Ohio lawmaker resigns spot as GOP delegate for convention
LEBANON, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio lawmaker who has opposed presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump’s candidacy has resigned her spot as a delegate to next month’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
Shannon Jones tells The Cincinnati Enquirer she’s not going to participate in the process. The Republican state senator is running unopposed for a Warren County commissioner seat.
Jones was bound to cast her convention vote for Gov. John Kasich, who won the state’s presidential primary. Jones says she supported Kasich, who has since suspended his campaign.
She says she’s opting not to cast a “symbolic” vote and doesn’t plan on voting for either Trump or presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the fall.
The state Republican party is working with Kasich to appoint an alternate for Jones’ spot.
Ohio sheriff wants body scanner at jail after overdoses
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) — A northeast Ohio sheriff’s office is asking county officials to buy a $200,000 body scanner after two inmates recently overdosed on fentanyl smuggled into the county jail by a third inmate.
The (Youngstown) Vindicator reports that the administrator for the Mahoning County Jail in Youngstown told county commissioners Thursday that the jail “dodged a bullet” when it was able to revive the two inmates using Narcan, an antidote for fentanyl and other opiates.
County officials initially discussed buying a scanner in January. Similar scanners, which perform an 8-second X-ray, are used in Hamilton, Cuyahoga, Stark and Medina county jails.
Jail administrator Major Alki Santamas told commissioners that jailers pat down inmates and can’t perform body cavity searches without a search warrant approved by a judge.
Cleveland wage vote unlikely to appear on November ballot
CLEVELAND (AP) — Organizers of a petition drive to raise Cleveland’s minimum wage to $15 an hour appear to have missed its deadline to get the measure on the November ballot.
Cleveland.com reports the Cleveland City Council could stall action on the issue long enough to prevent a November vote.
Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and City Council President Kevin Kelley oppose raising the current minimum wage of $8.10, but would support an increase if mandated statewide or nationally.
Raise Up Cleveland, backed by the Service Employees International Union, could get the issue on a special election ballot by gathering additional signatures.
A union spokesman acknowledged that if the council takes the full amount of time allowed by the city charter, the initiative will likely go to a special election.
3 officers cleared in shooting of man who killed couple, son
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A grand jury has cleared three Ohio police officers who fatally shot a man after he killed a couple and their 7-year-old son.
The officers responded to reports of shots fired at a Columbus home last November and chased 50-year-old Barry Kirk when he came out of the house.
Authorities say Kirk refused orders and pulled a gun on the officers, who returned fire. Kirk later died.
The Columbus Dispatch reported Thursday a grand jury cleared Officers Eric Clouse, Lincoln Green and Jack Snyder in the shooting.
Thirty-one-year-old John Anderson, 30-year-old Christina Anderson and their son Landon were found dead inside with multiple gunshot wounds. Their 12-year-old daughter survived.
The girl’s uncle, Jason Lozier, has said Kirk was a once-friendly neighbor who had previously argued with Anderson.
