http://www.wksu.org/news/ WKSU News Headlines en-us Copyright 2012, WKSU Radio Fri, 3 Feb 2012 19:16:51 -0500 WKSU RSS Generator 1.2 This year's finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame include Ohio natives Cris Carter of the Vikings, and Edward DeBartolo, former owner of the San Francisco 49ers. But, as WKSU's Kabir Bhatia reports, visitors to the Hall in Canton have one name they want to see enshrined this year. WKSU's Kabir Bhatia reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30687 Fri, 3 Feb 2012 17:13:30 -0500 Kabir Bhatia Sports Ohio's pension plans should be getting millions of dollars they lost as part of a bad investment. Statehouse correspondent Jo Ingles reports. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30686 Fri, 3 Feb 2012 16:42:29 -0500 Jo Ingles Ohio A Cleveland charter school is closing sooner than expected after years of financial trouble. The state had scheduled to close Marcus Garvey Academy in June but the school voted instead tol shut down on February 20th, The school had been hit with more than $350,000 in audit findings and also dealt with a cheating scandal where the answers on standardized tests were changed. Stanley Miller, former director of the Cleveland NAACP who took over the school last summer, says Marcus Garvey was given no chance to survive. Ozzie Ikuenobe reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30685 Fri, 3 Feb 2012 16:16:15 -0500 Ozzie Ikuenobe Education The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's office has said that a Florida man accused of illegally flipping hundreds of homes directly contributed to the housing blight in greater Cleveland. Blaine Murphy was arraigned Thursday on charges that he forged the deeds under the name Bryce Peters Financial. Assistant County Prosecutor Michael Jackson said Murphy never filed the appropriate paperwork stating that he was flipping the houses that had major problems. GRANT ENGLE reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30684 Fri, 3 Feb 2012 15:56:56 -0500 GRANT ENGLE Crime and Courts WKSU's Jeff St. Clair reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30680 Fri, 3 Feb 2012 10:06:42 -0500 Jeff St. Clair Controversial education advocate Diane Ravitch is in Cleveland today  to talk about school reform. The one-time supporter of school choice and standardized testing now backs teacher unions and says charter schools undermine public education. StateImpact Ohio's Ida Lieszkovszky  sat down with Ravitch to get her thoughts on school reform. WKSU's Ida Lieszkovszky reports. http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/2012/02/03/q-a-former-assistant-education-secretary-diane-ravitch-on-why-she-changed-her-mind/ Fri, 3 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Ida Lieszkovszky Education Farmers markets are sprouting up all over Northeast Ohio like hardy seedlings in fertile ground.  Outdoors in summer and indoors in winter, the markets are teeming with hungry locavores. WKSU's Vivian Goodman reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30437 Fri, 3 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Vivian Goodman Lifestyle As drilling rigs fan out over Ohio, an anti-fracking movement is spreading too.  But WKSU's Tim Rudell reports that discussions - like the one in Youngstown Thursday night  is no longer as likely to be pro and con as it is to be an examination of  the nuances of science, law and the economy.  WKSU's Tim Rudell reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30679 Thu, 2 Feb 2012 22:26:17 -0500 Tim Rudell Environment A bill banning insider trading by members of Congress got a "yes" vote from both of Ohio's senators yesterday. But it got only qualified support from one of them.  Republican Sen. Rob Portman, praised the bill, saying it "ensures that those who abuse their access to inside information will be held accountable."    Ohio's other senator, Democrat Sherrod Brown, also voted for the Stock Act. But an amendment he offered would have gone much further by requiring lawmakers to sell stocks that could create conflicts of interest or to put the stock in a blind trust. WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30677 Thu, 2 Feb 2012 20:26:42 -0500 M.L. Schultze Ohio Cleveland's casino likely won't know for a few more weeks just when it will open. But its owner, Rock Gaming, is interviewing for security, administrative and retail positions through Friday. The invitation-only event at Quicken Loans Arena will choose 700 people from more than 24,000 applicants.  The casino has committed to hiring at least 90 percent of its workforce from Northeast Ohio. Recruiting for table game dealers began last fall, and about 600 candidates are currently in training. Jennifer Kulczycki, spokeswoman for Horseshoe Cleveland, said more than 36,000 people in all have applied for casino jobs, ranging from dealers to security guards. WKSU's Vivian Goodman and GRANT ENGLE report. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30672 Thu, 2 Feb 2012 18:46:49 -0500 Vivian Goodman and GRANT ENGLE Economy and Business Former Ohio State University football coach Jim Tressel is headed to the University of Akron - again. StateImpact Ohio's Molly Bloom reports that the school announced Thursday that Tressel will be hired as Vice President for Strategic Engagement, effective May 1.  WKSU's Molly Bloom reports. http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/2012/02/02/university-of-akron-hires-jim-tressel-to-bring-his-apostolic-magic-to-northeast-ohio Thu, 2 Feb 2012 17:59:37 -0500 Molly Bloom Education A think tank on the political left says that if an oil and gas drilling boom really does come to Ohio as predicted.....taxes on the drillers should be hiked. The mere mention of the idea has leaders of the drilling industry seeing red. Statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen reports. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30669 Thu, 2 Feb 2012 17:28:24 -0500 Bill Cohen Economy and Business The process of drawing legislative and congressional lines for Ohio still leaves a bad taste in the mouths of some of the state's leaders. Some of them want to change the process now. Included is Republican Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted. He thinks the process of redrawing congressional district maps is not a compliment to lawmakers. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30668 Thu, 2 Feb 2012 16:44:11 -0500 Jo Ingles Politics Akron-area Rep. Lynn Slaby  is a step closer to leaving the Statehouse. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Nominating Council sent his name and three others to Gov. John Kasich today. Kasich will be appointing one of them to a five-year term on the commission beginning in April. Slaby is in his first term in the Ohio House. A Republican, he's also a retired prosecutor and judge. Twenty people put their names in for the PUCO spot. The other Northeast Ohioan who made the final cut is Michael Verich of Warren, a Democrat who spent 12 years on the State Employment Relations Board, and whom Kasich appointed last year to the Ohio Lottery Commission.   WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30667 Thu, 2 Feb 2012 16:08:25 -0500 M.L. Schultze Politics Ohio lawmakers are reconsidering a requirement that an eighth of the state's energy come from wind, solar and other renewable resources by the year 2025.  But, as WKSU's Kabir Bhatia reports, utility companies are still shopping for the renewables. WKSU's Kabir Bhatia and MARANDA SHREWSBERRY report. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30666 Thu, 2 Feb 2012 15:52:49 -0500 Kabir Bhatia and MARANDA SHREWSBERRY Environment Tressel hired by U of A, but not as a coach Judge Celebrezze mentioned in Dimora case JobsOhio identifies key business sectors WKSU's Kabir Bhatia reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30661 Thu, 2 Feb 2012 12:14:35 -0500 Kabir Bhatia Ohio WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30660 Thu, 2 Feb 2012 08:48:28 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Ohio Deborah Delisle served as Ohio's Superintendent of Public Instruction from 2008 to 2011. Now, she's heading to DC. President Barack Obama has nominated her to a top post in the U.S. Department of Education. StateImpact Ohio's Molly Bloom spoke with Delisle this week. WKSU's Molly Bloom reports. http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/2012/02/01/former-ohio-schools-chief-deb-delisle-explains-what-ohio-can-teach-the-nation/ Thu, 2 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Molly Bloom Education Next week Ohio Gov. John Kasich will take his first State of the State address on the road to northeast Ohio.  The governor will travel to Steubenville to honor the state's top performing elementary school, report on his first year in office, and give his blueprint for the remainder of his term.  But as Tom Borgerding of member station WOSU reports the city is most interested in his jobs message. Tom Borgerding reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30664 Thu, 2 Feb 2012 14:57:54 -0500 Tom Borgerding Government A courtroom artist used to be a full time job at TV stations and newspapers. But now, most courts allow still and video cameras. So you're unlikely to see a person with a sketchpad -- outside of an occasional high-profile federal trial where the ban on cameras continues. WKSU's Mark Urycki reports that the federal corruption trial of former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora has the media turning back to the old courtroom art form. WKSU's Mark Urycki reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30639 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Mark Urycki Crime and Courts White Nose Syndrome has been discovered among bats living in a Summit County park, the latest confirmation of a spreading disease that has wipe out more than five million bats in eastern North America.  Biologist with the metro parks system have confirmed the fungus among bats living in the caves and ledges of Liberty Park near Twinsburg.  The disease was first discovered in New York state in 2007, and the first case turned up in Ohio last year.  Ann Froschauer  is the white-nose syndrome communications leader for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service. She says the concern about the fast-spreading killer is the variety of bat populations it can infect. WKSU's M.L. Schultze and JEFF ST. CLAIR report. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30658 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 17:58:58 -0500 M.L. Schultze and JEFF ST. CLAIR Environment Some county agenices have trimmed their budget requests by even more than the 23% reductions the Commissioners requested, and it looks like expenses could still exceed revenue by half a million dollars or so. WKSU's Tim Rudell has more on Wednesday's hearings on a budget that - even with a new sales tax - is tight. WKSU's Tim Rudell reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30656 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 17:55:50 -0500 Tim Rudell Government A Northeast Ohio judge's new program will help homeowners in Summit County save money in case a partner dies. Probate Court Judge Todd McKenney says a review of homes in Reminderville, north of Akron, found that one third did not have what's called "survivorship" language. That provision gives sole ownership of a home to the living spouse when a death certificate is filed. McKenney says having the provision can save a spouse up to 3-thousand dollars in court fees. And he says the court will save money as well. WKSU's Valerie Brown reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30653 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 17:03:19 -0500 Valerie Brown Government Activists of a plan to make Ohio a so-called right-to-work state have cleared another legal hurdle, but they still have far to go before they can put their plan onto the ballot for voters to decide. Statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen reports. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30652 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 16:49:14 -0500 Bill Cohen Politics Honda has announced yet another expansion of its car manufacturing operations in Ohio. Company officials hope it will spark a revival of the Japanese company. Ohio Public Radio's Bill Cohen traveled to one of Honda's plants in a small western Ohio town to get the details. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30650 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:57:24 -0500 Bill Cohen Ohio The Ohio Parole board has denied clemency to a death row inmate who was convicted of setting his home on fire with his family inside, killing his three year old son. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30649 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:45:50 -0500 Jo Ingles Crime and Courts WKSU's Jeff St. Clair reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30648 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 11:40:47 -0500 Jeff St. Clair WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30647 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 07:53:56 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Ohio A transportation agency panel has voted unanimously to push back some major road work projects for years - and in some cases, decades - because there isn't enough money to finish them. But Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler reports this vote isn't the final word on the issue. WKSU's Karen Kasler reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30646 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 05:27:42 -0500 Karen Kasler Ohio Today is when the best high school athletes in the country sign letters of intent to play sports on college scholarships. With that, come some unrealistic expectations and pressures for students, parents, and coaches. WKSU commentator Terry Pluto talks to Amanda Rabinowitz about National Signing Day - that's ballooned from a simple, signed fax to a nationally-televised event.  WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30645 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 04:53:03 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Sports County services for municipalities, jobs for veterans, and making downtown Cleveland the showplace of Cuyahoga County. Those are some of the items in a 12-point plan laid out by County Executive Ed FitzGerald today in his second state of the county address. As WKSU's Kevin Niedermier reports, his "Western Reserve Plan" is aimed at making Cuyahoga County more prosperous and cohesive. WKSU's Kevin Niedermier reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30655 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 17:48:39 -0500 Kevin Niedermier Government The trial of former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora was unexpectedly halted today (Tues) when a key witness became ill.      WKSU's Mark Urycki reports former county employee J. Kevin Kelley testified in the morning but never returned after a federal courtroom break. WKSU's Mark Urycki reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30644 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:14:08 -0500 Mark Urycki Crime and Courts Akron businesses that have been fudging city income tax returns may want to pay up. City leaders say they've got some powerful new tools for catching tax cheats. But, before they fully roll those out, they're offering a one-time, no-penalty amnesty to companies that come forward and pay what they owe. WKSU's Tim Rudell reports. WKSU's Tim Rudell reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30643 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:12:20 -0500 Tim Rudell Government Backers of the controversial heartbeat abortion bill that's stalled right now in the Ohio Senate are trying a new tactic to get Senators to take up the bill soon. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30642 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:46:40 -0500 Jo Ingles Ohio A report released Tuesday says Ohio may lose nearly 200 thousand jobs in auto-parts manufacturing over the next ten years. The report from the Economic Policy Institute says China's trade policy is hurting U.S. auto-parts manufacturers. The report says China subsidizes its auto-parts industry at a cost of almost 28 billion dollars. Susan Helper is a professor of economics at Case Western Reserve University. She says state and local governments can take steps other than cutting taxes to support auto-parts companies here in Ohio. WKSU's Valerie Brown reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30641 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:39:07 -0500 Valerie Brown Economy and Business Ohio pit bull owners may no longer have to buy pricey liability insurance for their dogs. The Ohio Senate has approved a House bill that waives the insurance requirement for specific breeds. Republican Senator Mark Waggoner says under his plan, local communities can still set their own rules to control vicious dogs. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30638 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:42:09 -0500 Jo Ingles Ohio The Great Lakes Commission says it has three ways to keep invasive and voracious Asian carp out of the Great Lakes - at a cost of up to $9.5 billion. The group wants to separate the lakes from the Mississippi River watershed by installing barriers in the Chicago shipping channel. A study released today outlines three options: a single barrier, a system of four barriers and system of five.Tim Eder is director of the Great Lakes Commission. He says the cheapest and most flexible of the options for Chicago is the four-barrier plan.   