Ohio
Stan Aronoff was a visionary with the ability, determination to do great things | Opinion
Cincinnati was home to Stan Aronoff, and he left it a much better place
Cincinnati lost so much in January. Many in our city do not realize how much we now enjoy was engendered by Ohio Senator Stan Aronoff. I’ve been waiting to write this column until after his celebration of life on June 22.
As a longtime friend, I was privileged to be among Neil Bortz, Steve Loftin, Jon Husted, Diane Martin, Jeff Ruby, Steve Hunt, Jeff DeLeone and Toria (granddaughter) and Brian Schottenstein as speakers on June 22. This is what I said then.
Sen. Stan Aronoff did more for Cincinnati than most civic leaders ever have. There are many reasons for this, but I will mention a few.
He was brilliant. He studied problems and solutions before he acted. Many legislators simply talked about what they thought they wanted without studying the possibilities or the obstacles. Stan was one of the exceptions. When he advocated for something, he had the facts in hand, and he had figured out how to clear the obstacles.
He worked hard and he understood Ohio. Being a state senator from Cincinnati and president of the Ohio Senate meant he had to travel from one end of the state to the other frequently.
Some of that driving was before interstate highways. Much was before car phones. Can you imagine?
I once calculated that Stan had traveled more miles back and forth from Cincinnati to Columbus than Neil Armstrong had to the Moon. Anyone who ever rode with Stan knew he probably traveled faster.
Stan loved Cincinnati and its people. He was born here and spent his life here. His family were immigrants − refugees. But Cincinnati was home to Stan, and he left it a much better place.
After working his way up to the Ohio Statehouse, Stan secured the rightful share of state support that Cincinnati had long been denied.
The icons of our built environment − the University of Cincinnati campus with its signature-architect structures, the renovation of Cincinnati Union Terminal as the nationally acclaimed Museum Center (my wife, Sue Ann, was instrumental) and the Aronoff Center for the Arts, which truly revived Downtown − would not exist except for Stan Aronoff. The Ohio Arts Council, which supports countless large and small arts institutions, would not exist without Stanley J. Aronoff.
He was the rare visionary who also had the ability and determination to accomplish great things.
He was a Republican who worked with Democrats to get things done. The best government we had in Ohio while I’ve been alive was when Stan Aronoff was Senate President and Vern Riffe was House Speaker: one Republican and one Democrat; one urban and one rural.
Nothing could pass unless Stan and Vern agreed. This meant compromise was necessary to round off the edges and keep extremists of either party in check, and it worked well. Back then, the legislature focused on school funding, criminal justice, and public health. While they surely couldn’t solve everything, they made an effort to try, rather than an effort to “own” the other side.
In Stan’s day, the extremely goofy legislation we see now with Ohio’s one-party government would never have even been considered.
The recent proposals to ban drag shows and prosecute school librarians would have been laughed out of a legislature populated by adults.
Sue Ann and I were privileged to know Stan and to have played a small part in this journey.
One day, we hope to see his equal again.
Cincinnati native Mark Painter served for 30 years as an Ohio judge. After serving 13 years on the Hamilton County Municipal Court, Painter was elected to the Ohio Court of Appeals in 1994. He served on Ohio’s Court of Appeals until 2009, when he was elected by the UN General Assembly to serve as the first American on the UN Appeals Tribunal. He is the author of six books and hundreds of nationally published opinions.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s law requiring children under 16 to get parental consent to use social media apps must be restored, a divided panel of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.
The decision comes as a blow to NetChoice, which has won court victories against identical digital identification laws in other states, including Arkansas, Louisiana and Georgia. The trade group representing TikTok, Snapchat, Meta and other major tech companies said the Ohio decision went against “clear national consensus” and that it intended to keep fighting.
“An unconstitutional law protects no one, and we remain focused on ensuring the First Amendment rights of Ohioans are protected,” said Paul Taske, director of the NetChoice Litigation Center.
Netchoice brought suit against Ohio’s law in 2024, arguing that it was overly broad, vague and represented an unconstitutional impediment to free speech.
The Cincinnati-based Sixth Circuit’s panel disagreed. In a 2-1 decision, it found that the law was not unconstitutional and sent it back to a lower court to have a block on the law’s enforcement vacated.
“At bottom, the Act imposes a parental consent requirement,” Judge Eric Clay wrote in the lead opinion. “That requirement constitutes a marginal burden that precisely targets the multi-faceted problem that Ohio has identified: Children’s unsupervised assent to terms and conditions for use of platforms that take advantage of and harm them.”
