Two Ohio House races head for recount
Two tight Ohio House races are headed to recounts after county boards of election certified the November 6^th election results with provisional ballots Tuesday. Republican representative Al Landis of Dover has a 14-vote edge over Democrat Joshua O'Farrell of New Philadelphia in a distract that covers Tuscarawas and most of Holmes Counties. That puts the results well within the margin for an automatic recount. In a Cuyahoga County race, Republican Mike Dovilla of Berea leads Democrat Matt Patten of Strongsville by 119 votes, triggering a recount. Another close House race in Columbiana County was finalized. Democrat Nick Barborak has beaten Republican incumbent Craig Newbold by about 500 votes. 

Senate won't act on heartbeat, Planned Parenthood legislation
The Ohio Senate's leader says his chamber won't act this lame duck session on a bill that would boot Planned Parenthood to the back of the line for public family-planning money. It also will not act on the abortion bill which would outlaw abortion in Ohio at the point in which a fetal heartbeat can be detected.  Republican Senate President Tom Niehaus says there’s not enough time to weigh the significant policy issues at stake. 

Ohio has low graduation rates among black students
New statistics show that Ohio has one of the lowest high-school graduation rates for black students, but one of the better rates for white students. The U.S. Department of Education state-by-state graduation numbers show that only three states have a wider disparity between graduation rates for blacks and whites. Ohio's graduation rate for all students was 80 percent for the 2010-11 school year, the first year in which a common calculation was used in most states. For black students, the rate was 59 percent. For white students, it was 85 percent. For students who come from poor families, it was 65 percent.

First Energy to build in Akron
FirstEnergy is planning to build a $45 million transmission control center at its West Akron complex. The facility will use advanced computer systems to monitor the country-wide transmission grid run by FirstEnergy. It is also being designed as an environmentally friendly building. The project is expected to start construction in the spring of 2013. The new building will replace the existing control center in Wadsworth, which will then be used as a training and back-up facility.

Kasich clears way to enforce new law on exotic animals
Gov. John Kasich has cleared the way for Ohio to enforce temporary rules under the state's new law on exotic animals. An advisory board established interim rules for cage sizes and the caretaking of regulated animals, such as alligators and lions. Kasich signed an executive order Tuesday that enables the state agriculture department to adopt the rules immediately.

High court rules redistricting process constitutional 
In a 4-3 split decision, the Ohio Supreme Court has 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

Kasich set to sign puppy mill bill
An Ohio bill to crack down on high-volume dog breeding operations, dubbed puppy mills, is headed to the governor's desk. The Ohio Senate signed off on House changes. The measure bolsters regulations on the care and treatment of animals housed in large-scale establishments and distinguishes the facilities from traditional dog kennels. Those considered "dog retailers" will have to be licensed. The bill creates an advisory board for care standards and allows the state's agriculture department to contract with local veterinarians to conduct inspections.

Ohio hunters kill 24 percent more deer on the first day of gun season
Ohio hunters killed 24 percent more deer on the first day of gun season this year compared to last year. Hunters took nearly 30,000 white-tailed deer on Monday, the first day of the week-long gun season. The gun season continues through Sunday, with an additional weekend hunt Dec. 15.