DAYTON, OHIO -- The Dayton mother who bound and gagged her daughter has pled guilty to charges of abduction and child endangering.

Erica Bailey, 27, admitted to binding her 3-year-old daughter and gagging her with a sock.  Bailey was arrested Aug. 14 when a grandparent found the young girl locked in a bedroom and called police.

Bailey told police she was punishing her daughter for fighting with another sibling and taking food from the refrigerator late at night.

Bailey could face 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

Her sentencing will take place Oct. 2.

TROY, Ohio -- The Covington couple being charged in the death of their toddler son was not allowed to attend their son's funeral.

Naithin Johnson died of "traumatic injuries to the brain" Saturday, Aug. 23 at the Children's Medical Center in Dayton, according to police.  No other information has yet been released on how the child was injured.

According to investigators, the Johnsons moved to Covington to Piqua just days before the child's death.

BUTLER COUNTY, Ohio -- A 17-year-old pled guilty to beating and torturing a mentally disabled woman.

Joseph Nagel pled guilty Friday to kidnapping and assault, among other charges.

Nagel and his 17-year-old girlfriend, Cheyenne Blanton, were arrested after the February attack on Ashley Clark, 19.

Clark was bound and beaten while she was held at her house for several hours.  Prosecutors say the two shaved Clark's head and eyebrows, placed her in a cold shower, and made her walk barefoot in the snow.

Blanton and Nagel were both tried as adults because they each have extensive juvenile criminal records.

Blanton pled guilty to the same charges last month.  Blanton and Nagel could each be sentenced to a maximum of 59 years in prison.

Nagel will be sentenced Oct. 14.  Blanton will be sentenced Sep. 5.

TIPP CITY, Ohio -- Bond has been set at $500,000 for an elderly man charged with attempted murder.

62-year-old Danny R. Linkous was arrested at the Bellview Court Apartments after he fired a revolver at a man he knew early Thursday morning.

A neighbor called police when Linkous fired at another neighbor.

Police arrived and took Linkous to the Miami County Jail.  Nobody was injured in the incident.

Police were also told by neighbors that Linkous' apartment could be booby-trapped.  The Dayton Bomb Squad was present yesterday when police went to the apartment to retrieve medication for Linkous.

A preliminary hearing for Linkous was set for September 4.

DAYTON, Ohio -- After two days of deliberations, the jury in the "Microwave Mom" has returned a verdict.

The jury found China Arnold guilty of aggravated murder in the 2005 death of her infant daughter in a microwave.

Jurors began deliberations Thursday, Aug. 28 and were sequestered in their hotel rooms for the night.  A sequestered jury is not allowed access to televisions, telephones, Internet, radios, cell phones, or magazines.

Arnold's first trial ended in a mistrial in February.  The defense's star witness, the same 8-year-old boy who's statements resulted in the mistrial, testified that he saw another boy put the baby in the microwave.

The prosecution insisted that the boy's story was not credible, calling several witness to the stand that all called the boy's testimony into question.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Michael Hild may have killed his wife to avoid going back to prison for violating terms of his probation, according to police.

Angela Hild called Dayton police Saturday, Aug. 16 to report Michael Hild was carrying jewelry and electronics into her Tuttle Ave. home.  She told police that she had overheard Michael telling someone he had robbed a house in Bellbrook.

Angela called police again on Sunday, Aug. 17 to report that Michael was threatening to kill her and her 5-year-old son, according to police reports.

Angela Hild filed domestic violence charges against her husband and was granted a temporary protection order, according to Police.

Angela and Michael Hild dropped their son off at a Riverside elementary school on Thursday, Aug. 21.  Angela has not been seen or heard from since then.

The search for Angela Hild became a murder investigation, when Michael Hild was shot and killed in a gunfight with police in Florida, Saturday, Aug. 23.

Angela's missing car was discovered in a Dayton apartment complex Wednesday afternoon, and police say evidence indicates it was abandoned for several days.

Police say it's likely Michael killed Angela, and he may have wrapped the body in a black tarp.

Angela Hild is 5'2" and 160 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

DAYTON, Ohio -- A chain reaction crash left two people hurt, one seriously, after an RTA bus collided with a stalled car on U.S. 35 in Dayton.

The accident involved three cars and a small RTA bus. All four vehicles were on U.S. 35 eastbound near Smithville Road shortly before 7 a.m. Friday.

Corbet Routhier was a passenger in a Lincoln Town car that he said stalled in the middle lane. Routhier said, "He put his Lincoln in hazard, another car stopped behind us, put his car in hazard as to assit us in the hazard situation."

With both cars stopped, Routhier said his friend, the driver of the Lincoln, got out to push. "Carl said get over in the driver seat and when he gave me the word, put it in neutral so we can try to get his car out of the middle of the interstate", Routhier said.

That's when Routhier said he saw the RTA bus in the rear view mirror. He said his friend was standing behind the Lincoln when the bus crashed into the other car, crushing his friend in between the two cars. That man is reportedly in critical condition at Miami Valley Hospital.

Police said another car was also involved in the collision. One other person was also hurt and is in stable condition.

Route 35 was closed for several hours while officers investigated the crash.

(Article courtesy of WHIOTV.com)

FAIRBORN, Ohio -- Sen. John McCain's running mate painted herself as a reformer, a fighter of corruption and a partner in his demand for change in Washington during her speech at the Wright State University Nutter Center.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was introduced Friday, Aug. 29, by McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee. He spoke briefly, complimenting Palin on her "grit", her "fighting spirit and deep compassion."

He came on stage to the sounds of the crowd singing Happy Birthday for his 72nd birthday, which is today. The Nutter Center was packed, with a flag-waving crowd of 15,000.

Hecklers shouted from the stands but stopped after security headed up into the crowd.

McCain said he was excited to make his "historic announcement" in Dayton the week that the country celebrates the anniversary of women's suffrage. He said Palin is "exactly what we need in Washington today. She knows where she comes from and she knows who she works for. She knows what's right and she doesn't let anyone tell her to sit down."

Palin was a surprise choice, beating out several favorites who had more national exposure.

McCain came to introduce Palin and kept his remarks brief.

"I'm very happy to spend my birthday with you," McCain told the crowd, which sang happy birthday.

McCain then turned to the business at hand.

"I had many good people to choose from. I am grateful to all of them and their willingness to serve with me," he said.

He then talked about Palin.

"I found someone with an outstanding reputation. Someone who has fought against coruption and filed polices of the past. Someone with executive experience," McCain said.

The mother of 5 is "exactly who I need. She's exactly who this country needs to help fight the same old Washington polictis of me first and politics second," McCain said.

Palin and husband Todd are celebrating their 20th anniversary today.

Palin talked longer than McCain, and she reached out to those supporters of Democrat Hillary Clinton.

"It was rightly noted in Denver that Hillary left 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling," Palin said. "The women of America aren't finished yet, and we can shatter that glass ceiling (in November)."

Capacity crowd

The crowd filled every seat and most of the auditorium floor. Nearly each waved an American flag and most clutched "Country First" McCain posters.

Others referenced his years of experience, calling him "ready to lead."

Other signs sprinkled throughout the crowd proclaimed: "Ohio Red," "Ohio McCain" and" POWs support McCain" and "Ohio for Mac."

Ohio Republicans politicians kicked off the rally.

(Article courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -- The Ohio Department of Development says General Motors has turned down a tax credit and grant package worth more than $56 million to keep open its sport utility vehicle plant in Moraine.

Department spokeswoman Kelly Schlissberg says the state is disappointed and will continue to look for alternate uses for the plant, which employs about 2,400 workers.

The automaker has said it plans to close the plant by 2010 because of a customer shift to smaller vehicles.

DAYTON, Ohio -- A local man has been indicted on two counts of ethnic intimidation Thursday.

Earl L. McLearran is accused of intimidating neighbor Saundra Ballard on July 28 and Tauruss Berry on July 31.  McLearran was arrested after yelling racial slurs at neighbors and making threats to burn down Ballard's house.

Ballard's house was burned down Aug. 21 while she and her sons were in court testifying against McLearran.  The fire was ruled a case of arson, and Ballard says it was set by people associated with McLearran.

McLearran's mother and sister insist their family was not involved.

No arrests have been made in the arson case.

TROY, Ohio -- Former Troy Christian schools coach James H. Clay was found guilty by a jury of felony sexual battery for his conduct with a 15-year-old student.

The jury deliberated one hour and 20 minutes and took one vote on Thursday, Aug. 28, before returning the verdict.

Clay, 41, will be sentenced Oct. 14 and will remain out on bond on his own recognizance.

The jury foreman said a taped phone call -- secretly recorded by sheriff's investigators -- in which Clay assured the girl that tapes of two videotaped sex encounters were destroyed, were key to the verdict.

Clay, who pleaded not guilty, did not testify.

The girl testified she had nine sexual encounters with Clay at her home, a motel and at his home where she went for weekly Bible studies.

(Article courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

HAMILTON TWP., Ohio -- Evidence has now been released in the case of a questionable bathtub drowning.

Blood was found on the carpet beneath Sarah Widmer's and on her vagina, according to information in a search warrant that was unsealed Thursday morning in Warren County.

27-year-old Ryan Widmer is charged with aggravated murder in the death of his wife.  Widmer was arrested Aug. 13, two days after he called 911 to report that his wife had drowned after falling asleep in the bathtub.

Previously, police would not give specifics to what evidence they obtained, saying only that signs pointed to a violent struggle.

Police who arrived on the scene while paramedics were trying to resuscitate Sarah said the scene was suspicious.  She was nude, but only her hair was wet, and there were blood stains in the area, said one officer.

Police searched the house on Aug. 13, confiscating numerous items - including the bathtub.

According to the warrant, a note from Sarah Widmer to her husband was among the items taken by police.  The contents have not been released.

Ryan Widmer was released Aug. 22 (the day of his wife's funeral) when he posted bond at $400,000.  Widmer is required to wear an electronic tracking device.

TIPP CITY, Ohio -- A 62-year-old man was taken into custody after shots rang out at an apartment complex early Thursday.

Police say man fired several shots at the Belleview Apartment complex around 8 a.m.  

Officers say they confiscated a gun from the man and he was charged with attempted murder and felonious assault.

Nobody was injured during the incident, which is still under investigation.

The name of the man has not been released.

HAMILTON, Ohio -- A former softball coach and teacher at Madison High School was sentenced to 3 years in prison today for having sex with a 17-year-old student he coached.

David "Jamie" Wagner pled guilty in July to one count of sexual battery, a third degree felony.  Wagner was also ordered to pay a fine of $2,500 as well as restitutions to the victim's family for medical expenses.

Wagner must also register as a sex offender with the Butler County Sheriff's Office every 90 days for the rest of his life.

Wagner's wife and parents looked on with tears as Wagner was led away in handcuffs.

The victim and her parents were also present at the hearing. 

"You are every parent's worst nightmare," the father of the girl told Wagner.

DAYTON, Ohio -- The case of a man whose body was found inside a burning bar has been ruled a homicide.

Crews found the body of 50-year-old Robert Fabia in the "Club Ivy" bar after fighting a fire there earlier this week.

Fabia was the chef at the club.

The fire has been called suspicious. The investigation is now in the hands of homicide detectives.

TROY, Ohio -- A Troy Christian High School student testified she didn't reveal a sexual relationship with former school basketball coach James H. Clay for several months in 2007 because she didn't want his children to be hurt.

Clay, 41, is on trial in Miami County Common Pleas Court on a felony charge of sexual battery for an alleged sexual relationship with the then 15-year-old girl between fall 2006 and early 2007.

The girl, now 17, cried a few times and fidgeted in the witness chair on Wednesday, Aug. 27, as she detailed nine sexual encounters she said she had with Clay at her home, a motel and at his home where she went for weekly Bible studies.

The girl's mother testified later Wednesday that she begged Clay to mentor her daughter in 2006 after she and her husband divorced.

The girl said she at times would stay overnight at the Clay home after the Bible studies, when his wife was not home, and he'd take her to school the next morning.

The mother testified that she and her daughter started spending time with Clay and his family in the summer and fall in 2006. She said that she, too, had a sexual relationship with Clay for a few weeks in late 2006-early 2007.

Defense lawyers argue the girl and Clay were very close, but there was no sexual relationship. They contend the girl made the false claims out of revenge after learning about her mother and Clay's affair.

The girl testified Clay asked her to keep their relationship a secret, saying he could get in trouble and be taken away from his children.

"He said people won't understand our relationship. That's why we have to keep it secret," she said.

She reported the relationship to a youth pastor at a church program in Florida in June 2007. The pastor contacted Miami County authorities.

The pastor, Daron Kiser of Troy, testified he's known the girl for three years and she has a reputation of "truthfulness." As she told him about the relationship with the coach, the girl was calm and mature, he said.

Kiser had the girl write out a statement of what occurred. In that statement, she wrote Clay "used the Bible to manipulate me."

(Article courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com)

RICHMOND, Ind. (AP) -- MasterBrand Cabinets is cutting about 275 jobs as it stops manufacturing at its Richmond, Indiana, plant -- effective immediately.

The plant is near the Ohio-Indiana state line. United Steel Workers Local 5163 says the plant employs about 30 Ohio residents.

MasterBrand President Greg Stoner says the company tried to adjust its production schedules but could not keep the plant in operation because of "marketplace conditions."

The company said yesterday that production, maintenance and management employees will receive pay and benefits for the next 60 days.

In June, the company announced that it was rehiring 260 positions at its plant in the southern Indiana city of Jasper that were cut earlier in the year because of slumping sales.

CLARK COUNTY, Ohio -- People trying to cash in on a local gold find are stopped.

After a small amount of gold was discovered in Buck Creek near Springfield, "No Trespassing" signs are posted on a number of private properties along that waterway and nearby Beaver Creek.

No portion of the creeks or their banks are public land, but after environmental impact studies are completed, city officials may allow prospecting on their portion of Buck Creek, in specific areas under controlled conditions.

DAYTON, Ohio -- An elderly man is dead after a house fire in Dayton.

The fire happened about 11:30 last night in the 1400 block of Kingsley Avenue.

Firefighters responded to a report of a fire with a person trapped.  When crews arrived, they say flames could be seen shooting from the sides and back of the house.

Crews made an attempt to check for anyone inside, but they had to retreat when the flames drove them back.  It took them several minutes to turn back the flames, and it was then that they discovered the body of 82-year-old Andrew Goldsmith in a back room.

Paramedics made life-saving efforts, but were unsuccessful, and Goldsmith was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Neighbors say Goldsmith was a smoker who needed oxygen tanks for a health problem.

Witnesses say they heard explosions and then saw flames.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio --Some local charter schools get a bad report card.

Clark County's three operating charter schools--Life Skills Center of Springfield, Springfield Academy of Excellence and Springfield Preparatory and Fitness Academy were all in the state's lowest two designations last school year. Urban Youth Academy, which shut down last May, was also there, and was rated 29th lowest of all schools.

Ohio Department of Education officials say several of the most popular online charter schools performed better.

MORAINE, Ohio -- The state of Ohio puts it's money where it's mouth is with big bucks are being offered up to keep GM in the Miami Valley.

The GM Moraine plant is planning to put the ax to the second shift in late September and eventually close the whole facility.

But there may be some new hope as the state offers up $56 million for automaker to move a new product to the Moraine plant instead of closing by 2010 as originally announced.

The offer includes more than $54 million in tax credits and a $2 million rapid outreach grant.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Cops hold out no hope for a missing Dayton woman.

They think the husband, Michael Hild, abducted Angela Hild last Thursday.

That's when the woman did not pick up her son at school.

Michael Hild is now dead, shot and killed in a Melbourne, Florida, shootout with cops Saturday.

Police found Angela Hild's car yesterday at the Woodman Park Apartments. It was towed in to be examined by detectives.

DAYTON, Ohio -- The 1996 Geo Prism belonging to missing Dayton woman was found Wednesday at the Woodman Park apartment complex near U.S. 35 and Woodman Drive, Dayton Police Lt. John Huber said.

The car belongs to Angela Hild, who disappeared Thursday along with her estranged husband, Michael D. Hild. He was shot and killed Saturday in a shoot-out with Melbourne, Fla., police after a traffic accident.

Angela Hild remains missing. The Geo Prism was found about 3 p.m. Wednesday and towed away to be examined by detectives.

Dayton police Sgt. Tom Flanders said Tuesday that police believe Michael Hild kidnapped his estranged wife and fear for Angela Hild's well-being.

HAMILTON COUNTY, Ohio -- New developments in the case of a man accused of having sex with a corpse.

Kenneth Douglas, who has admitted the crime, is expected to plead guilty next week. A judge in Hamilton County refused to dismiss the case Wednesday.

Douglas' attorney argued that a six-year statute of limitations on abuse of a corpse is up because the incident happened in 1982.

Last month a DNA database made a match to Douglas, a former employee at the Hamilton County Morgue who received the body.

Douglas worked at the morgue from 1976 to 1992 and left that job to work in funeral homes.

(Article courtesy of WHIOTV.com)

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ohio -- Local police believe one man may be responsible for a string of robberies this week.

Police say man wearing pantyhose over his face entered a Subway restaurant at 6704 Commerce Center Dr. around 9 p.m. Tuesday. He had a hand in his pocket but didn't show a weapon.

The man demanded money and the clerk cooperated.  The man fled on foot from the store, but Montgomery County Sheriff's office canine unit lost the trail after a short distance, indicating the man got into a car.

A similar robbery took place at the Subway on Stroop Rd. in Kettering around 10:15 p.m. Monday night.  The robber also wore pantyhose over his head and did not show a gun.

The Apparel Care dry cleaner on Indian Ripple Rd. in Beavercreek was robbed early Monday morning by a man with a similar physical description.  The suspect in this case didn't wear pantyhose on his head, but he did have his hand in his pocket without ever showing a gun.  He fled with a cash register in a stolen black Saturn, license plate number DKY 4934.

Shortly after 12 a.m. Tuesday, a man robbed the Speedway gas station at the intersection of Chambersburg Road and Brandt Pike, according to Huber Heights police. The robber in that case again wore pantyhose on his head and fled in a car similar to the one used in the Beavercreek robbery.

The descriptions differ slightly from case to case, but witnesses all describe the robber as a white man, possibly in his 30s, with blond or light brown hair. Witnesses have described him as 5 foot 8 to 5 foot 10 inches tall and 160 to 200 pounds.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher has offered General Motors Corp. over $56 million to keep 2,400 jobs at the automaker's Moraine assembly plant.

Fisher signed a letter addressed to Troy Clark, president of GM North America, offering GM $54,239,220 in job retention tax credit and $2 million as a "rapid outreach" grant, provided they keep the 2,400 full-time jobs at the current plant.

This comes after the June announcement that the Moraine plant would cease production by 2010.

State officials have also been working to get GM to bring new products to the plant.

MONROE -- A tradition has come to an end in Monroe, where cheerleaders have been told that they can no longer wear their uniforms to school because they violate the district's dress code policy.

The cheerleaders were told about the new policy during a pep rally before the first football game on Friday, Aug. 22.

The policy was clarified this year to require that the bottoms of shorts and skirts be no more than 3 inches above the knee, Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli said.

"No one ever said that the students couldn't wear their cheer leading outfits for pep assemblies in games. What was stated was that the bottoms that they wear needed to be in compliance with the rules for the length of shorts or skirts," Lolli said. "During academic times, they wear academic clothes and during sports times, they wear sporting clothes."
Tonya Turner, the mother of three cheerleaders, asked the board after the business portion of the meeting to make an exception.

"I'm not saying that the cheerleaders and drill team are better than anybody else; however, if that's not possible I would like something put in the dress code policy where if the coaches deem it OK for the cheerleaders to wear their uniforms to school -- that is a honor and that is something these girls have earned -- then I will stand up and say, 'fine, do it for the cheerleaders,'" Turner said.

Turner said she will address the issue officially at the board's Sept. 8 meeting so for the board to consider the matter.

(Article courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

CINCINATTI, Ohio -- The owner of the company that creates Enzyte, a male sexual enhancement product, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for defrauding customers.

42-year-old Steve Warshak, the founder of Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals was also ordered to pay $93,000 in fines after being convicted in February on 93 counts of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering. 

The company, which has facilities in West Chester, was ordered to forfeit more than $500 million.

Prosecutors accused Warshak of cheating customers out of $100 million through "on 93 counts of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering." 

Enzyte, the company's main product, is a pill that promises male sexual enhancement, and is known for its commercials featuring "Smiling Bob."

U.S. District Judge S. Arthur Spiegel said the fraud took advantage of customer's reluctance to come forward, which would mean admitting they ordered the sexual enhancement pills.

Spiegel said the company will be allowed to remain in business after forfeiting the money it made from fraudulent sales.

Warshak's mother, 75-year-old Harriet Warshak, was also sentenced to two years in prison on charges including conspiracy.

She had pleaded with the judge not to send her to prison, saying she wants to spend the time she has left with her grandchildren.

Spiegel allowed her to remain free pending appeal and acknowledged that she is 75, has cancer and likely will never be incarcerated because of the time it takes appeals to work through the courts.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Police stormed a Dayton house in connection with a drug investigation Wednesday afternoon, according to one federal agent.

Seven people were detained by police at the house at 1931 Rugby Road. 

Montgomery County sheriff's deputies, Dayton police, and Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents were all present at the raid, which took place around 1:50 p.m.

DENVER, Colorado -- Vice Presidential Nominee Senator Joe Biden will be tonight's headline speaker at the Democratic National Convention. 

Biden is expected to stress his expertise in foreign affairs, and he may criticize the policies of opponent John McCain.  Some strategists are worried though: Biden has a reputation for making inopportune comments.

