North American market boosts Goodyear earnings
Goodyear Tire and Rubber has reported record quarterly earnings for its North America operations. And the Akron-based tire maker’s operating income has hit a record for the first half of this year, topping $833 million. That’s up 14 percent from last year, according to the second-quarter report released this morning. But sales for the quarter and the half were off slightly from 2013, primarily because of the South American market.

Collective bargaining battle remains important for Ohio voters
The latest Quinnipiac Poll shows Ohio Gov. Kasich with a healthy 12-point lead over Democratic challenger Ed FitzGerald. The Republican incumbent leads overwhelmingly with Republican voters and strongly among indepdents – with 55 percent of the voters overall approving of the job Kasich is doing.

Still, the failed attempt three years ago to try to severely curtail collective bargaining for government employees is still important to 80 percent of Ohio voters. And nearly a third say they’re less likely to vote for Kasich – a supporter of the limits – because of it.

About two thirds of the voters say they still don’t know enough about FitzGerald – Cuyahoga County’s executive and a former FBI agent – to judge him.  FitzGerald did pick up an endorsement yesterday from the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police.

Common Core supports plan to fight back
Supporters of Ohio’s use of Common Core standards are pushing back against Statehouse Republicans who want to repeal the standards.

Two lawmakers, Matt Huffman and Andy Thompson, introduced a bill this week to abandon the academic standards developed by state governors.

Greg Harris, state director for StudentsFirst, told the Columbus Dispatch the opponents “spew lies and scare people” about how the Common Core standards came about and what they would actually do. He says his group is ready to challenge those who “have been fueling this conspiracy.”

State panel looks at Aramark's Ohio prison performance
A state legislative panel today is taking up complaints today against Aramark, which has the contract to feed Ohio prison inmates. The complaints include facilities running out of food, employees not showing up and sanitary problems with food. Aramark contends the complaints are part of an anti-privatization effort.

Summit County judge withdraws from death penalty case
A judge in Akron has notified the Ohio Supreme Court she is withdrawing from a pending death penalty case. Summit County prosecutors accused Judge Mary Margaret Rowlands of bias against the death penalty, something she denied. But yesterday, she formally withdrew from handling the trial of Deshanon Haywood, who’s accused of killing four people during a drug-related robbery last year.

Dayton says it has two places to temporarily house immigrant children
Officials in Dayton have informed federal authorities the city has two facilities that could be used to shelter immigrant children from Central America. One spot offered is a vacant former business property while the other was a Navy Reserve facility.