“Our major drug interdiction task forces are taking drugs, guns and cash off the streets and holding traffickers accountable,” Yost said. “The bottom line is that poisons like fentanyl continue to stream into Ohio and ruin lives. Stopping the flow of illegal drugs has been and will continue to be a top priority.”

In 2023, the task forces also seized 400 firearms and $5,471,132 million in currency.

“The role of these drug task forces in the safety of our communities cannot be overstated,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “I sincerely appreciate the collaborative work of state, local, and federal law enforcement officers in 2023, and I’m grateful for their continued dedication to public safety in the year to come.” 

For the complete story, go to Narcotics Seizures.

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The First Amendment safeguards even wrong information, Yost noted, and the government largely lacks the authority to restrain information. To help ensure a meaningful and accurate public discourse on the two initiatives, the Attorney General directed two teams from his office – one for each issue – to conduct legal analyses of both. These are not policy analyses, but legal analyses – not “why,” but “what.”

“Ohio voters deserve an impartial resource that offers an objective analysis of the legal implications of both citizen-initiated initiatives,” Yost said. “The decision regarding which policy path is best for Ohio lies with voters, not with me.”

Issue 1 is a constitutional amendment that deals with reproductive rights and abortion, and Issue 2 is a proposed statute on recreational use of marijuana.

“The people of Ohio hired me to do a job,” Yost said. “I owe it to them to give them accurate information so they can make informed decisions. This work is for them.”

Led by the Attorney General, separate teams of attorneys and professional staff conducted the analyses, meticulously reviewing the appropriate citizen-initiated initiatives, discussing them at length, and preparing comprehensive explanations of their legal implications.

The final versions offer clarity in some areas and acknowledge the potential for legal disputes in others – without resorting to speculative projections.

To read the Attorney General’s legal explanations of State Issues 1 and 2, visit www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Ballot-Initiatives.

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Why Clear Backpacks?

Clear backpacks will let everyone see what’s inside. The district thinks this will make schools safer. Dr. Cassandra Johnson, the superintendent, explained that the backpacks are paid for with federal money. The best part? All kids will also get free school supplies! Backpacks will be available at the schools.

In an email, the principal of Glendale School told families that every student must use the clear backpack given by the district. Some parents have mixed feelings about this change.

Metal Detectors

The district’s middle and high school students don’t need clear backpacks. They will go through metal detectors to make sure they don’t have anything dangerous with them. There will also be security officers at the schools.

Four elementary schools will have metal detectors too. But don’t worry, young kids won’t have to go through them. Only adults will. If a student has a lunch box that’s not paper, they might be checked with a special tool called a wand.

Final Words

The new clear backpacks and metal detectors are part of the Bedford City School District’s plan to make sure everyone is safe. Students will get their clear backpacks at the open house events before school starts. No matter what, the district’s goal is to do whatever it takes to protect students.

Remember, safety is everyone’s responsibility. Let’s all work together to make this a great and safe school year!

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During the initiative, Ohio troopers issued 690 Move Over citations and educated motorists about the state’s Move Over law. Troopers from the six partnering states issued 1,064 Move Over citations in total.

Ohio law requires all drivers to move over to an adjacent lane when approaching any vehicle with flashing or rotating lights parked on the roadside. If moving over is not possible due to traffic or weather conditions, or because a second lane does not exist, motorists should slow down and proceed with caution. A version of the Move Over law exists in all 50 states.

The 6-State Trooper Project is a multi-state law enforcement partnership aimed at providing combined and coordinated law enforcement and security services in the areas of highway safety, criminal patrol, and information sharing.

The Ohio results can be found here and the combined results can be found here.

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CLEVELAND – University Hospitals (UH) opened a new Urgent Care facility July 25 in Mayfield Heights, as well as has extend hours at several locations throughout Northeast Ohio.

The moves will provide greater access to high-quality healthcare services to residents across the region. They are also part of a plan to open multiple new urgent care locations across several neighborhoods, enhancing the reach of the health system’s comprehensive care network. UH’s goal is to deliver health care closer to where patients live, work and shop.

The new UH Urgent Care in Mayfield Heights is located at 1300 SOM Center Road. This location is accessible by major highways and is adjacent to large retail centers and neighborhoods, bringing care where it is needed most. Hours for this site are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday – Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.

Additionally, UH has expanded hours of operation at urgent care centers in Amherst, Broadview Heights, Chagrin Highlands, Concord, Medina, Streetsboro, Twinsburg and Westlake. The new hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday – Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.

“Urgent cares are an essential piece of our UH care delivery model,” said UH Chief Operating Officer Paul Hinchey, MD, MBA. “They are a more affordable option than emergency departments for patients who don’t have a primary care physician but need immediate, non-life-threating medical attention.”

The new facilities will be equipped with advanced medical technology and staffed by experienced healthcare professionals dedicated to providing compassionate, efficient and personalized care to patients of all ages.

