GOP introduces anti-labor legislation --leaders kill it immediately
by Bruce Bostick
On May 1 (May Day) this past week, extremist, right wing Republicans introduces 3 versions of the anti-labor, so-called “Right-to Work” legislation, one bill directed at private industry, another at public workers and a third piece that would immediately place that legislation on the ballot for referendum. The so-called “Right-to-Work” legislation is now being pushed by right wing, pro-corporate legislators nationally in order to break the power of unions, which only now represent 9% of workers in private industry nationally. RTW would bar unions from collected dues from all represented workers, while still requiring unions to represent all workers. It would reverse previous union elections won by unions in which the entire unit had elected to be represented by unions.
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Lucasville media access hunger strike ends
by Siddique Abdullah Hasan
YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO-- Today, at 3:15 p.m., Greg Curry and I, Siddique Abdullah Hasan, decided to end our almost month-long hunger strike. The strike commenced on April 11, the 20th anniversary of the Lucasville prison uprising. The sole purpose of our strike was to vigorously challenge the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (ODRC) continuously denying us to have direct access to the media- that is: on-camera interviews with the media. While both death-row and non-death row prisoners in Ohio are granted on-camera access to the media, those who have been reailroaded and convicted of crimes stemming from the Lucasville Uprising have continuously been denied equal protection under the law. And though ODRC policy permits its prisoners to meet with the media to discuss their criminal cases, this policy has not been applicable to those of of convicted of riot related offenses. In fact, in 2003, the then-prison chief, Reginald Wilkinson, made it perfectly clear to Kevin Mayhood a staff reporter at the Columbus Dispatch that: "no inmates convicted of riot crimes will be permitted to speak with [them]." This blanket and collective denial is contrary to ODRC's own state-wide Media Policy, which Mr. Wilkinson's successors have been unconstitutionally enforcing his vindictive directive.
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As unemployment drops and poverty in our city rises…Columbus service workers and supporters rally with elected leaders, call on corporations to stop holding our city back
by Laurie Couch
On Monday, State Representative Mike Foley joined about 75 Columbus security officers, janitors, and community members for a rally outside the Motorists Mutual Insurance building downtown. Workers, faith leaders, and elected officials called on business leaders of Columbus to support the good jobs our city needs to stanch the rapidly rising poverty rate.
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Students, community, support teacher fired by church for her sexuality
by Bruce Bostick
Over 100 students, alumni of Columbus Bishop Watterson, and community, labor supporters, packed the meeting room of the local Unitarian Church last Saturday, rallying to support beloved 19 year Watterson teacher, Carla Hale, who was fired by the Catholic Diocese for “violating the morality clause.”
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The Dayton (Drone) Development Coalition
by Gerry Bello
Recently, the Free Press ran a story about Jim Leftwich, covering his double-dipping into the public trough, lobbying the Federal Aviation Agency to designate the Dayton-Springfield area as a special testing site for military drones, while simultaneously charging Wright State University a consulting fee. While reporting on his $114,000 per year from the State of Ohio, and $20,000 per month from Wright State and the resultant ethics flap, we did not roll the clock back far enough.
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OSP Prisoners Join Hunger Strike in Solidarity
by Ben Turk
Tues April 16th, 2013, Youngstown, OH - At least twenty one prisoners at Ohio State Penitentiary (OSP) refused all three meals on Monday, April 15th in solidarity with the four Lucasville Uprising prisoners who've been on hunger strike since April 11th.
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Thousands support Medicaid expansion in Ohio!
by Bruce Bostick
An emotional crowd, estimated at over 2,500, packed the statehouse grounds on Friday in Columbus, Ohio, calling on legislators to support the expansion of Medicaid proposed under "ObamaCare," (Affordable Care Act). The expansion has been supported by Ohio’s conservative Republican Governor John Kasich, but it is now being blocked by legislators from his own party.
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Four Lucasville uprising prisoners on hunger strike
by Ben Turk
April 11th, 2013, Youngstown, OH- Four prisoners housed at Ohio State Penitentiary began refusing food today. Greg Curry, Siddique Abdullah Hasan, Jason Robb and Bomani Shakur, who have been housed at OSP since it opened, are demanding that media outlets be allowed to come for sit-down on-camera interviews with them. In a recorded announcement, Bomani Shakur described the hunger strike as a "protest [of] the state's unfair and unreasonable refusal to grant us access to the media... I am an innocent man. This is injustice, the state of Ohio is trying to kill me."
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"No cuts to Social Security" say Ohio Retirees
by Bruce Bostick
Meeting in Columbus, Ohio on 4/9/13, the 300 delegates to the Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA) greeted the president’s announcement that his proposed budget would propose cuts to Social Security with outrage!
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Job Opening - Petition Circulator
by Columbus Coalition for Responsive Government
The Columbus Coalition for Responsive Government is looking for paid petition circulators to go door-to-door in Columbus neighborhoods seeking signatures from registered voters for our petitions. We are a citizens' group trying to get two pieces of legislation on the ballot for a vote: 1) we believe the people of Columbus should approve or reject the bailout of Nationwide Arena, and 2) we believe there should be campaign finance laws in place for local elections as the voters approved in 1994.
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Recent Ohio Articles

