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| Appellate court upholds Toledo priests conviction in nuns death The 6th District Court of Appeals has upheld the 2006 murder conviction of Toledo priest Gerald Robinson. In a 95-page decision released Friday, the appellate judges ruled that Robinson received a fair trial and ruled against a variety of other claims by his attorneys. Defense attorneys had argued that the priest was denied a fair trial, largely because of a 24-year gap between the murder and the priests arrest. Robinson is serving 15 years to life in prison. He was convicted of killing Sister Margaret Ann on April 5, 1980 Holy Saturday in the sacristy of the former Mercy Hospital near downtown Toledo. The 71-year-old nun was choked nearly to death, then stabbed 31 times in the chest, neck, and face. Robinson was arrested by the countys cold-case squad in April, 2004, and convicted in Lucas County Common Pleas Court on May 11, 2006. Prosecutors argued during the priests trial that a letter opener found in the apartment shortly after the nuns death was the murder weapon. |
| Obama vows to break hold of 'tyranny of oil' in energy speech DAYTON Calling it one of the most dangerous weapons pointed at America, presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama Friday vowed to break the hold the tyranny of oil has on America. Tyrants from Caracas to Tehran use (oil) to prop up their regimes, intimidate the international communities, hold us hostage to a market that is subject to their whims, he said. You know, if Iran decided to shut down the petroleum-rich Strait of Hormuz tomorrow, they believe oil would skyrocket to $300 a barrel in minutes, a price that one speculator predicted would result in $12 a gallon gas - $12 a gallon. Speaking to a crowd of about 1,300 at Stivers School for the Arts in downtown Dayton, the Illinois senator said the concentration of 83 percent of the worlds oil reserves in the Middle East gives the unstable region and Osama bin Laden a weapon against the nations economy. Imagine that, the very source of energy that fuels nearly all of our transportation, controlled by some of the worlds most unstable and undemocratic governments, he said. Thats not the future I want for America. We are not a country that places our fate in the hands of dictators and tyrants. We are a nation that controls our own destiny. He criticized Republican nominee-to-be John McCain for offering a plan that Mr. Obama argued doesnt offer enough investment in renewable fuels while pushing for a lifting of the ban on off-shore oil exploration. When John McCain talks about failure of politicians in Washington to do anything about energy prices, John MCain should look in the mirror because he has been part of at the problem, he said. Both senators oppose opening up Alaskas national wildlife refuge for drilling. Mr. Obama argued that expanding off-shore drilling would do little to reduce the price of gas at the pump. Mr. McCain has actively called for construction of 45 new nuclear power plants by 2030 with a long-term goal of 100 plants. He has defended the safety of nuclear power in a state where the Davis Besse plant at Oak Harbor is still recovering from a 2002 scare involving a cracked reactor head. Mr. Obama never mentioned nuclear power during his remarks, but when questioned about it later, he said nuclear power will be part of the mix. Unlike Mr. McCain, he offered no specifics. Part of what I think we need to do is get the best experts in the field to develop plans to improve regulatory guidelines to give people confidence enough that their families wont be affected by a nuclear facility located close by , he said. Nuclear power is going to have to be part of the mix. I know some people dont like to hear this, but theres no perfect energy source I dont think we can eliminate any single source. Both parties candidates have promoted versions of market-based cap-and-trade systems in which businesses would face lower air pollution limits but could buy and sell pollution credits like any other commodity. Mr. Obama wants to spend $150 billion over 10 years to help develop renewable energy technologies, double auto fuel efficiency standards, and mandate that 25 percent of Americas power to come from renewable sources by 2025. Both candidates promote development of cleaner coal technology, especially in a coal-mining state like Ohio that relies on coal to meet nearly 90 percent of its electricity needs. Rich James, owner of a Chevrolet dealership in Piqua north of Dayton, support s Mr. McCains proposal to temporarily suspend the federal gasoline tax to reduce prices at the pump. He said gas prices have undermined consumer confidence and hurt his sales. The little guy needs that help , he said. This tax relief would be significant help because they dont have other options. Mr. Obama, however, characterized the proposal as a gimmick that would have little long-term effect while reducing funds needed for roads. Contact Jim Provance at: jprovance@theblade.com or 614-221-0496. |
