Liz Skalka, Cleveland Scene

Liz Skalka

Cleveland Scene

Wakefield, MA, United States

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Past:
  • Cleveland Scene
  • The Toledo Blade
  • Stamford Advocate
  • Connecticut Post
  • Greenwich Time
  • The News-Times
  • Westport News

Past articles by Liz:

New Poll Shows Biden Up 4 Points on Donald Trump in Ohio

A new poll that shows President Donald Trump trailing former Vice President Joe Biden in Ohio also reveals that Mr. Biden’s “strong” supporters here outnumber Mr. Trump’s, a snapshot of the state less than 100 days from an election that will determine whether Ohio continues its unmatched swing-state streak. → Read More

New Poll Shows Biden Up 4 Points on Donald Trump in Ohio

A new poll that shows President Donald Trump trailing former Vice President Joe Biden in Ohio also reveals that Mr. Biden’s “strong” supporters here outnumber Mr. Trump’s, a snapshot of the state less than 100 days from an election that will determine whether Ohio continues its unmatched swing-state streak. → Read More

Democratic early voting campaign rolls into Toledo

In the final stretch of the midterm campaign season, both parties are taking their messages on the road to get voters to the polls. Ohio Democrats rolled into Toledo Wednesday — the first day of early voting — as part of their statewide bus tour to get party faithful voting in close statewide races. A spokesman for the Ohio Republican Party said the GOP also has a bus tour planned later this… → Read More

In Ohio, few congressional races are proving competitive

Editor’s note: This article has been changed to reflect how many seats Democrats need to flip to reclaim the U.S. House of Representatives. While Democrats are hoping the midterms will produce a blue wave in several Ohio congressional races, Republicans don’t appear too concerned about the threat, especially in solidly red northwest Ohio districts. Upsets aren’t expected in the region’s 4th and… → Read More

Community groups fight low voter turnout

Neema Bell stood Tuesday on Dorr Street in the drizzling rain, sign in hand, wondering which driver would be the first to pull over and register to vote. She wasn’t in any hurry to get out of the rain and drivers, it appeared initially, weren’t in any hurry to park outside the headquarters of the Ohio Unity Coalition — even if meant they could register to vote in the Nov. 6 election without… → Read More

With President Trump or against him? Those on both sides take part in survey

This story is part of The Blade’s Bellwether Project, which asks a group of participants who reflect the demographic makeup of Lucas County about local and national issues to better understand the country’s shifting electorate. The group includes nine Democrats, eight Republicans, and eight others who identify as unaffiliated or members of other parties. It sounds like the setup of a bad joke or… → Read More

Faber's doctored photo of opponent with Pelosi stirs up Ohio auditor race

Republican Ohio auditor candidate Keith Faber is taking heat for a doctored photo of his opponent, Democrat Zack Space, that appears on an attack website. Mr. Space called out Mr. Faber, a state representative from Celina, for the altered photo, which shows him alongside House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. The original photo features Mr. Space’s 88-year-old father, Socrates J. Space, where Ms.… → Read More

Republicans target Wood County with Lara Trump visit

BOWLING GREEN — In the final leg of the midterm campaign season, Ohio Republicans are trying to revive momentum in swing districts where voters who had once chosen Democrats for president defied expectations in 2016 by supporting Donald Trump. In one such area — Wood County — senior Trump campaign adviser Lara Trump, the wife of President Trump’s son Eric, spoke to supporters at a luncheon… → Read More

International Festival a chance to explore Islam

They came to sample exotic food and maybe ride a camel, but stayed to learn about Islam and peek inside the imposing dome visible from I-75. For years, the International Festival hosted by the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo in Perrysburg has been a late-summer staple, offering visitors dishes from at least a dozen countries — and carrots for the camels, alpacas, and goats on display at the… → Read More

