SCHOOL SHOOTING-OHIO
Teen suspect in Ohio school slayings due in court
CHARDON, Ohio (AP) A prosecutor in northeast Ohio is ready to argue that a 17-year-old charged in the school shooting deaths of three students should face trial as an adult.
Geauga (jee-AW'-guh) County Prosecutor David Joyce was scheduled to outline the case against T.J. Lane at a hearing Thursday.
The decision rests with Juvenile Court Judge Timothy Grendell.
If tried in adult court, Lane could face life in prison if convicted. Minors are not eligible for the death penalty in Ohio.
A psychiatrist has testified Lane suffers from hallucinations, psychosis and fantasies.
Authorities say Lane has admitted to taking a pistol to Chardon High School and firing at students sitting at a cafeteria table at the school, which is east of Cleveland. The motive for the Feb. 27 shooting remains unclear.
OHIO SMOKING BAN
Bar carve-out sought after Ohio smoking ban upheld
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) An attorney who spearheaded an unsuccessful challenge to Ohio's smoking ban says he expects the fight to move now to the state Legislature.
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the statewide ban was constitutional. Justices rejected the claims of a Columbus tavern owner who argued that $33,000 in fines for violating the ban were an illegal taking of his property.
The executive director of 1851 Center for Constitutional Law that litigated the suit says a bill is already in the works to exempt bars from the ban.
Maurice Thompson said a victory in court would have sent a strong statement. But a new law could achieve the same goal of keeping the ban from being enforced at adult-only establishments that are limited to those 21 years old and up.
AMISH ATTACKS
Ohio Amish hair attack suspect loses bond appeal
CLEVELAND (AP) A suspect in beard- and hair-cutting attacks against fellow Amish in eastern Ohio has lost an appeal for pretrial release from jail.
A federal judge in Cleveland ruled Wednesday in the case of Lester Mullet. A defense lawyer said last month being locked up pending trial was a hardship for Mullet's pregnant wife.
Mullet, his father and 14 other members of their family or community near Steubenville are accused of orchestrating attacks last fall on other Amish in a church feud.
Cutting a man's beard or a woman's hair is considered highly offensive to the Amish.
Prosecutors opposed Mullet's release on bond, saying he "joyfully" participated in the attacks and said he would do it again.
Mullet's father is accused of being the ringleader. All 16 have pleaded not guilty.
DEATH PENALTY-OHIO
Condemned Ohio inmates' injection claim denied
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) A federal judge has rejected claims by two condemned Ohio inmates challenging the constitutionality of the state's lethal injection process.
The two are the next inmates scheduled to die in the state, with Abdul Awkal (ab-DUHL' AW'-kuhl) set for execution June 6 and John Eley (EE'-lee) set to die July 26.
The two challenged Ohio's lethal injection process on the grounds it fails to guarantee the state won't execute someone who is insane, mentally disabled or was a juvenile when the crime was committed.
U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Frost on Wednesday said Awkal and Eley have misunderstood Ohio's long-running injection lawsuit, which focuses on the process of administering the lethal drugs, and don't back up their claims.
Attorney Allen Bohnert says he'll request that Frost reconsider the ruling.
DAUGHTER'S BITING PUNISHMENT
Ohio dad accused of biting daughter to end crying
CINCINNATI (AP) An Ohio father is accused of repeatedly abusing his baby daughter by biting her to the point of leaving scars.
Multiple media outlets report that 21-year-old Clifton Jordan has told police that he bit his 7-month-old child to get her to stop crying at their Springfield Township home, near Cincinnati.
Jordan is now being held on a child endangering charge. Attorney information for Jordan was not immediately available.
A message seeking additional details was left Wednesday evening with Springfield Township police.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reports the baby was admitted to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center on Monday with several scars from bite marks and at least one fresh wound. Her left ankle also was broken, and she was malnourished.
OHIO CASINOS-REGULATIONS
Dealer pay, track money dividing Ohio casino panel
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The Ohio lawmaker charged with striking compromise on the state's new gambling law says he wishes he were Solomon.
State Rep. Lou Blessing postponed a third committee vote Wednesday on wide-ranging legislation establishing rules for casinos and other gambling forms.
Blessing says remaining differences appear philosophical. Panelists plan to meet Thursday morning.
The Cincinnati Republican evoked the biblical baby splitter in saying he's finding it impossible to appease both parties and both chambers. Their votes are needed to pass the sweeping bill.
Democrats want $500,000 annually for police and fire budgets in each city that's home to racetracks with slots-like video lottery machines. Opponents argue the facilities will add to city coffers through property taxes.
Paying charity card dealers in Cleveland, where casino competition is luring volunteers, is another issue.
OHIO DRILLING REGULATIONS
Energy trade secrets prompt Ohio Statehouse feud
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Environmental advocates in Ohio are blasting a newly added energy-bill provision, which they say would limit the rights of drilling opponents to sue energy companies for withholding chemical trade secrets.
Their opposition came Wednesday even as an Ohio House committee addressed their earlier concern by clarifying that doctors given new access to drillers' proprietary chemical recipes could share them with public health officials.
Both changes are part of an energy bill up for a House vote Wednesday.
Jack Shaner of the Ohio Environmental Council said one amendment would make it virtually impossible for most Ohioans to challenge oil and gas-related companies who claim their chemical information should be shielded as a trade secret.
State officials said they pushed to ensure property owners and neighbors could sue for the information.
OHIO BUDGET
Midterm Ohio budget heads to governor's desk
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) A wide-ranging midterm budget bill that includes startup costs related to Ohio's upcoming regulations for exotic animals is on its way to Gov. John Kasich's (KAY'-sihks) desk.
The bill includes $42 million for the Clean Ohio fund that preserves farmland and green spaces and another $3 million for a Lake Erie protection program.
The measure also includes $15 million for cleaning up abandoned factory sites and $13 million to fund Kasich's third grade reading guarantee.
The bill, which trims overall state spending by $13.5 million, comes halfway between the state's normal budgeting cycles.
The $500,000 for exotic animal regulation and registration follows passage of a historic crackdown on ownership of such animals in Ohio that was spurred by a suicidal owner's release of dozens of wild creatures last year.
IHOP RAIDS
Ohio pancake house owner accused of $3M scheme
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) A federal indictment is accusing the operator of six IHOP restaurants in Ohio and one in Indiana of cooking up a plan to hide profits from IHOP's parent company.
The indictment unsealed Wednesday says 17 others including some restaurant managers also took part in a scheme that led to losses of more than $3 million.
The FBI raided six IHOP restaurants in the Toledo area and one in Evansville, Ind., last September.
Authorities would not say what prompted the searches until Wednesday when authorities arrested 18 people mostly in the Toledo area.
The man who owned and operated the restaurants is accused of money laundering, mail fraud and identity theft. He's also accused of hiring illegal immigrants who used fake or stolen identities.
OHIO STATE-TUITION
Ohio State recommends $312 tuition-fees increase
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Ohio State is recommending a $312 annual increase in the amount students pay for tuition and fees, or 3.2 percent in additional costs.
The increase includes a 3.5 percent rise in tuition, coupled with a continued freeze of the fees students pay for everything from recreation facilities to bus passes.
The recommendation, expected to be approved by trustees next month, brings total costs to $10,036.
The university is also boosting financial aid packages to help additional students attending Ohio State.
Provost Joe Alutto says the university's increases are well below the average of 4.7 percent at similar schools in the Big Ten and elsewhere.
Miami University, Ohio's most expensive public college, raised tuition and fees by $442 last month, while Ohio University raised the cost by $345.
PUBLIC PENSIONS-OHIO
Ohio Senate approves trooper pension fund changes
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The Ohio Senate has passed the last in a package of bills aimed at shoring up the state's five public pension funds.
The Senate voted unanimously Wednesday to pass a measure that would make changes to the State Highway Patrol Retirement System. The chamber approved bills addressing the other four public pension funds last week.
Senate leaders had fast-tracked the measures, which affect 1.7 million Ohioans.
Pension fund audits showed long-term solvency was at risk without the proposed changes, because of an influx of retirement-age baby boomers and economic challenges facing government employers. The bills adjust premiums, payouts and eligibility requirements for affected teachers, police and other public workers.
House leaders want to wait to act until an independent study on the fiscal health of the retirement systems is completed.
PROCTER & GAMBLE-OUTLOOK
P&G downshifts emerging market expansion
NEW YORK (AP) Procter & Gamble won't be accelerating its expansion in its largest emerging markets, but it won't be slowing down either as it seeks to resume building its market share and improve its operating results.
CFO Jon Moeller said Wednesday that the company might have been expanding a bit too fast, particularly as it faces high commodity costs and an uncertain economy.
Moeller said P&G now plans on stabilizing growth in its top 40 country-category combinations, which are disproportionately in North America and China. In all, P&G has about 1,000 country-category combinations.
Then P&G will focus on expanding in its 10 largest emerging markets.
Investors didn't seem very worried by the comments. Procter & Gamble Co. shares ended trading down 76 cents at $62.39 and fell another 4 cents after hours.
OHIO ST-ATHLETES' IPADS
Ohio State to begin giving athletes iPads
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Ohio State's department of athletics will begin providing its student-athletes with iPads this fall.
Dr. David Graham, Ohio State's assistant provost for student-athlete success, announced the decision on Wednesday.
The iPads will be preloaded with material currently provided to student-athletes in paper or book form. About 500 iPads will be provided to select teams this fall, with the goal to give one to all 1,100 student-athletes within the next two years.
The athletic department will fund the initial phase while looking for support through development opportunities. The iPads will be loaned to the athletes to maximize their study time, help them to participate in interactive and online education apps and make use of other digital downloads and books.
PUBLISHER APPOINTMENT
Marketing executive to succeed Canton publisher
CANTON, Ohio (AP) The publisher of The Repository newspaper in Canton is leaving for another job, and a company executive will fill the role.
Chris White, the senior vice president of sales and marketing, will lead the northeast Ohio newspaper and other GateHouse Ohio publications. Publisher Kevin Kampman will leave June 1 to take a job with the Omaha World-Herald Co.
The 45-year-old White previously was publisher of two newspapers in Oklahoma and a sales executive for Community Newspaper Holdings.
Kampman has led The Repository since 2007. The 55-year-old previously was chief operating officer of Community First Newspapers.
The Repository has an average daily circulation of about 58,300. GateHouse also runs The Times-Reporter newspaper in New Philadelphia, The Independent in Massillon and several free weekly publications.
BENGALS-UTECHT'S CONCUSSIONS
Utecht expands music career, memory still hurting
CINCINNATI (AP) Ben Utecht is writing songs for his next album, the latest step in making the rare transition from professional athlete to musical artist. The former Colts and Bengals tight end is doing it while still recovering from five documented concussions during his football career.
Utecht had to retire after a major concussion in training camp before the 2009 season. His memory hasn't fully recovered.
Utecht tells The Associated Press that he still has moments when he can't remember an event, such as a friend's wedding. He has read about other former players whose memory problems get worse, and it makes him sad and concerned.
More than 1,000 former players have sued the league over their conditions. Utecht hasn't sued, but he has a pending grievance against the Bengals.
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