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☆ Ohio Republicans wanted to kneecap abortion activists before November. It may backfire on them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Ohio Republicans want to make it harder to amend their state's constitution. Ohio Republicans who pushed the measure argued that a higher threshold was needed to keep future amendments focused only on what Ohioians want. Ohio Republicans previously banned most August elections. The GOP presidential primary race has split over candidates who back a bare-minimum nationwide abortion ban and those who do not. Polling shows that a nationwide ban is broadly unpopular, but the nomination contest provides the perfect time for anti-abortion activists to pressure candidates on the issue.

Persons: Sen, JD Vance, Vance, Frank LaRose, Brian Stewart, It's, Richard Uihlein, Uihlein, WOSU, Mike DeWine, Roe, Wade, Jackson, haven't, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis Organizations: Service, Republicans, Republican, Ohio Republicans, Columbus Dispatch, GOP, Ohio Capital, Ohio Gov, Florida Gov Locations: Wall, Silicon, Ohio, Illinois, An Ohio, Dobbs v, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohioans

☆ Anti-Abortion Republicans Don’t Want You to Notice Ohio’s Issue 1 - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Michelle Goldberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Ohio has been trending right for years, but gerrymandering ensures that the State Legislature is far more extreme than the population. Instead, some anti-abortion lawmakers want even stricter anti-abortion laws, and one, Representative Jean Schmidt, has said she’d consider a ban on birth control. The November ballot initiative to make abortion a constitutional right is a chance for Ohio voters to circumvent their unrepresentative representatives. With this August initiative, the Republicans are working to head off the voters by essentially asking them to disenfranchise themselves. Just last December, Ohio Republicans voted to effectively eliminate August special elections because of their expense and low turnout.

Persons: we’ve, “, Donald Trump, ”, David Pepper, —, Mike DeWine, Jean Schmidt, she’d Organizations: State Legislature, Statehouse News Bureau, Ohio, Ohio Democratic Party, “ Laboratories, Republican, Republicans, Ohio Republicans Locations: Kansas, state’s, Kentucky, Montana, Arizona , Florida , Missouri, Ohio . Ohio, Ohio, . Ohio, Indiana, gerrymandered

☆ Populist senator JD Vance supports an effort to make it harder to change Ohio's constitution — even though it's backed by a GOP Illinois billionaire — because he says it protects voters from 'out of s
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ohio will vote August 8 on a measure to make it harder for voters to amend the state constitution. JD Vance backs it, arguing it protects voters from "out of state" interests ahead of an abortion referendum. If the ballot measure passes, future amendments to the state constitution would require at least 60% support among voters to be enacted. The change has been pushed by Ohio Republicans ahead of a referendum in November on enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution. "There is nothing radical about requiring a 60% vote to amend the State Constitution," reads a message on the group's website.

Persons: JD Vance, Republican Sen, it's, Vance, Mike DeWine, State Frank Rose, Richard Uihlein, Uihlein, Elizabeth, megadonors, Elizabeth Uihlein, Peter Thiel Organizations: GOP, Service, Ohio, Republican, Capitol, General, State, Tides Foundation, National Education Association Locations: Ohio, Illinois, Wall, Silicon, San, Francisco, enshrining

☆ Ohio voters appear primed to back abortion rights measure, the latest sign of the post-Roe fury
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ohio voters appear primed to pass an abortion rights constitutional amendment. According to a new poll, 58% of likely Ohio voters would vote in favor of the amendment. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose must declare by tomorrow whether the abortion rights measure has enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot. As Insider previously reported, abortion rights measures could prove to deliver major political benefits to Democrats. During the 2022 midterms, abortion rights groups passed every state measure they sought and also beat back efforts to restrict abortion access.

Persons: Roe, Frank LaRose, Mike DeWine, Ohioans, Wade Organizations: Service, USA, Suffolk University, GOP, Republican Gov, Republican, National Conference of State Legislatures, The, The Mississippi Supreme, Voters Locations: Ohio, Wall, Silicon, The Mississippi

☆ More Dollars Follow Ohio Students
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Journal Editorial Report: But some in the GOP don't like the picks. Images: Getty Images/Zuma Press Composite: Mark KellyPennsylvania’s Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro sold students out by backing down on a school voucher proposal this month, but his Republican neighbor Gov. Mike DeWine is doing better in Ohio. The Governor and the GOP Legislature recently narrowed the funding gap between charter and district schools and opened a state voucher program to all families, making the Buckeye State the latest to offer universal school choice.

