Prosecutors are nearing the deadline to file charges against the 17-year-old suspect in the fatal school shooting. 

They have until today to file charges against T.J. Lane. 

The teen is accused of opening fire on a group of students sitting at a cafeteria table at Chardon High School on Monday. 

Three students died, and two were seriously wounded. One remains hospitalized.  The family of victim Nick Walczak say his condition is improving. 

Students are planning to march together to Chardon High School this morning ahead of the resumption of classes Friday.

---

A judge has released seven pages of juvenile court records on a school shooting suspect in Geauga County, including an assault case in late 2009 at age 15. 

T.J. Lane allegedly choked and punched another male. 

He entered the juvenile court equivalent of a guilty plea to a reduced misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct and was given a suspended sentence of up to 30 days in jail. 

The records on that case and a traffic ticket were released by a judge Wednesday at the request of media outlets. 

The suspect in Monday's shooting rampage that killed three and wounded two is expected to be charged today. 

The judge wouldn't say if there are other files that might be covered by a law allowing certain records to be withheld. 

President Barack Obama has offered condolences to Chardon High School principal Andy Fetchik.

Obama told Fetchik he was heartbroken by the news and asked how the principal and school community were holding up and that he and first lady Michelle Obama are keeping the school in their thoughts and prayers.

---

The teenage suspect in the deadly Chardon high school shooting told authorities he stole the gun he used from his uncle. 

A law enforcement official familiar with the case says the weapon - a .22-caliber Ruger target pistol - was bought legally in 2010 from a gun shop in Mentor. 

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation.

A gun fitting the description of the one used in the rampage has been reported missing from the boy’s grandfather's barn. 

T.J. Lane’s grandparents - who off and on helped raise him - say they have no explanation for the teen's alleged role in the shootings.

---

The prosecution and defense have presented closing arguments in the corruption trial of a former Democratic Party leader and county official from Cleveland. 

Former Cuyahoga County commissioner Jimmy Dimora is accused of bribery and racketeering and has pleaded not guilty. His trial in federal court in Akron has included more than seven weeks of testimony. 

The defense team on Wednesday attacked the credibility of government witnesses. Defense attorneys said the witnesses testified against Dimora because they want reduced prison sentences in exchange for their cooperation.

Earlier, a prosecutor spent about three hours summarizing the case against Dimora and his alleged involvement in various schemes. 

Dimora is on trial with a former county employee, who also has denied the allegations of corrupt activity.

---

A trial date has been set for an Ohio man suspected in the shooting deaths of three men who authorities say were lured to a rural area by bogus job ads on Craigslist. 

A Summit County judge on Wednesday set a Jan. 7, 2013 trial date for 52-year-old Richard Beasley of Akron. 

The self-styled chaplain pleaded not guilty in January to charges in a 27-count indictment. It included multiple counts of aggravated murder and other charges, including kidnapping.

Beasley could face the death penalty if he's convicted. 

A 17-year-old co-defendant accused of helping Beasley has pleaded not guilty to juvenile counts and is set for trial Oct. 9. 

A judge has prohibited attorneys on both sides from commenting on the case outside of court.

---
Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney has received the  endorsement of the Ohio auditor just before the state's primary.

Auditor Dave Yost will co-chair Romney's Ohio campaign team. 

Romney has received support from other Ohio Republicans, including Sen. Rob Portman, several congressmen, and George Voinovich, the former senator and governor. 

Earlier this month, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine switched his endorsement from Romney to Rick Santorum, saying he believes the former Pennsylvania senator can win the GOP race.

---

Rick Santorum's presidential campaign raised $9 million in February as he emerged the chief rival to Republican Mitt Romney. 

A Santorum spokesman says more than 100,000 donors gave online to the former Pennsylvania senator.

Still Santorum continues to be outspent by Romney. 

The candidates are looking ahead to next week's 10-state Super Tuesday contest and Ohio’s 66 delegates.

---

Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel  says that as a U.S. senator  he would focus on "jobs, jobs, jobs" and fight any attempts by the Republican establishment to make social issues a distraction. 

The 33-year-old candidate said Wednesday that every elected leader - president "or dog catcher" - should be focused on the economy. 

Dubbed an "absentee treasurer" by his critics, Mandel said he's improved the financial performance of Ohio's treasury while trimming its budget.

He's also missed every meeting of the powerful Board of Deposit that he chairs. 

Mandel is favored to win a six-way GOP primary Tuesday. The winner will face Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in November. 

Mandel says he plans to make his Senate bid official today in Akron.

---

Akron based FirstEnergy released its yearly earnings report this week, showing a slight  increase in sales over 2010.  Net profits were up as well.

The company  reported  total sales of $16.3 billion in 2011, with net earnings of  $869 million, an increase of around 150 million dollars over 2010.

FirstEnergy  purchased Allegheny Energy last year, a slightly smaller Pennsylvania utility and has had to integrate that company into its corporate structure.

---

An Ohio woman has pleaded guilty to helping operate a southern Ohio pain clinic where authorities allege quotas required employees to fill 30 to 40 prescriptions of powerful painkillers a day at $125 a visit. 

Lisa Clevenger on Wednesday pleaded guilty to one count of maintaining a drug premises in connection with her work at Ohio Medical and Pain Management near Columbus. 

The charge carries up to a 20-year prison sentence. 

Authorities say Clevenger is the sister of the clinic's primary owner, who has also been charged.

---

Backers of gay marriage in Ohio are taking another step to try to overturn the state's constitutional ban enacted eight years ago. 

The Freedom to Marry Coalition planned to submit more than 1,700 signatures of registered Ohio voters Thursday to Attorney General Mike DeWine. 

The proposal would change the state Constitution to say that state and political jurisdictions define marriage as a union of two consenting adults, regardless of gender. 

Ohio enacted one of the country's strictest bans in 2004 in an effort coordinated with President George W. Bush's re-election campaign.

---

Organizers say about 18,000 athletes are expected to be part of the Arnold Sports Festival getting under way today in Columbus. 

The festival is billed as the largest multi-sport festival in the nation.

Tomorrow, officials will unveil a sculpture of the festival's namesake, Arnold Schwarzenegger.