Robert HiggsPolitiFact Ohio editor and deputy metropolitan editor, The Plain Dealer
Robert Higgs is the editor for PolitiFact Ohio and a deputy metropolitan editor for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland. He joined the newspaper in 1995 and has held a variety of editing positions, both with the paper's print staff and its online operation. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism from The Ohio State University and a juris doctorate from the University of Akron.
The latest Truth-O-Meter items from Robert Higgs
A bill delaying the start of classes until Labor Day would permit school districts "to shave 5 full weeks off the school year."
"Ohio has one of the highest provisional ballot rates in the country, and many of them go uncounted each election."
"We've seen more anti-women's choice bills introduced in the first half of this session than we've seen in the last three General Assemblies."
"Federal, state and local governments have subsidized the production of the Volt to the tune of estimates between $50,000 and $250,000 per vehicle sold."
Says Ohio has 77 job training programs spread across 13 state agencies.
"For the first time in 13 years, our dependence on foreign oil is below 50 percent."
Sherrod Brown "has voted with Barack Obama 95 percent of the time."
"We never had an earthquake in Youngstown until John Kasich was elected Governor,"
"More than one in five of veterans aged 20 to 24 can’t find a job to support their family or to ease the transition to civilian life."
"One generation ago we led the world in college graduation. We're 16th today."
Recent stories from Robert Higgs
Primary preview: Checking Mitt Romney's voting claimThe multi-state primary day, Super Tuesday, is less than a month away. Ohio is one of the key states voting that day, so we're spotlighting statements from the GOP presidential candidates. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said recently he "never voted for a Democrat when there was a Republican on the ballot." We looked into it and found that's a matter of interpretation.
Was Ohio runner up in the Sears derby?Ohio and several other states all were in the bidding to try to coax Sears to move its headquarters. But when PolitiFact Ohio tried to nail down a claim that the Buckeye State was runner up to Illinois, we found the answers elusive.
Will recess appointment handcuff consumer cop?Whether appropriately bold or outrageous, President Barack Obama stirred up the dust when he used a recess appointment to make former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray the nation’s consumer financial cop. We were intrigued by an argument put forth by Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio: that Obama might have limited Cordray’s ability to do his full job because of the way he put the Ohioan in the director’s chair. But sorting the issue out on the Truth-O-Meter proved to be a challenge.
Dave Thomas anecdote a favorite from 2011State Rep. Jay Hottinger served up a Whopper, er, Classic Triple, when he told a story about Wendy's founder Dave Thomas to illustrate why Ohio should repeal it's estate tax. We said "Where's the beef?" and made it one of our favorites from 2011.
Sherrod Brown's Red Sox claim one of 2011's big hitsSen. Sherrod Brown hurled a high hard one in defense of the Cleveland Indians when he got some good-natured ribbing on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program. We raised our Chief Wahoo mug of morning Joe in salute and picked his claim about the Red Sox as one of the year's favorites.
Location, location, location a favorite for 2011Location is commonly cited as the most important consideration in buying real estate, and geographic location was the reason that Cleveland once was tagged as being -- or occupying -- "the best location in the nation." Gov. John Kasich put a new spin on that pitch to help sell Ohio. His claim became one of our favorites of 2011.
Claim of foul deeds false, but a favorite from 2011Demonstrations outside the Ohio Statehouse provided lasting images from the debate over Senate Bill 5, a proposal to restrict collective bargaining rights for organized labor. But did they do the particularly foul act that Senate President Tom Niehaus cited?
Canadian anecdote lands on 2011 favorites listOhio House Speaker William G. Batchelder loves telling a good story. An anecdote about a top Canadian official seeking medical treatment in Ohio that he included in a floor speech got our attention and became one of our favorite items for 2011.
Water pollution claim tapped for favorites listWater pollution from sanitary sewer and storm runoff has long been a concern for one Cleveland councilman. His ward has nearly 2 miles of Lake Erie shoreline, much of which is public beach. He compared the water quality to that of the Third World. We tapped as one of our favorites for the year. Could it really be that bad?
Invasive species claim sails onto our favorites listInvasive species, like zebra mussels, round gobies and bloody red shrimp, have hitchhiked into the Great Lakes from foreign ports in the ballast water that ships take on for stability. So we were surprised when Rep. Steve LaTourette commented that the problem of invasive species in the Great Lakes today was due to ballast. We checked out the claim then. And now we've picked it as one of our favorites for the year.
We want to hear your suggestions and comments. Email the Ohio Truth-O-Meter with feedback and with claims you'd like to see checked. If you send us a comment, we'll assume you don't mind us publishing it unless you tell us otherwise.
