NEW FRANKLIN, Ohio (AP) - Construction is expected to start this month on a northeast Ohio facility that would turn sewage sludge into vehicle fuel by producing compressed natural gas.

The Akron Beacon Journal  reports local officials and the Ohio Environmental Protect Agency have approved the $4.5 million anaerobic digester in New Franklin, south of Akron. The process uses bacteria that don't need oxygen to consume sludge and yield a burnable gas that can fuel specially converted vehicles.

The facility will be operated by a subsidiary of Cleveland-based Quasar Energy Group, which has digesters in Columbus, Wooster and Zanesvillethat produce natural gas and one in Akron that produces electricity.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A small-business group opposed to the health care overhaul is asking the Supreme Court to strike down the entire law, not just the core requirement to buy health insurance or pay a penalty.

The National Federation of Independent Business is filing an appeal Wednesday of a portion of the ruling by the federal appeals court in Atlanta that struck down the individual insurance requirement.

The appeals court upheld the rest of the law, an outcome the group says is bad for business. The law extends coverage to an additional 30 million people, many through subsidies to purchase private insurance and through an expansion of Medicaid.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The Ohio Lottery Commission wants the state to waive its competitive bidding process and award an additional $9 million over two years to a company that already helps run the state's lottery games.

The state Controlling Board was to decide Monday whether to let Intralot Inc. develop the system that will operate slots-like video lottery terminals in the state. The system would track the machines' activity, including number of wins and payouts.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich laid out the details of his plans to expand VLTs at Ohio's seven horse tracks in a June deal with the operators of the state's four casinos.

CLEVELAND (AP) - Cleveland's new casino already has received 10 times more applications for dealer jobs than the number of openings, and the deadline for applying is still weeks away.

The Horseshoe Casino Cleveland began accepting applications on its website last Wednesday for 500 dealers and supervisors. The Plain Dealer reports that by Monday the developer had fielded more than 5,000 applications and expected to easily double that number by the Sept. 30 cutoff.

Casino general manager Marcus Glover told the Cleveland City Council on Monday that every applicant will receive careful consideration.  The full-time jobs pay $35,000 a year or more. 

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) - Solar power is being used by an increasing number of northwest Ohio companies wanting to save money on energy costs.

The Blade reports that companies in the region say potential cost savings and financing deals that helped them afford the projects prompted their solar investments.

The newspaper reports that the largest solar project in northwest Ohio is an 84-acre array near Upper Sandusky. The $44 million array at the PSEG Wyandot Solar Farm began producing power in May 2010. It produces up to 15,000 megawatt hours of solar energy annually, enough to power 9,000 homes on a sunny day.

A study released by the Solar Energy Industries Association indicates commercial solar installations have become increasingly popular in the United States.

AKRON, Ohio (AP) - A nationwide shortage of truck drivers has specialty schools in Ohio working to help trucking companies fill that need with newly-trained drivers.

The Akron Beacon Journal reports trucking organizations' estimates on the need for drivers over the next couple of years range from 100,000 to 500,000. Industry officials say the aging of the current driver population and increased trucking regulations are among the reasons for the tight market.

Schools say the shortage is forcing companies that typically prefer to hire drivers with one or more years of experience to turn to students. Companies are sending recruiters to schools. Some also reimburse new drivers for tuition, if they agree to stay with the company for a set time period.