Strickland discusses education reform proposals locally (Akron Leader Publications, February 19, 2009) More than 400 teachers, school administrators and education officials from Summit, Stark and Portage counties, as well as the mayor and Council members from Lakemore Village and members of the Springfield Township Board of Trustees, attended the one-hour press conference and applauded some of Strickland's ideas.

Governor says Ohio schools need new focus (Akron Beacon Journal, February 23. 2009) Gov. Ted Strickland wants to modernize Ohio's education system by focusing on technology and problem-solving skills instead of memorization.

Cincinnati promotes city farming (Cincinnati Enquirer, February 17, 2009) Officials in Cincinnati are looking at pieces of urban land that could be used to grow food.

Editorial: Tweaking Time (Akron Beacon Journal, February 22, 2009) Strickland conceded the obvious Thursday when he said ''it may be necessary to go back and do some tweaking'' of his school-funding formula. It's a must. Widely publicized disparities in district allocations in the proposed two-year budget make revisions in the formula essential.

Editorial: Smart Work (Akron Beacon Journal, February 22, 2009) Even in the midst of a recession, with unemployment rising, thousands of jobs are going unfilled in Northeast Ohio. The positions have one thing in common. They demand a high level of technical skill, even for factory jobs.

Ohio awaits college aid fund (Cincinnati Enquirer, February 21, 2009) Ohio officials are counting on $724 million from the federal stimulus package during the next two years to help keep funding steady for the state's universities and community college students.

Commissioners vote 2-to-1 to allow Claypool to plan (Ashtabula Star Beacon, February 20, 2009) Commissioners agree there should be a plan that will look beyond the current recession and that sets a cooperative, economically viable direction for the county given the premise of limited population and development growth.

Once-booming suburbs looking to tighten belts (Columbus Dispatch, February 23, 2009) With five years of skyrocketing income-tax revenue, communities in the thriving warehouse district surrounding Rickenbacker Airport had been the exception to the rule of economic gloom. How long, Ken Salak wondered, could it last?

Nonprofits' struggles to keep up inspire new partnership program (Dayton Daily News, February 23, 2009) The Dayton Foundation in the last year has seen a jump in the number of nonprofits requesting grants as those agencies struggle to keep up with more people coming through their doors seeking help.

Editorial: City Center too new for much nostalgia (Columbus Dispatch, February 23, 2009) The Feb. 11 Dispatch article "In mall's empty halls, a sale to end all sales" takes on the appeal of nostalgia, but Columbus City Center was built only 20 years ago. I have shoes older than that.

How would you spend $500 million in taxpayer money? (The Plain Dealer, February 22, 2009) It appears more and more likely that a new, iconic structure will rise on Lakeside Avenue in downtown Cleveland in the coming years. It will be the gateway to a medical market-convention center, Cleveland's Acropolis.

Editorial: Trim now or chop later (Youngstown Vindicator, February 22, 2009) Some public officials are trying to keep up, others are lagging behind and some may not make a move until it's too late. We're talking about the need to react to the reality of declining revenue. They all know it's a fact, but so far relatively few have taken action.

UpTown Toledo thirsts to market the area as a 'destination' (Toledo Blade, February 23, 2009) Although UpTown may have yet to become a popular stand-alone destination - as is envisioned by some restaurant and business owners - the district's stakeholders are sanguine about its potential.

Ohio works to get on track for a share of railway stimulus funds (The Plain Dealer, February 23, 2009) Passenger rail advocates in Ohio don't want to be left at the station as an unprecedented $8 billion in economic stimulus funds are distributed for high-speed and intercity rail projects.

Editorial: Cleveland Mayor Jackson's 2009 budget contains little news, fortunately (The Plain Dealer, February 23, 3009) Faced with a painful recession that has diminished almost every source of government revenue, many cities have been forced to reduce work forces and cut services. But even though Cleveland anticipates at least $12 million less in its general fund this year and faces the same higher health care and other expenses that every business and household does, Jackson has no plans to lay off or demand givebacks from city workers, raise taxes or do less.