R&D list has Ohio colleges ranked 6th (Youngstown Vindicator, January 26, 2009) Only the public colleges and universities in California, Texas, Michigan, Florida and Pennsylvania spend more. Ohio's expenditure is more than $1 billion a year. In comparison, California stands at $4.5 billion.

University of Toledo adds Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Lorain and other districts to free-tuition offer (The Plain Dealer, January 20, 2009) The University of Toledo is expanding its offer of free tuition to even more local school districts. Low-income students in Cleveland Heights, East Cleveland, Elyria, Euclid and Lorain can join those from the Cleveland schools in applying for what is being called the UT Guarantee.

OneCommunity Wants to put 50,000 Refurbished Computers into Schools (The Plain Dealer, January 21, 2009) OneCommunity, the local nonprofit broadband provider, has a new goal of putting 50,000 computers in Northeast Ohio schools over the next five years. The idea behind the "Green Computing" initiative is to give students technology skills for the workplace and, in turn, drive economic development in the region.

Study: Some school collaboration OK (Tribune Chronicle, January 23, 2009) More than two-thirds of residents questioned in a 16-county northeast Ohio region are in favor of seeing more collaboration among school districts, according to a survey by the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University.

Editorial: Act Locally, Think Creatively (Akron Beacon Journal, January 21, 2009) Across the region, local governments are coping with a prolonged economic slowdown by employing the usual short-term methods. They are trimming payrolls, capital budgets and travel costs. Vehicles and computers aren't being replaced. In a few cities, departments are being merged.

Canton-Jackson annexation deal could lead to joint economic ventures (Canton Repository, January 21, 2009)  Jackson Township and Canton officials are working on an annexation agreement that could pave the way for joint economic development projects.

Ashland among nation's top 10 affordable cities. Business officials say survey a useful tool in attracting residents, companies  (Ashland Times Gazette, January 22, 2009)  In a recent cost of living study, Ashland ranked as the 10th least expensive urban area in which to live in the country. The index is published by Council for Community and Economic Research -- a nonprofit professional organization.

Home Sales Fell 13% Locally Last Year (Columbus Dispatch, January 22, 2009) Home sales declined 13.5 percent in central Ohio last year while the average sale price dropped to 2002 levels, the Columbus Board of Realtors said today.

Rare Chance to Remake Over-The-Rhine (Cincinnati Enquirer, January 23, 2009) By all accounts, 2009 is a crucial year for Over-the-Rhine - home to some of the region's most touted cultural treasures as well as some of its poorest and most disconnected residents.

Ohio Jobless Rate Hits Highest in 22 Years (Dayton Daily News, January 23, 2009) In another sign of the slumping economy, Ohio's unemployment rate jumped to 7.8 percent in December, the highest monthly rate in more than 22 years, according to data released Friday, Jan. 23, by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Editorial: Region Needs to Use Airport to Land Jobs (Dayton Daily News, January 22, 2009) This news might sound alarming: Dayton International Airport is making less money from its core business of serving airlines and freight companies, and the trend is expected to continue. Here's the back story - a tale of a smart business strategy that has the potential to pay important and lasting economic development dividends.

Commissioners Enact Sales Tax Increase (The Morning Journal, January 22, 2009) The Lorain County Commissioners enacted an emergency one half percent sales tax increase restricted to the criminal justice system. The tax will go into effect April 1, and residents will decide its continuation during the November election when it goes up for a vote.

Editorial: Home Rule, Home Choice (Toledo Blade, January 22, 2009) TWO issues - one principled, the other pragmatic- are at stake as the Ohio Supreme Court considers whether cities have the right to tell their employees that they must live within the municipal boundaries.

County to Seek US Funds for Wireless Project (Youngstown Vindicator, January 26, 2009) The Columbiana County Port Authority may turn to federal stimulus funding to finance its plans, including providing wireless access throughout the county.

Leadership Choice: Mayor or City Manager? (Columbus Dispatch, January 26, 2009) Hilliard Mayor Don Schonhardt thinks his city has reached a size that requires a new form of leadership.  At 30,000 people, the city should switch to a city-manager form of government when he leaves office after 2011, said Schonhardt, who is in his second and final term.

Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati on Forbes magazine's 30 most wired cities list (The Plain Dealer, January 24, 2009) Three Ohio cities again ranked in the magazine's list based on three factors: Broadband adoption, access options, and the number of Wi-Fi hot spots.