Ohio's education overhaul moves forward
Ohio lawmakers are expected to vote as early as today on Gov. Kasich’s education overhaul.

According to the Columbus Dispatch, Kasich and members of the House and Senate reached a compromise late Monday that includes a requirement that third-graders pass state reading tests in order to move onto the fourth grade.  The law also would, for the first time, subject dropout recovery schools to the state rules for closing failing charter schools.

Ohio House members also are apparently now willing to give up on language that would have created privately run charter schools for gifted students that the state would pay for.

Federal judge keeps accused Ohio bomb plotters in jail 
A federal judge in Akron has decided to keep the five men charged with plotting to bomb a highway bridge in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in jail pending their trial.

In his ruling today, U.S. District Judge David Dowd turned down the request of the five to be released on bond.

They’ve been in jail since late April, when the FBI says they tried to detonate what they thought was a real bomb under the Route 82 bridge.  The fake explosives were supplied by an FBI informant, and the attorney for one of the men says they were led into the plot by that informant.

Cleveland feds to outline major cocaine case this afternoon
The U.S. attorneys office has a press conference planned at 1 this afternoon to talk about what it describes as a large-scale cocaine trafficking organization that brought drugs from out of state to sell in Cleveland. The press conference follows a series of raids this morning at the Collinwood area.  

Ohio lawmakers tackle concussions in youth sports
An Ohio House committee has passed a bill meant to protect kids from concussions while they’re playing youth sports. 

The bill establishes a list of professionals, including doctors, who can clear injured kids to go back into a game.  The bill would protect coaches from lawsuits unless they showed “willful” misconduct. It would not apply to high school teams.

The Columbus Dispatch says the full House is expected to vote on the bill as early as Wednesday.

Pro Football Hall's newest expansion is nearly ready
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is nearly ready to open the first phase of its $27 million expansion. That includes a two-story atrium and a new research facility.

The second phase, which will begin after this year’s enshrinement in August, will include a new theater. The hall in Canton turns 50 next year.