Court reinstates death sentence for killer

By Laura Bischoff | Monday, November 9, 2009, 02:10 PM

An Ohio man with a long history of luring gay men into secluded areas to rob them can be put to death for a 1985 murder case, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in a 9-0 ruling released Monday, Nov. 9.

The ruling reinstates the death sentence of Robert Van Hook for the murder of David Self.

The sentence had been set aside earlier this year when the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that defense attorneys failed to uncover information about Van Hook’s childhood.

Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray appealed that ruling, saying Van Hook’s lawyers performed adequately. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed.

“We are very pleased with the court’s decision,” Cordray said. “The trial court learned extensive details about Mr. Van Hook’s difficult childhood and upbringing, but the court still elected to impose a death sentence. That decision was appropriate given the horrific nature of the murder in this case.”

Van Hook met Self in a Cincinnati bar, lured him to an apartment for sex, strangled him, mutilated his body and robbed him.

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Health care forum and competing rally planned

By Lynn Hulsey | Monday, November 9, 2009, 01:59 PM

Supporters of free market health care reforms will hold a public forum and supporters of the health care reform making it way through Congress will rally in downtown Dayton on Wednesday, Nov. 11.

A panel will discuss “Free Market Health Care Reform” in the Dayton Convention Center, 22 E. Fifth St., Dayton from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Presented by Take It Back in association with other local organizations, the forum will include discussion on how to solve the health care issue using “community resources and free market principles,” according to a news release.

Also Wednesday, a rally will be held in support of the health care reform package passed by the U.S. House of Representatives over the weekend and proposals under consideration in the U.S. Senate. Sponsored by liberal advocacy group, ProgressOhio, the rally is at 6 p.m. and begins at 131 S. Wilkinson Street and includes a march to the Dayton Convention Center.

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Downtown Rally for Jobs Planned

By Lynn Hulsey | Monday, November 9, 2009, 10:49 AM

A rally for jobs and and for the government to provide more help to needy people is being held in downtown Dayton on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 4:30 p.m., according to Logan Martinez rally coordinator and a member of the Miami Valley Full Employment Council.

The rally is in front of the Old Court House at Third and Main streets at 4:30 p.m. Martinez said the rally is to call for living wage jobs; support for people who are unemployed, underemployed or underpaid; new job creation programs; abolition of time limits for families on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; a rollback in Greater Dayton RTA fare increases and putting a stop to evictions and renegotiating home mortgages.

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434,800 H1N1 vaccine doses on the way

By Laura Bischoff | Monday, November 9, 2009, 10:45 AM

Another 434,800 doses of H1N1 flu vaccine are on order for Ohio, the state Department of Health said Monday, Nov. 9. The doses were ordered from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday and are expected to be shipped directly to 315 local health departments and hospitals across the state.

The vaccine is earmarked for health care workers, pregnant women, children and young adults, adults with chronic medical conditions, and people who live with or care for babies less than 6 months old.

Once this round of doses arrive, Ohio will have had 1.4 million doses. More vaccine is expected in the coming weeks.  

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Husted names county chairs for secretary of state campaign

By William Hershey | Monday, November 9, 2009, 10:11 AM

State Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, on Monday, Nov. 9, announced 88 county chairs for his secretary of state campaign.

“A successful campaign in Ohio starts with building a strong grassroots organization in all 88 counties,” Husted said in a press release. “A full year before the election we have Republican and community leaders throughout the state actively working to build a winning campaign for secretary of state.”

Husted is running against Sandy O’ Brien, the former Ashtabula County auditor, for the Republican nomination in the secretary of state’s race.

State Rep. Jennifer Garrison, D-Marietta, is the Democratic candidate.

Here are Husted’s county chairs in Dayton-area counties:

Montgomery, Rep. Peggy Lehner, R-Kettering; Carl Wick, campaign treasurer and Maureen Patterson, regional leader

Butler, Alex Coelho, president, Miami University College Republicans

Champaign, Mike Terry, county Central Committee chair

Clark, state Sen. Chris Widener, R-Springfield

Darke, Darryl Mehaffle, Ohio Republican Party Central Committee member

Greene, Mike Bir, assistant executive chair, county party

Miami, Jim Oda, Central Committee member

Preble, Kim Craft, county Executive Committee member

Warren, Tom Raga, former state representative

For other county chairs, click www.hustedforohio.com.

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State flags ordered to fly at half-staff

By Laura Bischoff | Friday, November 6, 2009, 02:24 PM

All Ohio and American flags at public buildings and grounds are to be flown at half-staff until Tuesday, Nov. 10, in honor of the victims of the Fort Hood shootings, Gov. Ted Strickland ordered.   “Ohio grieves for the victims of the tragedy at Fort Hood. The prayers of our people seek comfort for the families of those who were lost, recovery for those who were injured, and solace for all whose lives were affected by this senseless violence,” Strickland said in a written statement.

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In Congress the rich get poorer, a little bit anyway

By Laura Bischoff | Thursday, November 5, 2009, 03:10 PM

While regular Joes across America rely on unemployment benefits and max out their credit cards to get by, members of Congress can say they feel their pain.

Current congressional members’ median wealth uncharacteristically dipped 5 percent in 2008 compared with 2007, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of federal personal financial disclosure reports found.

Don’t feel too badly for them, though. Congress is still a club with 237 millionaires and 50 members have at least $10 million.

“Generally speaking, members of Congress are wealthy by comparison with the vast majority of Americans. That doesn’t mean they’re immune to the effects of this ailing economy — they’re not,” said Sheila Krumholz, the Center for Responsive Politics’ executive director. “But they are much better positioned to withstand financial pressures than the people they represent.”

The CRP found that current U.S. senators have a median reportable worth of $1.79 million while House members’ median income was $622,254 in 2008. That’s down from $2.27 million and $724,258, respectively, in 2007, the report said.

U.S. senators currently serving have a median reportable worth of $1.79 million for 2008, down from $2.27 million in 2007, CRP’s analysis indicates. Meanwhile, currently serving House members’ median income was $622,254 in 2008, down from $724,258 in 2007.

Members of Congress are required to report their wealth and liabilities in broad ranges. CRP calculated members range of asset values and average estimated wealth. Here is Miami Valley delegation members’ net worth ranges and how they ranked in the House and Senate:

Steve Austria, R-Beavercreek, net worth $6,006 to $90,000, ranks 387th John Boehner, R-West Chester, net worth $1.7 million to $6.6 million, ranks 70th Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, net worth $105,008 to $327,000, ranks 319th Jean Schmidt, R-Cincinnati, net worth $2.8 million to $9 million, ranks 48th Mike Turner, R-Centerville, net worth $172,091 to $1.4 million, ranks 192nd.

Sherrod Brown, D-Avon, net worth $65,009 to $275,000, ranks 92nd George Voinovich, R-Cleveland, net worth $665,055 to $2.3 million, ranks 58th

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