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Associated Press Saturday Ohio Headlines - 7/17/2010
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Columbus Blue Jackets president Mike Priest says casino taxes would be the best solution to stem the hockey team's financial problems.
Team officials have been meeting with business and government leaders for more than a year to figure out a way to curb the Blue Jackets' losses. The club is losing about $12 million per year in operations.
Penn National Gaming, who's developing the Columbus casino, says a 33 percent state tax on casino revenue could generate $24 million for the city of Columbus and some $16 million for Franklin County.
Local officials say it's too early to say whether casino taxes will solve the Jackets' troubles.
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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com
JAIL-STUN GUNS
Suit accuses jail in Ohio of stun-gun torture
(Rewrites first paragraph. Minor edits. Will be updated.)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A state agency is accusing guards at a central Ohio jail of using stun guns to torture inmates who present no physical threat, including some who are already restrained or disoriented or mentally disabled.
In a lawsuit filed yesterday in U.S. District Court, the Ohio Legal Rights Service says the alleged actions at the Franklin County jail in Columbus violate inmates' constitutional rights as well as jail policy.
The agency says it reviewed jail records and video from January 2008 to May 2010. Among its accusations are that guards stunned a mentally ill inmate 14 times when he refused to exit his cell, that several inmates were stunned while restrained and that one man was stunned after suffering a seizure.
Sheriff Jim Karnes declined to comment on the allegations when reached yesterday by The Columbus Dispatch.
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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com
BABY-LIFE SUPPORT
Ohio baby dies after life support removed
(Updates with baby's death. Trims for length.)
AKRON, Ohio (AP) - A 9-month-old brain-dead baby died after an Ohio judge ruled that her mother could take her off life support.
The Akron Children's Hospital says Jada Ruiz-Jones died yesterday afternoon, after Judge Bill Spicer granted 19-year-old Deja Ruiz's request to remove her infant daughter from life support.
Doctors said the baby had no chance of recovery after she suffered from shaken baby syndrome.
Prosecutors say the baby's father, 17-year-old John Jones, caused the injuries. Jones had tried to block Ruiz from removing the infant from life support but gave up in May.
Jones is charged with felonious assault and child endangering. He's being held in juvenile detention.
His attorney, Pamela Hawkins, declined to comment today.
GOVERNOR RACE-AD
Ohio governor hopeful releases first election ad
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The first television ad from the Republican seeking to unseat Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland accuses the Democrat of a campaign aimed at tearing him down.
John Kasich's campaign says the 30-second spot will air in select markets across Ohio beginning today.
It says the state has lost 400,000 jobs under Strickland and responds to ads that negatively refer to Kasich's work in the U.S. House and for banking giant Lehman Brothers.
Kasich says he didn't run Lehman Brothers, but was one of 700 managing directors and worked in a two-man office in Columbus. He says he has a record of balancing budgets and creating jobs.
Strickland campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith says Kasich is trying to downplay his role at Lehman Brothers and accuses him of supporting outsourcing jobs.
WHITEWATER PARK
Ohio man turns unused dams into whitewater park
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio man has turned unused dams into a free whitewater park.
Thirty-eight-year-old John Loftis pitched the idea of a water park to Springfield's conservancy project after he found four unused dams just blocks from his house.
Under his direction- and with the help of the US. Army Corps of Engineers- six whitewater stations opened in May.
The project cost about $750,000, funded mostly by the Springfield Conservancy District, and offers the simulation of white waters.
Whitewater kayakers say the free park is filling a void. One kayaker says that before the park opened, he would drive nearly 600 miles in a weekend to find white waters.
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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com
AIG-FRAUD SETTLEMENT
AIG agrees to pay $725M to investors in settlement
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - American International Group Inc. and some of its directors and officers have agreed to a $725 million settlement to resolve allegations of wide-ranging fraud laid out in a class action suit led by three Ohio pension funds.
Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray says the latest figure will combine with previous AIG settlements to pay about $1 billion to investors, including firefighters, teachers, librarians and other pensioners. He characterized it as the 10th largest settlement of its kind in the U.S.
The lawsuit alleged anti-competitive market division, accounting violations, and stock price manipulation by AIG between October 1999 and April 2005.
SLOT MACHINES-DEMOCRATS
Slots backers in Ohio give to Democratic group
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Two companies that want to install slot machines at Ohio horse tracks gave a combined $200,000 to the Democratic Governors Association last quarter, half of it the day after Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland said he'd work to resolve legal issues holding up the plan.
