West Nile virus cases rise to 99 in Ohio

        With 21 more cases, including another fatality, added to the list Wednesday, the Ohio Department of Health reports that 99 state residents have become probable victims of the West Nile virus.

        Of the newest cases, one included a 54-year-old man from Hamilton County. The sixth fatal case to be reported involved a 68-year-old woman from Wayne County.

        So far, 71 of the 99 cases have been reported in Cuyahoga County. Hamilton County, with five probable victims, has the next highest number of cases of the mosquito-borne virus. Clinton County has reported two cases; Butler and Clermont have reported one each.

        Nationally, 1,201 cases and 46 deaths have been reported, including 12 cases and two deaths in Kentucky and 42 cases and no deaths in Indiana.

Masked gunman robs three of wallets, cash

        WEST CHESTER TWP. — Police searched Wednesday for a masked gunman who robbed three people outside an apartment complex off Muhlhauser Road early Tuesday.

        Police described him as black, 6-feet 2-inches, 230 pounds. He wore a black ski mask, orange shirt and gray sweat pants.

        About 12:40 a.m. Tuesday, the robber approached two men, ages 19 and 20, and a woman, 18, all of West Chester, as they left an apartment in the 5200 block of Aster Park Drive at Meadow Ridge Apartments, said West Chester Police Sgt. Steve Oakes. He ordered all three to the ground at gunpoint and rummaged through their pockets, taking wallets and cash.

        The robber fled on foot and is believed to have escaped a short while later in a car, Sgt. Oakes said.

        Anyone with information is asked to call the West Chester Township Police Department at 777-2231.

Forum to discuss school money issue

        The Woman's City Club will hold a free public forum 7-9 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church Social Hall, 103 William Howard Taft Road, Corryville, to discuss the proposed Cincinnati Public Schools bond issue.

        District officials will answer questions.

        Cincinnatians Active to Support Education will hold its campaign kickoff 4:30-6:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at the campaign headquarters, 561 Reading Road.

Former bank officer faces new indictment

        A former bank officer who pleaded guilty to bank fraud under an indictment that was later dismissed now faces prosecution under a second indictment.

        The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati said Wednesday it did not have jurisdiction to hear an appeal in the case by former banker John F. Yeager. The court's decision sends the case back to U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott for a possible trial on the second indictment.

        Prosecutors said Mr. Yeager approved questionable loans while he served from 1994 to 1996 as an assistant branch manager at the Springdale office of Star Bank, now U.S. Bank.

        No trial date has been set. The case had been put on hold while the appeal was pending, said Mr. Yeager's lawyer, John Feldmeier.

        The case will now start over with prosecution on the second indictment, said John DiPuccio, an assistant U.S. attorney. The original plea has no force because the first indictment was dismissed, Mr. DiPuccio said.

        A federal grand jury initially indicted Mr. Yeager in 1998 on nine counts of bank fraud. To prepare for Mr. Yeager's defense, his lawyers asked the government for copies of the loan applications, credit reports and audit reports concerning loans that Mr. Yeager authorized.

        Mr. DiPuccio repeatedly told the court, Mr. Yeager's lawyers and the grand jury that many of the requested records were unavailable or did not exist.

        Mr. Yeager pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud as part of a plea agreement. But two days before Mr. Yeager's scheduled sentencing in 1999, prosecutors said they did have some of the requested documents and made them available.

Marines to begin exercise at Wright-Pat

        DAYTON, Ohio — About 600 Marines will begin a two-week training exercise near this city next week.

        Members of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Camp Lejeune, N.C., will arrive Saturday at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Capt. James Jarvis said.

        The Marines will conduct a series of mock assaults on pre-selected urban sites around the area over the next two weeks, he said.

        Capt. Jarvis said the exercise won't be as disruptive as some residents fear.

        “Some citizens are concerned about Marines running through their back yards with M-16s,” he said. “That's not going to happen.”

Sinclair president to retire next year

        DAYTON, Ohio — Sinclair Community College's president announced Wednesday he will retire in August.

        Ned Sifferlen, 61, had worked his way up from accounting instructor to president during a 37-year career. He was named president in 1997.

        Sinclair trustees are planning a national search for Mr. Sifferlen's successor.

AFLAC asks court to silence 'Taft quack'

        COLUMBUS — AFLAC has taken “taftquack” to court.

        The Columbus, Ga.-based insurance company on Wednesday asked U.S. District Court in Cleveland to keep Democrat Tim Hagan's gubernatorial campaign from using a duck in its ads. AFLAC says the duck looks and talks like its own duck.

        AFLAC's duck is featured in nationwide advertising and screams the company's name when it is ignored by human characters discussing insurance.

        Mr. Hagan's campaign has used a duck with Republican Gov. Bob Taft's face in promotions on its Internet site for two weeks. The Taft-duck is in two of the Internet spots, one at a news conference where he shouts “Taft quack” to reporters' questions and another that is critical of claims by Mr. Taft's campaign.

        The insurance company told the Hagan campaign that it had concerns about trademark and copyright infringement.

        AFLAC filed the request after two days of negotiations with Mr. Hagan's campaign.

        Hagan consultant Gerald Austin said the campaign offered to change the color of its duck from the AFLAC duck's white to yellow or brown. It also offered to alter its “Taft quack” message, Mr. Austin said.

        The talks have stalled over use of the “taftquack” Internet name, he said.

        — Compiled from staff and wire reports

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