Mary Lightbody

Don’t laugh. The science geek in me loves that Medford is hilly so I get this view of a rocky outcrop next to my parking place.

I’m still busily unpacking what the moving van brought, and watching the farm auction results that I posted earlier. Help me clear the treasures out before the dumpster arrives!
An Auctionohio.com site:
bit.ly/Lightbody_farm_and_home_treasures

But also, my late husband’s baseball collection has been set up in a new Auction Ohio online site. The collection is from the 60’s …. Check it out too:
https://bit.ly/3TpDukU

Auction Ohio - Auctions Primary Pickup Date & Time: =moment(auction.local_pickup_date).tz(timezone).format('LLLL')?> from =moment(auction.pickup_start_time).tz(timezone).format('h:mm A') + ' to ' + moment(auction.pickup_end_time).tz(timezone).format('h:mm A')?>

It is true that I have decided to resign effective at 11:59 pm on January 9th. The Columbus Dispatch posted a breaking news story last evening and a more in-depth piece this morning.

I do this with regret but conviction that this is the right decision for me and my family. It has been an honor to serve and I deeply appreciate the confidence voters placed in me each time I ran for election. I loved the work and always did my best to help constituents, to draft and support strong legislative pieces to help families, support excellent education in Ohio, protect the environment, and create paths to employment and equal opportunities for health and well being.

I leave a vibrant and growing set of communities, and am sure that, with your support, the next State Representative in the district (whoever that may be) will be able to step in and continue these and other priorities.

Please forgive me that there was not time to give you this news personally before the news was public. I appreciate and thank you all.

On Monday I will be holding another Open Office event in Westerville, this time at the new CoHatch facility on State Street next to the Post Office. Come to talk with me and to see the miracle of renovation technology!

Please join me at my second town hall of 2023; learn about what's going on at the Ohio House and have an opportunity to ask questions and meet other residents in Ohio House District 4. Bring a neighbor or friend to help me reach others who are not on Facebook. There are postcards about the event at the Gahanna, New Albany, and Westerville Libraries as well.

Thursday, October 12, 7:30 pm at the Westerville Public Library.

Here is a great opportunity to help me make a difference as your state representative:
*Come to an event on August 2 at the Hayley Gallery in New Albany to learn about the back story on Issue One and the August 8 election. (5:30 - 7:00 pm)
*Hear my perspective on why this is SUCH an important opportunity for the voters in Ohio to raise their voices on a critical aspect in a democracy: checks and balances.
*Help me rebuild my campaign treasury after I sent out a mailing to voters in District 04 to make sure they know about the election on August 8.

Why did I send out the mail piece? I have been knocking on doors across the district and I am surprised at how many voters still do not know about Issue One and the opportunity to vote on or before August 8th.

I hope you can help! Donations of any amount are welcome; checks can be made out to the Friends of Mary Lightbody, and dropped off at the event, which I hope you will be able to attend, or mailed to my treasurer: Joshua Platt, 7447 Bentley Place, Westerville, OH 43082. Donations can also be made online. (https://secure.actblue.com/donate/marylightbody)

Thank you and I hope to see you at the event on the 2nd! Hayley made special arrangements to host this event for me, so I am counting on a good turnout!

It is a beautiful July day, and I am sitting outside at a Java Central table along State St. watching the traffic increase as Farmer’s Market shoppers start to arrive.

I’ll be here until 10:30 if you want to stop by to tell me what is on *your* mind today!

Happy Fourth of July! To celebrate the day, here is a rendition of Declaration of Independence!

To celebrate and honor the 247th birthday of our nation, 31 members of the Ohio House of Representatives (16 Democrats and 15 Republicans) collaborated to produce this video, recorded by the professionals at the Ohio Channel.

Many thanks to my colleague Sean Brennan, who organized this effort. He is now in his first term as a State Representative from Parma (District 14) but previously taught American history and government for three decades.

Although we do not always see eye to eye, on this day, of all days, we can all agree that the United States of American is the greatest nation on earth.

The reading of the Declaration of Independence can be viewed here:
www.ohiochannel.org/video/2023-declaration-of-independence-reading.

The Ohio Channel

I am out knocking doors in Gahanna, as are all the others in this group photo. A little rain? Never stopped a Lightbody! We have an important opportunity to vote on August 8. Please help us spread the news….

And if you can, please join us next week:

https://www.mobilize.us/ohdems/event/566622/

To all my Muslim friends and constituents - Happy Eid!

Not much left if you have not yet signed the petition to put reproductive rights on the ballot in November! Join me tomorrow to add your name to the list!

Gahanna - Volunteer to Collect Signatures for Repro Rights at the Creekside 5K · Protect Choice Ohio Volunteer to Collect Signatures for Repro Rights at the Creekside 5K! Meet volunteer lead in front of Creekside Upper Cup Coffee Shop

District 04 Town Hall TONIGHT 6:30 pm

I hope that you will join me tonight at 6:30 for my first Town Hall of the General Assembly at the Gahanna Library, 310 Granville Street, Gahanna, OH 43230.

I will be joined by my colleagues from neighboring House Districts to share more information about the People First Agenda, the State Budget, and other legislation of interest.

The special guest will be Franklin County Auditor Michael Stinziano. Ohio law requires properties to be fully reappraised every six years and Franklin County is expected to have a historic increase in home values. Auditor Stinziano will provide more information about this process and answer questions.

Yes, it was a misty moisty morning, but the dedicated Moms Demand Action group and I were in New Albany this morning, as were a team registering voters and collecting signatures for the reproductive rights ballot initiative.

