Thursday, February 10, 2000
TRISTATE DIGEST
Boyfriend charged with injuring child
Cincinnati homicide detectives say a Cherry Grove man seriously injured his girlfriend's 11-month-old daughter by violently shaking her.
Michael L. Wheeler, 25, of the 3900 block of Picadilly Square was arrested Tuesday and charged with felonious assault, child endangerment and falsification.
Natalie Hunter remained in critical condition Wednesday at Children's Hospital. Police say the girl was injured Sunday morning in a West End apartment.
Initially, police charged the child's mother, Melissa Hunter, 22, of the 800 block of Clark Street, in connection with the baby's injuries. She was arrested Monday and has been released from custody. Further investigation led detectives to arrest Mr. Wheeler.
Mr. Wheeler also had outstanding warrants from different agencies for unrelated charges including probation violation, telephone harassment and failure to appear.
He was being held Wednesday in the Hamilton County Justice Center in lieu of a $350,000 cash or property bond for the felonious assault and child endangering charges.
Robbery task force reports 1,272 arrests
The Cincinnati Police Division's robbery task force made 1,272 arrests on a variety of criminal charges during a seven-week operation.
From Nov. 21 through Jan. 8, the 60-member task force cleared 63 of 170 reported robberies. Uniformed, bicycle, neighborhood and plainclothes officers worked together on sweeps of high-crime areas. They served 601 arrest warrants.
The division reported that one use-of-force incident was reported, with minor injuries to the suspect, and one citizen complaint was filed in connection with the 1,272 arrests.
During the same period, the task force conducted 763 security surveys and crime prevention assessments for businesses and individuals.
10-day wait on tests of chicken nuggets
It will take at least 10 more days for the Ohio Department of Agriculture to get test results back from chicken nuggets stored in two Ohio warehouses.
Nearly every school in Ohio serves chicken nuggets processed by two Gold Kist Inc. plants in Alabama. Several schools in Greater Cincinnati stopped serving nuggets after a Cox News Service article Sunday. That story quoted current and former federal inspectors who alleged that the plants have allowed more diseased chickens to pass since switching last year to a new type of oversight system.
Gold Kist officials have denied the allegations. State and federal officials say no recalls have been issued and no illness outbreaks linked to the plants have been reported.
As a precautionary step, Ohio officials collected samples on Tuesday from warehouses in Dayton and Columbus to test for the presence of harmful bacteria. The testing will start by week's end and takes 10 days.
If there has been an ongoing problem at the plant, however, the testing won't protect many children. The warehouses contain about 2,400 cases of nuggets and patties, state education officials said. Since July 1, the warehouses have shipped more than 52,000 cases to Ohio schools, most have which have been already been cooked, served and eaten.
Security worker held, accused of taking money
An Arrow Security employee was arrested Wednesday, charged with taking money from customers at a downtown parking lot.
Martinez Gilchrist, 28, of Price Hill was observed by a parking lot attendant taking money from patrons as they left their vehicles, and trying to pry money from a self-service cash box at 421 E. Court St., according to a police report.
Mr. Gilchrist was being held Wednesday night at the Hamilton County Justice Center in lieu of a $2,000/10 percent bond. He is to be arraigned at 9 a.m. today in Hamilton County Municipal Court on a theft charge, a first-degree misdemeanor.
Norwood man indicted in five area robberies
A Norwood man was indicted Wednesday on charges of robbing three banks, a pharmacy and a grocery store.
Gary L. Connelly, 42, faces five counts of aggravated robbery and five counts of robbery. If convicted on all charges, Mr. Connelly could be sentenced to up to 90 years in prison.
Prosecutors say he robbed the CVS Pharmacy on Montgomery Road on Dec. 19. They say he used the same .32-caliber handgun Jan. 15 to rob the other four locations: a Thriftway at 4488 Montgomery Road, a Firstar Bank at 10851 Montgomery Road, a Bank One at 7269 Kenwood Road and Northside Bank on Northbend Road.
At each location, they say, the robber ran off with $200 to $5,000.
After his arrest, police say, Mr. Connelly told them he committed the robberies because he was having money problems.
Teacher sues board over reassignment
LEBANON — A high school science teacher who claims he was demoted to study hall monitor and tutor when he was falsely accused of trading commodities on the Internet on school time, has sued Wayne Local Schools to get his teaching job back.
It is the second time in less than two weeks that veteran teacher Donald Tharr of Clarksville has sued district officials claiming he was harassed in an attempt to force him into retirement.
In the latest lawsuit, filed Tuesdayin Warren County Common Pleas Court, Mr. Tharr claims he was illegally transferred in violation of his contract to a nonteaching position.
The complaint names the board of education; Wayne Superintendent Thomas Isaacs; and John Lazares, superintendent of Warren County Educational Service Center.
In the earlier suit, filed Jan. 31 against Mr. Isaacs, Mr. Tharr asked for more than $150,000 in compensatory and punitive damages. The suit says Mr. Isaacs made false accusations against Mr. Tharr, placed him on administrative leave, ordered him out of the high school, threatened to fire him and withheld $4,000 in sick pay.
Learn more about McGuffey Readers
OXFORD — Phillip R. Shriver, former president of Miami University, will speak Thursdayon William McGuffey's impact on the education of children in the United States.
“William Holmes McGuffey: Schoolmaster of a Nation” explores Mr. McGuffey's career, which included a 10-year stint at Miami (1826-1836). During that time, Mr. McGuffey compiled his famous McGuffey Reader series.
Mr. Shriver will speak at 7:30 p.m. at the Miami University Art Museum, which also has an exhibition open, “William Holmes McGuffey: Building for the Future.”
The museum is at 801 S. Patterson Ave. (U.S. 27) in Oxford. Information: 529-2232.
Espionage is topic for Torch Club session
OXFORD — “Chinese Espionage in the United States” will be the topic for Dr. Stanley K. Norman at a Butler County Torch Club meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursdayin the Shriver Center at Miami University.
Dr. Norman is a retired Hamilton dentist and oral surgeon.
The Torch Club, part of the International Association of Torch Clubs, encourages the sharing of culture and thought from a wide range of professions.
The meeting is open to the public. Dinner cost is $15. Information: 896-1418.
Gore woos Ohio labor
Kathy Wade tour guide to the big 'hood
Barns disappear with farms
Brownfields could get taxpayer help
Father charged in Pokemon theft
Champion coach quits over bogus certifcate
City invites Rose to party with Reds
Jets become toys for rich
Many suitors likely for Blackwell
Minority stadium contracts to be audited
Parole after violent crimes criticized
Jesus-like figure now in Pennsylvania
Bill would require college police logs
Hotel-tax backers may get say
Queen City's moments to shine reflected in book
Marrying Miss America can't hurt Henry's political chances
Poster attuned to mini-marathon
Ky. family looks great in skates
$180,000 paid in UC harassment
Accused firefighter to stay on duty
Area rivers' game fish included on eating advisory
City, county sprucing up historic cemetery
GET TO IT
Glendale solving plumbing problems
Hendrix guilty of murdering mother of 5
High-schoolers get career boost
HUC offers degrees in Jewish law, ethics
Lebanon takes fun seriously
Ludlow in market for a clerk-treasurer
Ohio officials say new prison not necessary
Schools review revamp of Project Succeed
Six decades for student newspaper
State considers criminal check for volunteers in schools
Student quilts show slaves' path to freedom
TRISTATE DIGEST
