Dismembered dear carcasses remain a mystery in New Franklin
NEW FRANKLIN, Ohio (AP) — Police in northeast Ohio have no leads in solving a Friday the 13th mystery involving the dumping of several dismembered deer carcasses that were found alongside the road.
The Akron Beacon Journal reports the mutilated and disemboweled remains of at least three deer were discovered on the side of a road in New Franklin last Friday morning.
Police say the does were found wrapped in duct tape and they didn’t appear to be killed for meat.
Investigators believe someone harvested organs from the animals before they were left on the side of the road. Lt. Ed Klein said the case doesn’t look normal.
The Ohio Division of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife has been notified. Anyone with information is urged to contact the New Franklin Police Department.
Gas prices are lower in Ohio and below national average
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio gas prices are lower than they were a week ago and below the national average.
A gallon of regular gas in Ohio averaged $2.23 in Tuesday’s survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and WEX Inc. That’s down 13 cents from a week ago.
Ohio’s average Tuesday was 11 cents below the average price of $2.34 reported nationally. The national average was 3 cents lower than it was a week ago.
Those prices are higher than at this time last year, when Ohio drivers were paying about $1.71 per gallon and the national average was $1.90.
AAA says the decrease in retail prices can be attributed to less demand and adequate supply, but adds that the downward trend may only be temporary.
Officials: Crisis text line has helped over 200 Ohioans
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Officials say a statewide partnership with a national crisis text line has resulted in the “active rescues” of 243 Ohioans in danger of harming themselves or others.
Cleveland.com reports that the Crisis Text Line connects people in stressful situations with a trained crisis counselor via text message. Ohio residents can text “4HOPE” to 741741 and are expected to receive a response within five minutes.
State officials began working with the Crisis Text Line in September and have since launched a campaign to raise awareness of the free service.
The three top text subjects in Ohio are depression, suicidal thoughts or behaviors, and stress.
Nancy Lublin founded the privately-funded nonprofit. She says the service was aimed at younger people but is open to everyone.
University of Cincinnati ROTC officials warn of impostor
CINCINNATI (AP) — The commander of the University of Cincinnati’s military training program issued a warning to the school community regarding a man posing as a U.S. Army staff sergeant on campus.
Lt. Col. Jason Bender tells WOIO-TV the impostor claims to be part of the university’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps in a scam for cash that he’s operated for nearly five years.
The ROTC commander called the unidentified suspect “an insult to the military.”
Officials say the suspect fabricates stories in an attempt to gain his victims’ sympathy and money. He’s claimed to have been in a motorcycle accident, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and a Purple Heart recipient among other tales.
Bender says police won’t arrest the man because he’s never displayed phony military identification or been seen in uniform.
Prosecutor: Man who fatally shot 4 in Ohio pleads guilty
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A man has pleaded guilty to fatally shooting four people and trying to kill a fifth during a robbery at an Ohio home in 2015.
Robert Adams Jr. faced the death penalty if he had gone to trial and been convicted. Instead, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said Adams pleaded guilty Tuesday.
The 29-year-old Adams faces life without parole at his sentencing Thursday.
A juvenile co-defendant was accused of helping Adams rob the five people in Columbus and then standing with his gun drawn while Adams shot them. The co-defendant was convicted and sentenced to 172 ½ years in prison last year.
A message seeking comment was left Tuesday with Adams’ attorney.
Ohio family gets new garage door after anti-Arab graffiti
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A donated garage door has replaced one that was spray-painted with a swastika and a profane message cursing Arabs at a Lebanese family’s Ohio home.
WTOL-TV reports an installer and a radio station donated the new door Monday to help the family move past the incident.
Moustafa Eltataway says his family appreciates the support they’ve received since his sister discovered the vandalism last week at the Sylvania Township home.
She painted a red heart over the swastika to reflect their community’s support. Then, over the weekend, a couple hundred supporters joined members of the Toledo Symphony to sing outside the home. They scrawled encouraging messages on the defaced door about welcoming neighbors and love conquering hate.
The family is considering preserving or displaying the door.
Police continue investigating the graffiti.
Ohio’s Cuyahoga Valley railroad logs its highest ridership
PENINSULA, Ohio (AP) — The nonprofit scenic railroad in Ohio’s Cuyahoga Valley National Park says it logged about 214,000 passengers last year, reaching the highest ridership in its 44-year history.
The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad says more than half of those were riders on the train’s scenic round trips at the northeast Ohio park. Others came aboard for special event trains and programs.
One of the biggest draws is a holiday program tied to the popular story about a young boy’s winter journey on “The Polar Express.” That drew over 42,000 passengers last year.
The railroad says about 24,000 passengers hopped on the train through another ticket program offered to bicyclists, runners and hikers who need one-way rides.
