Local groups to get drug-prevention funding
Several local organizations are among 25 groups that will receive $125,000 in federal grants for drug prevention programs, Sen. Rob Portman announced Wednesday.
T h e grants were announced through the Drug-Free Communities Act, which provides matching federal grants for programs aimed at drug prevention. Portman authored the bill in 1997, when he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Montgomery County Prevention Coalition, the Coalition for a Healthy Middletown, the Coalition for a Safe and Drug-Free Fairfield, and the Butler County Coalition are among the recipients, according to Portman’s office.
“I have seen firsthand that prevention is a powerful tool to counteract drug use in our community, and this funding helps youth throughout Ohio make healthy choices about substance use,” Portman said in a prepared statement. “These 25 grants, including two new recipients, will help those on the front lines in Ohio combat this crisis as we work together to turn the tide of addiction.”
Portman prepped McCain for debates
Sen. Rob Portman called Republican Sen. John McCain a “true hero,” and said he was “blessed for having known” the Arizona senator who died last weekend at age 81.
Joining other senators from both parties as they paid tribute last week to McCain on the Senate floor, Portman, R-Ohio, said McCain “lived the motto” of his 2008 presidential campaign against Democrat Barack Obama “which was simply: Country first. Always.”
Portman told the Senate about how he played the role of Obama as McCain prepared for the presidential debates. Portman joked that he took that “role very seriously – maybe too seriously” at times. Portman’s job was to “get under” McCain’s skin during the practice debates and acknowledged at times he did.
“Needless to say, he wasn’t happy with me during those debate sessions,” Portman said.
Two years later when Portman was elected to the Senate, McCain would jokingly tell reporters that Portman was “the jerk” who played Obama.
Democrat wants five debates with Stivers
Democrat Rick Neal, who is challenging Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Upper Arlington in the November election, wants Stivers to agree to five debates.
In a letter to Stivers’ campaign last week, Neal suggested the debates be held in Upper Arlington, Athens, Wilmington, Lancaster and New Lexington. Neal pro- posed the debates be moderated by news reporters.
“Mr. Stivers has spoken a lot about civil discourse lately, and I’d like to give him the chance to bring that into his political campaign,” Neal said.
“While we made the initial proposal, our campaign is entirely open to a dialogue about the locations and even breaking up the topics of discussion.”
Adam Rapien, who is managing Stivers’ campaign, said “we have not received a letter from the Neal campaign. We’ll be happy to comment once we do.”