Ohio high court narrowly upholds legislative map; brings a stinging dissent
In a 4-3 split decision, the Ohio Supreme Court today ruled the Statehouse legislative districts drawn up by the apportionment board are constitutional.

The districts drawn by the GOP-dominated board lean heavily Republican. And the decision written by Justice Terrence O’Donnell says partisan considerations cannot prevail over nonpartisan.  

But it also says the state constitution does not require political neutrality in drawing the lines. And it says the burden of proof lies with the people who say the Statehouse map is unfair, and must be proved to be unconstitutional beyond a reasonable doubt.

In his dissent, Justice Paul E. Pfeifer says the majority opinion is based on premises that “fail the tests of logic and fairness.” He says “Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is typically necessary only in criminal cases,” and “such a high burden of proof in the current constitutional matter turns this court into a rubber stamp.”

Fourteen votes separate winner from loser in Statehouse race
Meanwhile, at least one Statehouse race is heading for an automatic recount. The contest between Republican incumbent Al Landis and Democratic challenger Josh O’Farrell has come down to 14 votes out of the nearly 47,000 cast in the district that covers Tuscarawas County and part of Holmes.  Two other close statehouse races in Columbiana and Cuyahoga counties are awaiting the official results today before it will be clear if they, too, qualify for an automatic recount.

Home price report shows strong signs of recovery in Cleveland and nation
Home prices continue to climb in Cleveland and across the country.

According to the Case-Shiller Home Price index, prices were up for the sixth straight month in September, compared to the same month a year ago. The index, which has been cautious in the past, is now proclaiming the housing market is officially in recovery.

The report covers only single-family homes. This one shows prices up in the Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor area  up 1.4 percent.

Kent State football send-off planned for Thursday
Kent State is heading to the Mid America Conference Championship game in Detroit Friday, with a sendoff planned for the MAC center on campus Thursday morning.

The team is a perfect 8-0 in the MAC and lost just one game all season, to Maryland’s Towson state the second game of the season. Kent won its first ever MAC East title, and playing West Division Champion Northern Illinoise at Ford Field Friday night.