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The state says Ohio's unemployment rate rose in July, the second straight monthly increase following a two-year decline.  The Department of Job and Family Services says Ohio's jobless rate increased to 9.0 percent last month, from 8.8 percent in June.

The state says the number of workers unemployed in Ohio in July was 529,000, up from 517,000 in June.  The U.S. unemployment rate for July was 9.1 percent, down slightly from 9.2 percent in June.

A group of Ohio college students from Somalia has raised more than $17,000 from door-to-door donations to help Somali victims of the East African famine. 

The students planned to present $17,460 to three charity groups Thursday night after breaking the Ramadan fast in Columbus.

Ohio State student Rowda Olad says students felt they had to do something as they saw how many children are dying.  Olad says the students, from Ohio State and Columbus State Community College, plan to continue fundraising.

Opponents of Ohio's elections overhaul have been cleared to move forward with their effort to ask voters to repeal the law.

Among other changes, the law shortens the state's early voting period and bans in-person early voting on Sundays.

The state's top elections official said Thursday that the Fair Elections Ohio group has the 1,000 valid signatures needed to continue with its effort. Attorney General Mike DeWine has also approved the group's summary language of the legislation, which will be used on future petitions.

A proposal to let voters decide whether to use a ticket tax to pay for operations at riverfront stadiums used by the Cincinnati Bengals and Reds may miss the fall ballot. 

Backers say the sales tax approved by voters to build the stadiums hasn't generated enough money to cover costs.

The Cincinnati Enquirer says Friday that no signatures supporting a vote on the tax have been turned into the county board of elections.

The deadline to put a charter amendment on the November ballot is Sept. 9.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Officials in two counties in north-central Ohio say they're widening a possible arson investigation after finding evidence of at least 27 suspicious fires since February.  The fires have hit abandoned homes, barns, outbuildings, fields and ditches in Hardin and Union counties.

The Columbus Dispatch reports Friday that county officials says a meeting this week with the state fire marshal's office revealed more suspicious fires than they were originally aware of.