Ohio Democrats give chairman new 4-year term

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio Democratic Party chairman David Pepper has been unanimously re-elected as head of the state party for the next four years.

The former Cincinnati councilman and Hamilton County commissioner has led the party since early 2015 after losing a bid to unseat Republican Mike DeWine as attorney general in November 2014.

Pepper will help Richard Cordray try to defeat DeWine in this year’s governor’s race, and re-elect U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown to a third term in his race against Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci.

Republicans have dominated recent statewide elections in swing state Ohio.

The party’s executive committee re-elected Pepper on Tuesday.

Dog finds adult human skull out in wooded area

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Police say a family dog in Ohio brought a human skull home.

Madison Township Police Chief Matthew Byers says the dog found the skull around 2 p.m. Monday in a wooded area in Madison Township.

Police responded to the area with cadaver dogs and found the rest of the body Tuesday.

Byers says the remains appear to belong to an adult, but he could not say whether they were male or female. He says there were no obvious signs of foul play.

Madison Township police say they have not received reports of a missing person, but they are reaching out to other departments.

The remains have been taken to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office for identification.

Cincinnati police step up patrols following killings

CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati police are increasing patrols in a neighborhood where six people have been fatally shot in the past week.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood has seen its deadliest eight-day period in at least 10 years.

District 1 Commander Capt. Lisa Davis said Monday during a press conference that officers will patrol on foot and on bikes in the neighborhood. Davis said officers will also meet with the public Thursday afternoon.

Lt. Col. Paul Neudigate said Monday the shootings weren’t random. Neudigate called the violence “an anomaly” and said many of the people involved in the shootings “are engaging in risky behavior.”

Police have not disclosed whether they think the killings are connected.

Over 1,000 Ohio sites offer meals for kids in summer program

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Department of Education says more than 1,000 sites around the state are participating in a summer program that helps feed children when they aren’t getting meals at school.

Sponsoring organizations in the federally funded Summer Food Service Program are reimbursed for providing free meals at sites such as schools, parks, churches and libraries. The department says that list is growing as more sites apply ahead of a June 15 deadline for approval.

Children ages 1 to 18 are eligible for the meal program. Certain students between 19 and 21 who have physical or mental disabilities also are eligible for free summer meals. No sign-up is required.

The department says about 1,500 feeding sites helped provide over 4 million meals for children through the summer program last year.