State of Ohio

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine praised this week's passage by the Ohio House of Representatives of new legislation that will strengthen his ability to go after cyber fraud and assist in prosecutions. State Sen. Kevin Bacon (R-Minerva Park) sponsored SB 223 and Rep. Ross McGregor (R-Springfield) sponsored companion legislation.

Continuing the state's efforts to address the growing problem of prescription drug addiction, Tuesday Director Orman Hall, of the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS), announced the launch of Don't Get Me Started, a statewide public service campaign that speaks to young adults and their friends and family, in partnership with the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA).

Officials say that in 2007, accidental drug overdose became the leading cause of injury death in Ohio, surpassing motor vehicle crashes and suicide for the first time on record.

The new OhioMeansJobs mobile phone application allows Ohioans to search, save and apply for jobs from their iPhone, iPad or Android device. The app combines unique data from the state of Ohio with advanced search tools and filter technology from Monster. Job seekers can use the app to view their resumes and search tens of thousands of job openings by job title, keyword and location.

The Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Liquor Control announced that dollar sales of spirituous liquor reached a record level in 2011, totaling $793.7 million.  This was an increase of 5.3%, exceeding last year’s total by $40 million.

Executions in Ohio may be on hold again as state prison officials refine their lethal-injection protocol to meet a federal judge’s requirements.

Without objection from Attorney General Mike DeWine Thursday, U.S. District Judge Gregory L. Frost halted the execution scheduled for Feb. 22 of Michael Webb of Clermont County. Frost also allowed Webb to join other death-penalty defendants in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state’s lethal-injection protocol.

TVs, digital cameras and other electronic equipment will be among the wide variety of items available for bid at the State of Ohio miscellaneous property auction Saturday, January 28.

The auction will be held at the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, General Services Division headquarters, 4200 Surface Road, Columbus, 43228. The doors open at 8 a.m.; the auction begins at 9 a.m.

State Fire Marshal Larry Flowers announced Monday that Ohio’s fire fatalities hit a 25-year low in 2011. The number of fire-related fatalities dropped nearly 18% from 2010 to 2011.

During the 2011 calendar year, 126 fire-related fatalities were recorded by the Division of State Fire Marshal through reports from Ohio’s fire departments, the State Fire Marshal’s Fire & Explosion Investigation Bureau and the media.

Gov. John Kasich is shifting control of profits from Ohio's lucrative wholesale liquor operation to his privately run job creation agency.

The in-house deal calls for the non-profit group -- JobsOhio -- to pay the state $1.4 billion up front, money it will raise from the sale of bonds backed by future liquor sales. In turn, JobsOhio will use liquor proceeds -- which totaled a record $794 million in 2011 -- for the next 25 years for its operating expenses.

Secretary of State Jon Husted today announced that 82,601 new entities filed to do business in Ohio in 2011. Those numbers are up compared to 2010, in which 80,081 new entities filed. Secretary Husted also announced the roll-out of updates to filing forms designed to make is easier for domestic and foreign companies to do business in Ohio.

Ohio's unemployment rate was 8.1 percent in December, down from 8.5 percent in November, according to data released Friday morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS). Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employment decreased 3,300 over the month, from the revised 5,109,900 in November to 5,106,600 in December.