A patrol dispatcher says no major traffic tie-ups were being reported on Ohio highways as of early Saturday afternoon.

Memorial Day weekend is traditionally a dangerous period on Ohio roads, particularly for impaired driving crashes. The patrol says five of the 14 people killed on Ohio roadways the last Memorial holiday were involved in alcohol-related crashes.

Motorists should be reminded that wearing a safety belt is the single most effective tool in reducing injuries and deaths in crashes.

The patrol also urges all drivers to report impaired drivers.

The space agency is providing help through a new assistance program that includes loans from Cleveland and surrounding Cuyahoga County. A report says NASA is offering up to 40 hours of engineering work for each of nine winning companies in the program.

Among them is Gotta Groove Records in Cleveland, which presses vinyl music albums. President Vince Slusarz says his company uses 1970s presses but needs to make upgrades to produce more of the old-fashioned discs and keep up with sales.

NASA engineer Paul Bartolotta says some issues with the presses are similar to challenges involved in launching a rocket.

The high court on Friday dismissed a lawsuit against a proposed constitutional amendment that looks to legalize gay marriage.

The legal challenge came from the Ohio Campaign to Protect Marriage, which helped push the current ban on gay marriage into law in 2004. The group arged that summary language approved hy Attorney General Mike DeWeine was too vague.

“They’re terrified that the language in the Freedom to Marry and Religious Freedom Amendment strikes a cord with Ohio voters in a rural part of the state and with religious conservatives,” said Ian James, co-founder of Freedom Ohio, which is now gathering signatures in effort to put a proposal before voters the November 2013 ballot.

If placed on the ballot and approved by voters, it would let two people marry regardless of gender. It would also let churches decline to perform or recognizes marriages.

Dem. State Senator Charleta Tavares says her bill would prohibit employers, employment agencies and labor organizations from requiring an applicant or existing employee provide passwords for social utility accounts.

She says employers can already send friend or connection requests to view information.

“But to ask for the password so you can get into the site? I think that is going way beyond what is acceptable, and it really is an invasion of one’s privacy,” Tavares said.

Taveares says her bill would also offer protections for people who refuse to divulge their passwords.

Tavares says her legislation would also seek to prevent negative repercussions for Ohioans who are unwilling to divulge social utility information.

Rep. Representative Lou Blessing, the man charged with negotiating a Statehouse compromise, said there was general agreement that Columbus and other cities getting a traditional casino didn’t need extra revenue generated by new “racinos,” or horse racing tracks with slot-like video terminals.

The bill was passed under an emergency clause, so if signed by the Governor it would go into law immediately.

Scioto Downs is so far the only vendor willing to pay the $50 million fee for a video lottery terminal facility, although other facilities are expected to eventually open.

The bill also places a one-year moratorium on new Internet sweepstakes parlors.

Lawmakers removed a measure to regulate charity card rooms.

“We are looking for positions for cooks, dishwashers, hosts, servers, and looking for people willing to invest themselves in the hospitality industry with a great company.”

Recruiters with more than a dozen businesses searched for employees at a job fair at the Westerville Community Center. It’s the 4th of 5 to be held before students go on summer break.

Sous Chef at the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Matt Paisley says he wants to hire up to 20 young people as cooks, dishwashers, and waiters.

“It’s a different focal point for them to get a position than the older crowd. They’re looking to take a couple more chances, work longer hours than that crowd,” says Paisley.

17 year old Jajuon Poindexter a junior at Westerville Central High School has worked before in a kitchen.

“I worked at St. Stephens Community House as like the chef’s assistant, cooking for the old folks and stuff. So you like being in the kitchen then? Yes. And what do you like about that? I like to cook food, I know how to cook food and I enjoy cooking food,” says Poindexter.

The Central Ohio Workforce Investment Corporation or COWIC has government and private funds to employ about 2700 teens and young adults between the ages of 14 and 24.

