There is a possibility we’ll see a federal gas tax holiday this summer.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., announced Wednesday that House Democrats intend to pass legislation addressing high gas prices in the coming weeks.

“it's a day-to-day or week-to-week, certainly a month-to-month expense. and it's going to require a comprehensive response. That comprehensive response is in the works. And the sooner we can get it done, the better, hopefully over the next few weeks,” Jeffries said.

When asked about a possible gas tax holiday, Jeffries said, “It’s part of the discussion, and the discussion is ongoing.”

However, last month, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said a gas tax suspension was not plausible, as there is no way to ensure gas companies will pass the savings on to customers.

Democrats will likely try to address gas prices in other forms,

Jeffries suggested Wednesday that it is possible there will be a vote on gas price legislation by the end of May before Congress takes a recess for Memorial Day. But they’ll need cooperation from Senate Republicans for that to happen.

      

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A proposed law would completely criminalize abortion without exemptions for rape and incest. The bill states it would make an exemption for saving the life of the pregnant person, but that was debated at the Statehouse on Wednesday.

The Human Life Protection Act, House Bill 598, is a trigger ban. If this bill passes the Legislature and Gov. Mike DeWine signs it, it would only come into effect if the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) "wholly or partially upholds a state’s authority to prohibit abortion." For this, the bill would require either an issuance of a U.S. Supreme Court opinion or an adoption of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Roe v. Wade was the 1973 landmark decision in which the Supreme Court ruled that the constitution protects a pregnant woman's liberty to choose to have an abortion. The Supreme Court is set to hear Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization — which is Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban.

If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade by upholding Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, then HB 598 would immediately begin.

The bill's sponsor Rep. Jean Schmidt, a Republican from Loveland, gave her sponsor testimony and answered questions for an hour.

The bill

• Prohibits a person from purposely causing an abortion by using a "substance" or an "instrument" or other means.
• Makes criminal abortion a felony in the fourth degree.
• Prohibits any person from making, selling or advertising tools to cause an abortion.
• Makes "promoting" abortion a first-degree misdemeanor.
• Creates the crime of abortion manslaughter, which is when a person takes the life of a child born from an attempted abortion who is alive when removed from the pregnant person's uterus.
• Makes abortion manslaughter a felony of the first degree.

The penalties

• Minimum of four to seven years and a maximum of 25 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000 for abortion manslaughter.
• Minimum of one-half to two years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $2,500 for criminal abortion.

However, the bill does grant immunity from prosecution for abortion manslaughter, criminal abortion or promoting abortion to the person who attempted an abortion or succeeded in an abortion. This individual would also be able to sue for wrongful death for violation of crimes of abortion manslaughter, criminal abortion or promoting abortion.

The bill also allows for an affirmative defense to a criminal abortion charge, but only if the physician performed or induced the abortion, or attempted to do so, under the determination that it was necessary to prevent the individual’s death or a serious risk to the pregnant individual.

This would be an "exemption," according to Schmidt. In the case of a medical emergency for the pregnant person, two doctors not professionally related must sign off on the abortion. Unless it is determined the mother is at risk of death or injury, they must take every precaution to save "both the child and the mother." If the premature child is alive, the doctors must provide care for it.

"The goal is to save both lives and treat both patients," Schmidt said in her testimony.

Democrats were ready to ask questions, with most of them coming from Reps. Richard Brown (D-Canal Winchester), Dr. Beth Liston (D-Dublin) and Tavia Galonski (D-Akron). However, Majority Floor Leader Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) jumped in.

The intense back and forth between Brown and Schmidt revolved around the lack of exemptions for rape and incest.

"So under this bill, if a 13-year-old girl, let's say, was raped by a serial rapist, broke into her house, or maybe more likely raped by a family member, which occurs frequently — unfortunately, this bill would require this 13-year-old to carry this felons fetus to term, regardless of any emotional or psychological damage or trauma that may be inflicted upon this 13-year-old girl to deliver this, felons a fetus. Is that right?" he asked.

Schmidt responded and said that rape is a difficult issue.

"It's a shame that it happens, but there's an opportunity for that woman, no matter how young or old she is," she said.

The opportunity — which would be the only option — is to deliver that baby.

"She can choose to raise the child, she can choose to give that child to a loving family member or to give it to someone else — and that child can grow up and be something magnificent, a wonderful family person, cure cancer," she said. "Just because you have emotional scars doesn't give you the right, right to take the life."

Brown followed up.

"You earlier said every life is important — the life of a 13-year-old girl in my hypothetical is important," he added.