| Teenager convicted in Bedford Township fires MONROE A Lambertville teenager who confessed to setting fires to unfinished homes in Bedford Township entered into a plea agreement Friday in Monroe County Circuit Court. Michael W. Sykes, 17, pleaded no contest to two counts of arson of real property for fires that he deliberately started in March to a condominium on Fountain Circle in Crystal Waters Villa and a house on Brentridge Lane. The fires were set two days apart. Both structures were under construction. The teenager also entered no contest pleas to malicious destruction of personal property for trying to chop down a utility pole with an ax on March 14 and malicious destruction of police property for damaging a wall inside his cell at the Monroe County jail in May. The pleas were accepted by Judge Joseph Costello, Jr., who ordered Sykes to return to court on Aug. 7 for sentencing. |
| Ohio cities consider gasoline surcharge for speeders MIDDLETOWN, Ohio Some cities in southwest Ohio are considering a gasoline surcharge for speeders. A council member in Franklin wants that Warren County community to consider a surcharge to offset the higher cost of gasoline used in police cruisers. Councilman Bob Knipper says if you don't want to pay the additional penalty, don't break the law. Safety committee members will discuss the idea when they meet next week. Police officials in Middletown also have talked about a surcharge. They say they're quickly using up money budgeted for gasoline and diesel fuel. Several police departments have told officers to turn off the engine in their cruisers for a portion of each shift. |
| Creamer extends lead at Farr A two-horse race is setting up for this weekend at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, except one entry comes in with a significant head start. One day after shooting a tournament-record 11-under 60, Paula Creamer fired a 6-under 65 today to lead the field at 17-under, six shots ahead of Eun-Hee Ji. Rachel Hetherington and H.J. Choi find themselves in a distant third at 7-under par for the tournament. Toledo born Stacy Lewis turned in a 5-under 66 in the second round and is tied for fifth with three other golfers at 6-under. Defending champion Se Ri Pak sits in a tie for ninth at 5-under. Still only halfway through this one, Creamer is creeping up on LPGA and Farr history. Annika Sorenstam holds the record for the lowest 72-hole score posted on the tour with a 27-under 261 set in 2001 at the Standard Register Ping in Phoenix. Pak holds the Farr record for the lowest 72-hole score with her 23-under 261 set in 1998. Ji found a way to match Creamer and stay within striking distance of her for most of the afternoon en route to carding a 5-under 66. But Creamer turned up the heat on the back nine after making her first bogey of the tournament on the par-4 4th. She closed with a 4-under 33 and four birdies along the way to match the low score of the day at the Farr. After 36 holes, Creamer has same the number of birdies (18) as she does pars and bogeys (18). GULBIS MISSES CUT: Natalie Gulbis followed up a disappointing 3-over 74 yesterday with a 1-under 70 in the second round. Still, it most likely wont be enough to get her into the weekend with the projected cut at even par with more than half the field in the clubhouse. After making three straight birdies to open her round and making the turn at the cut line, Gulbis had her momentum derailed on the back nine with back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16. Read more in tomorrow's edition of The Blade and on toledoblade.com. |
| Martinez, Almonte lift Hens over Indianapolis INDIANAPOLIS - Five International League All-Stars suited up for the opener of the four-game Mud Hens-Indians series in Indianapolis. But the heroes of Thursday's 3-1 Toledo victory turned out to be three players who won't be in Louisville for next week's I.L.-Pacific Coast League classic. Hens starter Anastacio Martinez turned in his best outing of the season, doling out five hits and a walk while striking out five in eight innings. Designated hitter Erick Almonte drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning. Indianapolis starter Jason Davis matched Martinez's effort through seven and two-third innings, but wasn't involved in the decision. "Both guys, Davis and Martinez, pitched a good game," said Almonte. "Martinez was keeping the ball down and throwing a lot of strikes, and that was the key to the game." Toledo (53-42) has now won four straight after snapping a six-game losing streak. The win, coupled with a loss by I.L. West-leading Columbus to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Louisville's win over Buffalo, keeps the Hens in a tie with the Bats for second place. Toledo and the Bats now trail the Clippers by half a game. Martinez (2-1) was pleased with his performance. "It was my best start of the year," said the Dominican right-hander. "I was in control of all my pitches, like I could throw strikes any time I wanted to - my fastball, changeup, and my sinker, too." The Hens took a 1-0 lead in the second. Brent Clevlen drew a one-out walk and was forced at second by Almonte. Max St. Pierre followed with a grounder up the middle that eluded second baseman Josh Wilson and shortstop Brian Bixler. Almonte scampered to third on the play and flew home on Max Leon's single to right. The Indians (44-51) evened the score in the third. Matt Kata opened the frame with a double to left-center off Martinez, who was making his fourth start. When Josh Wilson followed with a bloop