Sen. Gayle Manning Holds Avon Office Hours

State senator Gayle Manning, a former teacher, showed her skill at engaging in a wide range of topics at Friday's office hours at .

About a half-dozen consitutuents showed up to discuss the political and the personal with the first-term senator from North Ridgeville.

One man spoke of trying to navigate settlements over his asbestos-related health problems.

Another man asked about House Bill 194, the election law that has garnered some backlash over voting rights concerns.

Manning said it is likely it will be repealed this week.

"We're looking for a fresh start on that," she said. 

Kathy and Del Burgess of Avon spoke of concern for their daughter, a doctor who is struggling with new Medicare systems and proceudures that mean she is owed tens of thousands of dollars by the federal government.

"She has two employees," Del said. "How is she supposed to pay their salaries?"

The Burgesses also spoke of frustration with Ohio not doing much in the matter of drugs and young people.

"Twenty-five years ago, we had state rehab facilities where young people with drug problems could go," he said. "They're gone now."

Without that help, Del said, he worried that more young people will end up in the prison system or dead.

Manning understood the frustration.

"It's hard when there is no money to be had," she said, speaking of a time when she was invited to a nursing home that was threatened because of state funding cuts. "The residents were worried about losing their home," Manning said.

But the staff of the home stepped up and found ways to save money and keep the nursing home open, she said.

"People step up when they have to," she said.