Tuesday, August 10, 1999
TRISTATE DIGEST
Mom accused in death of baby boy
HAMILTON — Hamilton police charged a Hamilton woman Monday with involuntary manslaughter and child endangering in the June death of her 5-month-old boy.
Police said the June 12 death of George William Bowling III was not accidental — he had a plastic bag over his head — and that two other children of Lori Johnson were living in unsanitary conditions.
Ms. Johnson, 21, of 502 Ross Ave., had told police that George had rolled off a couch and become entangled in a plastic bag. Officials from the Butler County Children Services Board (CSB) had requested and were granted permission to transfer custody temporarily for George's two siblings, ages 2 and 4, to their paternal grandparents.
Police officials were unavailable Monday evening to provide information as to whether Ms. Johnson remained in custody.
Drought, heat may force nuke shutdown
CLEVELAND — A combination of low Lake Erie water levels and high temperatures almost caused two northern Ohio nuclear plants to shut down their reactors, the plants' operator said.
The Perry and Davis-Besse nuclear plants rely on Lake Erie's chilly water to cool the facilities. But the lake at times this summer has been warm and has come close to the 85-degree limit that requires the plants to stop generating electricity.
FirstEnergy Corp., which operates the two plants, has asked the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to raise the temperature cutoff to 90 degrees at Davis-Besse near Toledo, spokesman Todd Schneider said Monday. The Akron-based company also may request that Perry's limit be raised to 88 degrees, he said.
“Engineering studies show we can operate if the water temperature is higher than 85 degrees,” Mr. Schneider said.
The NRC will decide in the next few weeks whether the Davis-Besse plant's cooling systems could function properly with the warmer water, said spokesman Jan Strasma.
“This doesn't happen very often,” he said. “We won't do anything to compromise safety, but we try to keep the plants operating.”
Freedom center hires fund-raising help
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center has hired a Columbus-area consulting firm to support its fund-raising efforts.
Hodge, Cramer & Associates of Dublin was selected to help the center raise $80 million to $90 million to build and endow the museum, scheduled to open on Cincinnati's riverfront in 2003.
Center President and Chief Executive Ed Rigaud will continue to lead the center's fund-raising efforts, said Ernest Britton, the center's associate director of communications.
The freedom center already has raised $25 million, and center officials continue to quietly seek contributions, Mr. Britton said. The center's national campaign will be announced next year, he said.
UC seeks couples for condom study
The University of Cincinnati is seeking 60 couples “involved in a stable, monogamous relationship for at least six months” to participate in a condom comparison study.
The study will compare the pregnancy-prevention ability, safety and comfort of latex condoms to condoms made of polyurethane. One goal of the study is to find more birth control options for people with latex allergies.
Each member of the couple must be between ages 18 and 35. Women cannot be pregnant or breastfeeding. Study participants will receive compensation. For information, call 584-0890.
8 bands featured at Aug. 29 fund-raiser
OWENSVILLE — Eight bands, a petting zoo and several medical informational booths will be fea tured at the “Jammin' for JRA” music festival Aug. 29 at the Clermont County Fairgrounds in Owensville.
Proceeds will benefit programs for children suffering from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, including wheelchairs and equipment, scholarships and a summer camp.
This year's goal is to raise $20,000. The music festival begins at noon. Admission is $7, or free to children 12 and under. Information: 636-5363.
Clerk of courts Web site honored
The Hamilton County clerk of courts office won another award this month for its Web site.
The site — www.courtclerk.org — took first place in a contest sponsored by Justice Served, a California-based firm that provides consulting and management services to court systems nationwide.
The prize is the second this year for County Clerk Jim Cissell's office. In May, the Web site was a top-five finisher in the prestigious Computerworld Smithsonian Awards, which single out businesses and government agencies for innovative uses of new technology.
The latest award honors court systems for developing Internet sites that best serve customers. Judges praised the Hamilton County site for the information available and because it was “easy to use and understand.”
The system links law enforcement, the clerk's office, courtrooms and other county agencies so everyone involved with the criminal justice system has access to the same information. It also provides an online payment system for traffic fines, court schedules and documents from thousands of court cases.
The clerk's office set up the Web site earlier this year.
Ind. town cracks down on golf carts
FAIRMOUNT, Ind. — Golf carts are no longer welcome on streets here after a series of reckless underage drivers and increased traffic raised safety concerns.
Town Marshal Brian Reneau said police will issue written warnings for the next 30 days, but after that, anyone caught driving the electric-powered carts on roads will be ticketed.
“We're not wanting to take this fad or luxury away from somebody, but we have to make people safe,” Mr. Reneau said.
Mr. Reneau said the carts lack safety features, such as seat belts and air bags, needed to maneuver area roads safely.
Ohio Rep. Edward Core dead at 65
COLUMBUS — State Rep. Edward Core, who played an important role in the budgeting of transportation projects, died Monday after becoming ill in his car. He was 65.
Mr. Core was running errands when he became ill and pulled off a road in Logan County, said Tony Seegres, his administrative aide. Sheriff Michael Henry said Mr. Core was in distress but appeared to have no injuries when deputies found him about 8:45 a.m. He was pronounced dead about an hour later.
“It was such a shock,” said Rep. Ron Amstutz, R-Wooster, a fellow member of the House Finance Committee.
Mr. Core, a five-term Republican from Rushsylvania, represented Logan and Union counties and part of Marion County.
Center planned to boost county's image
HAMMOND, Ind. — Lake County officials are betting a new $6 million welcome center with a 125-seat theater, 6,000 square feet of exhibit space and a John Dillinger Museum will be enough to pull motorists off the Borman Expressway (Interstates 80 and 94) and persuade them to spend some
money.
Officials said the center is part of an attempt to change the perception of Lake County as a heavily industrialized area dominated by unattractive steel mills.
Spill chokes off Ohio River traffic
Skating craze spawns demand for new parks
No lines, no licking
Pleasant Ridge man held in death of library volunteer
ATP not all tennis; some parties do happen
Case for at-large judges pushed
Changing area codes a nuisance
Developer sues Mason planners
It erred, but bank wants its money
Judge orders hacker to make 'token' restitution to victims
Kentucky nuclear workers to get help
Lottery players yawned at Red Ball
Murder charge upgraded in Warren County killing
Paper terrorism alleged at trial
Physicist UC vice president
Plea out for blood donors
School crisis training is open
Send us your ideas on tax surplus
An electronic remedy for carsickness?
Memories fill books
Monroe's Doty says council days over
New equal-opportunity chief for city
OSHA to investigate death in grain silo accident
Scaring up success
Social need answered at Talbert
State schools chief seeks better ties with districts
Technician discovers child porn
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