A hearing on a change of venue request in the trial of Cincinnati Police Officer Robert Jorg will take place Sept. 4.

        The hearing had been scheduled for Monday in Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Thomas Nurre's courtroom. But it was moved to September because the judge had a scheduling conflict.

        Officer Jorg, charged with involuntary manslaughter in the Nov. 7 asphyxiation death of Roger Owensby Jr., asked that his trial be moved outside of Hamilton County because of national publicity surrounding the April shooting death of an unarmed man by a different Cincinnati officer.

        Officer Jorg's attorney, R. Scott Croswell, argued it would be difficult for a Cincinnati police officer to get an unbiased jury in Hamilton County.

PREPARED: Two umbrella-toting pedestrians are silhouetted against a bright Northern Kentucky skyline as they cross Vine Street at Fourth Street in downtown Cincinnati Wednesday afternoon. Today's forecast calls for a high of 82 and a 60 percent chance for a thunderstorm. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

        He also requested that the trial date be delayed because of the rioting and racial tension that followed the April case.

        Judge Nurre already granted the request to move the trial - originally scheduled for May 10 — to October.
       

Motorcyclist dies in I-275 ramp crash

        UNION TOWNSHIP — A New Richmond man was killed early Wednesday after crashing his motorcycle on the ramp to southbound Interstate 275 from eastbound Ohio 32 near Eastgate Mall in Clermont County.

        Travis S. Stamper, 26, was pronounced dead at Clermont Mercy Hospital.

        The Ohio State Highway Patrol said Mr. Stamper attempted to enter I-275 south at 12:20 a.m. but missed a curve and drove off the left side of the road. The bike flipped several times.

        Mr. Stamper was not wearing a helmet. The accident remains under investigation, troopers said.
       

Student says man tried to abduct her

        MIDDLETOWN — Police on Wednesday were continuing to investigate an attempted abduction of a 15-year-old girl from Middletown Christian School.

        The girl reported Tuesday that a stranger grabbed her twice in the parking lot of the school in the 3000 block of Union Road. He chased her into a wooded area near a creek.

        He grabbed her a third time before she was able to break free and try to use her cell phone. The man then pushed her into the mud, cursed at her and fled, a report says.

        Police w used dogs to follow the man's trail to the area of Greentree Golf Course, the report says.

        He was described as about 5-feet-9, medium build, 19 to 20 years old, with short blondish-brown hair and several days' growth of facial hair. He was wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans.

        Anyone with information is asked to call police at 425-7700 or detectives at 425-7738.
       

Restaurant raising money for family

        The O'Charley's restaurant on Crookshank Road in Westwood is starting a trust fund for the family of 9-year-old Diarro Hayes, whose burned body was found Saturday in Daniel Drake Park.

        The restaurant is holding a car wash today through Saturday to benefit the fund. Other area O'Charley's restaurants are working to raise money, and the corporate office agreed to contribute up to $1,500, said Terri Weber, associate general manager of the Crookshank Road restaurant.

        The boy's mother, DeMarlo Hayes, has been charged with his murder.

        Dwayne Howard, the boy's grandfather, works at the Crookshank location, Ms. Weber said.

        Contributions can also be sent to the Dwayne Howard Trust Fund at Provident Bank, or to the restaurant, 5075 Crookshank Road, Cincinnati 45238.
       

UC law students shine on bar exam

        The University of Cincinnati law school had the highest percentage of students who passed the Ohio bar exam given in February.

        All 13 first-time test takers passed and 85 percent of all 20 UC test-takers passed when grads who retook the bar exam were counted.

        For all Ohio law schools, the statewide first-time pass rate was was 73.6 percent, and 57.7 percent for all those who took the February exam.

THE PLAY"S THE THING: Kings Mills Elementary School kindergartners and first-graders put on three one-act plays Wednesday as part of a language arts project. Each of the 31 children had speaking parts in the 35-minute program which featured the plays, The Ugly Duckling, Spring Is Here, and The Teeny, Tiny House. (Dick Swaim photo) | ZOOM |

        Northern Kentucky University, which last February had a 90 percent first-time pass rate, fell to 79 percent, or 61 percent when all successful test-takers were counted, this past February. It had 14 first-time takers and 23 total.

        Results of the February exams can vary widely, depending on how few grads take this semi-annual exam. Far more students take the July exam.
       

Butler investigates man's death in pond

        HANOVER TOWNSHIP — Butler County authorities on Wednesday were investigating how a 56-year-old man apparently drowned in a pond off Krucker Road.

        The sheriff's boat patrol found the body of Roger Stump near his home Wednesday morning, a day after he was reported missing, said Brad Kraemer, spokesman for the Butler County Sheriff's Office.

        The Butler County Coroner's Office found a cause of death “consistent with drowning.” It was unclear whether the death was suspicious or accidental, authorities said Wednesday.
       

Man says intruders shot him in home

        A 54-year-old Pleasant Ridge man was shot twice in his home Tuesday afternoon when three men broke in and demanded money.

        Leonard D. Watson, 54, of the 3500 block of Zinsle Avenue, was taken to University Hospital after being shot twice in the stomach. Hospital officials said Wednesday that Mr. Watson requested his condition not be released.

        The men entered Mr. Watson's residence at 4:45 p.m., demanded money and threatened him, Cincinnati police said.

        One of the three then shot Mr. Watson, police said, and all then fled with $300 in cash.

        The gunman is described as black, about 45 years old, 5-foot-11-inches and wearing dark clothing.
       

New law grads will hear Judge Jones

        Nathaniel R. Jones, a senior judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in Cincinnati, will be the commencement speaker Saturday at Roger Williams University law school in Bristol, R.I.

        Judge Jones, who was appointed to the bench by President Carter, will receive an honorary degree.

Girl in hospital after car pins her

        SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — A 2-year-old girl was in good condition at a hospital Wednesday after she was pinned under a car and bystanders lifted the vehicle off of her.

        Chelsea Shackles was standing next to her father's car in the family driveway when the vehicle rolled backward and the open passenger door knocked her down, according to Springfield police Lt. Dave Czyzak. He said the girl was pinned under the front tire.
       

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