He then brings up the pregnant juvenile going to middle school, saying that kids are "mean, they're evil and they're going to say all kinds of bad things to their classmate about her condition."

"I think this girl has rights every bit as much as the zygote that has rights under your bill," he said. "This girl has rights, and I don't believe we can lose sight of the rights of the person who was raped."

Supporters of the bill, like Ohio Right to Life, say just because someone commits a crime, doesn't mean we should have the right to “purposely” end a life.

"They can live a dignified life that shows them that they can overcome certain circumstances," said Elizabeth Whitmarsh, a spokesperson for the organization. "That might seem impossible in the moment, but they're able to get through it."

Pro-Choice Ohio, who was also at the hearing, said everyone should be entitled to make their own health care decisions without government mandates.

"It doesn't matter what that person's reason is for having an abortion, they need to have access to abortion in their community without stigma, judgment or delay," said Jaime Miracle, deputy director for the group. "They need the abortion that they have decided is best for them and their family."

Another argument that was brought up by legislators on each side was how the bill was too open for interpretation.

Liston, a physician, lead the questioning on the medical concerns. She started by bringing up the language in the bill surrounding the "exemption" for an individual whose health is in danger.

"How I read this is that a physician could defend themselves against a murder charge with what's called an affirmative defense, in the case of it being life-threatening if they follow provisions A, B, C, D, E and F, which includes a lot of different things, made a lot of documentation, a lot of provisions on what's available at a facility," the doctor said. "Physicians cannot terminate a pregnancy — period. They can defend themselves from it, from a charge in the setting of life-threatening complications if they follow these specific steps is."

Schmidt didn't answer the question, but rather reiterated the language in the bill.

Liston continued on to give examples of different circumstances in pregnancy that will result in the death of a pregnant person, such as partial or incomplete molar pregnancies, severe preeclampsia and ectopic pregnancies.

"The longer one waits before terminating the pregnancy, the more risk there is to a woman," she said. "There's no good outcome here — there's no live birth."

Liston then brings up how there are no non-ICUs in the world that can resuscitate before 22 weeks. For extreme preemies, there are only three in Ohio — Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland.

That, mixed with needing to get two different doctors that aren't affiliated with each other, can make this incredibly difficult to actually get an abortion, Liston said.

"The three hospitals that you mentioned are level one trauma centers," Schmidt said. "When you are a traumatic patient, it is the obligation of the rescue unit to take you to the most appropriate place and those would be, in certain cases, level one centers."

Liston said they don't want it to get to the level of an emergency life flight.

"That is a really difficult gray line that's being created with the threat of jail to doctors that are working with their patients," she said.

She then raises a hypothetical about breast cancer patients and how she wouldn't be able to get treatment because the interacting drugs could be seen as "abortion" drugs.

"Representative Liston, I'm not a doctor," Schmidt said. "But I have read stories of women that have had breast cancer, gone through the treatment and have had normal children. So I can't answer that."

The other main line of questioning was bipartisan confusion on what the trigger for the bill actually was.

Brown and Seitz went back and forth, agreeing on the same question to ask for clarification. Brown had asked a question about what happens when SCOTUS doesn't totally overturn Roe v. Wade, but still makes an assertion on it.

"Ranking member Brown and I don't often agree on very much, but I want to go back to his question," Seitz said. "So, if the Supreme Court says only that the 15-week ban imposed by Mississippi is constitutional and Mississippi can ban abortions after 15 weeks — I think Representative Brown's question, and I kind of agree with him if this is what it means, I would say that your bill would kick in to ban all abortions, even those at less than 15 weeks."

He continued that Ohio has already banned abortion after a heartbeat can be detected at six weeks. He then asked if Schmidt was following his logic, and she said: "in part."

"If the Supreme Court, in part, returns to the states the question of whether to ban abortion after 15 weeks, then your bill should be clarified to say the trigger has not been met," he said. "Would you agree with that?"

"I would be amenable to that kind of an amendment if that clarification is needed," she said.

DeWine's spokesperson said the governor agreed to sign this bill, or a bill similar to this, in a campaign survey to Ohio Right to Life. His team reiterated he is pro-life but has already signed the six-week abortion ban, so he would rather legislators stop putting this type of legislation out until the SCOTUS decision is finalized.

Follow statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.

      

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma House has given final approval to a Texas-style abortion ban that prohibits abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy.

The bill passed Thursday by the GOP-led House now heads to Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, who is expected to sign it within days.

The bill prohibits abortions once cardiac activity can be detected in the fetus.