Persons: Mark Kelly Pennsylvania’s, Josh Shapiro, Mike DeWine Organizations: Mark Kelly Pennsylvania’s Democratic, Republican, Gov, GOP, Buckeye State Locations: Ohio

☆ An Ohio homeowner surrounded by 598 houses getting demolished said the teardowns have increased property values and improved his neighborhood
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

There are thousands of homes left vacant from abandonment or foreclosure in Ohio. Tony Kelly said the demolitions improved his area, from luring residents to lifting home values. At the end of 2019, Attom found, Ohio was among the states with the highest number of vacant homes, with 3.8 million. Mike DeWine said in a 2021 statement announcing the Ohio Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program. "The demolitions helped to raise property values in the city, making the town more attractive to purchase and build houses," he said.

☆ These are the top Senate races to watch in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

They have reason to be hopeful: Democrats face a daunting 2024 Senate map that puts them on defense in 23 of the cycle's 34 races, including multiple seats considered ripe for GOP challenges. The grim outlook has some Senate Democrats considering retirement, even after the caucus expanded to a 51-49 majority following a better-than-expected showing in the midterms. Jim Justice, reportedly the state's richest man and one of its favored contenders for the Senate race. But the 2024 Senate race in Ohio is currently considered a toss-up, as Republicans have made significant gains in the state in the last two election cycles. Sabato's Crystal Ball and the Cook Political Report both say the Michigan Senate race leans Democratic.

☆ Abortion Surges to the Center of the 2024 Campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Katie Glueck | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

“In 2022, a lot of Republican candidates took their D.C. consultants’ bad advice to ignore the subject,” she said in a speech. Nicole McCleskey, a Republican pollster who worked for the successful re-election campaign of Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa last year, pointed to Ms. Reynolds, Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia as examples of leaders who embraced tight abortion restrictions but were not defined by that issue alone. All three swept to comfortable victories in states that often lean right, but are not the nation’s most conservative states.

☆ Norfolk Southern CEO told that railroads' planned voluntary safety improvements aren't enough
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw returns to Capitol Hill Wednesday facing pressure to support rail safety legislation proposed in the wake of his railroad’s massive toxic spill from a February 3 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. “We support legislative efforts to enhance the safety of the freight rail industry,” was the only discussion of the legislation in his prepared remarks. Shaw said the railroad would support increasing fines and penalties for people found tampering with railroad facilities and safety equipment, without endorsing proposals for potential fines on railroads found guilty of safety violations. They said residents who live near freight rail tracks can’t depend on the railroad’s voluntary measures to improve safety. Vance said it is important to raise the maximum fine for rail safety violations from the current limit of $225,455.

☆ Norfolk Southern CEO says he supports parts of new rail safety bills
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw on Wednesday told senators that his railroad company supports parts of two bipartisan rail safety bills that came in the wake of a derailment last month of a train carrying toxic materials in Ohio. Shaw did not fully endorse the Railway Safety Act, which includes provisions calling for two-person crews on all railroad locomotives. "We're not aware of any data that links crew size with safety," Shaw said Wednesday. "There are significant opportunities for advanced technology to enhance rail safety, and we encourage Congress to consider additional research into on-board rail car defect detection technology." Ohio sued Norfolk Southern last week, seeking damages, civil penalties and a "declaratory judgement that Norfolk Southern is responsible," Attorney General Dave Yost said.

☆ Ohio lawmakers want kids to work longer hours, saying it'll keep them off TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Danni Santana | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ohio lawmakers aim to pass a bill that extends work hours for students and decreases time on TikTok. Time spent by teenagers on apps like TikTok and Instagram has been top-of-mind among lawmakers. According to the bill's sponsors, the pending state law should also limit the time teenagers spend on social media apps like TikTok. Mike DeWine had proposed a new "Social Media Parental Notification Act," as part of his 2023 executive budget. The legislation would mandate that social media sites receive parental approval before children under the age of 16 can sign up for an account.