The Herb n’ Arts Fair is happening today from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm (location: 73 W. Johnstown Rd, Gahanna, OH 43230.). I stopped by earlier and found ongoing stage performances by students, art creation stations, physical activities, food trucks, and more–all organized by the Community Art class.

The Herb n’ Arts Fair was created by the members of the GLHS Community Art class, and highlights the talents of our students and to showcase the Arts in the Gahanna District K-12. The Fair is created by students, for students, featuring students. I enjoyed talking to the art teachers at the High School student art booth - and recommend the event to everyone in the area!

Good morning! I am holding Office Hours this morning at the Starbucks (8070 Broad St., Columbus 43068) at the very southern edge of House District 04 in Blacklick! Come join me! I’ll be here until 11:00 am.

Didn’t know about this opportunity? I’ve not been posting to FB recently, so a better bet to stay informed would be to subscribe to my Statehouse newsletter.

https://ohiohouse.gov/members/mary-lightbody/newsletter-sign-up

The Tornado warning in Franklin County has me trapped at home and in my basement. Office Hours at the New Albany Library will be problematic, to say the least, so my Office Hours today must be cancelled!

I will reschedule as the Tornado
Warning is in place until 6:00pm. Your safety is of utmost importance to me, so please shelter in place and stay safe!

Please mark your calendars for these opportunities to meet me, to share information about an issue or concern, or to ask questions you may have about state government.

Note the first Open Office Hour on the schedule is tomorrow, February 18 at a Starbucks on Broad St., at the southern edge of House District 04!

I talked with these young college students at the Ohio Statehouse yesterday. I was a junior in college in 1973 when the Roe v. Wade decision was announced - just the age of these women when the Dobbs decision overturned Roe.

We were part of a larger group of people at the public rally, all of whom share the conviction that reproductive health for women should include the right to an abortion.

Today would have been the 50th year Anniversary of the Roe decision; I hope we can restore the constitutional right women across the US have had for so long to a full range of health care options.

Members of Sunrise Rotary and a speedy team of additional volunteers met at the this morning for a secondary event related to ! All the wreaths in the stack here were collected from the graves of veterans, with due respect, and are slated for pickup by the City of Westerville.

Spring will be here soon, with early snowdrops and daffodils not far behind.

I am pleased to be participating in the New Albany Citizens Police Academy this year. This is an important opportunity for me to better understand the department, the training the members of the department receive, and the important services they provide. They are community focused and a high functioning team! Stay tuned! I’ll post pictures from each session I attend!

2023 New Albany Citizen Police Academy Kick-Off On January 11, the annual New Albany Citizen Police Academy kicked off with 25 residents of New Albany, Plain Township and the New Albany-Plain Local School ...

As the State Representative for Ohio House District 4, I appreciate the opportunity to hold a swearing in ceremony in the district after the start of a new term. Tonight Mayor was kind enough to administer the Oath of Office for me, with an assist from Council member . The Mayor and I both signed the document and retained a copy for our records. I appreciated the opportunity and the forbearance of the New Albany City Council and attendees at the meeting.

In 2019 Mayor Tom Kneeland did the oath for me in the Gahanna City Council chamber. In 2021 Rev. Rick Villardo of the Westerville School Board and I stood in front of Emerson Elementary School with only my Legislative Aide Danielle DeLeon Spires as the audience of the administration of the Oath. It was New Albany’s turn this year, and I am grateful.

It is an honor to serve and I appreciate the opportunity to serve the residents and businesses in the northeast corner of Franklin County. Please get in touch if I can help you in any way: [email protected]

I am so very delighted to share this news - the Returning Teacher bill has been signed into law! I want to make sure that anyone within the reach of this post who had a valid teaching license or certificate, left teaching in good standing for other opportunities, but might now consider returning to the classroom learns of this new opportunity. The new law will take effect in 90 days, so could a return to teaching for the fall of 2023 be in *your* future?

This morning (1/4/23) marked the official launch of the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit program in 2023. The program was created when House Bill 95 (jointly sponsored by Rep. Susan Manchester and myself) was signed into law in late 2022.

Rep. Manchester and I were pleased to attend the Media Press conference today at the Foraged and Sown farm in West Jefferson, along with representatives from the Ohio Department of Agriculture, including Tracy Intihar, ODA Interim Director; Kate Hodges, Foraged & Sown Farms and her two partners, the Ohio Farm Bureau, and other hearty souls dressed for wet footing.

The barn was full of dried herbs on drying racks and smelled wonderful. The homemade drying rack system was impressive, and the herbal teas created at the farm are commercially available. The owners plan to tap into the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit program to expand their farm operations and encourage other beginning a farmers to do the same!

Read more: https://wkkj.iheart.com/alternate/amp/2023-01-04-ohio-department-of-agriculture-introduces-beginning-farmer-tax-credit/

It was a busy day at the Statehouse, but I managed to attend a reception for Rep. Abdullahi (with Senator Smith and his mom in the background), welcomed my 3 best friends and colleagues from District 04 whom I invited to attend), pose with Esther Kelsch in my office with our new District 4 map, *and* got sworn into office with 10 other Reps from Franklin County! A busy day.

We also elected Rep. Stephens as the new Speaker of the Ohio House.

So, all in all, off to a good start!

I needed to print new maps of my district - one for my office and one for Esther’s. The file for my new District 04 map is courtesy of the Franklin County Board of Elections. The printing? At the Westerville Public Library, second floor adult services and the plotter in the Technology Lab. Cost for two maps, 44x33”? $12.50.

Do you have a poster or oversized document to print? Send the file/s to [email protected] with instructions on paper (glossy or matte) and size! Call 614/882-7277, ext 4 for more information!