The Democratic group has run ads attacking Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich (KAY'-sik).
Campaign filings show that MTR Gaming Inc., which owns the Scioto Downs racetrack in Columbus, and Jacobs Entertainment Inc., each made $50,000 donations June 29 -- the day after a ballot issue challenging slots was dropped and Strickland said he'd ask a court to settle whether the machines are legal.
Both companies are tied to Cleveland developer Jeffrey Jacobs, a proponent of the video lottery terminals. A message seeking comment was left with Jacobs' Cleveland office.
CONGRESS-FUNDRAISING-OHIO
GOP outraises Dems in 2 key Ohio runs for Congress
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - In two Ohio congressional races that are repeats, Republicans are raising more money than Democrats who beat them to win the seats in 2008.
Campaign finance reports show Democratic central Ohio Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy collected $230,000 from supporters in the quarter that ended June 30. That's less than half the $533,000 raised by Republican challenger Steve Stivers (STY'-vurz) during the period.
Southwest Ohio Democratic incumbent Steve Driehaus (DREE'-hows) pulled in $230,000 during the quarter, lagging the $306,000 raised by Republican Steve Chabot (SHA'-buht). Driehaus took the seat from Chabot in 2008.
Case Western Reserve University political scientist Justin Buchler (BYOOK'-lur) says the money numbers are in line with signs pointing to Republican gains this year.
POLLUTED LAKE
Ohio expands warnings on polluted lake
ST. MARYS, Ohio (AP) - State regulators have issued new warnings about a polluted lake in western Ohio, telling people not to eat any fish they catch or take their boats out on the water.
Previous warnings advised people not to touch the water in Grand Lake St. Marys lake, which has an outbreak of toxic algae.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency updated its warnings yesterday after water tests revealed the highest levels of microcystin, a liver toxin, recorded this summer. Spokeswoman Dina Pierce says the agency is erring on the side of caution.
The toxins are deadly to small animals.
This is the second straight summer of water warnings for the lake. The water problems led to a drop in visitors last year, and local businesses are worried about tourism dropping off again.
ARKANSAS-OFFICERS SHOT
Prosecutor releases 911 tapes in Ark police deaths
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Frantic witnesses watched a white van speed away from the spot where two Arkansas police officers were shot in May, but one told an emergency operator with some resignation that "they're both dead now."
Yesterday, a prosecutor released telephone calls made to 911 operators after the May 20 shooting on an Interstate 40 exit ramp in eastern Arkansas. Other callers helped police tracked the van to a Walmart parking lot, where the accused gunmen were killed in a shootout with police.
West Memphis police officers Bill Evans and Brandon Paudert were shot dead along the highway and police later killed Ohio residents -- Jerry Kane and his son Joseph. Previously released video showed the boy fired an AK-47 at officers after his father was pulled over for a traffic stop.
LEBRON PENDANT
Police: Ohioan a suspect in stolen LeBron pendant
WADSWORTH, Ohio (AP) - Police in Ohio say a woman who tried to sell a $10,000 pendant stolen from a LeBron James business partner is a suspect in the case.
A police report identifies 19-year-old Vaneisha Robinson of Akron as a suspect in receiving stolen property but doesn't elaborate. No arrests have been made.
The white gold diamond-studded pendant is in the shape of James' basketball jersey. It was stolen three years ago from Maverick O. Carter, the CEO for James' marketing company.
Robinson says she bought it for $5 at a yard sale, got it appraised and put it for sale on eBay.
She says she then got a call and was invited to the Carter house, where Robinson says she was forced to hand it over.
Robinson has an unlisted phone and could not be reached for comment yesterday.
LEBRON-BITTER BEER
More on tap: Bitter LeBron beer back in Cleveland
CLEVELAND (AP) - A Cleveland brewery is re-releasing a bitter beer inspired by LeBron James' decision to leave the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.
Great Lakes Brewing Co. says 30 gallons of "Quitness" ale sold out in three hours Wednesday at the company's downtown brewpub.
The beer will return Saturday on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The brewery says "Quitness" is a dry hopped India pale ale that leaves a bitter aftertaste, perfectly describing the mood of Cleveland sports fans these days.
After seven seasons and no championships in Cleveland, James, the NBA's reigning MVP, announced last week that he was joining stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.
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