Diebold suspends plans for new headquarters, announces layoffs
Diebold is indefinitely suspending plans to build its $100 million global headquarters in Green. It’s also laying off 500 people, primarily in North America and Brazil. The announcement followed the company’s third-quarter statement, which showed a 58 percent drop in earnings. Diebold announced 18 months ago that it was going to build the new headquarters near its current facility east of Interstate 77 between Akron and Canton. It had planned to consolidate about 1,500 employees now working in five facilities. At the time, Gov. Kasich announced the state was offering a $56 million package of tax credits, grants and loans. Diebold says that fewer than 75 of the layoffs will be in Northeast Ohio.

Deliberations continue in Rafferty case
A jury in Summit County is headed into the first full day of deliberations in the case of a teenager accused of participating in the slayings of three men lured by phony Craigslist job offers. Prosecutors have portrayed defendant 17-year old Brogan Rafferty of Stow as a full accomplice in the crimes while his defense attorney argues he was a scared child stuck in a horrible situation. Rafferty faces life in prison without parole. 

Brown, Mandel square off in final Senate debate
The Democratic incumbent for U.S. Senate and his GOP challenger sparred in their third and final debate Thursday night in Cincinnati. Sherrod Brown called himself a fighter for the middle class and steadfast supporter of women's choice on abortion. Josh Mandel said he would help economic growth with lower taxes, oppose government bailouts, and seek "common ground" on the divisive issue of abortion. He says he opposes abortion except to save a woman's life. The two now focus on campaigning in the final weeks before Election Day. Brown will rally in Cincinnati, Springfield and Lima today.  Mandel planned to return to Columbus, then join up with Mitt Romney's running mate Paul Ryan in Ohio stops this weekend.

Presidential candidates finalize Ohio campaign plans
Plans for presidential campaign visits to Northeast Ohio over the next few days are being finalized. Tonight’s Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan rally in North Canton is set for 7:30 at Hoover High School. Ryan will make a stop Saturday morning at Gradall Industries in New Philadelphia at 9 a.m. President Obama will be joined by Bill Clinton for a rally at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown on Monday at 2:30. He’ll be back in Northeast Ohio on Halloween for a rally in Akron.

GOP Statehouse candidates outraise Democrats
Republicans in the Ohio House have far outraised and outspent their Democratic counterparts heading into the final weeks before the Nov. 6 election. Campaign finance filings on Thursday showed House Republicans raised almost $4 million, compared with Democrats' $1.5 million. The House GOP's campaign arm also spent about three times more than House Democrats have in races. It's a longshot for Democrats to take control of the state Senate. But they are trying to gain and defend seats in the House, where the GOP has the edge. Democrats would need to gain at least 10 seats to take the majority.

Issue 2 opponents outraise supporters
Opponents of a fall ballot issue rewriting Ohio's political map-making process have outraised the measure's backers by almost double heading into Election Day. In reports filed Thursday, the Issue 2 opponents at Protect Your Vote Ohio reported raising almost $7 million, compared with $3.6 million for Voters First, the coalition spearheading the changes. The constitutional amendment proposes establishing a 12-member commission of state residents to handle the once-per-decade drawing of Ohio's legislative and congressional districts. It would take the power from the state Legislature.

Judge refuses to reinstate Dayton-area election officials
A federal judge has denied a request to immediately reinstate two Democratic county elections officials fired by Ohio's Republican secretary of state. U.S. District Judge Walter Rice said Thursday that among other issues, the ex-officials failed to identify that a fundamental right had been violated by their removal. Secretary of State Jon Husted fired Dennis Lieberman and Thomas Ritchie from the Montgomery County Board of Elections in late August. Husted accused the ex-members of violating state laws by voting to approve weekend early voting hours. The Democrats say they wanted to make the voting process as open as possible. Lieberman says they're discussing whether to continue with the lawsuit, which also claims they were unjustly fired.

Lawyers: Man accused of dumping cyanide has Alzheimer’s Disease
Lawyers for a 79-year-old Grafton man accused of dumping a barrel of cyanide into a storm sewer that caused a massive fish kill say he may not be fit to proceed with the case. Renato Montorsi appeared in court Thursday in a wheelchair and his lawyers say he’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. A judge has granted a mental evaluation. Montori is accused of dumping the 55-gallon drum into the Rocky River in April, killing 30,000  fish. He was using the chemical as part of production for his Strongsville business Kennedy Mint.  Investigators found the empty drum at Montorsi’s home, after he and his wife had denied knowing where it was.