We control the booze, we control the gambling….

Ohio A.G. Mark Dann was going to clean house but resigned in scandal.

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The Ohio ban on public smoking took effect yesterday.  The law permitting concealed weapons is already in place. 

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The city of Norwood, Ohio used its power of eminent domain to take an 11 acre site in a deteriorating neighborhood and turn it over to a private developer.  The plan was to build a 125 million dollar shopping and office complex.  Seventy homeowners sold but three fought the case in court.  A lower court offered 3 times the appraised value of the houses but the homeowners fought on to the Ohio Supreme Court.

The U.S. Supreme court had ruled in favor of similar economic takings in Kelo v New London, Connecticut.  The Ohio Supreme ruled in favor of property rights, unanimously rejecting the U.S. Kelo ruling. 

The homeowners castles have been returned.  After a three year court battle, the three dilapidated structures are the only houses still standing on the site next to a busy highway.

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Swing State Republican fund raiser and golfing buddy of the governor, Tom Noe, was indicted on 53 counts.  Noe is a scandal unto himself and not to be confused with Ney, the Ohio congressman under investigation in connection with the Abramoff scandal in Washington.

The indictment includes charges of money laundering, racketeering, theft, and making Gov. Bob Taft cry.  I made up that last one.  But Taft did shed a tear as he pleaded no contest to some Noe related midsemeanor charges last August.

Noe is a coin dealer.  He charmed the Bureau of Workers' Compensation into investing $50 million in rare coins, some of which were lost.  His wife claims the state made $10 million on the deal.

The Beacon Journal said, "Tom Noe, 51, pleaded not guilty and was jailed about five hours before posting $500,000 bail."  Whether he paid in coins is speculation on my part but if I were the judge, I would bite them.  Now that he's free, maybe Noe and Ney can persuade BWC to invest those coins in indian casino slot machines.