State Sen. Nina Turner plans to announce the introduction of the Voter Protection Act at a press conference today at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.

Turner, D-Cleveland, said the bill would emphasize promoting and facilitating ballot access, prevent arbitrary disenfranchisement of voters, and encourage county election boards to make bipartisan adjustments to meet the needs of their communities.

Turner represents Ohio Senate District 25, which consists of Eastlake, Fairport Harbor, Grand River, Lakeline, Mentor Ward 4, Mentor-on-the-Lake, Painesville, parts of Painesville Township, Timberlake, Wickliffe, Willoughby and Willowick in Lake County , plus Euclid, Richmond Heights and other eastern Cuyahoga County communities.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Gov. John Kasich recently asked the Ohio General Assembly to convene his State of the State address Feb. 19 at a location outside the state’s capital.

It marks the second year that Kasich decided to conduct the event away from the traditional forum in Columbus. This year it will be held in Lima at the Veteran’s Memorial Civic and Convention Center. Last year, the governor made waves when he chose Stuebenville as the location.

The governor said he chose Lima this year to showcase Allen County, which has experienced a drop in the unemployment rate to 6.7 percent down from 10.8 percent in 2011.

As part of his State of the State, I’m sure Kasich will focus on the economy.

But there are a few other things I will be curious to hear from Kasich.

What will Kasich say about school funding? This seems to be a part of every governor’s speech, but so far has yet to alleviate Ohio’s reliance on property taxes. Will he roll out any specific proposals?

What about funding for local governments through the state’s Local Government Fund? Will the cuts put in place during his last budget remain?

Will Kasich decide to expand Medicaid coverage as part of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, and the state collect federal funding to help implement it?

Will the governor discuss a plan to lower the state’s income tax rate? That was an issue Kasich championed last year as he tied it to increasing state revenue from hydraulic fracturing, but the idea didn’t make it far through the Ohio General Assembly.

Last year, to the surprise of some, the governor talked about issues such as stepping up efforts to prevent abuse of prescription medications and to combat human trafficking.

What else might the governor have in store?

Congressional committees

First-term U.S. Rep. David P. Joyce, R-Russell Township, has been selected to serve on three subcommittees within the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

Joyce will sit on the Interior; the Labor, Health and Human Services; and the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development subcommittees.

The congressman is currently the only Ohio Republican serving on the House Appropriations Committee.

He represents Ohio’s 14th Congressional District that consists of Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula counties, plus parts of Cuyahoga, Portage, Summit, Trumbull counties.

U.S. Rep. Marcia L. Fudge, D-Cleveland, will serve as ranking member of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight and Nutrition; Agriculture Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agriculture; along with the House Education and the Workforce Committee and its Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education; and the Subcommittee on Workforce Protection.

Fudge represents the 11th Congressional District that includes Euclid and Mayfield Heights, plus other eastern Cuyahoga County communities along with portions of Summit County including part of Akron.

Filed petitions

Scott J. Marn has filed petitions for Mentor Council at large Jan. 2 term; Ray Kirchner filed for Mentor Council at large Jan. 3 term; and Max Anderson Jr. filed for Madison Township trustee.

Picked up petitions

Recently taking out petitions with the Lake County Elections Board are Ted Andrzejewski for Eastlake mayor, and Bill Margalis for Wickliffe mayor.

Club meeting

The Bolton Republican Women’s Club will meet Monday at 6 p.m. at Lake County Republican Party headquarters in Painesville.

Fundies

n Lake County Commissioner Daniel P. Troy hosts his annual Mardi Gras Party from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 at Holiday Inn Express LaMalfa Centre in Mentor. See Kip Molenaar.

n Concord Township Trustees Paul Malchesky and Christopher Galloway re-election fundraiser is 5 to 7 p.m. March 4 at Harry Buffalo in Painesville Township. See Malchesky, Galloway or Connie Luhta.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

U.S. Rep. David P. Joyce announced Thursday that he’s been selected to serve on three subcommittees within the House Appropriations Committee.

The congressman is currently the only Ohio Republican serving on the House Appropriations Committee.

Joyce, R-Russell Township, will sit on the Interior, the Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development subcommittees.

“With these subcommittee assignments, I’ll be at the forefront of ensuring our district’s world-class health care facilities and natural resources such as the Great Lakes are receiving the resources they need to thrive," Joyce said in a statement. 

