By 1812Blockhouse
Ohio’s 10 PM to 5 AM curfew will be extended past its expiration date this coming weekend, Governor Mike DeWine said in his Thursday briefing.
“Look, we would love to get rid of it,” DeWine said. The culprit that will keep it around is the arrival in Ohio of new, more contagious strains of the COVID-19 virus and the uncertainty that creates.
The curfew began in mid-November, and was extended an initial time the next month. More…
Featured, Public Health, Richland County Schools, State of Ohio
By Mahoning Matters Staff
The state is now readying to distribute coronavirus vaccines to adult workers in those schools starting the week of Feb. 1, the governor said during a Tuesday briefing.
Gov. Mike DeWine said 96 percent of all of Ohio’s K-12 school districts have committed to return to in-person learning by March 1.
The state is now readying to distribute coronavirus vaccines to adult workers in those schools starting the week of Feb. 1, the governor said during a Tuesday briefing.
School districts are expected to work with their local Educational Service Centers to identify vaccine providers like local health agencies are partnering pharmacies, DeWine said. More…
By FARNOUSH AMIRI and ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS Report for America/Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — More than 1,000 Ohio National Guard members have now been activated to head to Washington in preparations for anticipated armed protests ahead of Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Friday.
The request came from the U.S. National Guard Bureau on Thursday night, DeWine said. The governor previously authorized more than 700 Guard members for service in Washington.
DeWine has also authorized 580 National Guard members to provide security around the Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus through Wednesday, where they’re expected to be joined by numerous Columbus police officers and troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
Thursday’s numbers shared by the State of Ohio relating to COVID-19 cases in Ohio schools had some good news for Richland County.
The county’s total number of reported cases dropped from a total of 49 a week ago to 39 on January 14.
These 39 new infections represent 15 students and 24 staff members. More…
By FARNOUSH AMIRI and ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS Report for America/Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Statehouse and other state buildings in downtown Columbus will be closed through Inauguration Day as police officers, National Guard members and state troopers provide security and authorities prepare for possible protests by supporters of President Donald Trump, Gov. Mike DeWine said Thursday.
“The sad truth is that there are people in our country who want to turn peaceful protests into an opportunity for violence,” said DeWine, a Republican, at a news briefing. “These are violent people, and their violence will not be tolerated in Ohio.” More…
By Susan Tebben, Ohio Capital Journal
Gov. Mike DeWine explained more of the planned roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations for schools on Thursday, and a state teachers union said the criteria involved has members concerned.
DeWine said the plan as of now is to start vaccinating school personnel in the first week of February, with a goal for schools who receive vaccinations to return to in-person instruction by March 1.
“The sole rationale of vaccinating teachers and others in schools is to open up schools,” DeWine said on Thursday. More…
On Tuesday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
VACCINATION PHASES
Governor DeWine today recapped Phases 1A and 1B of Ohio’s vaccine distribution plan. Because the availability of the vaccine remains limited in Ohio and across the country, Ohio is taking a phased approach that prioritizes the most vulnerable citizens, those in the healthcare field, and school staff members.
Phase 1A, which is currently underway, includes approximately 1 million Ohioans. More…
By Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine got a lot of attention Wednesday when he said that 60% of nursing home workers who were offered a coronavirus vaccine refused to take it.
But state health officials on Thursday said there’s no organized effort to track refusals among people they consider so critical that they’ve been given first crack at the scarce vaccines.
In a press conference, DeWine implored people who are eligible for the vaccine to accept it, warning that it could be a long time before they get another chance. That argument might seem pretty compelling, given that a fast-spreading variant of the virus has popped up in two states, ICU beds are filling and the two approved vaccines have trickled out at a rate far lower than the Trump administration promised. More…
Special to 1812Blockhouse
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) welcomes visitors every day to state parks, forests, nature preserves, and wildlife areas in all of Ohio’s 88 counties. Passage of the Capital Appropriations Bill (SB 310) provides the resources necessary for ODNR to manage and maintain those properties for enjoyment by future generations.
“We are incredibly grateful to have the support of Governor DeWine and Ohio’s elected representatives shown by a strong capital bill,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “People visited Ohio’s great outdoors more than ever over the last year. This funding will allow us to continue to invest in important conservation activities and provide the infrastructure to help people connect with nature.” More…
Special to 1812Blockhouse
This week, Governor DeWine provided updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in reference to vaccines,school quarantine guidance changes, curfew extension, the availability of grants to Ohio bars and restaurants, and current case data as of Wednesday, December 30.
OHIO VACCINES
Ohio is expected to receive more than 238,000 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines next week. Governor DeWine encouraged those administering the vaccine to do so with urgency. More…
Special to 1812Blockhouse
Governor Mike DeWine has signed Ohio Senate Bill No. 123 into law, officially designating the fossil fish species Dunkleosteus terrelli as the Fossil Fish of Ohio. It joins the ranks of other state symbols, such as the Ohio Buckeye (state tree) and cardinal (state bird).
Dunkleosteus is the second fossil animal and third geologic state symbol to be added to Ohio’s list. Previously, in 1965, flint was named Ohio’s State Gemstone. And in 1985, the large trilobite genus Isotelus, occurring in rocks exposed in southwestern Ohio, was named the State Invertebrate Fossil. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
If the State of Ohio’s $2.1 billion capital improvements budget for FY 2021-22 is passed, which began hearings this week after being introduced as an amendment during a Senate Bill 310 conference committee meeting, it will bring funding to several deserving projects around Richland County at places such as downtown Mansfield, the Ohio State Reformatory, the Black Fork Commons in Shelby, and several others.
Usually passed in the spring, this year’s budget bill was delayed until the fall. The largest ticket item in this year’s bill is $16 million for a new soccer stadium for FC Cincinnati.
The outlay for all projects in the county included in the bill totals $6,838,293. More…
By Boniface Womber and Bonnie Jean Feldkamp
NOTE: This article is from Eye on Ohio, the nonprofit, nonpartisan Ohio Center for Journalism. Please join their free mailing list, as this helps provide more public service reporting.
Amid a raging pandemic, Ohio’s agency responsible for looking out for workers’ welfare has started posting full-time temporary jobs with no benefits for its own workforce. More…
Employment, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, State of Ohio
By 1812Blockhouse
The Ohio Public Health Advisory System’s latest update was shared on Thursday afternoon, and Richland County was afforded a most unwelcome distinction.
The county is now the only one in Ohio with a “Purple” or Level 4 rating, the most serious given in the system. Four northeastern Ohio counties fell from “Purple” to “Red” this week.
This designation comes despite Richland County failing to meet two of the standard indicators — Emergency Department Visits and Outpatient Visits. Once reaching the “Purple” designation, Ohio counties remain there until there are five or fewer indicators each week for two successive weeks. More…
Coronavirus, Ohio Department of Health, Public Health, State of Ohio
By 1812Blockhouse
If the State of Ohio’s $2.1 billion capital improvements bill for FY 2021-22 is passed, which began hearings this week after being introduced as an amendment during a Senate Bill 310 conference committee meeting, it will bring much-needed funding for physical improvements to The Ohio State University at Mansfield and North Central State College.
Usually passed in the spring, this year’s budget bill was delayed until the fall. The largest ticket item in this year’s bill is $16 million for a new soccer stadium for FC Cincinnati.
The outlay for projects at the campuses on Lexington-Springmill Road totals over $3.4 million.
Projects slated for funding at OSUM include the following: More…
