Ohio’s 2022 primary election date(s) remain(s) in question:
First baby born at Avita Ontario Hospital’s new maternity unit:
Joseph A. Kopina:
The great question, when is Ohio’s primary going to take place?
Right now, Ohio’s primary elections are scheduled to take place on May 3rd. And that might happen. But they could also be delayed or divided into two separate primaries instead. At issue are the maps for the Ohio General Assembly which the state’s redistricting commission has drawn…. and re-drawn…. only to see them ruled unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court. The commission is controlled by Republicans and the court has previously ruled that the districts are unfair to Democrats.
The latest maps are still up for review. However, state lawmakers control election dates and have directed Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose to move forward. LaRose recently told election boards to “begin taking the necessary steps to place candidates for the General Assembly and state party Central Committees on the May 3rd primary ballot. The order follows the adoption last week of new state House and Senate district plans by the Ohio Redistricting Commission.” Meanwhile, the state’s elections chief said he’s communicated his concerns with “rushing this process.”
To that, LaRose explained that these are serious concerns, but their directive is clear, and they will work tirelessly with Ohio’s bipartisan election professionals to achieve it, delivering the secure, accessible election Ohioans expect and deserve. But on Monday, the Ohio Association of Election Professionals sent a new letter to state Senate President, Republican, Matt Huffman and House Speaker Republican, Bob Cupp, asking for the May 3rd primary to be delayed.
They wrote: “Our strong preference has always been to hold the election on the day it was originally scheduled. However, we feel obligated to share our concerns about the consequences of maintaining our current course. Many counties around the state no longer have the ability to run a successful May 3rd election, and more counties lose that ability each day that we do not have final maps and the legal descriptions we need to implement them.”
Meet Mary Church Terrell
Next, some local history. To celebrate Women’s history month, we’ll be spending the first week of March featuring famous women from our state. Today we’re celebrating Writer, suffragist and Black activist Mary Church Terrell. Terrell was born in 1863, in Memphis, Tennessee.
She was the daughter to enslaved Louisa Ayers and Robert Reed Church. They were freed following the end of the Civil War, and both parents became prominent entrepreneurs and community leaders – an example that Terrell took deeply to heart. In 1871 Terrell moved up north to Yellow Springs, Ohio.
There, she went to the Antioch College-associated Model School for four years. In her time at the school, Terrell was first confronted with racial discrimination. Combined with Terrell’s new-found love of public speaking and an environment which prized education, her early encounters with discrimination served as the base on which she built her fight for equal rights.
In 1875, Terrell moved to Oberlin to attend both high school and college. She was often “the only woman … Black or White, enrolled in fields of study considered exclusively for men.” And by 1888, she was one of the few black women in the United States to hold both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. After graduating from Oberlin, Terrell taught at Wilberforce University in Ohio and later at the M Street High School in Washington, D.C.
But activism was always a part of her life. Along with advocacy for Black health care, and access to education, Terrell called for an end to lynching. Later, Terrell helped create the Colored Women’s League, to organize Black women across the country. Terrell promoted this position through several groups that she helped to lead. This network of Black activist groups later evolved into the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909 with Terrell’s help.
Even in her old age, Mary Church Terrell remained active in a number of activist groups. She would keep fighting racism until her death in July 1954 – two months after the Supreme Court decided that segregated schools were unconstitutional in the case of Brown v. Board of Education – and left behind nine decades of tireless activism.
Avita Health System Ontario Hospital opens maternity unit
Next, Last week, Avita Health System opened the maternity unit at Ontario Hospital. And already the first birth has arrived. Grant and Jami Sluss welcomed a baby girl on Monday, Feb. 28 – opening day of Ontario Hospital’s maternity unit. The baby’s name is Allie.
Avita Ontario Hospital’s maternity unit features 11 Labor, Delivery, Recovery, and Postpartum suites, two triage rooms, two operating rooms, and a nursery. Avita has invested approximately 15 million on Phase III of Ontario Hospital – the development of the second floor – which includes a maternity unit and an additional medical/surgical unit and intensive care unit.
The inpatient units are slated to open in Spring 2022. Avita is also on track to add 100 jobs at Ontario Hospital.
Joseph A. Kopina
Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Joseph A. Kopina of Lucas.. He was born in Mansfieldin 1958.
Joseph was a simple family man and loved spending time with his family and friends, especially during Sunday morning coffee.
He had a big heart and would do anything he could for everybody. Joseph enjoyed watching the Hallmark Channel, loved his horses and always went to church. Joseph is survived by his siblings, as well as several nieces and nephews.
Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Joseph’s life.
