Local News

Victim’s mother: Find a way to make a difference

WDTN News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 12:10

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) —  The mother of the young woman who lost her life during violent weekend clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, says the way to truly honor Heather Heyer is to “make a difference in the world.”

Susan Bro urged about 1,000 mourners gathered inside the Paramount Theatre on Wednesday to “find in your heart that small spark of accountability.”

“You poke that finger at yourself like Heather would have done and you make it happen.”

“You take that extra step and you find a way to make a difference in the world!”

Bro said Heather’s participation in the protests against white nationalists was “not the end of her legacy.”

“It was just the beginning of Heather’s legacy.”

President Donald Trump has tweeted for the first time about Heather Heyer, the young woman who lost her life over the weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Trump says the 32-year-old Heyer was “beautiful and incredible” and a “truly special young woman.” He says “she will be long remembered by all!”

Trump told reporters Tuesday that he planned to reach out to Heyer’s family. The White House did not respond to questions Wednesday about whether Trump has contacted the family.

Categories: Local News

Ohio teacher accused of letting teens used LDS at her home - WHIO

Local News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 10:43

Ohio teacher accused of letting teens used LDS at her homeWHIOForty-year-old Amy Panzeca, of Springboro, entered not guilty pleas Tuesday in a Warren County courtroom in southwest Ohio after being indicted on charges of permitting drug abuse, endangering children and permitting drug abuse. She was freed on bond ...and more »

Categories: Local News

Ohio man accused of plotting US attacks asks for leniency

WDTN News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 09:55

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A man charged with plotting to kill military members in the U.S. after receiving overseas training is asking for leniency at sentencing, saying he abandoned his plans for the attack.

In making his argument, Abdirahman Sheik Mohamud acknowledges that he became radicalized after traveling to Syria in the spring of 2014 and that he recruited others on his return home, according to a court filing this week.

Back in the U.S., Mohamud “realized the immoral and illegal nature of terrorist ideology,” his attorney, Sam Shamansky, said in the Monday court filing.

“He rejected the radical notions he had previously embraced and had completely abandoned any plans to engage in terrorism by the end of November of 2014,” the filing said. As a result, a lengthy prison term isn’t necessary, Shamansky argues.

“Mohamud urges the Court to consider his rejection of terrorist ideology as it fashions a sentence that promotes respect for the law,” Shamansky said.

Court documents unsealed earlier this summer show Mohamud, 25, pleaded guilty almost two years ago to terrorism charges. The government hasn’t explained why the plea deal was sealed for so long.

Federal prosecutors want a judge to impose a 23-year sentence. They say Mohamud tried to cover up dangerous terrorist activity, including after his arrest. Sentencing is set for Friday.

Recorded jail telephone calls between Mohamud and a person close to him reveal he told others “to keep their mouths shut,” assistant federal prosecutor Doug Squires said in a court filing.

“Mohamud characterized the situation as a ‘domino effect, and if one falls, everyone falls,'” Squires said in the Monday filing.

After becoming radicalized in Syria, Mohamud returned home planning “grievous harm” for which he recruited others, Squires said.

“Once caught, he orchestrated a cover-up beginning with his material misstatements to the FBI,” he said.

Court documents say that in 2014, Mohamud obtained a passport to travel to Greece but instead went to Syria for training and expressed a desire to die fighting there.

He returned to the U.S. after his brother was killed while fighting for a terrorist organization affiliated with al-Qaida, the documents said.

Mohamud wanted to travel to Texas and capture three or four soldiers and execute them, according to the government.

