Ohio News Briefs

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Kellogg’s announces Ohio layoffs

SHARONVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Kellogg’s says it will close an Ohio distribution center and permanently lay off nearly 250 employees.

In a letter sent to the state, the company says the Sharonville center will close this summer. The final day for distribution workers will be between July 29 and August 11. For off-site sales employees, the final day will be between August 4 and August 17.

The Michigan-based company has said it would close 39 distribution facilities across the country, affecting more than 1,000 workers. The company says it is changing how it ships products.

Originally a cereal maker, Kellogg’s also makes Eggo frozen waffles, Pop-Tarts and Pringles.

Cincinnati to continue use of bow hunters to cull park deer

CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati says it plans to continue the use of bow hunters to cull deer from the city’s parks.

The city’s park system is also considering the use of more fences to keep the animals out.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports evidence shows the 10-year-old bow hunter program has sharply reduced the number of deer in Mount Airy park.

The nearly 1,500 park had about 100 deer in last year’s survey, which is still considered too many for a park that size.

The program has culled more than 1,300 deer from 10 parks. It started with sharpshooters from the Cincinnati police with volunteer bow hunters brought in after two years.

A sterilization program is also used to control deer in the city’s Clifton neighborhood.

3 centenarian sisters honored at Ohio high school graduation

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Three centenarian sisters have been honored at the final graduation ceremony of the Ohio high school they attended.

104-year-old Hazel Jarrell was a member of the class of 1932 at Canton Township High School, the first graduating class at the school now known as Canton South High School in northeastern Ohio.

Two of Jarrell’s sisters, 102-year-old Irene Jarrell and 100-year-old Ruth Jarrell Gerber Hall, were also graduates of the school.

The Repository reports the three were recognized at Tuesday’s Canton South High School graduation.

The school is scheduled for demolition in a couple months and will be replaced by a new facility that’s almost done.

Hazel Jarrell says she’s saddened at the school’s demise but understands that a new building is needed.

Toledo has millions more than expected

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio city could have $6 to $8 million more than expected in its budget this year.

The city of Toledo has benefited from lower-than-expected health care costs, income tax revenue and lower workers compensation costs.

Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson tells the Toledo Blade she plans to hire new police officers a month earlier than planned.

The city’s finance director says he is not calling the money a general fund surplus because the city took money from its capital improvement fund to pay for daily operations.

Hicks-Hudson is seeking re-election this year. Her challengers, Democrat Wade Kapszukiewicz and Republican Tom Waniewski both shared how they would spend the surplus.

Kapszukiewicz says he would hire 40 police officers a year. Waniewski says he would be careful about spending.

Winery closed after distillery explosion and subsequent fire

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — A northern Ohio winery is closed following an explosion and subsequent fire.

Officials say the explosion happened inside a distillery at the Winery at Wolf Creek in Copley Township. Several fire crews from nearby communities were called in to battle the blaze Tuesday morning.

The winery says in a Facebook post that everyone, including the various alpacas and goats, is “safe and sound.”

The winery was recently open to the public for the Memorial Day weekend. The owners say none of the public areas were damaged, and they hope to reopen for the summer season.

Copley Fire Chief Michael Benson says the cause of the explosion is still under investigation. An estimate for the damage has not been released.

Charter school in Ohio seeks to delay vote on repaying state

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s largest charter school wants a judge to block the state Board of Education from voting on a recommendation that would order the school to pay back $60 million for enrollment that can’t be justified.

The Columbus Dispatch reports the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow, or ECOT, recently filed the motion asking the court to block the June 12 vote, while the charter school appeals.

A hearing officer has suggested the school pay back $60 million of state funding after a review found students weren’t meeting the minimum amount of attendance hours. The board can accept, reject or modify the recommendations.

ECOT says the state’s action amounts to an illegal, retroactive rule change.

A trial court ruled in favor of the state education department, but the charter school is appealing.

Body of missing kayaker found in Ohio lake

DELAWARE, Ohio (AP) — Authorities say the body of a missing kayaker has been recovered in a lake in central Ohio.

Berlin Township Fire Chief Craig Hall says the body of 40-year-old Shawn Leasure was found in Alum Creek Lake in Delaware County on Tuesday afternoon. Berlin Township is about 6 miles north of Columbus.

Leasure was reported missing Monday afternoon. Leasure’s hometown wasn’t immediately released.

The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources say a woman reported she and Leasure were kayaking together Monday when her kayak began to capsize and Leasure tried to help her.

Authorities say the woman made it to shore, but Leasure apparently was pulled under.

A fire department boat capsized Tuesday while searching for Leasure, but no injuries were reported.

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