single past short, Kata came around to make it 1-1. Toledo's solid defensive work thwarted Indianapolis in the sixth. Nyjer Morgan started the inning with a bunt single and took second on a wild pitch. As the next batter, Andrew McCutchen, looked at ball four, Morgan took off for third. But St. Pierre nailed him with a strong throw from home to third baseman Mike Hessman. Neil Walker followed with a single to left that sent McCutchen streaking toward third with an eye on the plate. But McCutchen held up when Hens left fielder Freddy Guzman quickly corralled the ball and heaved it to the cutoff man. The inning ended when Martinez got Indians cleanup hitter Steve Pearce to bounce into a 5-4-3 double play. Davis, who beat Toledo here on May 31, also turned in a pair of defensive gems, both at Guzman's expense. In the third, the Indians right-hander rifled a throw to first from a sitting, sliding position to gun down the Hens leadoff hitter. When Guzman again tried to bunt his way on in the eighth, Davis legged toward first and shoveled the ball to Pearce for the out. Davis, who gave way to Franklyn German with two gone in the seventh, allowed five hits and a walk while striking out five. German (1-1) put himself in a hole in the ninth. Hessman led off with a walk, and Clevlen followed with a bunt that the Indians right-hander couldn't handle. Almonte followed with a line single that brought in Hessman with the lead run. "I was just trying to make good contact, and the ball went into left field," said Almonte. After a sacrifice bunt by St. Pierre, Leon walked to load the bases. Clevlen rode home on Derek Wathan's fly to right to give Toledo a 3-1 advantage. Blaine Neal pitched a one-hit, scoreless ninth for his league-leading 23rd save of the season. Neal, Clevlen and Hessman have been named to this year's I.L. All-Star squad, along with McCutchen and Bixler of the Indians. The series continues Friday with Yorman Bazardo (2-5) going for the Hens. The Indians have not announced a starter. |
| Area tech entrepreneurs get tips on funding Norman Rapino, an owner of IP Dynamics LLC in Toledo, is looking for capital to expand his company. Rocket Ventures, the venture capital wing of the Regional Growth Partnership, has more than $22 million in state and private grant funds to aid northwest Ohio businesses. But area businesses have struggled to secure local and state funds for high-technology research. In a five-year period when Ohio's Third Frontier program gave out 224 grants worth $665 million, northwest Ohio received just 16 grants worth $46.5 million, or 7 percent of the total. Nearly 150 businessmen attended an event yesterday at the Toledo Hilton focused on pairing companies with funding channels. Most are optimistic. "I have a feeling that [Toledo] is like Akron [more than 100 years ago] when the Goodyear and Firestone companies started," said Mr. Rapino. "We really have an energy now." He plans to apply for a Third Frontier Advanced Energy Program grant and use it to develop a device that converts DC electrical current from renewable sources to AC and sends it back to a utility company. Third Frontier is the state's $100 million high-tech funding program. "Starting a business is tough. Starting a technology business is tougher," he said. Greg Knudson, director of Rocket Ventures, said he is "pretty ashamed" about northwest Ohio's funding history. But he said he is working hard to spread the word. "We go out to economic development groups, Rotaries, and every university," he said. Since January, the firm has held 152 presentations and has awarded about $1 million in grants. It is working with 24 clients. Amber Hawkins, president of Your Computer Needs of Toledo LLC, wants to become a client. She said her computer training and consulting firm could use funds to expand clientele and offer new services. "I was surprised at the fact that so many different resources are right here in northwest Ohio," she added. Last year, Suganit Systems Inc. in Toledo received $250,000 in Third Frontier funds. "We've made more progress, and are closer to commercializing a product," said Sasidhar Varanasi. The firm is working to produce ethanol from bio-mass. It plans to open a factory this year if it can obtain funds, he said. |
| Apple iPhone goes on sale with smoke and cheers TOKYO Apple Inc.s new iPhone went on sale Friday in swirls of smoke to eager buyers who had waited in lines around a city block and happily counted down the final 30 seconds before launch. The celebration at Japanese carrier Softbank Corp.s store in Tokyo included a digital clock display ticking away over the entrance, part of a rollout in 22 nations, including Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. In the United States, where the phone first debuted last year, iPhones were becoming available at 8 a.m. in each time zone, giving Apple aficionados more time before the weekend to see just how the company upgraded the device with faster Internet navigation and dozens of new software programs. In Tokyo, Taichiro Nakamura, a 28-year-old filmmaker, was all smiles as he showed off his brand new iPhone. The first thing he did was call his girlfriend. Im so happy, he said, adding the iPhone to his personal gadget lineup that also includes the iPod Touch portable music player. Ive