Trying to sell Cleveland schools overhaul
Mayor Frank Jackson and Cleveland schools CEO Eric Gordon will be pitching their school overhaul plan to the community tonight in the first of three sessions over the next month.

Jackson’s plan would change rules governing teacher layoffs and merit pay. It would give Gordon more powers to close failing schools and fire ineffective teachers, and set up closer relationships with successful charter schools.

The Cleveland Teachers Union has agreed to many – but not all -- of the changes. The two sides have been negotiating for more than 10 hours this week, and the Plain Dealer says they are nearing resolution on at least one of the major sticking points:  The union vehemently opposes Jackson’s proposal to give him the power to unilaterally impose contract terms if negotiations break down.

Some of the changes Jackson wants require changes in state law, and a bill doing that was introduced this week. The next Cleveland community meetings are April 19 and 24^th.

Natural gas prices see big drops
Natural gas prices are plummeting after a new national report found a surprisingly large increase in supply.
The price is now just a little over $2.10 per 1,000 cubic feet, and prices have been dropping to near 10-year lows because of a production glut fed in a large part of a drilling process called hydraulic fracturing or fracking. Ohio has been predicting a massive boom in the economy tied to such drilling into the shale layers that lie under much of the state.

East Cleveland finds millions in a forgotten account
East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton has  found $3.2 million accumulating in a Key Bank account. According to the Plain Dealer, the money was set aside to pay off bonds the city issued in 2005. Ohio’s auditor declared East Cleveland in a state of fiscal caution n January.

Should kids be able to waive right to a lawyer?
The Ohio Supreme Court is considering changing rules in juvenils courts to ensure that children talk to attorneys before they waive their rights to an attorney. The proposal is backed by public defenders, the  Juvenile Justice Coalition  and the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio.

PUCO had the right to cut an electric company's awards 
The Ohio Supreme Court says the state’s Public Utilities Commission had the right to cut in half how much a power company could charge customers to cover the extraordinary expenses stemming from Hurricane Ike. The storm tore through Southwest Ohio in 2008 and Duke Energy wanted to recover more than $30 million in costs. The PUCO cut that to $14.1 million, and the company appealed to the state high court.

Indians take on one of baseball's best pitchers in home opener
The Indians are opening the 2012 season today at 3:05 p.m. against the Toronto Blue Jays, with Justin Masterson as the starting pitcher. Toronto is starting Ricky Romero, who was one of the best pitchers in the game last year.  The game is expected to sell out at Progressive Field.