Bill Clinton is also scheduled to speak tonight, following Hillary's call for unity in her speech Tuesday evening.  A roll call vote will take place tonight in which Hillary Clinton's supporters can make a final show of support for their candidate.

The theme of the 2008 Democratic National Convention is party unity, and Bill Clinton is expected to follow suit in his speech tonight.  However, many are anxious to see how committed Clinton will be in his support of Obama after the intense battle for the Democratic nomination.

Hillary made her stand yesterday, urging her backers to support Barack Obama. She said Democrats "don't have a moment to lose or a vote to spare."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- A new partnership with textbook publishers will allow Ohio's college students to buy digital versions of textbooks for half of the original price.

The state's agreement with CourseSmart, a consortium of publishers, will offer the digital books to students enrolled in Ohio's public or private college or adult-learning programs.

Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric Fingerhut says CourseSmart offers nearly all of its more than 4,000 digital books at discounts of 50 to 55 percent off the new print price.

Fingerhut says Ohio is the first university system to partner with the new venture, which will add more e-books over time.

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland says the price of textbooks is often seen as a barrier to students seeking to enroll in the state's colleges and universities.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

DAYTON, Ohio -- After the dramatic testimony Tuesday by a boy who said another child killed Paris Talley, several other witnesses are now discounting his testimony.

Five adults that the boy said were present Aug. 30, 2005 when the infant was killed all say that they were not present that day.  The boy's mother also said that her son was with her that night.

The prosecution has called several witnesses to the stand that the boy said were present, including his uncle, his cousin, and two aunts, who all say they were elsewhere.  The boy's uncle was living in Atlanta at the time, according to records.

The woman said the boy never told her about being present, and she didn't realize her son was the witness that caused the February mistrial in the China Arnold case.

Arnold, 28, is charged with aggravated murder for the death of Paris Talley, her 28-day-old daughter. Arnold is accused of burning her daughter to death by placing her in a microwave oven and faces the death penalty if convicted.

OXFORD, Ohio -- Investigators at Miami University say that several dorm fires were set deliberately.

University police say the fires were discovered early Tuesday in basement kitchen-areas in Hepburn Hall.

The building was evacuated when a fire alarm went off.  Witnesses report seeing two suspicious males in the building around the time of the fire.

There were no injuries and minimal damage, according to officials.

DAYTON, Ohio -- A suspected burglar is tazed by Dayton police and they say a tip led them to that man.

Officers say the suspect, 27-year-old Michael Frost, was trying to hide in an apartment on Delaware Avenue.

The homeowner's son says he tackled frost and held him until police arrived.

Officers say Frost still wouldn't cooperate so they tazed him to get him into custody.

He now faces several charges.

RICHMOND, Indiana -- Family and friends of a woman who disappeared from Richmond, Indiana, seven years ago rallied in her honor yesterday.

Niqui McCown was last seen at a laundromat in Richmond in July of 2001.

Her car turned up several months later at an apartment complex in Dayton but there was no sign of McCown.

Yesterday, the Cue Center for Missing Persons traveled to Richmond to bring attention to the case.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Angela Hild was trying to re-create herself at Sinclair Community College, according to one of her English instructors.

Leaving her husband, Michael D. Hild, 43, and his physical abuse was part of that renaissance, adjunct English instructor Laura Elizabeth said.

Elizabeth said Angela Hild, 37, wrote about being abused.

"She talked about it in conversations and her papers," Elizabeth said. "You could just tell it was something she had to deal with in the past."

Dayton police said they have few clues about Angela Hild's whereabouts and little hope she's still alive. Hild went missing Thursday, Aug. 21, and police believe she was abducted by her estranged husband. The odds of finding her worsened Saturday, Aug. 23, when Melbourne, Fla., police shot and killed Michael Hild after he fired a gun at officers. The officers were chasing him on foot after an apparent hit-and-run accident, Melbourne police said.

Dayton Special Victims Unit Sgt. Tom Flanders said the search for Angela Hild has become a "recovery" effort.

"We certainly fear for her well-being," Flanders said.

All that's known about Michael Hild's actions and whereabouts between Thursday and Saturday is that he stole Michigan tags off a car in Kentucky and put them on his green Chevrolet Impala. Police are still looking for Angela Hild's 1996 black Geo Prism.

(Article courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- A man was shot several times in the legs and head Tuesday night, Aug. 26, in an apparent drive-by shooting in the 4700 block of Woodlake Drive, police said.

The 31-year-old man, whose name was not released, had just parked his car about 11:30 p.m. and was heading toward a single-family residence at 4711 Woodlake when someone fired several rounds from what police believe was a military-style assault rifle, Dayton Lt. John Bardun said.

The shooter then drove away in what witnesses described as an older car.

The victim was hit in his legs and a suffered a grazing head wound, Bardun said. He was taken to Miami Valley Hospital suffering from non-life threatening wounds.

Investigators found at least 20 shell casings in the street, Bardun said.

There were children in the house, he said, but no one else was injured in the shooting.

The cause or reason for the shooting?

Not immediately known, Bardun said, noting that the neighborhood has been viewed as fairly quiet because there have been few police runs to the area.

Police were sent to the address about 11:41 p.m. after dispatchers began receiving numerous calls from residents about 11:38 p.m. reporting gunshots, Bardun said.

(Article courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- A local GM plant is closing and some people want to help the workers affected.

The Regional Response Task Force - GM Moraine meets today at Sinclair Community College at 1:30 p.m..

The group made up of elected officials, legislative and business leaders, headed by Ohio Lt. Governor Lee Fisher and Montgomery County Commissioner Judy Dodge.

They plan to deal with issues such as retention, redevelopment and retraining for the plant.

MONROE, Ohio -- A warehouse busted with millions dollars in fake goods has alleged ties to an area flea market.

Traders World Flea Market just off I-75 in Monroe is where an investigation into fake merchandise being sold started about 4 months ago.

That led to a warehouse in Youngstown where investigators found $15 to $20 million in counterfeit goods and what they believe is the main provider of fakes for the entire midwest.

Label names include Prada, Louis Vitton, and Coach just to name a few.

Three Chinese nationals are suspected of running the operation.

Indictments are expected.

DAYTON, Ohio -- A local H-I-V positive prostitute, who's arrests have made headlines, is found guilty again.

Vicki West was the first person to be arrested under a 1996 law that made it a felony for people with H-I-V to solicit sex.

She served time in prison in 2004 for the crime.

Now she's been found guilty again, this time for offering to perform a sex act for $20.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Gold is found in a local waterway.

Springfield jeweler David Garrett has long believed there was gold in Buck Creek. Now he knows, after finding some in the section that runs through his property in Springfield township.

Wittenberg University geology department chairman John Ritter says the amount is recreational at best and not economically significant.

Chamber of Commerce president Mike Mcdorman thinks it could boost tourism and be a great recreational opportunity.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Springfield city officials gets some high marks from the state.

The state auditor's deputy press secretary says the city's comprehensive financial report was conducted in a timely manner with an above average performance.

That qualifies Springfield for a certificate of recognition.

City finance director Mark Beckdahl credits the skill and dedication of his department's employees and city support, pointing out they're constantly reviewing their financial statements to ensure there are no errors.

DAYTON, Ohio -- The star witness for the defense in the China Arnold murder case took the stand Tuesday.

According to the 8-year-old boy, another child put Arnold's baby in the microwave.

The witness is the same boy who's statement to a judge resulted in the mistrial of Arnold's first trial in February.

China Arnold is charged with aggravated murder in the death of her month-old baby girl, Paris Talley.

She could face the death penalty, if she's convicted.

Monica Black-Gordon, another witness for the defense and former neighbor of Arnold, reported earlier that she saw the same boy enter Arnold's apartment the night her baby was killed.

PLEASANT HILL, Ohio -- Deputies in Miami County are now looking for a man who may be involved with a house fire near Pleasant Hill Monday.

Police are looking for 23-year-old Travis Hampshire. Hampshire is believed to be driving a stolen 2004 dark green Kia Optima bearing an Ohio license plate DRM 1903.

A fire was reported shortly before 8:30 a.m. at a house on Route 721 at Circle Hill, near Pleasant Hill.

According to detectives, it appears that a door was forced open to gain entry into the house and the fire had multiple points of origin inside.  Police said Monday that the fire appeared to be a cover for a burglary.

XENIA, Ohio -- A spokesman for Greene County sanitary engineering said earlier this month that you can find almost anything in the pipes at sewage treatment plants.

So workers at the Xenia city wastewater treatment plant were hardly surprised to find a hand grenade in one of the plant's separators.

"I would think with the water and all it came through, if it was going to blow up, it already would have, but you don't take any chances," said Capt. Dan Donahue of the Xenia police.

Jim Percival, Xenia City Manager, said the grenade came out of a machine used to vacuum the sewers.

"You get a little bit of everything there," Percival said. "Nothing that comes through the sewers would surprise me."

Hillary Clinton will be the headline prime-time speaker tonight at the Democratic National Convention, and she has the not-so-easy task of convincing her supporters to vote for Barack Obama.

After the close race between Clinton and Obama in the primaries left the Democrats split into two factions, the party is now doing what it can to bring Democrats back together.

Clinton's speech tonight will stress the need for unity in the Democratic Party.  She is expected to release her delegates and encourage them to give their support to Obama.

Clinton supporters marched through the streets of Denver today, and many expressed their lack of faith in Obama.  According to a USA Today/Gallup poll taken last week, less than half of Clinton supporters fully support Obama's candidacy.

Most of the Clinton delegates inside the convention hall said they will give Obama their support, after they pay their candidate her due.

Tonight's speech will also mark the 88th anniversary of women's right to vote.

The keynote address will be given tonight by former Virginia Governor Mark Warmer, who hopes to succeed retiring Republican John Warmer in the Senate. Warmer may help put Virginia into play for Obama. A Democratic presidential candidate hasn't won the state since 1964.

Last night's speakers included Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who spoke despite his battle with brain cancer, and Michelle Obama, Monday's headliner.

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- Police in southwest Ohio said a woman who confessed to killing her boyfriend and hiding his decomposing body in a bathtub for five days also tried to burn the body.

A Trenton police detective told a judge Monday that he found partly burned newspapers around the body of 47-year-old Keith Peyton earlier this month.

Joanna Hull told a 911 dispatcher that she had killed her boyfriend but didn't remember how or when.

A Middletown judge ruled there was sufficient evidence to send the case against 42-year-old Hull to a Butler County grand jury to consider charges of aggravated murder, tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse.

Hull is being held on $265,000 bond.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- A man accused of cashing more than $20,000 in fake checks was arrested last night.

The search for 34-year-old James Savage ended when he was arrested in Clark County.

Officials said Savage faces more than 70 charges, including forgery, theft and passing bad checks.

Police say Savage made dozens of fake checks using the names of local businesses and cashed them at area banks.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Dayton police think the chances of finding Angela Hilda alive aren't very good.

Hild, 37, hasn't been seen since she dropped her 5-year-old son off at school on Thursday.  Michael Hild, her husband, is suspected of abducting her, but he was killed this weekend in Florida this weekend in a shootout with police.

Michael Hild attempted to run from police in Melbourne after hitting another car.  He drove away from the scene, but was spotted by police and pulled over.

Hild attempted to flee on foot, but he was shot and killed when he shot at police and they returned fire.

Police say Michael Hild is man with a violent history who has made recent threats against his wife.  He lost his leg in a gunfight with Michigan police years ago and was known to carry guns in his prosthetic leg.

Angela Hild filed a restraining order against her husband shortly before her disappearance.  Michael Hild has been in and out of prison, and was just released about a month ago.

Police are still looking for Angela Hild's black 1996 Geo Prism, license plate number DGK 1420.

HUBER HEIGHTS, Ohio -- The hunt for a suspect in the attempted kidnapping of a 10-year-old girl has been called off after the girl confesses that she made up the whole story.

Police say the girl told them Monday that she made up the story to get more attention from her mom.

Residents in Huber Heights were taking extra precautions Monday after reports that a possible kidnapper was on the loose.

The girl was at her grandparent's house when she said that a masked man bound and gagged her.  The family of the girl said they will focus on getting her help.

Police say the girl could face criminal charges.

GREENVILLE, Ohio -- Teachers in the Greenville School District start their new school year today with a new two-year contract.

The new agreement gives the teachers a 2.5% increase the first year, and a 1.25% raise the second year.

There is no change in the health, dental and vision care coverage.

Still without contracts as the Miami Valley's new school year begins include teachers in Covington and Piqua.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Firefighters fighting a fire at a bar early Tuesday morning found a body inside.

Fire crews were called to the Club Ivy bar at 3509 N. Main St. around 2 a.m.  After the fire was put out, investigators found the body of 50-year-old Robert Fabia in the kitchen area.

The Montgomery County Coroner's Office said Fabia died from "inhalation of combustion products," and his death has been ruled a homicide. Homicide detectives and fire investigators are investigating the case.

The owner of the bar identified Fabia as the club's chef.

The Barack Obama campaign held an event at the club Monday night, but Democratic volunteers had left the bar by 11:30 p.m., said a spokesman.

The cause of the fire has not been determined, but investigators suspect arson.

MIAMISBURG, Ohio -- A baseball game in Miamisburg is broken up because of a hydrogen leak.

That leak happened at the Dayton Power and Light plant on Chautauqua Road along the Great Miami River in Miamisburg last night.

Fire officials say workers were loading a hydrogen tank when a coupling broke.

They called in Hazmat crews and cleared the area.

No one was hurt and fire crews say the hydrogen should dissipate on its own.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -- A woman who lived at the Dayton housing complex where an infant was burned to death in a microwave oven says she saw a boy walk into the baby's home the morning of the baby's death.

Defense witness Monica Black-Gordon testified Monday that the boy is the same one who was accused by another child of killing month-old Paris Talley in 2005.

The baby's mother, China Arnold, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated murder. She could face the death penalty if convicted.

A judge declared a mistrial Feb. 11 in Arnold's previous trial after he privately heard testimony from a juvenile who said he was at the apartment complex on the night the baby died. He did not reveal what the juvenile said.

The current trial began last week. Testimony is scheduled to continue Tuesday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Big Ten football fans who missed out on games last year because Time Warmer Cable didn't carry the fledgling Big Ten Network can now relax.

The network and the cable company said late Monday that they've reached an agreement that will enable Time Warmer to carry games this fall involving Ohio State and other conference members.

That means Buckeye fans in the Miami Valley, where Time Warmer is the dominant cable provider, should be able to watch Ohio State's opener against Youngstown State on Saturday.

The network and Time Warmer said in a joint statement that the cable company will carry the channel on expanded basic in the eight states where Big Ten schools operate.

The Big Ten Network is expected to broadcast three of the first five Buckeye games this season.

DAYTON, Ohio - A Dayton man nearly drowned Monday night, but was rescued by police.

The man was swimming in the Great Miami River near the Helena St. bridge around 8:30 p.m.  Officer Helphin Stine of Five Rivers MetroParks noticed the man and ordered him out of the water because it was getting dark.

"He was just swimming, doing fine," Stine said. "Floating on his back, doggy paddling, splashing, no signs of distress or anything."

Moments after, the man began struggling to stay afloat.  Stine threw a rope line to the man from the shore, but he was unable to grab it.

Montgomery County Sherriff's Deputy Josh Walters arrived just in time to assist.  Walters removed his gear, jumped into the river, and pulled the man to safety.

The man, who was unconscious when he was removed from the river, was taken to Miami Valley Hospital.  He is expected to be okay.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Fifteen area districts received the state's highest rating -- "excellent with distinction" -- in the Ohio Department of Education's latest report card on school districts' performance.

Those who obtained the new top rating met the standard on all 30 areas measured and made enough test score growth for an added gold star.

They were among 73 districts statewide to get the rating. There are 610 school districts in Ohio.

The other categories are excellent, effective, continuous improvement, academic watch and academic emergency. The ratings are based on attendance, graduation rates and the percentage of students passing state tests.

In Warren County, five of eight school districts scored the top grade.

"I think we have good people working here," said Sandra Warmer, executive director of instruction at Springboro. "We have a lot of families that really believe in education and support education. Those are assets that are tough to duplicate."

For the third time in seven years, Dayton schools rank worst in Ohio for test performance.

But even with its low scores, the district escaped the state's bottom rating of "academic emergency." In fact, no Ohio districts were rated in academic emergency. Dayton was one of only nine Ohio districts rated in "academic watch."

Dayton Interim Superintendent Kurt Stanic said the district's grade was disappointing but not surprising after $30 million in cuts and 200 teacher layoffs last summer.

"There was slow progress in recent times, but with the advent of the massive cuts and increase in class size, the result is these test scores," he said.

(Article courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com)

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Good news for some local United Health Care customers.

Community Mercy Health Partners officials announcing a contract renewal with the carrier.

It maintains in-network access at both of Springfield Regional Medical Center's locations in Springfield and Mercy Memorial Hospital in Urbana.

The multi-year deal begins September 1st.

TROTWOOD, Ohio -- An uncooperative driver grabbed an Ohio Highway Patrol trooper by the arm and dragged the trooper 150 feet before the officer was able to free himself, according to Sgt. Jeff Bernard of the Dayton Highway Patrol post.

Bernard said the trooper, whose name was not released, was not seriously injured in the incident.

Bernard said it was 3:49 a.m. when the trooper clocked a silver 2008 Chevrolet Impala speeding on Shiloh Springs Road. The driver pulled off Shiloh Springs onto Basore Road, and the trooper approached the driver's side of the car on foot.

Bernard said the driver refused to follow instructions and would not shut off the engine of his car. As the trooper tried to gain control of the situation, the driver grabbed him by the arm and started to drive away pulling the trooper alongside the car.

After about 150 feet, the trooper pulled loose from the driver's grasp, and the car sped away.

Bernard said the Highway Patrol has put out an advisory asking area law enforcement officers to be on the lookout for the Impala, which is an Avis rental car, with license number EIQ 7716.

(Article courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

LEBANON, Ohio -- A South Lebanon woman accused of stealing money from a Clearcreek Twp. nursery is on the run, say police.

39-year-old Theresa L. Yother was indicted today on a single count felony theft.

Yother is accused of writing $30,000 worth of fake paychecks to herself while she managed the Red Lion Nursery from February 2007 to February 2008.

"This is a family-owned business. We're working our way out of it," said the current manager, Paula Merrill.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Former Vandalia businessman Steven L. Clayton was sentenced to 12 years in jail today.

Clayton was convicted May 30, of 19 felonies including aggravated theft, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, and money laundering.

Clayton, who was the owner of Equity Land Title in Vandalia, was indicted in March 2005 for withdrawing money from an escrow account and using it for his own personal use.  The money, which came from prospective homebuyers, was used for trips to Disney World and Las Vegas, luxury cruises, box seats at Cincinnati Reds and Bengals games, and expensive cars.

Over the course of 7 years (January 1995 to April 2002), Clayton stole over $8.5 million.

"The greed of this defendant, using the money of homebuyers to support his lifestyle, is disgusting," said Prosecuting Attorney Matt Heck, Jr.  "Hundreds of victims saw the purchase of their home destroyed because this defendant defrauded them of their funds."

Many of the victims were eventually reimbursed, said Heck.

DAYTON, Ohio -- A 23-year-old man admitted to repeatedly raping two Dayton women during a hearing in Montgomery County Common Pleas on Monday, Aug. 25

Travanti Martin pleaded guilty to 19 counts in connection with the June 19, sexual assault in Dayton.

Martin, who was on parole for a burglary conviction, allegedly grabbed a woman, 44, in a church parking lot on Shoop Avenue near her home. He raped her and then forced her to her residence, police said.

Once inside, Martin woke another woman, 18, grabbed a knife and repeatedly raped both women. One of the women was choked into unconsciousness, police said.

Martin pleaded guilty to five counts of rape, four counts of gross sexual imposition, three counts of kidnapping, three counts of robbery, two counts of witness intimidation and one count of attempted rape, and one count of assault.

Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Jeffery Froehlich explained to Martin that he could be sentenced to all the counts consecutively and he would be required to register as a sexual offender after his release from prison.

The judge referred the case to a presentencing investigation and scheduled sentencing for Oct. 1.

Assistant county prosecutor Kenneth Coleman and Defense Bill Knapp said Martin could be sentenced to more than 100 years in prison.

(Article courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- The coyote population in Middletown has residents fearing for the safety of their pets.

Two dogs have been killed and others have been attacked by coyotes in recent months.

According to Luke Miller, administrator of the state wildlife program, coyote populations in the area have "exploded" in the last two decades.  Miller recommends that anyone who spots a coyote scare it away with an air horn or long range pepper spray.

Residents of Middletown have had little assistance from authorities, who have only stressed that the animals cannot be shot within city limits.

Residents say they think the coyotes are getting desperate because of large populations with little food supply.

"It seems like all the small animals are disappearing," said Evetta Taulbee, who saw her 1-year-old Chihuahua, Angel, get snatched by a coyote in June. "You used to see rabbits, squirrels, deer all the time and you just don't see anything anymore."

"They've become such a threat that something needs to be done," said Sandy White. "They're not going to stop. These things are vicious."

CASSTOWN, Ohio -- Calls soliciting money being made in eastern Miami County are not coming from the Casstown Volunteer Fire Department, says Fire Chief Art Blackmore.

Area residents have reported receiving calls from an unknown source asking for donations for a fall fund-raiser for the fire department.  Blackmore says these calls are not coming from the fire department and there is no fund-raising event.

A report has been filed with police.

DAYTON, Ohio -- The Ohio State Highway Patrol seized half a kilo of crystal meth during a traffic stop last Thursday.

The seizure was made during a speed-related traffic stop on I-70 in Preble County.  Police searched the car when a drug-detecting dog alerted them to the presence of drugs.

