Mark Bowen Media Chad Munitz, 3CDC executive vice president, said the organization has long-term plans for Over-the-Rhine. Rob Daumeyer[1] Editor- Cincinnati Business Courier Email[2] | Twitter[3] | LinkedIn[4] Good morning, Cincinnati! Thank the snow gods for bringing back normal 'Nati weather this morning. Those last few warm, sunny days were confusing me. Here are the five most important things you need to know to help start your busy business day: 3CDC's long game We pointed you yesterday to our Weekly Edition centerpiece on Over-the-Rhine's residential boom[5]. Chris Wetterich (@ChrisCinciBiz)[6] follows that up with a reminder that when it comes to OTR, the super-successful Cincinnati Center City Development[7] Corp. (3CDC[8]) thinks long term[9]. Money quote from Chad Munitz[10], 3CDC executive vice president: “Our goal is to continue to (redevelop) all of Over-the-Rhine, and that’s north and that’s east." Mason ready to fight Just because the early money has General Electric's[11] new 1,400-plus job U.S. Global Operations Center[12] going to downtown Cincinnati, and possibly to the Banks[13](GE has said it wants a "high-profile" location) doesn't mean there won't be a mad rush from all parts of Greater Cincinnati to offer GE most any kind of breaks or concessions. Mason, which has been named as a possible site, says it won't go down without a fight[14], Tom Demeropolis (@TomCinciBiz)[15] reports. Law firm leaving Carew Demerpolis reports that Dressman Benzinger LaVelle is moving its downtown Cincinnati office to Atrium Two from Carew Tower. The law firm said it outgrew its space in Carew’s 35th floor. DBL Law will relocate to 10,000 square feet of space at Atrium Two later this summer. Demeropolis wrote a centerpiece in our Weekly Edition earlier this month on what will become of Carew.[16][17][18] Gay marriage in Ohio gets boost Daumeyer oversees the Courier's editorial department. References^ Rob Daumeyer (feeds.bizjournals.com)^…

Patrick Hoge[1] Reporter- San Francisco Business Times Email[2] | Google+[3] | Twitter[4] | LinkedIn[5] U.S. venture capital investment hit its highest level since 2001 in the first quarter, and California companies were by far the largest recipients of that money, according to a new report from CB Insights[6], the New York venture capital and private company research firm. Nationally, nearly $10 billion went into 880 deals, up 44 percent over the first quarter of 2013, though the number of deals rose just 5 percent, according to the report, which only counted rounds in which venture capital firms participated and not rounds strictly from hedge funds or mutual funds. California companies took 58 percent of all venture funding - $5.75 billion - notching more deals than the next 13 states combined, CB Insights said. The largest deal, by far, was the $900 round just disclosed by Cloudera, the Palo Alto database technology firm. Silicon Valley[7] took 85 percent of all the state’s venture funding for the first quarter, with the top ten financings in the state all happening in the region. Nationally, the three most active venture firms were early stage investor 500 Startups, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and New Enterprise Associates. Late stage funding was up, with the number of companies raising money at $1 billion-plus valuations up dramatically, while Series A funding was down. CB Insights CEO Anand Sanwal said tech companies are getting money on very good terms, big rounds allow founders and early employees to cash out before an IPO and healthy balance sheets help them to recruit talent, ramp sales, access public market experts and otherwise apply finishing touches before making a public debut. Patrick Hoge covers technology for the San Francisco Business Times. References^ Patrick Hoge (feeds.bizjournals.com)^ Email (feeds.bizjournals.com)^ Google+ (plus.google.com)^ Twitter (twitter.com)^ LinkedIn…

Contributed Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, president of Pullman-based Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, is ranked eighth in the nation among hard-money political donors. He supports Republicans. Ashley Stewart[1] Staff Writer- Puget Sound Business Journal Email[2] | Twitter[3] Washington state’s big-money political donors could have more options – and more influence – after the U.S. Supreme Court this week loosened limits on individual campaign contributions. The ruling means individuals will be able to pour even more money into federal campaigns, and some of the people most likely to be unleashed by the decision are in Washington. Twelve residents of Washington state reached the $117,000 federal cap on contributions during 2012’s election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Among them, three are on the list of the nation’s top 30 contributors. Now, that cap is gone, and some worry that a small number of people will have even more control of the nation’s political process. Donors still can’t give more than $2,600 to one candidate each election, meaning primary and general, but they can now donate to more candidates. “It’s crippling for democracy,” said Alice Woldt[4], executive director for Washington Public Campaigns, a state-wide organization against private campaign financing. The decision “removes one more screen to allow the wealthiest of individuals to buy our public officials and stop out the voice of voters.” Previously, wealthy donors were limited in the aggregate amount they could give to federal candidates, parties and political action committees in each two-year election cycle. This cycle, the cap would have risen to $132,200, and Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling on April 2 allows donors to vastly expand their giving — for example, they can now donate to a candidate in every U.S. House and Senate race. The majority, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, said that caps on campaign…