Categories: Local News

Riverside shooting victim identified - WDTN

Local News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 09:53

WDTNRiverside shooting victim identifiedWDTNRIVERSIDE, Ohio (WDTN) – The Montgomery County Coroner's Office identified the man shot Tuesday night in Riverside. The Coroner's Office said Wednesday 35-year-old Robert Caudwell, from Beavercreek, was the man shot in a parking lot Tuesday ...Man shot and killed on Linden Avenue Tuesday night identifiedWRGT TV Fox 45Police release photo they say is person of interest in deadly Riverside shootingDayton Daily Newsall 11 news articles »

Categories: Local News

5 missing after Army helicopter goes down off Hawaii

WDTN News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 09:38

HONOLULU (AP) — U.S. Coast Guard and military crews are searching the ocean off Hawaii for five crewmembers of an Army helicopter that went down during a training exercise, authorities said Wednesday.

Officials at Wheeler Army Airfield near Honolulu reported losing communications around 10 p.m. Tuesday with the crew of a UH-60 Black Hawk, the Coast Guard said in a news release.

Responding teams spotted a debris field about 2 miles (3 kilometers) west of Kaena Point, Oahu, shortly before 11:30 p.m., the release said.

A plane, two helicopters and several boats are being used in the search across an area with light winds and 2-foot seas.

Two Black Hawk crews were conducting training between Kaena Point and Oahu’s Dillingham Airfield when communications were lost, officials said. Clouds and a few showers were in the area at the time.

Night training offshore is routine, said Lt. Col. Curtis Kellogg, public affairs officer for the Army’s 25th Infantry Division.

The search began immediately after one aircrew lost visual and video contact with the other helicopter, Kellogg said.

The two helicopters are elements of the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade.

The UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-bladed, twin-engine utility helicopter manufactured for the Army by Sikorsky Aircraft starting in the 1970s.

Kaena Point is northwest of Honolulu.

Categories: Local News

Kasich calls out President over Charlottesville comments

WDTN News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 09:00

(NBC) — Ohio Governor John Kasich is weighing in on the events in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Kasich spoke on The Today Show on NBC on Wednesday morning.

He called out President Trump for his reaction to the attack that left a woman dead and 19 others injured.

Kasich says the President must condemn white nationalist groups and help the nation heal.

“This is reminiscent of what we saw in Germany in the 1930’s, Kasich said. “The President has to totally condemn this and this is not about winning an argument.”

“This is about the fact that, now these folks are apparently going to go other places and they think they had some sort of victory,” Kasich said. “There is no moral equivalency between the KKK, the Neo-Nazis and anybody else. They’re not, anybody else is not the issue.”

Kasich says this is a moment that the President can’t let pass by, as the nation looks for leadership.

“He’s our President ok,” Kasich said. “And, I’m here this morning speaking out as aggressively as I can.”

“I hope it will provide some courage to other people and there are great numbers of people now speaking out and he is our President but I want to say he needs to correct what he said,” Kasich said. “He’s got to understand what the people in this country want, and he has got to bring us together.”

Kasich says there are major problems facing the country, and it’s the responsibility of the President and other leaders to help Americans face those challenges head on.

“See what’s happening is the presidency is being reduced to another CEO job,” Kasich said. “The presidency is the most important job in the country, and there is a bitterness setting in that may not be able to be removed.”

“I want Donald Trump to understand it’s not about winning an argument,” Kasich said. “Its about bringing the country together. It’s not about having some kind of argument to justify these people on the left who went to a sweet town like Charlottesville for purposes of bringing violence.”

“He needs to make it clear that. I mean he has to fix this and Republicans have to speak out. Plain and simple. Who cares what party you’re in.”

Categories: Local News

From Isaac Asimov to Aimee Mann, ‘robophobia’ plagues humans

WDTN News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 09:00

CINCINNATI (AP) — Robots are secretly plotting to kill us. Or enslave us. Or, at best, they will take our jobs, one by one.

From science fiction written by Isaac Asimov eight decades ago to “Dilbert” cartoons today, the relationship between robots and humans has long fascinated — and worried — people.

There’s even a term, “robophobia,” for an irrational anxiety about robots and other advanced automation machines.

