COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A federal judge blocked certain requirements for how thousands of ballots are counted in the swing state, saying in a Tuesday decision the policies are unconstitutional and violate the Voting Rights Act. At issue are two laws the Republican-led state legislature passed in 2014 and how they are implemented. Among other changes, the laws require voters …

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Zoo plans to reopen its gorilla exhibit Tuesday with a higher, reinforced barrier installed after a young boy got into the exhibit and was dragged by a 400-pound gorilla, which was then shot and killed. The exhibit’s reopening comes a day after Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said he would not bring charges against the …

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s attempt at slowing down the toxic algae turning Lake Erie green hinges on a plan that some environmental groups say relies too much on voluntary programs and lacks the sense of urgency needed to thwart the growing threat to the region’s drinking water. The state’s strategy outlined recently by Ohio’s Environmental Protection Agency is centered …

CINCINNATI (AP) — No decision has been made yet on whether charges will be brought against the parents of a 3-year-old boy who fell into a gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo, causing an animal response team to shoot and kill the primate, authorities said. Cincinnati city spokesman Rocky Merz said Wednesday no determination has been made on possible charges …

CINCINNATI (AP) — The director of the Cincinnati Zoo says it remains safe for its 1.6 million annual visitors despite a weekend tragedy in which a gorilla was fatally shot to protect a 4-year-old boy who had entered its exhibit. Thane Maynard, however, said a review is underway to determine any improvements that can make the zoo safer. The male …

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A medical marijuana legalization bill has been sent to Ohio Gov. John Kasich in an effort by state lawmakers to offset support for a proposed fall ballot measure. The measure cleared the Ohio Senate by just three votes, and the House followed by OK’ing Senate changes 67-28. The proposal, which Kasich has not committed to signing, …

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A legislative proposal to regulate medical marijuana through Ohio’s pharmacy board was scrapped Tuesday over concerns the rare setup nationally would create an undue burden on the state. Republican Sen. David Burke, a Marysville pharmacist behind the idea, called the arrangement the most responsible way to oversee marijuana as medicine. He said changes introduced in the …

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Two of the four cubs born to a seized tiger at Ohio’s exotic animal holding facility have died, and the others have been separated from their mother and moved into temporary care at a zoo, a state Department of Agriculture spokeswoman said Monday. The cubs arrived after officials took five tigers and five other exotic animals …

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Grahm Jones had already photographed lions, zebras and gazelles on a recent weekday morning when he went nose-to-lens with a giraffe. Standing in the back of a Land Rover in the Heart of Africa area, the official photographer of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium clicked away as the inquisitive giraffe sniffed around for a few minutes …

FINDLAY, Ohio (AP) — Officials in northwest Ohio may be forced to abandon a flood control project or pay for it with local money as federal funding for the plan is in jeopardy.