MACKSBURG MAN ARRESTED IN MURDER-FOR-HIRE SCHEME:

Washington County sheriff's deputies today arrested a man accused of offering to kill a sheriff's detective and two confidential informants set to testify against his friend.

Steven Medaris, 20, stated homeless, is charged with three counts of fourth-degree felony attempted retaliation. He was arrested today at the Macksburg home of James E. Corder, 43.

Corder is standing trial this week on a third-degree felony charge of trafficking in drugs. He notified police of Medaris' intentions and gave investigators bomb-making documents and a recording with Medaris' voice detailing the plot.

Police and prosecutors said Corder attempted to use the evidence to negotiate a plea deal in his drug trafficking case.

Medaris is in custody at the Washington County Jail on a $15,000 bond. During his arraignment today in Marietta Municipal Court, Medaris requested the assistance of the Washington County Public Defender's Office. A preliminary hearing was set for 3:30 p.m. Nov. 4.

MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT CASINO ISSUE:

COLUMBUS (AP) - Some lawmakers say ambiguous wording in a proposed constitutional amendment to allow casinos in Ohio could mean the vast majority of tax revenue doesn't flow to local governments as promised.

Casino backers say it's clear that 90 percent of the estimated $650 million in tax revenue from the casinos would go to counties, cities and school districts. The amendment says revenues are "intended" to supplement, not replace, the state's funding obligations.

State Sen. Bill Seitz says the use of "intended" weakens the attempt to make sure the money is supplemental. He says the state has no constitutional obligation to fund local government.

Some lawmakers say the language could enable the state to fill its own budget gap by removing money from local government funds once casino revenue begins flowing.

For more on this topic, check Wednesday's edition of The Marietta Times.

DEBATE OVER PUBLIC OPTION CONTINUES:

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on Tuesday welcomed the top Senate Democrat's inclusion of government-sponsored insurance in the Senate health care bill, arguing the move boosts chances it will be in the final legislation sent to President Barack Obama.

Hoyer told reporters that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's move doesn't really change the calculus in the House, where Democratic leaders already planned to write a public insurance option into their bill. They hope to finalize their legislation in time to release it this week.

It's not clear Reid has the 60 votes needed for the controversial government insurance plan to prevail on the Senate floor, and if it fails that could affect the thinking of individual House members, Hoyer said - while predicting support for a public insurance plan would stay strong.

Lawmakers must meld the House and Senate versions of the health care bills.

House Democratic leaders have been debating the shape the government insurance plan will take in their bill, with Speaker Nancy Pelosi pushing for a strong version that would tie payment rates to providers to rates paid by Medicare - likely resulting in cheaper costs for patients but lower payments to hospitals and doctors, something that troubles moderates.

Pelosi doesn't appear to have the votes for that plan. Hoyer said that switching the design to allow the Health and Human Services secretary to negotiate payment rates with providers - the approach Reid would take - gets more support for a public option, which Hoyer said currently commands between 200 and 218 votes. A simple majority in the House is 218.