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Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What you need to know about voting in Stark County: Primary election as we await results
The primary election is today. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. throughout Ohio. In Stark County, voters will help determine a statewide issue that would raise money to help fund public works projects like roads, bridges and sewers. If passed, Issue 2 would authorize the state to increase the cap on issuing general obligation bonds from $200 million per year to $250 million per year, or $2.5 billion over 10 years. Stark County voters also will decide on a 1.4-mill replacement levy for Children Services. The previous levy for Children Services passed in 2019 and expires this year. County officials said the levy is needed to cover care and placement of abused, neglected and delinquent children in the county. Child placement costs have gone up significantly in recent years. The replacement levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $49 per year in taxes, and would be billed on new home valuations assigned in the reappraisal last year. It would generate $18,733,000 per year for the agency. Also on the ballot are primary contests in Alliance, Canton and Massillon, and city, village and township issues. The Louisville Public Library and Mohawk Valley Joint Fire District also have renewal levies on the ballot. In this file photo, Madison Powers, 4, collects a voting sticker after her mother, Heather Powers of Massillon, cast her vote in 2023 general election at St. John Lutheran Church in Massillon. Almost 5,000 Stark County residents have already voted Nearly 0.02% of registered voters have already cast ballots in Stark County. A total of 4,994 people cast early votes in Stark County as of Monday afternoon. The majority of early voters in the county, 2,902, voted in person at the Board of Elections, according to the Ohio Secretary of State's Absentee and Early Voting Dashboard. Additionally, 2,092 absentee by mail ballots have been returned to the elections board. That is a 78% return rate of the ballots requested in Stark County. Across Ohio, over 160,000 people voted early by mail or in person as of Monday afternoon. Early in-person voting began April 8 and ended Sunday. Where is Issue 1 in Ohio? There is no Issue 1. Last year, Ohio lawmakers changed the numbering system for statewide ballot issues to eliminate confusion over multiple state Issue 1s. The numbers will now continue sequentially until the state hits Issue 500. Then, Ohio will reset to Issue 1. What's on the 2025 primary ballot in Stark County? Here's previous coverage of the top election issues in Stark County: Where's my polling place? The Ohio Secretary of State's Officecan be used to locate your polling location. Here's how to find it: Click on your county on the Ohio map. Enter your address number and street name. Your nearest polling location should show up. Polling location changes in Canal Fulton, Lawrence Township, Jackson Township and Canton Three precincts in Canal Fulton are moving locations due to the elimination of two previous polling locations. Canal Fulton B, previously assigned to St. John Lutheran Church, will now vote at the Northwest Stark Senior Center, 853 Locust St. S. Canal Fulton C, previously assigned to the Northwest Stark Senior Center and Canal Fulton D, previously assigned to Canal Fulton Christian Fellowship, will both now vote at the SAM Veterans' Resource Center, 8101 Manchester Ave. NW. One precinct in Canton, Canton 3E, is moving from Zion Lutheran Church to Canton Baptist Temple Activity Center, 515 Whipple Ave. NW. Three precincts in Jackson, Jackson Township 15, 16 and 33, will move from Crosspoint United Methodist Church to St. Jacob Lutheran Church, 8697 Mudbrook St. NW. Three precincts in Lawrence Township have also changed. Lawrence Township 2, previously assigned to the Northwest Stark Senior Center, and Lawrence Township 5, previously assigned to the Canal Fulton Christian Fellowship, will now vote at the SAM Veterans' Resource Center. Lawrence Township 4, previously assigned to the Canal Fulton Christian Fellowship, will now vote at the Northwest Stark Senior Center. What do I need to bring to vote in Stark County? Valid photo identification is required to vote in Ohio. Those who do not provide it can cast a provisional ballot, but they must return to the board of elections no later than four days after Election Day with valid identification for the vote to count. Here are the types of ID that are accepted: Ohio driver's license State of Ohio ID card Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV A U.S. passport A U.S. passport card U.S. military card Ohio National ID card U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card Here's what a photo ID must have to be accepted: Photograph of the voter Expiration date that has not passed Voter's name, substantially conforming to the way it appears in the poll list or poll book. Are ballot selfies legal in Ohio? It depends Sure, you want to brag that you did the thing. Election selfies are all over social media, of