Erica Crawley
Rep. Crawley selected to fill open Franklin County commissioner seat
State Rep. Erica Crawley’s new position has her moving a half-mile down High Street. The Columbus lawmaker was selected by the Franklin County Democratic Party Central Committee to fill an open county commissioner seat. Crawley earned a narrow victory for the appointment over Elizabeth Brown, the president pro tempore of Columbus City Council. Crawley is […]
Relief funding will make big difference in Ohio cities, leaders say
Every incorporated community in Ohio, from Aberdeen to Zoar, is set to receive at least some relief funding through the American Rescue Plan. The largest chunks are headed to metropolitan areas, whose leaders say the relief will play a major role in helping big cities navigate the pandemic recovery while dealing with other crises such […]
Trump swipe at DeWine follows year of campaign support, COVID-19 praise
A year of Gov. Mike DeWine defending the president’s pandemic response and supporting his reelection effort was undone by a brief acknowledgment of reality on cable TV. To President Donald Trump, one comment is all it takes for someone to go from political ally to persona non grata. On Sunday, DeWine said on CNN that […]
Demilitarize the police? Two Ohio lawmakers have this goal in mind
State Rep. Casey Weinstein recalls driving to work during the recent protests and being shocked at what he saw. “When I would get down to Columbus, I saw these armored personnel carriers stationed downtown,” the Hudson Democrat said. “It just felt like I was entering a warzone. It felt escalatory. It felt worrying. “Where are […]
GOP Rep. on anti-racism resolution: I’m ‘darker’ than most black lawmakers
Members of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus are seeking to declare racism to be a public health crisis. In doing so in the Ohio General Assembly, it would mark the first statewide resolution of its kind. The effort mirrors those in Columbus, Cleveland and Franklin County in recent weeks. It also comes as Ohio’s largest […]
Helium, honey and hair products: A look into Ohio pols’ odd campaign expenses
A few years ago, during the lull before the Nelsonville Parade of the Hills, a young campaign volunteer made their way down a busy sidewalk. Most of the families had come prepared with empty shopping bags, awaiting an onslaught of candy, but some children did not have one. They might have been forced to collect […]
Musician sings of struggles as lawmakers highlight bills that would help black families
The story sung by Paisha Thomas inside the Ohio Statehouse atrium tells of a hard-working mother. She has three kids, and is stuck picking up extra shifts on Fridays to make up for the time spent raising them. She weighs the cost and makes the choice, is it the chicken or the rent? As the […]
Ohio Black Maternal Health Caucus sets 2020 goals for reproductive rights, health
Just weeks after the birth of her twin daughters in 2004, state Rep. Erica Crawley, D-Columbus, went to an emergency room with severe abdominal pain. At the time, she was breastfeeding her girls, and was still recovering from the trauma of their emergency C-section. She sat in the waiting room for hours in pain. She […]
Ohio Dems want to increase turnout by making Election Day a holiday. Will it help?
A pair of Democratic state legislators are seeking to improve voter access and turnout by making Election Day a state holiday in Ohio. Their proposal would only apply to general elections, held each November, and would result in government offices being closed that day. The idea is to give employees of public offices a paid […]