Latest news with #OhioStatehouse
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio Statehouse leaders appoint financial tech exec to teacher pension fund before influential vote
The entrance to the Ohio State Teachers Retirement System headquarters in Columbus. (Photo by Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal.) Ohio Statehouse Republican leaders have appointed a financial tech executive to the retired teachers' pension fund ahead of the vote for a new executive director. Lynn Beal has been appointed to STRS Ohio by House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, and Senate President Rob McColley, R-Napoleon. Beal is the vice president and head of implementation and customer success at Upstart, an AI platform that 'partners with banks and credit unions to provide consumer loans,' according to her LinkedIn profile. Having previously working at JP Morgan, she specializes in data science, analytics and insights. Askedwhy he chose Beal, McColley said she presents what he wants to see in a board member. 'When we look into an awful lot of what's happening with any board, really, not just the pension boards, it's important for us to understand what's going on because oftentimes we're the insurer of last resort,' McColley said. 'We've got to know what's going on with all of this stuff, to understand the decisions that the board is making, and frankly, as I pointed out before, it's not easy to find people who want to do this, and so we're thankful that people are willing to step up.' This position has remained vacant since Claudia Herrington finished her term in the winter. The decision comes at a time when lawmakers are going back and forth with STRS board members. In emails obtained by News 5, McColley, Huffman, Gov. Mike DeWine and Treasurer Robert Sprague asked the board not to move forward yet on a new director. 'We respectfully request that the Board hold on scheduling the vote for the new executive director until the June 11-13, 2025 meetings,' the leaders said in a joint letter on May 8. 'This will ensure that the legislative leaders can make their appointment and that individuals can have time to become acclimated before further leadership decisions are made.' This comes after a year of controversy in which elected educators are accused of participating in a $65 billion corruption scheme. The board chair denies all allegations, and some retired educators are accusing the Statehouse Republicans of trying to stop transparency. The board did not select an executive director during its last meeting, but it may make a decision in its upcoming meeting in June. The finalists are Steven Toole, former head of the North Carolina Retirement Systems and Greg Samoryski, the head of Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Marvel vs. DC: Superman nominated as 'Ohio's official superhero,' snubs Incredible Hulk's Dayton connections
May 28—A proposal at the Ohio Statehouse would proclaim Superman as the state's official superhero, but DC Comics' "Man of Steel" isn't the only superhero with Ohio connections, including a certain angry green scientist who's from Dayton. Reps. Adam Mathews, R-Lebanon, and Terrence Upchurch, D-Cleveland, are cosponsors of the bill, which would designate Superman as the "official superhero of the state," beginning on April 18, 2033, a year before Superman enters the public domain. "Superman is the first and greatest of superheroes, even though personally I do prefer Batman," said Mathews. "But Superman was created in Cleveland and this summer is a great time to highlight this fact, because the newest movie was filmed primarily in Cleveland and Columbus, highlighting the art deco architecture that's become just as much a character of the DC Universe as Green Arrow, Green Lantern or the others." Ohio isn't the only state to memorialize Superman in some fashion. Kansas — the home of the fictional Smallville, where Clark Kent was raised — inducted Superman into its state Hall of Fame in 2013. Additionally, Metropolis, Illinois, styled as "Super City," hosts the annual Superman Celebration each June. Superman first appeared on the page of Action Comics #1, on April 18, 1938. The character was originally created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, both of whom were born in Cleveland to immigrant Jewish parents. Siegel and Shuster's origins were a major influence on the earliest portrayals of Superman, as were the political and economic conditions of the time, said Jared Whittaker, manager of Super-Fly Comics and Games in Yellow Springs. Superman's earliest adversaries included greedy mine owners, crooked politicians, and labor racketeers. Lex Luthor's first appearance in the comics in 1940 casts him as a war profiteer who wishes to take over the world once Earth's nations have been weakened in conflict. " At the time, you had a very depressed economic state," Whittaker said. "In the very first (issues), Superman is a hero for low-income people. Some of that includes people who are holding common people down." As the world entered World War II, Spiegel and Shuster shifted to portraying Superman as a character that stood up for the defenseless, and even on occasion to Hitler himself, according to the Ohio History Connection. "World War II had a big part in creating fictionalized battles, where the superheroes could go and fight," said Peter Bell, owner of Bell Book and Comic in Dayton. "Captain America was Marvel's symbol of freedom from the Nazis, and so Superman, even though he was not 'American,' but grew up in the US, and he was raised as a US person ... it made sense that Superman was their flagship at the time." Hulk origin story in Dayton Superman, however, isn't the only superhero with connections to Ohio. Bruce Banner, the alter ego of Marvel's The Incredible Hulk, was born in Dayton. Given the choice, Bell said, he would have voted for the Hulk as Ohio's superhero, but "I'm a little biased towards my city," he said. "When Marvel got started, Stan Lee and everybody wrote into our real world," said Bell. "Spider Man's from Queens, Captain America is from New York City too, and they actually used real cities in our country to ground those heroes in our reality. That's one reason why Marvel took off so well, because, 'Oh my gosh, Spider-Man, this is a kid who's just like me.'" The Incredible Hulk was created by