been interested for some time. By Friday morning, the line at the Softbank store had grown to more than 1,000 people. Softbank quickly said it had sold out, though exactly how many iPhones were available in Tokyo is unclear, fueling the fervor about the gadget. The 8-gigabyte model costs $215 in Japan, while the 16-gigabyte version is $320. Those are similar to the U.S. prices of $199 and $299. Tomohiko Katsu, a 38-year-old banker, said he has rarely lined up for any product in his life but wanted to make sure he got the iPhone, so he began camping out Thursday afternoon. All the features come packed in a compact machine, he said. Its really small for a mobile PC device. Katsu shrugged off the criticism already popping up from some Japanese that the iPhone may be a bit heavy and bulky compared to cell phones common in this gadget-loving nation. The iPhones capabilities are less revolutionary here, where people have for years used tech-heavy local phones for restaurant searches, e-mail, music downloads, reading digital novels and electronic shopping. The latest Japanese cell phones have two key features absent on the iPhone digital TV broadcast reception and the electronic wallet for making payments at stores and vending machines equipped with special electronic readers. But they dont have the iPhones nifty touch screen or glamour image. Just look at this obviously innovative design, Yuki Kurita, 23, said as he emerged from buying his iPhone, carrying bags of clothing and a skateboard he had used as a chair during his wait outside the Tokyo store. I am so thrilled just thinking about how I get to touch this. Eager to put their fingers on an iPhone as well, hundreds of people lined up outside stores in New Zealands main cities, where buyers could snap up the devices right as midnight struck and Friday began. Steve Jobs knows what people want, Web developer Lucinda McCullough told the Christchurch Press newspaper, referring to Apples chief executive. And I need a new phone. |
| Michigan utilities shutoffs up sharply Electric and gas utilities in southeast Michigan have reported sharp increases in the number of service shutoffs for nonpayment, a national trend that Ohio utilities say will migrate into the Buckeye state as the effects of a voluntary winter moratorium melt away. The number of shutoffs in southeastern Michigan climbed dramatically in May - the latest month for which figures are available - compared to May 2007, according to the Michigan Public Service Commission. Michigan Gas Utilities disconnected service to 880 customers in May, up from none a year earlier, a spokesman said. The same month, Consumers Energy shut off 7,215 electricity customers' service for nonpayment, up from 1,407 a year earlier, and DTE Energy shut off service to 6,545 from 3,091. Electric and gas utilities nationwide are reporting sharp increases in the number of customers losing their service because of delinquent bills. A survey by the National Energy Assistance Directors Association in June found that 8 percent of households with incomes between $33,000 and $55,500 annually were disconnected from electricity service. Delinquent utility customers in Ohio benefitted from a voluntary five-month morator-ium requested by the governor last winter after four people died in a home in West Toledo that had been disconnected that day by Toledo Edison. But shutoff notices from those overdue winter bills are starting to arrive now. Through May, Columbia Gas of Ohio had reported disconnections of 34,277 customers, up from 33,484 for the five months a year earlier. But spokesman Chris Kozak said that, through June, disconnection notices have climbed 9 percent for the year from the first half of 2007. "It's tough to know why someone doesn't pay their bills. Shutoffs are always a last resort," Mr. Kozak said. "Let us know you're in a position that you're having trouble paying your bills; we can work with you." Similarly, shutoff notices in the Toledo Edison service area were down sharply through May, with 788 this year compared with 1,921 last year. But the number is expected to rise this summer. "Customers that are having trouble paying their bills have to call us and let us know what's going on, so that we can point them to places where help is available," said spokesman Mark Durbin. Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, said high gasoline prices are a main culprit behind increasing shutoff notices. "In a lot of cases you could be spending an extra $100 a month for gasoline," he said. "For families that live from paycheck to paycheck, they just don't have any other resources available." Contact Larry P. Vellequette at: lvellequette@theblade.com or 419-724-6091. |
