No sale/lease of turnpike without lawmakers’ OK
The version of the biennium budget measure approved Wednesday by the Ohio Senate requires legislative approval before the Ohio Turnpike can be leased or sold, said Senator Mark Wagoner (R – Toledo), who also noted the budget closes a projected $8.5 billion shortfall without raising taxes.

Governor John Kasich’s $55.5 billion executive budget proposal included language allowing the administration authority to broker a lease of the turnpike but didn’t explicitly call for putting the turnpike up for sale.

According to the Legislative Services Commission, the governor’s proposed budget “Makes the Director of Transportation the authorized representative of the Ohio Turnpike Commission to work with the Director of Budget and Management regarding Turnpike-related outsourcing contracts.”

Tim Brown, a Wood County Commissioner, has been a vocal opponent of selling or leasing the turnpike.

“Putting the legislative authority for the governor to lease or sell the turnpike into the larger budget bill will not give this important matter the full evaluation it deserves,” Brown said recently. “The turnpike commission was created as stand alone legislation in 1949 and should be dealt with as stand alone legislation today.”

State Representative Randy Gardner (R- Bowling Green) has said he would oppose a sale or lease.

“I have always opposed leasing or selling the Ohio Turnpike.   I am already working with a group of legislators to remove this provision from the state budget bill,” he said.

Lead poisoning prevention clinic 
The Sandusky County Health Department is offering a free clinic on the prevention of lead poisoning June 27 from 9 a.m. to noon at the health department offices, 2000 Countryside Dr., Fremont.

Residents are asked to call (419) 334-6377 for an appointment.

Ohio has one of the highest numbers of children poisoned by lead in the country, said Charlotte Stonerook, a health educator.

She said children aged six and under are most at risk for lead poisoning.  When lead enters a child’s body, it will damage the brain and the central nervous system.  Lead poisoning affects the child’s ability to learn by lowering IQ, and delaying speech and language development.  It is important to know that even exposure to low levels of lead can permanently affect children.  In low levels, lead can cause kidney damage, attention deficit disorder, speech, language, and behavior problems.  Usually lead poisoned children do not look or act sick.

The health department recommends providing your child with nutritious foods high in iron, calcium, and vitamin C. Parents should make sure children wash their hands before meals, after playing outside, and after playing with pets.

Children should be tested twice before the age of six. 

For information, call 1-877-NOT-LEAD  (1-877-668-5323).

Eastwood transition
For Eastwood students in the fifth grade through high school, the first day of the 2011-12 school will have a different look, says Brent Welker, superintendent, in his weekly newsletter.

An orientation day will be held August 24 for students in grades 5-6 at the middle school and freshmen at the high school. Students in grades 7-8 and 10-12 will start August 25 as part of a transition plan developed in the winter.

“Overall, I am very pleased with the work to transition all students, and we think it will be a worthwhile day for our transitioning students,” Welker writes.

Webster Elementary School was closed at the end of the 2010-11 school year. Fifth grade students will be attending the middle school and first and third graders will be moving to Pemberville Elementary School. The kindergarten and second grades will be split between Luckey and Pemberville schools.

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