One of those items was prescription drug abuse, which Johnson said was Kasich’s top subject to discuss.
“He wanted to know my opinion of the status of House Bill 93 and where it was in the Senate,” Johnson said. “And basically I conveyed to him that we were able to move it rapidly through the house, and that I was dismayed by the fact that it was stuck in the Senate. And he vowed to put the pressure of his office to moving it as quickly as possible. So I think we will see movement over there.”
Johnson was co-sponsor of the bill that would regulate the operation of pain clinics in the state. Johnson said he believes Kasich has a genuine concern about residents of southern Ohio and their exposure to the prescription drug problem, which has gained national attention in recent weeks.
“He knows, like I do, that the bill is not enough. We need to do many more things,” Johnson said. “So we had a far-ranging discussion about possible things that we could do including working across state lines and cooperating with other states — looking at their laws — looking at their methodologies, doing everything that we can, not to just diminish the problem, but to defeat it completely.”
Johnson said the two also discussed the possible expansion of Sun Coke, a $600 million project that involves expansion of coke oven batteries.
“I expressed to him my absolute dismay that the federal EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) could be getting in the way of this,” Johnson said. “I pointed out to him that if circumstances fall in the wrong direction and the plant is built across the river (Greenup County), Ohioans will still breathe that air, but we won’t get the jobs.”
Johnson said his statement seemed to resonate with Kasich, and he said the governor told him his (governor’s) staff will look into the situation and try to get the Ohio EPA to play their role in petitioning the federal EPA to change the area’s status.
Johnson met Tuesday with Dan Rogers, general manager of the American Centrifuge plant operations, and said the one-on-one meeting was productive. That conversation led to one on the same subject with Kasich.
“Gov. Kasich fully supports my efforts to pursue a different tack. And we’re going to be doing some things that hopefully will make a difference,” Johnson said. “I personally feel that we have a greater sense of urgency in this. We have asked that company (USEC) to go on and on and on with their personal investment, and what we see from the federal government is an absolute betrayal of their (USEC) honest efforts to bring world-class technology and thousands of jobs to southern Ohio.”
Johnson said he is “personally dismayed” by President Barack Obama’s failure to authorize the U.S. Department of Energy to approve a $2 billion loan guarantee for the USEC ACP.
“I really want to do everything that I can do to let folks know that I think it’s wrong. And that the Obama administration needs to reverse its position on that. I am just appalled by his disregard for the people of southern Ohio,” Johnson said. “That plant is transformative for us. We get that — it makes a huge difference. It swings the inertia in the right direction. If we don’t get it, you have to question, what is the Obama administration’s real feeling about putting people of southern Ohio to work or not.”
Ask yourself, Johnson has his livelihood, don't let him mess up yours with promises, hopes and prayers, etc. And Fighting the good fight, etc.
Ask yourself is Johnson in control of his life and position or is he letting them control him like he did the "dead bodies." As they came to him?
Life ain't all Rah rah..............
There's a reason that they pushed Todd Book and Walton, Jr. out of the way so they could take those positions, not because they will save the world, hello.
Get transferred, or change vocations. They say in our life time, we will change vocations 4 to 5 times, etc.
Recognize your future and move before they do.
Or you'll die here in poverty like these people in Scioto County. CO is a good profession and all 50 states have them with a good retirement. You can change your water well, you don't have to stay here. Ask any "army brat."
The best to you. Ask Mayor David, this is the valley of the dry bones with no sinew.
Acitizen, maybe you think Johnson should be working on something else, but I can tell you a heck of a lot of people in Franklin Furnace are very pleased with the job he is doing.
Before you can grow a healthy economy, you have to stop the bleeding. Bleeding out 368 good paying jobs will devastate this area.
Obviously you still don't get it either.
We won't chase the rabbit, "I'll Huff and Puff and blow your house down."
Let's look at say forestry or someone with acreage.
They do not waste their time and energy on the existing, dying, but replant new and diversify, etc. as only they can in forestry. They get rid of the dying and underbrush, etc.
It's similar in Economic Growth and Development. You can spend your time on the dying and miss out on the opportunities on bringing in the new and living which these Scioto County so called leaders have done for decades.
The populace keeps telling them, and they don't get it either. Ever wonder why they get elected and go brain dead? What's the undertow?
Like all Strickland did was to bring in his "hospice" teams when places closed and did not spend time on planting anew, which is probably his religious approach, but he could not apply it as governor, Caesar's world.
Prison Counselor, recidivism? Non Governor.
But we digress. If you ain't growing you are dying. Hello.........
The current leaders all over the county are just working on the identified and not creating new selling their area for business and industry to come in, etc. Ever see that "Industrial Park" in New Boston? It's a little lone Butler Building up at the end of that short drive?
And guess what, SOGP, The Chamber, et al do not want them to. Since the heyday, they keep the new out of here to keep their costs down, no competition so they could slide by.
Now they just suck on the teats of the public dole fading as time goes on. Hello.
There's a saying, "Work smarter, not harder." But "they" do not catch on, and obviously neither do you, you just want to love and support?
Isn't that special. Meanwhile people dying, and starving out there, while praise, and love and support. There's a time and place for that, don't they say that? A time for everything?
We have our own days you don't report on, we want results from them and you.
Will we get a CEU, Continuing Education Unit for reading these articles? A certificate for framing?
This is reminiscent of those articles you all do on Walton Sr's day on how hard he's working. Again, it's like Bob Huff's SOGP presentation and the upkeep of Boney Fiddle's buildings.
Dr. Johnson, the election is over, you won now do something. Walton, Jr. and Todd Book did until you olde people push them aside for the salary and perks.
The Governor uses Johnson to monitor the legislature, cute, nice camaraderie? Ain't the bouys having a good day?
Oh, Dr. Johnson has been reading his weekly reader about the Governor's in KY and elsewhere on the drug runs, Florida, etc. hello, Dr. Johnson.......
Then he's like the SOGP, The Chamber, et al, and complaining about existing economic growth and development when they contribute nothing to it, if we ain't growing we are dying.
The Governor will look into the EPA's, like they have not been, what a piece of work these bouys are?
Did Dr. Johnson get elected as Lt. Governor? Or that new private Jobs, Inc. group? Why should not we readers be confused Frank?
This is choice you and they end up bashing Obama. Joining the crowd who have nothing else to offer but complain, moan and groan, no leadership. Spectators watching the parade go by them.
Finger pointing, blame game, not taking responsibility for the last decades of leadership?
It's a new world, no history? Reinvent the wheel or spin the history, like there is none, and guess what they will repeat it again, again, and again.
Dr. Johnson, the evaluator and spectator not the mover and shaker, getting things down. Monday Morning Quarterbacking?
Give us a break, Frank, Dr. Johnson and Mr. Clark. How's those subscriptions and ads doing? My neighbor's PDT's looks like a pamphlet now.
Do you get that message?