Experts say that’s typically about six weeks into a pregnancy, which is before many women know they are pregnant.

Like Texas, the bill allows private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion for up to $10,000.

Stitt has said that he wants to "outlaw abortion in the state of Oklahoma.” Earlier this month, he signed a bill that makes it a felony to perform an abortion, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Oklahoma's battle against abortion is likely to face legal challenges.

Friends of Denny Rahtz who run the Flying Pig Marathon Sunday will have a special moment when they run through the intersection of Fourth and Scott streets in Covington.

Rahtz died at that intersection March 10 when he was struck by a vehicle during a run. Rahtz, 38, had run the Flying Pig five times and was training to run in the Boston Marathon April 18 for the first time.

The Boston Marathon is very difficult to qualify for and a bucket-list goal for any serious marathon runner. Runners need to meet a fast time standard but that doesn’t guarantee they will get an open spot.

More:Everything you need to know to get ready for the Flying Pig Marathon, Paycor Half Marathon

More:What will the weather be like for the Flying Pig this weekend? See forecasts here.

Are you ready to vote in Ohio's May 3 primary?

Use our statewide voter guide to help you make your choices.

Ohioans will be choosing party nominees for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and a host of other state and county offices.  Primaries for state legislative races will be held later. 

Just type in your address and let the guide do the rest. 

A scary moment occurred during a little league game in South Carolina.

People began running for cover as dozens of gunshots were fired near a ball field in North Charleston.

At first, the children look around in confusion as the gunshots go off.

Players and coaches then dropped to the ground for safety and parents called for their children.

No one was hurt, but several cars in the parking lot were hit by gunfire.

Police arrived quickly but the suspects had already left the area.

A $10,000 reward is being offered for information in the case.

CINCINNATI — Skyline Chili is suing two suppliers after a failed business operation that has allegedly cost the restaurant more than $1 million.

In an April 15 lawsuit with the Hamilton County Pleas Court, the Cincinnati-style chili eatery claims that contractor Advanced Ammonia Refrigeration Design Corporation (AARDCO) and subcontractor Cryogenic Equipment & Services Inc. (CES) conducted a deal in 2017 with Skyline where the two companies partook in a construction project for the restaurant — a project that allegedly never became operational.

Skyline claims that it paid the companies $1.1 million for the manufacturing of a spiral freezer system, as well as a building to house the system. However, Skyline says the freezer never worked and it has lost the ability to use the newly constructed building for the freezer.

Skyline is suing for compensatory damages for the freezer, property damage caused by the freezer, loss of the additional building, labor costs and future damages to business operations. Otherwise, Skyline is suing for restitution of what the company has paid, including litigation expenses and attorney fees.

The business deal came about, according to the lawsuit, after Skyline experienced malfunctioning with its existing plate freezer — something Skyline had experienced before — used to store chili products. According to the lawsuit, Skyline and AARDCO discussed a major construction project that would involve a new mechanical spiral freezer system as well as the construction of a new building that would house the new freezer system.

As the two companies began the necessary steps to begin construction, CES was contracted to "design, manufacture and install the spiral freezer system," according the lawsuit.

From there, the lawsuit claims that Skyline began paying invoices for supposed work on the project, and ultimately spent $1.1 million. Other than the $1.1 million, Skyline also says it continues to lose profits due to a lack of functionality from the freezer.

After the completion of the freezer, Skyline claims there has been a "myriad of ongoing problems," including insufficient speed, jams and misalignment, excessive frost, lack of stabilization, lack of durability and more defects.

A court hearing is currently scheduled for July 18.

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HARRISONBURG, Va. — Authorities in Virginia say the death of James Madison catcher Lauren Bernett has been classified as an apparent suicide.

Rockingham County Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson told the Associated Press Wednesday that "an investigation into the death is continuing" and the medical examiner's official report is pending.

The 20-year-old sophomore's death was announced Tuesday in a news release by JMU President Jonathan Alger and athletic director Jeff Bourne.

"College athletics is great because of the people with whom we get to interact every day," they said. "We are a tight family. We are grateful that Lauren has been part of our JMU Athletics community and will always consider her to be a Duke. We will miss her dearly."

No other details were provided.

Statement from President Alger and Jeff Bourne on the loss of one of our own: pic.twitter.com/A5JBuR5RUg

— James Madison Athletics (@JMUSports) April 26, 2022

The news outlet reported that the Pennsylvania native had been named the Colonial Athletic Association player of the week on Monday.

News of Bernett's death comes as the University of Wisconsin-Madison mourns the loss of a cross-country star who died by suicide earlier this month.

