News and Notes: Ohio

A few things making news in the Buckeye State:

Gas Price Spike Continues - Retail gas prices as high as $3.50 are front page news in the Toledo Blade, the Akron Beacon Journal, and the Cincinnati Enquirer, especially with families considering changing their Memorial Day plans due to the expense. CNN is reporting that the current spike is a record-breaker, with the average retail price having exceed $3 for 20 days and having set a new record high every day for the last eleven.

Senate Hearings on Budget Continue - The Dispatch has a story discussing possible changes to the two year, $52 billion budget passed by the House, with Senate hearings on the matter continuing today. Republican senators are talking about increasing the additional funding for higher education that the GOP-led House added to Strickland's proposal (without figuring out a source for the extra money). The basic plan for k-12 educational funding is not expected to change.

Income Tax Credit for Adoption Increased From $500 to $1,500 - Final Senate action was yesterday, and Gov. Strickland is expected to sign.

No Booze At State Fair - The governor rejects proposals to allow beer and wine sales, which are banned except at the final concert at Crew Stadium.

Credit Report Freeze Bill Passes House - A bill co-sponsored by Rep. Timothy DeGeeter (D-Parma) and Rep. Jimmy Stewart (R-Athens) that would enable consumers to freeze, and later temporarily or permanently unfreeze, their credit reports has passed the lower chamber. This is an important improvement for victims of identity theft. It requires payment of fees ($10 to each of the big three credit report agencies to implement the freeze), a feature that rankles consumer advocates. There is a similar law in about 35 other states, and a number of states don't require fees.