| PUCO weighs rules to help low-income homes keep utilities Regulatory authorities in Ohio are considering new rules to make it easier for low-income customers to keep power and fuel flowing to their homes, even as experts predict record home energy prices this winter. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is studying whether to modify rules that govern how utilities interact with those who can't pay their utility bills and those with low incomes. The rules under review cover the Percentage of Income Payment Plan, which allows those with incomes below 150 percent of the federal poverty level to pay 10 percent of their monthly income to maintain utility service. Any portion of the bill that isn't paid is placed into an arrearage account and remains an obligation of the utility customer. The National Energy Assistance Directors Association is predicting a 14 percent increase nationally in the cost of heating a home with natural gas this winter, and an 18 percent increase for those who heat with propane. Bills for those who heat with electricity are expected to rise 4 percent, and for those who heat with oil to increase 32 percent. Under the PUCO's proposed rules, the income percentage would be reduced from 10 to 8 percent. Those enrolled in the program also would be able to earn credits to reduce their arrearage account balance by continuously paying their bills on time or by consistently using less energy than in the previous year. A PUCO spokesman said about 480,000 households are enrolled statewide in the program. To qualify, a household with two people would have to have an income less than $21,000 a year; a family of four is capped at $31,800 in annual income. The agency is accepting comments on the proposal through Aug. 11 and is considering a request from the Ohio Consumers' Counsel and other organizations to hold regional public hearings on the issue. - Larry P. Vellequette |
| Movie review: Journey' gains depth in 3-D form Hollywood wisdom through the ages has always been that no technological innovation the transition from silent film to sound, black-and-white to color, hand-drawn animation to digital images could ever make a bad movie into a good one. Yet the three-dimensional breakthroughs employed in "Journey to the Center of the Earth" come close. In just two dimensions, Brendan Fraser's subterranean adventure to the planet's midsection probably would play as what it is at its core: A lame bit of hokum that's less a story than a theme-park ride. With crisp images and depth that make you feel you could reach out and stick your hand into the middle of the action, the movie projected in digital 3-D form actually makes that theme-park ride kind of fun. The trouble is, there are nowhere near enough theaters yet equipped to project digital 3-D flicks in Hollywood's nationwide pattern of 3,000-plus cinemas, so most of the places it'll play will be in two dimensions. Images of carnivorous fish leaping from an underground ocean right at the camera still may look cool in 2-D. But a shot from the perspective of a sink drain as Fraser spits out his toothbrush backwash into the lens effective and funny in 3-D most likely will just look weird when the extra dimension is taken away. In his directing debut, veteran visual-effects supervisor Eric Brevig makes the most of the 3-D technology that uses two side-by-side digital cameras to simulate the perspective provided by the right and left eyes. Moviegoers must wear glasses, but they're of higher caliber than the flimsy cardboard ones used for old-time 3-D flicks. Audiences already have been treated to similar effects in recent Hannah Montana and U2 concert movies, imagery actually floating off the screen so movie fans practically felt as if they were banging elbows with the live crowds. "Journey to the Center of the Earth" follows their lead in providing an almost tangible world that makes the eye-straining, headache-inducing 3-D movies of past decades look like the cheesy gimmick they were. This is not Jules Verne's sci-fi classic retold, though the movie does use his book as a template for a modern trek down below. Essentially a three-character story, the movie casts Fraser as absent-minded geologist Trevor Anderson, who forgets his nephew Sean (Josh Hutcherson) is coming for a visit. Trevor's brother, the boy's dad, mysteriously vanished years earlier on a field expedition in Iceland. Just as Sean arrives, Trevor stumbles on clues left by his brother that lead him to believe Verne's fantasy novel actually was based on a real journey to the earth's center. So he takes the boy along to Iceland to follow his brother's footsteps. They meet up with local guide Hannah (Anita Briem), and the threesome almost instantly finds themselves tumbling and racing through the planet's interior, encountering glowing birds, ravenous sea creatures and a pasty-faced dinosaur aiming to snack on them. While there are gimmicky shots designed to make audiences jerk in their seats as things come at them in 3-D mode, Brevig restrains the impulse to use the technology for too many cheap jolts. Generally, the 3-D images are fashioned to make fans feel as though they're sitting inside the movie rather than being assaulted by moving objects within it. The simple-minded screenplay credited to Michael Weiss, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin amounts to little more than amiable but empty patter that almost could have been dreamed up on the spot to fill the gaps between the nonstop action sequences. This is a movie made solely as a thrill ride. But be warned: The ride may not be too thrilling if you see it in conventional 2-D cinema, so try to catch the 3-D version. "Journey to the Center of the Earth," released by the Warner Bros. unit New Line Cinema, is rated PG for intense adventure action and some scary moments. Running time: 93 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four. |
