Misson
6/29/11 - COLUMBUS, Ohio - On Wednesday, the Ohio House passed a nearly $56 billion two-year state budget bill that contains an overhaul of Medicaid and a new merit-based pay system for teachers. The bill passed by a vote of 59-40. The bill had passed the GOP-controlled Senate on a 22-11 vote Tuesday, with just one Republican voting against it... read more. 
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Senator Faber’s Weekly Newsletter... Special Budget Edition, Part 2
Yesterday I voted to approve the conference committee report of the new biennial budget.  This budget is a triumph for smarter, leaner government.  I am proud to say that my caucus rejected the calls for increased taxes and made the necessary cuts to improve the business climate of the state while protecting essential funding for education and health and human services. One of the hallmarks of this... read more. 
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Dayton Business Journal... Ohio bill to help military vets find jobs, by Joe Cogliano
Friday, June 24, 2011 - All military veterans — not just Ohio residents — will get a boost on civil service examinations under a new state law in the works. On Thursday, the Ohio House of Representatives unanimously passed House Bill 162 that eliminates the requirement that veterans be a state resident to get a special preference, and boost some professional licensing and certification rights... read more. 
Columbus Dispatch... Budget-makers cobble away, By Jim Siegel
Thursday, June 23, 2011 - Nursing homes gain a bit more funding, but the Senate president says lawmakers will hold the line on spending - Nursing homes wanted to get back most of the $427 million in state cuts, but it appears they will get only about $31 million - and they will have to earn it - when a new version of the state budget is rolled out. “They have made a case that they do need additional funding to maintain the level of care and quality of care we expect them to... read more. 
Dayton Daily News... Bill would mean fewer days to vote early, By Laura A. Bischoff
6/28/11 - Senate bill also would shift state’s 2012 presidential primary from March to May. COLUMBUS — The state Senate made major reforms to where, when and how Ohio’s 8 million registered voters may cast ballots and moved the 2012 presidential primary from March to May. The Senate voted 23-10 along party lines in favor of a plan that shortens the in-person early voting period from 35 days to 17 days before Election Day, but eliminates Sundays, Saturday afternoons and the... read more. 
Columbus Dispatch... Multiple choice for SB 5 vote? By Joe Vardon
Thursday, June 23, 2011 - GOP considering ballot questions on each provision of contentious law - To break what appears to be strong, unified opposition to Senate Bill 5, Gov. John Kasich and his allies might seek to have the umbrella law that would weaken collective bargaining for public employees divided into multiple ballot questions. Three sources told The Dispatch yesterday that Kasich administration officials and other Republicans who support Senate Bill 5 are talking to the... read more. 
Dayton Daily News... Sheriff says governor’s inaction on immigration reform is costing jobs
By Michael D. Pitman - Wednesday, June 22, 2011 - HAMILTON — Butler County’s outspoken sheriff says the governor’s inaction on immigration reform is costing jobs in Ohio. Sheriff Richard K. Jones sent a letter Wednesday to Gov. John Kasich, stating: “You have been in office for nearly six months now. I heard you say in a speech that ‘illegal is illegal’ and ‘what part of that don’t they understand?’” Eight states have passed or are considering immigration reform laws “to provide... read more. 
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Dayton Business Journal... U.S. Postal Service to suspend pension fund contributions
by DBJ Staff - Wednesday, June 22, 2011 - In a move to preserve its desperately needed cash, the U.S. Postal Serviceplans to suspend its contributions for the defined benefit portion of the Federal Employees Retirement System beginning Friday. The Postal Service said Wednesday that suspending the bi-weekly payments of about $115 million to FERS would conserve about $800 million... read more. 
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State Auditor Dave Yost... Cutting Costs... And An Audit Finds Taxpayers Paid for Boxer Shorts?
We went to the mat this week and saved you a cool million dollars on the rent for the Auditor’s Office over the next two years.  It seems there’s a surplus of vacant office space in downtown Columbus, and we were able to negotiate a new lease that dropped our rent by more than $5 a square foot. Now the landlords we negotiated with are pretty mad at me.  But It’s your money -- and the people of Ohio are my... read more. 
Columbus Dispatch... Senate passes bill that sends fewer to prison, By Jim Siegel
Thursday, June 23, 2011 - What supporters called a “smart on crime” bill, a sweeping overhaul of Ohio’s criminal-sentencing laws, passed the Senate yesterday with strong bipartisan support. With the state prison system bursting at the seams and state leaders finding it ever-tougher to afford housing about 51,000 inmates, the Senate passed a bill designed to make greater use of community-based corrections programs and give inmates more opportunity to reduce their... read more. 
