A Medina college student is among nine interns who will be working this summer in Sen. Rob Portman's office.

Matthew Leonardi is a senior at the University of Dayton, where he is studying criminal justice. He is the only intern from the Akron-Canton area, with the others hailing from across Ohio.

A public hearing on "Saving Our Federal Safety Net" will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 1.

The event will be at St. Paul AME Church, 1250 S. Hawkins Ave. in Akron.

State Rep. Zack Milkovich, D-Akron, will have a town hall meeting on right to work legislation that has been introduced in the Ohio House at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Kenmore Community Center, 880 Kenmore Blvd.

Two recently introduced bills, one sponsored by Rep. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson, would prohibit requirements that employees join or pay dues to a public or private unions. The bills may not gain the needed traction in the legislature, with the Republican leadership immediately indicating they weren't a priority.

Akron City Council passed a resolution objecting to an amendment to the state budget that would prohibit public universities from charging out-of-state to tuition if the university provides students with documentation that can be used as voter identification.

Democrats, including state Rep. Kathleen Clyde of Kent, are opposed to the provision, which they say is aimed at curbing the youth vote, which often tips Democratic. Republicans say the measure is intended to provide students with cheaper tuition.

State Rep. Kristina Roegner will again have her Legislator for a Day program to encourage students to read this summer.

To participate in the program, students in grades 1 to 6 may stop by any participating library, pick up a bookmark that they can use to document five books they read. Each completed bookmark serves as an entry form.

Akron City Council has added its voice to the outcry against installing a second juvenile court judge in Summit County.

Council approved a resolution Monday urging the Ohio Senate and Gov. John Kasich to remove an amendment to the state budget by Reps. Anthony DeVitis and Marilyn Slaby, the two Republican representatives from Summit County, that would add another juvenile court judge in the county.

Could the tea party and Constitution Party potentially join forces or create a new conservative party in Ohio?

Tom Zawistowski, the head of the Portage County Tea Party who lost his bid to become chairman of the Ohio Republican Party last week, is exploring this possibility. He warned that his failure to head the state party could result in a third party being formed.

U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge and Colin Goddard, a Virginia Tech shooting survivor, will discuss gun violence at a Summit County Progressive Democrats PAC event Friday evening.

The event will be at St. Joseph's Family Center, 610 W. Exchange St. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the program beginning at 7 p.m.