HBAC #116: Owsley Brothers 'Food for the Fourth' and Katie DeLand

The summer interviews continue fast and furious! Listen to some of what’s happening in Hilliard right now!Hosts Kevin and Tim begin with a feature on Sam and Charlie Owsley, Hilliard siblings organizing “Food for the Fourth.” The brothers have launched a civic initiative to collect non-perishable food items from the crowd lining the route of Hilliard’s July 4th parade. Coordinating with city police and parade organizers, and securing help from friends, family, and the Hilliard Food Pantry, the brothers aim to bolster summer donations during a time of reduced inventory due to budget cuts. With support from Kroger and local church partners, the effort represents a great example of local youth in service.The episode then pivots to a full-team discussion with Katie DeLand, co-founder of Ohio Women Lead Right, on companion bills (SB167 and HB226) in the Ohio General Assembly that would require one-time parental age verification to regulate minors’ access to mobile apps. DeLand frames the legislation as a commonsense, streamlined method for restoring parental control over children's digital lives, contrasting it with more piecemeal or industry-friendly alternatives. The approach is modeled after Utah’s successfully implemented law, upheld in court despite First Amendment challenges.Throughout the conversation, DeLand and the Beacon team explore wider issues from digital consumer grooming and addictive app ecosystems to the challenge of enforcement and broader questions about how kids are socialized and viewed as a market in a tech-saturated world. The proposed law joins a larger package of efforts by Ohio’s GOP supermajority, including a provision in the state’s operating budget to restrict student phone use during school hours.The conversation underscores a bipartisan concern over the shaping influence of apps, advertising, and screen time on youth development even as Ohio Republicans diverge in their preferred policy remedies.The Hilliard Beacon is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hilliardbeacon.substack.com/subscribe