Former Congressman Louis Stokes, reminds residents of Cuyahoga County of this November 3rd, 2009 General election and the convenience of Voting by Mail. Remember it is important for everybody's voice to be heard. For more information call the Board of Elections at 216.443.3298 or visit them online at http://boe.cuyahogacounty.us Remember to vote this November!

Having announced his plans to retire from acting in 2012, actor Alec Baldwin was recently approached by a local Ohio law firm that is keen to support a bid to make him the state's next Governor. While it seems completely out of left field, Baldwin has frequently spoken about his political aspirations.

Speaking with Playboy magazine, Baldwin said:

"A law firm in a liberal Democratic bastion in Ohio state politics sent me a binder with a cover letter that read: "Mr. Baldwin, here's who we represent, the kinds of cases we handle, our credentials in Ohio state politics. We want you to move to Ohio and run for Governor. We will launch your career.'"

As crazy at it might sound, it may actually not be a bad idea.

According to the results of a new poll conducted by Public Policy Polling, both Democrats are leading in the 2010 Ohio Senate race to replace retiring Republican Senator George Voinovich. However, their lead is only slight.

Democrats Jennifer Bruner and Lee Fisher are beating the GOP's Rob Portman, and are leading Portman by almost the same narrow margin. Fisher leads 41% to 32%, and Brunner leads 40% to 32%.

The poll also shows that it is quite early in the game, and that 36% of voters aren't sure of their thoughts on Brunner or Fisher. 44% of voters are unsure of Portman.

Portman, however, is leading the two Dems in another area - fundraising. A former congressman and White House budget office director for George W. Bush, Portman has raised significantly more cash than his opponents. He has raised $1.7 million in the first quarter of 2009. He also transfered $1.47 million from his House campaign account, bringing his total to $3.2 million. This compared to $1 million for Fisher and $207,000 for Brunner.

Three individuals who traveled to Ohio for a get-out-the-vote effort during the 2008 presidential campaign, have now been fined $1,000 each for voting in the state. In addition to that, they've each been given a year of probation and a 60-day suspended jail sentence.

On Tuesday, Daniel Hausman, 32, of New York City; Amy Little, 50, of New Paltz, NY; and Yolanda Hippensteele, 30, of California pleaded guilty to misdemeanor illegal voting charges.

Prosecutors say that all three cast early absentee ballots without meeting residency requirements. The county prosecutor had previously warned visiting campaigners that they could not vote in Ohio if they did not plan on staying beyond the election.

According to the National Enquirer, multiple sources are now confirming their report from one week ago that a federal grand jury is investigating possible misuse of presidential campaign funds by John Edwards, which were said to have been used to pay off his mistress, with whom he had a secret love child.

Multiple local reports confirm that a federal grand jury did in fact convene on Wednesday in Raleigh, North Carolina. U.S. attorney George Holding said this weekend that he "was not going to confirm of deny any investigation" regarding Edwards.

Grand jury proceedings are kept strictly secret, and attorneys caught discussing such investigations in the public or with the press are subject to criminal prosecution.

Edward's mentor, Wade Smith, a top NC lawyer, is believed to be representing Edwards before the grand jury investigation. Smith, however, declined to comment on whether he was representing the former NC Senator.

"I'm at a place where I cannot make any comment to confirm or deny. I can't say anything. It's possible, at some later point, I can," said Smith.

In a shocking new interview on the Tyra Banks Show, Levi Johnson, the baby daddy of Sarah Palin's grandson, revealed that the Alaska governor likely new that her daughter Bristol was having sex with him before she fell pregnant.

"I'm pretty sure she probably knew. Moms are pretty smart," said Johnston, 18, in an interview which will air Monday.

Johnston also commented that he and Bristol practiced safe sex "most of the time."

The news of Bristol's pregnancy age age 17 couldn't have come at a worse time for Sarah Palin, who was in the middle of a campaign with John McCain to win herself the position as Vice President of the United States. The news broke just days after McCain announced her as his new running mate.

Palin said at the time she was stunned by her daughter's news:

"When Bristol and Levi first told us the shocking news that she was pregnant, to be honest, we all at first looked at the situation with some fear and a bit of despair. Isn't it just like God to turn those circumstances into such an amazing, joyful blessing when you ask Him to help you through?"

Barack Obama became the first U.S. president to skip out on the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball since its inception in 1953. The event recognizes recipients of the military's highest award - the Medal of Honor - and as The Cleveland Leader previously reported, over the past 56 years and 14 inaugurations, no President has failed to appear at this event until now. Following the breaking of this news, there have been some misconceptions and erroneous information floating around. The American Legion, one of the main sponsors of the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball, issued a statement making it clear once and for all that Barack Obama did not in fact attend the event.

Craig Roberts, Media Relations Manager for the American Legion, issued the following statement:

The American Legion, as it has on every inauguration evening since 1953, hosted the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Banquet & Ball on January 20th. The quadrennial event is co-sponsored with fourteen veterans service and military service organizations and honors recipients of the Medal of Honor. Forty-seven of these heroes attended this year’s event which was held in the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel.

Barack Obama may have stumbled over his words briefly during his inauguration, but he made an even bigger blunder later Tuesday evening. The newly sworn-in President opted not to appear at what should have been one of the most important Balls on his agenda that evening - The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball.

The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball was begun in 1953 for President Dwight Eisenhower's inauguration. The event recognized recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. There were 48 Medal of Honor recipients in attendance, who were undoubtedly disappointed by the Commander-in-Chief's failure to show. Over the past 56 years and 14 inaugurations, no President has skipped this event - until now.

The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball is sponsored by the American Legion, and co-sponsored by 13 other veteran's service organizations, including those such as the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

Cleveland appears to have gone through “the Change” just fine, according to Sherri Foxman. About 250 party guests packed Sammy’s at Legacy Village on Tuesday night for what was probably one of the least formal of the various balls held across the country to celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama. The “Toodle-oo W/Howdy-Do Obama” party thrown by Foxman, of Party411.com, featured all sorts of wacky ways to bid former President George W. Bush a relieved adieu and welcome Barack Obama to the White House, beginning with the chance to have one’s picture taken at a “First Supper” with caricatures of the Obamas, Bidens and Clintons.

Next up was a simulated White House men’s room wall complete with urinals over which partygoers could write graffiti messages concerning the Bush administration. Said Foxman, “Several years ago, at the beginning of the AIDs era, I held the Funeral for Casual Sex. We had a coffin, and everyone signed it. This time I wanted something for people to sign that would represent the George W. Bush years, and the restroom wall came to mind.”

Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the heroic pilot who successfully averted disaster and landed a commercial aircraft safely in the Hudson River earlier this week will now be a personal guest of Barack Obama at tomorrow's presidential inauguration. Also personally invited to the historic event are Sully's family and the crew of the aircraft.

Sully's teenage daughters, Katie and Kelly, went dress shopping for the event with their mother Lorrie on Saturday, and were preparing to fly from their home in California to Washington D.C. Once in the nation's capital, they will reunite with their father for the first time since his miraculous water landing on Thursday.

Newell Arnerich, mayor of their hometown in Danville, CA, said: