Here are your morning headlines for Thursday, June 24:
- Vax-a-Million ends with mixed vaccination results
- 19 apply for Householder’s seat, including his son
- High court: Armed Ohio school employees require training
- Universities partner with law enforcement to increase police recruitment
- Lawmakers vote to ban kids from purchasing cough syrup
- Medina County woman who became face of Obamacare dies
- Bridgestone PGA tournament raises nearly $775k for charity
Vax-a-Million ends with mixed vaccination results
The movement to offer millions of dollars in incentives to boost Ohio vaccination rates has been unable to crack the 50% vaccination threshold. Gov. Mike DeWine on Wednesday announced the final winners of the five weekly Vax-a-Million lottery. Sydney Daum of Brecksville won the full, four-year college scholarship, while Esperanza Diaz of Cincinnati won the last $1 million giveaway. About 5.5 million people in Ohio have received at least one shot of the vaccine, or about 47% of the population.
19 apply for Householder’s seat, including his son
Nearly two dozen people have applied to fill the seat vacated following the historic Ohio House vote last week that ousted Republican Larry Householder. Among those who applied include Perry County Commissioner Derek Householder – Larry Householder’s son. Republican Speaker Bob Cupp will choose Householder’s replacement for the 72nd District seat that covers Coshocton, Licking, and Perry Counties.
High court: Armed Ohio school employees require training
The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that school districts must provide police-level training to employees carrying concealed weapons. At issue was a policy adopted by Madison Local Schools in southwest Ohio’s Butler County. The district voted to allow armed school employees after a 2016 shooting in which two students were shot and wounded by a 14-year-old boy. A group of parents sued the district in 2018 to prevent teachers from being armed without extensive training. The state high court ruled 4-3 Wednesday that armed school employees must undergo an approved basic peace-officer-training program or have 20 years’ experience as a police officer.
Universities partner with law enforcement to increase police recruitment
Ohio is launching a program to help encourage more young people to become law enforcement officers. Central State University and Cedarville University are teaming up with police departments and sheriff's offices for the College To Law Enforcement Pathway program that will pair students with experienced officers to learn leadership skills. The state-run program is intended to strengthen training among prospective new officers. Students will take part in workshops that cover a variety of topics including the prevention of bias-based policing. Officials also hope it will attract more women and people of color to join the police force.
Lawmakers vote to ban kids from purchasing cough syrup
It will likely soon be illegal for children to purchase over-the-counter cough medicine. Legislation that passed the Ohio Senate unanimously would require anyone under 18 to get a doctor’s prescription to purchase cough suppressants like DayQuil and Robitussin. A survey conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the University of Michigan last year found that 3.7% of teens reported using cough medicine to get high, which is an increase over the previous year. The bill goes to Gov. Mike DeWine for his signature.
Medina County woman who became face of Obamacare dies
The Northeast Ohio woman who became the face of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, has died. In 2009, Natoma Canfield of Medina Township wrote a letter to former President Barack Obama explaining that she had to drop her health insurance because she could no longer afford the premiums. At the time she was in remission from cancer. She went to the White House to meet Obama in 2012, and he tweeted a remembrance on Wednesday. Canfield, who was 61, died June 18, one day after the health care law was upheld for a third time by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Bridgestone PGA tournament raises nearly $775k for charity
This week’s Bridgestone Senior Players Championship has raised nearly $775,000 for Northeast Ohio charities. The PGA tournament at Firestone Country Club in Akron donates a portion of ticket and other proceeds to nonprofits through the Northeast Ohio Golf Charities Foundation. Among those receiving funding include the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, which will get $100,000.
