Ryan to vist North Canton
Less than a week after being named GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s running mate, Paul Ryan is making his presence known in Ohio. The Wisconsin Congressman is set to visit his Miami University alma mater this afternoon. On Thursday morning, he’ll hold a rally in Stark County, on the campus of Walsh University in North Canton. Former Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum is holding a rally for Mitt Romney today in Akron. 

Ohio Dems sue Kasich
Ohio Democrats are suing Gov. John Kasich to get access to schedules of his appearances that they allege could show he is misusing state time to campaign for Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney. The lawsuit came the same day Kasich appeared with Romney on a campaign swing through Southeast Ohio. Ohio Democratic Chairman Chris Redfern said the party's earliest request has been pending for 42 days. Kasich's spokesman called the lawsuit political and that the office has complied with the records law and released Kasich's schedules upon request at least six times.

Stark County's oil production touted
Stark County’s early oil production is being touted by a company executive as a rival for wells in Texas. Texas-based EV Energy Partners tells the Beacon Journal that one of its wells in Marlboro Township is producing 515 barrels of energy equivalents a day — and that drilling in the Utica shale formation there might surpass the lauded  Eagle Ford shale in Texas. Other oil companies including Chesapeake Energy and Gulfport Energy recently have reported promising results of their drilling so far in eastern Ohio. 

Ballot issue to get final OK
The wording of a fall ballot issue revamping the way Ohio draws legislative and congressional districts is nearing final approval by a state panel. The Ohio Ballot Board will meet today to certify language for the proposed constitutional amendment. It would strip elected officials of map-drawing powers and give them to a 12-person citizen commission. Backers say the current setup lets the ruling party draw district lines to its favor.

Dimora sidekick sentenced
A longtime sidekick of former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora has landed a term of 10 years in prison for racketeering. Former County office assistant Michael Gabor was sentenced in Akron federal court Tuesday. Gabor stood trial with Dimora earlier this year. Dimora was recently sentenced to 28 years in prison after being convicted of bribery and racketeering. Gabor was also ordered to forfeit five years of his public pension, estimated at about $27,000.

Swine flu cases rise
The Ohio Department of Health says the number of swine flu cases in Ohio has increased to 54, and most involve people who had contact with hogs at fairs. Officials say they haven't determined any Ohio cases of the virus spreading from person to person. Health officials are urging people attending fairs to wash their hands frequently before and after exposure to animals. 

Youngstown airport to resume courting major airline
The Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport will be able to continue its efforts to lure a major airline to start daily service. The U.S. Department of Transportation, which took away the remaining portion of a more than $500,000 airport grant in February, has restored funding with a $780,000 grant. The Vindicator newspaper reports the funding was stripped after a disagreement of what size aircraft the airport was looking to attract. The airport wants to start daily air service from Youngstown-Warren to Washington, D.C., Chicago  or Detroit.

Chrysler begins hiring in Toledo
Chrysler is getting ready to fill about a thousand jobs in Toledo. The company announced last fall it would spend 500-million dollars at its Jeep complex and create 1,100 jobs by next year. Chrysler says jobs have now been posted online.

More charges filed against former Bridgestone researcher
A former researcher at Bridgestone’s technical center in Akron is facing 15 counts of theft of trade secrets and lying to FBI agents after a federal judge rejected a plea bargain. Fifty-year-old Xiaorong Wang of Hudson worked for Bridgestone for 15 years before he was fired in 2010. Wang had reached a deal this spring with the U.S. attorney’s office that included his pleading guilty to one count of theft of trade secrets. But that required that he acknowledge that he, or someone else, planned to make money off the information he took, which Wang’s lawyer said he could not do.

Precription drug ring arrests
Authorities investigating an alleged prescription drug trafficking operation in central Ohio and an alleged cocaine ring in northwest Ohio have started arresting dozens of people indicted in the cases. Forty-seven people have been indicted in an investigation into prescription pill trafficking. Authorities say the suspected ringleaders are among more than 30 who have been arrested. Investigators allege defendants traveled to Florida to get prescriptions, then filled them in other states and sold pills.