| Nearly half of Toledo homes recycling at the curb Nearly half of Toledo's households are participating in the city's curbside recycling program - up from 27 percent this time last year, Mayor Carty Finkbeiner said yesterday. Mr. Finkbeiner made the announcement during a news conference to highlight eight "Green Initiatives" the city has implemented within the last year. Ninety-six percent of the 10,000 homes in the city's automated garbage truck pilot program are recycling and 44 percent of the remaining 82,000 homes in the city recycle at the curb, the mayor said. "That was obviously encouraged by the rate charges we put in place," Mr. Finkbeiner said. In May, Toledo's trash fee jumped from $5.50 a month to $7 for those who don't recycle. Recyclers pay $2 - down from $3. The fee will increase again on May 1, 2009, to $8.50 a month for those who don't recycle and drop to $1 for those who do. Beginning May 1, 2010, the fee increases to $10 a month for those who don't recycle and drops to zero for those who participate in curbside recycling. Residents in the automated pilot program received two 96-gallon containers - one for trash and the other for recyclables - that are picked up by trucks equipped with an automated side arm. Bill Franklin, the city's public service director, said the recycling rate could jump to at least 80 percent citywide when trash from all homes is picked up by automated trucks. In 2007 and early 2008, the city's department of neighborhoods identified the 12 worst locations under Toledo's anti-littering enforcement campaign. The city conducted an annual spring clean-up event by having 61 organizations and 893 people pick up 56,000 pounds of trash and 78 tires and remove 72 illegal signs. Mr. Finkbeiner also highlighted: •The Toledo Waterways Initiative, a long-term plan to update the city's sewer system and improve water quality in Swan Creek and the Ottawa and Maumee rivers. •The rain-garden initiative, formed to inspire people, businesses, and groups to create rain gardens, capturing water that would have ended up in the basements of homes during heavy rainfall. A rain garden is a shallow depression planted with native plants, designed to capture rain and allow it to be absorbed slowly into the ground. •Environmental permitting, by which the division of environmental services implemented a system of compliance tracking that helps the city identify companies in noncompliance with air-quality requirements. •The city's promotion of environmental conservation practices, such as "green" buildings. •The city's "green policies," to promote sustainable development strategies, such as the purchase of 14 new hybrid fleet vehicles. •A proposal for the state of Ohio to locate a Center for Alternative Energy in Toledo. The city's full list of green initiatives is posted on the city's Web site, www.toledo.oh.gov. - Ignazio Messina |
| Toledo picnic tomorrow for Hunters Ridge Residents displaced by a blaze that destroyed nine buildings in a South Toledo apartment complex are invited to a picnic tomorrow hosted by the city of Toledo. The fire started about 1:30 a.m. July 5 after fireworks ignited the roof of an apartment building at the Hunters Ridge complex on Gibraltar Heights Drive near Byrne Road and Airport Highway. No one was hurt, but 200 tenants were displaced. The picnic will be from 4 to 6 p.m. in International Park at the gazebo area. The event will include food, paddle boat rides, and entertainment by former American Idol contestant Candace Coleman. Items for the picnic were donated. The American Red Cross, which provided emergency services to 89 families and an overnight stay for one person, is assisting the city with the picnic. |
| Your Mortgage Questions Answered Q. I have seen a property that I might consider purchasing. The owner said that he is willing to arrange a lease-purchase agreement. How do these work? A. A lease-purchase agreement is a contract that commits the future purchase of a property. The difference between a standard sale and a lease-purchase is that a person can move into a home with little or no money down, and make rental payments for a specified period of time. A portion, usually a percentage, of each rental payment is then applied to a down payment. The renter purchases the property at a later date with the accumulated down payment. This type of an arrangement is open to negotiation, as there are no hard and fast rules that must be followed. A renter may use the option after the first year, or he/she may have up to three or four years to buy the property. The percent that is withheld is also negotiable and could range from 5 percent to 10 percent or more, or it could escalate, with 3 percent applied to the down payment the first year, and 6 percent being withheld the second year. Every point in the lease-purchase agreement also is open to negotiation. A seller who is having difficulty selling the property often offers this type of arrangement. Q. What should I look for when signing a lease-purchase agreement? A. Expert legal advice will likely ensure your interests will be protected, especially because there are so many negotiable points. If you are going into such an arrangement without legal counsel, however, at the very least make sure the following items are addressed. Determine how many months that you, the buyer, will make rental payments before purchasing the property, and how much of each monthly payment will be applied to the down payment amount. A final sales price should be determined in advance, with an independent appraisal performed on the property. If the seller is financing the mortgage, which is fairly common in these types of situations, you might also discuss the question of the mortgage rate at the time of the sale. If you finance through a lender, however, you will pay the current rate based on credit history, appraisal, and so forth. Also, be on the lookout for any clauses in the agreement that give the seller the right to unfairly back out of the deal. |
