A lot more is coming out about what the FBI was looking for earlier this spring related to an investigation into former House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger’s travel.This week the Ohio House released the search warrant and subpoena shows what the Ohio House turned over to investigators May 23 - and it shows they were investigating connections to payday lending legislation and “evidence of payments, kickbacks, bribes or other benefits, such as payment of travel-related expenses”.
The Ohio Republican Party held the biggest annual fundraising dinner in the organization’s history on Friday – headlined by President Trump. The Trump factor will certainly be part of this fall’s midterm elections and Ohio’s major statewide races this fall, with some experts predicting big wins for Democrats. But guests at the annual state dinner say they’re unified behind their party, including Sen. Bob Hackett (R-London), Ohio Young Republicans' executive vice chair Alex Pavloff, Columbiana County GOP Chair Dave Johnson and Mahoning County GOP Vice Chair Tracey Winbush
A report on poverty released earlier this year shows that the numbers of people living below the federal poverty level in Ohio have been dropping since 2011 – now 14.6 percent of Ohioans are in that category. But people in poverty have been very hard-hit by the opioid crisis and they pay much more of their income for child care and education – two very expensive items that can help bring people raise their incomes. There's a program celebrating its 20 th year in Ohio next year claims an 85% success rate. Bridges Out of Poverty brings in low-income people, sometimes by paying them, for workshops and sessions that give them tools to assess their lives to get ahead, then stay ahead, then give back - with goals such as completing a GED, learning to budget and getting a better paying job. Kaci Harris of Franklin County says when she started the program, she was an unemployed mother of four. Now she’s in training to be a lead teacher for 3-5 year olds.
Bridges Out of Poverty also seeks to bring in employers, community groups and social service agencies to better understand the complexities of poverty. The program is in use in 47 states and six countries. 30 counties in Ohio are using significant elements of the program, which is described in the book “Bridges Across Every Divide”. Phil DeVol wrote that book, along with Gene Krebs, a former Republican state legislator.