The Ohio Senate has approved legislation to designate the month of March as “Ohio Maple Syrup Products Month.”

Not your most Earth-shaking news, perhaps, but there may be some interest to people who love the sweet-tasting topping and especially to folks who live in Geauga County, where maple syrup production is serious business.

The legislation will need to clear the Ohio House of Representatives before it would move on to Gov. John Kasich for his signature.

State Sens. John Eklund, R-Munson Township, and Capri Cafaro, D-Hubbard, each represent portions of Geauga County in the Ohio Senate and they jointly sponsored the legislation - Senate Bill 272.

John Eklund

Capri Cafaro

In a news release, the legislators said the bipartisan bill intends to recognize Ohio for its rich maple syrup history dating back to the early Native Americans.

Eklund said Ohio is one of the top five maple producing states in the country and in 2013, the 100,000 gallons of maple syrup produced in Ohio contributed $5 million to the state’s economy.




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

State Sen. John Eklund, R-Munson Township, stopped by The News-Herald on Monday to discuss some of the legislative highlights that he feels are important to his constituents in Ohio Senate District 18.

The district includes half of Lake County, two-thirds of Geauga County and all of Portage County.

Here is some of what Eklund had to say:





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

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