It is never easy to work in the restaurant industry. Even before the pandemic, many restaurants were operating in the red, and several of them shuttered their doors permanently during the lockdowns. Now that restaurants have reopened to full capacity, they have a new set of hurdles to leap over.

John Barker is the president and CEO of the Ohio Restaurant Association, and he joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to discuss the struggles these restaurants have experienced. One side of the coin is the supply shortage, to the point where some menu items are being dropped temporarily or altogether. Barker says restaurants have had to cut costs in creative ways, even if that means having their menus be all-digital by scanning a QR code with one's smartphone.

Another issue has been the labor shortage. Now that many establishments have raised their wages, that topic has not become the issue anymore. Barker says there are tens, if not hundreds of thousands of jobs available, but they are not being taken.

83 year old George Robotkay has dementia, and has been missing since last night.

Strongsville police say the 5'6, 145 pound, white man with hazel eyes and brown hair left his home on Century Oak Drive , and they are concerned for his safety.

For more information, visit the Endangered Missing Adult Alert website at: http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Law-Enforcement/Local-Law-Enforcement/Missing-Adult-Alert

As the students head back into the classroom and employees venture back to the workplace, it is time for a refresher course in handwashing. Dr. Eliot Mostow is with Akron Dermatology, and he joined the Ray Horner Morning Show to provide the basics in proper handwashing. Dr. Mostow believes the public should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds, or the length of singing the tune Happy Birthday, in order to fully cleanse. Dr. Mostow also touched on proper moisturizers, for those with sensitive skin and those whose skin dries out and cracks.

Ohio lawmakers are considering a request to allow consumers to buy what could be a dangerously radioactive chemical product, which is used for deicing snowy sidewalks and driveways.

Aqua Salina, which is made from recyled wastewater "brine" from oil and gas wells, is already used on highways as a deicer and dust suppresant in many states, including Ohio. But, the Northeast Ohio company that makes it, Nature's Own Source, LLC, wants to sell it to other consumers as well, and says it is safe.

That assertion, however, is disputed by a number of citizens, environmental groups, and some state officials, including the Director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

In a June 22, 2021 letter to the chairs of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, and House Energy & Natural Resources Committee; ODNR Director, Mary Mertz expressed concerns about proposed regulatory changes that would result in her agency losing the ability to regulate oilfield wastes and tracking their flow, for example, into water supplies. Her conclusion: "HB 282/SB 171 does not ensure the protection of public health and safety or the environment." 

Whether or not the bills will advance out of the committees that have been considering it, and come to a full vote in either chamber is still up in the air.

Listen now to hear clips of testimony on both sides of the issue, as well as interviews with Ohio House Energy and Natural Resources Committee ranking member, 37th District State Representative Casey Weinstein (D) of Hudson, and former Athens County Commissioner, and current Ohio Brine Task Force Spokesperson, Roxanne Groff.

 

State Representative Casey Weinstein, (D) Ohio 37th District

Roxanne Groff, Ohio Brine Task Force

Follow these links to learn more, and to follow the progress of House Bill 282, and Senate Bill 171.

**Please note: This program is available as a podcast on Apple, Android, Spotify, and Stitcher.