Stanford is also grieving the loss of a soccer star who died by suicide in March.

If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). You can also text a crisis counselor by messaging the Crisis Text Line at 741741.

FAIRFIELD – A designated outdoor refreshment area could be coming to Fairfield’s Village Green this summer.

It would be the city’s first foray into the popular venue that suspends the open container laws for adult beverages in a specified area during certain hours that would be set by the city.

“They’re all over … very prevalent throughout the state of Ohio,’’ said Scott Timmer, Fairfield’s city manager.

In Butler County, Doras are in place in Hamilton, Middletown, Oxford and at Liberty Center in Liberty Township.

Where would the Fairfield Dora be?

In Fairfield, the proposed Dora would be 27 acres in the city core that includes the Village Green, nearby commercial, and at the request of council members, the Applebee’s restaurant.

CINCINNATI — Ohio's primary election is May 3 and although state house and congressional races will be omitted from the ballots because district maps remain unapproved and uncertain, there are still several elections on the ballot for voters to consider.

The following are races in which candidates are not running unopposed for their party; unopposed candidates move on to the general election, so WCPO is highlighting only the races in which there is more than one candidate running. Likewise, independent candidates do not participate in primary elections and will be on the ballot for the general election in November, so they are not represented in this list.

Voters can find their polling location here.

Gubernatorial Primary

Democrat candidates:

John Cranley

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Cranley’s no stranger to Cincinnati. The Price Hill neighborhood native and St. Xavier High School alum served as Cincinnati’s mayor from 2013 to 2022. Cranley touts positive population growth for the first time in 60 years under his leadership, the Milken Institute’s title of best performing city, poverty reduction, and spearheading an effort to invest in solar energy. Cranley picked Sen. Teresa Fedor as his running mate for Lt. Governor.

Cranley leans on his legal experience which includes co-founding and directing the Ohio Innocence Project, which aims to free wrongfully convicted people.

Cranley’s platform points include:

• Expanding options for early learning

• Creating 120,000 jobs that pay at least $60,000 a year

• Legalizing and taxing marijuana

• Creating access to universal Broadband, Internet, and WiFi

You can read Cranley's full platform, titled "Ohio's Comeback" here. To learn more about Cranley, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Nan Whaley

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Many folks in the Tri-state are also familiar with Whaley. She was elected Dayton’s mayor in 2013. She ran unopposed in 2017. It was the first time in the city’s history where a mayoral race ran uncontested. Whaley became known to a wider audience in 2019, when a shooter killed 9 people and hurt several others at a bar in Dayton. Whaley is the only woman running for Governor in the Democratic and Republican primaries.

Whaley picked Cheryl Stephens as her running mate for Lt. Governor. She is the only candidate in both the Democratic and Republican primaries to have a person of color as a running mate. This is Whaley’s 2nd time running for Governor. She announced her candidacy in 2017, but dropped out in January 2018.

Whaley’s platform points include:

• Defending a woman’s right to choose

• Fighting for paid family leave for all Ohioans

• Investing in Ohio’s Appalachian Communities

You can read Whaley’s full platform here.

To learn more about Whaley you can check out her website, Twitter and Facebook.

Republican candidates include:

Incumbent Mike DeWine

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Gov. DeWine has held office since 2019 and has a long political record. He served as Greene County's prosecutor from 1977 to 1981. From there, he became an Ohio senator, representing the 10th district from 1980 to 1982

He was then elected to congress and represented Ohio's 7th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 1991. He served as Lt. Governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1994, U.S. Senator from 1995 to 2007 and, most recently, as Ohio's attorney general from 2011 to 2019.

DeWine was endorsed by former President Trump in the 2018 election, but Trump has not endorsed anyone in the Gubernatorial race this year.

DeWine’s platform points mostly tout his accomplishments in office. That includes:

• Creating jobs by brokering a deal with Intel to invest $20 billion in Ohio

• Cutting $2.2 billion in taxes, calling it “the largest tax cut in history”

• Reducing crime by investing millions into law enforcement agencies

• Signing the heartbeat bill into law, which bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected

You can read his full platform and office accomplishments here. To learn more about DeWine, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Joe Blystone

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Blystone brands himself as a “constitutional conservative,” but has no political experience and has never run for public office. He founded Blystone Farm in 2004 and created a non-profit Blystone Agricultural Inc. in 2019 aiming to teach people about food and farming.

Blystone picked author Jeremiah Workman as his Lt. Governor.