UH Urgent Care President Lee Resnick, MD, is enthusiastic about the expansion.

“Our primary goal is to prioritize the health and well-being of the communities we serve,” Dr. Resnick said. “The expansion of UH Urgent Care in Northeast Ohio is a significant step towards fulfilling this commitment. By increasing access to urgent care services, we aim to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals and families throughout the region, providing them with the prompt and effective care they deserve.”

Offering more urgent care locations can relieve the burden on emergency departments, allowing them to focus on critical and life-threatening cases. The increased access to urgent care services will also help reduce wait times, ensuring patients receive timely treatment while alleviating strain on primary care providers.

UH Urgent Care is being operated as part of a joint venture with WellStreet. To support the expansion, UH Urgent Care will be bringing hundreds of healthcare jobs to the Northeast Ohio market. It is currently seeking experienced physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other medical professionals, looking for consistent, meaningful work, to join the team. For more information about career opportunities with UH Urgent Care, visit https://www.wellstreet.com/careers-university-hospitals/.

UH is dedicated to improving healthcare accessibility and meeting the evolving needs of the Northeast Ohio community. The expansion of UH Urgent Care will contribute to this mission, ensuring residents have easy access to high-quality care when and where they need it.

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While space is limited for this exhibition, we welcome all suitable mediums, including 3-dimensional pieces. We also welcome entries from veteran artists of varying backgrounds and levels of expertise. Keep in mind that your artwork does not necessarily need to depict aspects of military service. An expert panel of jurors will review all submissions and give them careful consideration.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: You must be …

• Living in Ohio
• A current military member or veteran

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

• Submit between one (1) and three (3) artworks per artist.
• Submit between one (1) and three (3) images per artwork.
• Include detail images and varying points of view if you choose to submit more than one image.
• Video submissions are also accepted.
• Digital images must be saved as JPEG or PNG files.
• Make sure the images are clear and well-lit.
• If you need help resizing your image(s), review the video tutorial on the next page.
• Artwork using any media will be accepted.
• Artwork cannot be larger than 2ft x 2ft.
• If your artwork is selected for the exhibition, it must be framed and/or equipped with hardware to display properly.
• You must provide all audiovisual equipment if your artwork requires it.
• Be mindful of subject matter; artwork that is overly graphic, political, or lewd will not be considered.
• Artwork must be original artwork—nothing borrowed or copied.
• Artwork does not need to be military/veteran focused.

DATES TO REMEMBER:
Call for entries open: Saturday, July 15, 8 a.m.
Call for entries deadline: Thursday, August 31, 5 p.m.
Notice of acceptance to the exhibition: the week of September 11.
Artwork drop-off: Friday, October 6 or Saturday, October 7, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

To submit your artwork, visit https://ohioveteransartexhibition2023.artcall.org/.Or contact Ali Yogmour at Ali.Yogmour@dvs.ohio.gov or 614-752-8941.

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When visiting the SurveyMonkey website, scroll to the bottom of the page and select Ohio from the drop-down menu. Voting tallies will be updated on the AAST’s website throughout the contest. As of July 19, Kentucky is currently in the vote lead followed by Georgia.

Last year, Ohio finished in 13th place. Please help vote for the Ohio State Highway Patrol as the 2023 best-looking cruiser. The top 13 photos receiving the highest number of votes will be featured in the 2024 AAST wall calendar, and the photo that gets the highest number of votes will be featured on the cover.

Photos were taken from the American Association of State Troopers website and from the Ohio State Highway Patrol Press Release.

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The high-visibility enforcement initiative includes the Indiana State Police, Kentucky State Police, Michigan State Police, Pennsylvania State Police and the West Virginia State Police, as well as OSHP.

Since 2018, Ohio State Highway Patrol cruisers were struck in 61 crashes that were “Move Over” related. During that same time period, the Patrol issued 26,739 Move Over violation citations. These crashes resulted in the deaths of two civilians and 56 injuries to officers and civilians. In 2022, there were only 11 such crashes, 38 percent fewer than in 2021.

“Too many times our troopers have seen the aftermath or been involved in a crash where the driver failed to move over,” said Colonel Charles A. Jones, Patrol superintendent. “Moving over protects the lives of everyone who works or uses our freeways.”

Ohio law requires all drivers to move over to an adjacent lane when approaching any vehicle with flashing or rotating lights parked on the roadside. If moving over is not possible due to traffic or weather conditions, or because a second lane does not exist, motorists should slow down and proceed with caution. A version of the move over law exists in all 50 states.

The 6-State Trooper Project is a multi-state law enforcement partnership aimed at providing combined and coordinated law enforcement and security services in the areas of highway safety, criminal patrol and intelligence sharing.

The public is encouraged to call #677 in Ohio or 911 to report drug activity, and dangerous or impaired drivers.

More information and statistics related to Ohio’s Move Over law can be found here.

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