🎙️ The SNAPocalypse, School Levies, and Pepper Spray Football?!
Tom and Robert are back behind the mics for Crooked River Cast Show #33, opening the show with a laugh (and maybe a little disappointment) about another Halloween with zero trick-or-treaters. Turns out, when your houses are tucked away where no candy-hunting kids dare to roam, the candy bowl stays full — and that’s okay.
From there, the guys roll right into Ohio’s latest wave of chaos: the SNAPocalypse brought on by the government shutdown, bills threatening to rewrite school funding, a pepper-spray fiasco on the high school gridiron, and some good news tucked in at the end to keep things balanced.
Grab your coffee (or maybe something stronger), because this one’s a ride.
💸 The SNAPocalypse Hits Home
As the government shutdown drags on, 1.4 million Ohioans could lose SNAP benefits — and the ripple effect is hitting everything from food pantries to Head Start programs. Local air traffic controllers are even protesting the shutdown’s impact on safety and pay. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has created a free pantry of food items to assist air traffic controllers, TSA officers and other employees affected by the federal government shutdown are taking advantage of the program.
👉 SNAP benefits set to expire for 1.4 million; Ohio looking at options
👉 State providing $25 million for food assistance as loss of SNAP benefits looms
👉 Cuyahoga County leaders address SNAP cut-offs
👉 Ohio Head Start programs lose funding amid shutdown
👉 Air traffic controllers protest shutdown
🏫 A New Bill to End School Levies?
An Ohio legislator is floating an idea that could replace local school levies entirely, promising a more “equitable” funding system. But with EdChoice and voucher debates still raging, this might just open another can of worms for public schools. Under SB 93, school districts would no longer be able to levy property or income tax levies. Instead, Brenner proposes a statewide 20-mill property tax, to be distributed across public and charter schools. He also suggests raising the state sales tax by 1.75%, bringing the total tax to 7.5%. All of the additional sales tax revenue would go directly to education funding.
👉 Ohio legislator proposes school finance system without local levies
🌿 New Marijuana & Hemp Rules… “For the Children,” Of Course
Lawmakers are cracking down on hemp products — while marijuana gets a pass. Apparently, “the children” are the reason, though adults who rely on CBD for pain might disagree. It’s another round of political smoke and mirrors from the Statehouse.
👉 Statehouse advances bill to tighten Ohio marijuana, hemp laws
👉 Marijuana wins while hemp loses in Ohio House’s bipartisan bill
💰 Inside the Ohio Teachers’ Pension Mess
The hits just keep coming for the Ohio Teachers’ Pension Fund. This week, former STRS board members Rudy Fichtenbaum and Wade Steen are facing trial in Columbus, accused of steering massive contracts toward a barely-tested investment outfit called QED Technologies.
The case blew open after a whistleblower memo hinted at a potential $65 billion corruption scheme—yes, billion. If convicted, the two could be permanently banned from any future public pension roles.
Tom and Robert break down what this could mean for Ohio’s teachers who’ve watched their retirement funds swing from one scandal to the next — and why trust in state-level “fiduciary duty” is starting to sound like a punchline.
👉 Ohio teachers’ pension fund corruption trial begins
🔦 Spotlight Ohio: Hocking Hills 🌲
This week’s “Spotlight Ohio” takes us to Hocking Hills, a destination that never disappoints. Whether you’re hiking, hitting up the quirky Pencil Sharpener Museum, grabbing a pint at Hocking Hills Brewing, or touring the Columbus Washboard Company, this is one slice of Ohio worth the road trip. Turn your phone off, get some fresh air and vitamin D and disconnect…
👉 Hocking Hills Official Visitors Website
👉 Columbus Washboard Company
👉 Pencil Sharpener Museum (link issues may happen on this, try googling this and the same link works, don’t know!)
👉 Hocking Hills Brewing Co.
💼 Cuyahoga County Budget Cuts
Cleveland’s home county is tightening the belt — again. Rising healthcare costs mean spending cuts across departments, and local agencies are bracing for impact. Instead of calling it what it is — a major cut — county leaders are selling this as a “strategic reduction.” Employee furloughs are off the table (for now), and they claim they’re just trimming line items to “preserve high-impact programs.” Tom didn’t buy it for a second. He said, “If a government finance director was a dietician, and I gained 50 pounds this year and 30 next year, he’d tell me I lost 30 pounds.” Robert jumped right in — “Exactly. That’s the dodge. Cutting the increase and calling it savings.” Calling this a “strategic reduction” masks the impact. It’s not just trimming fat — it’s cutting muscle from services that vulnerable residents rely on.
👉 Cuyahoga County’s proposed budget reduces spending
🏈 Pepper Spray at the 50-Yard Line?!
Yep, you read that right. A Massillon High School football game ended with police using pepper spray to break up a sideline brawl. The viral clip has everyone talking about where the line between school sports and police presence really should be.
👉 Ohio Police Deploy Pepper Spray at Brawling High School Players – YouTube
👉 St. Louis school demands accountability in Massillon police incident
💵 Ohio High School Athletes Getting Paid?
Thanks to a recent court ruling, Ohio high school athletes can now temporarily sign NIL deals — meaning they can earn money off their name, image, and likeness. A big win for the kids… but for how long?
👉 Ohio high school athletes can temporarily sign NIL deals
🌞 Good Things
⏰ Lock the Clock Movement
The push to finally ditch Daylight Saving Time is picking up again — and most of us are cheering. Maybe one less thing to forget this fall?
👉Making daylight saving time permanent: Where all 50 states stand | wkyc.com
💸 Unclaimed Funds Challenge
The state up north (you know which one 👀) is challenging Ohioans to see who can claim more forgotten cash. Time to check those old accounts! OH!
👉Ohio and Michigan face off in friendly unclaimed funds challenge | wkyc.com
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