Blystone’s platform points include:

• “Protecting the American Dream”

• Revising state, local, and business taxes

To learn more about Blystone, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Jim Renacci

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Renacci has a longstanding political background but is recovering from a recent stumble. Renacci served the city of Wadsworth as mayor, city council president, and the Board of Zoning Appeals from 1994 to 2008. From 2011 to 2019, he served as a U.S. Representative from Ohio’s 16th Congressional District. He’s been on the Budget, Ways and Means, and Financial Services committees. In 2018, he lost his senate bid to Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) by just under 7 points. Former President Trump endorsed him for that race. He was the sole Republican to lose statewide that election cycle.

Renacci picked filmmaker Joe Knopp as his Lt. Governor.

Renacci’s platform points include:

• Using energy resources like coal, natural gas and oil “to their full capabilities”

• Protecting religious liberties

• Supporting law enforcement

• Making Ohio a family destination

You can read more about Renacci's platform here. To learn more about Renacci, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

U.S. Senate Primary

Democrat candidates include:

Morgan Harper

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Harper has never been elected to public office, but she’s no stranger to politics. She served in the Obama Administration as a senior advisor at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Harper’s legal experience is largely focused on consumer protection, but she’s also used her knowledge of the law in the non-profit arena as a director of policy and advocacy at the American Economic Liberties Project, which aims to break up corporate monopolies.

Harper’s platform points include:

• modernizing public transportation

• debt-free public education

She also has a jobs plan laid out, which you can read here. To learn more about Harper, you can visit her website, Twitter and Facebook.

Traci "TJ" Johnson

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Johnson has a long history of public service, elected to the position of Franklin County Ward Committee Woman. She held the position for more than 20 years. She’s also worked in several Ohio State offices including the Department of Administrative Services, Office of Budget & Management, Attorney General’s Office, and Environmental Protection Agency.

Johnson currently works as an information technology executive and the president of an IT solutions company. She’s also been hired as a general manager for two major corporations.

Johnson’s platform points include:

• improving the state’s digital infrastructure

• restructuring student loans

• protecting women’s reproductive rights

• supporting small and minority owned businesses.

Johnson laid out her vision for Ohio titled “Our Plan: New Future For Ohio.” You can read that in full here.

To learn more about Johnson, you can check out her website, Twitter and Facebook.

Tim Ryan

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Ryan is the political juggernaut in this democratic primary, with analysts saying it’s his election to lose. Ryan has served 10 terms as a U.S. Representative for Ohio’s 13th district. Ryan’s touted his passion for the economy, which related to his service on the House Appropriations Committee, which controls federal spending. He’s also the co-chairman of the Congressional Manufacturing Caucus. In previous years, Ryan served in the Ohio State Senate.

Ryan’s platform points include:

• curbing dependence on foreign oil

• increasing access to opioid addiction treatment

• family faming (which he’s written a book about)

If you’d like to see Ryan’s voting record in comparison to his platform points you can click here.

To learn more about Ryan, you can check out his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Republican candidates include:

Matt Dolan

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Dolan currently serves as an Ohio State Senator representing the 24th district. His term is set to end in December of 2024. In 20204, Dolan was elected to serve in the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the 98th district. Dolan was re-elected twice in 2006 and 2010. In January 2010, he resigned to run for Cuyahoga County executive and lost. He took a break from politics to work in the Cleveland Guardians before his successful campaign for state senator. Dolan has also served as assistant state attorney general and later chief assistant prosecutor for Geauga County.

Dolan’s platform points include:

• supporting law enforcement

• strengthening national security

You can read more about his platform here. To learn more about Dolan, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Mike Gibbons

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Gibbons is fairly new to the political realm. He’s more so an entrepreneur, starting his own business at the age of 37. Brown Gibbons Lang & Company provides strategic and financial advice to businesses. He’s also worked as managing partner of the Cleveland Crunch, co-owner of Cheboygan Tap & Tool, and co-owner of Northern Lake Properties.

Gibbons has been a longtime supporter of former President Donald Trump. He served as Trump’s Ohio finance co-chair in 2016. He decided to dive headfirst into politics shortly after that in 2017 with an unsuccessful campaign for U.S. Senate. He lost to Jim Renacci in the primary, who’s now running against Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in the Republican Gubernatorial Primary.