course. And selfies of people posing with their voting stickers or outside early voting locations began surfacing as soon as early voting began. But voters posting selfies with their marked ballots are at risk, the Cincinnati Enquirer previously reported. In Ohio, it's against the law to take a photo of your completed ballot. Lawmakers outlawed photos of completed ballots in 1997, concerned employers or others would intimidate voters by forcing them to show how they voted. The crime is a fifth-degree felony that carries a $2,500 fine and up to a year in prison. Some polling places are designating special areas to take election-day selfies. A good rule of thumb is to use some common sense, check for signs and don't annoy the poll workers. They've got important work to do. When do polls open in Ohio? Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. and will remain open until 7:30 p.m. This article originally appeared on The Repository: Live updates: What you need to know about voting in Stark County
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
Rape trial underway in Auglaize County
Apr. 28—WAPAKONETA — Jurors in the trial of a St. Marys man charged with rape, gross sexual imposition and child endangerment viewed a videotaped interview with the alleged victim as the trial of Juan Rangel got underway Monday in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court. During that interview, the junior high-aged girl told a forensic interviewer from Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus that Rangel engaged in vaginal intercourse with her on two occasions — once when she was 8 and again when she was 13 — and also forced her to fondle his genitals, took nude photos of her and on another occasion "put his mouth on my private parts." In her opening statements to jurors, Assistant Auglaize County Prosecutor Laia Zink said testimony in the trial will show that Rangel sexually assaulted the underaged girl victim on multiple occasions. The most recent incident took place at a St. Marys residence, the prosecutor said. Another of the rapes is alleged to have taken place at a migrant camp that featured a shared shower. The alleged victim is heard on video telling the forensic interviewer that Rangel "touched my private spot with his thing. It hurt." The young girl told of another sexual episode when she was 13 "when he put his thing in me." Annette Santa Maria, the Nationwide hospital interviewer, described the alleged victim as "quiet" and said the girl "appeared nervous" during the Oct. 30 interview. She said representatives of law enforcement and Children Services watched the interview on video from an adjacent room. The alleged victim is expected to take the witness stand later in the trial. "This is something the victim finds difficult to talk about, but you will hear from her directly during the trial," Zink said. Auglaize County Public Defender Nick Catania, who is representing Rangel, told jurors the state's case consists of "a mother persuading her daughter to make up a story about my client. There is no physical evidence whatsoever, and we contend that these alleged incidents did not happen. You will hear a lot of inconsistencies during the trial, and I ask you to find my client not guilty." Rangel, 35, was indicted by a grand jury in November in two separate cases. In one case, he faces three first-degree felony counts of rape and four fourth-degree felony counts of gross sexual imposition. In the remaining case, Rangle is charged with single counts of endangering children, disrupting public service and domestic violence. Spanish-speaking attorneys approved by the Ohio Supreme Court assisted during the case to ensure there was no language barrier between participants. Testimony will resume on Tuesday. Featured Local Savings
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Area counties team up for specialized foster program
Apr. 21—LIMA — Child welfare agencies from Allen, Auglaize and Hardin counties are launching a multi-agency, tri-county Treatment Foster Care program. Allen County Children Services Executive Director Sarah Newland spoke at the Lima Rotary Club on Monday, explaining what the program means and what the public can expect moving forward. The program will create specialized, highly trained foster homes to treat children with behavioral and mental health needs in the homes to produce better outcomes for the children while keeping them in their communities. In the past, children from Allen County have been placed outside of the county to meet their needs. "With the rising number of kids that have special needs, higher needs and a decline in placement statewide, we are trying to find options for our youth that can meet their needs locally," Newland said. "We want kids back in our community." Allen County Children Services took in 762 reports in 2024, 72 percent of which were due to neglect or physical abuse. It also handled cases involving 414 positive drug screens. Children in group homes from Allen County are as far away as Cincinnati, Dayton and the northeastern part of the state. "It's not the best for kids," Newland said. "(We want to be able to) keep them in the school district, be around their family, so, that is our goal." The plan to develop Treatment Foster Care is moving forward, including recruiting and supporting treatment foster homes willing to take on eligible children for the program with individual support, training, on-call 24/7 caseworker support and counseling for crisis response, according to information from Children Services. Anyone interested in fostering can call the Allen County Children Services at 419-227-8590. "We are always looking for foster care placements," Newland said. Allen County Children Services is located at 123 W. Spring St., Lima. Reach Cade Higgins at 567-242-0351 Featured Local Savings
