Student from Ohio is arrested in North Korea
The AP is reporting that the University of Virginia student arrested in North Korea is from Ohio. North Korea says Otto Frederick Warmbier committed a “hostile act” orchestrated by the U.S.Pyongyang's state media says he entered the country under the guise of a tourist and plotted to destroy North Korean. It didn't say when he was detained or explain the nature of the act. Warmbier graduated from high school in the Cincinnati area. 

Children and pregnant women advised to stop drinking water in MahoningCounty due to high lead levels
The village of Sebring is advising pregnant women and children in the Mahoning County village to stop drinking the water because of elevated lead levels in preliminary tests. According to WFMJ-TV in Youngstown, yesterday’s advisory followed test results from seven homes that showed lead levels above the federal action standard. The village spent $5 million upgrading its water plant, but speculates the lead could be leaching from pipes delivering the water to its 8,000 customers.

Report shows man accused of killing a Danville cop made previous threats to kill a police officer
A police report says a man accused of gunning down an Ohio village policeman had threatened to kill an officer three months ago. The report says Herschel Ray Jones III beat his girlfriend on October 13th, and said he planned to kill an officer and steal his uniform, or call in a school bomb threat. Officer Thomas Cottrell's body was found Sunday in Danville, about 60 miles northeast of Columbus, and his funeral is scheduled Saturday.

Trumbull County judge grants temporary restraining order against Warren Steel
A Trumbull County judge yesterday granted the state’s request for a temporary restraining order against Warren Steel. The plant must continue operating and prevent industrial wastewater from overflowing into the Mahoning River. It must also secure waste and chemicals that were left behind after closing. The plant closed on Nov. 30 and was expected to reopen by the end of March. State officials say it closed permanently last week. The company couldn't be reached for comment.

Mahoning County judge expected to rule on Youngstown schools appointment
A Mahoning County judge is expected to rule next week on an appointment that has held up the state takeover of Youngstown schools – under a law that could apply to any failing school district in Ohio. The Youngstown Vindicator is reporting Judge Lou D’Apolito heard arguments yesterday from the state, the teachers union and others over whether the appointment of one of the five members of the Youngstown Academic Distress Commission was legal. The union contends that the school board president must appoint a teacher. The president appointed a retired principal. The commission has been controversial since GOP lawmakers -- without hearings --- abruptly created the mechanism last summer to take over failing schools. The commission will appoint a new chief executive officer with broad powers to restructure the schools.

RTA unveils new trolley-style buses ahead of the summer’s Republican National Convention
Cleveland RTA unveiled the first of its new trolley-style buses yesterday. The busses 20 percent larger than current downtown trolleys and each costs nearly half a million dollars. They’re going to be used extensively during the Republican National Convention this summer when they’ll loop between Quicken Loans Arena and the convention center. But their life span and downtown routes are expected to last a dozen years beyond that.

Ohio’s final unemployment data from 2015 set to be revealed today
State officials are set to unveil Ohio's unemployment rate and other jobs data for the final month of 2015 today. Ohio's unemployment rate increased to 4.5 percent in November from 4.4 percent in October, its lowest level in 14 years. The state's rate has been tracking below the national rate, which was 5 percent for October and November. Friday's update is also expected to include information about job gains and losses in various sectors, such as construction, leisure and hospitality, and professional and business services.

Federal judge hears arguments in trial of Ohio man accused of sending money to an al-Qaeda leader
A federal judge has heard arguments about whether an Ohio native should stay behind bars pending trial on allegations that he and three others sent money to a prominent al-Qaeda leader. Attorneys for suspect Asif Ahmed Salim, a former Ohio State University student, are asking that he be put on home detention and stay with family in near Atlanta. Prosecutors on Thursday asked a judge in Toledo to deny the request. They say Salim spent the last four years living outside the United States and is a flight risk. Salim's attorneys have denied his involvement in an effort to raise money for an al-Qaeda leader.

Ohio Supreme Court sides with driller in legal battle over oil-and-gas leases
The Ohio Supreme Court has sided an energy company in a long-running class-action legal battle over hundreds of disputed oil-and-gas leases. In a 4-3 decision yesterday, the court ruled Ravenna-based Beck Energy’s leases do not require the company to begin preparing to drill within 10 years in order to maintain control of the properties. The company had argued it needed more time. The landowners argued Beck wrote contract language that allowed it to sit on the land indefinitely without drilling. Such perpetual leases are against Ohio policy.

Federal court refuses temporary block on rules to reduce power plant pollution
Ohio environmentalists are among those celebrating a federal appeals court’s refusal yesterday to temporarily block Obama administration rules to reduce power plant pollution. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine last summer sued the EPA along with 23 other states, saying it doesn't have authority to require states to enact pollution rules and that the rules are arbitrary. But the Ohio Environmental Council issued a statement after the court ruling saying the Clean Power Plan "is a common sense plan that guarantees clean air to breath and provides reliable energy to power our homes.” The plan is to cut carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by nearly a third from 2005 levels over the next 15 years.

Legalization group plans to put medical marijuana question on Ohio’s fall ballot
A national group hopes to get a marijuana initiative on Ohio ballots to give patients with serious long-standing serious conditions such as cancer and Crohn’s disease the ability to buy marijuana at state licensed dispensaries and to grow it at home. The Marijuana Policy Project is launching a campaign to get the issue – called Ohioans for Medical Marijuana” -- on the November ballot. Voters last fall trounced an issue that would have legalized marijuana for recreational and medicinal purposes, but much of the opposition was tied to the structure – which would have established a monopoly in the state Constitution of those allowed to grow marijuana for mass distribution. Polls of Ohioans show overwhelming support for medical marijuana. And the Ohio House and Senate have set up a task force and a listening tour to consider legalizing marijuana.

Gov. John Kasich to host two town hall meetings, two house parties in New Hampshire
Ohio Gov. John Kasich is back in New Hampshire today with two town halls and two house parties. And his presidential campaign is starting to gain some national attention. He’s been polling second to Donald Trump in the Granite state and is continuing to pick up some key endorsements there. From the start, Kasich has staked his campaign on doing well in New Hampshire, which he says aligns better with his pragmatic philosophy than Iowa.

Former Ohio Gov. Strickland to hold roundtable discussion on women’s healthcare
Former Gov. and senatorial candidate Ted Strickland is holding a round-table discussion today on women's healthcare with incoming State Rep. Kristin Boggs. The session will include a focus on preventive care and contraception. Strickland is the front runner for the Democratic nomination in the March 15 primary. He’s being challenged by Cincinnati Council Member P.G. Sittenfeld.

Browns say new head coach will play a big role in deciding Johnny Manziel’s future with the team
The Browns say they are in no rush to make a decision on quarterback Johnny Manziel's future. Manziel had a second straight troubling season with off-field issues and ended it by skipping a mandated medical treatment for a concussion. Sashi Brown, the team's newly appointed vice president of football operations, said Thursday that new coach Hue Jackson will play a major role in deciding what the team does with Manziel.

LISTEN: Brown on the team's commitment to player accountability

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“And that’s one thing I’m confident Hue will do--is a set of expectations for our players every day, every practice, every rep--What we expect from them and hold them accountable to that," said Brown. "Organizationally we’ll do that, and certainly I have no doubt that he will be doing that on a daily basis.”

Brown also said he did not know where Manziel was on the last weekend of the season, and that he was fined for missing the treatment.