"It’s an honor to serve on the Appropriations Committee and I look forward to helping facilitate an efficient and effective appropriations process while also scrutinizing federal spending. I thank Chairman Rogers for the opportunity and look forward to working with my new colleagues.” 

Joyce began his first term in Congress on Jan. 3.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

U.S. Rep. David P. Joyce announced Wednesday that he has voted in support of H.R. 325, the No Budget, No Pay Act.

“Today, I voted to hold Washington accountable to hardworking taxpayers by supporting the No Budget, No Pay Act. It’s a simple bill: if the Senate doesn't fulfill its duty of passing a budget, then they don’t get paid,” Joyce said in a statement. “At a time in which every American family is prioritizing their spending by being on a budget, Washington must do the same. For too long, Washington has spent and then sent taxpayers the bill. It’s my hope that this legislation stops this irresponsible practice and starts a frank conversation about reducing our debt and jump starting our economy.”

The No Budget, No Pay Act passed the House by a vote of 285-144, according to Joyce’s office. The nation’s current debt stands at almost $16.4 trillion.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

U.S. Rep. Marcia L. Fudge, D-Cleveland, has announced her committee assignments in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 113th session of Congress.

Fudge represents the 11th Congressional District that includes Euclid and Mayfield Heights, plus other eastern Cuyahoga County communties along with portions of Summit County including part of Akron.

She will serve as Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight and Nutrition, which has jurisdiction over SNAP (food stamps), nutrition, consumer programs, special investigations, and oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Fudge will also serve on the Agriculture Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agriculture.

This subcommittee reviews a wide variety of matters including fruits and vegetables, honey and bees, market and promotion orders, plan pesticides, quarantine, adulteration of seeds and insect pests, and foreign agriculture assistance.

“I look forward to enhanced jurisdiction over areas vitally important to constituents of the 11th District including SNAP, nutrition and a cause I have long championed, reducing the epidemic of childhood obesity,” Fudge said in a news release. “All Americans count on their food supply to be safe on its journey from farm and field to their dinner tables. I welcome the opportunity to protect their interests in my committee assignments.”

The congresswoman will continue her service on the House Education and the Workforce Committee and will remain a member of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Subcommittee on Workforce Protection.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Wondering what words are said the most in U.S. presidents' inaugural speeches? Check out the interactive word cloud below to see the most commonly used words from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama. It's really worth clicking through and typing in different words to see who said what.

American Presidents Inaugural Speeches infographic by moebio.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

President Barack Obama will be inaugurated for his second term in office on Monday and among those in attendance will be U.S. Rep. David Joyce.

A presidential inauguration is usually a historic event and this year it also falls on the holiday to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Partisanship can be swept aside for a moment during an inauguration as the air is filled with pomp and circumstance and typically ushers in a spirit that better things are to come for the nation.

For Joyce, R-Russell Township, the event will be his first opportunity to witness a presidential inauguration as a sitting congressman. He plans to bring along his family and has invited someone whom you might not expect.

The new congressman set aside two tickets to attend the inauguration for his opponent Dale Virgil Blanchard, a Solon Democrat who was his party’s nominee Nov. 6 for Ohio’s 14th Congressional District.

Joyce said that when he began his campaign last August the two men agreed to keep things on high ground, and they have stayed in touch since the campaign concluded.

During this session of Congress, Joyce will serve as co-chairman to the U.S. House of Representatives Nursing Caucus.

The caucus meets on a regular basis to discuss issues related to the nursing profession and to help develop ideas and solutions to any challenges facing nursing professionals.

Joyce said it is a natural fit as his wife, Kelly, has been a registered nurse at University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center for 22 years.

Filed petitions

John Trebets filed petitions Tuesday to seek re-election for Mentor Municipal Court judge. There would only be a need for a May 7 primary if two or more candidates from the same party file petitions by the Feb. 6 deadline to run for the position. If there is no primary, the position will only appear on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Painesville City Schools has filed petitions for a May 7 special election to seek a five-year, 6.06-mill renewal levy.

Picked up petitions

Recently taking out petitions with the Lake County Elections Board are Dennis Morley for Eastlake mayor, T.R. Hach for Painesville Township trustee, Nancy Fellows for Willoughby Hills at large Jan. 2, 2014, term, Steven Komarjanski for Willoughby-Eastlake School Board, David Anderson for Willoughby mayor, and Michael Zuren for Eastlake Council at large.

