The Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy is moving forward with plans for a 77,000-square-foot research facility on its Rootstown campus after a state board gave the thumbs-up to a $42-million bond issue to finance the project.

Supporters of the Ohio Third Frontier kicked off their campaign Tuesday morning to woo voters to renew the state’s largest economic development program by voting Yes on Issue 1 during the May primary election.

Ask most people touched by the Ohio Third Frontier project whether it ought to be renewed and you’ll get a resounding “Yes!” A tougher question: How much money should the state borrow to extend the program beyond fiscal 2012, when its term ends? Ohio legislators will grapple with this question as they try to meet a Feb. 3 deadline to get the renewal on the May 4 ballot.