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Knapsack: Licking County Children Services serve us all
It is very hard to believe it has been 10 years since Licking County had to approve our primary levy for Children Services, and it's up again for a vote May 6. The Ohio Revised Code calls on counties to put these sorts of limited levies before the voters on a recurrent basis; 10 years is about the longest these go. School districts, boards of developmental disabilities and libraries are all the kinds of public entities which are subject to this kind of electoral review. Yes, I was involved in this the last time, as campaign treasurer and working with the Citizens for Children Services, a kind of political action committee specifically for asking support of our levy. Children Services is one part of the larger Licking County Job & Family Services office, which has a variety of funding streams, state and federal, for the work they do, but Children Services is largely funded directly by county property owners. Knapsack: 'Unalienable' is a peculiar word with some specific import It's been long discussed in Ohio that when it comes to the amount of state support for local Children Services, on foster care and kinship care, adoption and assisting with abused and neglected children, we are at or near the very bottom. By most nationwide measures, Ohio is 50th out of 50 states, and if the state were to double the amount it contributes to Children Services, we would still be in 50th place. It should really sting that in 49th place is Michigan. Yeah, they're at the bottom, too, but above us. There's a long history as to why this is so. I can't fix longstanding systemic problems (though I've tried to be engaged and proactive these last 10 years since I first learned these data points), so the reality in Ohio is that the state expects county property owners to cover what it won't. And we have to do it again because the law says these levies are limited. This time, we're asking for a replacement of the existing levy. The millage stays the same, but we get the smallest possible increase by using the latest assessed value of the homes, buildings, and property. But because of the mysteries of rollback provisions in state law, as housing values are assessed, the levy recipients continue collecting on where we were. Knapsack: Preparing for the 2026 celebration of our nation's founding warrants reflection We need a replacement levy passed simply because while we are successfully helping to see that fewer kids are entering the care of the county, the costs have increased beyond the reduction of total cases. Specialized foster care and residential care cost more, and the county staff has their hands full finding placement as it is. We decided well before the last renewal of this levy in 2015 that we were committed to keeping Ohio kids in Ohio and not using out-of-state placements, even when those might have cost us less. That's still our program. To implement it, we need the dollars to cover in-state placement. So on May 6, or as you vote early, in Licking County we are asking you to vote 'yes' to replace the Children Services levy. I am here to tell you the money is carefully managed, spent wisely, and with an eye to reducing the need to have state care intervene in a child's life in the first place. But when it has to happen, we want to keep kids safe, close to home and where they can thrive. I hope you will join me in voting 'yes' for Children Services this May 6. Jeff Gill is a writer, storyteller and preacher in central Ohio; he's worked on a few Children Services levies and programs before. Tell him how you want to see children grow and thrive at knapsack77@ or follow @Knapsack77 on Threads or Bluesky. This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Knapsack: Licking County children need your support May 6
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Early voting starts soon for May 6 primary. Here are 5 things Stark voters should know