Re-examining the Lucasville Uprising: Essay 7
  December 28, 2012
  Staughton Lynd

CMHA tries to erase black history: Poindexter Village History Advisory Group cries "foul"
  December 24, 2012
  Chief Baba Shongo, Convener of the Poindexter Village History Advisory Group

Unions, friends, need volunteers to help Columbus families in need!
  December 11, 2012
  Bruce Bostick

Unions push back -- can manager pay raise!
  November 30, 2012
  Bruce Bostick

Ohio city OK's raise for manager, shaft for public workers!
  November 27, 2012
  Bruce Bostick

Campaign of prisoner sabotage hits Mansfield Correctional
  November 13, 2012
  Ben Turk

Celebrating the life of Brother Nommo X (James E. Brown) 1947-2012
  November 13, 2012
  Free Press staff

Re-examining Lucasville: Essay 6
  November 8, 2012
  Staughton Lynd

Re-examining Lucasville: Essay 4
  November 8, 2012
  Staughton Lynd

Join the Free Press and other concerned citizens in Election Defense
  November 5, 2012
  Gerry Bello

Re-examining Lucasville: Essay 5
  October 18, 2012
  Staughton Lynd

Ohio lobbying to be home for drones
  September 14, 2012
  Bob Fitrakis

Re-examining Lucasville: Essay 3 - A Tragedy?
  September 1, 2012
  Staughton Lynd

Re-examining the Lucasville uprising Essay 2: What Caused the Uprising?
  July 29, 2012
  Staughton Lynd

“We’re fighting for our families” say striking Ohio refinery workers
  July 16, 2012
  Bruce Bostick

Transport settlement will strengthen Columbus
  July 11, 2012
  Bruce Bostick

Prosecutor and judge oppose Ohio execution
  July 5, 2012
  Amnesty International

At-large City Council elections and the suppression of free speech in Columbus
  July 2, 2012
  Joe Sommer

Re-examining the Lucasville uprising: Essay 1
  June 30, 2012
  Staughton Lynd

National student congress called for in August in Ohio
  June 16, 2012
  Bruce Bostick

Open letter to Columbus City Council President Andrew Ginther
  June 9, 2012
  Columbus Coalition for Responsive Government

Ohio Super Max Prisoner Resumes Hunger Strike
  June 4, 2012
  Ben Turk

OSP Hunger Strike Ends
  May 10, 2012
  Ben Turk

OSP hunger strike enters second week
  May 8, 2012
  Ben Turk

Ohio Super Max hunger strike continues and expands
  May 3, 2012
  Ben Turk

25 Ohio Super Max prisoners start a hunger strike
  May 1, 2012
  Ben Turk

Ohioans rally against "War on Women!"
  April 29, 2012
  Bruce Bostick

Truth in Sentencing: 3200 prisoners stuck in Ohio Prisons
  March 28, 2012
  Dan Cahill, Central Ohio Prisoner Advocates

Near East Side Residents Express Concerns about 'Revitalization'
  March 13, 2012
  Tom Over

A History of Traditional Democrat Party Support for a More Open Columbus, Ohio City Council
  March 13, 2012
  Columbus Coalition for Responsive Government

WVKO AM Radio Station's 2nd Annual Bash
  March 12, 2012
  Lydia Merrion

BREAKING NEWS---VICTORY AT COOPER!!
  February 23, 2012
  Bruce Bostick

Ohio Students Form Student Association, Call on Others to Organize
  February 14, 2012
  Stuart McIntyre

Trader Joe’s and The Coalition of Immokalee Workers Sign Fair Food Agreement
  February 12, 2012
  Alison Mochizuki, Director Public Relations, Trader Joe's

Open Letter to Sherrod Brown
  February 7, 2012
  Bob Sheak, Athens Ohio

Roe turns 30: Columbus protests
  January 24, 2012
  

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