the legendary Marvel writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and made his first appearance in his namesake comic in 1962. The series ran for only six issues, but the Hulk went on to appear in other comics, and the Incredible Hulk was relaunched in 1968. Later, in the 80s and 90s, other Marvel writers including Bill Mantlo and Peter David fleshed out Bruce Banner's origins, including establishing his roots as the child of an alcoholic father in Dayton, Ohio. The Hulk returns to Dayton in later issues of the comics, including one where he attempts to infiltrate a facility at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. As comics matured as a medium, Superman's "truth, justice, and the American way," gave way to darker stories with more complex themes in the broader comic landscape. However, Superman's simplicity makes him the better pick for a symbolic role, said Whittaker. "Superman, for what this is supposed to represent, I guess it's probably better ... being the first superhero, and kind of being this kind of very revered character versus the Hulk. The Hulk isn't bad, but the whole 'gets mad and breaks stuff' thing doesn't really have a lot of the iconic, relatable feel to it," Whittaker said. Other superheroes and comic book characters from Ohio include Black Alice, a teenage superhero from Dayton who appears in Gail Simone's Birds of Prey. Additionally, the cast of Scooby Doo is said to be from the fictional town of Coolsville, Ohio, and secondary character Tommy Glass — appearing in Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque's American Vampire — is from Dayton. "We are excited that Ohio is being shown off. As Superman enters the public domain in 2034, Ohio needs to be prepared to highlight to the whole world that, while the Cleveland native sons of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster have said he was born in Smallville, Kansas, Superman is from Ohio and he's ours," Mathews said.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio bill to celebrate ‘natural family' month excludes LGBTQ+, single parents
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A new Ohio bill plans to designate a month celebrating 'natural families' with 'a clear male leader,' legislation that a leading advocacy group said invalidates single parents and 'takes direct aim at LGBTQ+ families.' House Bill 262 was introduced at the Ohio Statehouse on May 13 to recognize the weeks between Mother's Day and Father's Day as 'Natural Family Month.' The proposal is backed by the Natural Family Foundation, a Westerville-based organization that defines a 'natural family' as one man and one woman 'committed in a lifelong monogamous relationship' with their 'biological or adopted children.' Why this transgender Ohioan says he's leaving the state 'For society to survive, the fabric must be mended by readjusting the social constraints/contracts to once again favor the age-old natural family prototype,' the foundation's site states, noting that, 'Within the family there must be a clear male leader and that leader must come from the family's lineage.' The foundation didn't respond to NBC4's request for comment. Dwayne Steward, executive director of Equality Ohio, condemned H.B. 262 as 'discriminatory, dehumanizing legislation,' and 'a calculated act of strategic erasure.' 'It not only invalidates the existence of single parents and countless other caregivers, but it takes direct aim at LGBTQ+ families,' Steward said. 'The so-called 'Natural Family Foundation,' the group pushing this legislation, has made their ideology clear: if you're not a heterosexual, monogamous couple with children — led by a biological male from the family lineage — you don't count as a family at all. As an adoptive parent, myself, I feel this erasure personally.' More than 23% of households in Ohio include single parents, U.S. Census data shows. A report from the Williams Institute at the University of California Los Angeles found Ohio's LGBTQ+ population is the sixth largest in the nation, with about 557,000 adults identifying within the community. 'This should be a welcoming state:' DeWine denies claim of 'anti-LGBTQ+ climate' in Ohio H.B. 262 comes ahead of LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June and the 10th anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 decision establishing the right to same-sex marriage. Reps. Beth Lear (R-Galena) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.) introduced the bill with the support of 26 Republican lawmakers, and argue the designation is needed given the U.S. fertility rate recently reached a historic low. 'At a time when marriage is trending downward and young couples are often choosing to remain childless, it's important for the state of Ohio to make a statement that marriage and families are the cornerstone of civil society, and absolutely imperative if we want to maintain a healthy and stable republic,' Lear said. Williams argues H.B. 262 would promote 'the economic and social stability that comes from raising children in healthy, two-parent households.' 'With America facing declining birth rates and a shrinking population, we can no longer afford to ignore the foundational role that strong families play in sustaining our future,' Williams said. 'We must use every tool at our disposal to support the families that are building the next generation of Americans.' Ohio mayors urge more communities to ban anti-LGBTQ+ conversion therapy The bill adds to the list of Statehouse legislation that opponents deem 'anti-LGBTQ+,' like a law banning gender-affirming care for trans youth that is currently in effect while litigation continues. Another is a measure that went into effect in February requiring academic institutions to set separate bathrooms based on students' 'biological sex.' Watch a report of some Ohio mayors calling for an end to conversion therapy in the video player above. A law coined by supporters as 'The Parents' Bill of Rights' requires teachers to notify parents before teaching 'sexuality content' and of changes in a student's mental, emotional or physical health. A national crisis hotline said it received a significant increase in calls from LGBTQ+ youth in Ohio within hours after Gov. Mike DeWine signed it into law. Lawmakers have also debated a proposal to ban universities from asking students their preferred pronouns and another penalizing school districts that use students' chosen name and pronouns without parental permission. Williams reintroduced a bill in April that opponents argue will amount to a ban of drag queens in public. Still, when asked in March to respond to claims that Ohio is fostering an unfriendly climate for LGBTQ+ residents, DeWine said he 'would totally disagree with that.' 'I don't think we have done that,' he said. 'Look, you go back and look at everything that I have said as governor, in 'State of the State' speeches and other times, this should be a welcoming state. We want everybody to come to Ohio and feel welcomed in the state.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Early in-person, mail-in voting deadlines approach before Tuesday's Election Day
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — This weekend marks the last time voters in Ohio can cast their ballot early before Tuesday's primary and special election. Ohioans have a couple more chances — Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. — to take part in early in-person voting at their county boards of elections before the May 6 election. Voters casting a ballot will be deciding various primaries, countywide races and municipal issues, from city council seats to property taxes and library funding. Each ballot will also feature the statewide Issue 2, which would allow Ohio to give out up to $250 million in bonds annually to fund local infrastructure projects, like building roads, bridges, water supply systems and more. House Bill 6's repeal, Delta-8 THC among bills moving through Ohio Statehouse Ohio school districts are hoping to find success at the ballot, when voters decide the fate of several school bon issues or levies. Columbus City Schools is facing a packed race of 10 school board candidates hoping to advance in Tuesday's primary. Those who requested and completed an absentee ballot must ensure their ballot is postmarked by the day before the election, on Monday. Voters can also return their absentee ballot in person to their county board of elections before the polls close at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Ohio requires in-person voters to have a form of photo identification in order to vote. That includes an Ohio driver's license, an Ohio ID card, a U.S. passport or passport card, a U.S. military ID, a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID, or an Ohio National Guard ID. All identification must have an expiration date that has not passed, a photograph of the voter, and the voter's name, which must substantially conform to the voter's name as it appears in the poll list. An unexpired Ohio driver's license, Ohio ID card, or interim documentation with your former address is an acceptable form of ID when your current address is in the pollbook. Ohio lawmakers revive Statehouse bill to restrict drag queen shows If voters do not have any of the above forms of identification, they may cast a provisional ballot. However, for that ballot to be counted, voters must return to the board of elections no later than four days after Election Day to provide a qualifying form of identification. There are many resources on the Secretary of State's website that will make your trip to the polls easier: View your sample ballot here. Find your May 6 polling location here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hoops seeks Ohio senate seat
Apr. 14—LIMA — Ohio Rep. Jim Hoops, R-Napoleon, is no stranger to the Ohio Statehouse, having served in the Ohio House from 1999 to 2006 before returning to the House in 2018, representing the 81st District. With his term set to expire in 2026, Hoops now hopes to continue his work in Columbus, this time in the other legislative chamber. Hoops, 66, hopes to succeed term-limited Ohio Senate President Rob McColley, R-Napoleon, in the 1st Senate District, encompassing Defiance, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert and and Williams counties, as well as portions of Auglaize, Fulton and Logan counties. Former Ohio Rep. Craig Riedel has also announced his intentions to seek the Republican nomination for that seat in the May 2026 primary. "I just want to continue to serve northwest Ohio," he said during an interview Monday at The Lima News' office. "I feel I've done a pretty good job of sharing the values that we have up here down in Columbus." A former county auditor for Henry County, Hoops hopes to see the state legislature work to make the state taxation policy more attractive for companies and families considering a move to Ohio. "We want to continue to work on things to make our state competitive as far as our tax system," he said. "Over the years, we've lowered the income tax, and we'll continue to look at that. I'd like to see maybe a flat rate tax for our state. I believe we need a competitive tax system to keep the rates low and broaden the base." When it comes to education, Hoops said he supports the current state budget proposal from the House and its support for private education, but he wants to ensure both private and public school students have a "level playing field" when it comes to their education. "I'd like to see, you know, some accountability with both systems like we have with the public, but also with the vouchers," he said. "Does that mean we put more on the vouchers or take away more from the public schools? Because of everything going on at the federal level with education, maybe we get rid of some of the testing, because it feels like they're testing all the time." While complimenting Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, for his work, Hoops voiced some concerns with a proposal to force public school districts to cut property taxes earmarked for that district if more than 30 percent of their funds are unspent at the end of each year. "I really believe (Huffman) has a reason why he likes it, and I understand what he's saying, but at the same time, I think we're getting into where, is it our job to police what the local schools are doing?" he said. "There might be a very good reason why they have the carryover they have. I think through all of this, I'd like to see it either disappear or raise it from 30 percent to some other percentage. I've talked to the speaker about this, and we'll continue to work on this issue." Featured Local Savings