CANTON − Early in-person and absentee voting by mail begins Tuesday for the May 6 primary election. The deadline to register to vote to be eligible for the election is Monday. The election will include primary contests in Canton, Massillon and Alliance and state, county and local issues. Here's a look at what's on the ballot and what to know if you're voting early: One statewide issue aims to increase funding for public works projects like roads, bridges and sewers. The measure will appear on the ballot as Issue 2 and is a renewal of the State Capital Improvement Program. If passed, the measure would authorize the state to increase the cap on issuing general obligation bonds from $200 million per year to $250 million per year, or $2.5 billion over 10 years. The money would fund grants to local governments for infrastructure projects. The State Capital Improvement Program was first approved in 1987 and has been approved three more times in the decades since. The current program expires July 1, according to reporting from the Columbus Dispatch. Issue 2: Ohio voters could decide a statewide ballot issue in May on money for roads, bridges Voters across Stark County will decide on a 1.4-mill replacement levy for Children Services. The previous levy for Children Services passed in 2019 and expires this year. County officials said the levy is needed to cover care and placement of abused, neglected and delinquent children in the county. Child placement costs have gone up significantly in recent years. The expiring Children Services levy costs the owner of a $100,000 home $31 per year, according to the Stark County auditor. The replacement levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $49 per year in taxes, and would be billed on new home valuations assigned in the reappraisal last year. The expiring Children Services levy generates $12,680,000 per year. The new levy would generate $18,733,000 per year. Job & Family Services: Replacement levy for Children Services needed to cover skyrocketing placement costs North Canton is seeking a income tax increase from 1.5% to 2% to fund general municipal operations. If the levy passes, the Hoover Foundation said it will give the city a $750,000 grant to help build a roughly $16 million fire station, according to previous reporting by the Canton Repository. City officials also pledged that if the income tax increase passes they will not ask voters to renew or replace three property tax levies that currently fund roads, fire and EMS. They also said they wouldn't ask for another bond levy to fund the new fire station. The increased income tax would take affect in 2026. North Canton Council members said they will repeal any existing levies at that time. Income Tax increase: Hoover Foundation to give North Canton $750K for fire station if voters approve tax hike Also on the ballot are primary contests in Alliance, Canton and Massillon and local city, village and township issues. The Louisville Public Library and Mohawk Valley Joint Fire District also have renewal levies on the ballot. To view a sample ballot, visit the Stark County Board of Elections website and click "show me my ballot" located in the top carousel. Early in-person voting at the Stark County Board of Elections begins Tuesday. Hours for early voting at the elections board are: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to April 11 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 14 to April 18 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 21 to April 25 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. April 28 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. April 29 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. April 30 to May 2 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 3 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. May 4 The office is located at 3525 Regent Avenue NE. Ohio law requires in person voters to present an unexpired photo ID. The following are accepted forms of ID: Ohio driver's license State of Ohio ID card U.S. passport U.S. passport card Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV U.S. military ID Ohio National Guard ID U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card An unexpired ID with a former address is acceptable as long as your current address is up-to-date in the pollbook. Voters without a valid photo ID can cast a provisional ballot. Absentee voting by mail begins Tuesday. If you wish to vote by mail, you must request an absentee ballot from the Stark County Board of Elections. The application form must be received by the elections board by April 29. Once the form is received, the elections board will mail you your ballot. Fill out your ballot and the ID envelope completely to ensure your vote is counted. You can return your ballot by mailing it to the Stark County Board of Elections, or you or a close relative can drop it off at the office's drop box. Mailed absentee ballots must be postmarked by May 5 and received by May 10. If returning your ballot in person, it must be delivered to the Stark County Board of Elections drop box by 7:30 p.m. May 6. Primary and special election day is May 6. Polls will be open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voters can cast ballots at their local precinct. Check the Stark County Board of Elections website to find your polling place. Some polling locations in Canal Fulton, Lawrence Township, Jackson Township and Canton have recently changed. Reach Grace at 330-580-8364 or gspringer@ Follow her on X @GraceSpringer16. This article originally appeared on The Repository: 5 things to know for early voting in Stark County
