Ohio regulators plan to meet with the operators of two Ohio casinos to talk about a new timetable, now that a consultant has recommended that their openings be delayed.

Consultant Fredric Gushin of Spectrum Gaming told the state Casino Control Commission on Wednesday that more time is needed to investigate the Cleveland and Toledo facilities for licensing.

The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reports commission Chairwoman Jo Ann Davidson said she's optimistic the delays will be a matter of "weeks, not months."

The downtown Cleveland casino had planned to open in March, and the one in Toledo planned to follow in April. But Gushin says that timing was never approved by the commission.

Ohio U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown has offered his help to end the more than month-old lockout at a Northwest Ohio tire plant.

Multiple news outlets report the Democrat gave a pep talk Monday to Cooper Tire workers gathered at a packed union hall in Findlay.

Brown says he knows the union members are eager to get back to work.

Cooper Tire & Rubber is based in Findlay. In late November it locked out more than 1,000 union members at a factory in its hometown after workers voted down a tentative three-year  contract.

The last talks were held December 13. The union president says negotiations with the company will resume next week.

The boom in drilling for natural gas trapped in layers of shale has been good news for a handful of Ohio companies that supply the type of sand needed for such drilling.

Rob Sidley's family-owned company in northeast Ohio processes sand that is perfect for the drilling process because it's nearly 100 percent quartz as well as round, hard and water resistant.

The Akron Beacon Journal reported Monday that companies like Sidley's have a valuable commodity since 6,000 to 8,000 tons of sand are needed to drill one well.

The process for releasing gas in the Marcellus and Utica shale formations blasts thousands of gallons of sand- and chemical-laced water into the shale, a process known as hydraulic fracturing or fracking.
    

Ohio craft brewers hope a new state law will help boost beer tourism by bringing breweries more in line with winery tasting rooms.

The law allows production breweries to open tasting rooms and sell beer by the glass without buying a second, costly permit.

Ohio wineries have not had to pay that charge and have flourished by marketing themselves as tourist destinations. 

Ohio's first casino opening in March has posted an additional 750 jobs, including cashiers, bartenders, buffet
supervisors and security guards.

The casino posted the jobs Monday on its website www.HorseshoeCleveland.com

The casino says the openings cover 40 job classifications including administrative support, guest services, marketing and finance.

Online postings will be removed when sufficient applicants have been screened and scheduled for interviews.

Applicants must be at least 21 years old, have a high school diploma or equivalent and submit to drug testing and a criminal background check.