And there are concerns beyond the ones stoked by watching too much “Terminator .” Apple computer pioneer Steve Wozniak once suggested that robots would turn us into their pets . Physicist Stephen Hawking and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk have also warned about the dangers of going too far, too quickly, in developing “thinking robots” with programmed intelligence that might keep evolving self-awareness, similar to the humanoids in the HBO series “Westworld .” Hawking told the BBC in 2014 that “development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.” So there’s that. Researchers vary in projections on how long from now, if ever, such a threat could exist. For now, deaths by robot are very rare among industrial accidents. However, in July 2015, a 57-year-old technician was killed by a robotic machine in an Ionia, Michigan, plant that makes auto bumpers, trailer hitches and chrome-plated plastics. Her husband filed a federal lawsuit, being contested by the defendants, alleging a malfunctioning robot took her “by surprise,” crushing her head. Future of Work-Robophobia FILE - In this Monday, July 29, 2002 file photo, a U.S. Army soldier maneuvers Hermes the robot into a cave to detect mines, traps, and other unexploded ordnance as well as weapons or equipment possibly hidden by Taliban or al-Qaida fugitives in the eastern border town of Qiqay, Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan was the first time robots are being used by the U.S. military as tools for combat. Proponents of the robots believe sending them first into caves, buildings or other dark areas will help prevent U.S. casualties. (AP Photo/Wally Santana) FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2000 file photo, visitors of the world exhibition Expo 2000 stand in front of a robot display at the "Planet of Visions" exhibit at the Expoground in Hanover, northern Germany. Use of robotics in manufacturing and other sectors is increasing in countries from the United States and China, and robots have long been embraced for a variety of uses in countries such as Japan. There also has long been “robophobia,” stoked by science fiction writers and moviemakers. (AP Photo/Fabian Bimmer) FILE - In this Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016 file photo, a tissue-engineered robot swims in a tank of water in a laboratory at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. The stingray-shaped robot, capable of swimming in water after exposure to blue light, has a gold skeleton, silicone fins and the heart muscle cells of a rat. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) FILE - In this Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008 file photo, robotic suits named HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) are demonstrated during a news conference at the headquarters of Cyberdyne, a new company in Tsukuba, outside Tokyo. HAL, which reads brain signals and helps people with mobility problems, will be available to rent in Japan for US$2,200 for both legs and $1,500 for a one leg a month and may have far-reaching benefits for the disabled and elderly. (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara) FILE - In this Sunday, May 7, 2017 file photo, a robot with the Luxembourg team, right, prepares to kick the ball towards the goalkeeper robot from the Italian team 'nomadZ', left, during a soccer match for the Standard Platform Liga competition at the RoboCup GermanOpen 2017 in Magdeburg, Germany. Around 200 teams with more than 1,000 participants from 15 countries demonstrated the state-of-the-art in robotics with competitions such as in soccer, rescue and service robots. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) FILE - In this Wednesday, July 13, 2005 file photo, robot jockeys race camels at Al Shahaniyya Camel Racecourse on the outskirts of Doha, Qatar. Seven robots participated in the race. In 2004, Qatar banned the use of children as jockeys in camel races. According to the race officials the first ever robot camel race was a successful event. (AP Photo) FILE - This undated file photo shows a German V1 robot bomb flying towards London. Of the 8,000 launched, 2,300 robots got through the gun, fighter plane and balloon defenses, and badly damaged more than a million homes, killing over 5,000 British civilians. (AP Photo) FILE - In this Oct. 24, 2014 file photo, researchers Randall Briggs, left, and Will Bosworth monitor a robotic cheetah during a test run on an athletic field at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass. MIT scientists said the robot, modeled after the fastest land animal, may have real-world applications, including development for prosthetic legs. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2006 file photo, "Actroid," a robot made by the Japanese company Kokoro Co., welcomes visitors during a preview of a robot show in Taipei, Taiwan. The company says it can recognize speech in four languages. (AP Photo/Jerome Favre) FILE - In this Monday, April 10, 2017 file photo, Luminar CEO Austin Russell monitors a 3D lidar map on a demonstration drive in San Francisco. Russell, now 22, was barely old enough to drive when he set out to create a safer navigation system for robot-controlled cars. His ambitions are about to be tested five years after he co-founded Luminar Technologies, a Silicon Valley startup trying to steer the rapidly expanding self-driving car industry in a new direction. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 1, 1997 file photo, the robot "Hadaly 2" follows the movement of a light held by Choromatsu, a 10-year-old male monkey, during an experiment at Waseda University in Tokyo. The university's team, which has been working on humanoid robots for more than 30 years, held the world first ever interface experiment between robot and monkey. (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara) FILE - In this Aug. 28, 2007 file photo, Japanese robot creator Hiroshi Ishiguro interacts with a humanoid he designed to look and behave exactly like himself at his laboratory in Osaka, Japan. Japan faces a vast challenge in making the leap _ commercially and culturally _ from toys, gimmicks and the experimental robots churned out by laboratories to full-blown human replacements that ordinary people can afford and use safely. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder) FIEL - In this April 30, 1950 file photo, a man inspects what is said to be the first robot in history on display in the Deutsches Museum in Munich. The "soldier," which has an automatic bellows that blows a trumpet, was made in 1810 by Friedrich Kauffman of Dresden, Germany (AP Photo/Heinrich Sanden) FILE - In this July 13, 2016 file photo, Steven Guitron, a mechanical engineering masters student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, points a pipette at a tiny "origami robot" floating toward a "wound" in a stomach model in Cambridge, Mass. Guitron, and others at MIT have developed these tiny ingestible robots which are folded up to be swallowed to complete certain tasks inside the body. So far they can be used to patch wounds, remove foreign objects, and even deliver medicine within the body. The robots unfold when ingested, and can be controlled by magnet forces outside of the body. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) FILE - In this Friday, Aug. 4, 2006 file photo, a diver, right, pushes an underwater autonomous robot in a test pool during the 2006 International Autonomous Underwater competition in San Diego. The challenge was to create a robot that could, free of human control, carry out a series of sinking, swimming and resurfacing tasks in the 38-foot-deep pool. (AP Photo/Chris Park) FILE - In this Tuesday, June 23, 2009 file photo, humanoid robot KOBIAN shows an emotional display of "disgust" during a demonstration at Waseda University in Tokyo. KOBIAN, that can express seven programmed emotions by using its entire body including facial expressions, has been developed by researchers at Waseda's Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, led by Prof. Atsuo Takanashi, and robot manufacturer tmsuk, based in Kita Kyushu, southern Japan. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) FILE - In this Thursday, March, 10, 2016 file photo, a pedestrian looks back at a delivery robotic device that has the capacity to hold 6-8 kilograms (13-17 pounds) of cargo in London. The six wheeled intelligent robot that uses GPS systems will make its debut in Greenwich after talks with the local authority led to a partnership with the firm. Greenwich is one of the few areas in the UK that allows unmanned robotic units to be used in public under special license. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) As chief technology officer for a private-public effort to facilitate robotic solutions in U.S. manufacturing, professor Howie Choset of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh sees the fear of robots taking jobs making his mission tougher. “You have to start this discussion with the baseline that automation and innovation creates jobs,” he said, by leading to new products and processes and the new jobs to make and operate them. “Then you have to ask yourself, why would robots be different? And people are very quick to say, ‘Well, robots are intelligent, they do what humans can do,’ and there’s this fear that was sort of instilled by science fiction.” Comparing fear of robots to 19th-century worries about steam engines, Choset said: “Robots are just the next generation of tools.” Singer Aimee Mann, with help from actress Laura Linney, humorously depicted the danger of letting robots help you too much in this music video . And Choset was amused by a recent “Dilbert ” strip about the boss’ inability to stop a robot worker who decided to quit. Chris Boggess, 18, found the 2004 movie “I, Robot ,” about a rogue killer robot drawn from Asimov stories, frightening, but he has come to understand and appreciate their potential through the Butler Tech robotics program at Colerain High School near Cincinnati. “The first day I walked in, I fell in love. I knew this was where I needed to be,” Boggess said. “I like robots, anything about technology.” And if some day thinking robots acquired the ability to threaten humans, he said, “I would probably try to make friends with them.”

