Amusement park company fined for safety violations
SANDUSKY, Ohio (AP) — The parent company for Ohio’s Cedar Point amusement park has been fined over $140,000 for safety violations.
The Blade reports the $142,270 fine by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration stems from an April 11 incident where an employee was seriously injured in a fall from a park building. According to OSHA, the worker fell through a skylight and landed on a concrete floor.
Officials say the park didn’t provide the injured worker and the other two crew members working on the roof a guard rail or restraint system. Authorities say the workers hadn’t been trained to recognize falling hazards either.
Cedar Fair spokesman Tony Clark says the company is reviewing the documents.
The company may contest the inspector’s findings before a review commission.
Lineup set for Columbus cartoon and comic strip festival
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The creator of the “For Better Or For Worse” comic strip and the artist behind the “Bone” graphic novels are among the participants in an annual cartoon and comic strip festival in Ohio’s capital city.
Cartoon Crossroads Columbus runs Sept. 27 through Sept. 30 at various locations throughout the city, including the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum on the Ohio State campus and the downtown Columbus library branch.
The festival highlights Columbus’ growing reputation as a hub for cartoonists and features creators of comic strips, political cartoons and graphic novels among others.
Lynn Johnston created “For Better Or For Worse,” which at its peak appeared in more than 2,000 newspapers in 23 countries. Columbus-based Jeff Smith is author/cartoonist of the BONE and RASL graphic novels.
Authorities ID woman’s body found ablaze along road
NEW FRANKLIN, Ohio (AP) — A woman whose body was found ablaze along an Ohio road has been identified.
Authorities say 43-year-old Kerrie Blondheim was found Sunday night along the border of Barberton and New Franklin after a passer-by reported a roadside fire. Barberton firefighters responded to the blaze initially thought to be merely a mattress fire and found Blondheim’s body.
The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office has said the body showed signs of “homicidal violence” but hasn’t specified a cause of death.
Barberton police began the homicide investigation, but later said New Franklin police were taking the lead because Blondheim was found within that city’s boundaries, several feet over the Barberton border. New Franklin is roughly 46 miles (74 kilometers) south of Cleveland in Summit County.
Investigators say Blondheim’s most recent address was Massillon.
Cleveland to pay $3.7M to family of man killed by officer
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland has agreed to pay the family of a man fatally shot by an off-duty police officer $3.7 million.
Cleveland.com reports a federal jury in 2015 awarded $5.5 million to Kenny Smith’s family in a lawsuit filed against officer Roger Jones, who shot Smith in the head in downtown Cleveland in 2012. A judge later reduced the award to $4 million.
A federal appeals court in January rejected the city’s claim it shouldn’t have to pay Smith’s family because the shooting was objectively reasonable.
Attorney Terry Gilbert said Tuesday the family didn’t want to prolong the litigation.
A county prosecutor cleared Jones of wrongdoing. The lawsuit alleged Smith was outside a car and not near a gun as Jones told investigators after the shooting.
A city spokesman declined to comment.
