Jockeying intensifies for location of medical mart and convention center in downtown Cleveland (The Plain Dealer, April 21, 2009) Business leaders are tugging the medical mart project in separate directions as negotiations to finalize a site for the project near their conclusion.

Ohio per-capita income in '07 up 4.6% (Toledo Blade, April 24, 2009) In the metro Toledo area, only Wood County residents had a bigger increase in per-capita income in 2007 than the statewide average, a new report shows.

Sales tax collections dropping in Ohio (Akron Beacon Journal, April 25, 2009) In Ohio, sales tax collections were down 0.7 percent last year compared to 2007. Adjusted for inflation to 2008 dollars, the drop was much greater: 4.3 percent, or $426.7 million.

School levies clash with tough economy (Cincinnati Enquirer, April 25, 2009) Educators and school board members say it's the worst economic climate for schools and school issues that they've seen. Yet, the stakes are high.

Area jobless tip the scales (Warren Tribune Chronicle, April 26, 2009) The number of unemployed workers in the Youngstown-Warren Metropolitan Statistical Area - and in fact the entire nation - has surpassed the number of workers in the manufacturing sector as the economic recession grinds on, government reports show.

Counselor work in foreclosure 'triage'(Springfield News Sun, April 26, 2009) Counselors at the Neighborhood Housing Partnership have been negotiating loan modifications for homeowners for years. These days, their services are more in demand than ever.

Dayton utility to grow plant meadows on property (Canton Repository, April 25, 2009) The roar of gasoline-powered lawnmowers will soon be replaced by the buzzing of bees on property owned by the Dayton Power & Light Co.

Governor defends his education plan (Zainesville Times Recorder, April 25, 2009) Strickland said without using the stimulus money, Ohio schools would be facing a deficit of more than $7 billion.

Editorial: Let's lead Ohio to a new future in education (Newark Advocate, April 26, 2009) Despite a difficult economic climate, the revised funding plan will guarantee that the poorest districts in the state receive the greatest percentage of assistance from the state while at the same time eliminating the phantom revenue issue that has plagued larger school districts for years.

News about jobs in good for a change (Canton Repository, April 25, 2009) In a grim year for the economy, it's nice to hear something positive. And how else to greet Friday's news that another tenant has been locked up for the former Hoover factory complex in North Canton - a tenant that will keep 250 jobs in Stark County?

Editorial: Governor's goals are good, but where's money? (Dayton Daily News, April 26, 2009) The hype and fury about Gov. Ted Strickland's education reforms are overblown. Schools are not going to be much different, at least in the next two years.

Local economy is all about the numbers (Sandusky Register, April 27, 2009) The numbers for Erie County haven't been good for the past few months. Home sales and car sales are down. Sales tax figures show that merchants are hurting. And unemployment has been up.

Biomedical industry in Cleveland area growing (The Plain Dealer, April 27, 2009) Northeast Ohio's biomedical industry bucks the trend of bad economic news: It's growing. And it's growing faster here than elsewhere in the United States.

Many cities struggling to make ends meet (Toledo Blade, April 27, 2009) with income tax revenues expected to be down $1.4 million this year in the Hancock County city, the mayor plans to lay off up to 33 city workers, including 13 police officers and 11 firefighters, effective May 9.

Youngstown buys property to help V&M Star Steel expansion project (Youngstown Vindicator, April 27, 2009) Though a potential major project by V&M Star Steel is far from certain, the city's board of control today signed a contract to purchase about $5 million worth of property needed by the company for the possible expansion.