Darrielle Snipes

Among the many education programs in the latest state budget is the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library. The literacy program mails children under five free books in certain communities around Ohio. It was originally started by country singer . The $5 million will go into a matching fund for all the Imagination Libraries across the state, doubling the money for the current 54 Ohio affiliates of the program.

Operation Home Run and Operation Triple Play took place over four days and led to the arrest of 50 men, most of them local. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost says Operation Home Run focused on arresting “johns” who solicit women, not knowing if they are victims of human trafficking.

The Ohio State Board of Education is expanding its social-emotional learning standards to include all students. Department of Education implemented standards for children in kindergarten through third grade starting in 2012, to build skills in five areas, including self-awareness and decision making. The new standards now include all students, through 12th grade.

Ohio's two historically black colleges are neighbors, both about an hour southwest of Columbus, and now they're considering getting even closer by merging…

Researchers at The Ohio State University have identified a new, potentially harmful algae bloom in the central basin of Lake Erie that could affect Cleveland's water. The cyanobacteria found in the middle of the central basin thrives in cooler waters, starting in July.

Members of United Auto Workers Local 1112 are more skeptical than optimistic after the announcement Wednesday that General Motors is in talks to sell its Lordstown plant to Cincinnati-based Workhorse Group, an upstart maker of electric trucks. Many are shocked the company would rather sell the plant than assign a new GM vehicle to be built in Lordstown.

The Plain Dealer is expected to notify 14 Northeast Ohio Newspaper Guild, Local 1 members Monday that they no longer work for the company. The newspaper announced the layoffs two weeks ago. Over the weekend, the union’s membership ratified an agreement reached between the Guild and Plain Dealer management that would affect “those whose jobs are being eliminated and those who will be left behind,” according to a statement from the Guild.

Lordstown school officials plan to hold quarterly financial meetings with the community, now that the General Motors plant is slated to shut down in March. Superintendent Terry Armstrong says the tax money the district receives from GM may change when the plant goes dark. He wants to keep the community informed about budget issues the district could face.

Small business entrepreneurs typically get money from family or friends. But an approach taken from the pages of Silicon Valley is being used in Cleveland. A new reality television show called Cleveland Hustles is the idea of basketball superstar LeBron James. The show documents this process as four companies try to create jobs and a business model that can be replicated across the country.