Around the Miami Valley

The city of Springfield has rejected a proposal to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the city's non-discrimination codes for fair housing and job protection.

The 3-2 vote by the Springfield Mayor's Commission on Human Rights ended months of debate.

The Springfield News Sun reports the two yes votes came from Mayor Warren Copeland and Commissioner Karen Duncan.   Commissioners tabled the proposal in September while the city's volunteer Human Relations Board researched the issue.

As Black History month comes to a close, a new book about a 19th century African-American Daniel Rudd - a former slave who lived in Springfield, Ohio and helped change the face of the Catholic church. 

"A Cry for Justice," follows the life of Daniel Rudd a young slave from Bardstown, Kentucky. He was freed after the Civil War and traveled to Springfield to work at a newspaper. His beliefs also led him to challenge the Catholic Church to deliver equality and justice for black people.

Union members at Cooper Tire in northwest Ohio have agreed on a five-year contract with the company that ends
a three-month lockout.

Multiple media outlets report that workers approved the contract last night by a vote of 627 to 321.

More than 1,000 workers at the plant in Findlay were locked out in November. They had rejected an earlier contract offer, saying they were upset over proposed pay cuts and increased health care costs.

After nearly a year of discussion, the Springfield City Commissioners will vote Tuesday evening on legislation that would add sexual orientation to the city's non-discrimination code.

A group called Equality Springfield approached city commissioners last April asking them to draft legislation that would make it a crime to discriminate against gay city workers.

Full episode of WYSO Weekend for February 26, 2012 containing the following stories:

-Jerry Kenney reports on the Beavercreek Community Theatre's production of The Big Picture, an original musical by Jim Farley and David Brush.

-StateImpact Ohio's Ida Lievskovsky reports on Ohio's school voucher program

-WCPN's Ann Glauser reports on a new therapy in Cleveland people living with schizophrenia