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Unemployment Benefits Threatened



COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - State officials say they are bracing for anger and confusion from tens of thousands of jobless Ohioans if extended unemployment benefits are cut off at the end of the month.

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director Douglas Lumpkin said Wednesday he is once again urging Congress to grant an extension of weekly benefits for those without work.

Ohio's unemployment rate is 10.9 percent and Lumpkin said more than 430,000 are receiving benefits.

The department estimates that without the extension between 25,000 and 30,000 Ohioans will begin losing benefits weekly beginning Feb. 27.

The state added two call centers since December, for a total of seven, and has increased employees at those sites from 275 to 350.

What Did They Miiss?


Ohio State University says a background check on a janitor who shot two supervisors didn't reveal a criminal record, even though Nathaniel Brown had spent five years in prison.

Home Foreclosures Bottoming Out?


If the foreclosure crisis in Ohio is slowing down, it may be a long time before it turns around.

Area Unemployment At 27-Year High


Unemployment in central Ohio in January was at its highest level in nearly 27 years, flirting with double digits for the first time since 1983, according to figures released by the state Wednesday.

Campus Shooter Due To Be Fired


Personnel records show the OSU janitor who shot two supervisors, killing one of them before killing himself, early yesterday morning was going to be fired on Saturday.

Response To Shooting


OSU officials say they are pleased with the response time of university police officers and their campus emergency alert system in the wake of a shooting that left two men, including the gunman, dead.

Columbus Schools Audit


Columbus City Schools officials say the latest financial review by the state auditor indicates steps the district is taking to improve its accounting are paying dividends.

Texting Ban Moves Forward


A statewide ban on texting while driving is a step closer to reality after being approved by a key state House committee yesterday.

Teen Dating Violence


Ohio Senators have unanimously passed a House bill that would allow juvenile courts to issue protection orders for minors in dating relationships.

UPDATE: OSU Shooting Suspect Dies


An OSU maintenance employee opened fire on co-workers this morning, killing one and injuring another before turning the gun on himself, university officials said.

Father Jailed In Fatal Fire


Authorities have jailed a father after a house fire killed his two young sons in southern Ohio.