Signed into law

Signed into law

COLUMBUS

Gov. John Kasich has signed into law legislation pushing the state’s presidential primary back by one week.

Presidential primaries have taken place on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March. The new law will push the date back to the second Tuesday after the first Monday of that month.

The change will be in place for next year’s primary, as well as subsequent presidential primaries.

Backers say the move will allow Ohio to take advantage of rules adopted by the Republican National Committee requiring states with primaries between March 1 and March 14 to be subject to a proportional allocation of their delegates, while those with primaries on March 15 or later to award delegates on a “winner-takes-all” basis.

Pending legislation

COLUMBUS

Sections of U.S. Route 422 would be named in honor of a Cleveland civil-rights activist and longtime political consultant under legislation pending in the Ohio Senate. SB 77 proposes designating stretches of 422 in Cleveland and Youngstown as the Arnold R. Pinkney Memorial Way. In Youngstown, the naming would cover 422 from North Lane Avenue to state Route 616. Pinkney was born in Youngstown and graduated from the city’s school system. He was the strategist behind the election of Cleveland’s first black mayor and Ohio’s first black congressman and headed the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s 1984 presidential campaign. Pinkney died last year at 83.

Meeting postponed

YOUNGSTOWN

Today’s Mahoning County commissioners’ meeting has been postponed three hours due to the funeral of Richard A. Marsico, former county engineer. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. in St. Dominic Church. The commissioners will meet at 1 p.m. in the county courthouse basement.

Grand opening set

WARREN

The grand opening of the Warren Heritage Center, 303 Mahoning Ave. NW, will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday. Tours will be provided, and refreshments, an interactive time line and a scavenger hunt will be available. The event is free, but attendees are asked to bring a donation for the Warren Family Mission. The mission needs bathroom products, nonperishable food, powdered milk, cereal and items to make a meal.

Handwriting bill

COLUMBUS

The Ohio House began deliberations this week on bipartisan legislation that would require students to complete coursework in handwriting. “Cursive writing is not an outdated form of communication,” Rep. Cheryl Grossman, R-Grove City, a primary cosponsor, told members of the chamber’s Education Committee, where the legislation had its initial hearing. HB 146 would require “handwriting instruction in kindergarten through fifth grade to ensure that students develop the ability to print letters and words legibly by third grade and create readable documents using legible cursive handwriting by the end of fifth grade.”

More Digest on A10