Ohio
Gov. DeWine must save cash-strapped school districts like New Philadelphia | Opinion
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Students have been forced to attend school in modular classrooms for decades. We can’t accommodate students with disabilities. Some children learn in classrooms without proper walls or doors.
Amanda Fontana and Jennifer Schrock both serve on the board for New Philadelphia City Schools. They are writing as parents and members of the All in for Ohio Kids coalition.
Our families have lived in and around New Philadelphia for generations. We are raising our children here so they can experience the same tight-knit community we did.
We ran for school board to be champions for the district we love. Our children deserve to go to school in safe, modern buildings, to be taught by well-paid professionals and to pursue their passions through extracurricular activities.
Unfortunately, new Ohio Speaker of the House Matt Huffman doesn’t share the same goals for our children.
He has a long track record of lining the pockets of his corporate donors with tax breaks and sending our public dollars to well-off families for private school vouchers. He wants to do more of the same in the 2025-26 state budget.
Soon, Gov. Mike DeWine will introduce his budget proposal. We’re calling on him to protect Ohio’s public schools.
Ohio lawmakers continuously fail our schools and students
For more than 20 years, Ohio policymakers did not live up to the constitutional requirement to “secure a thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the state.” The funding system relied too heavily on local property taxes, which benefits wealthy districts with high property values and shortchanges working-class communities like ours.
Last year, we joined a group of educators, parents and community leaders called the All in for Ohio Kids Coalition. Four years ago, they pushed state lawmakers to include the Fair School Funding Plan in the 2022-23 budget. The bipartisan plan changed the funding formula to account for the different needs of Ohio’s small towns, suburbs, big cities and rural communities.
New Philadelphia is located in the middle of predominantly rural Tuscarawas County.
About 30% of our students qualify as economically disadvantaged. Our dedicated educators and administrators work miracles with inadequate materials and outdated buildings. New Philadelphia’s most modern school was built in the 1970s.
Students have been forced to attend school in modular classrooms for decades. We don’t have the facilities to accommodate students with disabilities. Some children learn in classrooms without proper walls or doors.
Although Quaker pride runs deep, voters rejected the district’s November bond request to upgrade our severely outdated school buildings. Most told us they simply could not afford to pay more in property taxes.
We were not alone.
More than half of Ohio’s school district levies failed last fall. For a district like ours that derives more than half our revenue from local property taxes, we live in a constant state of uncertainty. The Fair School Funding plan helps provide the stability we need.
Ohio public schools need funding
If lawmakers don’t include the Fair School Funding Plan in the next state budget, they will be responsible for taking about $900,000 away from New Philadelphia City Schools in 2027.
That could force our district to cut staff, slash extracurricular activities or reduce support services.
A few weeks ago, Huffman called the Fair School Funding Plan “unsustainable.”
What seems more unsustainable is forcing cash-strapped districts to continuously go back to the ballot so he can give away our schools’ money to his rich friends and supporters. If he has his way, high-quality education will be out of reach for more Ohio children.
Many of his fellow Republican lawmakers stood up to Huffman and defended our public schools.
From increasing mental health services in our schools to expanding Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library across the state, DeWine has always prioritized Ohio’s children.
As he moves into the back end of his second term, we’re asking him to cement his legacy by protecting the Fair School Funding Plan.
Amanda Fontana and Jennifer Schrock both serve on the board for New Philadelphia City Schools. They do not speak for the school board, but are writing as parents and members of the All in for Ohio Kids coalition.
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Ohio
Ohio Lottery Pick 3 Midday, Pick 3 Evening winning numbers for Feb. 27, 2025
The Ohio Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Feb. 27, 2025, results for each game:
Pick 3
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.
Midday: 4-7-1
Evening: 0-6-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.
Midday: 3-2-5-9
Evening: 5-0-0-4
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 5
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.
Midday: 9-7-4-5-1
Evening: 3-8-1-3-2
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Rolling Cash 5
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 7:05 p.m.
14-16-26-29-37
Check Rolling Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Lucky For Life
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 10:35 p.m.
