Ohio bill would cap short-term loan interest rates
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A bipartisan bill introduced in the Ohio House seeks to cap interest on short-term loans at a 28 percent annual percentage rate.
Cleveland.com reports that the bill would limit payday loan lenders from charging more than 28 percent interest plus monthly fees of 5 percent on the first $400 loaned, or a maximum of $20.
The legislation also would prohibit charging monthly payments exceeding 5 percent of a borrower’s gross monthly income.
A law passed in 2008 capped annual percentage interest rates at 28 percent. But it had little effect because lenders registered to lend under other parts of state law.
An Ohio Consumer Lender’s Association spokesman says any new legislation that imposes restrictive caps will harm consumers by eliminating credit options.
Report: Woman who died with husband battled drugs for years
CENTERVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Family members say a woman found dead along with her airline pilot husband from apparent fentanyl overdoses had long batted drug problems.
Police say the children of 36-year-old Brian Halye and 34-year-old Courtney Halye found their bodies at their home in Centerville near Dayton.
Brian Halye was a pilot for Spirit Airlines.
The Dayton Daily News reports that police records show that Courtney Halye’s mother called police in January 2016 because she was worried that her daughter had threatened to harm herself.
The mother told police in January 2016 her daughter had been “hooked on drugs” on and off for about seven years.
Brian Halye told police at the time that his wife had battled heroin and cocaine addiction for quite a while.
Ohio House Democrats seek replacement as lawmaker steps down
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio House Democratic Caucus is accepting letters of interest as it prepares to appoint a replacement for a lawmaker from Akron who is stepping down.
Rep. Greta Johnson is leaving her legislative role at the end of March to become deputy director in Stark County’s law department.
The minority caucus will appoint someone to finish her term that runs through December 2018.
A statement from House Democratic Leader Fred Strahorn says a screening panel of five Democratic lawmakers will interview applicants and make a recommendation to the whole 32-member caucus.
It’s accepting resumes and letters from interested applicants through the end of the month.
Rock Hall pays tribute to Chuck Berry, its first inductee
CLEVELAND (AP) — Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” and “Roll Over Beethoven” are echoing inside The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland as it pays to tribute to the music legend.
Berry died Saturday at his home near St. Louis at age 90.
He was the first person inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of its initial class in 1986.
Berry hit the Top 10 in 1955 with “Maybellene” and influenced generations of musicians.
The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards said at Berry’s induction ceremony that Berry was the one who started it all.
Rock hall Chief Executive Greg Harris says rock n’ roll as we know it wouldn’t exist without Chuck Berry.
The hall says his music will greet visitors through the day on Sunday.
Bowling Green to close university golf course this year
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (AP) — Bowling Green State University is closing the school’s golf course.
The university says declining revenues, the cost to upgrade the course and the number of other courses nearby played a role in the decision.
It says it can’t ask students to continue to subsidize the golf course.
The course will close after this year’s season. It first opened in 1965 and sits near the university’s football stadium and along Interstate 75.
The university says it hired a consultant to review the course and decided that even with significant upgrades it would be tough to break even.
Among the shortcomings are an out-of-date clubhouse and a lack of a banquet facility and food services.
Slain nun’s Brazilian group gets human rights award in Ohio
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — An international human rights award from the University of Dayton will be presented to the Brazilian organization for which Ohio-born nun and rain forest defender Dorothy Stang worked before she was fatally shot in 2005.
The school says representatives from the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops’ Pastoral Land Commission will be recognized during a ceremony March 28 at the Ohio campus.
The research director at the university’s Human Rights Center says the Brazilian group is being honored with the Blessed Oscar Romero Human Rights Award for taking great personal risk while defending the environment, the poor and victims of slave labor.
The award is named for a Salvadoran archbishop who advocated for human rights before he was killed in 1980 at a Mass and was later designated a martyr.