Potential fall primaries?

If three or more people file to run for certain offices in a few Lake County communities there will be nonpartisan primaries on Sept. 17 with the top two vote getters running against each other Nov. 5.

Those races involve Eastlake mayor and three city council at large seats; Mentor-on-the-Lake mayor; Wickliffe mayor, council president and wards 1, 2, 3, 4. Because of potential primaries, the filing deadlines for these races is July 19, rather than Aug. 7 for most other races this year.

Carson named Ohio Democratic County Chairs Association president

Geauga County Democratic Party Chairwoman Janet Carson was recently elected as president of the Ohio Democratic County Chairs Association.

The association’s goal is to work to increase the Democratic vote percentage in all of Ohio’s counties.

The newly elected officers will serve through the 2014 gubernatorial statewide election cycle, when all statewide offices will be on the ballot.

Power 100

Lake County Commissioner Daniel P. Troy along with Lakeland Community College President Morris Beverage; Classic Auto Group owner and president Jim Brown; James Hambrick, chairman, president and CEO of Lubrizol; and Cynthia Moore-Hardy, president and CEO of Lake Health; were recently selected in the January Power 100 issue of Inside Business Magazine as among the region’s most influential leaders.

Fundies

n Troy hosts his annual Mardi Gras Party from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 at Holiday Inn Express LaMalfa Centre in Mentor. See Kip Molenaar.

n Concord Township Trustees Paul Malchesky and Christopher Galloway re-election fundraiser is 5 to 7 p.m. March 4 at Harry Buffalo in Painesville Township. See Malchesky, Galloway or Connie Luhta.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Geauga County Democratic Party Chairwoman Janet Carson has been elected as president of the Ohio Democratic County Chairs Association.

The association’s goal is to work to increase the Democratic vote percentage in all of Ohio’s counties.

”By studying the best practices used successfully in red and blue, large and small, urban and rural counties, we can turn out more Democrats and win statewide,” Carson said. “ Starting now, the ODCCA will begin work to expand our Democratic farm team and build a stronger infrastructure in every county.”

Others elected were Dallas Hurt of Brown County as 1st Vice Chairman, Don Traxler of Hardin County as 2nd Vice Chairman, Ann Reno of Clinton County as Secretary, and Amy Grubbe of Erie County as Treasurer. Dave Fisher of Miami County was also elected as the Sergeant at Arms.

“Our county parties help develop new leaders who will serve as the future of our state Democratic leadership,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern. “The Ohio Democratic County Chairs Association serves an instrumental role in our efforts to hold Gov. John Kasich accountable for his attacks on working class Ohioans, and I’m certain President Carson, along with Don, Ann, Amy and Dave will serve our county parties well.”

The newly elected officers will serve through the crucial 2014 Gubernatorial statewide election cycle. The association will be instrumental in turning out Democratic voters in all of Ohio’s 88 counties when all statewide offices will be on the ballot.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

U.S. Rep. David P. Joyce, R-Russell Township, announced he will serve as co-chair to the U.S. House of Representatives Nursing Caucus for the 113th Congress.

The caucus meets on a regular basis to discuss issues related to the nursing profession and help develop ideas and solutions to any challenges facing nursing professionals.

Joyce noted that his wife Kelly has been an Registered Nurse at University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center for 22 years.

“I’m thrilled to announce that I will co-chair the bipartisan House Nursing caucus along with Rep. Lois Capps, D-Calif. Our district has several world-class health care and research facilities including Summa, University of Akron polymer program, Cleveland Clinic, Case and University Hospitals and it’s crucial that these institutions have a voice in Washington.

“The nursing profession is especially dear to my family as my wife Kelly has been an RN at UH Geauga for the last 22 years and we've seen first-hand the critical role nurses play in their patients’ and patients’ families’ lives. I look forward to co-chairing this important caucus and working with my colleagues to address the needs of the nursing community.”

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Now that former Gov. Ted Strickland has made a decision that he will not run for governor in 2014, expect to see decisions fairly soon from other Democrats.

Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, has not officially announced that he would seek re-election next year, but all signs point to him running.

