Ohio casinos see revenue declines for May; racinos see bump
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — New state data shows revenue decreased by 6 percent at Ohio’s casinos last month as the racinos saw a 6 percent increase.
The figures released by the Casino Control Commission and state Lottery Commission show the four casinos totaled nearly $67 million in May. That’s down $4.5 million from May 2015. Every casino saw declines.
The seven racinos totaled more than $78 million, up from about $74 million a year earlier. All of the racinos reported higher year-over-year revenue figures.
The revenue is the money remaining after the casinos and racinos pay winners and deduct for promotions.
Casinos don’t report revenue collected from selling merchandise, food, or beverages.’
Ohio governor to sign off on speeding up lead-water alerts
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s governor is set to sign off on requiring public water systems to alert residents within two days after lead is found at the tap.
The requirement is a key part of an overhaul rolled out by the administration of Gov. John Kasich to change how the state and its cities deal with lead in drinking water.
Kasich was expected to put his signature on the new law Thursday.
The two-day notification is a major switch from current federal rules that give water plants 60 days to notify all residents.
The measure also calls for speeding up the process of testing for lead in drinking water and helping cities map and remove lead pipes.
Ohio relative whose dog killed baby gets 3 years in prison
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — The step-grandmother of a 7-month-old Indiana boy killed in a 2014 dog attack has been sentenced to three years in prison in Ohio.
Kimiko Hardy, of Dayton, cried while being sentenced Thursday. She’d been found guilty earlier on charges including involuntary manslaughter, endangering children and failure to restrain a vicious dog.
Her pit bull mix attacked the boy at her home in July 2014.
The Dayton Daily News reports Hardy’s attorney said she is heartbroken and called the boy’s death an “unforeseeable tragedy.”
The boy’s mother said in court that an apology won’t bring him back.
The coroner initially ruled it an accident, but investigators determined Hardy knew the dog was dangerous.
Authorities say the dog had charged a letter carrier and attacked another dog near Hardy’s home.
Ohio patrol: Girl, 14, walking in road fatally hit by truck
ST. MARYS, Ohio (AP) — Authorities say a 14-year-old girl was fatally struck by a pickup truck while walking down a western Ohio road late at night.
The State Highway Patrol says troopers are looking for the driver and the dark-colored truck that drove away after the girl was struck late Wednesday on a county road near St. Marys.
The girl was taken to a hospital, where she died. Authorities didn’t immediately identify the teenager or comment on why she might have been in the roadway at that time of night.
Teen dies after fall in elevator shaft of abandoned building
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Police in northwest Ohio say a teenager died after apparently falling down an elevator shaft in an abandoned apartment building.
Authorities in Toledo say 16-year-old Joshua Sorrell was found outside the building late Wednesday night. He later died at a Toledo hospital.
Police say he and a few friends were exploring the vacant apartment complex when he fell down the shaft.
WTOL-TV in Toledo reports he fell at least five stories to the building’s ground floor.
Ohio State announces expanded beer sales at stadium
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State fans will soon be able to have a beer anywhere in Ohio Stadium during football games.
The university says beer will be sold stadium-wide during the 2016 football season. The sale of alcohol began last year for patrons with tickets in the suite and club levels of the stadium.
Officials say proceeds from the sales will pay for two new full-time university police officers at a cost of about $300,000. Another $50,000 from the game-day beer is being dedicated for two years to pay for a study on alcohol consumption and how its presence affects public events.
The university also has announced stricter limits on bags carried into the stadium. Exceptions will be made for those who need medical items for child-care supplies.
Ex-football star Wells testifies against extortion suspect
AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Former Ohio State star and NFL player Christopher “Beanie” Wells has testified against a man suspected of trying to extort at least $65,000 from him over a botched drug deal.
Cleveland.com reports the 27-year-old Wells testified Wednesday at Franklin Conley’s federal trial, denying Conley’s allegations that Wells was tied up in drug-dealing.
Prosecutors say the 28-year-old Akron man threatened violence toward Wells and his family if the former Arizona Cardinals running back didn’t pay between $65,000 and $175,000.
Conley’s attorney says Wells and his brother helped arrange a bad drug deal for Conley and another man and took their money.
Wells adamantly denied that. He isn’t charged with a crime.
Wells was released by the Cardinals in 2013, later tore his Achilles tendon and hasn’t played since then.
Triple shooting at Columbus convenience store leaves 1 dead
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A triple shooting in Ohio’s capital city has left one man dead and one in critical condition.
Police officials say gunfire erupted Wednesday morning after a fight involving four people outside a convenience store continued inside.
Police say Tommie Brown was shot repeatedly. The 21-year-old Columbus man later died at a hospital.
Kris Pace of Whitehall was found at the scene and has been hospitalized in critical condition.
Police say William Brown walked into a hospital with a minor gunshot wound that they suspect he suffered during the store shooting.
Officials say they’re still investigating who’s a victim and who’s a suspect in the shooting.
Ohio woman ‘prisoner’ in own home due to deer attacks
MENTOR-ON-THE-LAKE, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio woman says she feels like a “prisoner” because a deer has been attacking her near her home.
Cindy Frost says she’s called police about the doe and asked for assistance in walking her dogs near her suburban Cleveland home.
Frost says the deer charged her last week while she was taking her dogs out. She says she had to fight the doe off with a dog leash and her fist, and tried to zigzag back and forth. Frost says the deer slipped on the black top allowing her to safely return inside. She says the deer then circled her home.
Frost says the doe’s fawn lives in her backyard.
State wildlife officials say her there’s not much they can do, and that such encounters are likely quite common.
