An annual human trafficking report released by Attorney General Mike DeWine gave Ohio a C. The grade, which comes from Shared Hope International, was a step up from D's in the previous two years. But DeWine says it’s not enough, and further action will be taken. Ohio has made some strides on the human trafficking issue, including passage of a new “Safe Harbor” law for sex-trafficking victims, new details for minor trafficking victims and the training of 24,000 law-enforcement officers to better detect and help trafficking victims. Gov. John Kasich is giving $5 million to mental health services to help curb and prevent violence. The news comes in the wake of school shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14 and a California high school yesterday. Mental health services are important, but so is gun control, as CityBeat pointed out here. Vice President Joe Biden is currently heading an investigation to make suggestions on gun control to President Barack Obama. The remaining businesses in Tower Place Mall were told to get out. Cassidy Turley, the court-appointed receiver of the mall, apparently filed eviction notices telling businesses to leave by March. The mall has been struggling for some time now, and the city of Cincinnati is currently in the process of trying to buy it. City Manager Milton Dohoney says the city had no part in the evictions. The city of Mason is apparently becoming a technology corridor. Since 2011, the city has brought in $110 million in investments and created 1,400 jobs. The new jobs are related to technology, robotics, automation, innovation and health care. Warren and Butler counties are apparently seeing a surge in sales tax revenue. The budgetary boost is being seen by some as a sign of further economic expansion. Surrounded by dogs, Gov. Kasich signed legislation effectively banning puppy mills. Previously, animal advocates claimed lax rules and regulations had made Ohio a breeding ground for abusive practices. The lack of oversight also helped enable Ohio’s dog auctions, which CityBeat covered here. The new law will go into effect within 30 days. An Ohio school is apparently arming janitors. Previously, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters made a suggestion to arm school staff, but research shows it doesn’t help deter or stop acts of violence. Natural gas is being slightly deregulated in Ohio. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) is allowing two companies — Columbia Gas of Ohio and Dominion East Ohio Gas — to eliminate regulated pricing for businesses, with some conditions. Supporters say the move will create more competition and lower prices, but the deregulation gives a substantial advantage to two big energy companies. Congress is apparently less popular than head lice, but it’s more popular than Lindsay Lohan. Damn. Does that mean people prefer head lice to Lindsay Lohan? Even Nickelback and Ghengis Khan beat Congress. Poor Lindsay. Science has now found that animal grunts can act similarly to Morse code. Is this yet another warning of the impending animal takeover?

A week before Hamilton County commissioners vote to approve levies to fund senior and mental health services, Cincinnatians on Wednesday again packed the Board of County Commissioners' meeting room to urge them to preserve the funding.The public hearing — the first of two scheduled for the day — saw service providers, service recipients and activists ask commissioners not to enact what would be an effective cut to the funding for those services when they vote on the levies Aug. 8.The levies, approved in 2008, are up for renewal this November. The Tax Levy Review Committee recommended that the levies continue at the 2008 rates — an effective cut because of declining property values due to the housing market collapse. Many of the advocates at the meeting asked commissioners to increase the levy so they could maintain their current level of funding.“I cannot tell you we can do more with less,” said Thomas Gableman, Mental Health and Recovery Services Board Chairman. “We cannot do the same with less. We will do less with less.”The Tax Levy Review Committee’s recommendation was based on the rationale that struggling homeowners shouldn’t be burdened with additional taxes. Gableman and others said it should be up to taxpayers whether they were willing to shell out more to preserve funding for services such as meals on wheels, senior transportation, mental health treatment and alcohol diversion programs.“We’re not asking you to vote for a tax increase,” an impassioned Gableman told commissioners, “we’re saying let the voters of Hamilton County decide — let the voters of Hamilton County decide if they will take care of their own. We do take care of our own, and we’re damn proud of it.”Gableman said if the Mental Health Services levy simply re-approved, those services would lose $17.3 million in funding. He said if commissioners provided the same level of funding approved in 2008, services would still face a $5.6 million reduction in funding. Some Cincinnatians who had benefited from the services were in attendance to share their stories.Greg Williams said he had been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. He said that were it not for mental health services he received from the Ikron Corporation, he “would be dead or in prison.”He said thanks to his treatment, he was able to get hired to two jobs, get his life, family and some of his friends back.“If they cut funding, imagine if you were going to the zoo and let loose every violent animal — imagine what would happen?” Williams said.