Gov. Kasich’s Week in Review
Saturday, June 18 through Friday, June 24, 2011 - Saturday, June 18, 2011 - Gov. John R. Kasich joined President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Speaker of the U.S. House Representatives John Boehner for golf at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. - Monday, June 20, 2011 - Kasich signed Executive Order 2011-10K authorizing the State Medical Board of Ohio to establish standards and procedures for pain management clinics in Ohio to help fight prescription... read more. 
Foxnews... Federal Reserve Lowers Economic Outlook for Rest of Year
Published June 22, 2011 - The Federal Reserve acknowledged Wednesday that the economy is growing more slowly than it expected. But it said it will complete its $600 billion Treasury bond buying program by June 30 as planned and announced no further efforts to boost the economy. Ending a two-day meeting, the Fed repeated a pledge to keep interest rates at record lows near zero for “an extended period,” a promise it’s made for more than two years. Fed officials said in... read more. 
Rasmussen... What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls
Saturday, June 25, 2011 - Americans appear more pessimistic about the economy than they have been in months and also express little confidence that their elected leaders will do anything about it. The Rasmussen Investor Index, which measures the economic confidence of investors on a daily basis, slipped seven points on Friday to its lowest level in nearly two years. Just 21% of investors now say U.S. economic conditions are getting better. Fifty-five percent... read more. 
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Conveyance Fee passes unanimously, By Bob Robinson
6/27/11 - Resolution R-131-11, levying additional county Real Property Transfer Tax at .10 cents per $100, passes. Resolution R-132-11, levying additional county Mfg. Home Transfer Tax at .10 cents per $100, passes. Both passed unanimously with all three commissioners voting. The manufacturing home resolution was for mobile homes that may be located on rented properties in parks... read more. 
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Greenville to make further budget cuts
6/27/11 - Includes additional layoffs of city personnel, including fire and police - From Greenville Mayor Michael C. Bowers - Due to current economic conditions and recent reductions in funding from the State of Ohio, the City of Greenville has regrettably been forced to make further budget reductions which include permanent layoffs to city personnel. In a preemptive move, the city had previously laid-off employees... read more. 
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Dayton Business Journal... Kool-Aid latest in fried food frenzy, by Ginger Christ
Thursday, June 23, 2011 - Enterprising restaurateurs could learn a thing or two from Charlie Boghosian, a food vendor at the San Diego County Fair. Boghosian, known as “Chicken Charlie,” about two weeks ago came into the limelight when he introduced the nation to fried Kool-Aid. Overnight, he became a culinary sensation. Fried Kool-Aid, as you can imagine, is a deep-fried ball of dough packed with Kool-Aid... read more. 
Boehner on Obama’s Debt Limit Increase Request
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) today issued the following statement regarding President Obama’s request for an increase in the debt limit: “The American people voted for a new majority in the House with clear orders to end the spending binge in Washington.  The American people will not accept an increase in the debt limit that is accompanied by job-crushing tax hikes and fails to dramatically cut and reform government spending... read more. 
Congressman John Boehner... Restoring Ohio Job Creators’ Confidence In Our Economy
6/26/11 - Also OPEN DOOR - Last week, Ohio’s unemployment figures for the month of May were announced, showing the state’s labor force and the number of employed workers rising slightly, but unemployment overall continuing to sit at unacceptable levels.  The Buckeye State economy is showing some hints of improvement because of Governor Kasich and the pro-growth policies his administration has implemented.  But job growth in our state – as in other states... read more. 
msnbc.com... Millions of middle-class people could get Medicaid, By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar
6/24/11 - WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s health care law would let several million middle-class people get nearly free insurance meant for the poor, a twist government number crunchers say they discovered only after the complex bill was signed. The change would affect early retirees: A married couple could have an annual income of about $64,000 and still get Medicaid, said officials who make long-range cost estimates for the Health and Human Services... read more. 
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Dayton Business Journal... Kasich, Penn National agree on Ohio casino deal, by DBJ Staff
Monday, June 20, 2011 - Penn National Gaming Inc. has agreed to the same casino deal with Ohio Gov. John Kasich that Rock Ohio Caesars LLC reached last week. A press release from the governor’s office said Penn National would pay the state $110 million over 10 years, while Ohio’s Commercial Activity Tax would be applied to Penn’s wagers minus payouts, instead of on wagers... read more. 
