The State of Ohio is a weekly news program spotlighting the latest happenings at the Statehouse, in the Governor’s office, at the Ohio Supreme Court and throughout the Buckeye State. Award-winning host Karen Kasler presents viewers with unique analysis and thoughtful perspective on important issues of statewide interest through interviews with political leaders, newsmakers, experts and Ohio citizens. The State of Ohio is the only TV show to bring to Ohioans the latest news about taxes, voting, education and other critical matters from where it all happens -- Capitol Square.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Topics: Politics, Economy
Short URL  Share Leave a Comment

The state has a new attorney general - at least, for the next five months. She is Nancy Hardin Rogers, the dean of the Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University. There are two new resignations to report this week. State Rep. John Widowfield, a Republican from Cuyahoga Falls, resigned Wednesday amid allegations that he purchased Ohio State football tickets with campaign funds and resold them for a profit. And state schools superintendent Susan Zelman is leaving, after months of reports that some members of the state school board were having private meetings with the governor to talk about ousting her.

It was a busy week for lawmakers. The Senate has overwhelmingly passed the $1.57 billion jobs package, but Gov. Strickland says he’ll line item veto the amendment banning the use of jobs package money into cloning research. The capital spending bill goes to conference committee, since the House voted not to go along with the Senate’s changes to the $1.3 billion package. Both chambers have approved the so-called “castle doctrine”, including numerous changes the House made to Ohio's concealed weapons law.

And there aren’t as many memorials to crash victims this week as in the last few Memorial Day holiday weekends. The Ohio Highway Patrol says six people were killed in six vehicle crashes over the Memorial Day weekend - that's the lowest number of people killed for a Memorial Day weekend in at least 38 years.

Casino gambling could be on the ballot once again in November. This time two northeast Ohio entrepreneurs are partnering with casino operator Lakes Entertainment to create a casino complex located in Clinton County in southwest Ohio, and the casino’s developers say they’ll share the $240 million the casino is expected to earn with Clinton County, the state and all 88 Ohio counties. But opponents say their arguments against expanded gambling haven’t changed, even with this new “share the wealth” proposal. Here for the first part of a two-part conversation about the casino project is Dr. Brad Pressman, one of the partners in My Ohio Now. Also here is Tom Smith from the Ohio Council of Churches, which has continually opposed expanding gambling.

Leave a Comment

Please note that all comments must adhere to ideastream's discussion rules and terms of use. Name:

Email:

Comment:

Please enter the word you see in the image below:

Send questions and comments to kkasler@statehousenews.org.