📱 Ohio inches closer to banning phones in schools. The Ohio Senate passed a bill requiring schools to prohibit student cellphone use during the school day by a vote of 30-2. Republican Senator Jane Timken introduced the legislation, which aims to reduce distractions and improve academic performance in classrooms. Governor Mike DeWine has voiced support for the measure, which includes exceptions for students monitoring health concerns with a doctor's note. If passed by the House, Ohio would join at least 21 other states with similar restrictions on student phone use in schools.
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🏳️🌈 Anti-LGBTQ+ violence surges across Ohio communities. Reports of Pride flag theft, vandalism, and targeted attacks have increased 112% nationwide since 2022, according to GLAAD's tracking system. In Ohio, where LGBTQ+ individuals lack hate crime protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity, communities are experiencing what experts call cultural "turf wars." While Pride flag incidents have decreased slightly this year, violence against transgender people has jumped 52%. Experts warn many incidents go unreported due to fears of retaliation or forced outing, representing just "a drop in the bucket" of actual anti-LGBTQ+ violence.
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🧩 Ohio recovers 96.5% of missing children reported in 2023. The state saw 16,404 missing children cases last year, down by 1,001 from the previous year, according to Attorney General Dave Yost's annual report. Locally, Richland County reported 154 missing children, while Knox and Ashland counties reported 33 and 8 respectively. Most cases involved runaways (8,415), with fewer instances of parental abductions (37) and stranger abductions (9). The state issued 13 AMBER Alerts and 17 Endangered Missing Child Alerts, with almost all children recovered safely.
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