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“Tax Hikes Are Off the Table,” Says Congressman Boehner
6/26/11 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a press conference, Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) reiterated that job-crushing “tax hikes are off the table” in the debt limit talks. Boehner said Washington needs to “stop spending money we don’t have,” and outlined several GOP jobs bills aimed at removing barriers that are holding back economic growth. A link to the video...See my Editor’s Note and read more. 
American Thinker... Chicago’s Violent Flash Mobs, By Robert Klein Engler
Stories about violent “flash mobs” roaming Chicago’s North Side neighborhoods have been in the news the past 2 weeks.  People are worried about the impact these mobs will have on tourism and the city’s economy.  Some are asking why this social unrest is happening, now, so soon after Mayor Daley left office. Kevin O’Neil writes in the CTA Tattler, “Chicago police and Streeterville universities are warning residents and passersby to be aware of traveling mobs of teenagers... read more. 
Columbus Dispatch... Ohio public-pension review seen as useless, wasteful, By Darrel Rowland
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - Systems’ directors say that legislative proposal would delay necessary reforms - The remarks came on the deadline for comments about a legislative plan for an outside actuarial review of the retirement systems. The Ohio Retirement Study Council’s draft request for proposals to conduct that review was unanimously panned. The proposal “duplicates studies already completed and millions of dollars already spent to comply with existing reporting or... read more. 
Columbus Dispatch... Kasich signs ‘pill mill’ order, By Alan Johnson
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - Action will speed state’s attack on prescription-drug abuse - Continuing the state’s all-out assault on prescription drug abuse, Gov. John Kasich yesterday signed an executive order empowering the State Medical Board to take immediate action against “pill mills.” “Ohio’s opiate epidemic is a crisis of unparalleled proportions with devastating, often deadly, consequences,” Kasich said in the emergency order, which took effect immediately... read more. 
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Darke County Sheriff’s Office... Standoff with “bath salts” related suicidal subject
6/24/11 - Gettysburg – On June 24, 2011 at 4:45 p.m. Darke County 911 received a call in reference to a suspicious white male running northbound on Horatio New Harrison Rd. from Childrens Home Bradford Rd.  The 911 caller advised that the male subject was not wearing a shirt and was claiming that people were chasing him. Darke County Deputies were dispatched to the area and upon their... read more. 
Cincinnati Enquirer... Boehner takes expense checks, but overall office spending is down
Jun 20, 2011 - Written by mrulon - House Speaker John Boehner appears to be spending less than his predecessor on his leadership office, despite accepting  a monthly expense check of about $2,000, according to an Enquirer analysis of spending records. There are several caveats, but the raw numbers suggest that Boehner spent $1.07 million during the first quarter of 2011, compared to the $1.27 million that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif... read more. 
Dayton Daily News... Dayton expected to have slow job growth for next decade, By Randy Tucker
Monday, June 20, 2011 - The city is among the top 5 metropolitan areas in the U.S. hurt by the loss of manufacturing. The Dayton area could be facing a decade of stagnant job growth, according to a report that predicts local employment won’t return to prerecession levels until after 2021. Dayton is one of only five top U.S. metro area that aren’t expected to return to peak employment this decade, based on the report released Monday at the U.S. Conference of Mayors... read more. 
Dayton Daily News... More than 200,000 electronic food stamps annually replaced, By Cornelius Frolik
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - Some missing cards have been sold for cash or traded for drugs. In the last two years, nearly 51,000 electronic food stamp cards were reported stolen or lost in the Miami Valley area, reflecting a larger statewide trend of Ohio annually replacing more than 200,000 cards to recipients. Authorities said the extent of food stamp abuse and the financial impact in Ohio is unknown because the activity often goes undetected. But they fear the behavior is widespread... read more. 
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Dayton Business Journal... FDA unveils graphic tobacco health warnings, by Tucker Echols
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - The Food and Drug AdministrationTuesday unveiled its latest weapon to combat smoking, a series of nine health warnings that will appear on every pack and advertisement for cigarettes in the United States. The nine warnings — considered the most significant change in tobacco regulations in 25 years — must be placed on all cigarette packs, cartons and ads no... read more. 