Gibbons' platform points include:

• Healthcare reform through state-based systems

• Banning critical race theory

• Instating congressional term limits

You can read about Gibbons' full platform here. To learn more about Gibbons, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Josh Mandel

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Mandel is hoping to continue his run of successful campaigns into a winning strategy to nab the win in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate. He’s recently finished two terms as Treasurer of the State of Ohio. He was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. Mandel also served two terms in the Ohio House of Representatives representing the 17th district from 2007 - 2011. The Marine Corps veteran served on the Veterans Affairs, Public Utilities, Finance and Appropriation, and Alternative Energy Committees. Mandel ran for a U.S. Senate seat in 2018, but withdrew four months before the primary citing his now ex-wife’s health.

Mandel’s platform points include:

• Defunding Planned Parenthood

• Advocating for parental choice in education

• Finishing the U.S/Mexico border wall

• Expanding rights afforded by the Second amendment

You can read about Mandel's full platform here. To learn more about Mandel, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Neil Patel

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Patel has more of an entrepreneurial background, but has had a taste of the political world.

Patel touts his decades of experience in creating successful business relationships. Patel immigrated to American from India and was granted citizenship in 1994. Patel cites his time working on Sen. Joe Manchin’s transition team is what helped him realize he was a conservative Republican. Patel also serves as a Republican Delaware County Central Committee Member.

Patel’s platform points include:

• Tax cuts supported by former President Trump

• Reigning in spending and social programs

• Reducing spending on elections and simplifying the process of elections

• Finishing the U.S./Mexico border wall

You can read about Patel's full platform here. To learn more about Patel, you can visit his website and Facebook.

Mark Pukita

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Pukita touts himself as “an authentic Ohio voice, not one of them,” citing his “lower working-class roots.” Pukita started a company called Fast Switch in Columbus in 1996. He ultimately sold most of the business to his executive team.

On his website, Pukita says he was never a fan of Portman’s voting record and decisions.

Pukita’s platform points include:

• Uniting the U.S. in an “America first vision”

• Protecting Constitutional rights, particularly the 1st, 2nd, 10th, and 14th amendments

• Tightening border security

You can read about Pukita's full platform here. To learn more about Pukita, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Jane Timken

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Timken is the only woman running for U.S. Senate in the Republican Primary. Timken is a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump. Timken was elected vice chairwoman of the Republican Party of Ohio in May 2010, and in 2017 was elected as chairwoman. She’s the first chairwoman of the Ohio GOP. During that time, Trump won the state but lost the election. Timken was endorsed by retiring Sen. Rob Portman.

Timken is a Cincinnati native, but now lives in Stark County.

Timken’s platform points include:

• Protecting Ohio’s economy through low taxes and less regulation

• Supporting Ohio’s farmers

• Returning to “America First” immigration policies

You can read about Timken's full platform here. To learn more about Timken, you can visit her website, Twitter and Facebook.

J.D. Vance

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Vance, who bills himself as a “conservative outsider,” nabbed former President Trump’s endorsement. Despite his negative comments on Trump and his supporters in the past, Trump said in a statement, “[Vance] is our best chance for victory in what could be a tough race.”

Vance is a Middletown native, Marine Corps veteran and was brought to prominence to a wider audience after releasing his book Hillbilly Elegy, which Netflix turned into a movie in 2020.

Vance’s platform points include:

• Restoring America’s manufacturing base

• Raising taxes on companies that send jobs overseas

• Breaking up Big Tech monopolies

You can read about Vance's full platform here. To learn more about Vance, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Secretary of State Republican candidates

The democrat candidate in this race is running unopposed in the primary and will automatically be on the ballot in the general election in November.

Incumbent Frank LaRose

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LaRose is the incumbent in this race and received the endorsement from former President Trump. The U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret Veteran was elected to the position in 2018. Before that, he served two terms in the Ohio State Senate.

As the incumbent, LaRose’s platform points mostly tout his accomplishments:

• Securing elections with audits showing a nearly 100% accuracy rate

• Spearheading legislation creating a civilian “Cyber Reserve” to respond to cyber attacks against the government

• Advocating for small businesses

• Advocating for a limited and efficient government

To learn more about LaRose you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

John Adams

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Adams has a long history of public service, representing district 85 in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2007 to 2014. He also served as Majority Whip for six years. Adams ran for the Ohio Senate to represent district 12 in 2016, but was defeated in the Republican primary by Matt Huffman with nearly 64% of the vote.

The Navy SEALs veteran has also served on the Shelby County Republican Central Committee.

Adams platform points include:

• Ensuring the integrity of Ohio’s elections

• Promoting "common sense" Voter ID laws

To learn more about Adams, you can visit his website and Facebook.

Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Republican candidates

The democrat candidate in this race is running unopposed in the primary and will automatically be on the ballot in the general election in November.