02-18-24-26-45, Lucky Ball: 12
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Enquirer digital news director. You can send feedback using this form.
Ohio
Was 2025 NFL Draft prep for Ohio State, Notre Dame players affected by expanded CFP?
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INDIANAPOLIS — Barely five weeks after immersing themselves in scarlet and gray confetti at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, several Ohio State players stood and smiled in front of cameras and microphones once again. Only this time, the now-former Buckeyes recalled their national title run in the past tense and enthusiastically answered questions about their NFL futures.
But with Ohio State’s and Notre Dame’s seasons concluding with the Buckeyes’ 34-23 victory on Jan. 20, many players forfeited between two and six weeks of draft preparation while chasing a championship. It’s a small price to pay to obtain the ultimate collegiate prize, but it does have residual effects. Unlike other players who opted out of bowl games, players at Notre Dame and Ohio State didn’t have as much rest and recovery time and were unable to dedicate more than a few weeks to training and skill refinement.
“We had a late season — thankfully. It ended late, and (we were) able to win a national championship,” Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer said Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “So we didn’t have a whole lot of time training. I flew straight out to California the next week after the game to start training.”
The combine is known for the on-field workouts, but it’s also valuable for medical examinations and player interviews. All the players will see doctors and spend time with various teams. As for the workouts, Sawyer will participate in on-field defensive line drills but save other testing, like the 40-yard dash and bench press, for Ohio State’s pro day. Notre Dame defensive tackle Howard Cross III, who missed three games in November but returned for the College Football Playoff, will bench and jump but wait to run at his team’s pro day.
JACK SAWYER SCOOP-AND-SCORE 😱
Ohio State is one step closer to advancing to the national championship! pic.twitter.com/BPoV5FBRGZ
— ESPN (@espn) January 11, 2025
“Like us, Ohio State and two or three other teams, we obviously, frankly, don’t have a couple weeks compared to other players that have had a couple months to get ready,” said Cross, after acknowledging he is healthy now. “But that’s still no excuse.
“You need time to relax and get yourself together before you can train. A lot of guys didn’t have enough time, especially the other guys at Notre Dame. So that’s gonna affect what we do.”
If there are fears among championship participants that their workout numbers might not reach their peak performance, NFL general managers assuaged those concerns publicly this week. If anything, competing in the CFP perhaps enhanced the players’ NFL prospects more than what they could have achieved in combine workouts.
“You’re evaluating everybody individually,” Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider said. “How do they play? What kind of injuries do they have? What are the analytics people thinking? What do the science people think? How do the coaches evaluate the player? What’s the fit?
“If you’re talking about, like, height-weight-speed … we’re actually more interested in the person and the competitor, what kind of football player they are, more than the GPS times, weight, speed, what they’re doing here.”
But that doesn’t mean NFL teams won’t judge how they perform.
“Yeah, we’re evaluating these guys in the workout,” Schneider said. “But it’s more about the football — like, what’s their tape tell us? — and then getting to know the person a little bit more here. And the biggest thing is the medical.”
Perhaps no players boosted their NFL profile in the postseason more than Sawyer and fellow Ohio State defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau. Sawyer had 4 1/2 sacks and three pass breakups in the Buckeyes’ four CFP games and delivered one of the iconic moments of the postseason with his 83-yard sack, scoop and score against Texas. Tuimoloau was even more prolific statistically, with 10 tackles for loss and 6 1/2 sacks in four games.
The Buckeyes’ late-season performance created a ton of memories for the players and their supporters, but it accelerated every phase of their draft preparation.
“It really just tested me on how I managed my time going back, getting your body right, as well as training,” Tuimoloau said. “There’s no time to just let things go to waste. So, you get to be very critical with your time, and that’s what it taught me.”
“Really, just taking care of your body and eating the right stuff,” Sawyer said. “I think we’ve done a really good job of that — all the guys, too. So, we all feel pretty good.”
Ohio
Supreme Court Seems Likely to Rule for Ohio Woman Claiming Job Bias Because She's Straight
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