Take The Initiative

Tuesday, December 7th, My daughter, Claribel, was denied a snack at schoo.. She was apparently too "wiggly" at nap time and "lost" her snack "privilege." Children have a chance to "earn" their snack back with "good behavior" if they have lost it. As soon as her class gets up from nap/rest time they immediately go to snack, how is a child supposed to "earn" back snack with zero opportunity? On top of that, food is in the base of the pyramid in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, along with things like air, sleep, water, and shelter. These necessities should never be used as any sort of punishment. Wednesday my daughter, along with at least one other student, was denied snack, again.

I was NEVER informed of this by the teacher or any staff and definitely do not appreciate that. How did I find out? Thursday Claribel got in the car and started talking about her day. She told me her classmate hit her and she started crying (I also was not informed of this by anyone) when I asked what she did she told me "nothing, the teacher saw it and stopped ____ from hitting me again. I got snack today, I didn't get the last two snacks but I got today's." Obviously, this sent a red flag to me so I started gently pushing to find out what happened. I asked her a couple of different ways why she didn't get snack and after asking if she just hadn't been hungry she said, "No, I just didn't get them because I was just too wiggly." At this point I started asking her throughout our afternoon in several different ways to make sure her story didn't change.

Friday morning we went in a bit late to tell the principal what she said and I told her I wanted to know why she was denied snack. She told me she would find out and get back with me that afternoon. When I picked her up is when I was informed about how Snack could be "lost" and how it could be "earned back" I am 30 weeks pregnant and a bit emotional, due to that, so it was incredibly hard for me to even tell her principal that we don't EVER use food as a punishment. we talked for a moment and I let her know that because she didn't get snack on Tuesday that she actually went over 7 hours, in the middle of the day, without eating.

As soon as I pick Claribel up on Tuesdays, we take little brother to visitation with his biological parents. Without knowing what happened we were at visitation until 5:15 and then had to make a car payment and drop off two packages in Yukon. By the time we got home and started eating it was almost exactly 7pm. My child went without food for over 7 hours, in the middle of the day, due to being denied snack and me not being informed of this decision. My child cried, whined, and was in a bad mood all the way to visitation and continued being upset and easily agitated all afternoon but never told me why. When I would ask what was wrong she would just cry harder or tell me she just wanted her dad. She has also yelled at me twice this last week over food, now, as well. We have never had any issue with food aggressions until this last week.

I am not calling for anyone's position to be taken from them or any kind of repercussion, at this point. However, I want to see that there is mandatory training for faculty and staff about food traumas and insecurities and the problems and eating disorders that they can lead to. I want a district-wide policy put in place stating that food will never be used as a punishment nor denied to any student.

In March 2020, federal law passed the CARES Act and created an emergency unemployment benefits program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). In the State of Nevada, PUA benefits are approved and distributed through the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR).

We are claimants who have applied for PUA benefits through DETR and have been found eligible to receive PUA benefits by DETR. We have been waiting several months to receive payment for our PUA benefits from DETR. As a result of DETR's failure to pay our claims, we have been experiencing severe financial hardship that is negatively affecting our livelihood; including shelter, food, childcare, health, transportation, safety, etc. We NEED immediate payment on our claims from DETR. We are suffering terribly due to DETR’s poor practices and policies related to payment of CARES Act benefits.

The conduct of DETR constitutes a taking of property without due process - see California Department of Human Resources Development v. Java, 402 U.S. 121 (1971). We will not accept the failure of DETR to get eligible claimants federally mandated benefits in a prompt fashion.

We are eligible claimants demanding that DETR pay our PUA benefits immediately!

According to plasticoceans.org, 50% of all plastic produced are for single use items. That is 380 million tons of plastic that will only be used once before disposal. The production of plastics is not slowing down. In fact, according to the 2019 World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) Solving Plastic Pollution Through Accountability report:



Since 2000, the plastics industry has produced as much plastic as all the preceding years combined. The production of virgin plastic has increased 200-fold since 1950, and has grown at a rate of 4 per cent a year since 2000. In 2016, the most recent year for which data is available, production reached 396 million metric tons. That is equivalent to 53 kilograms of plastic for each person on the planet.



Attempts to recycle plastics are not successful. In fact, less than 9% of plastics produced get recycled (plasticoceans.org). The remaining plastics end up as pollution in our water, land, and even air from incineration. The 2019 WWF report states, “Wildlife entanglement has been recorded in over 270 different animal species, including mammals, reptiles, birds and fish. Entanglement in plastic debris often leads to acute and chronic injury or the death of affected animals.” Additionally, “Records have documented more than 240 different animal species ingesting plastic. These animals are often unable to pass the plastic through their digestive systems, resulting in internal abrasions, digestive blockages, and death.” But plastic pollution is not just hurting wildlife; it is affecting humans too:



Humans can ingest plastic by consuming foods contaminated with micro and nano-plastics. This is most likely to occur via seafood, particularly shellfish, mussels and oysters. There are many other sources of contamination. A recent study of bottled water found microplastic contamination in 93 per cent of bottles, sourced from 11 different brands across nine countries. (2019 WWF Report)



There is also an economic impact of this unchecked cycle of plastic production and disposal; The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates the economic impact of plastic pollution on oceans at $8 billion USD per year. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) estimated the cost of litter damage to commercial shipping at $297 million USD per year. 500 million plastic straws are thrown away by the US and UK daily1. Yes, you read that right, daily! Worldwide, over 1 trillion single-use plastic bags are discarded annually1. The US throws away 40 billion plastic utensils every year1. I believe this small sample of available data on the production, disposal, and disastrous effects of plastic on our environment makes clear that plastic production and disposal of plastics is a huge problem. But how do we solve this problem?



According to the WWF 2019 report, “Phasing out single-use plastics, those that have a one-year lifespan, has the potential to lower plastic demand by up to 40 per cent by 2030.” They also state, “Phasing out single-use plastic usage lessens the plastic burden placed on the waste system and is estimated to lower plastic waste generation to 188 million metric tons, a 57 per cent reduction from the business as usual scenario.” So, the solution is actually pretty simple, but cannot be accomplished without help from our elected representatives. The plastic industry has no plans to slow down their production of plastics polluting our air, waters, lands, and bodies. We, the people, must draw the line in the sand.



What we are asking is simple: enact legislation that bans the use of single-use plastics bags and straws. Require that eating establishments not provide disposable plastic utensils unless requested by the diner and provide incentives for businesses that switch to reusable and sustainable cutlery. Eight states and multiple local jurisdictions have already banned the use of single-use plastic bags2. Nine states, including Nevada, have partial bans on plastic straws3, but we can do more. These disposable items can easily be replaced with compostable and recyclable paper bags and straws, and new technology is helping to create single-use cutlery that is less harmful to the planet. Represent your constituents and the planet and enact this legislation. While more is still needed to reduce the use of harmful plastics, enacting these bans is a simple step in the right direction.



Thank you.



Endnotes

In 2014, my wife and I were forced to surrender custody of our son Andrew to access residential treatment for his complex behavioral health needs related to Autism, an Intellectual Disability, and Mental Illness. Forcing parents of multi-system youth to surrender custody of their children to get help is wrong! Ohio has made progress toward ending this cruel practice, but we need systemic change to truly abolish it. The Ohio Department of Medicaid’s OhioRISE program embodies that change.

Funding for OhioRISE is irrevocably woven throughout the Medicaid procurement. While kind words and good intentions to protect OhioRISE are appreciated, if the procurement process is derailed, these will simply become eulogies for Ohio’s hopes to permanently end forced custody relinquishment.

OhioRISE will serve 50,000+ families like mine throughout Ohio. Disrupting the procurement process will hurt OhioRISE and is a betrayal of families in crisis. We demand that Comp Doc MCDCD 42 and MCDCD 43 be removed from the budget bill.

The old system has failed our families. We have waited long enough for a new system.

I urge all Ohioans to sign this petition and to contact their State Senators and Representatives, President Huffman, and Speaker Cupp!

The Shaker Square Alliance, Shaker Square Area Development E 130 St Working Group and Ludlow Community Association believe that the vitality of buildings on North and South Moreland is essential to the health of the Buckeye, Shaker Square and Shaker Heights neighborhoods.

2962 S Moreland Boulevard is a 14 unit building that has been condemned, boarded and left vacant for over four years. While most of the neighboring apartment buildings are vibrant, safe, and well maintained, this abandoned property has become a threat to the strength and vitality of the important and historic S Moreland corridor.


Demolition would signal failure by the city and the community to proactively and strategically use the laws and tools available to prosecute a negligent owner. We do not want another vacant lot and we do not want more years of inaction. We want the laws upheld and we want violators held accountable!


Out of respect for the Buckeye/Shaker Square community, we ask that you join us in petitioning the City of Cleveland to take all necessary action to save this apartment building and see it restored to residential use.

Tell your Representative that Ohio is ready for change. It's time to stop the needless incarceration and persecution of low level Marijuana offenses in Ohio.

Currently, in the state of Ohio, 22 cities have chosen to completely decriminalize marijuana up to 199 grams. This has created safe environments for almost 3,000,000 citizens in our state. Now it's time to create a safer, more efficient plan for all Ohioans. HB210 will decriminalize Marijuana for all citizens, as well as, expungement for some Marijuana offenses and the ability for people to grow their own plants.

Please let your voice be heard by signing this petition asking our House of Representatives to vote YES on HB210.

For complete language of HB210 go to: https://ohiohouse.gov/legislation/134/hb210

We are asking for the Immediate Termination of Kaye Persinger, Director of the Franklin County Dog Shelter in Columbus, Ohio.

She has cut out rescues and all help from the community. She has had dogs killed for trainable and treatable conditions. She has had dogs killed before the mandatory 3 day stray hold.
She has adopted out Microchipped dogs to other people and never contacted owners.
She fired an amazing, over qualified Foster coordinator. This was due to her not being a “team player” She was the best thing that happened to FCDS in a long time. She had over 60 dogs in the proper Foster homes in under 90 days. She felt like the rescue community does, and that’s the dogs are worth fighting for.

Kaye has spent a lot of the budget on building “makeovers” and offices. Not on the dogs and the enrichments and training they need.
The dogs need to get out of their kennels multiple times a day. They need enrichment so they don’t start going stir crazy and decline.
Kaye eliminated the non profit, friends of the shelter store, inside the shelter. That store raised $ for the dogs with medical needs in the shelter.

Having 2 Assistant directors is a waste of tax payers money. There should only be one Assistant Director, and the salary of the 3rd Assistant Director, could go towards a certified, qualified behavioral trainer. Something that is desperately needed at FCDS.

We are also asking for the replacement of the Medical staff at the Franklin County Dog Shelter.

The dogs of Franklin County deserve a qualified, comfortable and compassionate Veterinarian and Medical staff. There is a pattern in all of the rescue dogs records of vet staff not being able to handle or are fearful of the dogs.
Not being able to medicate dogs.. orally, ears, eyes, etc… They need to use a muzzle for fearful dogs. This will allow these dogs to be examined safely for everyone.
A good veterinarian and staff is instrumental to a county dog shelter. They need to be experienced and compassionate.

Franklin county dog shelter needs a complete overhaul. The public is tired of their tax dollars going towards a shelter that has killed over 600 dogs just this year.

FCDS needs a certified behavioral trainer that can work with the dogs that are showing fearful or reactive behavior.
To give these dogs a chance to be taught and how to manage their behaviors.
All of the rescue dogs should be able to be fostered through the Shelter, where they can continue their training if needed.

Rescues are overwhelmed and are ran solely on donations. They can’t keep picking up the slack of FCDS dogs, due to the shelter not having the qualified veterinarians and training staff.
Franklin county dog shelter has a 6.2 million dollar annual budget. There should be room in the budget to hire these experienced, certified people.

Management needs to work with rescues and except help from different resources.

Franklin county dog shelter needs a community relations manager, that will communicate properly with the community. Respect the public and rescue community and be transparent and be able to handle criticism with maturity and professionalism.

These poor dogs at FCDS need Marketing and Exposure!!!! This is so huge to finding the dogs the proper forever homes.

FCDS Needs to do Thorough vet, reference and landlord checks, for any adopted or fostered dog.
This should only take 24-48hrs. Once they are complete, then the potential adopters/fosters can pick up the dog.
This is to ensure the dogs are going to the a safe and the proper environment.
So many times FCDS dogs are found running lose, given away for free on Craigslist, marketplace, etc… These important checks can help prevent these dogs being failed and put into harms way.

Rescues should NOT have to pay a pull fee. They are taking on FCDS medical and behavioral dogs off their hands and covering the cost themselves.

Eliminate the New Hope Rescue Policy and go back to old rescue contract.

FCDS went from 143 rescues to 40 and it’s taken months to just get that many.

Most reputable rescues won’t sign it. They can pull from other shelters without all the hassle and drama from FCDS.
Some of the Great rescues that have signed, have done so because the dogs will die if they don’t. It is a gag order and they are forced to comply.

Eliminate the volunteer rescue dog contract that restricts the volunteers from commenting about the rescue dogs on their own social media pages.

The shelter needs to be completely transparent about a dogs personality and behavior. The good and the bad. NOT just negative comments.

FCDS needs Employees and Animal Control officers/warden that understand to take environment into account when a dog is reacting out fear. NOT just deem them dangerous and Euthanize them.

The people working at the shelter especially the ones interacting with the public(front desk, online, phones, meet and greets etc..) need to be kind and courteous to people. They need to remember they work for the county and to be respectful and helpful. We have heard so many times that they are not kind or courteous.

FCDS needs Employees that are there for the right reasons, to help the dogs in their facility and work closely with rescues and the community to do what’s Best for the dogs of Franklin County.

We, the rescue community and public know that none of these positive changes will happen until the current leadership/management is removed from their positions.


These changes are desperately needed for the dogs at Franklin County Dog Shelter, Columbus, Ohio.
There are qualified, experienced people willing to step up and help.

Lets make the Franklin County Dog Shelter the State of the Art NO Kill shelter that it can be.

Instead of Following”Better” Practices,(that aren’t in the best interest and welfare of the animal), Set an example to other shelters and use “THE BEST” practices! The practices that are used in the best interest of the dogs.

The Newark Planning Commission has received the request to change land deemed The River Road Development from R (330 single family homes) to PUD (Planned Unit Development- high density of 502 lots, 111 acres; 322 homes on 93 acres, multifamily on 18 acres)

We, the signed, ask the Newark Planning Commission to make the recommendation to keep The River Road Development zoned as is for the following reasons:

1. Newark residents will be faced with higher taxes to pay for items such as the newly planned waterline loop with booster station, roads to manage increased traffic, and increased expenditures for infrastructure and public services.

2. Immediate neighbors to the development face environmental challenges; such as increased water run off, flooding and erosion, impacts to the aquifer and water quality, sedimentation and displaced wildlife. These factors would be a detriment to quality of life for both single family homes and farms nearby.

3. Granville School District would be legally required to build a new school building as the increased zoning density would cause the school population to exceed the maximum occupancy rate. According to the School District Board this would trigger the construction of a new middle school and the need for a 3.5-4 mil levy. The burden of the cost of the development would be on current Granville residents.

4. According to the Zoning Code of Newark 155.1 (page 183) Council may amend code when the rezoning request is in public necessity, public convenience, public welfare and good zoning practices. It is our belief that the request for the PUD zoning does not meet any of these requirements.

So here is my daughter's story: November 1st. Took her to Bryan ER. She was coughing and struggling with her asthma. She tested positive for covid and gave her steroids and sent her home. She did amazing. November 12th she went to school. November 16th she got sent home and was told she needs to see a doctor before returning to her having problems breathing. November 17th took her to see Dr. Dillon who had us immediately go to the ER and even call them ER saying how bad she wasnt moving air and wheezing and using every muscle just to breathe. And wanted her to go to toledeo. Bryan ER came in and said why is she here( he already knew why)? I explain and said he disagree with Dr. Dillon cause her oxygen was fine. Tested her and of course she tested positive for covid( yup can test positive up to 3 months after) gave her a prescription for steroids and refused to do a treatment and sent her home. Sunday night/Monday morning at midnight my daughter couldn't breathe. Did 2 treatments and there was no improvement. So I take her to Bryan ER. Nurse comes in and said you just had her here and we told you that there nothing we can do for covid patients with asthma beside treatments and steroids. I said yea and look at her she getting worse cause yall refused to do anything. Mean while my daughter oxygen is dropping and dropping fast. She said if you don't like it you should take her somewhere else then. I told her I would never make it on how bad she is! Now my daughter struggling bad and oxygen at 86 and still dropping. I told her I don't give a fuck help my daughter. Instead she went and got security. They did xray said it was fine might had pneumonia. They gave her a treatment and antibiotics prescription( wouldn't even give her a dose there by then its 2am) I begged them to send my daughter to toledeo cause I knew something was wrong. The refused. Adreanna stands up and instantly bends over and can't breathe. So I said something. And this so called nurse tells me we told you there nothing we can do. Just give her a breathing treatment. So I brought my baby girl to toledo myself. We barely made it. She was ripped from my arms in the parking lot and instantly rushed to er and everyone was working on her. Come to find out with her not being able to exhale she wasnt releasing carbon dioxide and it build up so much in her chest it expanded. (As high as it was it was going on for awhile) it caused a small part of her right lung to collapse cause of all the pressure in her chest. She is now in toledo picu fighting for her life. If she makes it. This girl has months of recovery and physical therapy! Yall I'm going after Bryan ER. I begged them and her pediatrician said to take her to toledo and they wouldn't listen. I'm taking a stand and already filed a complaint with the hospital its self but I'm not stopping. Getting a lawyer and want to start some type of petition but you guys we are these children's voice. If we don't stand up for them who will. It's not just my daughter but many others and even adults and elderly. If we don't put a stop to Bryan ER just treating patients like crap and turning away people who really needs help. They won't stop. I get not all doctors and nurse are like that. I get the don't have the knowledge or equipment for certain things. If they can't do it or dont know they need to transfer them to somewhere that does. I even begged them. And they refused!! IM FIGHTING CAUSE MY BABY IS FIGHTING!!!

Please take the time to read!!

On February 12th, 2021 Sierrah Caldwell and her boyfriend along with another male invited Devon Ours over to her apartment. He thought he was meeting up with ONLY her and had no idea that her boyfriend along with another man would be there. He perused Sierrah and her boyfriend told her to play along and invite him over. When Devon arrived they went and sat on the couch. Devon placed his hand on Sierrah’s thigh when her boyfriend ran out and began bashing his head in with a baseball bat. Next the the other male approached when they began kneeing and beating him in the head. Devon was found beaten and bleeding profusely from his head lying on the floor. Devon is now unresponsive and currently on life support. During the attack Sierrah went to the back room and did nothing to stop it she played along and knew the outcome and deserves punishment as well please help in any way you can!!!

My name is Stacy Castello. I've worked as a registered nurse at Wheeling Hospital for 10 years. I was a nursing assistant for two years prior to that. I am writing this petition on behalf of the medical staff that disagrees with the vaccination mandate due to religious exemptions, medical exemptions, and lack of research on long term effects. By signing this petition, you are acknowledging that you stand for medical freedom and are in favor of ending the mandate that WVU medicine has placed on their employees. According to the notice from WVU medicine all employees are required to be fully vaccinated by October 31, 2021. Medical and religious exemptions will be very hard to obtain. Please join the fight in ending this mandate!!

The state of Ohio has decided not to include veterinary staff in any of their initial vaccine efforts. Despite having worked for the entire pandemic and repeatedly having been asked to sign up to help if the hospital system collapsed further, the state is now considering non-clinical hospital workers and anyone over the age of 65 more important than veterinary staff. We are health care workers, essential to maintaining public health, and we have risked our lives every day of this pandemic. We should be included in tier 1b of the vaccine effort in Ohio.

Signing this petition will allow us to bring this dangerous intersection that has had many horrible accidents, to the councils attention so proper signage and lights can be installed. We want no more families to have to suffer this loss.

Agi is a 7 year old German Shepherd. He was been a K9 with Aaron Crawford for the last 5.5 years in the Village of McComb in Ohio. Aaron was left as the only police officer in McComb since January 2021. Aaron found employment at another department and resigned from McComb giving them his letter and his check for Agi which they still have. Since he was the only officer that ment that Agi would be his according to his contract signed when Agi was donated to the village and that he could purchase Agi for 1.00. We only want what would be right and that is for Agi to get to spend the rest of his life with the only family he has known. Agi has been taken away from Aaron and his family and no one will tell him where the mayor took him. Its only right that Agis location is known to know that he is safe and nothing has happend to him. Let Agi and Aaron stay together as a bond between a k9 and the handler is unbreakable after all this time. Agi needs to be in the home where he always has been and with the family that loves him and cares for him. Its only right to let Aaron and Agi stay together.

Hello,

My name is Sarah Dague I am the mother of forever 16year old Abagail Dague, who tragically lost her life on June 8, 2018 due to an accident at the intersection of State RT 245 and Co Rd 1.
Abagail and her boyfriend Ryan were on a date to Ohio Caverns, while driving on Co Rd 1 in the rain the intersecting road was not visible and Ryan ran the stop sign. They were hit on Abagail’s side by a semi. She fought hard but after 4 days she lost her battle, and was deemed Brain dead. She saved 3 lives through organ donation. Abagail is a true hero.

This Petition is to bring awareness to how dangerous this intersection is.

I am starting this petition to get a flashing traffic light at this intersection.
By signing below you agree that change is necessary and not another family should go through the tragedy our family and others has suffered!


Please help by taking a few moments to sign Abagails Cause

No Mandatory Licensure or Regulation of Ohio Midwives.

There are pieces of proposed and introduced legislation that would make traditional, lay, or direct entry midwives a felon if they continue to practice. The new requirements would be that all Ohio midwives are licensed and have attended a MEAC accredited school, both cutting the number of midwives down drastically. This regulation takes away the mother's choice to birth at home if she falls under certain parameters and forces mothers to undergo birth interventions they do not want.

This petition is to show that birth professionals and midwifery consumers DO NOT support mandatory regulation of midwives in Ohio.

We have been in and out of school all year, on behalf of the student body we don't think we have learned enough and gotten the materials we need to fulfill our full potential on the state test. Since we haven't learned nor gained enough experience for the state tests, we would like to suspend state testing for 1 year. Covid-19 has hindered our abilities as students to learn the necessary skills and knowledge to complete the state testing and also at the same time, not take a hit to our grades.

We as students need less stress in our lives, and the state test is only causing more stress and hindering our ability to learn even more. If the students can’t learn the necessary curriculum to finish the test successfully there is no need for the state test especially if most of the Students missed much-needed in-class learning.

In conclusion, students will not be able to complete state testing and successfully finish with a good score. For many, the test score could be the make or break for what classes they would be able to take the following school year which would also harm their chances to get into a College or University. The bad scores would also cause the teachers of whom are not at fault, to be viewed as if they are not good at their job. We the students need state testing to be suspended for the year 2021 to relieve the students from intense stress.

As many of you know, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine recently announced that he will be ending participation in all Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Programs including but not limited to PUA, PEUC, FPUC, MEUC and the $300 federal unemployment boost on June 26, 2021. This will end unemployment eligibility to independent contractors, gig-workers, and sole-proprietors and anyone who is not eligible for regular unemployment benefits, returning Ohio to pre-pandemic programs. Not everyone on unemployment is being lazy. For many, the federal programs mentioned have been a lifeline during the Covid-19 pandemic when the jobs they worked shut down or have had dramatically reduced hours. This is not about politics, this affects families, children, and older adults who will suffer great consequences if these programs are ended during a pandemic.

There are independent contractors and self-employed citizens already struggling to work after being released from ICU following a COVID diagnosis because it is the only way they can pay their bills- imagine how much worse this will be for them!

The people of Ohio are asking Governor DeWine to reconsider his actions that will end these federal programs prior to the federal end date of September 6, 2021.

We are also asking President Joe Biden to take action in any way he legally can.

We’re going to keep this petition simple, because the data is already out there! This is a petition to allow boys and girls high school basketball in the state of Michigan. This will have a positive impact on the mental and physical health for the thousands of high school basketball players in Michigan. There is no data to support continuing to shut it down. Michigan players have been playing safely in Ohio and Indiana for months and months without any reported outbreaks or negative effects. Give these kids a chance and LET THEM PLAY!

This petition is in regard to Richard L. Kinney. He is currently an inmate at Southeastern Correctional Complex, in Lancaster, Ohio.

My uncle Richard was what some may call a “functioning alcoholic”. He usually had an alcoholic beverage in his hand, but he always held a job and took care of his children, wife, and their family farm. Richard has a great sense of humor and a kind heart. He would give a stranger the shirt off of his back, even if it was the only thing he owned.

On March 30, 2016, Richard was involved in an accident. He was pulling a trailer that had a skidded on it. He was impaired by alcohol and hit another vehicle. The other vehicle was occupied by an 85 year old woman, who succumbed the next morning to internal injuries sustained in the accident. This affected Richard severely. He did not eat, Sis not sleep, and did not leave his house. The last drink of alcohol that my Uncle Richard took was the night of the accident, even before he was taken into custody on April 25, 2016. He was placed on house arrest in May 2017, and on June 25, 2017, Richard was sent to prison.


He was charged with 2 counts of OVI and 1 count of aggregated vehicular homicide. The maximum sentence for these charges is 8 years. The family of the deceased asked that Richard receive a 5 year prison term. Richard’s family asked that he receive a 3 year prison term. Judge Julie Selmon, of Monroe County Common Pleas Court, sentenced Richard to 7 years. Prior to these charges, Richard Kinney had a clean record; not a speeding ticket or a parking ticket in the 30+ years he had been driving.


Richard shows remorse for his actions that evening. He has stated several times that he wishes he could take back what happened. Unfortunately, that is not possible. Therefore, we are asking that Ohio governor, Mike DeWine, let Richard out. A 7-year prison term for a person that had never broken the law in their life is a long time. Richard has missed the birth of 2 of his grandchildren (with another due in November 2021) as well as the marriage of one of his children. Richard’s step-son, Ryan, has been taking care of the family farm since he has been incarcerated. This is putting a financial and emotional burden on Ryan. Ryan would like to move on with his life and start a family of his own, however, he feels that it is his duty to take care of his mother and the farm until Richard is home. Ryan has not been able to work a full-time job due to the responsibilities of the farm.


We ask for the immediate release of Richard L. Kinney. This is not asking for temporary release, but to use this moment to turn to methods of transformative justice and restorative action rather than to a punitive system of imprisonment.