Kasich will present a formidable challenge for any Democratic opponent after seemingly rebounding after essentially coming up on the losing end of statewide referendum in November 2011 to repeal Senate Bill 5, which aimed to limit collective bargaining rights for public employees.

Expect Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald to make a decision on whether he will run for governor fairly soon. FitzGerald also would be up for re-election in 2014, so he may need to make a choice.

FitzGerald appears to be acting like a candidate as he spoke of his interest to a crowd at the Ohio Democratic County Chairs Association on Wednesday night in Columbus. Reports indicate he fell short of making an official announcement or decision.

Others mentioned as possible candidates are U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Niles, and former U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton, D-Copley. Former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray also has been mentioned, but he is not permitted to discuss politics because he is chief of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

State Sen. Nina Turner, D-Cleveland, appears to have a solid interest in running for Ohio Secretary of State in 2014.

Turner represents Ohio Senate District 25, which now includes Ohio House District 60, which contains  Eastlake, Fairport Harbor, Grand River, Lakeline, Mentor Ward 4, Mentor-on-the-Lake, Painesville, parts of Painesville Township, Timberlake, Wickliffe, Willoughby and Willowick in Lake County, plus Euclid, Richmond Heights and other eastern Cuyahoga County communities.

If Turner decides to run for statewide office, and a decision will likely happen soon, she would leave an opening for her state Senate seat that will be on the ballot in 2014.

Would someone locally have an interest, such as Eastlake Mayor Ted Andrzejewski, who ran in a Democratic primary for county commissioner last year, or Willowick Democrat James Helmink, who ran in a primary for Ohio House District 60 last year?

How about former state Rep. Kenny Yuko, D-Richmond Heights? Remember, Yuko was termed out in the Ohio House last year.

Absentee, provisional wrap-up

During the Nov. 6 election, more than 1.86 million voters in Ohio cast absentee ballots.

That includes more than 1.26 million by mail and more than 600,000 cast in person, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted said.

That’s up from 2008, when the total number of absentee ballots cast, both by mail and in person, was roughly 1.74 million.

Husted attributed the increase two key policy changes implemented for the first time — all registered voters received an absentee ballot application in the mail and uniform days and hours statewide that included an increase in the number of voting hours available.

Husted did not mention in his news release that a court ruled that Ohio should have in-person voting hours on the final weekend before the election.

Husted’s office also issued a report on provisional ballots that stated of the 208,087 provisional ballots cast, 173,765 (83.5 percent) were counted, up from 166,870 (80 percent) in 2008.

Of the 34,322 provisional ballots rejected this year, 20,119 (58.6 percent) were not eligible to be counted because the person was not registered to vote in Ohio.

Nearly 40,000 provisional ballots were rejected in 2008.

Picked up petitions

People who have officially signed out petitions from the Lake County Elections Board to run for office Nov. 5 are: Ray Kirchner, Janet Dowling and Scott Marn, each for Mentor Council at large; Chris Galloway and Paul Malchesky for Concord Township trustee; Bill Brotzman for Madison Township trustee; Phillip S. Haskell for Perry Township trustee; Amy Cossick for Painesville Township trustee; John G. McCallister for Mentor Council at large and Mentor School Board; Troy D. Elam and David R. Eva for Mentor-on-the-Lake mayor.

Candidates for nonpartisan races for the General Election have until Aug. 7 to file their petitions.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

State Sen. John Eklund, R-Munson Township, was sworn in this afternoon for his first full term to represent the 18th Ohio Senate District, which includes portions of Geauga and Lake counties and all of Portage County.

Eklund – who was first appointed to the Ohio Senate in 2011 – took the oath of office surrounded by family and friends during today’s opening ceremony for the 130th General Assembly.

“Representing the families and communities of Northeastern Ohio in the state Legislature is a true honor, and I am grateful for the trust my constituents have placed in me to ensure their views and opinions are heard at the Statehouse,” Eklund said. “While we accomplished a great deal during the last legislative session in getting Ohioans back to work and transforming our economy, much work remains – and I look forward to tackling the important issues facing Ohio.”

In addition to tending to legislative duties in Columbus, Eklund is a partner in at the law firm of Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP, where he has worked for more than 30 years. Throughout his legal career, much of his work has been centered on areas pertaining to anti-trust litigation, trade regulation, price fixing, class actions, and mergers and acquisitions.

