Karen Kasler

With around 50 days to go till the November election and no major statewide candidates this year, that’s leaving plenty of space for opponents and supporters of a drug price issue on the ballot to hit the airwaves with millions of dollars in ads. But the main spokespeople for both sides have a lot to say that goes beyond those commercials.

After several months of holding steady, the state’s jobless rate has climbed to its highest level in nearly three years.

Ohio’s school report cards are out, and the state says its 1.7 million school kids are doing better academically across all subjects, and across different economic and racial groups.  But there are mixed grades for Ohio’s public school districts, and mostly bad ones for charter schools.

There are nearly seven months till the primary for governor next year. But the four announced Democratic candidates for governor proceeded as if the race is well underway as they met for their first debate last night in Martin’s Ferry on the West Virginia border.

Ohio’s second execution in two months is set to proceed on Wednesday, when Gary Otte of Indiana is scheduled to be executed for two murders in Parma near Cleveland in 1992. But those opposed to capital punishment says they’re not done fighting.

Gov. John Kasich is backing a U.S. Supreme Court challenge to a state legislative district map from Wisconsin, saying gerrymandering creates polarization and division.  Voters changed Ohio’s statehouse map-drawing process in 2015. Those who now want to change Congressional district maps are carefully watching this case – and noting Kasich’s support for it.

Dozens of volunteers have started the job of placing 2,977 flags on the West Lawn of the Statehouse for its annual 9-11 memorial.

For the second month in a row, the state collected more income taxes than forecasts suggested it would. That’s quite a turnaround from last year, when the new state budget had to be trimmed as income taxes fell short nearly $850 million.

Democrats around the state are mourning the loss of a longtime party leader, known for his deep knowledge, his political savvy and his sharp tongue.

An annual review of conditions for Ohio’s workers shows signs of improvement in some areas. But the report from the progressive group Policy Matters Ohio says there are still plenty of problem areas.

Ohio’s next execution appears to be on schedule for next week, now that Gov. John Kasich has denied clemency to the condemned killer.

Ohio tax law still has a “marriage penalty” – when married couples file jointly and pay more in state income taxes than they paid separately when they were single. And the issue has resulted in a union of an unlikely pair of sponsors.

There are four Democrats running for governor next year, but there’s still the chance that former Attorney General Richard Cordray might leave his position at the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and join the race as early as this weekend. Meanwhile, another Democrat has joined next year’s ticket, running for state auditor.

Ohio has more execution dates set than any other state. And a new report from Harvard Law School shows most of those condemned inmates have serious mental and intellectual impairments. And the group suggests that could pose a constitutional problem.

Sunday was another day of work for Gov. John Kasich, who once again appeared on a network TV news show to discuss national issues – and say again that he’s not running for president. That’s becoming increasingly hard to believe for some people. And it’s also drawing criticism from those who say the governor should spend more time at his “day job”.

Gov. John Kasich was back on Sunday morning TV, talking about working with Colorado’s Democratic governor on a deal on health insurance. And that work has brought up questions about whether Kasich may be looking at a bipartisan presidential run with John Hickenlooper.

A bipartisan coalition of mayors from 30 Ohio cities are asking Gov. John Kasich to take a major step in fighting opioids. They want an emergency-level statewide clearinghouse to monitor the opioid crisis.

For months, Republican Gov. John Kasich has been talking about his work with Democratic Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper on health insurance reform. A proposal from the governors may be close, but it won’t touch one of the most expensive and controversial points of the federal health care law.

Another clash may be coming between Republican state lawmakers and Gov. John Kasich. And it’s about a bill on nuclear power plants, but the issue may be more about money.

One of the two statues representing Ohio in Congress’ Statuary Hall was removed last year because of its subject’s views on slavery. With the current focus on the removal of Confederate statues, there are some questions about what happens to it now.

60% of Ohio public school students living in poverty scored below proficient on required statewide tests, and the districts that have the lowest test scores have the highest percentages of poor students. That’s based on data from the Ohio Department of Education.  State lawmakers are now studying the connection between education and poverty.

Senators are expected to come back to the Statehouse on Tuesday and vote on at least one overrides that the House approved last month on 11 of Gov. John Kasich’s 47 budget vetoes. And as Republicans consider how and what they'll vote on, Senate Democrats are trying to figure out their strategy.

The central Ohio man who’s behind the white nationalist website "The Daily Stormer" has gotten a lot of attention since this weekend’s violence in Virginia. He’s now getting hit with a defamation lawsuit filed in Columbus by a well-known Muslim comedian, columnist and radio host.

It’s not unusual for pharmaceutical companies to offer payments to doctors – for speaking fees, for travel expenses, for lunches and for gifts. But a new study shows one in five family doctors in America have received a payment involving an opioid medication – and Ohio is among the top states in the country in terms of dollars involved in those payments.

*Editor's note (8/15/17): The Senate has now announced the voting session will happen on August 22, and the session on August 23 has been cancelled.

Last month, state representatives voted to override a budget veto for the first time in 40 years. They actually overrode 11 of Gov. John Kasich’s 47 vetoes. Senators are now deciding which of those overrides to vote on, and that they may ask the House to consider overriding more vetoes.

At one point, four in ten incoming freshmen on Ohio’s public colleges and university campuses needed refresher courses on things they should have learned in high school. That number is falling, but officials are still concerned about the number of kids needing remedial work – which can be costly.

There were a lot of cuts in this new state budget, largely because tax revenues were off nearly $850 million dollars for the last fiscal year. There’s one budget cut that’s small, but some worry it could have a huge impact on people who really need that money.

The November election is more than three months away. But there is action ongoing with the issue that’s likely to be the most expensive ballot question in state history – a proposed law that would force the state to only buy drugs at a discounted price.

After years of big numbers, attendance at this year’s Ohio State Fair plummeted to its lowest number in 13 years.