News

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate has confirmed Bernice Donald as a judge on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Donald will be the first African-American woman confirmed for that court.

Donald has broken through racial barriers throughout her career.  She was the first African-American woman to be elected as a judge in Tennessee, serve on the federal bankruptcy court and sit as a U.S. district judge in her state.

The Cincinnati-based court serves Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee.

HB 194 is an omnibus election reform bill introduced by Reps. Mecklenborg and Blessing.  The bill has some controversial aspects to it, and is the subject of much debate.  Below is a link to the Ohio Legislative Service Commission analysis of the bill.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio is ready to start making payments on a $2.6 billion federal loan taken out during the recession to replenish a fund that pays unemployment benefits.

The Columbus Dispatch reports that the state this month plans to pay $370 million, representing $70 million in interest and $300 million to pay down the principle.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio is the latest state where opponents are pushing a ban on a form of drilling that injects chemicals into shale to release natural gas.

Democratic state Sen. Michael Skindell of suburban Cleveland introduced a bill Tuesday calling for a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," to await results of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency study of potential environmental hazards.

COLUMBUS, Ohio(AP) - The anti-abortion group Ohio Right to Life is throwing its support behind a ballot issue that seeks to keep the government from requiring people to buy health insurance.

The organization said Tuesday it was endorsing what's called the Health Care Freedom Amendment. The proposed amendment to the state's constitution would prohibit any law from forcing Ohioans to participate in a health care system.

Voters will decide the issue on Nov. 8.