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• Tobacco prevention foundation tells state to keep hands off money 

The Legislature and administration of Gov. Ted Strickland were essentially told to "go to hell" by the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation in a battle over hundreds of millions of dollars.

Republican legislative leaders and the Democratic governor earlier this week said they would spend $230 million of the foundation's $270 million endowment as part of an economic stimulus package. The foundation's board of trustees, however, voted today to transfer $190 million of its endowment to up to three organizations to carry out the foundation's mission, essentially making the money inaccessible to state government.

"The foundation supports job creation in Ohio," said board Chairman David Rummel. "We don't believe people have to give their lives to do it."

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