The Ohio House has passed a proposal to legalize medical marijuana in the state.  The bill would bar patients from smoking the substance but allow them to use it in vapor form.  Under the legislation, a nine-member Medical Marijuana Control Commission would set rules for cultivating, distributing and licensing cannabis.  Communities could opt out of hosting dispensaries.  Employers who want to maintain drug-free workplaces would be protected from liability.  The Senate plans to begin hearings on the measure today.

The Hancock County commissioners met with a group of county, city and private officials to discuss the release of a study by the National Center for State Courts which is expected next week.  The study is to develop recommendations on how to best improve security at entrances of the Hancock County Courthouse and County Probate and Juvenile Court.  At this time, the security report on the court entrances does not include price estimates for the proposed options.  Judge Joseph Niemeyer, who led the discussion with the commissioners, said the center will be asked to provide those numbers in the final report.

Kroger is holding a nationwide hiring event to fill 14,000 open jobs across all its supermarket chains.  Candidates can apply online at jobs.kroger.com and show up to a store Saturday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for an interview.  Many of the openings are for part-time associates who bag groceries, stock shelves or ring up items at the cash register.  The company says the jobs are permanent.  The company says it created 9,000 new jobs last year and 20,000 new jobs in 2014. The 14,000 open jobs that it is currently looking to fill are a mix of new and old positions.

The Seneca County Commissioners passed two resolutions for issuance of bonds to fund the county’s share of the joint justice center construction.  The $9.5 million in “sales tax supported” bonds will fund a majority of the estimated more than $14 million project.  Tiffin will pay a maximum of $3 million and the courts will pay about $1.5 million.  County personnel will attend a meeting in New York City Friday to meet with bond counsel to determine a county rating for the sale.  The bonds will be for 28 years.

Findlay City Council’s Appropriations Committee approved a request to contribute another $50,000 to the Miracle Park project at the Marathon Diamonds.  The $50,000 would be appropriated to a nonprofit that is in charge of the project, which will include a baseball field and playground that can accommodate wheelchairs, walkers and canes.  The city’s contribution would help fund the construction of a new restroom that would be more handicapped accessible.  Full council will now vote on the recommendation.