WKSU's Laura Fong reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30636 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:04:33 -0500 Laura Fong Environment Early primary voting in Ohio is underway Ohio's governor is heading to a world energy conference No slow traffic in the left-hand lane Great Lakes group says stalling Asian carp can't wait Dimora trial suspended WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30634 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:26:16 -0500 M.L. Schultze Ohio Democrats are deep in the minority in the Ohio House. But that's not stopping them from unveiling a long list of priorities. Topping the list is a plan to give the state's budget surplus to cities and schools to reverse employee layoffs. But the Democrats aren't likely to get their way. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30632 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:49:16 -0500 Bill Cohen Government WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30631 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:47:39 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Ohio Ohio's inspector general is supposed to serve as a watchdog against corruption in the executive branch of state government. But some are criticizing the current inspector general for actions they say are not in the interest of taxpayers. There is a call now to change the way the I.G. is appointed. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30627 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Bill Cohen Politics As Florida voters go to the polls for a critical Republican primary today, Ohio voters can start cast their ballots as well. WKSU's Karen Kasler reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30625 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Karen Kasler Politics The number of homeless youth in Ohio is on the rise, more than doubling since 2005. Many of these young people know a degree is their best bet to get out of homelessness, but as StateImpact: Ohio's Ida Lieszkovszky reports, getting A's can be tough when you're looking for a roof to sleep under. WKSU's Ida Lieszkovszky reports. http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/2012/01/30/student-homelessness-is-on-the-rise-in-ohio/ Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Ida Lieszkovszky Education The unemployment rate among Ohio veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is 15 percent. For younger vets - 18-to-24 - it's even higher. One out of every five don't have jobs. Efforts to change that are increasingly relying on veterans themselves. WKSU's M.L. Schultze and LAURA FONG report. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30633 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:05:09 -0500 M.L. Schultze and LAURA FONG Economy and Business First Energy's decision to close four coal-burning plants along Lake Erie may cost as many as 500 jobs. But it also is expected to save millions of fish. Rick Unger is the president of the Lake Erie Charter Boat Association. He says he's sorry to see the plants shut down, but expects the charter fishing industry to benefit. OZIE IKUENOBE reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30629 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:10:44 -0500 OZIE IKUENOBE Environment Some key Ohio Republicans are talking about changing the election law their party passed last year. And they want lawmakers to act before voters get a chance to decide the issue this fall. The law would curtail early and absentee voting, and make other changes. But most of the changes are stalled because opponents of the law gathered enough signatures to force a voter referendum in November. Ohio's Republican Secretary of State, Jon Husted, says all that is causing confusion, and lawmakers should change the law as it is on the books. But some voting-rights advocates say now is not the time to do that. Greg Moore of Fair Elections Ohio says applying one set of rules to the March primary and another to the November general election could confuse voters. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30624 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:46:19 -0500 Jo Ingles Politics Ohio's 88 county boards of elections begin early voting tomorrow  for the March 6th primary. WKSU's M.L. Schultze has more on the preparations for Ohio's Super Tuesday election.   WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30622 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:58:17 -0500 M.L. Schultze Politics Clarification: Akron was among the earliest Ohio cities to adopt the technology.  The Sheffield digester is the first in the region funded by USDA's REAP program.A town in Lorain County is about to become one of the first communities in Northeast Ohio to power its waste-water treatment plant with another kind of waste. The French Creek Waste Water treatment plant in Sheffield Village plans to bring a biodigester on line this spring. It uses bacteria in an environment devoid of oxygen to turn municipal waste into methane gas - and eventually into electricity that will run the treatment plant. The biodigester is being built with the help of more than 2 million dollars in federal loans and grants. And in an interview this morning (Monday), U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the investment is worthwhile. WKSU's M.L. Schultze and Jeff St. Clair report. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30621 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:35:59 -0500 M.L. Schultze and Jeff St. Clair Environment Casino construction company awaits word from OSHA Petro says block schedules could accelerate degrees Biodigester to fuel waste-treatment plant Should Cleveland hiring still be making up for racial discrimination? Teens and driving take a dip Willie Nelson backs Kucinich in Lorain    WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30620 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:27:01 -0500 M.L. Schultze Ohio WKSU's Jeff St. Clair reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30619 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:14:15 -0500 Jeff St. Clair A new poll of shows that half of 18- to 29-year-olds view President Obama favorably.  WKSU's Kabir Bhatia has more on the read on young voters heading into this year's presidential election. WKSU's Kabir Bhatia and OZZIE IKUENOBE report. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30618 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:31:11 -0500 Kabir Bhatia and OZZIE IKUENOBE Politics How many engineers does it take to change a light bulb?  Five. But it took an act of Congress to make it practical.  In this week's Exploradio we meet a small group of engineers at GE's East Cleveland lighting headquarters who are changing the light bulb as we know it. WKSU's Jeff St. Clair reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30617 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Jeff St. Clair Science and Technology Slot machines at racetracks......Speed limits......undocumented immigrants....and newly-passed changes in election rules. Ohio legislators plan to talk about all those issues this week. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30592 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Bill Cohen Government The operating permit for one of the few alternatives to the deep-injection wells that handle the wastewater created by fracking is set to expire  this week. WKSU's M.L. Schultze has more on the continuing question of what to do with the leftovers from the region's oil and gas drilling boom. WKSU's M.L. Schultze and GRANT ENGLE report. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30616 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:00:32 -0500 M.L. Schultze and GRANT ENGLE Ohio Ohioans who want to ban dog auctions in Ohio are one step closer to that goal. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles has details. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30612 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:02:28 -0500 Jo Ingles Politics Democrats who've worked to put a recently passed, controversial election reform law up for a referendum this fall are now hinting they might be willing to take it off the ballot if one condition is met. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30606 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:38:11 -0500 Jo Ingles Politics An investigation is underway in Cincinnati following a partial collapse during construction of a casino that sent about a dozen workers to area hospitals with non life-threatening injuries. From Ohio Public Radio member station WVXU, Tana Weingartner reports the accident comes just a month after a similar incident in Cleveland. TANA WEINGARTNER reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30595 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:04:16 -0500 TANA WEINGARTNER Economy and Business Cincinnati casino collapsesecond case for Craigslist killings suspect postponedLeBron James "less-than-thrilled" with Heat http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30591 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:25:52 -0500 WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30590 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:17:25 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Ohio One of the sweetest treats at Northeast Ohio's farmers' markets is produced by the region's own very industrious bees.   The National Honey Board has a website where health-conscious consumers can locate home-grown honey.  But for this week's "Quick Bite", WKSU's Vivian Goodman had to look no further than Bath. WKSU's Vivian Goodman reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30395 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Vivian Goodman Lifestyle Governor John Kasich is promising tough new rules on oil and gas drilling in Ohio that uses the relatively new technique called horizontal fracking. That's where shafts are drilled parallel to the land's surface, chemical-laden water is pumped in under high pressure, and the fuel that's trapped inside underground shale is released. Environmental groups worry about soil and water pollution, but Kasich says he will propose -- within two months -- a set of new rules that could resolve their fears. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30588 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:19:04 -0500 Bill Cohen Environment The announcement that dozens of the state's major road projects will be delayed for 10 years or more is drawing reactions from state lawmakers. The leader of Democrats in the Ohio House says he wonders why the Department of Transportation is scaling back so drastically and so suddenly."We had the budget cut hundreds of millions/billions from local govts and schools and the governor used that to justify senate bill 5. We need sb 5 because of cuts we made in schools. And I am concerned, I don't know if this is a fact but I wonder if this is a set up for selling the turnpike."Republican Senate President Tom Niehaus says the lack of money for the projects, including the second phase of the Innerbelt bridge in Cleveland, is real. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30587 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:12:24 -0500 Jo Ingles Government A report from Forbes magazine this week said the Cleveland Cavaliers value has dropped by nearly one-third since LeBron James left the team as a free agent in 2010. The magazine appraises the Cavs at $329 million, a 7 percent decrease from last year's assessment. Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith College in Massachusetts, said that Cavs fans shouldn't worry about the team's value because provisions of the new collective bargaining agreement benefit small market teams like Cleveland. GRANT ENGLE reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30586 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:59:34 -0500 GRANT ENGLE Sports Ohioans are set to vote on a referendum on  a controversial election overhaul that majority Republicans pushed through the Legislature last year. Minority Democrats succeeded in getting enough petition signatures to put that issue on the ballot so voters have a chance to kill it.  But now, Ohio's top elections official  -- Republican Jon Husted -- is suggesting lawmakers repeal that law. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30584 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:46:08 -0500 Jo Ingles Ohio Four aging, northern Ohio, coal-fired power plants are slated to close this fall because they can't meet new EPA air pollution standards.  WKSU's Kabir Bhatia has more on Thursday's announcement from Akron-based FirstEnergy... WKSU's Kabir Bhatia and GRANT ENGLE report. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30581 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:30:56 -0500 Kabir Bhatia and GRANT ENGLE Environment First Energy closing coal plants United-Continental reports 2011 results WKSU's Kabir Bhatia reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30578 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:18:44 -0500 Kabir Bhatia To help get small business loans flowing, Cuyahoga County is backing the financial investments a group of local banks have agreed to make. The county is using its $100 million economic development loan fund to guarantee the bank loans if a business defaults. County Executive Ed FitzGerald calls the public/private partnership a unique model that he expects other counties to copy.. WKSU's Kevin Niedermier reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30577 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:16:16 -0500 Kevin Niedermier Economy and Business Ohio governor John Kasich is defending his decision to deliver his annual state-of-the-state address in Steubenville. Some state legislators, Republicans and Democrats alike, have opposed moving the speech from its traditional setting at the statehouse. But Kasich argues it's a positive move. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30576 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:13:18 -0500 Bill Cohen Politics WKSU's Jeff St. Clair reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30574 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:16:34 -0500 Jeff St. Clair It's been a tough few years for teachers. Classes are bigger. Pay is down. Benefits cost more. Pensions are under threat. And, in the last year, teachers across the Midwest have been at the center of collective bargaining fights in Wisconsin and Ohio. With all that, what's it like to be a teacher now? Dan Bobkoff of our Changing Gears team has a snapshot. Dan Bobkoff reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30573 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:14:08 -0500 Dan Bobkoff Education A dozen new county-wide land banks are up and running in Ohio.  They are to help deal with a problem growing to crisis proportions in the state's urban areas. Tim Rudell has more on the expanding effort to do something positive with an inventory of dilapidated houses that communities don't have the resources to handle alone. WKSU's Tim Rudell reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30570 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Tim Rudell Other Stories A Public Utilities Commission of Ohio director says better maintenance by Dominion East Ohio may have prevented a series of explosions and fires in a Cleveland suburb a year ago. A failed pressure regulator for a natural gas pipeline in Fairport Harbor caused 1 point 3 million dollars in damage to properties--including six houses and a dozen buildings. John Williams is with the service monitoring and enforcement department of PUCO. He says water and other fluids collected in the pit that housed the regulator and prevented it  from functioning properly. WKSU's Valerie Brown reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30567 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Valerie Brown Government Two veteran political consultants say the presidential race is going to be close in Ohio. And Democrat Gerald Austin and Republican Mark Weaver told an audience of the Akron Press Club today that the U.S. senator's race is Sherrod Brown's to lose. But he could still lose it. WKSU's Mark Urycki has more on the political guesswork. WKSU's Mark Urycki reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30589 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:28:54 -0500 Mark Urycki Politics The Ohio ballot board says there's no reason to split a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow medical marijuana into more than one part. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles has details. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30569 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:06:55 -0500 Jo Ingles Health and Medicine A state lawmaker from Cincinnati says the federal government needs to step in to oversee voting in Hamilton County this fall.Representative Alicia Reece is asking U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to step in and send federal monitors to her home county in November. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30564 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:42:00 -0500 Jo Ingles Health and Medicine Some of the four new gambling casinos being built across Ohio are being helped by publicly-funded colleges to get set up. Statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen reports that's especially true when it comes to finding workers. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30563 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:32:13 -0500 Bill Cohen Ohio The Ohio Supreme Court says small, monetary gifts from a non-custodial parent, who hasn't made court-ordered payments, don't count as child support. Statehouse Correspondent Karen Kasler reports this has implications for step-parents who may adopt a spouse's child WKSU's Karen Kasler reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30562 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:15:24 -0500 Karen Kasler Government Fracking wastewater treatment plant battles the state to stay open Fair Finance trustee says some investors need to give back Northeast Ohio congressional delegation splits on party lines on State of the Union Ohio Supreme Court draws parental rights lines  WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30560 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:34:21 -0500 M.L. Schultze Ohio WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30556 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:47:17 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Ohio Indians fans were stunned last week when veteran pitcher Fausto Carmona was arrested in his native Dominican Republic for using a fake identity. His real name is Roberto Hernandez Heredia, and he's 31 years old - three years older than the Indians list him. Carmona is the second major leaguer in recent months to get busted for a fake identity. A Miami Marlins pitcher is still detained in the Dominican after his arrest last September. WKSU commentator Terry Pluto talks to Amanda Rabinowitz about Carmona and the Dominican Republican, which has long been Major League Baseball's pipeline for young talent. WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30555 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:19:29 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Sports The new owners of a failed vacation lodge southeast of Canton hope to give it a fresh start as housing for the thousands of workers in Ohio's growing shale-drilling industry.  WKSU's M.L. Schultze and VALERIE BROWN report. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30551 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 M.L. Schultze and VALERIE BROWN Economy and Business The public has had its first chance to weigh in on new plans to reshape Cleveland's lakefront. City officials held a public hearing Wednesday to review the long awaited blueprint unveiled last November.  WKSU's Kevin Niedermier was there and filed this report. WKSU's Kevin Niedermier reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30572 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:24:09 -0500 Kevin Niedermier Economy and Business The jurors seated in the racketeering trial of former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora have put their lives on hold for a long haul. The trial in Akron federal court is expected to last as much three months with testimony from as many as 90 witnesses. That raises questions about who has the time, the means and the stamina to serve on lengthy trials - and how that impacts the diversity of the jury.  WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30531 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Government President Obama to speak about "An America Built to Last" http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30554 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:27:31 -0500 Politics A group of women who've had abortions and now regret the decision are urging state senators to pass a bill that would ban abortions when a fetal heartbeat can be detected--as early as three weeks. Kerri Butler of Northern Ohio says it's been difficult to come to terms with the abortion she had when she was younger. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30553 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:06:56 -0500 Jo Ingles Government The Northeast Ohio senator who leads minority Democrats in the Ohio Senate is leaving her leadership post. Capri Cafaro's was elected in 2007 and became minority leader in 2009. Her district covers Trumbull and Ashtabula counties. Cafaro says she wants to concentrate her energies here in her district. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30552 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:27:49 -0500 Jo Ingles Politics The National Rifle Association and other backers of gun-owner rights are pushing Ohio legislators again to relax the rules on carrying concealed weapons. Ohio police, though, are pushing back. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30550 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:06:46 -0500 Bill Cohen Government The staff of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is recommending a half-million dollar fine against Dominion East Ohio Gas for the explosions that did more than a million dollars damage to Fairport Harbor a year ago. WKSU's M.L. Schultze and MARANDA SHREWSBERERY report. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30549 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:31:31 -0500 M.L. Schultze and MARANDA SHREWSBERERY Ohio The governor's plan to take his annual State of the State speech on the road got mixed reactions in the state Legislature. WKSU's Karen Kasler reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30548 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:48:05 -0500 Karen Kasler Some advertisements for job openings make it clear that the employers want to hire only people who currently have jobs. Some Statehouse lawmakers say that's unfair, and they're pushing for a new law to ban those kinds of ads. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30547 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:30:41 -0500 Bill Cohen Government WKSU's Jeff St. Clair reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30546 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:27:01 -0500 Jeff St. Clair WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30545 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:15:42 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Ohio  The dice won't be rolling as soon as expected, but most people counting on Cleveland's and Toledo's casinos to open in March are adjusting. The openings could be delayed until June because of licensing holdups at the newly formed Ohio Casino Control Commission                      WKSU's Kevin Niedermier reports on how the delay is affecting people counting on jobs, business and taxes from what will be one of the biggest money makers in town. WKSU's Kevin Niedermier reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30535 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Kevin Niedermier Economy and Business Two Northeast Ohio Marine vets will be in the audience at tonight's State of the Union address. They're among the 23 veterans of the Iraq war accompanying members of Congress. WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports on a bipartisan effort marking tonight's address. WKSU's M.L. Schultze and LAURA FONG and KABIR BHATIA report. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30544 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 M.L. Schultze and LAURA FONG and KABIR BHATIA People Advocates for school choice in Ohio say 2011 was a good year for them. They praise state lawmakers for doubling the number of vouchers that would pay for children to attend private schools. Jason Warner of School Choice Ohio says there are four areas where his group plans to focus its energy in 2012. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30543 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:06:01 -0500 Jo Ingles Ohio The leader of the Ohio Democratic Party wants a full investigation into recent activities of Ohio's Inspector General, Randy Meyer. Meyer was recently a keynote speaker at a Republican party fundraiser in Clinton County. And Democratic Party Chair Chris Redfern says that it not appropriate for someone who is supposed to be serving as a non-partisan watchdog of state government. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30542 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:00:38 -0500 Jo Ingles Politics Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney is promising to release his tax returns for the past two years, but Ohio Democratic leaders are calling for more. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30541 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:53:31 -0500 Bill Cohen U.S. Gov. John Kasich's office is releasing details on how the state will transform more than a billion dollars in liquor profits into private money that can be used for job creation. But the maneuvers among state agencies to make that happen are complicated. WKSU's Karen Kasler reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30538 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:27:33 -0500 Karen Kasler Economy and Business There's good news when it comes to fire safety in Ohio. Statehouse correspondent Jo Ingles has details. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30537 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:10:59 -0500 Jo Ingles Ohio One Northeast Ohio city is planning to quit getting water from the regional system operated by Cleveland because of years of service complaints. The city of Westlake is considering building its own system of pipes and water meters and buying water wholesale from the Avon Lake Water System. Consultants for Westlake and Cleveland disagree on the cost of the change. One estimate is 18 million dollars; the other is 47 million. Other communities may also break away, running counter to calls to regionalize services in Northeast Ohio. Julia Beckett is a professor of public administration at the University of Akron. She says communities must weigh the pro and cons not only when they merge services, but throughout the relationship. WKSU's Valerie Brown reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30536 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:56:02 -0500 Valerie Brown Government Hundreds of Ohioans gathered at the Ohio Statehouse today, to mark the anniversary of Roe V Wade and to protest funding for Planned Parenthood. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30534 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:03:01 -0500 Jo Ingles Government Chesapeake cuts back on natural gas production Vets will be Ohio House members' guests at State of Union Congressional group asks for home help Ohio and other states take a look at mortgage settlement Columbus plans major public art project  WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30533 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:56:50 -0500 M.L. Schultze Ohio WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30532 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:39:52 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Ohio     Week three in the bribery trial of former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora kicks off today (Monday).      So far, prosecutors have brought up only a couple of contracts that Dimora is alleged to have approved under the influence of bribes.  But the government is beginning to delve more deeply into a paper trail trying to make a connection.  WKSU's Mark Urycki reports WKSU's Mark Urycki reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30530 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Mark Urycki Crime and Courts The Ohio ACLU is urging Cuyahoga Falls to expand its definition of family - and allow a gay couple a joint membership at the community pool. The city-owned natatorium denied a same-sex Akron couple a family membership. The men were legally married in Washington D.C. in October. But Cuyahoga Falls says only marriages recognized by Ohio qualify. Ohio's constitution defines marriage as only between a man and a woman. ACLU of Ohio Executive Director Christine Link says American families are no longer traditional mother-father arrangements. She says a new policy should accommodate all kinds of families. WKSU's Maranda Shrewsberry reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30529 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Maranda Shrewsberry Lifestyle There are mixed reads on Gov. John Kasich's change of venue for his State of the State speech. For the past 100 plus years, governors have spoken to a joint session at the Ohio Statehouse. But this year, Kasich is moving that speech to Steubenville at the top-performing public elementary school. Kasich says it's the perfect place to talk about his plans for education. But the head of the Ohio Democratic Party, Chris Redfern, listed some of the hardest to reach places in the state, and put Steubenville on that list. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30528 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Jo Ingles Education Wildlife biologists in Ohio are poking around caves and abandoned mines this month to count hibernating bats.  A recent national bat conference detailed the spread of a killer disease wiping out bats in the Northeast saying nearly 7 million animals have died from white nose syndrome.  In this week's Exporadio we speak with Ann Froschauer from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.  She's on the front-lines of the battle for the bats. WKSU's Jeff St. Clair reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30518 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Jeff St. Clair Environment A nationwide poll of young voters by the Garfield Institute for Public Leadership at Hiram College, shows that 50 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds view President Obama favorably.   They do not think highly of either the Tea Party or the Occupy Wall Street movements. And they would like to see an independent candidate run for president.     The year-long "Listening to Young Voters" project shows that the president's favorable rating is 4 percentage points higher among voters under 30 than it is overall, and younger women  rate him more highly than young men.   Younger voters are also more likely to be Democrats, and give Democrats the edge in understanding their problems, making college more affordable, creating jobs for young people and ensuring that Social Security and Medicare continue.   But more than two-thirds of them think the government is broken.   WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30526 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:33:49 -0500 M.L. Schultze Ohio The man accused of luring four men to rural Ohio through a Craigslist ad to rob and murder them faces the death penalty. A grand jury indicted Richard Beasley Friday on 28 counts, which include nine counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder. Meanwhile, questions continue as to why Beasley would have been able to commit the murders in the first place. Beasley had been arrested on drug trafficking and prostitution charges in July, a few weeks before the first murder. At the time, he had a warrant for his arrest in Texas. Federal law bars suspects from being bonded when they have an arrest warrant from another state, but Beasley was released. After the press conference announcing Beasley's indictment, Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan-Walsh said Texas and Ohio made a mistake letting Beasley go. GRANT ENGLE reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30525 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:31:42 -0500 GRANT ENGLE Crime and Courts February 20th will be a new holiday in Ohio. Governor John Kasich has signed legislation that designates that day as John Glenn Friendship 7 day in the Buckeye State. Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth, says he's honored, but he hopes the day will do more than honor him. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30524 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:20:09 -0500 Jo Ingles People As the state waits on the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on whether it can resume executions, one of Ohio's longest-serving justices has been speaking out against the death penalty law. Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul Pfeifer helped create the death penalty statute in 1981 when he was a state senator. But lately, Pfeifer has written and even testified against it the law, which he says is too "hit-or-miss" to be effective. Pfeifer says as a creator of the law and as someone who enforces it on the high court, he felt he needed to speak out. WKSU's Karen Kasler reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30523 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:14:08 -0500 Karen Kasler Crime and Courts For the second straight month, Ohio's official unemployment rate has dropped by a noticeable amount. But experts say don't read too much into the lower rate. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30519 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:40:48 -0500 Bill Cohen Economy and Business WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30517 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:54:22 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Ohio Ohio's transportation experts are saying the news that ODOT is broke was no secret, but the decision to delay some projects is a big deal. Statehouse correspondent Karen Kasler reports now the discussion moves to how to fix the problem - and find more money. WKSU's Karen Kasler reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30516 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:03:44 -0500 Karen Kasler Government Any talk of good food preparation has to include things that aren't food, but are nearly as important to taste and presentation. In this week's Quick Bites, we take a sharper look at ... kitchen knives. WKSU's Vivian Goodman reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30354 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Vivian Goodman Lifestyle It's said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that certainly appears to be true when it comes to a new poll about Ohioans attitudes toward abortion. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30515 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:33:39 -0500 Jo Ingles Politics The Cleveland Browns are asking the city for a six-year advance on their annual maintenance budget.  WKSU's Kabir Bhatia has a preview of the debate that's likely to ensue. WKSU's Kabir Bhatia and GRANT ENGLE report. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30514 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:09:05 -0500 Kabir Bhatia and GRANT ENGLE Sports A new report by the American Lung Association shows Ohio is not making the grade when it comes to diseases and death caused by tobacco. The association's Shelly Kiser says the major problem is that Ohio doesn't set aside enough money for smoking cessation and prevention programs. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30511 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:10:02 -0500 Jo Ingles Health and Medicine Ohioans strongly support oil and gas drilling here for its economic benefits. But at the same time, they're leery about the drilling technique used to free natural gas trapped in underground shale. In fact, a new independent poll shows Ohioans are conflicted over the issues connected with fracking. Statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen explains. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30509 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:16:45 -0500 Bill Cohen Environment The growing natural gas drilling industry in Ohio and neighboring states means drilling companies need more trained workers. Thanks to a five million dollar federal grant, five midwestern colleges are offering Marcellus shale drilling courses. The program is called Shale Net, and State Impact Ohio reporter Ida Lieszovsky profiles the only Ohio college taking part. WKSU's Ida Lieszkovszky reports. http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/2012/01/20/community-college-gears-up-shale-drilling-training-program Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:07:04 -0500 Ida Lieszkovszky Education Ohioans are continuing to lose big money to sweepstakes scams. That's the word from Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. Details now from statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30507 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:19:44 -0500 Bill Cohen Ohio WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30506 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:44:28 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Ohio Cleveland's aquarium is swimming toward completion ahead of tomorrow's (today's) opening gala.  WKSU's Kabir Bhatia reports on some of the hidden -- and not-so-hidden -- treasures in the North Coast's newest attraction. WKSU's Kabir Bhatia reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30505 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Kabir Bhatia Economy and Business Ohio's Department of Transportation says gasoline tax revenue is down, so it does not have hundreds of millions of dollars for dozens of new road and bridge projects. WKSU's Tim Rudell reports on Northeast Ohio projects that are in jeopardy, and the role the lease of the Ohio Turnpike may be playing in ODOT's thinking.   WKSU's Tim Rudell reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30503 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:34:15 -0500 Tim Rudell Government The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is fining a natural gas company half a million dollars for its role in one of the three pipeline explosions that struck Ohio over a span of 12 months. WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports that federal and state investigators are still piecing together what happened with the other two, and what  their penalties should be. WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30501 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:38:58 -0500 M.L. Schultze Environment Ohio legislators are wrapping up work on a bill to crack down on school bullying. State senators today (Wednesday) approved a beefed up the version of the bill passed in the House. State representatives are expected to approve the Senate's changes. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30500 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:21:09 -0500 Bill Cohen Education Governor Kasich has never been afraid to break tradition and he's doing it again with his biggest speech of the year. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30499 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:24:55 -0500 Jo Ingles Ohio Some Northeast Ohio Girl Scouts are continuing their boycott of their annual cookie sales in an ongoing dispute over the sale of four of the region's seven scout camps. And WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports that more direct action could be coming. WKSU's M.L. Schultze and MARANDA SHREWSBERRY report. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30498 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:24:47 -0500 M.L. Schultze and MARANDA SHREWSBERRY Lifestyle O'Neill qualifies for March 6 ballott Romney supplant Gingrich in Ohio Businessman talks about motivation for Dimora gifts Rocks let loose on Route 7  WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30497 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:15:33 -0500 M.L. Schultze Ohio A new poll shows presidential candidate Mitt Romney has regained his lead over other GOP hopefuls here in Ohio. The poll shows Romney could also be within striking distance of President Obama for the November election. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30496 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:19:45 -0500 Bill Cohen Ohio The Republicans who run the Ohio House have released their list of priorities for 2012. As Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler reports, most of their goals build on legislation that passed last year - some of it controversial. WKSU's Karen Kasler reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30495 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:22:53 -0500 Karen Kasler Government The agency responsible for constructing and maintaining Ohio's highways and state routes says it's out of money. Statehouse correspondent Karen Kasler reports that the fact that Ohio Department of Transportation was running on empty financially was no secret. WKSU's Karen Kasler reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30494 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:03:56 -0500 Karen Kasler Government WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30493 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:26:01 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Ohio One of the best players in Cleveland Indians history, and in recent years one of the most controversial, wants back in the game. Manny Ramirez abruptly quit baseball last year rather than serve a 100-game suspension for his second positive steroid test. He's amassed 555 home runs and earned $200 million over a career that began in Cleveland in the early 1990's. To many, he's known as the bad boy in a baggy uniform and long dread locks. Now, he says he wants to show teams that he's changed. WKSU commentator Terry Pluto talks to Amanda Rabinowitz about whether Ramirez can win back fans. WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30492 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:42:47 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Sports A new program begins at Oberlin College Wednesday that lets members of the public test their music reviewing skills - and maybe win a thousand dollars. WKSU's Kabir Bhatia has more. WKSU's Kabir Bhatia reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30491 