Plain Press

  • Public school funding under attack by Ohio lawmakers

    PHOTO BY BRUCE CHECEFSKY Friday, December 12, 2025; Tremont Montessori School building, 2409 W. 10th Street: The Tremont School building is one of the school buildings that the Cleveland Metropolitan School District has decided to close as part of its Building Brighter Futures plan. The Montessori school in the building now will move to be…

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  • Ohio hemp law designed to ramp up incarceration rates for private prison industry

    by Daryl Davis    (Plain Press January 2026) Governor Michael DeWine and the Ohio Republican majority in the legislature have attacked the hemp industry in Ohio with legislation that will re-criminalize hemp products such as hemp beverages, gummies, chocolates and vapes and place additional restrictions on recreational marijuana use. Promoting this legislation looks like a…

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  • GATEWAY PROMISED 28,000 JOBS;

    THREE YEARS LATER – 35,000 JOBS LOST GATEWAY PROMISED 28,000 JOBS; THREE YEARS LATER – 35,000 JOBS LOST by Roldo Bartimole   In 1990 when Cleveland politicians and top business & legal leaders were preparing to sell the first sales “sin” tax for our sports team owners, they promised 28,000 “good paying jobs for the…

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  • Media should reveal what public funds are subsidizing at Brook Park dome

    Media should reveal what public funds are subsidizing at Brook Park dome by Roldo Bartimole (Plain Press, July 2025) Now that the Republican state legislators and Gov. Mike DeWine have shoved $600 million FREE dollars into the hands of the Haslam group to build the property tax free domed stadium it’s time the public be told…

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  • History says Browns stay put

      by Roldo Bartimole (Plain Press June 2025) Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne is trying to save Cleveland.    He has put his foot down on rejecting a get-out-of-town demand from Browns owners – the Haslam family.    They’re asking for a $600 million input from County residents. Borrowed, the cost will likely double for Cuyahoga County…

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  • New law ends driver’s license suspensions for unpaid court fines or fees

    by Tonya Sams      (Plain Press June 2025) For years, thousands of Ohioans who were unable to pay back court-imposed fines or fees were penalized by having their driver’s license suspended. With the signing of House Bill 29 (HB 29) in January (effective April 9), people that were impacted by debt-related driver’s license suspensions may…

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  • Save Medicaid Expansion in Ohio.

    by Che Gadison      Health care coverage is in jeopardy for low-income adults   in Ohio      Medicaid Expansion provides healthcare to adults between the ages 19-64 with incomes below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level or $21,597 for a single individual.  The federal government currently picks up 90% of the cost while the state of…

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  • When Ohioans Vote, We Win

    PHOTO COURTESY OF STATE SENATOR NICKIE ANTONIO’S OFFICE by Ohio Senate Democratic Leader Nickie J. Antonio    (Plain Press November 2024) In the past year, politically savvy Ohioans may have noticed an interesting phenomenon at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. When members of the legislature discussed issues like protecting abortion access or legalizing recreational cannabis,…

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  • Ohio House bill aims to combat college hunger

    (Plain Press October 2024) House Bill (HB) 590, also known as the Hunger Free Campus bill, will ensure that no college student will go hungry by providing free meals to those students who are eligible. HB 590 has been introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives. Its primary sponsors are House District 14 Democrat Sean…

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  • Tristan Rader (D) and Robert Dintaman (R) compete for Ohio House of Representatives District 13 in the November general election.  

    Tristan Rader Robert Dintaman by Bruce Checefsky      (Plain Press September 2024) Tristan Rader (D) and Robert Dintaman (R) are candidates for Ohio House of Representatives District 13 and will appear on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024. Both men are from Lakewood and bring expertise and an understanding of the…

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