A deputy Hamilton County dog warden and her boyfriend apparently were fighting just before her arrest early Sunday on a charge of biting an officer who came to help.

        Denise Joyner had asked a fellow deputy warden for help getting into her Renner Street house in University Heights, according to a police report.

        But when Deputy Warden Timothy Barrett came to the house, the report said, he was allegedly assaulted by a man later identified as William Jones, Ms. Joyner's boyfriend. Mr. Barrett then put out a call for help from Cincinnati police just after 2 a.m., and at least four officers responded.

        When one of those officers, James Davis, tried to go into the house, officers said Ms. Joyner pushed, scratched and bit him, after which he sprayed her with chemical irritant.

        A police report said Ms. Joyner appeared to be intoxicated and that she wouldn't cooperate or answer questions. She was charged with assault on a police officer and resisting arrest.

        She was released from the Hamilton County Justice Center on Monday.

        Ms. Joyner's boss, Harold Dates, executive director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said the incident would be investigated. He said Ms. Joyner had no disciplinary problems on duty.

Tech college offers e-commerce degree

        The Ohio Board of Regents has approved a new associate degree in e-commerce for Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.

        The degree program will begin this fall and will incorporate a co-op employment feature that will provide e-marketers practical experience in Web marketing. Topics will include Internet advertising, authoring tools, Web site selling and e-commerce law and regulation.

        For more information about the new degree program, call 569-1554 or log on to www.ecommerceu.org.

Central State back on its financial feet

        WILBERFORCE — Gov. Bob Taft said on Monday that Ohio has released Central State University, Ohio's only public, historically black university, from state financial oversight.

        “Central State now stands on solid, financial ground for the first time in many years,” Mr. Taft said. “In 1997, the school stood on the brink of collapse.”

        The state Office of Budget and Management took over the school's finances in 1997, and a new administration was installed after years of financial problems. Some state legislators discussed closing or merging the school, and state building inspectors condemned several residence halls.

        Since then, the university has balanced its budget, paid debts, earned clean audits and repaired buildings.

        Andy Andrews, the university's executive vice president of administration and finance, said the end of state supervision means Central State has reached a sufficient level of financial stability.

        Mr. Andrews said enrollment has increased from 1,000 students to 1,400 in five years.

Ex-tourism official gets 6 years in prison

        RISING SUN, Ind. — The former treasurer of a county tourism commission has been sentenced to six years in prison for skimming at least $35,000 from the sale of promotional T-shirts sold at an Ohio River casino.

        Debra L. Cole came under investigation after a State Board of Accounts audit found that money had not been deposited from cash sales of T-shirts at the Grand Victoria Casino.

        She was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison with four years suspended, prosecutors said. The final 180 days of her sentence are to be served on home detention.

        Ohio County Circuit Judge James D. Humphrey also ordered Ms. Cole to repay $35,305 and an additional $14,399 because her attempts to cover up the crime and hide records at her home created extra audit expenses for the state.

        A jury convicted Ms. Cole of obstruction of justice and liability of a public officer for failure to deposit, both felonies.

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