| Strickland touts Ohio's economic virtues Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:09:00 EST Speaking at the City Club of Cleveland, the governor also derided former U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm for claiming the country is in a "mental recession," not a real one. |
| Cleveland Clinic No. 1 in heart care, again Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:41:00 EST The latest rankings by U.S. News place the hospital among the nation's best and put it at the top for heart care for the 14th straight year. |
| Eaton wins Cessna fuel systems work Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:35:00 EST The diversified manufacturer estimates the value of the new aircraft business at $100 million over 20 years. |
| Sign and display maker sold by Riverside Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:49:00 EST The private equity firm cut the deal with Century Park Capital Partners of Los Angeles. |
| What a concept: No gas needed for this car Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:23:00 EST Real estate investor Jay Andress of Hyde Park and former roller-coaster company executive Andy Webster of Indian Hill were in Hyde Park Square unveiling their electric-concept car, dubbed the monomobile. |
| New owner stresses commitment to WCI Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:41:00 EST The new owner of WCI Steel is in it for the long term, its executives say. 'Were not here to flip this place. Were not here to sell it in three years,' said Thomas Cera, chief operating officer for Severstal North America. |
| Cleanup suspended at former Diamond Magnesium Co. site Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:39:00 EST The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is suspending the cleanup of radioactive contamination at a Painesville Township industrial site. The Army Corps had to halt the cleanup when funding ran out. The group spent about $15 million to excavate and remove contaminated soil from the site. |
| Pittsburgh investor buys Max and Erma's Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:34:00 EST Max and Erma's Restaurants has closed an $11.3 million transaction to convert the Columbus-based chain to a privately owned company. Pittsburgh investor GandR Acquisition acquired the company by buying all of Max and Erma's shares outstanding for $4 apiece. |
| Voters petition Akron on sewer issue Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:05:00 EST Mayor Don Plusquellic in February announced he wanted to sell the sewer system as a way to pay for scholarships for Akron's public high school graduates to the University of Akron or trade schools, but voters want a say. |
| Kings Island threatens to skip town Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:20:00 EST The theme park is threatening to de-annex from Mason and go back to Deerfield Township if the city enacts a proposed admissions tax, a 1% to 3% increase in ticket prices for local tourist attractions, such as Kings Island and The Beach Waterpark. |
| Polaris area to sprout two new buildings Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:30:00 EST Development company Daimler Group has taken the lead in what could become a race to build two office buildings in the Polaris area, starting work this week on the fourth phase of its Offices at Westar development in Westerville. |
| Gas stations continue 'low'-price battle Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:14:00 EST Three stations at Oberlin Avenue and Meister Road have been dueling the past two days, offering gas as low as $3.69 and consistently in the mid-$3.70 range. |
| Township says denial of grant cash is garbage Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:10:00 EST The Lorain County Solid Waste Management District believes Carlisle Township, which switched to the district's 'pay as you throw' program, isn't entitled to grant money because the township still has a drop-off recycling program. |
| Payday lenders can try ballot issue Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:27:00 EST Ohio payday lenders have been cleared to start collecting signatures for a ballot referendum that, if approved in November, would let them continue charging the same interest rate as they do today. |
| Summa in top 50 for orthopedics Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:02:00 EST The designation coincides with the hospital's plans to break ground Thursday on a $100 million orthopedic hospital that will be owned and operated jointly with the Crystal Clinic specialty physician practice. |
