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Enjoy summer but plan now for back-to-school shopping

Summer is just getting started — it officially arrived yesterday —and most families would prefer not to have to think about the start of the next school year just yet. But a little planning is important and the state is certainly thinking ahead. Gov. Mike DeWine recently announced Ohio’s sales tax holiday this year will be two full weeks in August — from midnight Aug. 1 to 11:59 p.m. Aug. 14. That expansion could make a significant difference for families looking to start off the school year as inexpensively as possible. “The timing of this year’s sales tax holiday not only ...

SB 197: Online casino gaming would be a losing bet for Ohio

The odds are in, and they’re not looking very pretty for impassioned efforts to expand legalized gambling in Ohio. But that’s just fine with us, thank you, as passage and enactment of Senate Bill 197 to make Ohio the eighth state in the union with lawfully regulated online casino gaming would pose a plethora of public health risks, economic uncertainties and constitutional challenges. To be sure, some may consider casinos at your fingertips a logical extension of Ohio’s continued growth in legalized gambling over the past several decades. Most of those initiatives — from state ...

Stop the Scroll Act would create a warning label requirement

Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, has thrown his support behind an effort to keep kids safer when it comes to social media. But the Stop the Scroll Act isn’t about the kinds of online dangers some parents may be thinking. It would create a mental health warning label requirement for social media. “As more and more children and teens use social media, a warning label should be prominently displayed highlighting the potential harms of using social media platforms. The Stop the Scroll Act would help young people grasp the mental health risks that come with social media. I’ll continue to back ...

HB 3: School Bus Safety Act will create harsher penalties

House Bill 3 made its way to the Ohio Senate after having encountered no naysayers during the House of Representatives vote June 11. It seems unlikely there will be much resistance in the state Senate, either, as the School Bus Safety Act includes some important ways to keep students and drivers safer. Most drivers know the rules regarding driving safely when school buses are on the road. Too many ignore them anyway. According to the National Safety Council, between 2013 and 2022 there were 1,082 fatalities and approximately 132,000 injuries as a result of school-bus related ...

Embrace the significance of our nation’s symbol

Saturday is Flag Day. Flag Day deserves the respect of each and every one of us. Especially during the always ongoing turbulent social times such as the mess that is Los Angeles. After all, we are all Americans first and foremost. Some seem to forget that. Some not only choose to disrespect the American way but seem to relish the breaking of laws. Flag Day doesn’t carry the same clout as many holidays. It isn’t part of holiday offs/let’s party themes that other summer holidays boast like Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day. But as free American citizens we should all pause today ...

Numbers say Ohio ‘weak’ at policies on teaching math

Teachers and administrators across Ohio have done an excellent job implementing the science of reading curriculum. But according to a report by the National Council on Teacher Quality, it’s time to focus on math, too. According to the Ohio Capital Journal, the report placed Ohio among the 25 receiving a “weak” rating for policies to strengthen elementary teachers’ math instruction. At least we were not among the seven states receiving an “unacceptable” rating. But for purposes of this report, the council was looking for these policies: set specific, detailed math standards ...