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Associated Press Tueday Ohio Headlines - 2/23/2010
Latest Ohio news, sports, business and entertainment:
OHIO GOVERNOR-POLL
Poll: Ohio gov.'s job approval rises
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A poll shows Ohio voters are slightly more approving of the job done by Governor Ted Strickland, and he has pulled ahead of Republican challenger John Kasich (KAY'-sik).
In the Quinnipiac (KWIN'-ih-pee-ak) University survey released today, 48 percent say Strickland is doing a good job, up from 45 percent in a similar poll released in November. Forty percent disapprove of the governor's performance.
The poll finds if the election for Ohio governor were held today, 44 percent would choose Strickland, 39 percent would vote for Kasich. The last poll had them tied at 40 percent.
Sixty-two percent now say they don't know enough about Kasich to have an opinion of him.
The survey of 1,662 Ohio voters was taken Feb. 16-21 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.
GERMANY-DEMJANJUK
Holocaust expert testifies in Demjanjuk trial
MUNICH (AP) - A Dutch Holocaust expert is being allowed to testify at the trial of John Demjanjuk (dehm-YAHN'-yuk) despite being on the record as saying the retired Ohio autoworker is guilty of being a Nazi death camp guard.
Defense attorney Ulrich Busch objected as the trial resumed today to allowing Johannes Houwink ten Cate to testify. Busch cited a comment by the University of Amsterdam professor in which he said Demjanjuk was "beyond a shadow of a doubt" an accomplice to mass murder.
Demjanjuk is being tried on accusations he was the accessory to the murders of 27,900 people at the Nazis' Sobibor death camp. He rejects the charges and says he was never a camp guard.
Presiding Judge Ralph Alt has allowed the witness but says his testimony will be limited to facts and not conclusions.
ALL-ELECTRIC RATES
All-electric home owners in Ohio protest rate move
STRONGSVILLE, Ohio (AP) - More than 600 people have turned out in the Cleveland area to protest a utility's plans to phase out a rate discount for all-electric homes.
Some homeowners at last night's meeting in Strongsville say their electric bills have tripled. More than 100,000 FirstEnergy residential customers heat with electricity.
FirstEnergy spokesman Mark Durbin took questions but says his comments had to be limited because some homeowners have sued over the discounts.
Governor Ted Strickland has directed state regulators to review the issue. FirstEnergy has proposed restoring most of the all-electric discount and phasing it out over eight years.
Ohio regulators are seeking comments on the proposal.
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Information from: The Plain Dealer, http://www.cleveland.com
COURT CONTROL
PERSPECTIVE: Democrats see change on Ohio court
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Come November, there will be at least one Democrat headed onto the all-Republican Ohio Supreme Court.
If Justice Maureen O'Connor wins her candidacy for chief justice, she'll leave open her current seat and Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat, will have the power to appoint someone to fill the remainder of her term.
If O'Connor loses, Democratic Franklin County probate judge Eric Brown will become chief justice.
Ohioans will also be electing two more justices this year.
One will be Justice Paul Pfeifer, who has so often disagreed with his GOP colleagues on the court that Ohio Democrats decided not to challenge him.
The third court seat before voters is currently held by Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger. She faces Democrat Mary Jane Trapp, the 11th Ohio Appellate District presiding/administrative judge.
SENIOR HOME CARE
Ohio aims to wipe out waits for in-home care
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Governor Ted Strickland plans to redirect millions of dollars set aside for Ohio nursing homes to eliminate waits for seniors who want long-term care in their own home.
The governor says beefing up in-home care is a better use of resources than more costly nursing home care for a smaller group of people.
Close to 600 people are now on a waiting list to receive long-term medical care at home. To serve them, the governor has ordered the immediate transfer of about $500,000 from a nursing home stabilization fund and will ask a state panel to OK the redirection of another $4.8 million to home care programs.
The Strickland administration says the money can be moved because the state's Medicaid program is spending less than expected on nursing home care.
POWELL-OBAMA
Colin Powell fears Obama is taking on too much
AKRON, Ohio (AP) - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell tells reporters in Ohio he fears President Barack Obama is trying to tackle too many issues at once.
Powell said yesterday before a speech at the University of Akron that he's concerned Obama is "biting off too much." He says Americans are resilient and versatile but there's a limit to how much can be absorbed by society.
Powell says his advice to the White House is to stay focused on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the economy.
Powell, who endorsed Obama's campaign, says the president has done a "pretty good job" to stabilize the financial system.
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Information from: Akron Beacon Journal, http://www.ohio.com
SNOW PROPOSAL
Ohio man builds snow castle to propose
PARMA, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio woman has received a marriage proposal like something out of a frosty fairy tale, in a castle her boyfriend built out of snow.
Ryan Knotek says he wanted to pop the question to Christi Lombardo in a way that was special and give her a story nobody else had. So, he made blocks out of snow in the Cleveland suburb of Parma, where they live, and assembled a one-room, one story palace complete with pointed spires on the roof.
On the inside, Knotek set up candles, rose petals, wine - and a portable heater.
The cold castle and all the trimmings were warmly received by Lombardo when she arrived on Sunday. She answered the proposal with a yes.
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Information from: WJW-TV, http://www.fox8cleveland.com
NAACP-CINCINNATI SCHOOLS
Protest disrupts Cincy schools meeting
CINCINNATI ((AP) - A Cincinnati school board meeting has been halted by a persistent protest over construction contracts for minority businesses.
More than 100 members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chanted and sharply criticized the board last night. Board President Eileen Cooper Reed left the room; protesters walked out during a five-minute recess.
NAACP leaders want more work for minority-owned construction companies, and their discontent increased after the schools recently acknowledged overstating the amount awarded to minority businesses.
The district goal is for 20 percent of a $1.07 billion school rebuilding project to go to minority businesses. An audit found about 10 percent has so far gone to gone to minority-owned companies.
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Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com
CONGRESS-JOBS-ANALYSIS
Analysis: Brown revives GOP moderates' pivot role
WASHINGTON (AP) - Ohio Republican Senator George Voinovich has helped Democrats push forward a bipartisan jobs bill that had become entangled in familiar partisan wrangling.
Voinovich joined with four other Republican senators yesterday to defeat a filibuster led by far more conservative GOP leaders.
Voinovich is a big fan of infrastructure spending that is provided in the bill, and he's also retiring from the Senate this year. That gives him some wiggle room to challenge his party's leaders and conservative base.
The bill's other provisions include tax breaks for businesses that hire the unemployed and are then able to keep them on for a full year.
ROCK HALL-PRESENTERS
Trey Anastasio, Wyclef among Rock Hall presenters
NEW YORK (AP) - Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio is inducting rock group Genesis into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next month.
The presenters were announced today by the hall, which is based in Cleveland.
Wyclef Jean (WY'-klef zhahn) will honor Jimmy Cliff. Barry and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees will induct ABBA. Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong is set to honor The Stooges. And Jackson Browne will induct David Geffen.
The induction ceremony takes place March 15 in New York.
MUSEUM AWARDS
Federal institute honors 10 US museums, libraries
WASHINGTON (AP) - Two Ohio institutions are among 10 museums and libraries being honored in Washington for their educational, civic and social contributions.
Today, the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services is awarding its National Medal. Honorees include the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal and the Stark County District Library.
MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION THEFT
Mont. man admits ripping off Ohio motorcycle club
LANCASTER, Ohio (AP) - A Montana lawyer and motorcycle enthusiast has pleaded guilty in Ohio to stealing $100,000 from the American Motorcyclist Association.
Dal Smilie said Monday he gets the feeling his life is over. He apologized for humiliating his family and the AMA, the nation's biggest motorcycle membership organization.
The 62-year-old Smilie is a former chief lawyer for the Montana Department of Administration and was a member of the Pickerington, Ohio-based motorcycle group's board of directors for 25 years.
He says he logged 2.5 million miles traveling for the AMA but overstated his expenses for two years. He pleaded guilty to grand theft and receiving stolen property.
A judge sentenced Smilie to three years and eight months in prison but suspended the sentence in lieu of two years of community control and a $1,000 fine.
Smilie repaid the AMA before he was charged.
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Information from: Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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