Thursday, February 03, 2000
TRISTATE DIGEST
Phone solicitors not tied to Fairfield police
FAIRFIELD — Police here are cautioning residents who might misunderstand the purpose of some phone solicitations, said Lt. Ken Colburn.
He says at least a dozen residents have called the local police department to ask whether it is affiliated with an organization that presented itself as police-related.
Lt. Colburn says the police department is not connected to the organization in question, but the organization may well be legitimate. He encourages residents to thoroughly question solicitors before committing to any contribution.
Anyone with questions or concerns is encouraged to contact Lt. Colburn at 867-6030, extension 123.
Portman cited for helping rain forests
WASHINGTON — The Nature Conservancy honored Rep. Rob Portman Wednesday for his work on saving tropical rain forests.
The group gave Mr. Portman, R-Terrace Park, its “President's Award” for his work in developing and passing the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998.
The bill established procedures for forgiving debts of Third World countries if they would take steps to preserve rain forests.
The Nature Conservancy is a leading environmental advocacy organization that focuses on conservation issues.
Apply now for homestead exemption
It's tax-break season.
State homestead exemptions, which effectively give some homeowners a property tax reduction, can be filed anytime between now and June 5. To qualify, homeowners must meet the following requirements:
• Be 65 or older or totally and permanently disabled.
• Own and occupy your home by Jan. 1.
• Have a total income of $23,300 or less.
Toledo men charged with murder of boy
TOLEDO — Two men have been charged in a drive-by shooting that killed a 10-year-old boy who was sleeping on a couch, prosecutors said Wednesday.
David Brown, 22, and Steven Forgette, 22, both of Toledo, were charged with murder and were being held in the Lucas County jail.
Police Lt. Rick Reed said he thinks Mr. Davis was the gunman.
Deontre Hicks, a fourth-grade student, was killed in March 1998 by one of more than two dozen bullets that were sprayed into the front of his home. Police said the gunmen targeted the house, but Deontre was not the intended victim.
“It wasn't a random drive-by. There was a particular reason for them shooting,” Lt. Reed said.
Five other family members were in the house at the time, but they were not injured.
Fairborn girl, 6, killed by school bus
FAIRBORN, Ohio — A school bus struck and killed a 6-year-old girl who had just gotten off the vehicle Wednesday, authorities said.
Police identified the girl as Christy Capps of Fairborn, a Dayton suburb.
The kindergartner was on her way home from Wrightview Elementary School.
Police Capt. Doc Plemmons said she got off the bus at an intersection and for “whatever reason” started to cross the street. Plemmons said the girl walked in front of the bus and was struck.
The girl was taken to Children's Medical Center in Dayton, where she was pronounced dead.
The accident remained under investigation.
Pilot in fatal crash reportedly flew too low
XENIA, Ohio — Federal safety investigators say a pilot who died in a 1998 plane crash that also killed his passenger was flying too low while doing aerobatics.
NTSB spokesman Luke Schiada said Wednesday that the finding of probable cause of the crash ends the agency's investigation.
Xenia businessman Wayne Cozad, 63, pilot of the jet-powered airplane, and Phillip Robins, 65, of Minnetonka, Minn., died in the crash April 29, 1998, near this southwest Ohio city. It had taken off from the Greene County-Lewis A. Jackson Airport for a demonstration flight for potential buyers.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the plane was seen performing several low passes at the airport, one of which resulted in a 360-degree roll. The plane later disappeared behind some trees.
Cleveland suit over homeless settled
CLEVELAND — A federal lawsuit settlement Wednesday assures that police here will not arrest homeless people or threaten their arrest on public property if they are doing nothing illegal.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in December on behalf of homeless people who had been arrested in a police sweep of Cleveland's downtown Public Square.
Gino Scarselli, the ACLU's associate legal director, said there was no money involved in the settlement, although he said the ACLU is considering a claim for legal fees.
According to the settlement, the city agreed to not arrest, detain or threaten to arrest homeless people for “performing innocent, harmless, inoffensive acts, such as sleeping, eating, lying or sitting in or on public property.”
Brian Davis, director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, said Wednesday that the settlement means homeless people no longer need to be afraid of police.
“It assures that police and law enforcement will not be involved in the delivery of services to homeless people and that's what we wanted,” Mr. Davis said. He said the job of getting homeless people into shelters during frigid weather is best left to social workers.
“Police have enough to do in this city without becoming social workers to homeless people,” Mr. Davis said. “They can always call in the Salvation Army or Volunteers of America. That's the appropriate response.”
Mayor Michael R. White said the settlement does nothing to stop police from arresting a homeless person who violates the law. He insisted police never arrested anyone simply for being homeless.
John Yager, ex-mayor of Toledo, dead at 79
TOLEDO — John Yager, a former mayor here who fought against a strong-mayor form of government, has died. He was 79.
Mr. Yager was being treated for pneumonia and had been in poor health since having heart surgery in June. He died Monday at Toledo Hospital.
He was elected to the Toledo City Council in 1955 and became mayor two years later. At that time, council members selected the mayor, and a city manager was the top government official.
Mr. Yager, a Democrat, was mayor for two years before being replaced by Michael Damas in 1959. Mr. Yager did not seek re-election in 1961.
Mr. Yager later was president of the Toledo Area Metroparks.
Schools get tough on bomb threats
Public defenders' pay near lowest
Bush win is no sure thing in Ohio
Taft: Bush's Ohio campaign energized by challenge
Gore asks students for help
Lawsuit just an invitation to go shopping
County to pitch in on pilings
Family sues in home invasion, dog shooting
Lebanon can ask retirement refund
Liquor sales likely for Ky. Speedway
Possible vote fraud examined
Street grid for new riverfront readied
Take a kid to work day
UC professor's process cleans chemical from water
Clerks must ask if you're marryin' kin
Ludlow blaze destroys houses
State aid sought for Riverfront West
Patton pushing tax plan up steep hill
BenGal takes pompoms to Pro Bowl
Sweeps offer a few sweets
GET TO IT
Getting married? Be in our 'Love Story'
Queen City's moments to shine reflected in book
Area's ready for tornado season
Booby-trap case heads for trial
Churches win right of refusal in House
City report finds no systematic bias
Coalition discusses historic preservation
House passes cap on makers' liability
Jury gets brothers' case
Man, girl arrested after police chase
Man safe from fire, but not fall
Monroe looking at school bond
Norwood intimidation case dismissed
Norwood, police reach tentative deal
Policeman fired, dog out of job
Road name carries memory
TRISTATE DIGEST
TV veteran channels energy into serving city