The driver, 33-year-old Jamieson A. Dilanzo and passenger, 36-year-old James Fynes are both being held in the Preble County Jail and will be arraigned on felony charges today in Eaton Municipal Court.  Both men are from Philadelphia.

If convicted, they each face up to nine years in prison and up to $17,500 in fines.

The seized drugs are valued at nearly $200,000.

BEAVERCREEK, Ohio - A robbery took place at a Beavercreek dry-cleaners early this morning.

A man walked into the Apparel Care at 3979 Indian Ripple Road at 7:30 a.m., just after the business opened.

The man demanded money, but when the woman behind the counter didn't cooperate, he grabbed the cash register and ran.  Officers say the man indicated he had a gun but never showed one.

The owners say the man likely only got away with change, since the store had just opened.

The man left the parking lot in a black Saturn that police say was stolen from a Dayton residence.  The license plate number for the vehicle is DKY 4934.

PLEASANT HILL, Ohio -- Deputies in Miami County said they are investigating what appears to be arson to cover up a burglary.

The fire took place at a house on Route 721 at Circle Hill, near Pleasant Hill. The fire was reported shortly before 8 a.m. Monday.

According to detectives, it appears that a door was forced open to gain entry into the house and the fire had multiple points of origin inside.

Police said the fire was apparently started with gasoline.

Investigators said there were no injuries.

DAYTON, Ohio -- One woman killed, two others seriously hurt in an apparent drive-by shooting overnight.

Robert Traylor and Michelle Traylor were sitting with their stepdaughter and her boyfriend on a porch when they were fired upon from a car just after 1 a.m.

Three children were just feet away inside the home in the 500 block of Oxford Avenue in Dayton when the shots were fired.

Michelle Traylor, 46, was fatally wounded and her husband says he died in her arms.  The stepdaughter, 31, and her boyfriend, 32-year-old Victor Evans, were both seriously wounded.

Evans, who was shot in the stomach, managed to call 911. The stepdaughter and Evans were both taken to Miami Valley Hospital where the stepdaughter was in serious condition and Evans was in critical condition.

Neighbors say they heard more than a dozen shots.

Traylor says the shooting may have been retaliation for an earlier argument between his stepdaughter and another woman.  According to Traylor, she told him of an argument Sunday evening with a woman that escalated into a fist fight. 

Police are still searching for the suspects.  There are no descriptions available any suspects or the vehicle.

DAYTON, Ohio -- We needed the rain but not the lightning.

That lightning caused problems for several homeowners around the Miami Valley.

In Beavercreek, lightning hit an antenna at a home, damaging some electronics inside. There was no physical damage to the house itself.

To the north in Miami County, a home in the 7200 block of Lost Creek-Shelby Road was struck. A rafter in the insulation was ignited.

Firefighters quickly doused the flames.

Damage to the home is estimated at $2000.

SHELBY COUNTY, Ohio -- Authorities in Shelby County call a weekend O-V-I checkpoint a success.

State troopers and local law enforcement held the checkpoint Saturday night on State Route 47.

That's where they stopped more than four hundred cars.

Despite the large number of stops, they made only one O-V-I arrest.

BROOKVILLE, Ohio -- A truck slams into a tree and police say speed may have played a role.

It happened at about eight o'clock last night along Upper Lewisburg-Salem Road in Brookville.

Police say two teens lost control of their vehicle, sending them off the road and into a tree.

Careflight transported the driver to Miami Valley Hospital.

There is no word on his condition.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- A touch of Springfield will be at the Democratic National Convention this week when three locals travel to Denver to take part in what is viewed as a historic event.

After being active in politics and civil rights for nearly 20 years, Sue Allen thought it was time to be involved at one of the highest political levels: the convention.

Allen, a 7th congressional district delegate for Sen. Hillary Clinton, and Mitchell Artis, district delegate for Sen. Barack Obama, will be seated at the convention, Monday through Thursday, Aug. 25-28. Joshua Hayes will also attend as a district alternate for Clinton.

"It's exciting," said Allen, a 54-year-old registered nurse. "You know, I've worked in feminist causes for years, been in every feminist organization and leadership that has come down the pike. And so I thought, 'This is the year that I'm going to try to go.' "

Though Allen is a Clinton supporter, she has no issues with throwing her support behind Obama after the convention.

"You don't want to have (the Obama campaign) not getting off to a good start because I'm standing around being stubborn because I'm a Hillary delegate," she said.

Artis, 45, became more involved politically in 2004.

"I was involved in (Obama's) grassroots campaign," said Artis, who works in the college of education at Central State University. "I'm very, very excited."

Artis said Thursday, the day of Obama's acceptance speech, is very historic -- it will be the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.

Allen said she recognizes the historical significance of the event, for both Clinton, whose name will be on the first roll call, and Obama, who is expected to be formally named the Democratic presidential contender against Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee.

"Think of all the things that we have tried to do for years, you know and now we've got a shot at it," she said. "It doesn't matter if it's Obama or Hillary -- first female or first African-American -- it's a different perspective."

(Article courtesy of www.springfieldnewssun.com)

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- A 27-year-old woman was saved by her dog during an incident on Saturday, Aug. 23, in which a man stabbed her as he tried to steal her television, according to Springfield police reports.

The woman told police she heard something downstairs shortly before 1 p.m. in the residence, located in the 1000 block of South Yellow Springs Street.

After yelling at a man she found downstairs, he pushed her and ended up cutting her thigh, arms and face with a knife, reports said.

The man took off after the woman's dog bit him.

The woman was treated and released from an area hospital.

(Article courtesy of www.springfieldnewssun.com)

HUBER HEIGHTS -- Residents of the block of Harshmanville Road where a man tried to abduct a 10-year-old girl from her front yard Saturday, Aug. 23, think the man either knew the neighborhood or had cased it carefully beforehand.

The girl told police the man, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and mask, approached her in the fenced-in front yard of the home at 7081 Harshmanville Road about 3:30 p.m.

The girl said the man threatened her with a weapon and took her to a creekbed where he bound her, police said.

The girl said she began making noise when her grandparents came onto the home's back porch, prompting the man to run south toward Longford Road.

Neighbors say the man must have known there was a two-foot gap in the home's fence between the foundation of the house and the side yard. The gap opens to a narrow utility path between backyards that leads directly to a wooded creek.

"He had to know something to know there's a creek that runs back behind these homes," said Susan Stacel, 48, who lives on the other side of the utility path from the girl's home.

The girls' family declined comment Saturday.

Neighbors said they won't be doing anything differently as a result of the incident. "When I have (my grandchildren) here, they're usually in the backyard and I'm there with them," said Judy Castle, 62, who lives directly across the street.

Castle said this is the first time a child had been endangered in the neighborhood in the 35 years she has lived on the street.

"It's sad," she said. "It's a different world now."

The suspect is 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall and heavyset.

Anyone with information should call 233-2080.

(Article courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- Since the unveiling one year ago of a $32 million plan to enhance the Montgomery County Fairgrounds into a special events complex, fair officials have sought more input from neighbors while delaying a $4 million capital campaign.

Don Michael, fair board president, said the board first wants to hire a yet-to-be-determined firm to put together an economic impact study in the next three to six months before it begins to raise money. The study would quantify the master plan's economic benefits.

"At first, we got a little bit overexcited, but now we realize we've got to sit back and do this in a timely manner and do things right," Michael said. He noted the 21 fair board members are volunteers who meet only once a month.

The fair board unveiled the master plan with fanfare during the opening of last year's fair. This year's fair begins Wednesday, Aug. 27.

Borrowed money would account for more than half of the estimated $32 million needed to carry out the plan.

Additional input hasn't resulted in any changes to the 20-year master plan, Michael said. Elements include building a 3,000-seat indoor arena, relocating and renovating the grandstand, reconfiguring the racetrack, commercial development along Stewart Street, a new outdoor show arena and exercise arena primarily for horses, and restoration of several buildings, including the 135-year-old "Round House."

Montgomery County Administrator Deborah Feldman called aspects of the plan "exciting" but said county officials had suggested the economic impact study, noting the tough financial climate.

Feldman noted that while the county commissioners own the 38-acre fairgrounds, the fair board controls it by state law. "I think there's a lot of commitment on the part of the fair board to make something happen," she said.

The University of Dayton in February officially unveiled a draft of the master plan for its 259-acre campus, which includes land across Stewart Street from the fairgrounds where Building 26 once stood. Michael noted the fair board wanted to see that master plan before launching a capital campaign for the fairgrounds plan.

Rick Perales, UD's campus planning director, said there will be opportunities for the university and fair board to work together in developing a "common theme" and sprucing up the appearance of the Stewart Street corridor.

Miami Valley Hospital, immediately east of the fairgrounds, also released a development plan for its campus in February.

Emile "Buddy" LaChance, the hospital's director of campus planning and real estate, said the plan "anticipates the continued presence of the Montgomery County fairgrounds" in its current location.

(Article courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com)

DENVER, Colorado (AP) -- The Democratic National Convention begins today with an appeal to middle class voters, especially women.

The Dayton area has a large contingent on hand, including Mayor Rhine McLin.

Tonight's keynote address in Denver will come from Michelle Obama. Other speakers include Senators Claire McCaskill and Amy Klobuchar and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Democrats plan a video tribute to Senator Ted Kennedy, who's battling a brain tumor. He taped a segment for the video a few weeks ago but there's a chance he might show up.

Caroline Kennedy will introduce the tribute.

Outside the convention, the police presence is tremendous. Officers are wearing riot gear and the Pepsi Center is ringed by concrete barriers and tall, wire fences.

Daily anti-war demonstrations are planned. The first drew about a thousand people and some have been arrested.

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio - A man working at AK Steel in Middletown was reportedly killed Sunday morning in an accident while changing a tire on a tractor trailer.

Police say 26-year-old Mike Lewis of West Carrolton was employed by an AK Steel Contractor.

Police and medics were called to the scene around 2 a.m.

Middletown police are investigating.

DAYTON, Ohio - Dayton City leaders kicked off a campaign Sunday aimed at encouraging residents to drink water from their tap instead of buying expensive bottles.

The "Take Back the Tap" campaign kicked off at the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority's Live Green Fest at Carillon Park.

The goal is to show residents that they can save money and go easy on the environment by drinking Dayton tap water.

Dayton's Department of Water is the public supplier for more than 400,000 residences and businesses.

A spokeswoman says the city's drinking water consistently meets state and federal water quality standards.

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ohio - A 16-year-old Urbana boy died in a one-car crash Saturday afternoon on Lantz Road in central Champaign County, according a report from the Bellefontaine post of the Ohio Highway Patrol.

Jack Morgan, 16, of Urbana was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash reported at 3:43 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23.

The boy was killed after he lost control of a 1998 Honda Civic, which spun off the road backward and dropped 15 feet into a creek off State Route 560 in Concord Twp. The boy was ejected and pronounced dead by the county coroner.

Troopers were still investigating the cause of the crash.

(Story Courtesy of Springfield News-Sun)

TROTWOOD, Ohio - Multiple fire departments were called Saturday to assist in fighting a garage fire in Trotwood.

It broke out around 7:30 p.m. on Oak Street. A neighbor saw the flames and called for help.

When crews arrived, they area was full of smoke.

It took the assistance of five departments to put the flames out.

So far, no word on the cause of the blaze.

Damage is estimated at around $10,000.

KETTERING, Ohio -- Police and the FBI are on the scene of a bank robbery Friday, Aug. 22, at National City Bank, 4100 Far Hills Ave., after a man who smelled as if he had been drinking passed a note to a teller demanding money.

The robber fled on foot with an undisclosed sum of cash, said Kettering officer Bill Torok.

The robbery occurred at 2:45 p.m. The robber first spent 20 minutes speaking to a loan officer. At that point, he walked to a teller and passed the note.

The man is described as white between the ages of 34 and 36, 5-foot-9, and weighing 145 to 150 pounds.

He was wearing a black baseball cap, prescription glasses, and two to three days of beard growth.

He had a tattoo on the back of his neck, cuts on the backs of his hands, and the smell of alcohol about him. He was wearing a long-sleeve buttoned shirt.

Video of the robbery is being processed and should be available soon, Torok said.

(Article courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- U.S. News & World Report's annual higher education rankings rate a number of Dayton-area universities among the best in the nation.

The 2009 edition of "Best American Colleges," released Friday, Aug. 22, included the University of Dayton, Wright State University, Cedarville University, Miami University and the Ohio State University.

Among the 262 national universities rated, UD tied for 108th overall, up four spots from 112th in the 2008 edition. UD also ranked eighth among national Catholic universities, and 56th among national private universities.

U.S. News & World Report named UD for the first time among its "A+ Schools for B Students," which notes lesser-known schools that "deserve a closer look."

Wright State did not rank in the top 130 rated colleges, but was listed among the 262 best national universities.

Ohio State ranked 56th overall among national universities, up from 57th last year. OSU again was ranked 19th among the nation's top 164 public universities.

Ohio State was rated 14th in the new "Up-and-Coming" category, which notes colleges "worth watching because they are making promising and innovative changes."

Miami University in Oxford ranked 66th among national universities, and 26th among top public universities. Miami was spotlighted in the magazine's "Programs to Look For" section, which notes academic programs that are commonly linked to student success.

Cedarville University was ranked fourth among top baccalaureate colleges in the Midwest.

The magazine defines national universities as offering a full range of undergraduate majors as well as master's and doctoral degrees. There are 262 national universities, 164 public and 98 private.

Baccalaureate colleges focus on undergraduate education but grant fewer than 50 percent of their degrees in liberal arts disciplines.

DAYTON, Ohio -- A 15-year-old girl is being hospitalized after flipping her SUV in an abandoned parking lot Thursday.

The unnamed teenager had four other people in the vehicle when she lost control of the SUV in the parking lot of the vacant Meijer building on Harshman Rd.

Police say she was taking the vehicle for a joy ride.  All of the passengers left the scene and fled on foot.

The girl's condition has not been released.

HAMILTON TWP., Ohio -- The husband accused of drowning his wife in a bathtub was released this afternoon after posting bond.

Ryan K. Widmer's bond was reduced from $1 million to $400,000 earlier today.  Widmer was released on the condition that he wear an electronic tracking device.

Widmer pled not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday.

27-year old Widmer was being charged with murder for allegedly drowning his wife Sarah, 24.  If convicted, he faces life in prison.

In a 911 call Monday, Aug. 11, Widmer sobbed that his wife fell asleep and drowned in the tub.  He said that he drained the tub and tried to help his wife and then called 911.

According to prosecutors, the evidence points to a violent murder.

"The significant amount of physical and circumstantial evidence that have been uncovered reveal that this was no accident," said Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel. "Sarah died after a violent struggle."

DAYTON, Ohio -- A truck driver is dead after he was run over by his own truck this afternoon in the 2700 block of Thunderhawk Court.

The 61-year-old man jumped out of his semi-truck when it started moving.  He attempted to climb back in to stop it when he somehow slipped and was run over, said Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer.

"It looks like a tragic accident," said Plummer.

The Belton Foods Inc. truck continued to roll until coming to rest against a sign.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Funeral arrangements have been set for Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones for August 29th and 30th in Cleveland.

Tubbs Jones died Wednesday after suffering a brain hemorrhage caused by a ruptured aneurysm.

A memorial service will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. August 30th at the Cleveland Public Auditorium in the Cleveland Convention Center.

Viewing is from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. August 29th at Bethany Baptist Church in Cleveland and 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the auditorium.

Spokesperson Nicole Williams said Tubbs Jones wished to be cremated and there will be no burial.

The family has asked for donations to the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Scholarship fund in place of flowers. The donations should be sent in care of the Cleveland Foundation.

(Story courtesy of WHIOTV.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- Police are on the lookout for a suspect who they say has made at least five robberies in the Miami Valley.

Police have a warrant out for the arrest of 18-year-old Tyler Lewis.

The Riverside Maytag in Harrison Township was robbed twice - less than a week apart.  A man dressed all in black, robbed the business at gunpoint on Aug. 12 and again on Aug. 18.

Lewis is described as a black man around 5'5" or 5'6" and 200 lbs.

PIQUA, Ohio -- The Ohio State Highway Patrol in Piqua has announced that there will be an OVI checkpoint in Shelby county Saturday evening.

The checkpoint is being funded by federal grants and is part of an effort to deter and intercept impaired drivers.

"On average, there are more than 16,000 alcohol-related traffic crashes that kill more than 450 people each year in Ohio," said Lt. Bill Peck, commander of the Highway Patrol's Piqua Post.

The location of the OVI checkpoint will be announced Saturday morning.

DAYTON, Ohio - Police records show they have been called eight times for racially charged threats since July 28 to the home on Albers Ave that was burned down yesterday.

The calls all dealt with disputes between Saundra Ballard of 322 Albers and Earl L. McLearran of 304 Albers.

39-year-old McLearran has been in the county jail on ethnic intimidation charges since he allegedly called Ballard's son a racial slur and threatened to burn down her house on July 31.

Ballard, who is black, said trees around her property have been cut down, her tires have been slashed, and McLearran has made multiple threats to burn down her.

McLearran was arrested July 31 after Ballard called police.  McLearran was uncooperative when police arrived.  At one point he exposed himself and shook his genitals at police.

McLearran was subdued with a stun gun and arrested, according to the police report. He was charged with aggravated menacing, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and public indecency, the report said.

Ballard told police that about 20 young white men armed with baseball bats and pieces of wood gathered in her front yard Tuesday. She said they told her, "This is your last night in this neighborhood" and yelled racial slurs at her son.

Nikki Bailey, a neighbor, said she some of the men say, "You guys are going to pay for putting my daddy in jail" and "You sent my daddy to jail and now you're going to burn."

McLearran's mother denies any relation to the men involved in the incident Tuesday night.

Saundra Ballard was in court Thursday testifying with her sons about threats from McLearran to burn down her house when she first learned that her house was indeed burning.

Police say the odor of accelerant was discovered at the scene and the fire has been ruled an arson.

Witnesses report that the fire began with an explosion, heavily damaging the home, and leaving the siding on a neighboring house melted.  Relatives and neighbors of Ballard all agree the fire was racially motivated.

Jefferson Twp. Fire Chief Roy Mann reported that neighbors saw a suspicious man in a vehicle just before the fire started.

DAYTON, Ohio -- An arrest has been made for the massive fire last week at an old GM parts building downtown.

Police say they have arrested 37-year-old William David Church, who will be charged with arson.

The four-alarm fire broke out at the building at 300 Taylor Street Thursday, Aug. 14.

Church may have been part of a crew removing asbestos from the building to prepare for its demolition.  Police are still investigating.

BEIJING, China -- A Kettering woman may now come home from Beijing with a silver medal after all.

A Ukrainian athlete, Lyudmila Blonska, has been stripped of her Olympic silver medal in the heptathlon for doping. Blonska tested positive for a steroid after finishing second in the heptathlon last Saturday.

She was temporarily suspended by the International Olympic Committee on Thursday and dropped from the long jump final. Her medal was officially removed Friday.

American Hyleas Fountain of Kettering is in line to take the heptathlon silver, with Russia's Tatiana Chernova moving from fourth to bronze.

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Funeral arrangements for Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones are scheduled August 29th and August 30th in Cleveland.

Tubbs Jones died Wednesday after suffering a brain hemorrhage caused by a ruptured aneurysm.

A memorial service will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. August 30th at the Cleveland Public Auditorium in the Cleveland Convention Center. Viewing is 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. August 29th at Bethany Baptist Church in Cleveland and 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. August 30th at the auditorium.

Spokeswoman Nicole Williams said Tubbs Jones wished to be cremated and there will be no burial.

The family has asked for donations to The Stephanie Tubbs Jones Scholarship Fund in place of flowers. The donations should be sent in care of The Cleveland Foundation.

DAYTON, Ohio -- A boy hanging out of an upstairs window tips off authorities to a potentially dangerous situation.

Firefighters were handing out batteries for smoke detectors Thursday night in the 100 block of South Hedges Street in Dayton when they spotted the four-year-old child. Investigators discovered that the boy was home alone -- living in a filthy house.

When crews asked the boy where his mother was, he said, "At the bar."

There was no food in the fridge and there were bugs everywhere in the home where the boy was found, according to the police report.

He and his eight-year-old brother are staying with their grandmother -- their mother was arrested and faces child endangering charges. The grandmother says the mother's boyfriend was watching the kids while the mother was gone.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Security plans are being formed for next Friday's "Road to the Convention" rally by Republican candidate for President John McCain. 

Now, additional locations have been announced for people wanting tickets to Sen. McCain's noontime rally at Wright State University's Nutter Center on Friday, Aug. 29.

And party officials say it is possible the presumptive Republican presidential nominee may announce his running mate or appear with that person at the event.

Starting today, tickets may be obtained at the following locations:

Montgomery County Republican Party Headquarters, Suite 201, 369 W. First St., Dayton. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to noon Saturday; 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. (937) 461-1776.

Montgomery County Victory Center, 526 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Centerville. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Call (937) 528-7888

Montgomery County Republican Party 2008 Pig Roast and Picnic, Greg Hanahan's home, 13900 Ohio 725, Germantown. Starting at 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23.

Greene County Victory Center, 3317 Seajay Blvd., Beavercreek. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Warren County GOP Headquarters, 30 W. Main St., Lebanon. 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

DAYTON, Ohio - Dayton Police are being ordered to use their patrol cars less.

Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl issued a "Level II" executive order which demands officers use their vehicles less and some officers may only drive to and from their home when not on duty.

According to the department's July fuel report, gas use was up 20 percent over a year ago.  With the spike in gas prices in the last year, that takes a hefty toll on the city's fuel budget - however, the city does get gas as much as 50 cents cheaper a gallon for buying in bulk.

The fire department is also trying to cut back on fuel use.  Interim Dayton Fire Chief Herbert Redden announced his department would be updating emergency response protocol to save on fuel and is considering fining business and residences that have routine false alarms.

Officers affected by the order are complaining, saying that the department's brass continue to use gas-guzzling SUVs.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Three men are wanted for opening fire on a car Tuesday night.

Officers responded to the scene of the shooting in the 1200 block of Wilson drive, when a man reported he was fired at by three men in a gray Cadillac.

The man told police that three men, two of them masked by bandanas, drove by his Chevy Caprice and opened fire.

Bullet holes were found in the vehicle, and one of the tires was flattened.

The victim said he believes an acquaintance he had just visited set him up to be robbed.  No one was seriously injured.

The suspects are reportedly driving a 1991 or 1992 gray Cadillac.

DAYTON , Ohio -- The boy who claims another child killed Paris Talley in a microwave oven was not present at the Parkside Homes complex on Aug. 29, 2005 -- the night before the baby died, a former neighbor of China Arnold testified Thursday Aug. 21.

Marcellena Perry said that she stopped by Arnold's home to see Lionda Talley, the sister of Paris Talley's father, Terrell. Lionda, who lived down the street from Arnold's home at 415 Hall Ave., was watching a group of children, including Arnold's four children.

On Wednesday, Terrell Talley testified that his sister had agreed to watch the children while he and Arnold, who had been fighting, went out on a date. The two went to a liquor store, then went to McCabe Park, where they sat in the car, drank, and argued.

During opening statements on Monday, Rion said the boy who had come forward and whose statements caused the first trial to end in a mistrial, said a child related to the Talley family had placed Paris in the microwave at Lionda Talley's house, not China Arnold's.

Perry said she knew the boy, who was about five at the time the baby died, and his mother, and that they were not present when she stopped by Arnold's apartment.

Perry also said she had used Lionda Talley's microwave, which was small and did not work well. When assistant Montgomery County Prosecutor Dan Brandt showed her Arnold's microwave, Perry said Lionda Talley's was smaller.

During cross-examination by Jon Paul Rion, Perry said that she was not present the entire evening and could not say the child was never there.

Perry said Lionda was cooking dinner for the children about 9:30 p.m.. Perry then left Parkside, came back an hour later, and saw Arnold and Terrell Talley arguing.

Perry said she also saw Terrell Talley give a key to his sister and ask her to check on Arnold and the children, then return the key to him. Terrell Talley then went to 217 Hall, a drug house known as "the Spot," she said.

On Wednesday, Terrell Talley testified that he gave the key to his sister and went to the spot.

Perry said she saw Lionda Talley lock up Arnold's home, then walk to the spot to return the key. She and Lionda Talley spoke briefly, then both went inside their homes, Perry said.

During cross-examination by Rion, Perry admitted that she was still friends with Lionda Talley, and that she had a sexual affair with Terrell Talley while he was involved with Arnold.

(Story courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

TROTWOOD, Ohio - Fire Crews are still battling hot-spots at a Trotwood Charter School that burst into flames early this morning.

A fire last night left a building at the charter school severely damaged, possibly beyond repair.

The front building at Trotwood Preparatory and Fitness Academy on Shiloh Springs Road caught fire shortly after midnight Thursday morning.  Fire crews entered the building to fight the blaze, but pulled out just minutes before the roof collapsed.

The flames shot dozens of feet in the air for more than an hour before firefighters were able to bring them under control.

School administrators say that the building will likely be demolished, but that will not stop the school from opening in the fall.

"This is the smallest building we have, there's a larger building in back and also modular classrooms. We can accommodate all of our students in that back building or in the modulars," said Principal Jeff Neely.

Both parents and school officials are upset about the fire.  The school has been undergoing construction for improvements recently.

Approximately 340 students are registered for the upcoming school year.  The cause of the fire is still being investigated.

DAYTON, Ohio -- An attempted robbery at a fast food restaurant draws attention from police.

Police are on the lookout for a man who walked into the Tim Horton's on Patterson Rd. this morning.  He told workers at the counter that he had a gun and wanted cash.

However, his hold-up was unsuccessful: he never showed a weapon and ran off without getting any money.

MORAINE, Ohio -- Police are looking for a man who carjacked an elderly woman late Wednesday night at the Walmart Superstore on W. Dorothy Lane.

A 67-year-old Walmart employee was forced from her vehicle in the store parking lot by a stranger.  She got into her car around 10:50 p.m. and started her car, when a man pulled her from the car and threw her to the ground.

Police say they found the white Chevrolet Cobalt engulfed in flames on Wildcat Rd. in Huber Heights.

The suspect was described as a white man of medium build with blond hair to his shoulders.  He was wearing a blue work shirt and may have a high-pitched voice.

The woman was not seriously injured.

BEIJING, China -- Washington Township resident Maurice Wignall finished sixth in the finals of the men's 110-meter hurdles today, Aug. 21, at the Beijing Olympics.

Wignall, who competes for Jamaica, finished with a time of 13.46 seconds. World-record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba won gold with a 12.93 clocking.

Americans David Payne (13.17) and David Oliver (13.18) took silver and bronze, respectively.

Wignall's wife, Janelle, is the assistant swimming coach at Wright State.

(Story courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A memorial service for Ohio Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs-Jones will likely be held in Cleveland Saturday, Aug. 30, says a family friend and spokesman.

Colleagues and friends of the Ohio Congresswoman are remembering her accomplishments this morning.

Tubbs-Jones died Wednesday of a brain aneurysm that happened Tuesday while she was driving through Cleveland Heights.

She will be remembered for making huge strides for African-Americans and women in politics. She was the first black woman to represent Ohio in Congress, and to serve on the powerful Ways and Means Committee.

A Super Delegate who initially supported Senator Hillary Clinton for President, the Congresswoman from Ohio's 11th District was a strong critic of the Iraq war.

Initially, news of Tubbs-Jones' death was inaccurate. Apparently an e-mail that was sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office spurred a series of news releases and reports that she died, when she was still alive.

Though she opposed many of President Bush's initiatives, the president says the nation is grateful for her service. He's praising the congresswoman's dedication to small business, schools and working Ohioans.

Congressman Dennis Kucinich says his Democratic colleague poured her heart and soul into her job, and the Clinton family calls Tubbs Jones a "one-woman force for progress." 

DAYTON, Ohio -- Tickets are expected to be available this weekend the rally where Republican Senator John McCain is expected to announce his running mate.

The tickets are expected to be available by Saturday at the Republican Headquarters in most counties as well as other locations, but there has been some confusion on when tickets will officially be available. 

Requests for tickets can be made at the McCain Regional Headquarters in Columbus.  The headquarters can be reached at (614) 441- 8622.

McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, is holding a huge rally at the Wright State University Nutter Center on August 29. The date marks his birthday and the day after Democrat Barack Obama makes his acceptance speech. Campaign organizers say the date was set and planning began weeks ago.

Hamilton County Republican Party Chairman Alex M. Triantafilou says the location of the rally is significant because Ohio was the deciding state in the 2004 election.

Some party members believe that McCain may use a vice presidential announcement on the 29th as a way to slow any momentum for Democrats after the Democratic National Convention.

Speculators say possible running mates for McCain include Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

The Republican National Convention begins September 1 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Court officials said a 72-year-old man has pled guilty to shooting a Dayton police officer.

The shooting happened in late June.

Officials said Clarence Pauley, a Trotwood resident, pleaded guilty Wednesday to a bill of information charging him with felonious assault.

Pauley was arrested on Henry Street in Dayton when police said he shot an officer responding to a call of a possible breaking and entering at a vacant home.

Officers said Pauley owned the vacant home and was inside waiting for men who had broken into the house in the past. Police said Pauley thought the officer was a prowler and shot him.

The officer has since recovered from the injury and is back on duty.

Pauley is out of jail on his own recognizance and is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

Phone calls to his attorney were not immediately returned.

(Story courtesy of WHIOTV.com)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio police and prosecutors would be required to follow stricter rules involving biological evidence, if a new bill becomes law.

The bill, proposed Wednesday by State Senators David Goodman, R-New Albany, and Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, would allow more people to apply for post-conviction DNA testing and would require biological evidence to be held long-term.

Under current law, post-conviction DNA tests are limited to inmates that have never pled guilty and have at least one year remaining on their sentence.  Some inmates are forced to forego parole so that they can still apply for a DNA test - once they are released, they can no longer get a test.

Also, there is no standard procedure for storage of biological evidence.  Different agencies (police, prosecutors, courts or crime labs) each have their own policies with varying storage methods and different lengths of time.

Of the approximate 315 inmates that have applied for post-conviction since Ohio started allowing it in 2003, 225 were rejected.  Many of these were on the basis that the evidence had been lost or disposed of.

Goodman and Seitz face some opposition to their bill: some say that while procedures should be standardized, there has to be a limit to the amount of evidence to be stored.

DAYTON, Ohio -- The Montgomery County Health Board has approved fines for three drinking establishments for breaking the state's indoor smoking ban.

Wednesday marks the first time the board has voted to approve fines since enforcement of the ban began in May 2007.

The following business each received $100 dollar fines: American Legion Post 668, 950 Helke Road, Vandalia; Courtyard Lounge, 320 W. National Road, Englewood, and Ned Peppers, 419 E. Fifth St., Dayton.

According to county officials, each of these locations has received warnings on previous violations.

The business can choose to appeal the decision in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas in Columbus.

XENIA, Ohio -- Police arrested a 17-year-old early Wednesday, Aug. 20, saying they believe he stole a large number of items from cars and homes in the northern part of the city.

Officers came upon the suspect after receiving a report of a suspicious person in the area. They found him with the property laid out on the sidewalk like he was sorting through his loot, said Capt. Dan Donahue, Xenia police.

Several other juvenile suspects have been identified who may have been working with the 17-year-old who is now in juvenile detention, Donahue said.

The 17-year-old has been charged with felony receiving stolen property with additional charges expected as the investigation continues, police said.

(Story courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

HAMILTON TWP., Ohio -- The husband accused of drowning his wife in a bathtub pled not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday.

27-year old Ryan K. Widmer was being charged with murder for allegedly drowning his wife Sarah, 24.  If convicted, he faces life in prison.

In a 911 call Monday, Aug. 11, Widmer sobbed that his wife fell asleep and drowned in the tub.  He said that he drained the tub and tried to help his wife and then called 911.

According to prosecutors, the evidence points to a violent murder.

"The significant amount of physical and circumstantial evidence that have been uncovered reveal that this was no accident," said Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel. "Sarah died after a violent struggle."

Widmer was denied a request for a reduction to property bond so he could stay with his family. He continues to be held on $1 million dollar bond at the Warren County Jail.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- General Motors and Navistar have decided not to go through with a sale that would have given GM's medium truck business to Navistar.

"Due to significant marketplace and economic changes, GM and Navistar have decided not to renew the memorandum of understanding to purchase GM's medium duty truck business," said a press release from Navistar.

All operations will continue as they have in the past with GM's medium-duty truck line, the release said.

GM Spokesperson Tony Sapienza would not confirm that UAW Local 598 contract negotiations impacted GM's decision not to sell, saying it was "strictly a business decision."

UAW Local 402 President Jason Barlow was disappointed by the news, but union officials will continue to lobby new products in Springfield.

In a previous decision, Navistar will be releasing 130 employees from the Springfield plant effective Monday, Aug. 25.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified three counties in the Dayton area -- Greene, Montgomery and Warren -- as failing to meet new federal air quality standards for fine particles that can worsen lung diseases.

The new standard, part of the evolving National Clean Air Act, is designed to protect the public from exposure to tiny airborne particles that are 2.5 microns or smaller -- or about one-third the thickness of a human hair, said an EPA statement released Tuesday, Aug. 19.

Research in the last 10 to 15 years has shown that fine particles, or soot, can worsen lung conditions such as emphysema, trigger asthma attacks and, in some cases, cause cancer, said EPA environmental scientist John Summerhays.

"We do observe greater premature death rates in areas exposed to higher particle concentrations," he said.

In a list released Tuesday by the EPA, Ohio led Midwestern states with 28 counties in violation. Indiana was second with 19. Nationwide, the EPA intends to name 215 counties in 25 states as not meeting the new standard, the EPA release said.

Sources of fine particles can include power plants, factories, diesel engines and, to a lesser extent, automobiles, Summerhays said.

The Ohio EPA has 120 days to comment on the U.S. EPA's findings before state officials are required by the Clean Air Act to devise a plan for controlling the sources of pollution.

Nationally, the U.S. EPA has been promoting the use of cleaner diesel technology and fuels and improved vehicle operation to reduce emissions, the EPA release said.

(Article courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- A man accused of going on a day-long crime spree back in June is being charged with 16 felonies.

 31-year-old Rayshaun D. Hudson is expected to be arraigned in court on most of these charges Thursday.  The charges he faces include six counts of failure to comply with an officer's order, four counts of assault on a police officer, robbery, discharge of a firearm, vandalism, and tampering with evidence.

Hudson allegedly fired at Montgomery County Sheriff deputies around 3 a.m. on Monday, June 2 near Shoup Mill Rd., the first of a laundry list of crimes. 

Hudson is then accused of robbing a feed store in New Lebanon with a partner, Shelly Bailey around 10 a.m.  Police went into an all-out manhunt after Hudson fired at a New Lebanon detective who spotted his vehicle.

Dayton, Trotwood, and Lebanon police were all involved in the ensuing chase.  One Trotwood officer flipped his cruiser while attempting to cross the median on U.S. 35.

Hudson allegedly carjacked a Jeep Cherokee after his own Ford Explorer became inoperable.

Hudson was arrested at 2:30 p.m. after crashing into a porch and being stuck by an unmarked cruiser.  Neither driver was seriously injured.

During the course of the chase, six law enforcement vehicles were left inoperable.  Hudson remains in the Montgomery County Jail on $1 million bond.

DAYTON, Ohio - A firefighter was cut Wednesday morning while fighting a house-fire, said Dayton Assistant Fire Chief Lacey Calloway.

Dayton firefighters were called to a vacant house at 1043 Redfern Ave. around 6 a.m.  When firefighters arrived the fire had already engulfed the interior of the house.

Despite being vacant, the house still had electricity and crews were concerned about a live wire in the back of the house.  Dayton Power & Light was called to shut off electricity to the house.

While fighting the fire, one firefighter was injured when a shard of glass penetrated his boot.  He was treated at a local hospital and released.

Investigators are looking into the cause of the fire.  Calloway said that since the house was unoccupied the fire is suspicious.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Investigators found a plastic bathing tub with mysterious sediment in the bottom during a search of China Arnold's apartment, a retired Dayton homicide detective testified Tuesday, Aug. 19.

"It looked like skin to me," Doyle Burke said after he identified a picture of a tub with cloudy water and dark sediment on the bottom.

The search at 415 Hall, part of the now-condemned Parkside Homes housing project, happened on Aug. 30, 2005, the day 28-day-old Paris Talley died.

Burke, who was not the lead investigator, said he went to Arnold's apartment to aid the investigation. He searched for something that could have caused the burns to the baby's body.

Burke decided to go to the Montgomery County Coroner's Office and view the baby's body. He said the burns puzzled him, because he was expecting either a splash pattern from hot water, or something shaped like a specific object, such as an iron or curling iron.

Instead, he was puzzled by the large burns, which had "very clearly defined lines" that covered the girl's torso, limbs and parts of her face, Burke said.

He returned to 415 Hall, but was unsure of what he was looking for. He even looked at the conventional oven and stove, but did not think of the microwave as a source for the burns.

"I didn't know a microwave burnt like that," he said.

Burke also said he questioned Arnold on Aug. 30, 2005 about things witnesses told him about the events of the previous evening, and she changed her story several times.

She first denied going to the store to get cigarettes with Lionda Talley, her neighbor and the sister of Paris' father. Then she said she was too drunk to remember, but then admitted she had gone with Lionda Talley, Burke said.

When Burke asked where her four children were, she said she locked three of them upstairs and the baby was with Terrell Talley, the baby's father.

Arnold denied being on her porch at 4 a.m. on Aug. 30 until Burke told her that witnesses had seen her. Then Arnold said she had been waiting on the porch for Terrell Talley to return home.

She also first denied arguing with Terrell Talley on the night of Aug. 29. Then she said they had argued about her reckless driving. Then she admitted they had argued about the paternity of Paris, Burke said.

Burke will continue testifying Wednesday.

Earlier, a Virginia pathologist said the burns across Paris Talley's body closely resemble the burns on a Virginia boy who died in a microwave oven, a forensic pathologist testified on Tuesday, Aug. 19.

Dr. Marcella Fierro, who retired from the Virginia Chief Medical Examiner's office, said she worked on the Virginia case, which happened in 1999.

Fierro, also known as the model for author Patricia Cornwell's fictional character Dr. Kay Scarpetta, told assistant Montgomery County prosecutor Dan Brandt that, while the burns were similar, the patterns were different.

The reason, she said, was the placement of the heating element in the microwaves. The element in Arnold's microwave was in the ceiling, leading to burns across the front side Paris Talley's body, including her torso, face, and limbs.

In the Virginia case, in which the dead boy was found inside the microwave, the boy's burns were more extensive on his lower limbs, because the heating element was on the side wall closest to his legs, Fierro said.

Fierro, who analyzed autopsy reports and photographs of Paris, said the girl died from excessive heating, essentially from a massive heat stroke. The burns, while serious, did not kill her, Fierro said.

Fierro also said that the girl was likely in the oven for more than two minutes, because there have been criminal cases in which children survived after they were microwaved for up to two minutes.

"I'd say several minutes, given the degree of burning," Fierro said.

Earlier in the trial, an emergency room physician from Children's Medical Center testified Tuesday, Aug. 19, that Paris Talley's burns were extensive, but her mother, China Arnold, claimed not to know about them.

Dr. William Matre said that he asked Arnold if she knew how the baby was burned, and Arnold responded with a question: "My baby's burned?"

"I was surprised that I could be asked that question," Matre said. "I thought the injuries were so obvious. I guess I was disgusted."

Matre was working on the morning of Aug. 30, 2005, when China Arnold and Terrell Talley took their baby to the emergency room.

Arnold, 28, is accused of killing the baby in a microwave oven. If convicted, she could face the death penalty.

When Matre entered the room, hospital staff members were performing CPR on the baby.

Matre, who pronounced the baby dead at 7:15 a.m., said he was curious about the extensive burns across the baby's torso, limbs and face. The pattern was unlike anything he usually saw, Matre said, so he decided to ask Arnold about the burns.

"As a parent, if I saw these things on my child, I would look to see if there were more," Matre said. "These burns, I though, were very obvious."

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- There will be more transportation options in Springfield next year.

Justice Action Mercy, which includes 16 local religious groups, asked the Springfield-Clark County Transportation Coordinating Committee to provide help to those in need.

From mid-October to December 2009, the Clark County Department of Job and Family Services will supply rides to residents heading to work or work-related locations, like child care or a required drug test. J.A.M. will also help Springfield Schools offer bus rides to all Springfield High students who live over two miles from school.

BEAVERCREEK, Ohio -- Neighbors hear loud booms in the middle of the night as fire rips through a Beavercreek condo.

It happened at the Summit Ridge Subdivision near Shakertown Road. Neighbors say they heard a large boom and saw a large ball of fire shoot into the sky. Fire crews worked for 20 to 30 minutes to gain control of flames. They say the explosions were likely due to propane tanks in the garage.

The fire was contained to one unit of the 3 unit condo. The cause is still under investigation.

BUTLER TWP., Ohio - A 2-year-old puts a pick-up truck in gear when the father left his three young sons in an idling vehicle in front of the Sam's Club at 6955 Miller Lane on Monday, Aug. 18.

According to police, the truck rolled forward, grazing the store, before a passerby stopped the vehicle.

25-year-old Andrew W. Leadford was waiting with his sons in the truck while his wife was in the store.

Police say Leadford left the truck running in the fire lane to look for his wife.  His 2-year-old son managed to climb out of his car seat and into the driver's seat, putting the truck in gear.

Another man in the parking lot saw the vehicle scraping the side of the store and ran to the truck, pulling open the door and stopping it.

The truck was pointed towards an access road, an iron fence, and a 20-foot drop, said police.

Leadford will face charges of child endangerment.

HAMILTON, Ohio -- A 14-year-old pedestrian was killed in an apparent hit-skip crash on Ohio 129 late Monday night.

Tyler Reiff has been identified as the victim of an accident that occurred late Monday night, Aug. 19, police said this morning. He was walking near Hampshire Drive when he was struck by a westbound vehicle on Ohio 129.

The victim was then struck by a second vehicle westbound vehicle on 129, according to Rich Burkhardt, spokesman for the Hamilton Police Department. The second vehicle fled the scene, Burkhardt said.

Officers said this morning, Aug. 20, that they do not have a description of the second vehicle.

Hamilton police and fire crews were called at nearly 11 p.m. Monday to Ohio 129 near Hampshire Drive.

Ohio 129 was shut down for hours as police conducted its investigation and crews cleared the roadway.

(Story courtesy of MiddletownJournal.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- The University of Dayton athletic director and vice president announced earlier today that he plans to retire, effective Jan. 1.

62-year old Ted Kissell, who has been the athletic director for 16 years, oversees 17 intercollegiate athletics programs, as well as the University of Dayton Arena and the surrounding Arena Sports Complex.

Kissell's leadership has helped to transform University of Dayton Athletics into a highly successful program.  UD has been a part of more athletic championships in the last decade than in any previous decade. 

Kissell's retirement comes after the most successful year for UD sports in history.  The football, volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball teams had .629 winning percentage for the 2007-08 school year.

Every campus-based sports facility at UD underwent major improvements while Kissell was the AD.

"During his tenure, Ted Kissell transformed UD athletics, setting the bar high for performance on the playing fields and in the classrooms. He's a strong leader who built upon UD's rich, storied athletic tradition with integrity, vision and savvy," said Daniel J. Curran, president of the University of Dayton.

Longtime associate athletic director Tim Wabler will be officially instated in January as Kissell's successor.

GREENVILLE, Ohio -- The decomposing body of a woman discovered Aug. 10 in an apartment on S. Broadway has been identified as 24-year old Danielle K. Mackey, police said Tuesday, Aug. 19.

The Miami Valley Regional Crime Lab was able to use fingerprints to identify Mackey's body, said police.

Police are still investigating the cause of death.  Greenville investigators said last week that the death appeared suspicious.

Mackey had recently moved to Greenville from Indiana and lived alone in her apartment.

The Warren County Drug Task Force and several local and federal law enforcement agencies are in the process today, Aug. 19 of serving state and federal drug indictments on 26 suspects as part of Operation Summer Slam in Warren, Hamilton, Butler, Montgomery and Clinton counties, according to the Warren County Drug Task Force.

The drugs involved are marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, heroin, methamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms, and prescription drugs (Xanax, Ketamine, Methadone, and OxyContin).

Task Force Commander John Burke said they have arrested 10 of the 26 people indicted, "and we're hoping the public can help us get the rest."

All of the people sold drugs to undercover drug task force members, Burke said.

"It's not one big group by any means, it's just a whole host of folks who are trafficking in drugs," he said. "It's pretty typical of the round-ups we do. These people are a middle level with a few upper level traffickers."

The majority of indictments were obtained from the Warren County grand jury, but additional indictments came from the grand juries in Butler and Hamilton counties and one ongoing federal case.

All of the indictments involve the sale or conspiracy to sell illegal controlled substances, and range from alleged mid-level to high-level drug traffickers.

Suspects and felony charges are:

-Thomas Rodenberry, Morrow, two counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs

-Adam Reiffenberger, Milford, one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs

-Richard Olmstead, Franklin, one count of trafficking in marijuana

-Holly Sorrell, Kettering, two counts of trafficking in cocaine, one count of trafficking in marijuana

-James Collins, Franklin, one count of trafficking in cocaine, two counts of trafficking in marijuana, one count of permitting drug abuse, one count of trafficking in drugs, one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs and one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity

-Rebecca Lowman, Franklin, one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs

-Jeannette Hamilton, Franklin, one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs and one count of trafficking in drugs

-Clifford Browning, addresses in Centerville and Carlisle, two counts of trafficking in marijuana

-Crystal Lazier, Franklin, one count of trafficking in heroin

-Elicia Miller, Franklin, one count of trafficking in heroin

-Jeff Carl, addresses in Lebanon and Franklin, two counts of trafficking in OxyContin

-Natosha Lanter, Middletown, one count of trafficking in OxyContin

-Linda Lanter, Middletown, one count of aggravated trafficking in OxyContin

-Tim Turner, Middletown, two counts of trafficking in OxyContin

-James Nelson, Loveland, two counts of trafficking in Methadone

-Bryon Hayes, Middletown, trafficking in marijuana

-Kris Nunke, Monroe, one count of trafficking in LSD, one count of aggravated trafficking in Ecstasy, one count of aggravated trafficking in Psilocybin Mushrooms

-Levi Rawlings, Lebanon, one count of trafficking in LSD, one count of aggravated trafficking in Psilocybin Mushrooms

-Joshua Coad, Miamisburg, (non-felony; a juvenile at time of offense), trafficking in marijuana

-Sherry Marshall, Huber Heights, federal indictment of one count to distribute controlled substances

-Grant Smitty, addresses in Morrow and Miamisburg, one count of aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine

-Brian Byrd, South Lebanon, one count of trafficking in heroin

-Derrick Floyd, Cincinnati, one count of trafficking in heroin, one count of trafficking in cocaine

-Bobby Smith, Blanchester, one count of trafficking in drugs

-Louis Cooper III, Lebanon, two counts of possession of cocaine, one count of weapons under disability, one count of possession of criminal tools

-Brandon Angel, Liberty Twp., one count of trafficking in marijuana.

(Article courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- U.S. Marshals found a lot more than they were looking for while searching for people wanted on federal warrants.

Four arrests were made at a house on Fernwood Ave. after drugs, guns, and ammunition were all discovered inside.

The arrests came as part of a search for people wanted on federal warrants resulting from crimes or tickets from Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

One of the four arrested was only 15 years old.

DAYTON, Ohio -- There is a chance that General Motors Corp. could produce a new vehicle in Ohio, possibly at the Moraine Plant.

Governor Ted Strickland and Lt. Governor Lee Fisher met with GM last week to attempt to persuade GM to produce a currently unannounced vehicle at GM's Moraine Plant.

GM announced in June that the Moraine Plant, among others, would be scheduled for closure by 2010 or earlier because of rising gas prices.  Fisher says GM has stood by this announcement so far.

Fisher calls discussions with GM "an uphill conversation." However, they have not rejected the possibility of using Moraine as the production site.

The selection of Moraine as the production site would be a two-step process: GM would have to first select Ohio as the state for the vehicle to be produced in, then select Moraine as the site.

While it is what Fisher calls a "remote possibility," the selection of the Moraine plant could potentially save more than 2,000 Ohio jobs.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- The Clark County-Springfield Transportation Coordinating Committee has purchased a speed trailer for the Clark County Sheriff's Office.

The trailer cost $10,000 and was paid for by a combination of federal, state and local dollars.

As a car goes by, the trailer displays a driver's speed, and if they are speeding, it can flash "Slow Down" or red and blue bars similar to those on a cruiser.

It also records the information for later analysis.

The trailer will be used mostly in the county and can be requested to be placed in a certain area

(Article courtesy of SpringfieldNewsSun.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- The homeless man found beaten to death on Saturday had been identified as 57-year old Floyd E. Drummond.

Investigators say they found Drummond in the street with evidence of blunt force trauma to the head.

32-year old Kevin Alsup was taken into custody early Saturday in Dayton after the body was discovered in the 100 block of Maxwell Street.  Alsup has been arrested numerous times in the past for various charges and is now facing murder charges.

According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, the Alsupis still on parole from robbery, receiving stolen property and forgery convictions.

Dayton, Ohio -- An Internet computer virus is sweeping thru millions of personal computers and it could be coming to yours. 

This virus is disguised as a Microsoft Security pop-up and will appear in the lower right corner of your monitor task bar. It'll give you the impression that this service has detected a number of viruses and you can click to scan and remove them.  What it really does is expand and infect your computer. Once loaded, it is extremely difficult to remove and may change your desktop wallpaper to show more infections.

This is all to convince you that you need to purchase this bogus virus removal service called "Anti Virus 2009" or something very similar. Once you put in your credit card number, it will immediately start to use your credit card and charge as much as possible.

We have visited with two area residents who have this virus on there PC and one who had pulled out their credit card ready to use it, and fortunately decided against it.

We have located a safe way to remove it thru the following link. http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/malware-removal/remove-antivirus-xp-2008

Scroll down this page to the "Automated Removal Instructions".

RIVERSIDE, Ohio -- Police say a young who was shot in the head is the same person who tried to steal gas from a Riverside residence.

Police received a call about a theft in progress in the 100 block of Winlock Avenue around 1 a.m. A woman caught 20-year old Frank D. Lane III trying to steal gas from one of her vehicles. She reportedly went back into her house and opened fire.

Police then received a call about a young man being shot in the head. They found Lane a few blocks away from the scene of the attempted theft. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Police say Lane and the woman were neighbors and that the woman was acquainted with Lane.  Police also said Lane has a felony juvenile record.  Both will likely face charges.

College presidents from around 100 universities nationwide are asking that the drinking age be lowered from 21 to 18 on the grounds that current laws promote dangerous binge drinking by college students.

It is part of a movement called the Amethyst Initiative, which has been recruiting presidents to encourage national debate over the drinking age.

The group includes involvement from presidents at well-known universities including Duke, Dartmouth, and Ohio State.

President David Hopkins of Wright State and President Daniel Curran have not signed on with the iniative.

Hopkins had this to say on the subject: "Wright State University thinks there should be continued discussions with institutions around the state on preventing high-risk drinking and what to do about it, but we have not discussed the possibility of lowering the drinking age"

The group will pursue public efforts in the future, but they are already facing criticism.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving says lowering the drinking age would lead to more fatal car crashes.

Both sides agree alcohol abuse by college students is a huge problem.  Research indicates more than 40 percent of college students report at least one symptom of alcohol abuse of dependence.

DAYTON, Ohio -- A local woman was hospitalized after she was hit by a car while riding a bicycle.

Joseph Yelley, the victim's husband, said he and his wife were both riding bikes on Xenia Avenue when his wife was hit.  He said she was issued a ticket for riding against traffic.

The woman's injuries were reported as not life-threatening.

Yelley said that the couple would rather use the sidewalks, but Dayton's city ordinances prohibit riders over the age of 11 from using the sidewalk.

Bicyclists in Dayton are required to ride in the street with traffic, and bikes must be equipped with a bell and light.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Rooms of the old brick building on East Third Street are stacked with donated toys and bags of clothing. There are freezers of meat, cans of vegetables and fruit.

Volunteers for Heart for the Homeless collected the goods for the city's neediest population. Now the charity, too, finds itself homeless.

"I don't know what to do," said Heart for the Homeless founder Nadine Mantle on Sunday, Aug. 17. "People who are homeless, senior citizens, and families depend on us."

Mantle said the organization must move because their office/warehouse building at 811 E. Third Street has been sold, but they don't have the funds to relocate.

"We're just trying to clean out as much as possible," she said. "We don't have anywhere to take all this."

The charity has no regular revenue stream and relies on donations only. Mantle uses her own Social Security check to buy food.

"It's a difficult life for her and the people she serves," said Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge A. J. Wagner, who helped Mantle find the current location for the charity.

Mantle periodically finds herself in similar predicaments.

"This is a woman who has given her whole adult life to the poor, and who lives among the poor because of it," Wagner said. "She's legitimate, the real deal. She'll give all she has. It's a privilege to know her."

Mantle expects to be padlocked out of the building on Monday morning.

So, instead of preparing a free weekly dinner, for about 200 people at the Montgomery County Democratic Headquarters Sunday, Mantle and a handful of volunteers were trying to decide what to move from the warehouse and where to take it.

"We didn't feed today. It's the first time we didn't in about 12 years," Mantle said.

Heart for the Homeless is a registered 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, meaning all donations to the group are tax deductible.

Mantle said when she was stricken by a brain aneurysm in 1981, she asked God for a deal: If he healed her, she would "take the ones nobody else wants and help them."

Mantle and Heart for the Homeless can be reached at 269-6094.

(Article courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com) 

DAYTON, Ohio -- An old G.M. parts building that caught fire last week is still burning Monday.

The four-alarm fire broke out at the building at 300 Taylor Street Thursday afternoon.  Firefighters are still working to put out smoldering hot spots.

Investigators are still investigating the cause of the fire, which they call suspicious.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Fox News is reporting that John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, is expected to announce his choice for a running mate here in the Miami Valley.

McCain is holding a huge rally at the Wright State University Nutter Center on August 29, which is his birthday and the day after Democrat Barack Obama makes his acceptance speech. Campaign organizers say the date was set and planning began weeks ago.

Hamilton County Republican Party Chairman Alex M. Triantafilou says the location is significant because Ohio was the deciding state in the 2004 election.

Some party members believe that McCain may use a vice presidential announcement on the 29th as a way to slow any momentum for Democrats after the Democratic National Convention.

Speculators say possible running mates for McCain include Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

The Republican National Convention begins September 1 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota.

BATH TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- The driver of a car slammed into a house Monday morning in Bath Township.

The house is located in the 800 block of West Dayton-Yellow Springs Road.

The homeowners said they were just 30 feet away from where the car crashed through their garage and into the kitchen.

Police said the driver lost control and veered off the road, crashing through several fences and about 600 feet of lawn before hitting the house.

The accident is still under investigation.

(Article courtesy of WHIOTV.com)

BEIJING (AP) --  The U.S. Olympic Team sits on top of the leaderboard with 65 Olympic medals today. 

China is next with 61 while Australia has 33.

One of the bronze medals is now aroud the neck of Hyleas Fountain of Kettering who has been working at the Home Depot in Sugarcreek Township. She won her medal in the Heptathalon with 6,619 points.

Maurice Wignall of Washington Township is running on the Jamaican team. He turned in a 13.61 second performance in the Men's 110 meter hurdles. That qualifies him for round two of the contest tomorrow.

HAMILTON, Ohio --  As the number of small farmers in the Miami Valley has dwindled, those who have remained have gotten creative.

Many have turned to agritourism to augment income from crop and animal sales. for instance, the Niederman family in Butler County has turned to paintball, which now attracts between 4,000 and 5,000 visitors a year who pay $30 each.

The Niedermans also offer a 22-acre corn maze, pumpkin picking and hayrides in the fall, and animal petting in the spring.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Dayton Firefighters and Hazardous Material Team members spent the early morning hours handling a fire and chemical spill at an East Dayton company.

There are no indications how the blaze started at the Flowserve Foundry at 635 North Irwin Street just after 1 a.m.  Firefighters quickly put the blaze out but had to call in backup to help clean a spill of nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid at the facility.

Firefighters discovered a leaking tank after the fire was extinguished.  Dayton District Fire Chief Vincent Wiley reported that the water used in fighting the fire mixed with the hydrofluoric acid and firefighters had to use dikes to contain the run-off.

Firefighters called in the Dayton Regional Hazardous Materials team and an environmental services company to help in the clean-up.

According to Wiley, a considerable amount of fire department gear including hoses, boots, and pants had to be disposed of because of contamination.

Investigators say they will not be able to determine the cause of the fire until the area is deemed safe.  No injuries were reported.

DAYTON, Ohio -- The class of 2012 moved into their dorms this weekend at The University of Dayton. The estimated 2,000 undergraduates make the first-year class the largest at the school in 40 years.

According to the University, it is a 12.8 percent increase over 2007's first-year enrollment.

UD attributes the jump to out-of-state and international students, as well as a record number of science majors.

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Kroger Company is recalling packages of Kroger Hulless Corn Puff Poppers -- Extreme Butter (artificially flavored) in Ohio and other states because the product might contain milk not listed on the label.

Consumers who are allergic to milk could suffer a serious or life-threatening reaction if they eat the product. No illnesses have been reported.

For more information, consumers can call (800) 632-6900.

DAYTON, Ohio --  A panhandler was taken into custody early Saturday in Dayton after a man's body was discovered in the 100 block of Maxwell Street.

Investigators say the man was 57-years-old and it appeared he had been murdered. His identity has not been released.

32-year old Kevin Alsup is in jail facing murder charges.  Alsup has been arrested numerous times in the past for various charges.

According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, the Alsupis still on parole from robbery, receiving stolen property and forgery convictions.

TREMONT CITY, Ohio -- A judge has ordered the reinstatement of a former Tremont City police chief who was fired last year, but village officials have requested a stay this week to halt the re-instatement.

In October 2007, the village council voted unanimously to remove James O'Neill from his position as police chief, citing improper background checks that O'Neill had run on two council members.

But in a decision filed Tuesday, Aug. 5, Judge Douglas M. Rastatter of the Clark County Common Pleas Court found that because the council members who were the subject of the background searches voted with the council on O'Neill's removal, the removal proceedings were flawed and unfair.

The village filed a request for a stay on Aug. 12, pending the appeal. If granted, the stay would temporarily halt O'Neill's reinstatement.

Council members Tony Flood, who today is council president, and Robert Evans, who no longer serves on the council, could not have acted as detached and neutral fact-finders, Rastatter said.

O'Neill said he has spent more than a couple of thousand dollars in legal fees trying to get his job back and has not held a full-time job since he was fired. He was pleased with the ruling, but said he was disappointed by the council's reaction. He nonetheless insists that, if reinstated, he could look past it.

"I'm ready to go back to work and assume my position," O'Neill said. "I can work with (the council). I can separate my personal feelings from my general feelings."

If the village fails to receive a stay and still refuses to reinstate O'Neill, his lawyer, James Skogstrom, said he plans to file contempt charges.

"If the decision is stayed by either (the trial or appellate courts), then we'll just sit on our hands until the court of appeals hears the case," Skogstrom said. "If it isn't granted, Jim could be back to work in a day or two."

The village's attorney, James Griffin, declined to say on what grounds the village would seek its appeal or what the village would do if its request for a stay is rejected.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," he said.

(Article courtesy of www.springfieldnewssun.com)

MIAMI TWP., Ohio -- A 28-year-old Miamisburg man remained in critical condition in the intensive care unit at Miami Valley Hospital on Friday, Aug. 15, following a ferocious crash Thursday night, Aug. 14, involving his speeding vehicle on Springboro Pike (Ohio 741).

Friday, Miami Twp. police Maj. John DiPietro said there is a strong suspicion that alcohol was involved in the 11 p.m. crash, but toxicology results won't be available to investigators for a week or two.

Investigators believe the man was traveling between 90 mph and 100 mph when he rear-ended a vehicle that had slowed because of traffic.

The speed limit in that area is 45 mph.

The crash shut down the road for hours. A 20-year-old woman who was driving the vehicle that was struck was taken to the hospital suffering from leg injuries.

She was released Friday, DiPietro said.

The name of the 28-year-old is not being released, DiPietro said, because charges have not been filed.

"We are still trying to figure out why the person was going that fast," DiPietro said, noting the driver passed police cruisers at two traffic stops before he crashed.

At one point, the 28-year-old's Pontiac Bonneville left the roadway, hit a fire hydrant, and sent the hydrant into the air. It landed on the front-end of a Jaguar parked at the White-Allen dealership, 648 N. Springboro Pike.

The crash occurred as the Montgomery County DUI Task Force launches a two-week-long saturation patrol and checkpoint program dubbed Over the Limit, Under Arrest. Several area checkpoints are planned.

The national program ends Sept. 1.

(Article courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com)

BEIJING (AP) --  The U.S. Olympic Team sits on top of the leaderboard with 65 Olympic medals today. 

China is next with 61 while Australia has 33.

One of the bronze medals is now aroud the neck of Hyleas Fountain of Kettering who has been working at the home Depot in Sugarcreek Township. She won her medal in the Heptathalon with 6,619 points.

Maurice Wignall of Washington Township is running on the Jamaican team. He turned in a 13.61 second performance in the Men's 110 meter hurdles. That qualifies him for round two of the contest tomorrow.

GREENE COUNTY, Ohio -- A Jamestown woman dies in a Greene County crash.

It happened on State Route 72 in Silvercreek Township.

The woman, 44-year-old Athena Davidson, failed to negotiate a curve, went off the right side of the road and overturned.

The investigation ongoing.

FAIRBORN, Ohio - A Fairborn city prosecutor was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated on Saturday, Aug. 9.

According to police, 42-year old Michael Mayer was driving erratically on Indian Ripple Road after leaving The Greene shopping center.  He was arrested after taking field sobriety tests.  He refused a breath test.

Mayer entered a not guilty plea in court, but says that it was due to a timing issue and he plans to change that plea as soon as possible.

Fairborn City Manager Deborah McDonnell said the city is seeking legal advice on how to handle the issue.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- State officials say Ohio's unemployment

rate has jumped to its highest level in more than 15 years, to 7.2

percent in July from 6.6 percent in June.

The figures out today show that the number of unemployed workers

in July was 430,000, up from 394,000 the month before.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services says the current

jobless rate is the highest since December 1992, when it was also

7.2 percent.

At ClearView Economics near Cleveland, president Ken Mayland

says Ohio's job market is suffering from the "double whammy" of a

national economic slowdown and an ailing U.S. auto industry.

Ohio job services director Helen Jones-Kelley says employment

declined last month in both manufacturing and services industries.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

DAYTON, Ohio - Montgomery County Prosecutor Matt Heck has decided not to file charges against the 13-year old boy who fatally shot his friend on Monday.

The boy was released from juvenile detention after being held since Monday for the death of 15-year old DaShawn L. Smith Jr.

Heck did approve a misdemeanor charge of child endangerment against Winston Chambers, the father of the boy and owner of the gun.

Police and DaShawn's family members both say that the shooting was a tragic accident. DaShawn's stepmom, Shawnta Wilborn-Smith, said that the family holds no "ill-will" towards the shooter and that he was friends with DaShawn.

She said the boy was attempting to unload the semi-automatic handgun when it accidentally went off, shooting DaShawn in the face.

Funeral services for DaShawn have been set for Saturday, Aug. 16, at 1 p.m. at the Saint Paul Baptist Church at the corner of Germantown Pike and Stewart Street.

HAMILTON TWP., Ohio -- A husband accused of drowning his wife in a bathtub was indicted today on a charge of aggravated murder.

27-year old Ryan K. Widmer was indicted by a Warren County grand jury for allegedly drowning his wife Sarah. 

According to prosecutors, the evidence was more than enough for a murder indictment.

In a 911 call Monday Night, Widmer reported that his wife fell asleep and drowned in the tub.

Authorities suspect foul play because of apparent trauma to the body of Sarah Widmer.

Widmer will be arraigned in Warren County Court at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20.  He is currently being held on a $1 million dollar bond at the Warren County Jail. If convicted, he faces life in prison.

JACKSONVILLE, North Carolina (AP) -- An intern with a North Carolina

prosecutor's office has been arrested and charged with stealing

documents in the killing of a pregnant Marine from Ohio.

Robert Sharpe of Jacksonville. N.C., was charged Friday with

embezzlement and misdemeanor larceny. He is accused of taking

investigative files, law enforcement reports and documents while

working for the local district attorney.

The documents are part of the prosecution of Marine Cpl. Cesar

(SEH'-sahr) Laurean (LOHR'-ee-uhn), charged with murdering Lance

Cpl. Maria Lauterbach of Vandalia, Ohio, near Dayton. Her burned

body was found buried in Laurean's backyard near Camp Lejeune.

Lauterbach was eight-months pregnant when she disappeared in

December.

Laurean was arrested and is being held in Mexico.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

FORT LORAMIE, Ohio -- A camper fire at the Lake Loramie State Park campgrounds off Ohio 362 in Shelby County sent four people to local hospitals on Friday, Aug. 15.

The fire broke out about 7:50 a.m. Monday, said George Sholtis, park manager. It was quickly extinguished.

John Flick, a cousin of one of the victims, identified the victims as Steve and Karen Blocher of Bradford, their son-in-law, Ryan Flora of Arcanum, and their infant grandson, Jordan Flora, 3 months old.

Flick said the Blochers were flown to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, where they were in critical condition late Friday morning. Ryan Flora was taken to Wilson Memorial Hospital in Sidney, and Jordan was taken to Children's Medical Center in Dayton. Their conditions are unknown.

The mother of the infant, Cheryl Flora, was taking a shower elsewhere at the campgrounds when the fire broke out. Only the Blochers and Jordan were inside the camper. Flick said Ryan Flora was building a campfire outside at the time of the fire.

Several members of Karen Blocher's family, the Heiseys, were gathered at the park for a family gathering.

Jerome Barhorst, Fort Loramie fire chief, said the initial call indicated there had been an explosion, but the hardtop camper's propane tanks were intact.

(Article courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- Police arrested a pregnant woman who allegedly bit and scratched officers Thursday evening.

Police were questioning 33-year old Alicia Cummings about a drug-related disturbance on South Main St. around 6:30 p.m. when she became belligerent.

When officers asked her for her information, Cummings spoke too quickly for officers to understand her.  After repeated attempts to obtain her identification information, Cummings was asked to take a seat in the rear of police cruiser.

Cummings then fled straight into traffic, according to the report.

When officers caught up with her, she started swinging. Cummings reportedly bit one officer on the arm and attempted to scratch the eyes of another, scratching his face instead.

It wasn't until officers managed to subdue Cummings that they learned she was 7-months pregnant.  Cummings and the bitten officer were both taken to Miami Valley Hospital.

She is being charged with assaulting a police officer and disorderly conduct.

Police are still trying to figure out why Cummings fled in the first place.

DAYTON, Ohio -- A Dayton mother is being charged with 3rd degree felony child endangerment after binding her 3-year old daughter and leaving her home alone.

22-year old Erica Bailey bound her daughter and gagged her with a sock, and then left her locked in a bedroom at her apartment on West Stewart St. 

The child's grandmother called police when she discovered the girl Thursday.

According to police, Bailey bound her daughter as punishment for fighting another sibling over taking snacks from the refrigerator.

Bailey is currently being held at Montgomery County Jail.

CINCINNATI, Ohio (AP) -- The Kroger Co. says it has placed signs in the meat departments of stores in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas with the latest information on the Nebraska Beef recall.

A recall of meat produced by Nebraska Beef Ltd. was expanded Thursday to include an additional 160,000 pounds of beef.

About 1.36 million pounds of beef is now covered under the recall that began Aug. 8 after the company's meat was linked to an E. coli outbreak in 10 states, including Ohio.

Cincinnati-based Kroger says the recall involves 108 of its supermarkets in Cincinnati, Dayton, northern Kentucky and southeast Indiana.

Customers are being urged to return ground beef with "sell by" dates of August 1 through August 16.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- He allegedly robs a bank and cops recognize as the suspect in another crime - breaking a baby's arm.

The heist occurred Wednesday afternoon at the Security National Bank on West Main Street in Springfield.

The suspect was arrested at his home just a block away from the bank.

That's when detectives recognized 22-year-old Bradley Goodson Junior from an earlier case.

In that one, Goodson is accused of twisting and breaking the arm of his girlfriend's three-month-old baby. That happened on July 4th.

Goodson is now locked up on $100,000 bond. He has entered not guilty pleas to aggravated robbery, felonious assault and child endangering.

DAYTON, Ohio -- A judge has set the bond at $1 million for the woman accused of killing her 3-year-old half-sister.

Twenty-two-year-old Kimberly Cook-Terrill, the little girl's half-sister, pled not guilty to two counts of murder.

The little girl died from blunt force trauma to the head in Trotwood July 20th. A preliminary autopsy showed the child had several skull fractures.

Prosecutors say Cook-Terrill also abused her six-year-old-half brother.

Preble County Children's services had named Cook-Terrill guardian to both children.

She claims Hope hit her head during a tantrum.

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania -- And a rookie will lead them - at least for one night in Pittsburgh.

Reds Rookie Chris Dickerson had three hits and broke a sixth-inning tie with a two-out, RBI double to help Cincinnati beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-to-1 last night.

Javier Valentin homered for the Reds, who took two of three from the Pirates and won for the fourth time in 19 games. Starter and winning pitcher Johnny Cueto (8-and-11) had been winless in his past six starts. He allowed one run and four hits in five innings.

Pittsburgh's Ian Snell (4-and-10) took the loss.

Dickerson, who made his major-league debut on Tuesday, tripled in the ninth and scored on a squeeze play. Valentin is 10-for-19 with three home runs in his career against Snell.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Thirteen men who Dayton police said are members of a drug ring known as the Diamond Cut gang face 49 federal felony counts on charges ranging from drug trafficking to using minors in drug operations. Federal officials on Thursday, Aug. 14, disclosed the indictment, which was handed down Wednesday.

Dayton police, Montgomery County sheriff's deputies and U.S. Marshals arrested the men Aug. 5 as part of the drug trafficking investigation.

Law officers also searched 10 homes in Dayton, Trotwood, Clayton, Harrison Twp. and Kettering and seized several vehicles. Each suspect is charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and faces a minimum 10 years in prison if convicted.

All but one is charged with a gun crime. The gun charges carry a punishment of at least five years imprisonment consecutive to any other time served.

Those charged with using minors in drug operations face up to 80 years in prison if convicted.

One suspect is charged with threatening an officer. Retaliating against a federal law enforcement officer by threat has a maximum term of up to 10 years in prison.

The indicted:

• Benjamin Vaughn, 21, of Clayton, also known as Man, is named in 10 counts.

• Jerome Hill, 23, of Huber Heights, also known as Pooh, is named in nine counts.

• Kenneth Vaughn, 23, of Atlanta, also known as K-Money, is named in eight counts.

• Joseph F. Smith, 18, of Dayton, also known as Fred, is named in nine counts as well as drug possession.

• Mark Adams, 22, of Clayton and Harrison Twp., also known as Mark Jason, is named in six counts.

• Reginald Pugh, 20, of Dayton, also known as Reggie, is named in nine counts.

• Gregory Siler, 22, of Dayton, also known as Marco, is named in 10 counts.

• Bryan Johnson, 21, of Clayton, also known as Stinker, is named in 11 counts including threatening a federal officer.

• Craig Sumerlin, 21, of Kettering, is named in eight counts.

• Chris Hill, 31, of Dayton, is named in six counts.

• Jayson Jones, 22, of Harrison Twp., is named in four counts.

• Talbert Grooms, 24, of Trotwood, is named in five counts.

• Ronald Werts, 51, of Miamisburg, is named in four counts.

Fred Alverson, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, declined to elaborate on the charges involving the use of minors.

(Article courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com)

TROY, Ohio -- A former Miami East Schools teacher and coach has been indicted by a Miami County grand jury on one count of felony importuning.

Chad Widener, 37, of Casstown, was indicted on the fifth-degree felony charge earlier this week. His arraignment is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 22, in county Common Pleas Court.

An investigation involving Widener, who was coach of the girls varsity basketball team, began after parents of a Miami East High School student complained Feb. 1 to the county sheriff's office about a text message to their 15-year-old daughter.

The parents said they found the message after having issues with the girl regarding "inappropriate" emails and text messages and installing a spyware program on the computer, according to the report.

Investigators checked a message containing "sexual statements" between the girl and an unknown male that occurred Dec. 6 and, through phone records, identified Widener as the alleged writer of the message, Capt. Dave Duchak said earlier this year.

Defense lawyer Jose Lopez of Troy said Thursday, Aug. 14, he and Widener "are looking forward to the opportunity to defend the charge."

Widener submitted a letter of resignation from his jobs as teacher and coach Tuesday, Aug. 12, Miami East Superintendent Todd Rappold said Thursday. The resignation will be presented to the Board of Education next week, he said.

Widener, who was a teacher at the junior high school last year, had been employed by the district since 1995.

He was placed on paid leave Feb. 26, the day school officials were notified of the investigation.

Lopez said Widener is "deeply attached" to the Miami East school district, which he attended as a student.

He said Widener resigned to avoid the school and community going through the pain of dealing with his employment status with the criminal charge.

"There was no reason to make the community do that," Lopez said.

Widener's father, Ron, is a Miami County commissioner.

The investigation was turned over to a special prosecutor in Shelby County by Miami County Prosecutor Gary Nasal. Nasal, whose office serves as legal counsel to the county commission, said Ralph Bauer, Shelby County prosecutor, handled the case to avoid any appearance of impropriety by the local office.

Bauer said Thursday he would not comment on the indictment.

(Article courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com)

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Talks on moving a truck line to Navistar's Springfield plant continue.

But a union leader in Flint, Michigan, is concerned the deal with General Motors may not happen.

Officials of the two companies issued a memorandum of understanding in December, and they along with the UAW Local 402 president say negotiations continue.

The union in Flint is in contract talks withGM.

Springfield plant workers are off now, and face decreased production rates starting next week.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Some Springfield homes may be moving.

The four historic houses are located in the area where the new hospital will be built.

So city officials--which have bought three and are working to acquire the fourth--are accepting proposals through August 28th to relocate them.

The structures on North Plum and North Lowry have historical significance because of architecture and their connection to prominent 19th century businessman William Grant.

DAYTON, Ohio -- A spectacular blaze in two empty buildings sends smoke billowing into the Thursday afternoon sky over Dayton.

Two vacant buildings near downtown that once served as a parts plant for General Motors Corp. caught fire.

There were no injuries.

Officials call the blaze suspicious and say there have been other fires at the plant in the past several months.

Firefighters used five aerial ladder trucks to attack the fire, and streets in the area were blocked off to motorists and pedestrians.

Fire crews from nearby cities helped staff Dayton fire stations as firefighters worked to extinguished the blaze. Officials will begin investigating the fire on today.

The site is to become part of the planned Tech Town project of the city of Dayton.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -- A union representing 2,000 workers at a General Motors plant in Moraine wants employees to have a chance to transfer to other GM plants when the factory closes. But that union is frustrated at the pace of contract talks.

The International Union of Electronic Workers-Communication Workers of America Local 798 represents hourly workers at the Moraine sport-utility vehicle plant.

Union leaders say General Motors has a responsibility to speed up contract negotiations after announcing in June that production at the plant will end by 2010 or earlier.

Two weeks ago, GM said it plans to eliminate the second of the plant's two shifts on Sept. 26, putting 1,000 employees out of work.

GM says it's aggressively pursuing a new contract with the union.

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A Miami Township collision late last night injures two and does some expensive damage.

Cops say a Pontiac Bonneville was headed south on Springboro Pike at a high rate of speed when it rear-ended another car.

The Bonneville left the roadway, struck a fire hydrant, launching the hydrant a hundred feet in the air.

It lands on the hood of a Jaguar parked at the White Allen dealership.

Two people taken to Miami Valley Hospital with serious injuries.

MARYSVILLE, Ohio (AP) -- Authorities say a pilot was killed when his small plane crashed while trying to go back to a central Ohio airport shortly after taking off.

The State Highway Patrol says 33-year-old Shannon Stage of Marysville attempted to return to the Union County Airport around 10:30 this morning because of a mechanical problem with his plane.

But the patrol's Sgt. Anne Ralston says the 1980 multiengine Beechcraft didn't make it and crashed in a soybean field near the runway, then burst into flames.

Stage was the only person on board.

Marysville is about 30 miles northwest of Columbus.

LIMA, Ohio -- He was the target of a Lima drug raid that left his girlfriend dead but Anthony Terry says don't blame him.

Terry says he doesn't understand why police waited until he was at her house to go after him.

He says officers could have him arrested on the street instead of waiting until he was inside the house with his girlfriend and her children.

Police say doing that would have put officers at risk and jeopardized their investigation.

Jurors last week acquitted Lima Police Sgt. Joseph Chavalia in the shooting death of the unarmed woman. Chavalia testified that he fired because he thought his life was in danger.

Defense attorneys also blamed Terry for putting 26-year-old Tarika Wilson in the line of fire.

Terry tells The Toledo Blade in a prison interview that he doesn't believe Chavalia's story.

MIAMISBURG, Ohio -- Miamisburg High School the site of a break-in early this morning but the perp did not get what he wanted.

One person was caught on school surveillance cameras entering the building through a back door and making his way to the front office.

There, the burglar went for the school safe. He could neither open it nor could he drag the heavy safe with him.

The suspect left empty handed.

He may have had help as it appears a car may have picked the suspect after the bungled burglary.

TROY, Ohio -- A Troy man is accused of ten counts of sexual imposition.

Norman Shook, 54, made his first court appearance this morning. He appeared via video in Miami County Municipal Court.

He is accused of having inappropriate contact with a girl under the age of 18.

The charges are misdemeanors.

Bond is set at $25,000.

DAYTON, Ohio -- The search continues for three men who broke into a house Tuesday and terrorized the residents.

This happened in the early morning hours in the 800 block of Jessie Street.

The trio demanded drugs and money while holding the residents at gunpoint. They also ransacked the house.

The suspect, who are still on the loose, got away in a Jeep Grand Cherokee taken from one of the people in the house.

They are described as young black males ages between 17 and 20, all under 5 feet 10 inches tall.

LEBANON, Ohio -- Bond was set at $1 million for a 27-year-old Hamilton Twp. man accused of drowning his wife in a bathtub.

Ryan K. Widmer, 27, was charged in Warren County Court with murder. He stands accused of drowning his 24-year-old wife, Sarah A. Widmer, in a bathtub at their home.

According to court documents filed after the arraignment, the victim's family requested that Widmer be released.

Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel said she was meeting with Sarah's family Thursday morning and that it would be premature to comment about the case.

Widmer turned himself in to Hamilton Twp. police Wednesday, Aug. 13, after learning he had been charged with murder.

Widmer initially told police that Sarah accidentally drowned. He called 911 at 10:48 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11, and was trying to administer CPR when emergency workers arrived.

"My wife fell asleep in the bathtub and I think she's dead," Widmer said during the call. "I was downstairs and I just came up here and she was laying face-down in the bathtub."

Sarah Widmer was found naked in the bathtub and taken to Bethesda Arrow Springs in Lebanon and pronounced dead there.

Warren County Coroner Russell Uptegrove conducted an autopsy and determined Wednesday that drowning was the cause of death.

Despite Ryan's statements on the 911 recording that Sarah "falls asleep in the bathtub all the time," the coroner's chief investigator found inconsistencies in his statements.

"A healthy 24-year-old women doesn't just fall asleep in the bathroom," Doyle Burke said. "Someone like that doesn't drown without the intervention of another person."

Authorities suspect her death was not accidental because Sarah's body had "trauma that would not be consistent with any accident" and there were signs of the "use of violent force," Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel said at a press conference Wednesday.

Burke said Thursday that Ryan's statement has several inconsistencies that made them suspicions but could not elaborate on them further.

Hutzel and police declined to discuss other details of their investigation.

Sarah worked as a dental technician in Fort Thomas, Ky., and Ryan is a sales manager for the Warren County Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

According to court records, police executed a search warrant at the Widmer's house at 5250 Crested Owl Court in Hamilton Twp., but the search warrant has been sealed. The Widmers purchased the home in March 2007 for $192,704. They had no children.

Widmer's attorney Charlie Rittgers could not be reached for comment.

(Article courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com)

WILMINGTON, Ohio (AP) -- Republican and Democratic members of Ohio's congressional delegation are dashing off letters together in hopes of preventing a deal threatening 8,000 southwest Ohio jobs.

Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown says the group is contacting everyone who might help stop a proposed arrangement between DHL and United Parcel Service. German-owned DHL wants air shipping of its packages to be handled by UPS, replacing the current DHL shipping hub in Wilmington.

Lawmakers signed a letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday warning that the deal could damage Americans' support for a global economy.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who visited Wilmington last week, said he has written the head of DHL's parent company urging him to visit the area.

MASON, Ohio (AP) -- An Ohio water park that shutdown a pool after lifeguards noticed people coughing says it will test chlorine levels more frequently.

The Beach Waterpark in Mason temporarily closed its 30,000-gallon Splash Mountain pool yesterday. A spokeswoman says a first aid team treated 45 people.

The park says a computer misread chlorine levels and added too much of the chemical, which can irritate the stomach, nose and throat. The pool was drained and reopened after a safety inspection.

The park says its chlorine levels were still within state limits.

Last year, patrons at the nearby Great Wolf Lodge water resort complained they became sick. Investigators said a chlorine byproduct might have contributed.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -- The judge says she's planning for opening statements Monday in the retrial of a Dayton woman accused of killing her infant daughter in a microwave oven.

Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Mary Wiseman said yesterday that she expects jury selection that began Monday will last through the end of this week.

The past two days, attorneys on both sides have been questioning prospective jurors about how much they know about the case and how they feel about capital punishment.

Twenty-eight-year-old China Arnold could face the death penalty if she's convicted in the death of the month-old baby three years ago. Arnold has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder.

The case ended in a mistrial when it was first heard earlier this year.

WILBERFORCE, Ohio (AP) -- Central State University says pro football hall-of-famer Kellen Winslow Sr. is the school's new athletic director. Winslow was introduced Thursday during a news conference at the southwest Ohio school.

Fundraising will be among Winslow's duties as the university moves into full NCAA Division II membership this fall.

Winslow, a tight end who played for the San Diego Chargers, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995. His son, Kellen Winslow Jr., plays for the Cleveland Browns.

Winslow replaces longtime Central State athletic director and coach Teresa Check who is now AD and women's basketball coach at Cincinnati State.

FAIRBORN, Ohio -- Cops nab a suspect in a Fairborn gas station stickup.

According to police, Glenn Moorefield pulled a knife at a Marathon station on West Dayton Drive and demanded cash. He didn't get any so he took off.

Spotted by a witness, the suspect was caught by police at Greene Street and Lynn Drive.

Moorefield is now charged with "aggravated robbery" and a count of "possession of criminal tools."

He's in jail. Bond is set at $45,000.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Dayton cops get an anonymous tip and end up with a good-sized drug bust.

Police say they find at least twenty pounds of marijuana growing in the basement of a house on Grove Avenue.

They also say they found several weapons there.

The man who rented the house is now in lockup. He faces charges of cultivation of marijuana and there could be more charges.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ohio -- Expect to see a lot more police on the streets over the few weeks.

Some 13,000 people across the country die each year as the result of over the limit driving, which is .08 or higher.

That's why you can expect to see a saturation of patrols staring today and running trough September 1st.

It's all part of the "Over the Limit Under Arrest Campaign" being run by the Montgomery County DUI Task Force.

Also on tap are more DUI checkpoints.

Cops say the bottom line is if you drive impaired you will be arrested.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Swipe cleaner on with brush, let soak, rinse and -- like magic -- the stain is gone.

It may sound like a plug for a carpet cleaner commercial, but it's the basic process that employees of Lori'Lea's Mobile Power Washing Service used to clean off graffiti scrawled across the railroad bridge abutment on U.S. 68 North, just south of U.S. 40, on Wednesday, Aug. 13.

Rich Farson of Lori'Lea's Power Washing used a chemical cleaner and 200-degree water sprayed at 3,500 pounds per square inch to remove the abutment graffiti.

"It's an ongoing problem," he said.

The location was chosen for the Keep Clark County Beautiful Graffiti Task Force pilot project, the first of several high-profile locales that will be scrubbed clean.

The abutment, which is near the Ohio Masonic Home, had graffiti that was at least two years old. It was "everybody's first choice" to be cleaned, said Mike Morris, task force chairman.

"(The graffiti) can affect how people outside the community see us and how people who live here feel about the community," Morris said.

The purpose of Wednesday's project was a pilot to determine how much of the chemical, Wipe Out Graffiti Remover that runs $80 a gallon, is needed, and the time and cost to get the area clean, Morris said.

Area agencies and businesses donated $1,500 for the pilot project.

Through the graffiti removal initiative, the task force will pinpoint prominent locations, either public or semipublic, that have been defaced.

"This goes along with Keep Clark County Beautiful's efforts to revitalize the community," Morris said.

(Article courtesy of www.springfieldnewssun.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- A study measuring how often the city awarded contracts to minority- and female-owned businesses found big disparities in prime contracting and subcontracting.

"The evidence suggests that discrimination was a factor," said Steve Humphrey, senior partner of MGT of American Inc., the Florida-based firm that conducted the study. Humphrey said the discrimination was unintended.

The Dayton City Commission on Wednesday, Aug. 13, learned the details of the study that was based on data from 2001-2006. MGT looked at contracts for construction, architecture and engineering, goods and supplies, along with professional and other services.

The study was based on anecdotal evidence obtained through interviews and a telephone survey of minority businesses, along with what Humphrey called "hard core data."

The study showed minority- and women-owned businesses often did not receive as much revenue from the city as other companies.

"In essence, they clearly didn't get much of the business," Humphrey said.

Tom Wahlrab, interim executive director of the city's Human Relations Council, said the city is committed to immediately creating remedies.

MGT recommended: The city should adopt a policy that requires joint ventures (partnerships) between firms from different ethnic/gender groups on projects over a set amount. That ordinance should allow the inclusion of ethnic and gender groups where disparity has been identified.

