Here are your morning headlines for Friday, March 16:
- Report suggests link between health and wealth;
- Judge asks for state input before declaring innocence of East Cleveland Three;
- Ohio Parole Board to issue recommendation ahead of Toledo killer's execution;
- Former Cleveland bartender gets probation after serving a minor;
- Southwest Ohio lawmaker wants to allow long guns inside public schools;
- Taylor campaign launches website attacking Republican rival DeWine;
- Akron considers spray park;
- Cleveland philanthropists to sell modern art to benefit foundation;
Report suggests link between health and wealth
The annual county health ranking by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation says four of the five healthiest counties in Ohio are wealthy suburbs. The unhealthiest counties are in the Appalachian region. Summit County ranked 46th among Ohio’s 88 counties, the highest among the six urban counties. The study measures things like premature death and low birth weights, smoking, exercise, diet, employment and education.
Judge asks for state input before declaring innocence of East Cleveland Three
A judge has given the state until 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon to tell her why she should not formally declare the innocence of three men wrongfully imprisoned for nearly two decades. Cleveland.com reports Judge Nancy Fuerst took steps yesterday to clear Laurese Glover, Eugene Johnson and Derrick Wheatt, known as the East Cleveland Three. Her decision will help the men collect about $4.5 million in compensation from the state. The settlement is the result of a federal lawsuit for wrongful imprisonment. But Attorney General Mike DeWine’s office asked her for a delay.
Ohio Parole Board to issue recommendation ahead of Toledo killer's execution
The Ohio Parole Board is ready to recommend whether a condemned killer should be spared ahead of next month's scheduled execution. At issue before the board is a request for clemency by the attorney for death row inmate William Montgomery. Montgomery was sentenced to die for the 1986 shooting of Debra Ogle in the Toledo area. The board plans to issue its report on Friday. Ohio's Republican Gov. John Kasich has the final say. Montgomery's execution is set for April 11.
Former Cleveland bartender gets probation after serving a minor
A former Cleveland bartender accused of selling alcohol to a 20-year-old woman has been sentenced to probation and community service. The woman was critically injured after falling from a balcony on St. Patrick's Day in 2016. A judge sentenced Carisa Buehner, 30, on Thursday after she previously pleaded no contest to a charge of disorderly conduct. Buehner initially was charged with serving alcohol to an underage patron.
Southwest Ohio lawmaker wants to allow long guns inside public schools
A southwest Ohio lawmaker says law-abiding high school students who are 18 or older should be allowed to carry long guns inside public high schools. Republican state Rep. Niraj Antani told the Dayton Daily News that Ohio law allows those over 18 to carry a long gun, so anyone who complies "should be able to carry and protect themselves." He said he wasn't advocating arming high-school students, but believes those who meet legal requirements should have the option to carry. Antani's comments come a day after tens of thousands of U.S. students walked out of classrooms to demand action on gun violence and school safety. The activism was sparked by the Feb. 14 school shooting in Parkland, Fla., that left 17 dead.
Taylor campaign launches website attacking Republican rival DeWine
Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor's campaign for governor has launched a website attacking the record of Republican rival Mike DeWine, Ohio's attorney general. The website launched Thursday expands Taylor's attacks against DeWine's long record in politics, including as a U.S. senator, in what's been a particularly nasty primary. Taylor's spokesman said the website was launched "lest Ohioans forget DeWine's liberal record on the conservative issues that matter most to GOP primary voters." DeWine's campaign said Taylor is engaging in "gutter politics, false accusations and name-calling." Taylor, DeWine, a crowded field of Democrats and the Green Party's Constance Gadell-Newton are vying to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. John Kasich.
Akron considers spray park
Akron is considering installing its first spray park in east Akron. The proposal was outlined at a meeting last night called by Councilwoman Tara Moseley Samples. The installation would be at Talbot-Whitney Park and could include water jets and animal statues. Mayor Dan Horrigan says he’d like to see similar parks in every ward in the city.
Cleveland philanthropists to sell modern art to benefit foundation
A Cleveland philanthropic couple is putting 26 works from their modern art collection up for auction to benefit their family charitable foundation. Cleveland.com reports the works from Morton and Barbara Mandel are expected to raise more than $75 million when they sell at Sotheby's on May 16 sale. The proceeds go to the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation.
