Northside man shot in face dies

        A 31-year-old Northside man shot in the face Thursday died Friday night at University Hospital.

        Zontae Irby, 31, of the 1600 block of Frederick Avenue, was rushed to the hospital after he was shot about 4:15 p.m. Thursday. He opened his door to a man who had left his house earlier and was shot, according to a witness' testimony to police.

        A neighbor called police to report that Mr. Irby was lying in the front yard. A man and woman were seen leaving the scene.

        To leave an anonymous tip, call Crime Stoppers, 352-3040.
       

Owners of ticket claim $8M jackpot

        An $8 million jackpot from the Nov. 7 drawing of the Ohio Lottery's Super Lotto Plus game has been claimed in trust for the winners, who purchased the ticket in the Cincinnati area.

        Timothy R. Cutcher, trustee for JNKB Trust, claimed the jackpot on behalf of the couple who won.

        Their names were not disclosed.

        They chose the discounted cash option and will receive $3.4 million before taxes.

        The winning ticket was sold by Schaffer's Service Auto in Green Township.

        The outlet will receive an $8,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

        Shawn Losey, an employee at Schaffer's — a combination gas station, towing service and mini-mart — said the outlet does not know who the winners are, except that it's a “married couple with two children.”

        He said selling a winning ticket is a mixed blessing: “A lot of people think you won't hit again for a while.”
       

Motel in Sycamore robbed at gunpoint

        SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP — Two men robbed the Drake Motel, 8109 Reading Road, of an undisclosed amount of money Saturday after holding the clerk at gunpoint.

        The clerk was not injured. Deputies with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office are seeking help in finding the suspects.

        According to Steve Barnett, spokesman for the sheriff's office, the men entered the hotel at 12:45 a.m., demanded money and emptied the cash drawer. Then they fled the motel.

        The suspects are described as two black men in their early 20s. Both weighed about 160 pounds. One had a shaved head and was wearing a white football jersey.

        The other was wearing blue jeans and a dark-colored pullover shirt.

        To leave an anonymous tip, call the sheriff's department at 825-1500.

U.S. representative may run for governor

        CLEVELAND — U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones is considering running for the Democratic nomination for governor next year, a newspaper has reported.

        “I think that the state of Ohio needs a governor who will address some of the issues that are important to our economic, educational and social development,” she told the Plain Dealer.

        Ms. Tubbs Jones, 52, a former prosecutor and Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court judge who first was elected to Congress in 1998, could not be reached for comment.

        The congresswoman said she expected to decide whether to run in the May primary by the end of December, giving consideration to the political climate and the amount of money it would take.

        Asked whether she could defeat Republican Gov. Bob Taft, she told the Plain Dealer she was “making that decision right now.”

        Mr. Taft's office declined to comment.
       

Tiger cub born at Cincinnati Zoo dies

        JACKSON, Miss. — An autopsy has revealed that an Indochinese Tiger cub, born at the Cincinnati Zoo, that died Nov. 24 at the Jackson Zoo had an acute toxic condition caused by bacteria.

        “It's a very freaky thing that happened,” said Dr. Rodney Walker, the zoo's veterinarian.

        “This is a normal bacteria found in the tiger's gastrointestinal system. Sometimes that organism begins to replicate, building a toxin that causes death. That could happen even it the cat lived in the wild.”

        The unnamed 80-pound cub was one of two born April 25 at the Cincinnati Zoo. The cubs went on display earlier this month at the Jackson Zoo.

        The zoo staff is trying to make the surviving brother comfortable, said Alex Thomas, the park's director of marketing.

        “This is a very unusual situation that could no
       

Lebanon invites all to swearing in

        LEBANON — Residents are invited to a reception for the new City Council on Monday evening.

        Jim Hause, James Norris and Norm Dreyer II will be sworn in at 7:30 p.m. in the city building, 50 S. Broadway. Also, Amy Brewer is expected to be chosen mayor.

        At 8:30, businessman John McComb is hosting a reception across the street in the Golden Lamb's Presidents Room. It will feature free food and soft drinks, along with a cash bar.
       

Gas station clerk shot in Colerain Twp.

        COLERAIN TOWNSHIP — A clerk was shot in the chest by a man with a shotgun during an attempted robbery at the Sunoco gas station at Pippin and Struble roads Saturday night, Hamilton County sheriff's deputies reported.

        The shooting victim was taken by ambulance to Mercy Franciscan Hospital in Mount Airy.

        His condition was not immediately known.

        Deputies were searching for a suspect.

        The shooting occurred about 8:30 p.m.

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