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Dayton Business Journal... Ohio’s May storms losses to top $400M
Monday, June 20, 2011 - Severe storms and tornadoes that hit Ohio in late May have put an estimated $400 million in losses on insurers’ books, making the outbreak one of the worst in recent memory for the state, the Ohio Insurance Institute said. The institute reported that a survey of 25 insurers representing about 80 percent of the state’s automobile and property casualty lines pegged ... read more. 
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Politico... Democrats eye new jobs agenda, By Manu Raju
6/19/11 - Senate Democrats are beginning to fear that the country’s increasingly dim economic outlook will cost them their seats in 2012 and are trying to craft a new agenda aimed at spurring job creation. While there is no shortage of ideas of what a plan could include — from a payroll tax holiday to increased infrastructure spending — Democrats haven’t settled on the details or... read more. 
Columbus Dispatch... Bill would require background check for all sales at gun shows
By Theodore Decker - Tuesday, June 14, 2011 - Saying that even terrorists know they might not need to pass background checks to buy firearms at gun shows, a state legislator said yesterday that she is introducing legislation to require such checks. “To not close this loophole is knowingly reckless and irresponsible to Ohioans and our region,” said Rep. Tracy Maxwell Heard, D-Columbus. “With the challenges we face with gun violence, it is nothing short of negligent... read more. 
Cleveland Plain Dealer... Ohio House Democrats propose revival of Depression-era program to create jobs - By Joe Guillen - Monday, June 13, 2011 - COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A pair of Cleveland-area lawmakers want to revive a Depression-era jobs program in Ohio to create about 5,000 jobs. The program, called the Ohio Works Progress Administration and modeled after a federal agency President Franklin D. Roosevelt established during the Great Depression, would create an average of 50 jobs in each of the state’s 88 counties. Each job would pay $27,500 a year to perform... read more. 
From Darke County Economic Development... SBA Deadline for Economic Injury Disaster Loans in Western Ohio is July 19 - June 23, 2011 - The following SBA Disaster Assistance news release issued to the media yesterday reminded businesses in Auglaize and Mercer Counties, Ohio and the neighboring counties of Allen, Darke, Hardin, Logan, Shelby and Van Wert in Ohio; and the counties of Adams and Jay in Indiana of the July 19 deadline to apply for working capital needs due to the toxic algae bloom in Grand Lake St. Marys that began on June 21, 2010. ATLANTA - The U.S... read more. 
Columbus Dispatch... 6 Ohio congressmen sleep in their D.C. offices, By Jessica Wehrman
Monday, June 20, 2011 - WASHINGTON - Forget voting schedules or committee schedules. Rep. Steve Stivers has the real schedule of the U.S. House of Representatives down to a science. The gym opens at 5:30 a.m. The cafeteria opens at 7:30 a.m. The Columbus Republican should have the schedule memorized - he is one of at least six members of Ohio’s U.S. House delegation who sleep in their offices when they’re in Washington. A quick poll of Ohio House... read more. 
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Dayton Business Journal... Gambling foes mull lawsuit over slots at Ohio tracks
by Jeff Bell, DBJ Contributor - Thursday, June 16, 2011 - An agreement that would open the door for slot machines at Ohio horse racing tracks is facing a possible legal challenge even before the ink is dry on the deal brokered by Gov. John Kasich and gaming operator Rock Ohio Caesars LLC. The Ohio Roundtable, a longtime foe of expanded gambling in the state, is looking at filing suit... read more. 
Foxnews... Study: Housing Collapse Steeper Than During Great Depression, By Judson Berger
Published June 15, 2011 - The author of a study claiming the U.S. housing collapse is now worse than during the Great Depression warned Wednesday that the market likely will continue to fall for the rest of the year before going stagnant. Paul Dales, senior U.S. economist for Capital Economics, predicted home prices would fall another 3 percent over the rest of 2011 before potentially hitting bottom. “Even when that happens, I don’t think we’re going to see any significant or sustained... read more. 
Cincinnati Enquirer... Services pinched, money’s tight: Is merger right?
Jun. 18, 2011 - Tiny municipalities savor place, not waste - After enduring the frequent Bang! Bang! Bang! of gunshots while living in Walnut Hills, Phillip and Erin Smith wanted to move to a safer but affordable community. They chose Arlington Heights, a tiny village stuck in the middle of the curving divided northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 75. With only 745 residents, Arlington Heights is Hamilton County’s smallest community. Phillip Smith, 28, says their... read more. 
