Obama, Rubio visiting Ohio today
President Barack Obama will be in Columbus and Cincinnati to announce a new trade enforcement targeting Chinese subsidies for automobiles and parts. The rallies take him to the counties where he got his third-most number of votes in 2008, Hamilton, and his second most – Franklin. Obama was the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Hamilton County since 1964, and won Ohio on his way to election. In Columbus, the president will also attend a fundraiser with 25 guests paying $10,000 per ticket. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio will campaign today in Ohio for Mitt Romney. He’ll hold a rally in Columbus this afternoon followed by a keynote speech at the Ohio Christian Alliance’s Freedom Banquet tonight at the Akron/Fairlawn Hilton.  

Canton debating traffic cameras
Canton may become the latest city with traffic cameras. City Council is expected to vote on legislation tonight that if approved, would allow traffic cameras to be installed that catch speeders and red light violators. Mayor William Healy has said fines from cameras could bring in a million dollars to offset some of the 3-point-7-million dollar budget deficit projected for next year.  Healy wants to use a private contractor to operate seven cameras around school zones and at traffic lights in Canton.  The city dropped a similar idea three years ago amid broad public protests.  

Deliberations to resume in Amish beard-cutting trial
The jury in the federal hate crime trial of an Amish man and 15 of his followers will return Tuesday to resume deliberations. The jury in Cleveland broke Friday after a second day of deliberations. They’re trying to decide if an Amish bishop named Sam Mullet and his extended family and flock committed a hate crime when they broke in to the homes of dissidents in Holmes County and cut off their hair and beards.

Report: felons aren’t being pursued
There are tens of thousands of wanted Ohio felons on the loose, and a newspaper reports that not many of them are being actively sought. The Dayton Daily News reports that its analysis finds that authorities say there are too many to go after. They cite budget issues, inconsistencies in tracking and handling of warrants, and jail space shortages for the backlog. There are more than 1 million warrants listed in the National Crime Information Center database. Ohio's counterpart has more than 35,000, some of which are in both databases. Among those at large are accused and even convicted drug traffickers, sex offenders, and violent criminals. The newspaper found some improvements being made, but there are still too many wanted felons for law enforcement officials to keep up with.

Death row population continues to fall
An execution scheduled this week could reduce Ohio's death row population to its smallest size since July 1995. The number of inmates on death row will drop to 145 if Donald Palmer is put to death as scheduled on Thursday. The governor has denied clemency for Palmer, who was convicted of fatally shooting two men in eastern Ohio in 1989. He didn't seek mercy from the state parole board. He would be the second inmate executed this year. The death row population peaked at 209 in late 2003. Since then, it has steadily declined as the number of inmates being sent to death row was outpaced by those being executed or having their death sentences lifted for various reasons.

Highway safety group says Ohio texting ban not tough enough
A Washington, DC based highway safety group says Ohio’s new texting while driving ban doesn’t go far enough. Ohio’s law went in to effect 2 weeks ago, and bans typing, sending or reading cellphone text messages but not cellphone conversations. The Governors Highway Safety Association says Ohio and all other states also should enact stricter laws that prohibit the use of any hand-held electronic device while behind the wheel, making it easier to enforce.  39 states ban texting while driving, but just nine prohibit all drivers from using devices for any purpose. West Virginia will become the 10th state to ban all hand-held devices next year. 

Toledo-area college has fifth highest loan default rate
A northwest Ohio college is among the U.S. schools with highest number of students who defaulted on federal loans. The Toledo Blade reports officials at Owens Community College were surprised to learn their school ranked fifth among nearly 1,800 public institutions when it came to defaults on federal student loans. It had 557 students who defaulted in fiscal year 2009, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Education. About half of the 20 public schools with the most defaults were community or technical colleges.

OSU students evacuated after dorm leak
Nearly 2,000 students at Ohio State University were evacuated from their dormitories after a water leak was discovered in the basement of one of the buildings. The water was shut off to the dorms and students were notified via email to leave after packing some personal belongings. University officials say crews have isolated the leak and are working to fix it.