Categories: Local News

LeBron calls for love, unity before taking swipe at Trump

WDTN News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 08:53

SANDUSKY, Ohio (AP) — Along with getting good grades and listening to their parents, LeBron James has encouraged kids in his foundation’s educational program to stand up for their beliefs.

On Tuesday night, the superstar gave a lesson in how it’s done.

Concluding a day of fun and games at an amusement park, James turned serious when speaking about the recent violence and tragedy in Charlottesville. James also took a pointed swipe at President Donald Trump, calling him the “so-called president.”

While holding his young daughter, Zhuri, James stood on stage before an excited crowd of students, parents and others connected to the LeBron James Family Foundation and delivered his emotional message.

“I know there’s a lot of tragic things happening in Charlottesville,” James said to cap the annual event at Cedar Point amusement park. “I have this platform and I’m somebody that has a voice of command, and the only way for us to get better as a society and for us to get better as people is love. And that’s the only way we’re going to be able to conquer something as one.”

Then, James, who endorsed Hillary Clinton last year and introduced her at a rally in Cleveland just two days before the election, went at Trump, whom he has criticized in the past.

“It’s not about the guy that’s the so-called president of the United States, or whatever the case. It’s not about a teacher that you don’t feel like cares about what’s going on with you every day. It’s not about people that you just don’t feel like want to give the best energy and effort to you. It’s about us. It’s about us looking in the mirror. Kids all the way up to the adults. All of us looking in the mirror and saying, ‘What can we do better to help change?’ And if we can all do that and give 110 percent, then that’s all you can ask for.

“So, shout-out to the innocent people in Charlottesville and shout-out to everybody across the world that just want to be great and just want to love. Thank you, and I love you all.”

James’ remarks ended a star-studded show that included pop stars Jordin Sparks and Usher as well as his Cavaliers’ teammate J.R. Smith. They stood alongside him for his message along with his sons, Bronny and Bryce.

There had been a celebratory vibe all day, as James hosted nearly 7,000 of his foundation’s students and their families, who strolled around the immense park best known for its roller-coasters wearing light blue T-shirts with “We Are Family” across the fronts.

It was as if James’ hometown of Akron had all gone out together for the day, and that was exactly the point of the event — to celebrate the successes of kids committed to making more of their lives.

Now in its sixth year, James’ foundation has brought hope to children who might not have any otherwise. If the students meet certain criteria, stay in the program and graduate, they can receive full tuition to the University of Akron.

“That means everything,” Latasha McCullough said as she sat with her husband, Arthur, and children Arlissa and Arsea while waiting for James to appear on stage.

The McCulloughs have been directly impacted by James and his work, and they’re forever grateful.

“He doesn’t have to do anything,” Latasha said. “All he is responsible for are his kids, his family, go to work and provide for his, but he does it for his city. He does it for everybody, everybody’s kids. All the things he didn’t have growing up, he’s giving it to our kids with no problem and he’s not being selfish. It’s constant and consistent, you earn what you get.”

James has grown his foundation beyond its initial goals of tackling the city’s drop-out rate. Next year, the charity will open the I Promise School, designed to help students who have already fallen behind and need extra attention.

Michelle Campbell, executive director of the LeBron James Family Foundation, is awed by what the group has accomplished.

James has led the way.

“It’s never enough with him,” she said. “He is always pushing, just like on the basketball court, pushing and pushing. I could have never imagined what we have done and are doing, but with his belief and what he wants to do and his drive and his ability to put all these partners around us. We can’t fail.

“It started out with working with kids and changing a child, then OK, we got the family involved and we learned that some didn’t have their high school diplomas, so we broke down those barriers. Now he’s changing a whole community. He’s uplifting this whole community, on his back.”

