Portage County Legal News

Portage County Legal News.

Business

Study: Snack might help avoid fight with spouse

WASHINGTON (AP) — A quick candy bar may stave off more than hunger. It could prevent major fights between husbands and wives, at least if a new study that used voodoo dolls is right.
That's because low blood sugar can make spouses touchy, researchers propose.
In fact, it can make them "hangry," a combination o ... (full story)

Whitefish shortage causing Passover meal problems

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A shortage of whitefish in the Great Lakes region resulting partly from the winter deep freeze is coming at an inconvenient time for Jewish families: the Passover holiday, when demand is high because it's a key ingredient in a traditional recipe.
Markets in Chicago and Detroit were among those s ... (full story)

NE Ohio officer has knack for calming vicious dogs

LORAIN, Ohio (AP) — The dog whisperer carries a pistol, but rarely uses it.
Police Officer Richard Broz relies on patience and instinct to win dogs over.
"A lot of cops are afraid of dogs," Broz said. "A dog growls at them and they think the dog's going to attack them, and the dog gets shot."
Broz ... (full story)

Variable annuities and the S&P 500

Dear Mr. Berko: My sister is 42, and I'm 46. We have a $110,000 certificate of deposit we inherited from our parents. It pays 4 percent and matures next month. Our uncle is a stockbroker and has recommended that we invest $55,000 in an AXA variable annuity with a great 6 percent income guarantee (I can send the prospectus if needed ... (full story)

Local

Murder verdict upheld by 7th District

The 7th District Court of Appeals recently affirmed the murder conviction and sentence in a Campbell robbery gone wrong.
Dreon A. Williams was found guilty by a Mahoning County jury of murder, attempted murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence for an Aug. 6, 2010 incident. He was sentenced in 2011 to 33 years to lif ... (full story)

State

Ohio justice: Division over death penalty expected

COLUMBUS (AP) — Divisions were to be expected on a panel that spent more than two years studying capital punishment in the state, the chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court said as the group wraps up its work.
The panel convened in 2011 by Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor finalized its recommendations last week and now awai ... (full story)

Legislation would permit investigate subpoenas for misdemeanors

Sen. Jim Hughes has reintroduced a bill into the Ohio General Assembly focused on investigative subpoenas for misdemeanors.
Senate Bill 295 would authorize the prosecuting attorney of a county or chief legal officer of a municipal corporation to issue an investigative subpoena for any criminal offense.
“Recently, a numb ... (full story)

Crosses displayed in Ohio village challenged

COLUMBUS (AP) — A group advocating the separation of church and state is protesting a pair of crosses displayed for Easter on a tiny eastern Ohio village's municipal building.
The Madison, Wis.-based Freedom From Religion Foundation has challenged the claim by the mayor of Stratton that it's constitutional to display the c ... (full story)

Court of appeals affirms prison sentence for woman who didn't return car after test drive

The 12th District Court of Appeals recently affirmed a woman’s nine-month prison sentence after she failed to return a car she took for a test drive.
Keionnaa Hughes’ case stemmed from allegations that she and an accomplice gave a car dealership a false identification and a stolen driver’s license in order to o ... (full story)

Maximum sentence affirmed for man who stole TV, led car chase

In a ruling released recently, the 4th District Court of Appeals affirmed a maximum prison sentence for a man convicted in a burglary case that led to a high-speed car chase.
The three-judge appellate panel affirmed the Pickaway County Court of Common Pleas’ finding that Travin Lister committed the worst form of his offens ... (full story)

Judges find court must consider merits of plea withdraw motion

A trial court must consider the merits of a man’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea after the 12th District Court of Appeals recently ruled that the motion was not barred by res judicata.
The three-judge appellate panel this week sustained Kono Furr’s assignment of error and remanded his burglary case to the Butler ... (full story)