| General Electric likely to spin off entire unit Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:21:00 EST Rather than just jettison its Appliances business, GE indicated its focus is on spinning off its Consumer and Industrial business unit in full to its shareholders. |
| FirstEnergy workers ratify new contract Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:34:00 EST The electric company said members of two union locals that represent workers at Ohio Edison have OK'd a new five-year pact. |
| Cleveland Clinic wins $1.4M grant Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:28:00 EST The money from the Department of Defense will go toward the study of traumatic brain injuries, especially those inflicted by roadside bombs. |
| Rainbow given $1M to study childhood cancer Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:42:00 EST The gift from Jane and Lee Seidman will help create an endowed position at the children's hospital for pediatric cancer research. |
| Lake Hospital System receives grant Wed, 9 Jul 2008 09:04:00 EST The money will enable the hospital system to offer mental health services in the emergency departments at Lake East and Lake West hospitals all day, every day. |
| Cleveland State receives two $1M gifts Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:20:00 EST The money donated to the university will support the study of real estate and energy research. |
| June profits plunge at Progressive Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:09:00 EST The insurer saw its earnings last month fall 58% from levels of June 2007 due to greater weather-related catastrophe losses and higher investment losses. |
| 80-year-old Vegas stripper still does it 'classy' LAS VEGAS - Tempest Storm is fuming. Her fingers tremble with frustration. They are aged, knotted by arthritis and speckled with purple spots under paper skin. But the manicure of orange polish is fla... |
| Harley-Davidson opens museum in Milwaukee MILWAUKEE A banker held beloved motorcycle-maker Harley-Davidson's fate in 1984. He could agree to refinance the $90 million loan that executives took out a few years before to buy the company back fr... |
| 'Scared Scriptless' improv group to perform at Players Guild Canton's Improv Comedy Troupe, "Scared Scriptless," will perform at Players Guild on July 19. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., the performance begins at 8 p.m. The show runs for two hours with a 15 -minute in... |
| Will government try to bail out mortgage giants? WASHINGTON Wall Street and Washington wrestled Friday with how to shore up mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two troubled pillars of the economy whose failure would deal a devastating blow t... |
| Senate passes foreclosure rescue WASHINGTON A mortgage rescue to help hundreds of thousands of struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure and get more affordable, safer loans passed the Senate overwhelmingly Friday, but it faces a bumpy... |
| Oil spills over $147 a barrel NEW YORK Oil prices briefly spiked to a new record above $147 a barrel Friday, as rising hostilities between the West and Iran and unrest in Nigeria sent investors rushing back to energy markets. A de... |
| Ashland to acquire specialty chemicals maker Hercules WILMINGTON, Del. Ashland announced Friday it will acquire Wilmington-based specialty chemicals maker Hercules in a $2.6 billion cash-and-stock deal. The offer represented a 38 percent premium over Her... |
| Stocks finish week lower amid mortgage worries NEW YORK Wall Street's angst over the ongoing fallout from the credit crisis made for a turbulent end to a volatile week Friday - stocks tumbled, soared and then turned south again as investors tried ... |
| Apartments for elderly on the way in downtown Canton CANTON A $7 million downtown apartment complex for the elderly is under construction at McKinley Avenue and Sixth Street NW. The three-story, 40-unit building, nestled between Fifth and Sixth streets ... |
| Northwest Local School District borrows to meet expenses LAWRENCE TWP. The Northwest Local School District is in so much financial trouble it had to advance money from its permanent improvements fund to cover its operational costs. The district received the... |
| Jackson teen helps build school in Vietnam JACKSON TWP. The jungles of Vietnam are the last place you'd expect a teenager to be thinking of as she overlooks Lake Cable from her living room. But it's all that's been on Carly Zalenski's mind for... |
| Man held in murder of retired Canton police sergeant CANTON Police said Friday that they have arrested a 48-year-old parolee and charged him with the murder of 76-year-old retired police Sgt. Earl E. Schoeneman. Darnell Goodgame, of 709 Highland Rd. NE,... |
| Confessed killer convicted CANTON A man who calmly turned himself in and confessed to stabbing his girlfriend has been convicted of her March murder. Sean C. Hammen, 40, of 2704 Harrison Ave. NW, pleaded guilty Friday in Stark ... |
| Massillon man charged with rape CANTON A Massillon man has been arrested and charged with raping a 20-year-old southwest-side Canton woman in her garage Wednesday. Anthony L. Shelton, 20, of 1238 16th St. SE, was arrested and charge... |
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