Here are your morning headlines for Friday, September 8:
- Euclid police union seeks reinstatement of officer who punched man during routine stop;
- Judge drops charges against nephew of former Akron police chief;
- Dayton air force base shelters military aircraft fleeing Irma;
- Flags to be flown at half-mast in honor of Harry Meshel;
- Body cam footage sheds new light on police shooting of unarmed man;
- Kasich signs "Judy's Law";
- OSU cites public safety in blocking white nationalist Richard Spencer speech;
- Investigation underway on Put-in-Bay island;
- Seaberg takes over Summa Health Systems emergency department;
- ACA premiums expected to rise next year;
- Summit Metro Parks now includes a cricket field for Bhutanese refugees;
Euclid police union seeks reinstatement of officer who punched man during routine stop
A police union in a Cleveland suburb is asking the city to reinstate a police officer and expunge any record of his suspension after he was recorded repeatedly punching a man. Cleveland.com reports Officer Michael Amiott and a union representative will meet with Euclid Mayor Kristen Gail next week to discuss the grievances. Amiott was initially suspended 15 days for the Aug. 12 encounter. The mayor announced a 30-day extension last week. A video viewed millions of times on Facebook shows Amiott punching 25-year-old Richard Hubbard III more than a dozen times and hitting his head on pavement several times after Amiott stopped him for a suspended driver's license.
Judge drops charges against nephew of former Akron police chief
Charges have been dropped against the nephew of Akron’s former police chief who abruptly resigned last month in part due to allegations of misconduct relating to the investigation of his nephew. The Beacon Journal reports that a judge dismissed charges against 41-year-old Joseph Nice at the request of a special prosecutor handling the case. He had been accused of theft, forgery and evidence tampering. The prosecutor declined to comment on why the charges were dropped. A lawyer for Nice's uncle, James Nice, has denied that the former Akron police chief meddled in his nephew's case. He resigned after also being accused of using a racial slur about police officials and having an affair with a member of the department.
Dayton air force base shelters military aircraft fleeing Irma
An Ohio Air Force base is providing shelter for military aircraft leaving the south because of Hurricane Irma. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton says at least 20 planes are expected to land at the base today.
Flags to be flown at half-mast in honor of Harry Meshel
Gov. Kasich has ordered that flags be flown at half-staff on public buildings and grounds throughout Mahoning County and at the Ohio Statehouse in honor of the late Harry Meshel, who died earlier this week at 93. Meshel was a powerful Youngstown Democrat who served in the state Senate for 22 years, working his way through the leadership ranks to serve as Senate minority leader and president.
Body cam footage sheds new light on police shooting of unarmed man
Video footage shows an unarmed man fatally shot by a Stow police officer after being transported to a homeless shelter Sunday night had tried to steal a police cruiser and then tackled the officer after being shot at with a stun gun. Officer Robert Molody shot William Porubsky Sunday night in the parking lot of the Haven of Rest shelter in Akron. The officer's body cam video shows Porubsky refusing to leave the cruiser, eventually getting out, then running back to try to open the driver's door. The video then shows Porubsky charging the officer, then fleeing as the officer shoots at him with a stun gun. The footage shows Porubsky turning and tackling the officer. The two are heard but not seen fighting before two shots are fired.
Kasich signs "Judy's Law"
Legislation inspired by a woman who was set on fire by her ex-boyfriend has been signed into law by Ohio's governor. The bill, named "Judy's Law," requires six additional years in prison for crimes that permanently maim or disfigure victims. Kasich allowed each of Judy Malinowski's daughters to add a dot to his signature.
OSU cites public safety in blocking white nationalist Richard Spencer speech
Ohio State University has denied a request for a group to rent campus space for white nationalist Richard Spencer to give a speech next month. The Columbus Dispatch reports the school says there would be "substantial risk to public safety" if it accommodated the request from the National Policy Institute, led by Spencer. Several other campuses have rejected requests involving Spencer, citing safety concerns and August violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Investigation underway on Put-in-Bay island
Investigators have searched the Police Department, Village Hall and several other addresses on Put-in-Bay island. The state Attorney General's office said the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Ohio Ethics Commission were conducting a joint investigation Thursday in the South Bass Island village. Other addresses being searched include a hotel, a lawyer's office and an express ferry business. They aren’t providing details. The Lake Erie island resort town's Village Council fired its police chief in 2015 after he was accused of blocking an investigation into sexual assault claims against an officer. A judge later cleared the chief.
Seaberg takes over Summa Health Systems emergency department
Summa Health systems has hired a new chair of its emergency department. Dr. David Seaberg will take over the department with the intention of reestablishing the hospital’s residency program. In a statement Summa emphasized Seaberg’s experience starting emergency medicine residency programs at five other facilities. The National residency agency stripped Summa of its accreditation after the hospital abruptly replaced its long-time physicians group with an outside contractor earlier this year. Seaburg currently works for that contractor, Canton-based US Acute Care Solutions.
ACA premiums expected to rise next year
Ohioans who buy health insurance through Obamacare could see premiums rise an average of 34 percent next year. The Ohio Department of Insurance says the average weighted premium for an individual plan will be around $5,800. The state also says individual premiums in Ohio have more than doubled since 2013, but the majority of Ohioans who get their insurance through Obamacare reduce their personal costs with federal subsidies. Enrollment for 2018 begins on Nov. 1.
Summit Metro Parks now includes a cricket field for Bhutanese refugees
Akron has a brand new cricket field. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation partnered with Summit Metro Parks to create the sporting area in Cascade Valley Metro Park. The cricket field is an effort to accommodate Akron’s growing Bhutanese refugee population. Cricket is most popular in parts of Europe, Australia, and India. The turf field is in an area owned by the city of Akron, but will be managed by Summit Metro Parks.
