(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost authored a letter sent Friday to the U.S. Department of Education, co-signed by 21 other states, urging the Department to keep a rule that requires public universities to comply with the First Amendment or lose grant funding – a provision put in place to protect religious groups on campuses nationwide.
The Biden Administration is threatening to rescind this protection.
“Day after day, we see school administrators across the country targeting student religious groups as unworthy of existence,” Yost said. “Our county was founded on an entirely different principle – that Americans can practice their religion without fear of government reprisal.”
The existing rule, established in 2020 to implement Supreme Court precedent, prohibits public universities from denying religious student groups “any right, benefit or privilege that is otherwise afforded to other student organizations at the public institution” because of a group’s “beliefs, practices, policies, speech, membership standards or leadership standards, which are informed by sincerely held religious beliefs.”
The Biden Administration believes the existing policy is too confusing and burdensome, but AG Yost argues otherwise.
“Religious freedom is neither confusing nor burdensome,” he said.
The coalition’s letter says student religious organizations are being singled out for attack, reinforcing the need for the protection provided by the existing rule.
“The religious practice of student groups and individuals is under immense fire at universities,” it says. “Religious students have greatly enriched campus communities, through charity, service, temperance, and commitment to learning. They are owed the right to freely exercise their religion, however out of fashion with an increasingly anti-religious bureaucratic regime that might be.”
Removing the rule, the letter continues, would conflict with Supreme Court rulings forbidding the government from weaponizing the government against religion.
“The department is blessing the targeting of religious groups. That is wrong.”
In addition, the letter says that the rule change would impose “irreparable harm to students for no federal benefit.”
Joining Yost on the letter sent Friday were the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – The Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center (ONIC) released a public safety bulletin today alerting parents that emojis are being used by youth on social media and electronic communications to market, sell, and buy illegal drugs.
Emojis used in drug communications commonly refer to the physical, psychological, or physiological characteristics of the drugs. The presence of these emojis in communications can be one indication of possible drug activity, though it is important to note that these meanings are not definitive and emojis can be used in other ways.
“The use of emojis in this manner is a nationwide trend, and our analysts are seeing it here in Ohio as they analyze electronic devices seized in ongoing drug investigations,” said Cynthia Peterman, ONIC Executive Director. “Although use of these emojis is most often harmless, it’s important that parents keep this alert in mind, especially if their child is showing other signs of withdrawal or drug abuse.”
Emojis can refer to specific types of drugs such as a peeled banana for oxycodone/Percocet, a step ladder for alprazolam/Xanax, a snail for fentanyl, or a palm tree for marijuana.
Emojis are also used in generic ways to denote a drug dealer with an electrical outlet plug or the price of a drug by using a concert ticket stub. Other general references include using a flame, gasoline pump, or goat to depict the high potency of a drug and an astronaut, rocket, or face with an exploding brain to describe the euphoria of drug use.
To report a drug tip to ONIC, please call 1-833-OHIO-NIC (644-6642).
Governor DeWine signed an executive order in July 2019 creating ONIC, a specialized criminal intelligence unit to assist local law enforcement in conducting intelligence-driven drug trafficking investigations. Operated as part of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, ONIC has locations in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Toledo. ONIC’s criminal intelligence analysts and computer forensic specialists provide investigative, analytical, and digital forensic support to local law enforcement agencies and drug task forces throughout Ohio.
As I was driving to my Dr. appointment in Mansfield this afternoon around 1pm, I heard over the Police scanner that a car had just crashed into a house, at 581 Burns Street.
I thought, “Hmmmm, do I have enough time to check it out?” Then the scanner boomed out, “Driver is running from the crash!” Then a few seconds later, “Driver just ran back to the crash and removed his temporary tags and is once again running away.”
Ok! I thought, “Well, I will just have to go get a few pictures, I still have a few minutes before my appointment.”
When I pulled up to the scene and saw this I thought, “Hey! You can’t park there!”
A witness at the scene told me it was unbelievable, why would you run back to your car to get the temporary tags?
The owner of the house had bought it to remodel it. He said he had already fixed the porch roof, but after all, his last name is “Murphy” like in “Murphy’s Law,” which is an old adage or epigram that is typically stated as: “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.”
No injuries were reported.
Mansfield Police Division is investigating but hasn’t released any information as of yet.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and two other state attorneys general are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to establish a legal test for determining the limits of a “very broad” presidential immunity.
In an amicus brief filed today in Trump v. United States, Yost and his counterparts from Alaska and Wyoming argue that such a test is necessary because future prosecutions, both civil and criminal, implicating presidential immunity are likely to arise in the wake of this unprecedented case. Defining the extent of presidential immunity now, the brief says, would establish constitutional guardrails to guide future legal proceedings.
“A line of normal behavior has been crossed – the special counsel actually boasts in his own brief that a president has never before been criminally prosecuted,” Yost said. “In the same way that impeachment has apparently been normalized, it seems likely that we will see future cases in which a prosecutor charges a chief magistrate.”
Yost added that the framers of the Constitution “understood that a president cannot fulfill the oath of office without reasonable immunity from criminal charges. That immunity is very broad, but not unlimited – and the nation needs clear and steady-handed guidance from its highest court.”
In February, the Supreme Court agreed to decide in Trump v. United States whether – and, if so, to what extent – a former president is immune from criminal prosecution for conduct allegedly involving official acts during the former president’s tenure in office.
In the brief, Yost proposes a two-factor legal test that courts would apply in cases examining questions of presidential immunity:
The first factor would consider how closely an alleged criminal action is linked to the president’s core powers under Article II of the Constitution.
The brief notes how the diverse duties of the president translate to a wide range of situations that may require immunity from prosecution. Therefore, it says, the test should examine the relationship between the action and the president’s official responsibilities; the closer an action relates to a core presidential power, the stronger the case for immunity.
Under the second factor, courts would determine whether the urgency of the situation warranted the president’s actions. The brief argues that times of heightened urgency, such as war, call for a greater degree of immunity for the president.
In their brief, the attorneys general ask the Supreme Court to adopt this legal test and remand the matter for further proceedings and fact-finding.
Michael Ray Stith, 49, of Prospect, was indicted in Marion County Common Pleas Court
(MARION, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Marion County Sheriff Matt Bayles today announced the indictment and arrest of a Marion County man on multiple rape charges involving children.
Michael Ray Stith, 49, of Prospect, was indicted in Marion County Common Pleas Court and taken into custody last week.
Stith was charged with seven counts of rape, each a first-degree felony, in an indictment that was unsealed today. The charges specify that the victim(s) were less than 13 years old.
The case, investigated by the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, remains an active investigation. Detectives believe there may be additional victims with information about Stith, who has connections to Marion and Crawford counties.
Anyone with information about Stith and these allegations is encouraged to contact the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at 740-382-8244 ext. 5114 or BCI at 1-855-BCI-OHIO (855-224-6446). Tips may also be submitted anonymously online.
Marion County Prosecutor Ray Grogan’s office is prosecuting the case.
Indictments merely contain allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Washington Township – On March 18, 2023 at approximately 11:54 a.m. the Wooster Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol was notified of a serious injury crash on State Route 3 south of State Route 179 in Holmes County. Troopers responded to the scene along with Western Holmes Fire District and EMS personnel and a medic from the Loudonville Fire Department and EMS.
The on-scene investigation revealed a silver 2018 Dodge Ram 1500 pick-up was south on SR3 south of SR179. A 2019 Honda SXS700 utility terrain vehicle (UTV) with a flashing yellow light and a white 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD, also with flashing lights were following a slow-moving skid steer southbound on SR3.
The three slow-moving vehicles were part of a Landracorp, Inc. brush-clearing work crew based out of Brownstown, Illinois and were moving from one site to another. The Dodge pick-up struck the UTV from behind and pushed it into the Chevrolet Silverado. The Dodge came to rest, disabled, in the northbound lane of SR3 beside the other vehicles that came to rest in the southbound lane.
The driver of the UTV, Reno Keith Jr., 41, Vandalia, Illinois was transported from the scene by Western Holmes Fire District EMS to Wooster Community Hospital but later died as the result of the crash. The seat belts for the UTV were buckled behind Reno when the crash happened.
The driver of the Dodge, Shane E. P. Ryder, 30, Loudonville, was using a seat belt and was unhurt in the crash. The driver of the Chevrolet, Cody A. Brooks, 24, Saint Elmo, Illinois and his passenger, Austin W. O. Weishedel, 22, Vandalia, Illinois, were also both seat-belted and uninjured in the crash.
The Dodge Ram and the Honda UTV were removed from the scene by Star American Towing from Wilmont. In addition to personnel from Western Holmes and Loudonville EMS, the Ohio Department of Transportation assisted at the scene. The road was closed for approximately two hours for the investigation.
Columbus – As St. Patrick’s Day celebrations take place this week throughout the state, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers and local law enforcement will work together to remove impaired drivers from the roadways. The effort is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving campaign.
During the last five years, impaired driving accounted for 219 crashes with 128 injuries on St. Patrick’s Day. Of those impaired driving crashes, seven were fatal resulting in 10 deaths. Additionally, the Patrol made 545 OVI arrests on St. Patrick’s Day from 2018 to 2022.
“Before celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, designate a sober driver,” said Colonel Charles A. Jones, Patrol superintendent. “The safety of everyone on our roadways is our top priority. We want everyone to get to and from their destination safely.”