Steven Goodin

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Goodin is no stranger to Cincinnati politics. He was appointed to City Council after a corruption scandal brought down some of its most prominent councilmembers. His bid for a seat in the 2021 election was unsuccessful. Goodin’s also served on the Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission.

The U.S. Army veteran describes himself as an “experienced litigator” and worked as a prosecutor.

Goodin’s platform points include:

• Providing easier access to bond information

• Creating a help center for small businesses who can’t afford attorneys

To learn more about Goodin, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Pakkiri "Raj" Rajagopal

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Rajagopal has a varied resume. He started his venture into public service as a Hamilton County deputy sheriff. He says that helped him make great relationships with judges and learn the intricacies of the court system. In all, Rajagopal has more than 40 years experience in the court system. In 2017, Rajagopal was elected to a four-year term as a Colerain Township Trustee.

In 2012, Rajagopal made a bid for the Ohio House of Representatives in district 29, he was defeated in the Republican primary by Louis Blessing III by nearly 63%.

To learn more about Rajagopal, you can visit his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Clermont County Auditor

Linda Fraley

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Fraley is the incumbent in this race, boasting more than 30 years of experience in accounting and business management. She touts her office receiving the Ohio Auditor of State’s Award of Distinction, with her website citing it’s given to fewer than 5% of all Ohio government agencies. Fraley has also served three four-year terms on the Clermont County Board of Education and served four years as president.

During her last re-election campaign, Fraley faced controversy with allegations of nepotism connected to hiring her stepson in 2002, but they were dismissed in April 2018 by the Clermont County municipal court. It was levied by her competitor in that primary.

To learn more about Fraley, you can visit her website and Facebook.

Tim Rudd

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Rudd has political experience in the county, getting elected as the clerk of municipal court for 18 years. According to Rudd’s website, he was also the bookkeeper for the office that saw anywhere from an upwards of $8 million.

Rudd was also the chair of the Clermont Republican party for 16 years.

To learn more about Rudd you can check out his website.

Warren County Commissioner Republican Primary

The democrat candidate in this race is running unopposed in the primary and will automatically be on the ballot in the general election in November.

Amy Brewer

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Brewer is a fixture in Lebanon where she’s served as mayor for 20 years. Before that, she was elected to city council and served as vice mayor for 12 years. Brewer has also held leadership positions with Main Street Lebanon and Citizens for Quality Lebanon Schools.

Brewer’s platform points include:

• Supporting law enforcement and first responders

• Expanding economic development in Warren County

• Addressing the workforce crisis

• Make access to mental health resources easier for residents

To learn more about Brewer, you can visit her website and Facebook.

Tom Grossman

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Grossman is the incumbent in this race, serving Warren County commissioner. He was elected in 2014. He won his first ever election in 2001, when he was elected to Mason City Council and served until 2009 and served again from 2011 – 2014. Grossman was also elected Mayor of Mason. He’s served as the chairman of the Warren County Republican Party from 2002-2010.

Grossman also has experience in the private sector working as a lawyer, primarily in corporate law and litigation.

To learn more about Grossman, you can visit his website and Facebook.

      

      

Authorities in Florida say three correctional officers face murder charges for allegedly beating a handcuffed inmate who threw urine at one of them.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced the arrests of 29-year-old Christopher Rolon, 34-year-old Kirk Walton, and 24-year-old Ronald Connor on Thursday.

In a news release, the department said the alleged incident occurred on Feb. 14 while the inmate was being removed from his cell so he could be transferred from a mental health unit at a Miami-Dade County prison to another prison.

After the inmate allegedly threw urine at one of the officers, he was placed in handcuffs.

Once they removed him from his cell, the officers began to beat him, the department said.

"The inmate was beaten so badly he had to be carried to the transport van," the department said. "Once inside, he was placed in a secure compartment by himself."

As they made their way to the other prison, the officers made a stop in Ocala. It was there they discovered the inmate had died.

According to the medical examiner's office, the inmate's death was caused by a punctured lung leading to internal bleeding.

According to the ME's report, the inmate also suffered injuries to his face and torso consistent with a beating.

The agency said the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office would prosecute the case.

      

      

NORWOOD, Ohio — This was quite the week for the Norwood High School athletic department.

Norwood saw a total of four no-hitters thrown on the diamonds for the school's baseball and softball teams overall this week.

The Norwood baseball team earned three consecutive no-hitters from Tuesday through Thursday this week.

Senior Hannah Green had a softball no-hitter Wednesday in a shutout win over Withrow.