Categories: Local News

Police: Woman stole money meant for crash victims’ families

WDTN News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 08:45

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio woman who raised money to support the families of two teenagers who were killed and another who was hurt in a car crash has been charged with stealing donated funds.

Police say 40-year-old Melissa Szentes, of Akron, was arrested Monday and charged with theft.

Investigators say she set up a benefit after two 14-year-old girls were killed and a 15-year-old boy was injured May 28 while walking along a road in Coventry Township.

Police say 24-year-old Natasha Boggs drifted across a white line known as the “fog line” and struck the teens. She pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and texting while driving.

Taylor Galloway, of Akron, and Amber Thoma, of Coventry Township, were killed.

WEWS-TV reports that Szentes declined to comment on the charges.

Categories: Local News

Police: Man electrocuted while stealing copper from business

WDTN News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 08:30

MORAINE, Ohio (WDTN) – A 28-year-old Clermont County man is dead after police say he was electrocuted while trying to steal copper wire from Moraine car lot.

Sgt. John Spencer of the Moraine Police Department says a woman pulled up to Kettering Medical Center with Daniel Dean in the car. Medics pronounced him dead.

Spencer said the duo was trying to steal metal from No Ones’ Car Lot on West Dorothy Lane. They didn’t realize the wire was live.

“That shows you just dangerous this stuff can be – especially with electricity,” Spencer said.

At the scene, Wednesday morning, car salesman Stan McKnight says he was shocked by what he saw when he came to pick up some cars.

“I was a little shocked that I came to pick up something that I can’t move because it’s now a crime scene,” McKnight said. “We keeps our Volkswagens here and our Audis, too.”

The owner of the car lot did not want to talk on camera but said this is the first time something like this has happened.

Daren Bowling, the owner of a neighboring business said he hopes the incident can serve as a deterrent to future, would-be thieves.

“I don’t want nobody getting unfortunately killed for stealing copper,” Bowling “But you take that chance when you breaking into somebody’s business and try to take their stuff.”

Spencer says the woman who drove to the hospital could face charges of breaking and entering. He said Dean does have a criminal history.

“It’s fairly common especially with the drug epidemic that we have in the county, currently,” Spencer said. “Pretty much anything that can be sold can be stolen fairly easily and that’s usually one of the things that people focus on.”

Police believe another person may have been involved in the incident. They’re still trying to find that person.

 

Categories: Local News

17-year-old electrocuted while climbing transmission tower

WDTN News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 08:24

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Investigators say an Ohio teenager was electrocuted and fell about 30 feet (9.14 meters) to the ground after climbing a transmission tower supporting high-voltage power lines.

The Akron Beacon Journal reports that the power lines carry about 23,000 volts of electricity.

A coroner identified the boy Tuesday as 17-year-old Antonio Jarrod Victor Simon, of Streetsboro. Police say he died Monday at a park in Akron.

A spokesman for FirstEnergy Corp. says the teen’s death was tragic and reminds people to stay away from dangerous equipment.

Categories: Local News

Man shot and killed on Linden Avenue Tuesday night identified - WRGT TV Fox 45

Local News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 08:22

Dayton Daily NewsMan shot and killed on Linden Avenue Tuesday night identifiedWRGT TV Fox 45UPDATE: The Montgomery County Coroner's office is releasing the name of the man who was shot and killed Tuesday night on Linden Avenue. According to the coroner's office, Robert Caldwell, ... RIVERSIDE, Ohio (WKEF/WRGT)- Riverside Police are ...Police release photo they say is person of interest in deadly Riverside shootingDayton Daily Newsall 10 news articles »

Categories: Local News

Violence adds momentum to removal of Confederate statues

WDTN News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 05:12

Cities and states accelerated their plans to remove Confederate monuments from public property Tuesday as the violence over a Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, moved leaders across the country to plan to wipe away much of the remaining Old South imagery.