☆ Another Norfolk Southern train derails in Ohio, railroad says no toxins aboard
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Brad Brooks | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Norfolk Southern said the train that derailed near Springfield was not carrying any hazardous materials and that no one was hurt. The accident follows the Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio, 180 miles (290 km)northeast of Springfield. Norfolk Southern said in an emailed statement that Saturday's derailment of about 20 cars of a 212-car train happened as it was traveling southbound near Springfield. "No hazardous materials are involved and there have been no reported injuries," Norfolk Southern said. "We don't believe hazardous materials were involved," he said.

☆ Rail unions tell Biden officials workers have fallen ill at Norfolk Southern derailment site
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Pete Buttigieg, US transportation secretary, speaks during a news conference near the site of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, US, on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023. The presidents of U.S. railroad unions told Biden administration officials that rail workers have fallen ill at the Norfolk Southern derailment site in East Palestine, Ohio, in a push for more train safety. The meeting comes on the heels of letters sent to both the DOT and the FRA Wednesday in which union representations claimed rail workers had gotten sick at the derailment site. According to the letter, Norfolk Southern rail workers who have worked or continue to work the cleanup site have reported experiencing "migraines and nausea." One worker reportedly asked his supervisor to be transferred off the derailment site because of his symptoms, but never heard back from his supervisor and was left at the job site.

☆ The battle over abortion access could return to the ballot box in four states in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Millions of Americans lost legal access to abortion after the overturn of Roe v. Wade. The GOP used state ballot initiatives banning same-sex marriage to juice turnout, including in the critical state of Ohio. "The majority of Arizonans support safe, legal abortion, and we need to roll back many of the restrictions that are in place now." Two abortion rights groups are teaming up to put the question before voters in 2024. The ballot box might also be abortion rights advocates' best hope as the unicameral legislature appears to be on the verge of breaking a filibuster to pass a 6-week abortion ban.

☆ Residents are reportedly getting sick in Ohio town where train derailed with toxic chemicals: 'It's pretty bad'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Sarah Al-Arshani | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio earlier this month, leading to the release of toxic chemicals. Now, medical records reviewed by NBC News show illnesses in some residents stemming from likely chemical exposure. The Norfolk Southern train derailed on February 5 and had about 150 cars, of which 20 were carrying hazardous materials, Insider previously reported. The crash resulted in a fire that burned chemicals in derailed train cars. Other symptoms consistent with chemical exposure include headaches, nausea and rashes, which have been reported by residents, NBC News reported.

☆ Videos show Ohio politicians gingerly sipping tap water near chemical train crash, hoping to convince locals to start drinking it again
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Videos show several Ohio politicians gingerly sipping on tap water near a toxic train derailment. "I'll tell you, we believe in science, so we don't feel like we're being your guinea pig," Regan told Carolyn Brown, whose house they were in. "But we don't mind proving to you that we believe the water is safe," Regan continued. "That's pretty good water," Regan said after drinking from a red plastic cup. "You just saw us all drink a glass of water, our municipal water system here in East Palestine is safe.

☆ Ohio Train Derailment: EPA Orders Norfolk Southern to Clean Up Site
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Kris Maher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Environmental Protection Agency said it issued a formal order requiring Norfolk Southern Corp. to clean up chemicals spilled in a derailment earlier this month in East Palestine, Ohio, that has drawn concerns from residents about long-term health risks. EPA Administrator Michael Regan appeared in East Palestine on Tuesday alongside Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, as all three pledged that federal and state officials would remain in the village of 4,700 people until the site was fully cleaned up and residents’ concerns were allayed.

☆ Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro says his office made a criminal referral in East Palestine train derailment
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Rebecca Shabad | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Drone footage shows the freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, U.S., February 6, 2023 in this screengrab obtained from a handout video released by the NTSB. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday said that his office has made a criminal referral in response to the recent train derailment over the border in East Palestine, Ohio, and the aftereffects on the environment and nearby communities. Shapiro shared the information during a press conference in East Palestine with Ohio Gov. Meanwhile, consumer advocate Erin Brockovich is planning a town hall in East Palestine for Friday. In an interview Tuesday on MSNBC, she reacted to footage of Regan and DeWine drinking an East Palestine resident's tap water.

