Officer's family wants killers to stay in prison
NILES - The family of a slain Niles police officer has gone to the Internet to keep his killers behind bars.
Randy Fellows and Fred Joseph Jr. are serving life sentences on aggravated murder charges for the December 1982 death of Patrolman John Utlak. Their first chance for parole is this year.
They were arrested only days after the murder in Cheyenne, Wyo., after Joseph was stopped for erratic driving.
Utlak - a narcotics investigator - was found dead on Hunter Street. He had been shot twice in the chin and once in the right temple with a .22-caliber weapon.
The petition can be found at www.change.org/petition, then search for Utlak.
Attorney general recognizes YSU police
The Youngstown State University Police Department is among four law enforcement groups being recognized by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine for contributions to the success of Ohio's Crisis Intervention Team program.
The CIT program helps direct people with mental illness to treatment instead of the criminal justice system.
The YSU department received the award Wednesday at the Columbus Police Officer Training Academy during this year's CIT Advanced Training Conference.
Other agencies to receive awards are police departments in Columbus and Wooster and the Hamilton County CIT program.
Compass Community seeks share of grant
Compass Family and Community Services is trying to win a portion of a $5 million grant from Chase Bank's Community Giving program, and the nonprofit agency is asking for votes to make that happen.
The top 196 eligible charities with the most votes will receive between $10,000 and $250,000.
Voting is open through Sept. 19. To vote, visit Chase Community Giving on Facebook and Chase customers can also vote on Chase.com. Login or passwords are not required. A voter can only cast two votes and only one can be for Compass, but the page can be shared among friends to vote.
85 of 88 Ohio counties eligible for disaster aid
COLUMBUS - Almost all of Ohio has been granted a natural disaster designation that will allow eligible farmers access to federal assistance to help with the effects of the drought.
Gov. John Kasich's office said Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture granted the governor's request for the designation for 85 of Ohio's 88 counties. The governor made the request after severe heat, rainfall shortages and other weather-related disasters affected large areas of Ohio over the spring and summer.
The designation gives eligible farmers access to federal assistance such as emergency low-interest loans for crop losses, relief payments for non-insurable losses and permission to cut hay for livestock from acreage otherwise set aside for conservation.
Farmers in the 85 counties are encouraged to contact local Farm Service Agency offices for more information.
Man charged with voyeurism kills self
COLUMBUS - An Ohio man committed suicide Wednesday, just days after authorities discovered hundreds of videos of naked women they say the man filmed from outside their windows.
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office said about 50 women were targets of John Hayes, 38, of Columbus, who was arrested last week and charged with two counts of voyeurism. He was free on $1,500 bond.
The Columbus Dispatch reported Wednesday that members of the county Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force were looking for child pornography when they searched Hayes' home and computer last week. Instead, they found hundreds of videos showing women dressing, nude and, in some cases, having sex.