Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio is ending its ties with trade offices overseas as a new semiprivate nonprofit entity prepares to take over the job creation duties of the state's Department of Development.

A spokesman for Gov. John Kasich confirmed the change Sunday.

The state says improvements in communications technology and faster travel options have decreased the need to have foreign offices.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected a liberal policy group's lawsuit challenging certification of a fall ballot measure that seeks to exempt the state from parts of the federal health care overhaul.

The court's decision clears the so-called Health Care Freedom Amendment for the Nov. 8 ballot.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A report says Ohio is worse than half of other states when it comes to hunger, with more than one in four families lacking the means to buy food in the past 12 months.

The Columbus Dispatch reports Ohio is 20th for food hardship in the analysis released Thursday by the anti-hunger group Food Research and Action Center. The state has seven of the 100 most troubled metropolitan areas, worse than all but one state.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio will pay cash to tens of thousands of state workers this month to make up for personal days they gave up over the past two years to help balance the state budget.

The Associated Press has learned that each full-time employee is receiving the equivalent of four days' wages plus four sick days. That's in exchange for eight personal days conceded under the union contract negotiated under former Gov. Ted Strickland.

Swapping sick for personal days is beneficial for the state. Sick time - unlike personal time - is only partially reimbursed when unused.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The NCAA investigation into Ohio State's football program has cost the school's athletic department $800,000.

OSU Athletic director Gene Smith confirmed the figure on Wednesday in an email to The Associated Press. The Buckeyes football program has been embroiled in a memorabilia-for-cash scandal that broke late last year and has resulted in coach Jim Tressel losing his job after 10 years. Star quarterback Terrelle Pryor also has left the school.