The Columbus Dispatch

Casino supporters smashed the all-time record for campaign spending, shelling out more than $47 million to pass state Issue 3 in last month's election. Full Story »

Edie Ilan was the irrepressible type, her passion and vibrancy undimmed as she fought cancer and confronted life's other challenges. The well-known advocate for Columbus' Jewish organizations died yesterday in Ra'anana, Israel at age 55. Full Story »

A Toledo man who fatally shot a store owner during a robbery should not be spared the death penalty, the Ohio Parole Board ruled in a report today. The board voted 5-2 against clemency for Vernon Smith, 37, who has changed his name to Abdullah Sharif Kaazim Mahdi. Full Story »

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio -- Classroom handouts questioning evolution were used as examples of faulty science, not to promote religion in the classroom, a Mount Vernon middle school teacher testified this morning in a hearing to determine if he should be fired. Full Story »

For families who value a slower, less consumer-driven lifestyle, the holidays represent the ultimate test -- or opportunity. Some have long succeeded in resisting the constant urgings to spend; others are tired of shopping themselves silly and now want to turn the train around. Full Story »

First came the slow-food movement, working to counteract fast fare and put the happy back in meals. Full Story »

With $1.7 billion in aid to public schools on the line, educators are urging state lawmakers to end their stalemate and plug the latest budget shortfall before they have to start slashing teachers and programs. Full Story »

Two historic Downtown office buildings will undergo a $26.1 million transformation into a boutique hotel. One was designed by a Statehouse architect, and the other was the first home of the National Football League. Full Story »

Implementing all-day, everyday kindergarten in every school district across the state will cost at least $205 million for new teachers, aides, supplies and classroom space, the Ohio Department of Education estimates. Full Story »

GALENA, Ohio -- The doors are all locked, but Olentangy officials aren't calling it a lockdown. Full Story »

Synagogue to hand out 4,000 low-energy bulbs Beth Jacob Congregation on the East Side will give 4,000 "Hanukkah gifts" next week in the form of compact fluorescent light bulbs. Full Story »

State boards of health will continue to wait for uniform rules regarding the regulation of home and on-site septic systems after state legislators gave themselves six more months to address the issue. Full Story »

The probable Republican nominee for governor said he supports efforts to give Franklin County voters a chance to reject a casino in the Arena District. Full Story »

The Columbus College of Art & Design will offer its first graduate program next fall in an effort to increase its visibility and prepare students for careers in fine arts. Full Story »

With so much gun violence on the East Side, the last thing the neighborhood needs is a gun store and indoor shooting range, says the leader of a nonprofit development group. Full Story »

A longtime Huntington National Bank employee pleaded guilty yesterday to diverting more than $185,000 to her personal accounts. Full Story »

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio -- At sessions held off and on for nearly 14 months, a Mount Vernon Middle School teacher has listened to a parade of witnesses, both critics and fans of his teaching. This week has been John Freshwater's chance to tell his side. Full Story »

A water system in Washington County has sued DuPont and asked a federal judge in Columbus to force the company to clean up aquifers contaminated with a chemical used to make Teflon. Full Story »

Bring on the kibbles, the bits, the chow, the tuna-flavored treats. Full Story »

Franklin County Children Services is considering a plan to pay all of its foster parents the same daily rate, a change from a longstanding policy of paying different rates based on a foster child's age and day-care needs. Full Story »

H1N1 FLU CLINICS Public H1N1 clinics are scheduled in central Ohio. All information is subject to change. To check the full schedules, go to Dispatch.com/flu and follow the links for each health department. Unless noted otherwise, the clinics are for children Full Story »

Upper Arlington Council to vote on single speed limit for North Star The Upper Arlington City Council will vote Monday on whether to establish a speed limit of 25 mph along the entire length of North Star Road. Full Story »

Franklin County Children Services is considering a plan to pay all of its foster parents the same daily rate, a change from a longstanding policy of paying different rates based on a foster child's age and day-care needs. But members of the Board of Trustees raised questions today about the plan's fairness to some foster parents, delaying a vote until at least the next regular board meeting on ... Full Story »

Rescue groups are collecting food for dogs and cats at a food-drive on Saturday. They hope to help families who are struggling in a poor economy keep from having to lose their pets. Full Story »

A Chillicothe minister will spend nearly six years in prison for sharing child pornography from a computer in the home next to his church. Gary L. Kendall Jr., 42, pleaded guilty in September to one count of distributing child pornography, after investigators found 290 images of prepubescent minors in his office. Once released, Kendall must register as a sex offender and spend 10 years on parole ... Full Story »