Well explosion death identified

Tuscarawas County authorities have identified the 19-year-old man killed in an oil and natural gas explosion Monday as Michael Sherman of Jackson Township in nearby Stark County. Sherman was sent to paint the well owned by his family’s company, MKE Producing. The Canton Repository reports the well has been in operation since 1986.  Investigators still aren’t sure what triggered the explosion that sent debris flying as much as a quarter-mile away in the area between Canton and New Philadelphia.

President Obama sues Ohio Secretary of State

President Barack Obama's campaign is suing Ohio's top elections official in a dispute over a law that restricts early in-person voting during the three days before Election Day. The lawsuit filed in federal court Tuesday in Columbus comes after changes cleared by the state's Republican-controlled Legislature. About 30 percent of Ohio's total vote came in ahead of Election Day in 2008.

Nine Ohio churches set to reopen this summer

Two of the 11 Cleveland Catholic Diocese churches that were closed but later spared by the Vatican are back in operation, and reopening dates are set for all but two of the remaining facilities. Three churches will reopen this weekend. Four more will reopen between July 25 and Aug. 12. The churches were among 50 closed or merged by the Cleveland bishop because of declining congregations, finances and priests. The Vatican sided with parishioners who appealed and said the closings weren't done properly. One of the churches without a reopening date is still waiting to be assigned a pastor. The other is the former home of a congregation that broke away from the diocese and moved to a commercial building after its church was closed.

Biden, Romney will visit Ohio this week

Ohio is getting more attention from presidential campaigns this week. Vice President Joe Biden’s “Made in Ohio Manufacturing Tour” will include a speech to union members in Columbus Thursday. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney is attending private fundraisers today in Canton and Toledo, and holding a town-hall meeting in Bowling Green.

Univ. of Akron won’t accept students with low scores

The University of Akron is raising eyebrows after announcing it will turn away students with low GPAs and ACT scores. Admission offices are referring them to community colleges until they complete their remedial course work.  Kim Norris is with the Ohio Board of Regents and says Akron’s strategy is something she encourages all public universities to adopt so Ohio college students can save money and have a better chance at graduating. 

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Norris says by 2020, Ohio will fund less than 3 percent of remedial credit hours at most four-year public universities.

Akron man will be tried twice for 2000 murder

An Akron-area man will go to trial next month for the second time in a 13-year-old rape and murder case. Denny Ross rejected a plea offer Tuesday for the 1999 murder of Hannah Hill, setting up an Aug. 13 trial.  A mistrial was declared in 2000 and ten years later, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled in that Ross can be tried again, but this time the death penalty will not be an option.  Ross is currently serving 25 years in prison on another rape and attempted murder case.

Alleged casino cheaters caught on tape

Prosecutors say they have compelling video evidence against the first suspected casino cheaters in Cleveland and Toledo. Seven men have been indicted in Cleveland on illegal gambling charges and six are due in court this morning. The seventh has pleaded not guilty. The casinos opened in May and two more are planned in Cincinnati and Columbus

State bureau will survey drought’s effects

Ohio officials are using a new survey to help assess damage caused by drought conditions in the state. The Ohio Farm Bureau is asking participants about crop and livestock conditions, water supplies and the expected economic impact on individual farms. Officials also have launched a resources page for farmers. Officials say as of mid-July, the majority of the state is experiencing moderate drought conditions. Several northwest Ohio counties also are experiencing severe drought conditions.