Obama swoops into Ohio to boost Democrat Rich Cordray

CLEVELAND — At a rally in a hot and sweaty high school gym, former President Obama laid into the current White House administration, deriding President Trump — though not by name — saying the issues at stake now in the country transcend party politics. “It’s not Democratic or Republican to say that’s not how democracy is supposed to work. It’s not partisan to not threaten freedom of press when… → Read More

Hemp shop owner says CBD oil will remain on shelves

Despite an advisory from the state pharmacy board stating that CBD oil — a non-intoxicating substance derived from hemp — has always been illegal in Ohio, the owner of a Toledo shop that has sold CBD products for years has no plans to pull them from his shelves. The Toledo Hemp Center offers more than 300 products made from hemp, a strain of the marijuana plant that contains less of the… → Read More

Millennials and the midterms: Young people say it's difficult to pay attention

What would it take to get people in their 20s and 30s to the polls for the midterm election? Jessie Lee, a 24-year-old speech therapist, thought it over for a minute. It was the million-dollar question at Home Slice Pizza’s trivia night, and one that eluded many of the young Toledoans drawn to beer and pies downtown on Wednesday. “I’m not as up to date as I should be,” said Ms. Lee, who admitted… → Read More

Three candidates competing for seat as Lucas County commissioner

An unusual three-way race for county commissioner features a Democratic former judge, a Republican newcomer, and an independent city councilman competing to replace a retiring member of Lucas County’s legal and managerial body. While many have narrowed the competition to two candidates — former Maumee Municipal Court Judge Gary Byers, the Democrat, and Toledo City Councilman and small-business… → Read More

Toledo parade celebrates union labor

After 24 years with the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 18, Hira Garrett doesn’t want to see Ohio become a right-to-work state. “I want it to stay union so every male and female can make a proper income to take care of their families,” the retired 61-year-old Toledo woman said as she waited Monday for the procession of pro-labor marchers to begin. Ohio is surrounded on nearly… → Read More

Records show House candidate struggled as police officer

A candidate for state House who made national headlines this year when he confronted Secretary of State Jon Husted about Ohio’s voter purging law resigned as a police officer in Fremont during his new-hire probation after supervisors questioned his temperament for the job, personnel records show. Joe Helle, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, was a patrol officer for eight… → Read More

Portman, former debate coach, reflects on McCain's life

WASHINGTON — On the Senate floor Tuesday, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman spoke about preparing Sen. John McCain to debate Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential bid, saying it was his job to get under the skin of a “fighter and tough competitor” while he stood in for the former president. “I took that role very seriously. Maybe too seriously on occasion,” said Mr. Portman, who was among a number of… → Read More

Ohio governor's race heats up as ads flood airwaves

Republican Mike DeWine has released the first attack ad in the governor's race, focusing on the backlog of rape kits when Democratic opponent Richard Cordray held the Attorney General post. YOUTUBE Enlarge On the heels of the gubernatorial race’s first attack ad — from Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine — Democrats fired back at Mr. DeWine’s boast of clearing backlogged rape kits by calling… → Read More

Ohio lawmakers respond to Cohen, Manafort developments

The dust is far from settled after an explosive day of mounting potential legal troubles for Donald Trump’s presidency. Tuesday saw the President’s personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen plead guilty to eight counts of tax evasion and campaign finance violations, while his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was found guilty of five tax fraud charges, two counts of bank fraud, and one charge… → Read More

County auditor running unopposed after GOP candidate drops out

Lucas County Auditor Anita Lopez delivers a presentation to the Springfield School Board and members of the public in August. The Blade/Katie Rausch Enlarge | Buy This Image The Republican candidate for county auditor dropped out of the race just days before the GOP’s deadline to find a replacement, leaving incumbent Anita Lopez running unopposed for a top countywide position. In an Aug. 10… → Read More

Bill would curb bank overdraft fees

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio), has introduced legislation that would curb the ability of banks to charge excessive overdraft fees. THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT Enlarge | Buy This Image U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown has introduced legislation that would curb the ability of banks to charge excessive overdraft fees, which many argue disproportionately affect those least able to afford them while… → Read More