Judge Alice Batchelder concurred, writing that “a statute is not vague just because it has a wide berth.”
Known as the Social Media Parental Notification Act, the Ohio law was part of an $86.1 billion state budget bill that Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law in July 2023.
The administration pushed the measure as a way to protect children’s mental health, with then-Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, now a U.S. senator, saying at the time that social media was “intentionally addictive” and harmful to kids.
The law requires companies to get parental permission for social media and gaming apps and to provide their privacy guidelines so families know what content would be censored or moderated on their child’s profile.
Republican Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson called Thursday’s ruling “a win for Ohio families.”
“The court agreed that parents –- not social media companies –- should get a say in what kids see online,” he said in a statement. “We have an obligation to keep our children safe, and today, the most dangerous place for our kids is the internet. This decision gives parents the tools to be involved and provide oversight.”
Piketon, Ohio (WSAZ) – Folks in southern Ohio are waking up to power outages and road closures.
Route 32 in Pike County is down to one westbound and one eastbound lane due to debris on the roadway.
Drivers are also dealing with tree limbs on roadways.
The Athens County 911 dispatcher told WSAZ that it’s not believed a tornado touched down, but there is storm damage.
The dispatcher said storm damage from flooding and trees being knocked down has affected US 50.
Power outages are being reported in Athens, Pike, Vinton, Scioto and Meigs Counties and even as far south as Boyd County, Ky.
If you’re in a tornado warning area, you’re urged to get to the lower part of your home.
Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest.
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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Clarence Burley, II, affectionately known as “Lil Man,” entered eternal rest on Thursday, June 5, 2026, at the age of 60, at Summa Health Akron City Hospital in Akron, Ohio.
Born on May 22, 1966, in Youngstown, Ohio, Clarence was the beloved son of Clarence L. Burley and Jacqueline Wilkinson-Burley.
He attended Ursuline High School and graduated with the Class of 1984.
Clarence was a hardworking and dedicated man who spent many years employed at Classic Optical Corporation as a Lens and Frame Specialist. Known for his skill and precision, he was recognized as one of the top lens shapers during his tenure with the company. He also worked for Goodwill Industries, where his exceptional work ethic earned him recognition and awards for outstanding service.
A devoted fan of the Oakland Raiders, Clarence enjoyed football, boxing, roller skating, and bowling. In his younger years, he was also an accomplished swimmer. He loved life and cherished spending time with family and friends. Whether enjoying a cruise vacation, visiting the lake to admire the water, debating sports statistics from A to Z, or simply sharing laughter with loved ones, Clarence brought joy wherever he went.
Known for his impeccable style, Clarence was often dressed to perfection. He was especially proud of his many Cadillacs, but none more than his beloved Cadillac Seville, affectionately known as “the baby caddy.” He could often be found cruising through the city, listening to music and enjoying the ride. His infectious smile, strength, humor, and generous spirit will forever be remembered by those who knew and loved him.
In 1999, Clarence met the love of his life, the former Cathy Winphrie. Their friendship blossomed into a lasting bond, and they were united in holy matrimony in 2015. Together they shared a life filled with love, companionship, and cherished memories.
Clarence leaves to cherish his memory his loving wife, Cathy Burley; his children, Shannie (Meisha) Burley of Atlanta, Georgia; DeShawn Burley (fiancée Ziah) of Warren, Ohio; Eddie W. Matthews; and Montell Cochrane; his beloved grandchildren, Zaira, DeShawn, Jr., Deondra, Audrionna, Eddie, Jr., Quiara, Azel, Anyia, Marquel, Aiden, Adalese, Meadow, and Amatureas; five great-grandchildren; his mother-in-law, Eula Winphrie; brothers-in-law, James (Jamie) Winphrie and Timothy (Kori) Winphrie; sisters-in-law, Regina Winphrie and Azella Burley; niece Helleenia Winphrie; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, and dear friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence L. Burley and Jacqueline Wilkinson-Burley; his brother, Wesley Burley; and his grandmother, Carrie Davis.
Though Clarence’s earthly journey has ended, his legacy lives on through the lives he touched, the family he loved, and the countless memories he leaves behind. His strength, perseverance, laughter, and love will continue to inspire all who were blessed to know him.
“To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”2 Corinthians 5:8
A homegoing celebration will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday June 20, 2026 at Jerusalem Baptist Church , a visitation with the family will be 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. at the Church.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Gregory-Martin Funeral Home. For additional information, please call (330) 743-4098.
To send flowers or plant a memorial tree in memory, please visit our flower store.
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