Cleveland police address citizen concerns over deadly barrage
Cleveland officials will meet tonight with concerned citizens to answer questions about last Thursday’s shooting of a driver and passenger following a 25-minute chase.

Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath and Safety Director Martin Flask will hold a community forum at the Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church, 2 miles from where police fired 137 rounds at Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams.

Community leaders called for the forum to address concerns about police conduct.  It remains unclear why Russell and Williams were running from the police.

State, county, and local investigators are conducting a joint inquiry of the incident.

Ohio Supreme Court finds ODNR in contempt
In what may be a first for Ohio, the state Supreme Court has found another state agency in contempt of court.

The high court yesterday found the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and director James Zehringer in contempt for defying an order to compensate 87 landowners for flood damage related to a state-built dam.

The case dates back to 1997 when land owners accused the state of a “taking of their property” due to overflows from Grand Lake St. Mary’s in western Ohio.

An attorney for the landowners estimates the payouts totalling $50 million dollars.  ODNR officials said they will comply with the high court’s decision.

Two Ohio House races still in question as other election results verified 
The 2012 election is almost over in Ohio.  Secretary of State Jon Husted will officially certify results this afternoon of Ohio votes for President; Congress; Ohio Supreme Court; State Board of Education; and statewide issues.

But ballots are still be counted, and fought over, in two state House races.

Only 14 votes put Republican Al Landis over Democrat Josh O’Farrell in the district that covers all of Tuscarawas and part of Holmes counties.

Also up for a recount is the southern Cuyahoga County race in which Republican Mike Dovilla is leading Democrat Matt Patten by 119 votes out of the more than 55,000 cast.  

State officials say those results will be available “in the near future.”

Honda grows North American production
Honda says it soon be exporting more cars from North America than it imports, many of them built in Ohio.

Honda made the announcement yesterday at the Marysville assembly plant, the first and still largest Honda factory on the continent.

84% of Honda’s sold in North America are built here, the company says in two years the US, Mexico, and Canada will be a net exporter of its cars.

Red Kettle thief has change of heart
A thief who made off with cash from a Salvation Army red kettle at a northern Ohio mall this week apparently has had a change of heart.

Police near Youngstown say that two days after the kettle was emptied out, someone left $130 and an apology at the Salvation Army.

A note found at the Salvation Army Wednesday morning read "here is the money I took plus money for a new kettle and bell."

The note also said "please forgive me."    A Salvation Army official says it's not known how much money was in the kettle.