Eklund and his wife Meg reside in Munson Township. They have two daughters and one grandchild.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland announced Tuesday that he not seek the Democratic Party nomination to run for governor in 2014.

Strickland had served as governor for 4 years before he lost a re-election bid to Gov. John Kasich in November 2010.

Cuyahoga County Ed FitzGerald is among a few Democrats who have been mentioned as potential gubernatorial candidates and Strickland’s decision likely paves the way for him to make a decision to run.

Strickland, who served as a campaign surrogate during President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign and may eventually find a position in the president’s administration, released a lengthy statement to announce his decision:

“In many ways, this has been a very difficult decision. I look back fondly on my time as Ohio’s 68th Governor and am proud of my Administration’s efforts to guide our state through the greatest national economic crisis since the Great Depression. With the help of my First Lady — Frances Strickland — my dedicated and loyal Cabinet, and my incredibly hard-working Executive Staff, we held the ship steady. With the help of President Obama, who provided the funds necessary to keep Ohio and all of America from slipping into another Great Depression, we were able to preserve the social safety net, make important investments in education, and position Ohio’s economy for the recovery that started in February 2010.

“And when I look back on my four years as Governor, I am equally proud of those in the Strickland Administration who served the public with honor, integrity, and humility. We sought to make Ohio better.

“My administration was about positioning Ohio as a leader in our rapidly changing economy and global world. We worked to rebuild our infrastructure with a special effort to make sure the national system for rail transportation included Ohio. We worked to ensure there were more Ohioans with affordable health care coverage. We significantly improved our national standing in public education, made sure it did not suffer from deep cuts during the economic crises, and worked to satisfy the Supreme Court’s ruling for equitable funding with a new formula that was less dependent on property taxes. We enacted a comprehensive energy reform bill that helped to stabilize the energy market for consumers and business while creating a renewable portfolio standard that has positioned Ohio as a leader in advanced energy. And, we made college more affordable. Most significant for jobs, we were leaders in investments in alternatives sources of energy and went to bat for the automobile industry; working closely with President Obama on the rescue plan that has been so pivotal in Ohio’s economic recovery.

“In short, I believe my Administration stood and spoke for the causes that count.

“Frances and I will continue to be politically active private citizens. We will continue to stand with working men and women to build a stronger Ohio ---and to defeat anti-worker and anti-middle class legislation that may arise.”


Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett said in a statement that whoever decides to challenge Kasich’s record on job growth should think twice.

“Ohio has made giant leaps in progress in two short years under John Kasich and it will be hard for any Democrat to argue why he shouldn’t continue to create jobs for hardworking Ohio families and put Ohio back on the right track," Bennett said


John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

A new era began in Lake County after Judy Moran was sworn-in Tuesday as the first Democratic female commissioner in the county’s 172 years of history.

Moran, formerly Willowick Council’s president, now is the second woman to serve as a Lake County commissioner. Republican Mildred M. Teuscher was the first woman to serve as a commissioner before retiring in January 2003.

Democratic Party women in Lake County also have fared well in recent elections including winning four positions at the county level on Nov. 6.

Lorraine M. Fende won election as treasurer, Ann M. Radcliffe was elected recorder, and Maureen G. Kelly was re-elected to her second term as clerk of courts.

When Kelly was first elected in 2008, she became the first Democrat in 40 years to be elected to the position and the first Democratic woman to serve as clerk.

As for other candidates who will appear on the ballot this year, only one race in the county is eligible to have a partisan primary in May — Mentor Municipal Court judge.

Judge John Trebets has served as the court’s judge after he was first elected to a six-year term in 2001 and then re-elected in 2007.

The filing deadline to run as a candidate for Mentor Municipal Court judge is Feb. 6 and if there was a primary it would be held May 7 along with any special election involving issues such as school levies.

Nonpartisan races for the Nov. 5 General Election have until Aug. 7 to file nominating petitions with the county Elections Board. Some candidates have already taken out petitions.

Strickland nearing decision?

Look for some development in the next few weeks on who could be the Democratic Party’s 2014 candidate for Ohio governor.

Democrat sources say that former Gov. Ted Strickland is being vetted for a potential position in President Barack Obama’s administration, especially after Strickland played a vital role as an Obama surrogate during the presidential campaign.

