Ohio students are still recovering academically from pandemic shutdowns: Capitol Letter

Rotunda RumblingsReading, writing and arithmetic: Ohio students improved proficiency rates in English language arts and math, but not to the levels seen before the pandemic, Laura Hancock reports . In 2019, proficiency rates were 64.6% in English language arts and 61% in math. In the report cards released last week, they were 60.9% in English and 53.5% in math, showing the state has a ways to go to recover from coronavirus shutdowns.

Feed the (sub)meter: The Ohio Supreme Court dismissed one of two lawsuits challenging the operations of Nationwide Energy Partners, a submeter company in the Columbus area. As Jake Zuckerman reports , the company works by striking deals with landlords and inserting itself as a middleman on renters' electric supply chains. NEP has been accused of price gouging, which it denies, and its customers lack many of the consumer protections and pricing oversight afforded to customers of traditional utilities.

Field of dreams: Cleveland Metroparks signed off Thursday on a $4.2 million purchase of nearly 14 acres of state-owned land near Progressive Field, with the intention of making it the site of a new pro women's soccer stadium if the city lands an expansion team. As Jeremy Pelzer reports , the backers of the expansion team are covering the cost of the deal, which would fall through if Cleveland isn't awarded a franchise. If Cleveland does land a team, Metroparks would lease much of the site for the new stadium, though part of the property would be used to connect existing and planned Metropark trails.

Justice money: The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded $2 million to Cuyahoga County and $500,000 to Medina County in grants they'll use to develop and acquire equipment, technologies, and interoperable communications that help respond to and prevent crime, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown announced Thursday, Sabrina Eaton writes . Brown's office said the investments come from the Department of Justice's COPS Technology and Equipment Program, which invests in projects that improve police effectiveness and the flow of information among law enforcement agencies, local government service providers, and the communities they serve.

New generation: From attacks on "childless cat ladies" to claims of migrants devouring neighbors' pets, U.S. Sen. JD Vance, a Cincinnati Republican who is Donald Trump's vice-presidential running mate, is giving many Americans their first glimpse of an ultra-online, aggressively combative generation of rabble-rousing conservatism, The New York Times reports . This younger generation has come of age by taking its cues from Trump, but Vance is fast becoming its chief emissary — muscling its tactics and language into the national psyche and driving some of the key story lines of the 2024 election.

The Golden Rule: Catholic bishops from around Ohio are sounding off about how Haitian immigrants are being treated in Springfield, Ohio, where a community of migrants who fled their country to legally emigrate to the U.S. have been turned into a political football. The Columbus Dispatch's Nathan Hart writes that the Catholic Conference of Ohio, which represents bishops from diocesan groups around the state, published a letter Thursday that calls for respect and dignity for the Haitian immigrants in Springfield.

Small town fallout: The Associated Press examined the fallout from the unsubstantiated rumors about migrants eating people's pets, amplified by Trump and Vance, for locals in Springfield. The rumors have prompted near-daily bomb threats on local schools and a horde of media coverage on a town of less than 60,000 people.

Campaign stop: Trump has floated the idea of making a campaign stop in Springfield over the objections of local political leaders. During a rally in New York on Wednesday, Trump said he would appear in Springfield "in the next two weeks," NBC News reports. Springfield Mayor Rob Rue has said such a visit would strain local resources, and Gov. Mike DeWine earlier this week said resources in the town are "stretched" as they contend with bomb threats and other fallout from the rumors.

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Buckeye Brain TeaseQuestion: While the presence of Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio is making national news this month, less than 5% of the state's residents are foreign born. Which country is most represented among Ohio's foreign-born residents?

Thanks to everyone who answered last week's trivia question:

This slang term is used by teenagers to refer to anything "cringey, weird or random," and was the recent focus of a Wall Street Journal .

Last week's answer: "Over the past two years, 'Only in Ohio,' 'You're so Ohio,' or 'skibidi ohio rizz' have entered the everyday lexicon of kids born after 2012," the Wall Street Journal reported. "These members of Gen Alpha use 'Ohio' as a lighthearted jab at anything they find peculiar."

On the Move Americans For Prosperity's Ohio chapter has endorsed 10 Ohio House candidates and two Ohio Senate candidates, all of whom are Republicans. Endorsed incumbents include state Sen. Jerry Cirino and state Reps. Steve Demetriou, Tex Fischer, Brian Lorenz, Bill Roemer, Nick Santucci, and Josh Williams. Endorsed non-incumbents include Senate candidate Charlotte McGuire, as well as House candidates Jason Allevato, Brian Garvine, Tony Hocevar, and Curt Hartman.

Friday, Sept. 20: Dan Moulthrop, City Club of Cleveland CEO; Chris Albanese, executive director, Correctional Institution Inspection Committee; Dan Lay, Ohio House sergeant-at-arms; William Maloney, legislative aide to state Rep. Kevin Miller; Dan McCarthy, lobbyist and former director of legislative affairs for Gov. Mike DeWine

Saturday, Sept. 21: Reed Neal, legislative aide to state Rep. Don Jones; Caitlin Robertson, Democratic caucus policy adviser for Ohio House of Representatives; Joe Schiavoni, Mahoning County Court judge; Jon Schlosser, campaign manager for state Rep. Beth Liston; Pete Shipley, communications director for Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein

Sunday, Sept. 22: Ohio Sen. Mark Romanchuk

Straight From The Source "I want to let President Trump know that I prayed for his safety this morning – he does not have my vote but he has my prayers – and I just wish that he would, out of the goodness of his heart, just acknowledge that he was misinformed and ask the groups that are here for hateful reasons to leave our city."

- Carl Ruby, pastor of Central Christian Church in Springfield, to CNN .