Kent's Hazell heads to Purdue
Kent State’s head football coach Darrell Hazell has confirmed that, after two years at Kent, he’s taking the head coaching job at Purdue University.

Hazell accepted the offer from Purdue at 9 last night, hours after Twitter and other social media were spreading the word.

At a press conference this morning, Hazell would not discuss the terms of his contract, including whether Purdue will buy out the final three years on his agreement with Kent State. The contract requires Hazell to repay the university for if he leaves early.

Hazell says he’s encouraging the Kent players to remain, and that he’s not quitting on them.

“Absolutely not. I don’t feel like I’m quitting on them, but you think that, are you being selfish by leaving. But I’ve coached for 27 years in college football and I realize this is part of the business and opportunities like this do not come along every day. And when they do, you’re not guaranteed anything. You look at it closely, see if it fits you, and then you’ve got to make a decision.”

Hazell would not rule out inviting other Kent coaches to go with him.

And he said it will be up to Athletic Director Joel Nielson just who coaches from the sidelines when Kent plays in the GoDaddy.com Bowl in Alabama on Jan. 6.

Why didn't Cleveland police break off the chase?
The Plain Dealer is reporting that Cleveland police were told twice to break off a chase five minutes before they opened fire on an unarmed couple.

The paper says radio transmissions released this week include two voices calling off the pursuit that began Thursday night in downtown Cleveland and continued into East Cleveland.

The medical examiner says Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell were hit by 47 of the nearly 140 bullets fired.

The police dispatch tapes include a man’s voice saying “No cars have permission to pursue,” followed by a woman broadcasting, “Fifth district cars, terminate the pursuit.”

Special audit will cost Ohio's largest school district
Columbus City Schools will have to pay for at least part of the special investigation into its alleged data rigging.

Superintendent Gene Harris got a letter from state Auditor David Yost this week, saying the statewide probe into the accuracy of attendance and  academic ratings at school districts around the state “requires us to more fully investigate certain matters specific to the Columbus City School District.”

The district will be provided a cost estimate as the special audit develops. The Columbus Dispatch says the district has no money set aside for the audit.