Tuesday, February 29, 2000
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Liver transplant patient, 17, missing
UNION TOWNSHIP — Amber C. Fitzgerald, 17, a liver transplant recipient whose life is in jeopardy after missing medication to combat rejection, has been missing from her Glen Este area home in this Clermont County township since 3 p.m. Sunday.
Police have issued a critical missing persons alert. Police said Amber was last seen near her home on Crosswood Lane in the Willowbrook subdivision. She is 5-foot-3, weighs 130 pounds, and has blonde hair and hazel eyes.
She received a liver transplant as an infant and recently has been battling rejection. Doctors told police Amber's health is likely to deteriorate rapidly if she does not get medication by today. Police have no reason to suspect foul play.
The girl was last seen wearing a red Old Navy hooded fleece sweat shirt with dark gray pants and white, thick-soled shoes. She was carrying a gray purse. Amber has an abdominal scar from the liver transplant surgery and a faded birthmark on her right cheek. She also has a 11/2 inch scar on her left wrist.
Anyone with information concerning Amber's whereabouts should call police in Union Township, Clermont County, immediately at (513)752-1230.
Ex-optometrist to get early prison release
A former optometrist will get out of prison early after serving one year of his sentence for fondling children during eye exams.
Muhammad Akhtar, 34, of Wilder, was granted an early release Monday after a hearing in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. Judge Norbert Nadel had sentenced him to four years but agreed to cut the sentence short.
Early releases are sometimes granted in cases involving defendants with no other criminal convictions or as part of a plea bargain.
Mr. Akhtar went to prison last March after pleading guilty to six counts of gross sexual imposition.
Prosecutors have said most of the offenses occurred at an eye-care center at a Wal-Mart store in Columbia Township and involved five girls ages 10 to 15.
8th-graders' fight delays school dismissal
Mount Washington Elementary School delayed dismissal by about 15 minutes Monday after a fight between two eighth-graders in the cafeteria.
Cincinnati police were called to the school at 1730 Mears Ave. about 1 p.m. after the fight started. They were called again about 1:50 when one of the students involved in the fight returned to school.
No one was injured, and there were no arrests.
Panel reschedules report on shooting
The Cincinnati citizen's-police review panel, which was set to release on Monday its report on the Michael Carpenter police shooting, has rescheduled the release for March 6.
The meeting, initially to be held at City Hall, has been moved to the Evanston Community Center, 3204 Woodburn Ave., from 6 to 9 p.m.
Panel spokeswoman Phyllis Calhoun said Monday that the panel was still working on its report. Mr. Carpenter, 30, of Mount Airy, was fatally shot by police on March 19 in Northside.
Man faces 29 years for stealing police gun, car
A Pleasant Ridge man faces up to 29 years in prison for stealing a deputy sheriff's gun, driving off in his squad car and leading police on a wild chase.
Darrell Mann, 32, pleaded no contest Monday to charges of assault, resisting arrest, failure to comply with a police order, receiving stolen property and two counts of aggravated robbery.
He will be sentenced next month by Judge Robert Kraft in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court.
Prosecutors say the incident began late on Oct. 26 when Hamilton County Deputy Sheriff Kevin Illing, 28, stopped Mr. Mann's car for a traffic violation.
After a scuffle, prosecutors say, Mr. Mann took the deputy's gun, pointed it at him and then drove off in his cruiser. He later abandoned the car and ran to his home on Faith Street.
He surrendered to police after a three-hour standoff.
EPA invites public for some plain English
Public comment is invited on the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency's first effort to write rules in “plain language.”
The focus is “cessation of regulated operations.”
That, the agency says, means the closing, move or change of ownership of businesses that use or store regulated amounts of certain chemicals.
Christopher Jones, Ohio EPA director, said Friday that the draft changes in the rules reflect “a new approach ... to assist the public in understanding rules.”
Ohio EPA spokeswoman Linda Fee Oros said the rewrite involves “no substantive changes to compliance regulations.”
Copies of the proposed plain language rules and instructions for comments are available at (614) 644-2932.
Court denies Watson a spot on Nov. ballot
COLUMBUS — A potential challenger to Hamilton County Sheriff Simon L. Leis Jr. lost another attempt Monday to secure a spot on the November ballot.
In a 6-1 decision, the Ohio Supreme Court upheld a ruling that Brian Watson, a former sheriff's patrol officer from Springfield Township, did not meet the minimum requirements for a candidate for sheriff.
A 1997 state law requires a sheriff's candidate to have two years supervisory experience at the rank of corporal or above, or two years of college education. Mr. Watson has neither.
Bush here; Catholics listening
Madeira teacher quits over racial harassment
We're not just looking for dirt on stadium tour
Architect to present plan Wednesday
Heart tests become easier
Let's look at Leap Year by the numbers
Mason to show project design
Regional industries complain to senators about EPA rules
Woman pleads in baby's death
At odds over welfare spending
Ex-deputy pleads not guilty in Silverton killing
Justices to look at will mull tobacco windfall
Luken asks outside audit of road fund
Pumpkins back in guitar and drum attack mode in 'Machina'
Save green space, group urges
Amtrak expansion should help Ohioans
32 arrested after police raid dogfight
Exciting wunderkind conductor sparks CCO
Former teacher, coach pleads guilty
Friend named to fill empty council seat
Group pressures 2nd adult club
Council member is urged to resign
Man may be spared jail term
Missing 3 days, man with Alzheimer's found dead on Mount Auburn property
Motorist killed, passenger hurt in Brown Co.
Queen City's moments to shine reflected in book
Taft likes Clinton stand on Internet taxes
Two girls in hospital after being hit by car
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