Vote counting continues in three Statehouse races
Republicans in the Ohio House are still waiting to see if three GOP incumbents keep their seats. Victories for Reps. Mike Dovilla of Berea, Al Landis of Dover, and Craig Newbold of Columbiana would only strengthen the 58-38 majority the GOP held after Election Day. But losses could mean added negotiating power for Democrats in the next two-year legislative session. All that will be determined by a count of provisional and absentee ballots that begins on Saturday. According to unofficial results, all three of the candidates lead their opponents by fewer than 400 votes each. If a spread is less than a quarter of a percent, there will be an automatic recount, taking the process into December.

Hartman set to be executed today
Ohio is preparing to execute a condemned killer who says he is innocent of stabbing an Akron woman more than 100 times. The execution of Brett Hartman is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville. Hartman was sentenced to die for the 1997 killing of 46-year-old Winda Snipes. The Ohio Parole Board three times denied him clemency, citing the "overwhelming evidence" of his guilt. His execution has been delayed several times as well. Hartman's attorneys say no court ever heard the full story of Hartman's troubled childhood.

Sherwin Williams buying Mexican competitor
Cleveland-based paint manufacturer Sherwin-Williams is buying a major global competitor for 2.3-billion dollars. Sherwin Williams will acquire Mexico City-based Consorcio Comex, which is a leading brand in Mexico and has thousands of stories in North America….Meanwhile, Sherwin Williams has a Latin American coatings business with nearly 1-billion dollars in sales last year. It’s the company’s largest acquisition in history.

RTA, transit union working on better protection for drivers
Cleveland's public transit agency and a union representing its workers are studying ways to better protect bus drivers after several recent assaults. The local union president tells The Plain Dealer the union wants shields installed around drivers on buses. A spokeswoman for the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority says it would cost more than $1 million to get the 450 buses the type of plastic shields used in cities such as New York and Boston. RTA wants to test different types of shields. The move comes after several confrontations in the past few months. RTA fired one driver who punched a female passenger during an altercation captured on video. Another passenger punched a driver, and a third threw hot coffee in a driver's face.

Legislator wants tax rebates on prepaid cards
An Ohio legislator thinks the state should offer taxpayers the option of getting their Ohio refunds on prepaid debit cards. State Sen. Eric Kearney says his proposal could save the state money and benefit low-income residents who don't have bank accounts. The Cincinnati Democrat says the option would give them a safe and easy way to get their refunds, avoiding check-cashing fees. A federal survey found that about 400,000 Ohio households didn't have a checking or savings account last year. A U.S. Treasury pilot program was halted after only a small number of taxpayers chose to participate.