Thursday, March 16, 2000
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Police seeking ID of injured woman
Cincinnati police are hoping the public will help identify a woman involved in a one-car accident early Wednesday.
The unidentified woman, who police say may be 30 years old, is in critical condition at University Hospital.
She was heading eastbound on West North Bend Road shortly before 6 a.m. Wednesday when she lost control of her car. The vehicle slammed into a utility pole.
Police said the victim was traveling at a high rate of speed prior to losing control of her car.
She was driving a black 1996 four-door Dodge Intrepid with Kentucky license plates. The woman had no driver's license or other identification and investigators have been unable to find the person who owns the car.
Anyone with information as to the woman's identity is asked to call the Cincinnati Police Traffic Unit at 352-2514 or Crime Stoppers at 352-3040.
Man charged after he's shot by police
A Norwood man who was shot by police Tuesday will face up to nine years in prison if he is convicted of assault and domestic violence.
Christopher Baker, 21, was indicted Wednesday on the felony charges. Prosecutors say a police officer shot him after he lunged at the officer with two 10-inch-long butcher knives.
Norwood Police confronted Mr. Baker at a home on Mills Avenue after receiving a call about a domestic violence incident. Mr. Baker, who remains hospitalized, is accused of attacking his 12-year-old cousin.
Prosecutors say he kicked the girl repeatedly in the head before the officers stopped him.
Owner loses round in bid to reopen bar
A judge will not overturn a Cincinnati Police decision to shut down an Over-the-Rhine bar last year.
Judge Thomas Crush ruled Tuesday that police did the right thing when they closed the Elder Cafe. The bar's owner, Jerome Grogan, had asked the judge to reverse the decision so he could reopen.
But after two weeks of testimony in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, Judge Crush concluded the bar was a public nuisance. Police had argued that drug deals and violence routinely occurred at the bar, located on Elder Streetbetween Race and Elm streets.
Although the city won Tuesday, Mr. Grogan claims Ohio law allows police to close the bar for only one year. The city contends the closure is permanent.
Judge Crush will decide that issue next week.
Phony security courier takes restaurant's cash When a man claiming to be a Dunbar armored-car security worker came to the Cincinnati Zoo restaurant for a cash pickup Wednesday, he was handed the money and calmly left.
Twenty minutes later, the real Dunbar delivery man showed up on schedule.
Cincinnati District 4 police are investigating the theft. No cash amount was released.
The theft occurred at the Safari Restaurant, which is owned by Blue Ash-based Sodexho-Marriott. A call to Sodexho-Marriott was referred to a Maryland office, where spokeswoman Kathy Boyle would only confirm the theft and said the company was cooperating with the investigation.
A woman at Over-the-Rhine-based Dunbar Armored Inc. referred questions to a Baltimore office, which was unavailable for comment.
BP cleared of exposing seven workers to toxins
LIMA, Ohio — Jurors have cleared British Petroleum Plc. of allegations that the company exposed seven workers to chemicals that caused them to suffer physical and psychological problems.
Jurors in Allen County Common Pleas Court took less than six hours to make their decision in the trial that lasted more than five weeks.
Seven subcontract workers had claimed they were exposed to toxins while working on equipment in 1994 at BP's Lima refinery.
They said they were exposed to chemicals that caused brain injury and depression, sexual dysfunction and memory problems.
“It's a black day for workers all over the United States,” Bernardo Blansett, one of the plaintiffs, said after Tuesday's verdict. “It just proves you can't fight the big corporation.”
BP attorney Damond Mace said the jury was attentive throughout the case, and he was “very satisfied that justice was served.”
Woman convicted of burning gay-pride flag
COLUMBUS — A woman pleaded guilty to burning a gay-pride flag at the Statehouse, then rejoiced in the fact the rainbow flag will never fly there again.
Toni Peters, 26, of Columbus, entered her guilty plea to the criminal damaging Tuesday in Franklin County Municipal Court. She was fined $250, placed on probation for two years and ordered to pay $40 — the cost of the flag — to the gay-rights organization Stonewall Columbus.
Last month, Charles Spingola, 44, of Newark, was convicted of criminal damaging for tearing down the flag on June 27. Weeks later, the board that maintains the Statehouse grounds decided that only government flags would fly there.
“It took Chuck Spingola and I to stand up and say what they were doing was wrong, for the state to decide there will be no more of these flags flying,” Mr. Peters said. “I feel God got the victory.”
Stonewall Columbus had gotten permission to fly the flag during the annual gay-pride march through downtown.
“For them to say they got what they wanted is appalling,” said Jeff Redfield, Stonewall's executive director. “After being found guilty and sentenced, they still don't believe what they did was wrong,” Mr. Redfield said.
Ms. Peters and Mr. Spingola also were charged with ethnic intimidation. Mr. Spingola was acquitted of the charge. Prosecutors dropped the charge against Ms. Peters in exchange for her plea.
Mayor doubts interest in buying hospital
CLEVELAND — Mayor Michael R. White said Wednesday he has doubts about a large Cleveland hospital system's expressed interest in acquiring St. Michael Hospital to keep it from closing.
Mr. White said University Hospitals Health System had never before shown an interest in buying the privately owned hospital, even though it was available.
Primary Health Systems Inc., of Wayne, Pa., said last week it reached a deal to sell St. Michael, in southeast Cleveland, and Mount Sinai Medical Center-East, in suburban Richmond Heights, to Cleveland Clinic Foundation, which is University Hospitals' main competitor in the Cleveland area.
The PHS-Cleveland Clinic arrangement would end admissions and emergency rooms at both hospitals.
PHS, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection a year ago in Wilmington, Del., has until the end of the month to come up with a reorganization plan.
Students traveling abroad face danger
Slain women recalled fondly
Chickenpox vaccine may be required
Town's burden: A ton of troubles
Bill aims at war-era phone tax
Candidate admits smoking pot
Chesley to host Gore at fund-raiser
Friends of dead suspect criticize police
Judge's quoting Bible OK
UC students save teen from attacker
Advisory board for stadiums pursued
Blight fighters mired in indecision
Hotel tax authority passes
NKU funding clears House
Legislators from area split evenly on budget
Loveland couple join hajj pilgrims
Muslims celebrate ending of hajj
GET TO IT
Madcap puppets to bring kids' creations to life
Queen City's moments to shine reflected in book
Wedding gets green light for Irish fun
Mardi Gras: Everyone has an opinion
Former Red convicted of failing to pay support
Lebanon blocked in refund attempt
Mason whoops it up for team
Principal parts with his hair
Speedway may hire off-duty troopers
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