• The city should re-establish a policy to limit habit purchases from non-minority firms; set goals for allowing minority and women businesses to participate in capital projects; and improve data tracking of minority and female business participation. In cases where the city helps fund private projects, contractors should be encouraged to set goals for using minority and female businesses.

In the private sector, MGT found that minorities and women got less than 1 percent of all construction prime contracts and 0.1 percent of the subcontract market.

"We need to have the will to make a difference," Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin said as she challenged city leaders to explore ways to make improvements.

(Article courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- One woman appears to have been grazed by flying glass broken by gunfire directed at her house Wednesday night, Aug. 13, police said.

Dayton officers were dispatched at 10:13 on a report of a shooting in the 200 block of Huron Avenue.

The woman, whose name was not given, was not seriously injured and police believe the incident stemmed from a neighborhood dispute, Sgt. Kelly Hamilton said.

No one was arrested and the woman did not require medical treatment, he said.

Police were not getting much cooperation from people in the neighborhood, Hamilton said.

(Article courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com)

WARREN COUNTY, Ohio -- There was a very serious hazardous materials situation in Warren County overnight.

Rescue crews were called to Sum-Co's facility in Hamilton Township around 12:30 this morning

Warren County sheriff's deputies say a man was trapped in one part of the electronics plant.

The company's website indicates the plant makes parts for semiconductors.

No word at this hour how the man is doing.

HUBER HEIGHTS, Ohio -- How about a tax decrease?

That's what city leaders in Huber Heights are asking citizens.

Council members voted last night to place the measure on the November ballot.

It calls for cutting the city's income tax a quarter point to 2 percent, and make a current street repair levy permanent.

Some people voiced support at the meeting, but others worry it would leave Huber Heights short of money to maintain services.

If it's approved, the change would become effective January 1st.

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania -- The Reds' post All-Star Game slide continues.

Paul Maholm pitched eight innings and Jason Michaels and Brandon Moss homered to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates past the Cincinnati Reds 5-2 last night.

Corey Patterson and Jay Bruce homered for Cincinnati, which has lost 15 of 18 games.

Maholm (8-7) improved to 6-1 with a 3.06 ERA at PNC Park this season. He allowed seven hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out five in an efficient 97-pitch outing.

Josh Fogg (2-5) looked good through the first four innings, allowing two hits, before running into trouble in the fifth.

LEBANON, Ohio (AP) -- Authorities have charged a southwest Ohio man with murder in the bathtub drowning of his wife.

Authorities say 27-year-old Ryan Widmer of Lebanon told a 911 dispatcher Monday night that he found his wife dead in the bath. He said his wife, Sarah Widmer, often fell asleep in the tub.

He also told the dispatcher he tried to perform CPR, but didn't know much about it.

Warren County Coroner Russell Uptegrove says in a preliminary ruling that the woman drowned. Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel said Wednesday that officials found evidence of trauma inconsistent with an accident.

Authorities say the couple had been married about six months and had no children.

Ryan Widmer was being held in the county jail. His lawyer Charlie Rittgers says he doesn't understand why investigators believe the death wasn't accidental.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Clark County Sheriff's deputies are searching for two men involved in two different fake check operations.

Investigators say 40-year-old Phillip Ross of Springfield used a real check from the jail to make counterfeit checks, which he cashed several different banks costing the jail over $10,000.

Ross is facing indictments for 36 counts of forgery, 6 counts of theft and one count of engaging in a pattern or corrupt activity.

34-year-old James Savage of Springfield is also wanted connection with a counterfeit check case.

Savage has been indicted on 63 counts of forgery, 8 counts of theft and one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

Savage is accused of cashing dozens of fake checks using local business names

Investigators say the total damage is over $20,000.

DAYTON, Ohio -- An unindentified man robbed the Key Bank on North Dixie Dr. around 4:00 Wednesday Afternoon.

The man was armed with a gun and it is unknown how much money he escaped with.  He reportedly left the scene in a green Oldsmobile.

Police are still searching for the suspect.

DAYTON, Ohio -- The parents of five young children found in a home without food or medicine will be facing charges, according to police.

The children were removed from a home on Harvard Blvd Tuesday.

According to Dayton police Sergeant Bill Keller, several adults including the children's father were at the house when someone in the home called 911 to report that a two-year-old boy was having an asthma attack. 

Medics reported that the boy was barely breathing when they arrived.  Paramedics called police after discovering the house in shocking condition.

The children were all under the age of five and two of the children have asthma.  The home contained no milk, baby formula, or asthma medication.

Keller says the house smelled strongly of urine, and there were mattresses without sheets on the floor for the family to sleep on.  Two cans of corn were the only food found in the house.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Jason Skaggs will spend the maximum 34 years in prison, Clark County Common Pleas Judge Richard O'Neill announced during sentencing Wednesday, Aug. 13.

A jury took just two hours Tuesday night to find Skaggs guilty of aggravated vehicular homicide and vehicular assault.

Skaggs was convicted of the traffic deaths of Yan "Zoe" Sun and Bing "Jo" Xue, both 24, and Jin "Jack" Bian, 27, in a nine-car pileup at Urbana and Moorefield roads March 8, 2007.

The charges for vehicular assault stem from two other people who were seriously injured in the crash.

Skaggs had earlier been convicted in 1994 of vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular homicide in an accident that killed two Bucyrus residents. He served nine months in prison for the deaths of James E. Spiegel, 51, and his mother, Lucy M. Spiegel, 79.

(Story courtesy of SpringfieldNewsSun.com)

DAYTON, Ohio - A 32-year old man received life-threatening injuries when he was shot Wednesday afternoon.

An unidentified man stumbled into the front yard of 2249 Salem Avenue after being shot in the garage out back around 1:15 p.m.   A doctor driving by spotted the man and administered first aid, said police.

The man was transported to Miami Valley Hospital.

Neighbors reported hearing a gunshot, but police are still searching for the shooter.

DAYTON, Ohio - Police are searching for four suspects in an apparent kidnapping case.  Officer Michael Baker spotted three men carrying a handcuffed man into a vacant house in Dayton Wednesday afternoon.

The suspects dropped the victim and fled when they saw Baker. 

A fourth suspect was fled from inside the house when police searched the house.  He managed to escape, despite being shot with a stun gun.

Police found a lone chair and a loaded Tech-9 machine gun.

The incident took place shortly after noon at 1021 Redfern Avenue.  The man had been handcuffed with plastic zip ties and sustained minor head injuries, apparently from being pistol-whipped, said Lt. John Huber of the Dayton Police.

"Whatever was going to happen in there wasn't going to be good," said Huber.

Police have taken several men in for questioning, but no arrests have been made.

DAYTON, Ohio -- The search is on for two men who robbed a local convenience store.

It happened late last night at the Circle K on East Fifth Street.

Cops say the two young armed men walked into the store with masks on and demanded money.

Officials say a couple of witnesses told police that a black Chevrolet Camaro with tinted windows and 30-day tags may have been involved.

Investigators said there are not good descriptions of the two men that came into the store since they were wearing masks.

Officers are looking at surveillance video.

GREENVILLE, Ohio -- Cops in Darke County said one of two juveniles are in custody after a brief chase in Greenville this morning.

The chase started on Route 571 near Greenville Cemetery and ended near the intersection of Wagner Avenue, E. Main Street and Delaware Avenue.

Investigators said deputies were chasing a stolen vehicle out of Florida with two juveniles were inside the car.

Deputies said one juvenile was from Florida and the other one was from Greenville.

According to deputies, both juveniles fled from the scene after crashing the vehicle near Walgreens. One of the juveniles was taken into custody, while the other one remains on the loose.

Deputies said the juvenile that is on the loose is a male and is wearing white shorts.

The chase ended with a three-vehicle collision that involved a pickup truck and a deputy's cruiser near the Walgreens on E. Main Street.

Investigators said the stolen car narrowly missed an office building that houses an insurance company.

The Dayton post of the Ohio State Patrol is investigating the chase and crash.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Jury selection continues in the second trial of China Arnold, the woman accused of killing her three-week-old daughter in a microwave oven.

Prospective jurors are being asked about their knowledge of the case and their attitudes about the death penalty here on the third day of jury selection.

Arnold is charged with aggravated murder and could face the death penalty if convicted.

The trial is expected to last three weeks.

DAYTON, Ohio -- If at first you don't succeed, go back to the voters again.

That's what the Dayton School Board plans to do with it's school levy. This time, though, they'll be asking for about one-third of what the last levy asked for, a levy that went down to defeat in May of 2007.

The board says the cost to the average Dayton home would be eight dollars a month and bring in about $10 million.

They say if this levy fails, the'll make more cuts.

DAYTON, Ohio -- The stepmother and father of a 15-year-old boy shot and killed Monday, Aug. 11, said they have no hard feelings toward the 13-year-old boy who shot him.

Shawnta Wilborn-Smith, stepmother of Dashawn L. Smith Jr., said her stepson and the shooter were friends and neighbors that played together.

"They are both good kids," she said. "I have no ill-will toward him. He's just a baby too."

She said Dashawn was shot in the face through the front screen door of a house at 715 Tyson Ave. at about 3:30 p.m.

Shawnta Smith said reports that the children were "playing a game" are not true.

"The boy was trying to unload the gun, that's what we were told," she said. "It was an accident."

Funeral services for Dashawn have been set for Saturday, Aug. 16, at 1 p.m. at the Saint Paul Baptist Church at the corner of Germantown Pike and Stewart Street, Shawnta Smith said.

Thomas Funeral Home is handling the funeral arrangements. Shawnta Smith said the family needs money to bury Dashawn and family members have been going door-to-door to collect money.

A fund has been set up at Fifth Third Bank, she said. Anyone who wishes to donate can do so at any Fifth Third branch.

The 13-year-old boy who shot Dashawn appeared in juvenile court on a detention hearing Tuesday, but Montgomery County prosecutors have yet to formally charge him with a crime.

Prosecutor's spokesman Greg Flannagan said any charges against the boy, who is being held in juvenile detention, could be filed by the end of the week.

The semiautomatic handgun that killed Dashawn belonged to the shooter's father, Dayton police Lt. John Huber said. Huber said investigators are looking into how the boy obtained the gun, but would not comment if the father could face charges.

Shawnta Smith and Dashawn's father, Shawn, said they are concerned why the gun was in the house and how the boy was able to get it.

"What can you do?" Shawnta said. "Why was the gun there? We don't know. All I know is that Dashawn is not here anymore."

(article courtesy www.daytondailynews.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- A nine-year-old girl is hit by a car then pinned under it.

This happened yesterday in the 100 block of South Smithville Road.

Cops say two girls were crossing the street when the nine-year-old stopped in the middle of the road. She tried running back where she started but was hit by the car.

The girl was trapped under one of the car's wheels.

The driver put the car in neutral as others pushed the car off the girl.

Her injuries are not serious but cops say the accident was her fault.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Houses that will be demolished to make way for the Community Mercy Health Partners hospital will host hands-on training for firefighters and police officers in September.

Fire Chief J. Mike Beers and Police Chief Stephen Moody presented their plans for the vacant buildings to city commissioners Tuesday, Aug. 12.

About 28 fire personnel will get hands-on training from Sept. 12-14 to deal with scenarios such as fires, tornados, building collapses and crowd responses, Beers said.

Other townships' fire departments and a central-Ohio based tactical collapse group might participate, he added.

Police officers, who already are using two houses, will train for high-risk entries, school shootings and other incidents, while experiencing the impact of their presence in neighborhoods, Moody said.

Area residents, who may watch the exercises, will see more traffic during the training, Moody said.

Also Tuesday, the commission held public hearings and first readings for two proposed ordinances that would enable the Eastern Edge Corridor Plan -- a joint effort of the city, county, Transportation Committee, Ohio Department of Transportation, and Springfield and Harmony townships -- to proceed.

The corridor spans from Spring Street to New Love Road on U.S. 40 and encompasses about 2,300 properties, said Heather Whitmore, the city's planning and zoning administrator.

One ordinance will create six districts that will fall under the other ordinance's added zoning regulations to control future land use and regulate development, she added.

(article courtesy of www.springfieldnewssun.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- An argument that started out with two women at odds ended with a boyfriend stabbed and in surgery at Miami Valley Hospital.

The fight began at 8:38 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 329 S. Broadway, Dayton police Lt. John Bardun said.

As the women argued, their two boyfriends also joined the dispute, Bardun said, and one man, 53, stabbed the other, 47, in the lower right side.

The attacker fled in a blue Chevrolet. The injured man was taken by ambulance to the hospital suffering from non life-threatening injures.

Police know who the attacker is and are looking for him, Bardun said.

(article courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- Dayton cops are looking for witnesses in the killing of a worker at the Kwik and Kold Drive Through on Prescott Avenue early Tuesday morning.

The shooting happened around 1 a.m. as police have a surveillance video from outside the drive through that showed several people standing nearby shortly before the shooting took place.

Police said a robber walked up to an employee of the drive through as he was leaving work and demanded money. When the employee did not comply, the robber opened fire, pulling the trigger about three or four times before running off.

The victim was taken to Miami Valley Hospital, where he later died.

DAYTON, Ohio -- The semi-automatic handgun used in the shooting of 15-year-old DeShawn Smith belonged to the shooter's father, according to Dayton police.

The 13-year-old boy who lives at 715 Tyson Ave., the site of Monday's, Aug. 11, shooting, was being held at the juvenile detention center, according to Dayton Lt. John Huber.

An autopsy was performed Tuesday and DeShawn's body has been released, according to the Montgomery County Coroner's Office. No details about the preliminary findings were available.

Investigators are to meet with prosecutors today to determine if any charges will be filed against the boy, Huber said.

He noted that detectives are also looking into how the boy came into possession of the gun, which was kept in the house.

"We are still investigating, but everything points to what has been reported -- that this looks like possibly an accident," Huber said.

A 14-year-old friend of the shooter who was in the house at the time called 911 and said his friend "was playing around with his gun and he pulled the trigger."

He told the dispatcher it was an accident.

DeShawn, who was going to be a freshman at Jefferson High School, lived across the street from where he was killed, according to a family friend who declined to giver her name. Family members said they were unsure how long DeShawn had been at the boy's house.

The boys' parents were not home when the shooting occurred, police said.

Family members, many of whom were at the scene Monday, held a vigil for DeShawn, whom they described as "bubbly" and "a basketball star."

They are also trying to raise money to bury DeShawn, said family spokeswoman Lajinda Moore.

Al Busse, athletic director at Jefferson High and DeShawn's seventh-grade basketball coach, said the boy was a "good kid," a "role model" and got good grades.

"He was a prankster, but was the silent type," Busse said. "I can't believe this has happened. What a tragedy."

(Article courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com)

HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- New information overnight about a 13-year-old chase suspect who was run over by police.

His family tells us his condition has been upgraded to fair.

Cops say they were after a stolen car on Haney Road Sunday morning when the suspect got out and ran.

A police cruiser chased the teen but when he fell, the cruiser ran over him.

The officers jumped out and lifted the car off the 13 year-old.

He faces a charge of "receiving stolen property".

WRIGHT PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Some unusual activity going on at Wright Patterson Air Force Base this week but not to worry.

Neighbors of the base may hear some booms and loudspeaker announcements that may be a little alarming but it's all part of a drill.

The readiness exercises begin today and wrap up on Friday.

Another out of the ordinary aspect of these training exercises will be night time drills.

The action for the most part will in the woods near the Huffman Prairie flying field.

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania -- The Reds loss streak comes to an end.

Edinson Volquez pitched into the seventh inning as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 last night.

Brandon Phillips and Javier Valentin supplied the power with Adam Dunn now gone -- each hitting a home run to help Cincinnati end a season-worst six-game skid.

Phillips hit a two-out, two-run homer in the first off Jeff Karstens (2-1). Valentin went deep in the fourth, and Corey Patterson had run-scoring hits in the sixth and eighth.

Volquez (14-5) limited the Pirates to one run and five hits in 6 2-3 innings.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Something new has been added to an entrance into Clark County.

The $605,000 safety and noise barrier at I-70 near route 235 proclaims Clark County as birthplace of 4-H.

It's part of a $62-million expansion of the interstate from Route 202 in Huber Heights to the Clark County line.

The project is being funded through state and federal grants.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Riverside police arrested a Vandalia businessman for allegedly exposing himself inside a K-Mart store.

Joseph L. Tracey II, 54, was charged with public indecency, criminal mischief and two counts of disorderly conduct after police were called to the K-Mart, 601 Woodman Drive, at about 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 5.

Tracey posted bond and entered a plea of not guilty in Huber Heights Montgomery County District Court Area 2.

According to a police report, store security told officers they saw the man on the store's video system walking around the store masturbating into a fleece throw, which he later returned to the store shelf.

Security called officers, who arrested Tracey. The blanket, a copy of the in-store video and two infant socks found in Tracey's pockets were taken as evidence.

Tracey was named general manager of SAS Automation, Xenia, in May, according to the company's Web site and newspaper articles. He was previously executive director of business development for U.S. Aeroteam, Inc., and president of Global Tool & Manufacturing Company, Dayton.

Tracey unsuccessfully sought appointment to the Vandalia- Butler School Board in 1999, and ran for a seat on the school board, also unsuccessfully, in 2001.

Chillicothe Municipal Court records show charges of public indecency and criminal mischief for Tracey in October 2007. The charges were dismissed with prejudice January 2008, with conditions of one-year of community control and court-ordered psychiatric counseling.

(Story courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- A 13-year old suspected of involvement in a stolen vehicle case was run over by a police cruiser in Harrison Twp. Sunday Night. 

Police attempted to stop the vehicle around 10 p.m. Sunday, but the driver attempted to flee.  At least two occupants left the vehicle and ran on foot.  One suspect apparently fell down and was hit by the police cruiser.

Officers lifted the cruiser off the teen, who has been transported to a hospital.  The identity of the suspect has not been released, but his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

SUGARCREEK TWP., Ohio-- Ohio State Troopers suspect alcohol may have been involved in a fatal single-vehicle accident that took place Monday evening on Interstate 675.

45-year old Michael Edward Plagmann of Florida was heading North on I-675 when his white van swerved across the median. It continued across the southbound lanes, through a fence, over an embankment and crashed into some trees.

"A safety belt was in use, and alcohol was suspected," according to a release from the Highway Patrol.

DAYTON -- DeShawn Smith, 15, was shot and killed Monday, Aug. 11, with a semi-automatic handgun that belongs to the father of the 13-year-old friend who fired the gun, Dayton police said.

Lt. John Huber said the 13-year-old boy is being held in a juvenile detention facility and investigators plan to talk with Montgomery County prosecutors Wednesday to see if any charges will be filed.

"We are still investigating but everything points to what has been reported that this looks like an accident," Huber said.

DeShawn, a student at Jefferson High School, was shot in the head while standing on the porch at 715 Tyson Ave. at about 3:30 p.m.

A friend of the shooter called 911 at about 3:40 p.m. and said his friend, the 13-year-old, just shot DeShawn, according to a copy of the 911 call released by police on Tuesday.

DeShawn lived across the street at 720 Tyson Ave., according to police.

(Story courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- Police are looking for a man who allegedly ran over his girlfriend with a car after they got into an argument on Monday, Aug. 11.

The woman told police that at about 4 p.m. her boyfriend, James McGee Jr., was driving her to work when he threw her drink out the car window, according to the police report.

She said the two began to argue and McGee allegedly pushed her out of the car after stopping at the corner of Northwood Avenue and Mound Street, the report said. McGee then allegedly backed over his girlfriend before taking off, according to the report.

A witness saw the incident and told police that McGee sped off after backing over the woman.

When reached on his cell phone by a family member, McGee said he ran his girlfriend over after "she smacked him in the face," according to the report.

His girlfriend suffered non-life threatening injuries and was later released.

Anyone with information about McGee's whereabouts is urged to call 333-COPS

(Story courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

If you have any information on this shooting, contact Dayton police at 333-COPS.

(Story courtesy of WHIOTV.com)

XENIA, Ohio -- An unbelievable video is now showing on myspace and now on whiotv.com.  A teenager celebrated his birthday by taking a bath in the utility sink at the Burger King in Xenia.

25-year old Timothy Tackett of Xenia, who calls himself "Mr. Unstable", admits he took the bubble bath in the Burger King sink on his birthday.

Greene County Health Commissioner Mark McDonnell was emailed the video and is now using it as evidence. In the video, the teenager dumps water on himself using a bucket marked with the words, "sanitary solution." But McDonnell said this sink is used to clean utensils and there is nothing sanitary about what this teenager did.

McDonnell said, "Any bacteria on his skin could have been deposited giving people food poisoning." And to make matters worse, the person recording the video allegedly told the Burger King manager what was happening, but she continued to count cash.

Burger King Corp. was notified of the incident Monday, and is cooperating fully with the health department.

Burger King Corp. said, "We have sanitized the sink and have disposed of all other kitchen tools and utensils that were used during the incident." 

A Burger King spokeswoman says two employees involved in the incident were fired and another quit.

Additionally, the remaining staff at this restaurant is being retrained in health and sanitation procedures.

See the Shock Video.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Sinclair Community College grads who have earned an associate degree in a technical field now have the opportunity to complete a bachelor's degree from Ohio University without leaving the Dayton area.

Helen Grove, Sinclair senior vice president and provost, and Kathy Krendl, OU executive vice president and provost, signed an agreement Monday, Aug. 11, outlining how the institutions will work together.

Two degree programs will be offered this fall, allowing students to take classes from Sinclair and online from OU to meet degree requirements. These programs will provide convenient, affordable options for students unwilling or unable to relocate, according to Sinclair officials.

Information sessions are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today, Aug. 12, and Aug. 18 in Sinclair's Academic Advising Center. For more, call Sinclair at (937) 512-2522, OU at (740) 597-2938 or visit www.outreach.ohio.edu/onlinecomplete.

courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com

SPRINGBORO, Ohio -- The Springboro Board of Education is expected to vote on Tuesday, Aug. 12, to ask the Warren County Board of Elections to put a phased-in tax levy, like the one rejected by voters last Tuesday, on November ballots.

Last week, the board passed the first of two resolutions needed to put the same levy rejected by 60 percent of voters in a special election on Tuesday, Aug. 5, on presidential election ballots. It would be the third try in for new operating money in 2008. However board members decided to seek the same levy as in August, in part to build on voter education leading up to the last vote. The board decided to seek the same levy after reviewing cuts associated with a lesser levy and operating the rest of the year without a new levy.

The proposed levy would increase property taxes by 3.99 mills in 2009, and 1 mill in 2010 and 2011, for a total increase of 5.99 mills in 2011, 2012 and 2013. However due to tax reductions by the district and Warren County MRDD, the actual effect in 2009 would only be 1.36 mills -- $83.30 for owners of $200,000 homes, officials said. Before rollbacks due to property reevaluations, the levy would add $61.25 in 2010 and 2011 for owners of $200,000 homes. For the last three years, the added taxes would be $205.80 each year, according to officials.

Busing for high school students and children who attend daycare has been cut and pay-to-participate fees renewed to prop up revenues. Busing would resume after Christmas break, if the voters approve the November levy. School officials say the district, growing by 250 students a year, while state funding has flattened, needs the new operating money to balance their budget. "We do need money to continue to operate and to continue to grow in size," Superintendent David Baker said at the Aug. 6 meeting. The board is expected to pass the final resolution setting the issue on Nov. 4 ballots in a meeting to begin at 6 p.m. in the large-group instruction room at Springboro High School.

courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- The United Way of Clark, Champaign and Madison Counties has started distributing $1.3 million to 55 agencies.

That's a hundred thousand less than last year and the seventh straight year of decreased funds. Officials blame the lower donations on the economy and local job losses. But they're still hoping to raise more money than in past campaigns.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- The Clark County Sheriff's Office found 335 marijuana plants in a Springfield Twp. field Monday afternoon, Aug. 11.

Following an anonymous tip received during the weekend, Sgt. Chris Clark with the criminal investigations division and two detectives located the plants in a secluded field near the intersection of South Yellow Springs Street and West Leffel Lane.

"It took longer to find them then to remove them," said Clark, after spending an hour and a half trudging around the overgrown field in his office clothes. "You do what you have to do."

During an eradication effort last month, deputies found 15 marijuana plants in the same general location using a helicopter.

The new plants had been moved to the location sometime after that. Sheriff Gene Kelly put their value around $335,000.

"To my thinking," Sheriff Gene Kelly said, "they probably thought that because we already checked there, we weren't going to check it again."

Because of the volume and amount of effort required to transplant the 335 plants, Clark said he believes more than one person had to be involved in the crime. He said they found indications that someone had been there as recently as that morning.

They appeared to have been planted sometime in the last week or so, Clark said, and looked like the work of someone who knew what he was doing.

"He is not going to be happy," Clark said.

DAYTON, Ohio -- After 4 years in fiscal watch, the State Auditors Office has placed the Jefferson Township School District in fiscal emergency.

Mary Taylors office says the district failed to come up with a recovery plan after a projected deficit of $1.2 million dollars in 2004. Several recommendations were handed down to the district that the State Auditors Office says will save $2.4 million annually. Classes will be back in session on August 19th.

PHOENIX, Arizona -- The Cincinnati Reds have traded right fielder Adam Dunn to the Arizona Diamondbacks.  The Reds acquired Minor League pitcher Dallas Buck and two unnamed players in return.

The D-Backs have lost several outfielders to injuries this season including right fielder Justin Upton and left fielder Eric Byrnes.

Adam Dunn is currently tied for the Major League lead with 32 homers.  The 28-year old is hitting .233 for the season with 74 RBIs, an on-base percentage of .373 and a slugging percentage of .528.

Dunn is being replaced by rookie outfielder Chris Dickerson. 

Dickerson had a .287 batting average with 11 home runs, 53 RBI and 26 stolen bases in 97 games for Triple-A Louisville this year.  He will be taking Dunn's roster position in Cincinnati's Tuesday night opener against Pittsburgh.

Adam Dunn was a former Dayton Dragon and local fan favorite.

There are concerns that supplies could be disrupted by a widening conflict between Russia and Georgia over a breakaway province.

(Story courtesy of WHIOTV.com)

WASHINGTON TWP., Montgomery County -- The motorcyclist who died as a result of being rear-ended by a semi-trailer Monday, Aug. 11, has been identified as Thomas Magee, 67, of Grayson Street, Kettering.

Mr. Magee died at 2:40 p.m. at Miami Valley Hospital, according to Sheri May of the Montgomery County Coroner's Office. An exam is being done to determine the cause of death, she said.

The accident caused Mr. Magee to be thrown from his cycle onto the pavement, according to police and an eyewitness to the accident. He was not wearing a helmet, according to police and Dr. James Alexander, a chiropractor, who heard the crash from inside his office and was one of the first people to assist at the scene, clearing an air passage for Mr. Magee to breathe.

Washington Twp. Fire Department medics transported Mr. Magee to Miami Valley Hospital.

The truck driver, David Mattox, 53, of Lebanon, Ohio, was uninjured.

Capt. Dee Osterfeld, police director of the Washington Twp. police substation of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department, said it will probably take several days for sheriff's deputies to complete their report on the reconstruction of the accident. At that time it will be presented to the Kettering Municipal Court prosecutor for any possible charges, which would probably include failing to maintain an assured clear distance, she said.

Magee's relatives are all believed to live out-of-state, she said.

(Story courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

The body was taken to the Montgomery County Coroner's Office in Dayton for an autopsy. Detectives hope the medical examination will determine the cause and time of death.

(Story courtesy of WHIO-TV.com)

(Story courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

DAYTON, Ohio -- A suspected car thief fleeing from Dayton police Sunday night, Aug. 10, was struck by a police cruiser in Harrison Twp., according to Dayton police and Montgomery County Sheriff dispatch supervisors.

Police have not released the identity of the 13-year old suspect.

Dayton police attempted to stop a suspected stolen vehicle Sunday night around 10 p.m., but the driver tried to flee and drove to the 3500 block of Haney Road in Harrison Twp.

At least two occupants got out of the car at that point and continued fleeing on foot, the supervisors said. One of the suspects apparently fell and was struck by a pursuing police cruiser.

The suspect, whose name was not available, was transported to a hospital, but his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, the supervisors said.

(Story courtesy of DaytonDailyNews.com)

SIDNEY, Ohio --Two people were injured in an apparant drive-by shooting early Sunday in Sidney.

Police say shots were fired around 3:30 a.m. in the 200 block of Grove street.

24-year-old Christy Cyphes of Sindey and 27-year-old Dustin Orsborne of DeGraff were inside the home and were both rushed to the hospital. Their conditions are unknown.

Police arrested 29-year-old Samuel Kearse as a possible suspect. He's being charged with two counts of felonious assault and one charge of discharging a firearm inside of a home.

Two others are also being questioned.

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A South Charleston man died after the vehicle he was driving struck a car and then a fence around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, at Crabill and East Possum roads.

The driver, who was partially ejected from his vehicle, died at the scene.

The driver was identified as Thomas Carter, 53, of South Charleston, according to Joe Slater, Carter's supervisor, who sped to the scene after hearing of the crash.

Carter's truck was headed eastbound on Crabill Road when it failed to stop at the intersection with East Possum Road, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol.

The truck struck from behind a car driven by Barbara Gains, causing her vehicle to swerve left into a telephone pole, said Trooper Dallas Root of the highway patrol.

Gains, who was visiting family in Ohio, suffered from shock and had minor injuries, Root said. Carter's truck veered right after the impact and hit a metal fence.

"He had no seat belt on and was driving at excessive speed," Root said. "If he had his seat belt on, he might be OK."

Joseph Duverglas, who lives on the corner of Crabill and East Possum, said, "This corner is a very dangerous corner."

Slater said he hurried to the

accident site after learning about

the crash.

"He was a good old guy," said Slater, who added that he had known Carter for 25 years.

DAYTON, Ohio -- A crash on I-75 northbound near downtown Dayton has shut down the interstate in both directions.

A semi and multiple cars are involved.

The accident happened around 5 p.m.

After hitting the semi, a car went over into the northbound lanes as other vehicles became involved in the accident.

At least one car caught on fire.

No word on injuries.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -- A congressional committee will hold a hearing on a proposed deal between DHL and United Parcel Service that threatens more than 8,000 jobs in southwest Ohio.

The chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said yesterday that the hearing requested by Ohio's congressional delegation will be held when Congress reconvenes in September.

Minnesota Congressman James Oberstar said he is concerned about the proposed deal and its effects on service, costs, consumer choice and jobs.

DHL wants UPS to replace ABX Air and Astar Air Cargo in transporting DHL packages. Much of the work handled at Wilmington Air Park in southwest Ohio would be transferred to UPS facilities.

Wilmington officials say the deal would have a devastating impact on the local, state and national economy.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -- Preservationists are squaring off with the Air Force over the fate of a World War II-era building where researchers developed the first antigravity suits for pilots and early NASA spacesuits.

The Air Force is moving to demolish Building 55 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base because it cannot find a use for it, doesn't have the money to maintain it and needs to remove contaminated soil under it.

But the Ohio Historic Preservation Office feels the building is worth listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

It's the latest squabble in what have become periodic duels between preservationists and those seeking to demolish buildings that made military history in Dayton.

"These aren't the most important buildings in Ohio, by any means. But collectively, the Wright Field Historic District is very important, and these buildings are part of that," said Justin Cook, history reviews manager for the preservation office.

The Wright Field Historic District, which includes Building 55, is a collection of 83 buildings at the base. It includes such structures as a building that was used to glean strategic information from captured German documents during World War II.

The district is expected to be nominated by the National Park Service as a National Historic Landmark. Such landmarks are considered the most historically significant sites in the nation and often attract grants to keep them maintained, said Ann Honious, historian for the park service in Dayton.

"They're sort of the cream of the crop," she said.

Built in 1942, Building 55 housed a centrifuge that was used to test the effects of acceleration on pilots. The research lead to the development of antigravity -- or G-suits -- which have compartments that fill with air or fluid to prevent pilots from blacking out. The suits kept a pilot's blood from pooling in the lower body during rapid acceleration and sharp turns.

Research at the building also helped lead to the development of early NASA spacesuits.

The building sits at the fringe of the historic district and has been vacant for nearly seven years, said Raymond Baker, cultural resources manager at Wright-Patterson.

In addition, he said, soil under Building 55 is contaminated from the use of dry-cleaning machines in the structure.

"The only way to clean up the contamination, which is under the slab of the building, is to take the building down and dig out the contamination," he said.

Baker said activities that took place in the building have been documented, with photographs and engineering drawings placed in the Library of Congress.

He said the Air Force will receive comments from the state preservation office, the public and any other interested parties before proceeding to demolition. However, he said, the plan is to sign a contract by the end of September to have Building 55 demolished.

Cook said military officials often target older buildings -- those more likely to have historic significance -- for the wrecking ball. "From a mission standpoint, you can't really fault them," he said. "As a preservationist, it gives us heartburn."

In January, the University of Dayton tore down a building that housed a top-secret code-breaking laboratory used during World War II, rejecting appeals from preservationists in a dispute that went on for months. The school salvaged some of the original bricks and other parts of the building to commemorate the site.

DAYTON, Ohio-- Plating Technology intends to invest $2 million into its 1525 W. River Road facility. The company calls itself the "largest alloy plater in North America" using tin/zinc, zinc/nickel and zinc/iron.

Dayton government is backing the investment with a $100,000 grant while Ohio government has forwarded the company a $1 million loan for a 10-year term at three percent interest. In return, state government expects the investment to create 12 jobs and retain 39 existing positions in the first three years of the expansion.

The investment will add two large production lines at the company's Dayton facility. The company has another facility in Columbus. The firm counts General Motors Europe, Chrysler, Delphi, Toyota, Navistar and other companies as customers.

MIAMISBURG, Ohio-- Police are investigating whether horseplay led to the injury of an incoming freshman who hit his head on the pavement of the Miamisburg High School parking lot after falling from the hood of a car around noon on Friday, Aug. 8.

Sgt. Mark Childress of the Miamisburg police said witnesses told police that a boy, whose name was not released, climbed onto the hood of a car being driven by another student, a 16-year-old girl. After the car was driven a short distance, the boy fell off the hood and struck the pavement.

Childress said the boy suffered abrasions from skidding on the parking lot and a blow to the head, but his injuries did not appear to be life-threatening. The boy was transported to a local hospital by ambulance.

Childress said fall classes at Miamisburg have not started, but many students, most of them at the school for summer workouts for athletic teams, were in the lot when the accident happened.

Childress said it is illegal to drive a vehicle with someone riding on the outside, and it's also illegal to attempt to ride on the hood of a car.

No one was immediately cited in the Friday incident, and Childress said the case is under investigation.

The eight, ranging in age from 18 to 22, face a range of felony charges including burglary, breaking and entering, grand theft and receiving stolen property.

Sheriff's detective Chris Moore said many of the men committed crimes together.

"They weren't working together all eight at one time, but in some form or fashion, many of them worked together on separate incidents," Moore said, adding that the group did have a leader, whom he couldn't identify publicly.

The seven who have been indicted are scheduled to be arraigned in Green County Common Pleas Court on Aug. 22.

They are: Brad Stewart, 18, of Waynesville; Ryan Cline, 21, of Jamestown; William Saxton Jr., 20, of Bowersville; Michael Eavers, 19, of Jamestown; Christopher George, 19, of Jamestown; David Faul, 19, of Jamestown; and Michael Younker II, 22, of Sabina.

Doug Randall, 19, of Jamestown was also arrested and charged in municipal court, but First Assistant Prosecutor Suzanne Schmidt said Randall waved his right to the grand jury, so he wasn't indicted. His case is still open.

Outgoing Greeneview Local Schools Superintendent Valerie Browning said all eight are former Greeneview High School students. Randall and Eavers were both two-time state qualifiers for the Greeneview wrestling team.

Moore said the investigation dates back to early 2007, but the sheriff's office got a break in April thanks to a 911 call.

"A citizen observed some suspicious activity and called 911," he said. "That provided us with a missing piece of the puzzle and in turn, we were able to put all of it together."

Moore said the thefts covered five townships in Greene County, with the perpetrators stealing a variety of items worth $10,000 to $15,000 by breaking into homes, entering barns and outbuildings and trespassing on outdoor property.

Moore said he had no reason to believe the men were connected to other recent thefts in Bellbrook, Beavercreek or the Shawnee Hills neighborhood.

In the Shawnee Hills case, Karen Puttin and Michael Brightman have been arrested on charges of burglary and receiving stolen property.

(Story courtesy of Dayton Daily News)

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- An elderly Middletown woman known for her intelligence and eccentric behavior was barred from returning to her home on Grand Avenue after it was found piled with garbage and crawling with rats.

"I could hear them gnawing," said Middletown police patrolman Kathy Jones, who entered the home after Lila McClure was taken to Atrium Medical Center Monday, Aug. 4. "The ammonia smell was so strong it was actually burning my nose and around my mouth."

Jones saw numerous rats, including one that was half decomposed, and said McClure had surrounded her bed with packages of Decon rat poison. "It was like a fortress of Decon," she said.

The Middletown Health Department declared the home uninhabitable and Adult Protective Services is working to find McClure new shelter, according to the police report.

McClure, 73, battled the Warren County Combined Health District for years before she sold her home in Lebanon and moved to Middletown in 1996.

The daughter of a past Warren County Commissioner, McClure -- whose closest living relative is a brother in California -- kept chickens at her home in Lebanon and was often seen driving around the city with the birds packed into her red compact car, said Warren County Commissioner Pat South.

Her problems in Middletown go back to at least 2005 when a neighbor went to police with concerns about her well being. McClure, who had sores and bite marks on her arms and legs, refused to let officers into her home, according to the report. The officers notified the city health department and Adult Protective Services after speaking with McClure on her porch, which they said "reeked of urine" and was swarming with roaches.

courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com

"I support a federal antitrust review of this case. I do not prejudge its disposition," the Arizona senator said.

McCain read from a prepared statement immediately after his 45-minute private meeting with community activists who are trying to save 8,000 to 10,000 jobs that could be lost at DHL's Wilmington air freight hub if the company's deal with UPS goes through. UPS would sort and fly DHL's cargo from the UPS hub in Louisville, Ky., replacing the cargo flying that ABX Air and ASTAR Air Cargo do for DHL from Wilmington now. The DHL hub is the Wilmington region's biggest employer.

McCain said he thinks that Frank Appel, chief executive officer of Deutsche Post, the German company that owns DHL, should come to Wilmington and explain to local people the German company's decision to reach a deal with UPS.

In an interview earlier Thursday with the Dayton Daily News, McCain said he would also tell the Wilmington activists that it may not be possible to stop the DHL-UPS deal and save the Wilmington jobs.

U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Centerville, who attended the meeting with McCain at Wilmington College, also is pushing for a Justice Department antitrust investigation. Turner said he welcomes McCain's support for the probe.

"He knows, if this goes through, there's no going back," Turner said after the meeting.

Turner said he is concerned that a DHL deal could reduce competition in the express delivery market by effectively leaving UPS and Federal Express as the unquestioned market leaders.

"He did say that he was going to do everything he can to challenge this deal," Joe Teuchert, an ASTAR Air Cargo pilot, said of McCain after the meeting.

Wilmington's mayor, Clinton County commissioners and Joe Hete, chief executive officer of the parent company of ABX Air, were also in the private meeting with McCain. The senator emerged from the meeting in the college's Kelly Center, a religious studies building, to shake hands with activists outside who oppose a DHL deal with UPS. The companies are still trying to negotiate an agreement.

Teuchert said he hopes to also interest the Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, in coming to Wilmington to discuss the DHL issue. Obama met with the Wilmington activists on July 11 during his campaign visit to Dayton.

Obama campaign spokesman Isaac Baker said that Obama is monitoring the Wilmington situation, but has no plans at present to visit there as he focuses on the Democratic National Convention in Denver Aug. 25-28 when he expects to become the party's presidential nominee.

courtesy of www.daytondailynews.com

MILFORD TWP., Ohio-- A 60-year-old man was killed this afternoon when a train crashed into a pickup truck he was driving near the intersection of U.S. 127 and Oxford-Middletown Road, according to the Butler County Sheriff's Office.

Police and emergency crews were called to the scene on Oxford-Middletown just east of U.S. 127 at around 1:15 p.m. today, Aug. 7. The driver of the pickup is believed to have died upon impact, according to the sheriff's office.

Shortly after 2 p.m., crews from the Butler County Sheriff's Office, the Butler County Coroner's Office, Somerville, Seven Mile and Milford Twp. were on the scene. Witnesses were questioned by authorities about what they saw, according to those on the scene.

The pickup truck was on its side in a field near the tracks about 100 feet from the Norfolk & Southern Railroad crossing.

Authorities have released any details into specifics of the crash.

NEW LEBANON, Ohio-- A weary and emotional Kimberly Cook-Terrill appeared via video in front of Montgomery County Court Judge James Manning at 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, and asked that her bond be "set low."

Cook-Terrill, 22, faces four felony charges, including murder and child abuse in the death of her 3-year-old sister, Hope Cook, on July 20.

Manning set her bond at $300,000 and said if she is released she must remain on electronic home detention. Two of the felony counts Cook-Terrill faces stem from the excessive corporal punishment and "cruel manner" of restraint that endangered the life of Dexter Cook, a 6-year-old living in the home.

The incidents involving Dexter Cook occurred sometime between September and July, Manning said. The hearing lasted less than five minutes. Cook-Terrill's voice was shaky and cracking as she appeared via closed-circuit television from the Montgomery County Jail.

She did not enter a plea and said she had retained an attorney. Cook-Terrill turned herself in to Trotwood police on about 2:05 p.m. Wednesday after detectives had been trying to speak with her about Hope Cook's death for more than a week.

When asked Thursday by Manning if she had any family in the area, Kimberly Cook became emotional and said her foster parents and her in-laws. Cook-Terrill said she had been a foster child for 12 years and did not graduate from high school, but later received a GED.

TROTWOOD, Ohio-- Investigators are trying to determine what caused a Wednesday evening, Aug. 6, explosion that seriously injured two workers at the auto body repair shop at 721 E. Main St. in Trotwood.

Trotwood Fire Chief Gene Lutz said the workers said they were removing the gas tank from a car around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday when something exploded with enough force to break through a section of the shop roof.

Firefighters were only able to talk to the injured men for a short time before they were transported to Miami Valley Hospital for treatment, and he said investigators want to talk to them again to get a clearer idea what was being done in the shop when the explosion went off, Lutz said

Kenneth Masters, believed to be the owner of the auto shop, had burns over 60 percent of his body, and Grismer remained in critical condition at Miami Valley on Thursday afternoon. Lutz said the other man in the shop, Jason Pugh, had burns over 40 percent of his body.

When fire crews arrived to respond to calls about the explosion, they found smoke and fire pouring from the rear of the building. The workers were treated briefly at the scene before being transported to the hospital, Lutz said.

Firefighters fought the fire from inside the building, but there were a lot of flammable materials in the shop that kept igniting as the crews worked, Lutz said. The fire was brought under control in about 30 minutes.

Lutz said the Trotwood Fire Department was assisted by fire and rescue crews from Brookville, Clayton, Harrison Twp. and Dayton.