The Norwood athletic department started a #NorwoodNoHitterClub on its Facebook page and celebrated the accomplishments of its student-athletes for three consecutive days with photos and statistics.

Junior Murphy Peter threw a no-hitter in a 4-3 baseball win against Goshen on Tuesday. He had seven strikeouts in the complete game win. He also had the walk-off hit in the game.

Senior Ryan Peter, Murphy's cousin, threw a no-hitter against North College Hill on Wednesday. Ryan Peter struck out 11 batters en route to a 21-0 win in five innings.

Then, junior Dillon Cole threw a no-hitter in an 11-0 win over Hughes on Thursday. He struck out 12 batters in five innings. Murphy Peter hit a two-run home run as Norwood (8-8) won its fourth consecutive game.

"It's pretty cool," Norwood athletic director Chuck Richardson said. "One no-hitter is great. Two no-hitters are fantastic. Three no-hitters are otherworldly. It tough to wrap my brain around that."

Norwood baseball coach Steve Bosch, who has been coaching in the program for at least a dozen years, said he isn't aware of another time the program had three consecutive no-hitters.

"The pitching has definitely been our staple this season," Bosch said. "I'm just happy for their success. Their hard work and dedication has paid off for them."

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Green earned a no-hitter on Wednesday. Green had nine strikeouts in five innings for Norwood (8-6, 4-2 Miami Valley Conference).

"We are proud of Hannah," Richardson said. "She has not shied away from the challenge of being our ace this year and flourished in the role."

Also Thursday, Richardson was presented two Southwest Ohio Athletic Directors Association awards including as athletic director of the year and in sportsmanship, ethics and integrity.

Richardson is completing his first school year at Norwood. Prior to Norwood, Richardson worked in the Trotwood-Madison athletic department since July 2018. Richardson was previously the Western Hills athletic director for two years after being in the Taft athletic department for two years.

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Major League Baseball announced Friday that they are suspending Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer for two seasons for violating the league's joint domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse policy.

The pitcher will not receive any pay while he's suspended.

Bauer's team released a statement following news of his suspension.

"Today, we were informed that MLB has concluded its investigation into allegations that have been made against Trevor Bauer, and the Commissioner has issued his decision regarding discipline," the team said. "The Dodgers organization takes all allegations of this nature very seriously and does not condone or excuse any acts of domestic violence or sexual assault. We’ve cooperated fully with MLB's investigation since it began, and we fully support MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Policy and the Commissioner’s enforcement of the Policy. We understand that Trevor has the right to appeal the Commissioner’s decision. Therefore, we will not comment further until the process is complete."

Bauer issued a statement, saying he would appeal the league's decision.

"In the strongest possible terms, I deny committing any violation of the league’s domestic violence & sexual assault policy," Bauer said on Twitter. "I am appealing this action and expect to prevail. As we have throughout this process, my representatives & I respect the confidentiality of the proceedings."

In the strongest possible terms, I deny committing any violation of the league’s domestic violence & sexual assault policy. I am appealing this action and expect to prevail. As we have throughout this process, my representatives & I respect the confidentiality of the proceedings.

— Trevor Bauer (トレバー・バウアー) (@BauerOutage) April 29, 2022

A woman accused the 2020 National League Cy Young winner of punching and choking her during two sexual encounters.

Bauer has repeatedly claimed he and the woman had consensual "rough sex."

A judge, who previously rescinded a restraining order the woman had against Bauer, has stated that the woman's testimony confirmed the Dodgers player followed the boundaries the woman had set for him during their sexual encounters.

He hasn't appeared in a game since June 2021.

LVIV, Ukraine — The mayor of the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol says those hiding at a massive steel mill are running out of food, water and medicine.

Vadym Boichenko described the situation at the Avozstal steel plant as dire. The steel mill is the last position held by Ukrainian fighters, who also are with civilians.

The Soviet-era facility has a vast underground network of bunkers able to withstand airstrikes. But the situation has grown more extreme after the Russians dropped a series of so-called “bunker buster” bombs and unguided munitions.

“Locals who manage to leave Mariupol say it is hell, but when they leave this fortress, they say it is worse,” Boichenko said, according to a translator. “They are begging to get saved.”

He added: “There, it’s not a matter of days, it’s a matter of hours.”

Boichenko said he hoped a cease-fire would allow those inside the steel mill to safely leave. Russia earlier offered a truce that was rejected by Ukrainians, who said Moscow previously broke other agreements.

“We hope there’s a slight touch of humanity in the enemy,” the mayor said.

Boichenko spoke Friday in a government-organized video conference.