If that doesn’t happen, it’s quite possible that Strickland may throw his hat into the ring to challenge incumbent Gov. John Kasich, setting up a possible rematch.

The race between Strickland and Kasich in 2010 was fairly close, so it might be interesting to see the two battle once again.

If Strickland declines to run, many think that Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald will decide to seek the party nomination.

Coming from Ohio’s largest county, FitzGerald likely would do well in Northeast Ohio, but it’s not certain how he would fare in other areas of the state where his name is not as well-known as someone like Kasich or Strickland.

Other names often tossed around as potential Democratic gubernatorial candidates are U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Niles; and Richard Cordray, former Ohio Attorney General and treasurer, who now serves as director of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

To the brink

Once again, the country was led down the path of brinkmanship when Congress passed legislation by a vote of 257-167 Tuesday night to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff.

All five House Democrats from Ohio voted in favor and Ohio’s House Republicans split, six voting in favor and seven against.

Those voting in favor were Democrats Marcia Fudge, Marcy Kaptur, Dennis Kucinich, Tim Ryan and Betty Sutton, and Republicans John Boehner, Bill Johnson, Steve LaTourette, Robert Latta, Steve Stivers, and Pat Tiberi.

Members who voted against the legislation were Republicans Steve Austria, Steve Chabot, Bob Gibbs, Jim Jordan, Jim Renacci, Jean Schmidt and Michael Turner.

As for LaTourette, he leaves his post during an unusually busy final few days of his term. Now U.S. Rep. David P. Joyce, R-Russell Township, who was sworn-in Thursday, will represent Ohio’s 14th Congressional District.

A Sutton move?

There has been some rumblings that Sutton, D-Copley, who is now a former U.S. Rep. who lost a bitter battle on Nov. 6 against Renacci, R-Wadsworth, might consider a move to Ohio’s 14th Congressional District to potentially run again for Congress in 2014. However, local sources say it appears that’s not likely to happen.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Tthe Ohio General Assembly approved legislation in 2010 that expanded the use of DNA sampling and established a policy to better preserve and maintain evidence.

State Sen. John Eklund, R-Munson Township, recently recorded a brief video message about a new law that closed a loophole in Ohio’s DNA laws and is helping law enforcement officials solve cases that had previously gone cold.

Eklund sponsored Senate Bill 268, which requires a DNA sample to be collected from persons who are charged with a felony, but are not technically arrested for the offense. These individuals were previously not required to provide a DNA sample. Eklund’s bill ensures that all felony offenders are treated equally under Ohio law.

Click on the video to play and download Senator Eklund’s message.

The video may be utilized and shared at the user’s discretion.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

U.S. Rep. David P. Joyce was sworn in to the 113th Congress by House Speaker John Boehner during a ceremony Thursday in the U.S. Capitol.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Ohio’s 14th District and I look forward to bringing some Ohio common sense to Washington,” Joyce said in a statement. “The voters sent me here to do a job and I will work every day to represent their interests and create jobs back home in the district.”

Prior to service in Congress, Joyce was Geauga County prosecutor. He, his wife Kelly, and their three children reside in Russell Township.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Ohio Republican Chairman Bob Bennett congratulated Ohio’s newest Republican Members of Congress David P. Joyce and Brad Wenstrup as they are sworn into the 113th Congress today and praised John Boehner’s re-election as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives calling it another big step for Ohioans.

“Congressman Joyce and Congressman Wenstrup will show dedication in serving their respective districts as they have throughout their public service careers and we’re proud to support them,” Bennett said in a prepared statement. “Congressman John Boehner’s re-election as Speaker is a distinct honor for all Ohioans as he continues the legacy set by fellow Ohio Congressman Nicholas Longworth who was speaker for the 69th, 70th and 71st Congress.

“Speaker Boehner will lead the 113th Congress with the same sincerity, conviction and commitment that he has shown in Congress for his district and for all Ohio.”

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

U.S. Rep. David P. Joyce, R-Russell Township, will be sworn in to the 113th Congress on Thursday afternoon by House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.

Joyce represents Ohio's 14th Congressional District that consists of Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties, plus parts of Cuyahoga,Portage,  Summit and Trumbull counties.

Boehner will conduct a ceremonial swearing-in for Joyce following the oath of office on the floor of the House of Representatives.

A ceremonial swearing-in photo also will be held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at The Rayburn Room, H-207, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah