Friday, July 30, 1999
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p8 Sen. Watts wants Kasich's House seat
COLUMBUS — State Sen. Gene Watts on Thursday became the first Republican to announce a campaign to succeed U.S. Rep. John Kasich in representing the 12th District in Congress.
Mr. Watts, of Dublin, made the announcement during speeches in Bexley, Delaware and Newark.
Columbus City Councilwoman Maryellen O'Shaughnessy, a Democrat, entered the race Wednesday. And State Rep. Patrick Tiberi, a Republican, has said he would announce his candidacy Tuesday.
Mr. Watts, a state senator for 15 years and an associate professor of history at Ohio State University, will lose his Senate seat in 2001 because of Ohio's term limits. Mr. Tiberi will leave his office for the same reason.
Mr. Watts, 56, said his desire to continue a life in public service influenced his decision.
“It's really based on my record on education reform, welfare reform and economic development — issues I've been working on for 15 years,” Mr. Watts said between campaign stops.
The campaign is his second attempt to go to Washington. He lost a 1994 primary for the U.S. Senate to Mike DeWine, who won the general election.
Mr. Kasich announced this month he would not seek re-election, and that he was quitting his five-month campaign for the Republican nomination for president and endorsing Texas Gov. George W. Bush. Mr. Kasich, of Westerville, has held the seat since 1982.
The district covers northeast Franklin County, western Licking County and all of Delaware County.
Shot by police, man pleads guilty
DAYTON, Ohio — A man who was shot multiple times by police has pleaded guilty to corruption of a minor and intimidation of a public official in performance of his duties.
Timothy J. Thomas, 48, who was accused of engaging in sexual conduct with a 14-year-old boy, entered the plea Wednesday before Judge John Petzold of Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.
Mr. Thomas, of suburban Trotwood, faces a maximum sentence of six years and six months in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 31.
Police shot Mr. Thomas in March after stopping his van in front of his home. They said they were seeking to question Mr. Thomas in connection with his contact with the boy.
A police videotape showed Mr. Thomas holding a handgun as he was shot. His attorneys said the gun was inoperable and not loaded.
An assistant Montgomery County prosecutor, Jeff Patzer, said his office issued the intimidation charge to make it clear that what he called attempted “suicide by cop” incidents will be fully prosecuted because of the danger they pose to police officers.
Mr. Thomas was shot at least nine times, with seven wounds in the groin area that paralyzed him below the waist.
Counties get funds to fight welfare fraud
COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Human Services has given each of the state's 88 counties $2,500 to help publicize their campaigns against welfare fraud.
The department said Thursday it also will supply county human services agencies with public service videos and other material to warn welfare recipients that fraud will be prosecuted.
Fraud can range from misreporting residential status of spouses to illegal trafficking in food stamps. Other abuses include unreported income from various federal programs, such as Social Security, and work performed for cash.
Changes in welfare rules that the legislature passed in 1997 have cut down on abuse, largely because recipients can now work and still receive benefits, department spokesman Jon Allen said. Most recipients are limited to three years of cash assistance over a five-year period.
“Welfare reform simply provided the nudge they (recipients) need to go out and be self-sufficient,” Mr. Allen said.
Ohioans have saved more than $82 million in possible losses since 1991 because of fraud investigations, the department said. Authorities also have collected more than $15 million in benefit overpayments in the last four years, it said.
New, electronic food stamp cards also have cut down on fraud, the department said. The cards are now in use in 25 counties and should be available statewide by the end of this year.
Wright-Patterson AFB in line for $43.6M
DAYTON, Ohio — Congress is set to consider a military construction budget that includes $43.6 million for improvements at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
The base also is in the running to receive millions more for programs as part of an overall defense bill. The budget proposal also includes $6.7 million for an F-16 flight training complex at Springfield's Air National Guard base.
“It might be the biggest budget for us ever,” Dan Curtis, vice president of the Miami Valley Economic Development Coalition, said Thursday. “If it's not the biggest, it's one of them.”
Among the projects in the military construction bill is $13.6 million for a long-sought avionics laboratory that would consolidate the work of several buildings into a single facility at Wright-Patterson.
Combining the work of separate labs has been considered a priority because it should improve efficiency and heighten security for the study of more highly classified projects. The lab would work on the systems that integrate jet fighter avionics with battlefield information gathered by such things as space-based lasers.
The construction bill also has $17.5 million for an aerospace structures lab at the base.
“Those, I think, should position the base well as the Air Force moves further into the space age,” said U.S. Rep. David L. Hobson, R-Ohio.
Positioning the base to perform space research became a priority this year when the Air Force eliminated nearly $100 million in aviation research, much of it done at Wright-Patterson, to fund Air Force projects in space study.
Center for child grief gets peer-group grant
Fernside: A Center for Grieving Children has received a $10,000 grant from the PacifiCare Foundation to support peer groups for children dealing with the death of a parent.
Fernside was founded in 1986 to help grieving children, with special groups focusing on the loss of a parent, loss of a sibling and losing loved ones to suicide.
Outreach center's opening postponed
The Three Square Music Foundation has postponed the grand opening of its new Youth Outreach Center, 3006 Eden Ave. (St. Mark AME Zion Church) in Corryville, until Aug. 27.
The B'Legit Teen Dance, originally scheduled for the opening today, will instead be 9 p.m. until midnight Aug. 27 for ages 13-18.
Three Square Music Foundation's mission is to provide positive programs for youth focusing on drug and violence prevention.
For information, call: 731-3227.
Help gives agencies warm feeling
Many cool centers empty
Electric fans aren't much help
Businesses boom, bust in heat
Where to get help from the heat
Tips for staying cool
How to conserve energy
Public pools
Summer's R-rated films tempt teens
Surgeons pull out of Anthem Blue Cross
Be prepared for school violence, sheriff warns
Butler eager to put jail inmates in tent
Evening, weekend parking rates fall
Former Ky. official to face theft charge
New site gives parents Web filtering information
Pet killed by mistake at shelter
Rape attempt has suburbs on alert
Cincinnatian added to series' cast
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Inland sailors find relaxation, success on Cowan Lake
'Push for Pencils' starts Sunday for school kids
She likes Florence but loves New York
Arson suspected in 2 Hamilton office fires
Ashland to give $2.5M to Kentucky universities
Bids on bears to brighten shelter for area homeless
City's growth draws candidates
Commissioners firm on airport
Fairfield happy with scores on advanced exams
Federal judge rebuffs nude club's opponents
Ft. Thomas approves new school
Goal: Link with history
Kiddie porn suspect linked to N.Ky.
Land buyout came with limits for township
Mt. Orab tap water defended
Pretty park replaces city water plant
Prisoner's letters provide clues to suicide
Retiring director saw library grow
Runner's therapy leads to victory
Tower controversy lingers
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