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:53:52 -0500 Kabir Bhatia Arts and Entertainment Until last week, the Horseshoe Casino expected to open in downtown Cleveland in late March. Construction crews are working around the clock, and about 600 hopefuls - from waitresses to retirees - have filled the dealer training academy since early December.All that work hit a roadblock when the state announced the casino doors will not open until key background checks are done -- and that will not happen by late March. Still, WKSU's Kabir Bhatia reports that those who want to be dealers are pushing on. WKSU's Kabir Bhatia reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30490 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:40:45 -0500 Kabir Bhatia Economy and Business The Cuyahoga County corruption case is one of the biggest in Ohio history: hundreds of charges against more than 50 defendants. The centerpiece of that case -- larger-than-life Jimmy Dimora-- went on trial last week. A thicket of TV satellite truck masts and scores of onlookers took their places outside the Seiberling Federal Building in Akron. The trial had been moved there to try to ensure it won't be skewed by sentiments about the former commissioner on his home turf. And that move put it in the hands of U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi. WKSU's Tim Rudell has more on the woman who is charged with keeping order until a jury finishes its job as much as three months from now. WKSU's Tim Rudell reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30471 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Tim Rudell Crime and Courts Ohio is setting up seismographs in another corner of Ohio to see if there's a link between earthquakes and fracking waste-water there. WKSU's M.L. Schulte has more. WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30474 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:25:52 -0500 M.L. Schultze Environment Ohio schools should not expect any change in their state funding for at least another year. WKSU's Molly Bloom reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30488 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:22:49 -0500 Molly Bloom Government State politicians quizzed experts in Youngstown today (Tuesday) at a hearing on what might have caused eleven earthquakes in the Mahoning Valley over as many months. The state is now monitoring reports of more earthquakes in another Ohio county to determine if there's any link to nearby brine injection wells there. For Ohio Public Radio, WCPN's Mhari Saito reports.   MHARI SAITO reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30486 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:03:37 -0500 MHARI SAITO Environment NASA is offering its high-tech expertise free to small- and medium-size manufacturers in Northeast Ohio. The space agency will help the companies deal with technical problems with new or existing products. It's part of a joint effort announced today involving NASA, the city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. The county and city are also offering $50,000 low-interest loans to nine of the manufacturers. Tracey Nichols is the director of economic development for Cuyahoga County.  She says a group of experts will choose five companies from Cleveland and four from Cuyahoga County for the program. WKSU's Valerie Brown reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30484 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:40:35 -0500 Valerie Brown Economy and Business Some Ohio legislators say it's time for the state to modernize its system of discount loans to farmers. Since 1985, the state treasurer has steered some investments to local banks on the condition that the banks, in turn, loan money to local farmers at a discount rate. Now, state lawmakers want to expand the $125-million dollar to $165 million. They also want to raise the cap on such loans from 100-thousand dollars to 150-thousand. GOP state Representative Brian Hill of Coshocton maintains it's an appropriate role for government to help out family farmers. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30482 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:59:36 -0500 Bill Cohen Economy and Business A Northeast Ohio company has 45 job openings they want to find local veterans to fill. GrafTech is working with the Cleveland manufacturing advocacy group MAGNET to recruit veterans to work at its facilities in Parma and Lakewood.  It makes components for electronic equipment. GrafTech spokeswoman Tracy Albers says the company already employs 42 veterans. WKSU's Laura Fong reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30479 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:05:56 -0500 Laura Fong Ohio State Auditor David Yost says something fishy is going on with Ohio's food stamp program. He's noticed that thousands of recipients keep claiming they've lost their plastic electronic benefits card and need a replacement. Yost thinks some of those cases point to a scam. Statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen reports. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30477 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:05:24 -0500 Bill Cohen Ohio Ohio's governor is standing by the state's execution protocol, in the wake of a harshly worded rebuke of the process by a federal judge. Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler reports he wants the US Supreme Court to determine the state's execution process is constitutional. WKSU's Karen Kasler reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30476 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:57:47 -0500 Karen Kasler Ohio Cuyahoga scenic railroad gets a more than $3 million Proscutors offer more details on Vegas trip and county contracts Ohio Supreme Court: No warrant needed in computer search NASA offers business free expertise Lawmakers take a closer look at fracking and earthquakes in Youngstown WKSU's M.L. Schultze reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30475 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:46:59 -0500 M.L. Schultze Ohio WKSU's Amanda Rabinowitz reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30473 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 07:45:26 -0500 Amanda Rabinowitz Ohio The Ohio Supreme Court will hear a case Tuesday morning that centers on what rights homeowners have when it comes to their trees and the electrical grid. WKSU's Kabir Bhatia has more on the case of a Northeast Ohio couple trying to save 50 trees. WKSU's Kabir Bhatia reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30472 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:55:06 -0500 Kabir Bhatia Environment Dilapidated and abandoned houses drag down property values in surrounding homes. That's why some community groups encourage neighbors to fix up the abandoned properties. Now those groups may be getting some help from Ohio legislators. They're considering a bill that would give neighbors some legal protection when they go onto abandoned properties to beautify them. Youngstown state Senator Joe Schiavoni is the author of the measure, and he talked about it with statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen. WKSU's Bill Cohen reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30463 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Bill Cohen Ohio Ohioans might think they pay a lot for car and homeowner insurance but statistics don't bear that out. In an interview with Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles, Mary Bonelli of the Ohio Insurance Institute says insurance is actually affordable in the Buckeye state. WKSU's Jo Ingles reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30462 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Jo Ingles Ohio This week, the curtain rises in a brand new theater in downtown Cleveland.  Director Michael Bloom chose a new backstage comedy for the debut production of the Cleveland Play House's 'Second Stage.' WKSU's Vivian Goodman reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30436 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Vivian Goodman Arts and Entertainment The Federal Transit Administration is handing out 41 million dollars in grants in this month for projects in the nation's National Parks. Today, (Tues) the FTA announced that the largest grant among all the federal park properties will go to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  WKSU's Mark Urycki reports the money is earmarked for improvements to the Scenic Railroad.   WKSU's Mark Urycki reports. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/30487 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:37:57 -0500 Mark Urycki Environment