Cemetery theft case goes to the jury

        Jurors began deliberating Tuesday in the theft trial of Robert Merkle.

        The 62-year-old unordained Methodist minister is accused of draining $93,000 from Wesleyan Cemetery's maintenance fund between 1995 and 2001.

        Prosecutors say Mr. Merkle, who was president of the Northside cemetery's corporation, used money meant to maintain the cemetery for personal expenses.

        During closing arguments Tuesday, Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor Andy Berghausen told jurors that the Huber Heights man saw the cemetery as a means to get free housing and access to $93,000.

        Mr. Merkle's attorney, Richard Magnus, argued that his client was “not bright enough to concoct such a scheme.” He added that Mr. Merkle believed the cemetery was a religious benevolent society and used the endowment to pay for cemetery operations.
       

Ex-coach's stealing hearing is delayed

        WAYNESVILLE — The case of a former youth baseball coach charged with stealing $16,000 from the Warren County village's baseball fund was put off Tuesday until next month.

        Craig Winningham, 36, of Waynesville, was arrested in January and charged with felony theft. He appeared earlier this month before Warren County Judge Dallas Powers and agreed to a partial out-of-court settlement of repaying $8,000 of the missing funds.

        Mr. Cunningham was to appear in court Tuesday before Judge Powers but was granted a continuation until June 18, when he will have a preliminary hearing.
       

Women, watch your purses, even in the loo

        Cincinnati police warn women to watch their purses in public restrooms after the arrest of a man accused of stealing two and getting more than $40,000 worth of jewelry from a foreign tourist.

        District 1 detectives arrested Joseph Pettis, 29, of Over-the-Rhine, last week after restroom robberies May 18 and 19 at the Palomino and Redfish restaurants downtown. The bathrooms' locations reminded one of them, Detective Pat Galligan, of Mr. Pettis, whom he'd arrested a few days before for other incidents in restrooms.

        One of the victims, a 61-year-old woman from England, sat her $500 Louis Vuitton purse on the floor as she used the restroom in Palomino. The purse contained a $16,000 platinum wedding ring and more than $20,000 worth of other jewelry.

        About $30,000 of the jewelry has been recovered, but police still are looking for a large diamond that was taken out of one of the rings and replaced with a fake.

        The detectives' supervisor, Lt. Steve Wilger, warned in a note to District 1 commander Capt. Greg Snider that he was certain that had Mr. Pettis not been caught, many more purses might have been stolen. He urged women to be aware that even if their purses are within their arm's reach, they can be stolen in a split second.
       

Clermont County crash kills man

        UNION TOWNSHIP — A 34-year-old Bethel man was killed Tuesday afternoon in a head-on crash on Glen Este-Withamsville Road, just north of Ohio 125 in Clermont County.

        The man was a passenger in a northbound vehicle that apparently crossed the center line and struck a southbound vehicle, police said. His name was being withheld until relatives could be told.

        The drivers of both vehicles were taken to area hospitals. The crash is being investigated.
       

Water rates tied to convention center plans

        A proposal to lower water rates in Hamilton County townships has become the latest wrinkle in the ever-evolving plan to finance an expansion of the Albert B. Sabin Cincinnati Convention Center.

        Mayor Charlie Luken has proposed an ordinance that would authorize the city manager to renegotiate water contracts with the suburbs once the current agreement with the city expires in 2017.

        City Council's Finance Committee approved the ordinance Tuesday.

        Mr. Luken said Ohio Senate President Dick Finan, R-Evendale, asked for the ordinance as a concession to State Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Green Township. Mr. Seitz wants township residents, who pay 33 percent more than city residents for water, to pay the same rate as other suburban residents, who pay 26 percent more than the city rate.

        The state legislature had to approve tax hike plans by the city and county for the convention center expansion.

        But the township rates are set by the Hamilton County Commission, which uses the additional money to improve the township water system, said Water Works Director David Rager.
       

Lawrenceburg gets new top fire officials

        LAWRENCEBURG — Johnny Tremain is the new Lawrenceburg fire chief. Randy Abner is the assistant chief.

        Mayor Paul Tremain appointed them in an acting capacity last week. Their appointments will become permanent as soon as they can be sworn in and the paperwork completed.

        Chief Tremain, brother of the mayor, succeeds former chief Dennis Carr, who resigned recently after serving nearly 30 years with the department.

        Chief Tremain, who had been Mr. Carr's assistant chief, has served the department for about 16 years.

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