Tuesday, March 07, 2000
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Ex-county guard accused of theft
A former supervisor of a security firm working for Hamilton County faces up to three years in prison on charges he stole a two-way radio and accessed sexually explicit Web pages on county computers.
Michael Gooden, 46, whose last known address is on Highland Avenue in Corryville, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of theft and two counts of unauthorized use of property.
Each of the three counts is a fifth-degree felony. If convicted, Mr. Gooden faces sentences of up to one-year behind bars on each count.
Mr. Gooden worked for Burns Security and was assigned to supervise all daily functions of Burns' employees at seven county facilities. He is accused of accessing computers inside the Department of Human Services after hours on Dec. 16-17.
Mr. Gooden also is accused of not returning a county-owned hand-held radio.
Fatal crash still being investigated
STERLING TOWNSHIP — The Feb. 28 crash that killed Matthew M. Petaford, 20, of Georgetown, remains under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Mr. Petaford was killed when the car in which he was a passenger failed to stop at Bardwell West Road and Eastwood Road in Brown County and collided with a pickup. Another passenger in the car, Melinda A. Albert, 22, of Georgetown, was injured.
State police investigators initially listed Mr. Petaford as the driver. But further investigation determined that Joseph Wahl, 19, of Parker Lane, Georgetown, was the driver of the car that collided with the pickup. No charges have been filed in connection with the crash as of Monday night, the highway patrol said.
Man arrested fifth time on DUI charge
MIAMI TOWNSHIP — A Loveland man was charged with his fifth DUI offense after he was stopped Sunday for failure to stay in his lane, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.
Maxwell W. Richardson, of Snider Road, was driving south on Interstate 275 in this Clermont County community when he was stopped by police. He will be arraigned Thursday in Clermont County Municipal Court.
County ready to OK Ted Berry Way deal
Hamilton County commissioners are expected to approve more than $3 million in contracts to begin construction of Ted Berry Way along the central riverfront.
Ted Berry Way will be a new street just north of Mehring Way, linking Elm Street near Paul Brown Stadium to Main Street next to the Reds new ballpark.
The $3 million project came in 31 percent under budget, but county Public Works Director Gary VanHart said the design drawings were complete before the county asked for bids.
Paul Brown Stadium is an estimated $45 million over budget, and a construction auditor hired by the county found that much of the cost overruns were caused by changes to the scope of contracts. Those changes were needed because, in many cases, work was bid on before final design drawings were done.
High court rejects Good Friday case
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court wants no say, not yet anyway, in how states treat Good Friday.
The nation's highest court Monday rejected a challenge to Indiana's designation of Good Friday as a state holiday. The denial of review, which was not accompanied by any court comment, allows the state to continue giving its employees that day off, a practice begun in 1941.
The designation had been attacked as a violation of the separation of government and religion.
Conrail must pay $15 million in crash
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to free Conrail from having to pay $15 million in damages over a 1989 railroad crossing accident that killed an Ohio teen-ager.
The court, without comment, on Monday turned away an appeal in which Conrail's lawyers argued that the award, intended to punish and deter misconduct, was so large it violated the rail company's due-process rights.
Michelle Wightman, 16, was killed in Sandusky, Ohio, when a train struck her car.
A Conrail train had stopped for a repair near a road crossing, activating the gate and flashing lights. Cars began driving around the gate, but the train's conductor did not post anyone at the crossing to warn of oncoming trains.
When Michelle drove onto the tracks, a train traveling almost 60 mph emerged on a parallel track and struck her car. She and a passenger were killed.
Her mother, Darlene Wightman, sued Conrail in an Ohio state court. A jury decided that Conrail was 60 percent responsible for the accident. The jury awarded Mrs. Wightman $1 million for her daughter's wrongful death and $2,400 for the loss of the car.
No punitive damages were awarded at first, but after a round of appeals a new jury awarded $25 million in 1996. The judge reduced the amount to $15 million.
State education boss receives bonus, raise
COLUMBUS — The state board of education on Monday approved a $15,000 performance bonus for State Superintendent Susan Tave Zelman for 1999, then gave her a 20 percent raise for 2000.
Citing performance standards that Dr. Zelman met last year, the board voted 16-0 to add $15,000 to her 1999 compensation package, giving her a total of $150,000.
The board then voted 16-0 to approve a $180,000 salary for 2000.
Dr. Zelman replaced John Goff, who retired in December 1998 after 31/2 years as superintendent of public instruction. He earned $136,000.
Primary Health plans to close 2 hospitals
CLEVELAND — Primary Health Systems Inc. said Monday it will close two more of its hospitals in the Cleveland area, eliminating 800 jobs.
St. Michael Hospital in Cleveland and Mount Sinai Medical Center-East, in the suburb of Richmond Heights, are no longer admitting patients. Their emergency rooms will close by Wednesday.
PHS, based in Wayne, Pa. has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization since last March and last month closed its Mount Sinai Medical Center in Cleveland, which employed about 960 people.
Two plead guilty in torture of girl, 13
FINDLAY, Ohio — Two people pleaded guilty Monday in the kidnapping and torturing of a 13-year-old girl who was buried alive in a pipe but survived.
Five of six suspects in the case now have been convicted, and four have agreed to testify against Nathan Graham, 22, of Rawson. He is charged with attempted murder, rape and felonious assault.
The six were accused of beating the girl at a party in February 1999 and then taking her to a woods and leaving her in a 2-foot wide, 6-foot deep pipe.
Witnesses told police the girl had been flirting with men at the party, which angered their girlfriends. Three women began punching the girl, and others at the party joined in, police said.
The abductors filled the pipe with bricks and chunks of cement. Police think the girl was there for nearly an hour before at least one of her captors came back and got her out. She was taken to a hospital and released the next day.
Ohio turnout could affect GOP race
Ballot mix of U.S., local seats
Ballots have variety of issues
How news outlets analyze poll results
Ohio may foreshadow GOP nomination
Web sites will post exit-poll data
Finding the strength to go forward
Mardi Gras party is over after neighbors complain
Panel says Carpenter shooting not justified
Panel: Shooting was not justified
Covington's Mardi Gras fat with fun
Carroll set to buy brewery building
County braces for new system
Former officer indicted in killing
County can't afford to cheap out now
Ballet's special show celebrates women
Cammys to praise Pure Prairie League
Compromises needed on Ky. procurement bill
Dayton man faces 17th DUI charge
Deerfield Twp. installing 5 sirens
High level of carbon monoxide in house
Land swap puts kids in new school
Sheriff orders guns locked
Waynesville mayor's asked to quit
Beechwood third-graders celebrate Fat . . . Monday
Dog warden makes plea in theft
Few oppose raising TANK's fare to $1
Judges dismiss Tennessee deadly force lawsuit
Newport mayor uneasy over water bill proposal
Queen City's moments to shine reflected in book
Road widening a relief to fire officials
Study: Ohio proficiency tests cause stress for teachers, students
Theft case ends in plea
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