Wehrung interview airs on 'Inside Edition'

        Inside Edition will air an interview with Michael Wehrung today on the Springfield Township man's 38-year battle to clear his name.

        Mr. Wehrung was acquitted in December of second-degree murder in the 1963 beating death of high school girlfriend Patricia Ann Rebholz.

        The body of the Greenhills cheerleader was found in a vacant field across from Mr. Wehrung's boyhood home. They were both 15 at the time of her death; Mr. Wehrung was the prime suspect.

        The interview will air at 4:30 p.m. on WKRC-TV (Channel 12).
       

Judge says police violated teen's rights

        A Hamilton County judge Tuesday threw out a portion of an interview police had with the now 14-year-old cousin of Takeya Bryant, the 8-year-old Northside girl who was beaten to death in August.

        Juvenile Court Judge Sylvia Sieve Hendon said police violated the teen's rights when they failed to again read him his Miranda warnings before a second interview.

        During an initial interview, which was taped, police questioned the 13-year-old teen about Takeya's death.

        After learning that the girl had suffered sexual abuse, they interviewed him a second time.

        The boy's attorney argued Tuesday that because of the boy's mental deficiencies, he was unable to understand that he could assert his rights not to talk at that time as well.

        The prosecution will still be able to present the first interview at trial.

        The teen, who is not being named because he is charged as a juvenile, is accused of sexually-assaulting Takeya and helping to beat her to death Aug. 15.

        The girl's 11-year-old brother has already been convicted of helping to cause his sister's death.

        The cousin's trial will begin Feb. 20.
       

Police arrest two on drug, gun charges

        NORWOOD — Police seized drugs, two handguns and nearly $100,000 in cash and arrested two people in separate traffic stops over the weekend.

        Marcus Sneed, 31, of Cincinnati, is facing six charges, including felony drug and firearms charges. Shannon Brewster, 28, of Cincinnati is facing firearms charges.

        Mr. Sneed was arrested Saturday after a Norwood police officer stopped him for speeding on Montgomery Road. Detecting a strong smell of marijuana, the officer searched Mr. Sneed's vehicle and found a bag containing 18.5 grams of crack cocaine, 335 grams of marijuana and a loaded pistol, police said.

        Ms. Brewster was arrested Sunday when police stopped a vehicle for speeding on Montgomery Road. Police say they detected marijuana, searched the vehicle and found a backpack containing a .40-caliber handgun and $98,326 in cash..
       

Award honors police for capture of fugitive

        The Springdale Police Department will receive an award from the U.S. Marshals Service for its help in the capture of fugitive Clayton Lee Waagner.

        At the time of his arrest in December, Mr. Waagner was one of the most wanted fugitives in America. He had escaped from federal custody in Illinois and was wanted on gun and theft charges. He also is suspected of mailing death threats and fake anthrax to abortion clinics across the country.

        Mr. Waagner was arrested at a Kinko's store in Springdale after a sales clerk recognized him from a wanted flier.

        Officials from the Marshals Service will present the award Friday at 3 p.m. at the police department headquarters, 12105 Lawnview.
       

No one injured in Goshen electrical fire

       GOSHEN — An electrical cord sparked a fire Tuesday morning that destroyed a two-story home in the 5900 block of Deerfield Road.

        No one was home when the blaze broke out, and there were no injuries. Two people lived in the house, Goshen fire officials said.

        Fire crews were called just before 10 a.m. and found heavy fire coming from the upper floors of the home. The fire began in the attic.

        The resident told officials that there was an electrical fire in the attic hours before the blaze broke out, but that he thought he had put it out, Goshen Fire Chief Virgil Murphy said.
       

Failure-to-register charge brought in Ky.

       COVINGTON — A Hamilton County registered sex offender could be sent to prison for up to five years under a little-known clause in Kentucky's version of “Megan's Law.”

        The clause requires Ohio's registered sex offenders to also register in Kentucky if they work or attend school in the Bluegrass State.

        Cincinnati resident Clyde Herald, 48, who worked in Covington, caught the attention of authorities after they said he was caught on video allegedly fondling himself while following a young girl through a Covington department store on Jan. 24.

        Mr. Herald, of the 200 block of West Eighth Street downtown, is charged with a felony for failing to register as a sex offender in Kentucky, in addition to two misdemeanor charges in connection to the department store incident.

        Mr. Herald is being held at the Kenton County Detention Center on $30,000 bail. He will be arraigned this morning on a charge of failing to register as a sex offender in Kentucky.
       

Schools recruit business partners

        Cincinnati Public Schools kicked off a campaign Tuesday to increase the district's partnerships with minority-, women-owned and small businesses.

        School officials say they want to improve the diversity of their suppliers, and are hoping to target businesses with annual earnings of under $1 million.

        A crowd of about 150 mostly business owners, contractors and vendors turned out at Integrity Hall in Bond Hill to submit proposals for work on the decade-long $1 billion school facilities project the district is considering.

        Now, about 5 percent of the district's purchases come from women-owned, minority-owned or small businesses, said treasurer Michael Geoghegan.

Kitchen fire closes restaurant

        A two-alarm fire Tuesday that started in the kitchen of Nick's Chops & Chasers in Oakley shut down the restaurant, Cincinnati firefighters said.

        A motorist noticed smoke coming from the restaurant at 3355 Madison Road and called 911 at 5:54 p.m. The fire spread from the kitchen into the attic and roof area, said District Four Fire Lt. Ron Inman. No injuries were reported.

        About 45 firefighters battled the blaze, which they had under control within an hour. The cause is under investigation and damage estimates were not available late Tuesday.

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