In addition to efforts on our roadways, Ohio Investigative Unit agents will work to educate permit holders on the consequences of over-serving. For bars and permit holders, over-serving or serving to underage customers could mean costly fines, suspension or revocation of their liquor permit.
As always, motorists are encouraged to dial #677 to report unsafe or impaired drivers.
Shelby – The Mansfield Patrol Post responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of East Main Street and Roberts Drive, in the City of Shelby, at 6:11 PM.
The preliminary investigation shows a 2009 Honda Shadow motorcycle was traveling southeast on East Main Street. It was driven by Frederick T. Plew, 28, of Shelby, Ohio. A 2018 Chevrolet Equinox was traveling north on Roberts Drive, driven by Carol Beer, 84, of Shelby, Ohio. The Chevrolet entered the intersection onto East Main Street, and was struck by the Honda motorcycle.
Mr. Plew was pronounced deceased at the scene. Ms. Beer did not sustain any injuries from the crash.
Mr. Plew was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
The intersection of East Main Street and Roberts Drive was closed for approximately three hours during the investigation of the crash.
The Shelby Police Department and Shelby Fire and EMS assisted on the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Five people involved in eight “charities” whose names were stolen from reputable organizations to lend credence to their scam have been ordered to pay a combined $190,000 in civil penalties and banned from associating with any charitable organization in the future, Attorney General Dave Yost announced today.
As recommended in a complaint filed by Yost, a Franklin County Common Pleas judge has also ordered that the articles of incorporation be canceled for the following groups, none of which was affiliated with the established charities of similar names:
American Cancer Society of Cincinnati Inc.
American Cancer Society of Cleveland Inc.
American Cancer Society of Ohio Inc.
American Cancer Foundation of Cincinnati Inc.
American Cancer Foundation of Cleveland Inc.
American Cancer Foundation of Ohio Inc.
American Cancer Foundation of Columbus Inc.
United Way of Ohio Inc.
“These scammers were pretending to be big-time charities to swindle money from Ohioans,” Yost said. “But playtime is over, and the jig is up on your sham operation.”
In overseeing the charitable sector, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office works to protect charities and their beneficiaries and to ensure that donations are appropriately used for the missions of the organizations.
The five individuals named in the lawsuit are:
Ian R. Hosang
Jomar Holmes
Rhett McIntosh
Judith A. Culzac
Claudia Stephen
Legal action has also been taken against Hosang in Michigan, Washington, New York and other states where he set up dozens of similar fake charities.
The Franklin County judgment bans all five defendants from incorporating, organizing or serving in any fiduciary capacity for a charitable organization.
“I’m extremely proud of the ongoing work our team does to protect Ohioans’ wallets,” Yost said.
Checking whether a charity is in compliance with Ohio’s registration requirements.
Reviewing a charity’s annual reports to see how it spends your donations.
Seeing whether the charity employs professional fundraisers and finding out what percentage of donations actually goes to charity.
Reviewing tips for safe giving.
Also, complaints about charitable organizations – including misuse of charitable funds, fraudulent fundraising activities, violations of professional solicitation standards, bingo and charitable gaming issues, nonprofit theft and embezzlement, and breaches of fiduciary duty by nonprofit leaders – can be filed on the Ohio Attorney General’s website.
Wooster Police Department said in a press release “On March 14, 2023, shortly after 11 pm, officers of the Wooster Police Department were dispatched to a residence in the 1600 block of Gasche Street for a man with a gunshot wound.”
Officers arrived on the scene and immediately began rendering aid to the victim.
Wooster Fire/Ems arrived and transported the victim to Wooster Community Hospital.
The investigation discovered that the transported victim was shot by his seventeen-year-old son after an apparent altercation. The juvenile was taken into custody.
Once stabilized, the shooting victim was transported to Akron General Hospital, and the Summit County Coroner notified us this morning that he succumbed to his injuries.
Our thoughts go out to the family during this difficult time.
The case has been turned over to the Wooster Police Department Detective Bureau; no further details are available at this time.
Joe Lyons •
March 27, 2023
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost authored a letter sent Friday to the U.S. Department of Education, co-signed by 21 other states, urging the Department to keep a rule that requires public universities to comply with the First Amendment or lose grant funding – a provision put in place to protect religious groups on campuses nationwide.
Emojis used in drug communications commonly refer to the physical, psychological, or physiological characteristics of the drugs. The presence of these emojis in communications can be one indication of possible drug activity, though it is important to note that these meanings are not definitive and emojis can be used in other ways.
Emojis can refer to specific types of drugs such as a peeled banana for oxycodone/Percocet, a step ladder for alprazolam/Xanax, a snail for fentanyl, or a palm tree for marijuana.
To report a drug tip to ONIC, please call 1-833-OHIO-NIC (644-6642).
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and two other state attorneys general are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to establish a legal test for determining the limits of a “very broad” presidential immunity.
Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving
