That DeWine quote sounds familiar ...

Just sayin’... May 22: “The drug companies made this mess, and it’s time they stopped passing the buck to Ohio’s taxpayers and started paying to clean it up.” — Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley.

May 31: “It is just and it is right that the people who played a significant role in creating this mess should now pay to clean it up.” — Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. unanimously approved automatic voter registration. If that state’s Senate goes along, the Ocean State would become the seventh to sign-up voters whenever they renew their driver’s licenses, apply for public assistance or obtain hunting or fishing licenses. More than two dozen more states are considering similar legislation.

The Rhode Island measure passed with the enthusiastic backing of the secretary of state. But don’t count on the same in Ohio.

Secretary of State Jon Husted “does not support nor feel automatic voter registration is necessary in Ohio,” said spokesman Matt McClellan.

“There are many people in Ohio, including police officers and domestic violence survivors, who do not want to register to vote out of concern for their personal safety. ... I would also point out that in Ohio it is extremely easy to register to vote and cast a ballot. A person doesn’t even need to leave home to do either — they can now register online and we send them an absentee ballot application in the mail.

“Bottom line, each Ohioan should be able to choose for themselves whether or not they want to be registered to vote.”

Court calls for more help for kids of addicted parents

Here’s yet another ramification of the state’s rampant drug problem: The Ohio Supreme Court issued a plea Friday for more volunteers to act as court-appointed special advocates. They are trained as guardians ad litem to protect “the best interests of abused or neglected children affected by addicted parents.”

In one case, a great-grandmother has custody of a child because the mother, father and grandmother are all involved with opioids.

“Several counties report that the number of volunteers needed to represent opiaterelated cases involving children this year will far outpace last year’s total,” the court said.