Innerbelt Bridge project back on schedule
A major Cleveland bridge project delayed by funding concerns will be financed through a public-private partnership to help accelerate construction. An I-90 Inner Belt replacement bridge is being built in Cleveland, but a twin span was being delayed until 2019 because of state transportation department budget shortfall. Governor Kasich announced Thursday that ODOT will seek a private designer and builder team to demolish the existing bridge and build the second new bridge. The so-called "public-private partnership'' is allowed under a state law passed last year. That could speed up the project for completion by 2016.

Lordstown, Parma GM plants getting major upgrade, keeping Cruze
General Motors will invest more than 200-million dollars to upgrade equipment at its two Northeast Ohio plants to make the next generation of the Chevy Cruze.  GM made the announcement Thursday in Warren…its Lordstown and Parma plants employ about 5-thousand people combined.  GM officially launched the Cruze two years ago, and the compact sedan has been a top seller since. But sales slid last year, as Japanese competitors recovered from the earthquake, and GM cut back on fleet sales to rental companies.

Voters First sues over ballot language
A coalition of voter advocacy groups has filed a lawsuit in the Ohio Supreme Court that challenges the wording approved for its ballot issue. The Voters First coalition wants to revamp how Ohio draws legislative and congressional districts. Its proposed constitutional amendment would strip state and federal elected officials of map-drawing powers and give them to a 12-person citizen commission. The issue was cleared for November's ballot. But the group asked the high court Thursday to throw out the language approved by the Ohio Ballot Board. The coalition says the wording isn't fair or accurate. It wants the court to reconvene the board to draft new language or to have the court write it.

Husted lifts suspension of Dayton-area elections officials
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted is temporarily lifting his suspension of two Democratic county election officials who voted to extend early voting hours in the general election beyond the uniform, statewide hours the Republican set. In a Thursday letter, the state's elections chief says he's reinstating the pair while awaiting a hearing officer's report about whether they should be removed from the Montgomery County Board of Elections. Husted says the reinstatements are needed for the Dayton-area board to continue its work.

Libertarian candidate pulls out of 16^th District race
The Libertarian candidate in the 16^th District Congressional race is dropping out. 39-year old Jeffery Blevins of Wadsworth was in the race for the redrawn district that pitted incumbents Democrat Betty Sutton and Republican Jim Recacci against each other. The Plain Dealer reports Blevins did not raise enough money to file Federal Election Commission reports and said he was "disappointed" that he was not invited to debates the other candidates are scheduling.

Investigator finds no wrongdoing in Toledo attendance data
Preliminary findings from an independent investigator hired by Toledo schools conclude the district did not violate Ohio law by withdrawing and re-enrolling habitually absent students to boost its state report cards. The Blade reports the investigator found Toledo staff told state education officials about the re-enrollment practice at least four years ago but weren't told to stop and may not have received requested guidance from the Ohio Department of Education about reporting data.  A department spokesman disputed that no guidance was provided and said it's the district's responsibility to provide correct data. A Cincinnati-area school board last night voted to fire its superintendent in the investigation that now includes about 100 districts. Lockland superintendent Donna Hubbard had been on paid leave. Her son, who works for the district as data coordinator, also was fired.

Oberlin soldier dies after Afghanistan explosion
A 23-year old Lorain County soldier has died about two weeks after being injured in an explosion in Afghanistan. Sgt. Louis Torres of Oberlin died Wednesday in San Antonio Texas. He joined the Army in 2008…he deployed with his brigade to Afghanistan last December and had about a month remaining on his tour.

Romney, Ryan stump in Powell tomorrow
Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will campaign together in central Ohio this Saturday ahead of next week's Republican National Convention. The campaign says they will be in Powell for a morning rally. Romney came to Ohio on a bus tour Aug. 14, while Ryan also campaigned here separately last week. A poll released Thursday indicated the addition of Ryan hasn't moved Ohio voters. The poll by Quinnipiac University showed President Barack Obama holding steady with a 50-44 percent lead.

Dueling abortion rights rallies this weekend
Supporters and opponents of abortion rights plan dueling rallies in Northeast Ohio this weekend. A bus tour sponsored by the Susan B. Anthony List will stop in Akron today to demonstrate against abortion provisions in President Obama’s health care plan and government funding of Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood will park a bus of its own in Twinsburg and hold a rally Saturday in support of its programs and women’s health issues.

Ohio ordering repayment of development loans after default
The state of Ohio is ordering a solar energy company to repay $5 million because it defaulted on it taxpayer-supported loan. Perryburg-based Willard & Kelsey Solar Group failed to make payments on the loan and struggled to get financial investments. The Ohio Air Quality Development Authority called the loan due Thursday and ordered repayment by Sept. 3. The Ohio Department of Development called a separate loan to the company due this month. In addition to the loans, Willard and Kelsey also got nearly $700,000 in state grants and a 10-year job-creation tax credit. State officials say the infant solar industry has been battered by a poor economy and a Chinese effort to flood the overseas market with cheap panels.