Tuesday, May 25, 1999
TRISTATE DIGEST
Three men indicted in bat-swinging brawl
Three men were indicted Monday on charges of taking part in a bat-swinging brawl during a softball game.
All three defendants — Phillip Bradbury, 33, of Fairfield, Johnny Mattress, 26, of Winton Place, and Arthur Warren, 41, of Fairfield — face two counts of felonious assault. If convicted, each could be sentenced to up to 16 years in prison.
Police have said the fight took place the afternoon of May 15 during a game at the Cincinnati Softball Center on Campbell Road in Harrison Township.
They said it began when Travis Hearn, a white player, told an opposing player: “I'll kick your black (expletive).” Mr. Hearn, 28, faces a misdemeanor charge of ethnic intimidation.
Prosecutors said the ensuing fight involved players for both teams. They said two men were struck in the head with bats.
Street striping to aid traffic in Loveland
LOVELAND — A change in street striping along Loveland-Madeira Road, from Kroger north to West Loveland Avenue, will improve traffic flow next month.
Crews will repave the street in the overnight hours June 1 and 2, bringing Loveland-Madeira Road down to one lane at 6 p.m. each night. The lane will reopen before the morning rush hour.
When the repaving is done, new striping will create “two-way left turn lanes” and eliminate left turn storage lanes.
Councilwoman's son guilty of drug charge
The son of Cincinnati City Council member Minette Cooper pleaded guilty Monday to a felony drug charge.
Curtis Cooper, 22, entered the plea before Judge Thomas Nurre in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. He faces up to five years in prison when he returns to court for sentencing on June 9.
As part of a plea deal with prosecutors, Mr. Cooper pleaded guilty to one count of preparation of marijuana for sale in exchange for prosecutors dropping a charge of possession of marijuana.
Prosecutors say Mr. Cooper was charged after postal inspectors found two pounds of marijuana in a box that was delivered to him on March 18.
Although it was not mailed to his address, prosecutors say Mr. Cooper signed for the package and later admitted to police that he knew it contained marijuana.
Mrs. Cooper attended the court proceedings Monday but did not comment.
Downtown events force Metro bus reroutings
Weekend activities will detour more than a dozen Metro bus routes.
From 6 p.m. Friday until early morning hours on June 1, Central Parkway will be closed between Main and Elm streets.
Riders will need to look for posted signs that will let them know bus stop changes on the following routes: 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 43, 45, 46, 47, 53, 64, 71/72, 78.
Teen killed when gun discharges in home
GREENFIELD, Ohio — A 15-
year-old Highland County boy was fatally injured Monday when a shotgun discharged — apparently accidently — striking him in the chest in a Lafayette Street residence.
Daniel Preston II of the 12300 block of Cameron Drive, just outside Greenfield, was pronounced dead at 5:32 p.m. at the Greenfield Area Medical Center, Police Chief Robin Roche said Monday night.
Police responded to a 911 call at 4:21 p.m. at a house in the 600 block of Lafayette Street and found the boy with a single 12-gauge shotgun wound to his chest, Chief Roche said. One of the two other boys in the room — ages 14 and 15 — was handling the shotgun when it discharged. The teens, who were good friends, did not know the shotgun was loaded.
A preliminary investigation indicates it was an accidental shooting, Chief Roche said.
The shotgun is owned by one of the adult residents of the home, the chief said.
The shooting remains under investigation.
Hearing continues in school gun incident
GEORGETOWN, Ohio — A hearing in Brown County Juvenile Court continues this week for a 15-year-old boy arrested April 23 for taking a shotgun into Western Brown High School.
The case is continuing before Judge Ronald Dvorachek.
No shots were fired in the incident at the Mount Orab school. The boy, who is not being identified because of his age, brought to school a 12-gauge, pump-action sawed-off shotgun allegedly as part of a quarrel over a girl, police said.
Students were locked inside classrooms while the building was searched and the gun found.
49 homes to join county sewer system
Hamilton County commissioners gave the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) permission to move forward with two projects that will transfer about 49 homes on Silva Drive and Round Top Road in Colerain Township from septic tanks to the sewer system.
The county health department has said septic tanks in those areas have been causing problems since 1995.
“We began to sample the storm water outlets as well as the drainage ways in those areas,” and found fecal bacteria counts well above safe wading standards for streams, said Tim Ingram, Hamilton County health commissioner.
Disease-causing bacteria are known to live with fecal bacteria. Water is considered safe for wading at 5,000 colonies. The areas tested on Hill Top and Silva were between 75,000 and 176,000 colonies.
Each of the 23 homes on Silva Drive will be billed $11,900 for the work, while 26 homes affected on Round Top Drive will pay $6,600. The expense will cover the cost of construction and hookups.
Homeowners can either pay the cost up front or finance it over 20 years.
The MSD surveyed homeowners along the two roads and found that 13 on each road are in favor of the project. Along Round Top Drive, six homeowners voted against the work while seven did not respond. Ten homeowners on Silva Drive are against the work.
Fountain barricade will get dressing-up
True test of region's spirit on the horizon
City schools lay off 228 aides
Schools ahead of court on sexual harassment
Support sought for hotel-tax hike
Kentucky killer slated to die today
Low turnout expected for Ky. primary
Group wants tornado memorial
Patient won't feel a thing
Police training staff angry at director
Two more parishes to merge
D-Day for the Doyles
GET TO IT
Buses roll again in Butler Co.
Citizens collar criminals on Net
Cleves police take seriously graffiti aimed at two officers
Land offer for school criticized
Ohio auditor: Dayton schools face intervention
Ohio spends $16M more on Y2K woes
Anderson man pleads guilty to fraud
Fairfield gets a new police chief
Highway vote stalled by open-meetings complaint
Insanity defense changed to guilty
Jury to decide whether fired DHL whistle-blower made case
Kids' homemade science video wins top award
Landmark will be saved
Lebanon school leader: Work is done
Man, 61, injured in Feb. accident dies
Oxford native back home to lure travel
Six eligible to fill Kaiser's empty office
Traffic in Newport prompts complaints
TRISTATE DIGEST
Witness: Fight ended in death
