President Bush to visit area Tuesday

        COLUMBUS — President Bush is expected to travel to Southwest Ohio next week to sign the $26.5 billion education bill that mandates reading and math tests for grade-schoolers beginning in three years.

        An Ohio source familiar with the trip said the signing was expected to take place Tuesday in Rep. John Boehner's district, which stretches from Mercer County to Cincinnati's northwest suburbs.

        The bill requires annual state tests in reading and math for every child in grades three through eight beginning in the 2005-2006 school year.
       

Inn owners buy adjacent property

        MONTGOMERY — The Gregory family, owners of Montgomery Inn restaurants, recently bought the building immediately north of its 9440 Montgomery Road location.

        The building, which houses four businesses, went up for sale in October. Montgomery Inn vice president Evan Andrews said there are no plans for the site but that the $662,900 purchase from previous owner Galerie seemed a wise investment.

        “That's one thing they don't make anymore is property,” he said. “It was just security.”

        Tenants have been told by their new landlord that their leases, in effect for several more years, will remain intact.
       

Council elects new mayor for Monroe

       MONROE — Former City Councilman Mike Morris is the new mayor of Monroe.

        Mr. Morris, and fellow Councilman Bob Routson, were elected to the mayor and vice mayor's positions Tuesday by the City Council's 4-3 votes. Mr. Routson replaces former Vice Mayor Bob Youtsler and Mr. Morris succeeds Elbert Tannreuther, who served as mayor for 15 years in this city that straddles Butler and Warren County.

        Mr. Morris was elected to a four-year council term in 1999. Monroe's mayoral term is two years.
       

Car owner dragged as thief takes off

        A man who tried to keep his car from being stolen ended up being dragged 75 feet and stuck underneath it.

        Cincinnati District 4 officers responded about 7:45 a.m. to a parking lot outside Super Suds Coin Laundry on Burnet Avenue and found Wendell Lyons, 44, of Avondale, stuck underneath his car.

        Mr. Lyons, getting off from his job at the laundry, had started his car to warm it up, then went back inside, police said. That's when a black man, 6 feet tall, wearing a dark blue jacket or sweatshirt and orange pants, hopped in and tried to take off.

        Mr. Lyons ran out and jumped on the hood of his car. When he fell off, he was dragged about 75 feet and then became stuck underneath, police said. The thief bailed out.

        Firefighters rescued Mr. Lyons by propping up the car with boards. He suffered serious burns on his legs, believed to have been caused because they touched the catalytic converter, police said. He was listed in fair condition at University Hospital.
       

Black rhino born at Columbus zoo

        COLUMBUS — A rare black rhinoceros was born Wednesday at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Its mother, Kulinda, is on loan from the Cincinnati Zoo.

        Kulinda, a 13-year-old rhino, gave birth to a healthy male calf at 7:48 a.m. Zoo officials are giving the mother and calf time to bond before measuring the calf's height and weight.

        Since Jan, 1, 2000, there have been nine births of the eastern black rhino in captivity.

        All five species of rhinoceros are endangered, largely due to poaching.

        There are only 274 black rhinos in captivity. There are about 2,700 black rhinoceroses in the wild and about 15,000 rhinos of all species.

        The rhino's father, Kijito, is an 8-year-old that has been at the zoo since 1999, on loan from the Chicago Zoological Park.
       

Toledo inaugurates first black mayor

        TOLEDO — A former state representative became the city's first black mayor Wednesday.

        Jack Ford took the oath of office in city council chambers in front of friends and supporters.

        Mr. Ford, a Democrat, is a former council president who was a state representative the past seven years.

        He has pledged to stop urban sprawl and keep young people and jobs in Toledo, saying the only way to stop people and jobs from leaving the city is to develop the city first.

        “We're going to make it a point of destination and not a point of departure,” Mr. Ford said after taking the oath.

        Mr. Ford also pledged to improve schools and bring technology and research work to the city.

        Mr. Ford's quiet and sometimes dour demeanor jokingly has won him the nickname “Smilin' Jack Ford.”

        He replaces Carty Finkbeiner, whose outbursts, domineering style and relentless love for the city won many fans and detractors. He was prohibited from a third term by the city charter.

        Before Mr. Finkbeiner took office in 1994, the city manager ran the city's daily affairs.
       

Ohio flights to D.C. airport to resume

        WASHINGTON — More flights between Ohio and Reagan National Airport are to resume by Feb. 1 after being suspended after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

        Continental Airlines was authorized Wednesday to resume its four daily nonstop flights between Washington and Cleveland, its third-largest hub. Airline officials said the flights would be offered starting Jan. 17.

        US Airways was given permission by the Transportation Department to resume its service between Washington and Dayton on Feb. 1.

        Flights from Columbus and Cincinnati resumed earlier.

        “One of the most important things we can do to help the economy and restore a sense of normalcy is to get Americans traveling again,” Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, said Wednesday. “These flights are critical to getting Ohioans traveling again.”

        Reagan National was closed from Sept. 11 to Oct. 4 because of security concerns.

        Reagan National Airport is within sight of the U.S. Capitol.
       

Suspect in killing ends standoff

        MANSFIELD, Ohio — A man upset about the breakup of his marriage shot a family friend to death and held six people hostage Wednesday before surrendering, police said.

        Stephen W. Byerly, 53, of Mansfield, went to a trailer where his estranged wife, Jamie, 44, was staying and shot Robert Hayes, said police lieutenant John Wendling.

        Lt. Wendling said Mr. Byerly's wife got a temporary restraining order Dec. 26 against her husband, and she and her three children were staying with her son from a previous marriage and his girlfriend.

        Mr. Byerly forced his way into the home around 3:30 a.m. and shot Mr. Hayes, 50, who was a family friend for nine years, Lt. Wendling said. Police said Mr. Byerly refused to leave the trailer and shot about 20 times at officers.

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