Dayton Daily News... Opponents of collective bargaining bill have 3 times as many signatures needed to put repeal on the ballot, By Laura Bischoff - Friday, June 17, 2011 - The campaign to repeal Senate Bill 5 announced Friday that they have collected 714,137 signatures in two months to put the issue before voters in November. More than 10,000 volunteers have been circulating the petitions for We Are Ohio, a coalition of labor unions and other worker groups opposed to the collective bargaining reform bill. To qualify for the ballot, the group needs 231,149 valid signatures... read more. 
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Dayton Business Journal... Report: Facebook loses 6M U.S. users in May, by DBJ Staff
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 - Facebook Inc. reportedly saw U.S. users drop by 6 million during May and also saw user declines in some European counties. However, Facebook still saw overall growth during the month, but at a slower rate than earlier this year. The Inside Facebook Gold blog reported that while Facebook is still marching toward 700 million global users, it is taking... read more. 
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Husted releases new business filings for May
COLUMBUS – Secretary of State Jon Husted today announced that 7,440 new entities filed to do business in Ohio in May. This number is up from May of 2010, in which 6,682 new entities filed with the Secretary of State. So far in 2011 (January, February, March, April and May), the Secretary of State’s office has assisted with 37,612 new business filings. This is also an increase from last year’s 34,632... read more. 
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Dayton Business Journal... Cincinnati Bengals win title: Worst pro franchise, by Joe Cogliano
Thursday, June 16, 2011 - Being “thrifty” has finally caught up to Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown. Known for being a penny pincher, Brown is bringing a not-so-flattering title to the Queen City: Worst franchise in pro sports. ESPN The Magazine will bestow that honor on the Bengals in its Friday issue, which ranks all 122 franchises in the National Football League , National Basketball... read more. 
Cleveland Plain Dealer... ODOT paid $1.4 million for passenger-rail effort, won’t seek reimbursement from feds, By Tom Breckenridge - Wednesday, June 15, 2011 - COLUMBUS,Ohio -- Ohio will not get back the $1.4 million it spent on a scrapped high-speed passenger rail project. Gov. John Kasich axed the proposed passenger-rail link between Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati when he took office in January. State transportation officials said they didn’t push for reimbursement from the federal government because rail officials expressed “great concern” in reimbursing states where... read more. 
Politico... John Boehner invokes War Powers Act, By John Bresnahan
6/14/11 - House Speaker John Boehner is warning President Barack Obama that he may be in violation of the War Powers Act if Obama refuses to ask Congress for authorization to overthrow Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi. In a letter to Obama today, Boehner noted that Friday is 90 days since U.S. forces first attacked Libyan targets as part of the NATO-led campaign to topple Qadhafi. Boehner also told House Republicans during a closed-door session on Tuesday... read more. 
Ohio Gov. John Kasich... Week in Review, Saturday, June 11 through Friday, June 17, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011 - Gov. John R. Kasich announced an agreement with Rock Ohio Caesars LLC that allows the company to resume work on the Cincinnati and Cleveland casino projects and said details of the agreement would be made public later in the week. Kasich addressed more than 4,000 students, parents and school officials in Columbus at the 11th annual graduating ceremonies for the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow. Monday, June 13, 2011... read more. 
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Moneynews... ‘Misery’ Levels Hit 28-Year-High in US, By Julie Crawshaw
Friday, 17 Jun 2011 - The latest “Misery Index” shows that Americans are more miserable than they’ve been in the past 28 years, economically speaking. The monthly index, an unofficial measurement created by economist Arthur Okun back in the 1970s using the simple premise to total the inflation and unemployment rates, is now 62 percent higher than when President Barack Obama first took office... read more. 
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Senator Faber’s Weekly Newsletter... Beat the Summer Heat by Avoiding Dehydration
June 20, 2011 - ODNR – Intense summer heat takes its toll on the human body and may lead to dehydration for those who are active in outdoors recreation. A common safety tip to help avoid dehydration is to consume plenty of nonalcoholic fluids such as water and sports energy drinks, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Watercraft. This weekend, June 24-26, state... read more. 
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Dayton Business Journal... Report: 1 in 5 employers to hire in 3Q, by Ginger Christ
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 - The third quarter could bring more jobs to the Dayton area, according to a recent survey. One in every five companies locally plans to hire employees from July to September, according to The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey by Manpower Inc. Seventy-one percent plan to maintain current staffing levels, while 6 percent anticipate staff... read more. 
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