Ohio Politics Explained: Frustration in East Palestine and an Ohioan may run for president

Anna Staver, The Columbus Dispatch
·2 min read
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East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway talks to a reporter before taking control of an informational meeting and turning it into an impromptu question and answer meeting at East Palestine High School on Wednesday.
East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway talks to a reporter before taking control of an informational meeting and turning it into an impromptu question and answer meeting at East Palestine High School on Wednesday.

East Palestine residents continue to question whether their water is safe. Ohio House Republicans unveiled an agenda that includes tax cuts and transgender athlete restrictions, and there may be an Ohioan running for president.

We break down what it all means in this week's episode of Ohio Politics Explained. A podcast created by the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau to catch you up on the state's political news in 15 minutes or less.

This week, host Anna Staver was joined by statehouse bureau chief Anthony Shoemaker.

1) Concerns in East Palestine

Gov. Mike DeWine requested federal support this week to help address the needs in East Palestine, two weeks after a train derailed there.

But the people who live there aren't convinced that's enough. They're worried about their home values, their businesses and their health. Several attendees voiced concerns about air, water and soil quality at a town hall meeting this week.

"Why are people getting sick if there's nothing in the air or water," one woman shouted.

Testing done by Ohio EPA so far has shown "no indication of risk to East Palestine Public Water customers."

2) House Republicans reveal their priorities

Ohio House Republicans released 12 bills this week that represent their priorities for this General Assembly. The list includes cuts to income and property taxes, expanding school choice, making adoption more affordable and banning transgender girls from female sports teams.

"I am proud to be here today as we lay out our plan of action to deliver for the people of Ohio,” House Speaker Jason Stephens, R-Kitts Hill, said. “The House Republicans are putting forth an agenda all about growing the economy, protecting Ohio families, and educating our communities.”

Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, told the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau that there were some bills she agreed with like fully funding the new school funding formula. But Democrats are never going to back bills that she says discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community.

3) The state of sex education

Ohio's 611 public school districts were asked to submit lists of vendors and materials that they use for sex education, and this week we dove into that data.

The results were all over the spectrum with districts like Columbus using materials written by Planned Parenthood and the Centers for Disease Control and whole counties like Tuscarawas using faith-based programs.

4) The anti-woke CEO for president

An Ohioan may again be on the list of people running for president.

Butler County native and Columbus-area resident Vivek Ramaswamy is exploring a bid for the Republican nomination. He's the son of Indian immigrants who wrote a New York Times best-seller called "Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam." He also made a trip to Iowa last month.

Listen to "Ohio Politics Explained" on Spotify, Apple, Google Podcasts and TuneIn Radio. The episode is also available by clicking the link in this article.

The USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau serves The Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Politics Explained podcast: East Palestine, sex ed, and 2024