It’s estimated nearly a quarter of teens are unemployed and for black youth the figure can be more than double.

Director of the youth workforce program, Gailmarie Harris matches young adults with potential employers at job fairs.

“Young people have their own idea of what they think want to do, and even if they want a job they’re not quite sure about how to go about doing that.” And so we ask them to come to COWIC, get the instructions on how to apply. Get into the system, because we can also advocate on their behalf,” explains Harris.

Harris says the summer jobs program also attracts private businesses to provide many jobs at their own cost.

Corporate recruiter Trisha Mannick is with Redemtech a company that recycles old computers, laptops, cell phones and printers. Mannick has 8 positions open.

“I definitely feel if they’re going for an IT career this is a really great place for them to be because they’re learning entry-level information about IT equipment,” explains Mannick.

21 year old Maya Dixon is from Columbus but studies at Spellman College in Atlanta. The English Major says she understands it’s a competitive job market.

“I‘m competing against people who actually have families and have people to support. And it’s more difficult to find a job when you don’t have anyone to support and it’s just yourself,” says Dixon.

20 year old Desmond Holmes a student at Columbus State says he’s ready to put the time into job hunting.

“Nothing was really difficult I just had to make like looking for a job, a job for real. And I had to stay focused and not let everything distract me,” says Holmes.

Gailmarie Harris with COWIC adds that young job seekers can get help on following up with companies through the agency. The last of 5 youth job fairs is scheduled for next week.

Troopers have begun by training a group of Wal-Mart truck drivers in Grove City. The patrol hopes to enlist the aid of a lot of trucking companies in its Truck Shield program.

“The four areas that we are training the drivers in are impaired driver detection, illegal drug interdiction, homeland security and human trafficking,” says Patrol Lieutenant Anne Ralston.

Ralston says truckers should be alerted to a potential threat if someone inquires about their route especially if they’re carrying hazardous cargo. She says human trafficking in Ohio, especially with girls ages 12 to 15, is a growing problem.

“If you see a person that appears to be in fear of the person that they’re with; if the person doesn’t have identification or doesn’t know where they are, those are certainly signs that we would want people to pick up on and then report those to the patrol,” Ralston says.

Lt. Ralston says the sheer number of truck drivers on the road can help make Ohio safer.

“It’s a logical partnership between the trucking industry and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. It’s something that we’ve had for a long time and look forward to doing in the future,” Ralston says.

The agreement by the negotiating panel frees up a wide-ranging gambling bill for possible passage Thursday by the Ohio House and state Senate.

Lawmakers had disagreed over whether the host cities of so-called racinos should get additional state funds. Opponents contend the facilities will add to city coffers through property taxes, while supporters argue cities could use the money for additional law enforcement and other needs.

Under the deal, cities would get $1 million each for two years, and possibly $500,000 annually later. The compromise excludes Columbus, which has a racetrack and a separate casino.

Panelists said rules on charity card rooms would be debated in separate legislation.

Authorities say T.J. Lane admitted firing at students sitting at a cafeteria table at Chardon High School east of Cleveland on Feb. 27.

A juvenile court judge ruled Thursday that Lane will be tried as an adult. He said he found probable evidence in all six charges for which Lane is charged.

Lane could face life in prison if he’s convicted in adult court.

The shooting killed three students and seriously hurt two more. The motive remains unclear.

A psychiatrist has testified that Lane suffers from hallucinations, psychosis and fantasies.

The Ohio House was scheduled to vote Thursday on the new regulations governing hydraulic fracturing in the Utica and Marcellus shale formations running under sections of the state. They are part of a wide-ranging energy bill that also addresses Ohio’s clean energy standard and makes dozens of other changes.

Barring floor changes to the bill, the Ohio Senate was prepared to concur on House changes later in the day. Their approval would send the bill to Kasich, who is expected to sign it.

Environmentalists oppose a House change that limits who can sue energy companies for chemical trade secrets.