Vote today on smoke-free college campuses
Ohio higher education officials are nearing a vote urging the state's public campuses to ban use of all tobacco products both indoors and outdoors. That would include Ohio State, one of the nation's largest universities, which currently bans only indoor smoking. The Ohio Board of Regents plans its vote today. Officials from the Cleveland Clinic and the state Department of Health plan to discuss the tobacco-free resolution beforehand. Bans on the use, advertising and sales of tobacco in all its forms are being enacted or considered at perhaps half of campuses nationwide, sometimes over the objections of student smokers, staff and faculty. The group Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights says tobacco bans on public and private campuses have risen from virtually zero a decade ago to 711 today.

Few homeowners take up free foreclosure case review
Few eligible Ohio homeowners are having their foreclosure cases reviewed for free even though they might receive up to $125,000 if lenders wrongfully caused them financial harm. The Dayton Daily News reports that the reviews are to determine if borrowers suffered financial harm due to errors, misrepresentations, or other deficiencies in the foreclosure process. Lenders must compensate them for such injuries. Mortgage lenders required to offer borrowers the independent foreclosure review sent notification letters to about 140,700 eligible Ohioans who faced foreclosure in 2009 and 2010. But the federal Office of the Comptroller of the Currency says only 6,000 Ohioans had requested reviews as of May 31. The review request deadline is Sept. 30.

Cuyahoga, other counties get grants for homeless vets
Grants totaling nearly $2 million have been awarded to six Ohio counties to help prevent and end homelessness among veterans and their families. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs announced the grants for Cuyahoga, Hamilton, and three northwest Ohio counties. The grants will serve about 635 homeless and at-risk veteran families. Veterans Affairs is awarding the grants to private nonprofit organizations and consumer cooperatives providing services to very low-income veteran families who are living in, or transitioning to, permanent housing.

Cleveland's med mart to get industry exposure this week
The $465 million convention and medical trade-show center under construction in Cleveland is getting a chance to make a marketing pitch to decision makers. The Ohio Society of Association Executives will hold its annual meeting in Cleveland beginning Wednesday. Delegates will get a hard-hat tour of the convention center/med mart that opens next summer. The Ohio Society of Association Executives represents leaders of more than 40 professional groups including the state bar and medical associations and the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. The meeting of the so-called "association of associations" ends Friday. Association leaders can play a key role in selecting convention and meeting locations.

Health insurance rebates on the way
More than 81,000 Ohio families will be getting health insurance rebates this summer that will total $11 million across the state. The average refund will be $139, but some will receive hundreds of dollars more. The Ohio rebates are part of the $1.1 billion that insurers nationwide must return to nearly 12.8 million Americans this year under the Affordable Care Act, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The act requires insurance companies to spend 80 or 85 percent of premiums collected on medical care or care improvements. The remaining 15 or 20 percent can be spent on salaries, advertising and other administrative expense or kept as profit, but anything over that must be returned to customers.

Youngstown soldier on trial this week
A sergeant accused of hazing a private because of his Chinese heritage will go on trial this week at Fort Bragg on charges the abuse led to the soldier's suicide. The court martial for Sgt. Adam Holcomb of Youngstown will begin Tuesday. He is one of eight soldiers charged in the death of the 19-year-old Pvt. Danny Chen, of New York. Military officials say Chen shot himself last year in Afghanistan after weeks of physical and emotional abuse. Holcomb faces nearly 18 years in prison if convicted of all charges.

Canton mayor amends oil and gas drilling proposal   
Canton’s mayor is making some changes to legislation that would allow the lease of city-owned property for oil and gas drilling. The Canton Repository reports William Healy will amend the legislation to give council members the authority to approve or reject any proposed leasing of property for mineral rights. As written, the proposed ordinance  would allow the service director to advertise and award drilling contracts. At last week’s council meeting, the city’s service director expressed his concern about drilling contaminating the water supply, which also provides water for areas beyond Canton. Healy says the city has hired an environmental consulting firm to develop a  water protection plan

Akron, Kent sites closer to national designation
Two northeast Ohio historical sites will know by this fall if they will be added to the National Register of Historic Places. An Ohio Historical board has signed off on the nominations for a cottage at Akron’s Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens and the nearly 100-year old Franklin Hotel that’s being renovated in downtown Kent among seven other properties. The nominations next must be approved by the Ohio state historic preservation offer and then will be submitted to the National Park Service. The designation qualifies the sites for state and federal tax credits.