☆ Republican Doug Mastriano told supporters he didn't get any money from Ohio derailment train operator Norfolk Southern. Records show he took $1,000.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano is holding a hearing Thursday on the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment. Mastriano, a Republican, recently denied receiving any money from train operator Norfolk Southern. "Biden's in Ukraine and Shapiro's MIA," the user wrote, praising Mastriano for visiting East Palestine over the weekend. Mike DeWine, a Republican, assured East Palestine residents that their drinking water is safe. He lauded the EPA for ordering Norfolk Southern to cover the cost of cleaning up the accident.

The derailment of the train, operated by Norfolk Southern (NSC.N), forced thousands of residents to evacuate while railroad crews drained and burned off chemicals. “We have mobilized a robust, multi-agency effort to support the people of East Palestine, Ohio," White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing. [1/3] A view of a caution tape as members of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (not pictured) inspect the site of a train derailment of hazardous material in East Palestine, Ohio, U.S., February 16, 2023. DeWine called on Congress to review railroad safety regulations, lamenting states have little power to demand information about what types of hazardous goods are rolling through their borders. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Thursday more needs to be done to address rail safety in the face of hundreds of annual train derailments.

The derailment of the Norfolk Southern (NSC.N) operated train forced thousands of residents to evacuate while railroad crews drained and burned off chemicals. "This incident has understandably shaken this community to its core," Regan said at a press conference. Regan noted state and federal testing inside nearly 500 homes close to the derailment site shows that none of the toxic chemicals that were on the train are present in the air. He did urge residents who use private wells to continue using bottled water and to get their wells tested. [1/6] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan speaks during a press conference after inspecting the site of a train derailment of hazardous material in East Palestine, Ohio, U.S., February 16, 2023.

☆ Factbox: Timeline of Ohio train derailment containing hazardous chemicals cargo
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 14 (Reuters) - A timeline of events since a Norfolk Southern Railroad-operated train derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, while carrying hazardous materials from Illinois to Pennsylvania. Feb. 5: National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Michael Graham says video footage of the accident points to possible "mechanical issues on one of the rail car axles." Feb. 6: Crews drain and burn off an "unstable" toxic chemical cargo from five rail cars of the train. Feb. 14: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says 20 cars were carrying hazardous materials, including 10 that derailed. The NTSB says 38 cars in total left the tracks and that the ensuing fire damaged 12 more cars.

☆ U.S. senators question rail oversight after toxic Ohio derailment
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Two Republican senators sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Wednesday questioning U.S. freight rail system oversight in the aftermath of a toxic train derailment in Ohio on Feb. 3. Vance questioned Buttigieg about railroad safety, saying "it is not unreasonable to ask whether a crew of two rail workers, plus one trainee, is able to effectively monitor 150 cars." The Department of Transportation (USDOT) did not immediately comment but Buttigieg addressed the criticism in a series of tweets. Buttigieg responded to Cruz on Twitter that "we could start by discussing immediate steps Congress could take to address rail safety & reduce constraints on USDOT in this area. After railroad crews drained and burned off a toxic chemical from five tanker cars, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on Feb. 8 said that residents could return to their homes.

[1/3] Drone footage shows the freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, U.S., February 6, 2023 in this screengrab obtained from a handout video released by the NTSB. NTSBGov/Handout via REUTERSFeb 14 (Reuters) - Cleanup is moving quickly after a train carrying toxic materials derailed in Ohio 11 days ago, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said on Tuesday, while residents and observers questioned the health impacts of pollution that spilled into the Ohio River. Officials said the volume of the river diluted the plume and the plume did not pose a serious threat. UNION WARNINGSRailroad union officials said they have been warning that such an accident could happen because railroad cost-cutting harmed safety measures. "No one wants to listen until we have a town blown off the face of the earth, then people listen," said Whitaker, whose union is the largest U.S. railroad union representing conductors, engineers and other workers.

☆ Residents Not Yet Permitted to Return Home After Ohio Derailment
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Kris Maher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Drone footage shows an overhead view of the freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Residents in an eastern Ohio village were unable to return to their homes Tuesday, amid continued air and water monitoring a day after a controlled burn of chemicals at a train derailment. Mike DeWine had issued a mandatory evacuation on Sunday for residents within a one-mile radius of East Palestine, a village of nearly 5,000 people on the border with Pennsylvania, after 50 cars of a Norfolk Southern Corp. train derailed Friday night, causing a chemical fire.

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