Only two statues were taken down immediately, in Gainesville, Florida, where the Daughters of the Confederacy removed a statue of a Confederate soldier known as “Ole Joe,” and in Durham, North Carolina, where protesters used a rope to pull down a Confederate monument dedicated in 1924.

But the anti-Confederate momentum seemed to ensure that other memorials would come down soon. Many local and state governments announced that they would remove statues and other imagery from public land, or consider doing so, in the aftermath of Saturday’s white nationalist rally that killed one person and injured dozens more.

The changes were publicized as President Donald Trump defended Confederate statues in wide-ranging remarks.

“This week it’s Robert E. Lee. I notice that Stonewall Jackson’s coming down,” Trump said during a visit to Trump Tower in New York. “I wonder, is it George Washington next week, and is it Thomas Jefferson the week after? You know you really do have to ask yourself, where does it stop?”

Asked specifically whether Charlottesville’s Lee statue should come down, he said: “I would say that’s up to a local town, community or the federal government, depending on where it is located.”

All around the country, Republican and Democratic officials at the state and local levels moved swiftly to begin a process to remove the statues. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said he would ask the Legislature to reverse a 2015 law signed by his Republican predecessor, Pat McCrory, that prevents the removal or relocation of monuments, and to defeat a measure giving immunity to motorists who strike protesters. He also planned to ask state officials to determine the cost of moving Confederate statues and to give him options of where they could go.

“Our Civil War history is important, but it belongs in textbooks and museums?— not a place of allegiance on our Capitol grounds,” Cooper said in a statement.

In Maryland, GOP Gov. Larry Hogan said Tuesday he would push to remove the statue of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney, author of the infamous Dred Scott ruling in 1857 affirming slavery, from state land.

“While we cannot hide from our history, nor should we, the time has come to make clear the difference between properly acknowledging our past and glorifying the darkest chapters of our history,” said Hogan, who before had resisted calls to move the statue.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings announced plans Tuesday to ask his city council to appoint a task force to study the fate of the city’s Confederate statues. Rawlings said he personally finds the monuments to be “dangerous totems,” but a task force would ensure a productive conversation.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, a Republican, called on state officials Monday to remove a bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate cavalry general and an early leader of the Ku Klux Klan, from the Tennessee Capitol. Protesters earlier draped a black jacket over the head of the bust while cheering, “Tear it down!”

Similar plans were being made in Baltimore and San Antonio, as well as Lexington, Kentucky; Memphis, Tennessee; Jacksonville, Florida; and elsewhere.

In Durham, Sheriff Mike Andrews said protesters who toppled a nearly century-old Confederate statue in front of a North Carolina government building would face felony charges.

The Confederate Soldiers Monument, dedicated in 1924, stood in front of an old courthouse that how houses local government offices. The crumpled and dented bronze figure has been taken to a warehouse for storage.

Deputies later arrested Takiyah Thompson, who identified herself Tuesday as the woman who tied the rope that was used to tear it down. She said her actions were justified because Confederate statues represent white supremacy.

A law professor and director of the Center for Terrorism Law at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio called removal a “slippery slope,” saying judging historical figures through a modern lens can be difficult.

“A healthy democracy and people within that democracy should be able to say, ‘This is our history.’ And history is made up of actions of human beings, and human beings aren’t perfect,” said Jeffrey F. Addicott, who stressed he was speaking for himself and not the law school.

Statues, he added, can be moved, but he’s opposed to them being “put in a warehouse never to be seen again because then you’re kind of erasing or rewriting history.”

The Sons of Confederate Veterans condemned attempts to take down Confederate statues around the country.

“These statues were erected over 100 year ago to honor the history of the United States,” added Thomas V. Strain Jr., the group’s commander in chief. “They’re just as important to the entire history of the U.S. as the monuments erected to our forefathers.”

Strain, who said his group did not participate in Charlottesville, condemned the Klan, white nationalist groups, neo-Nazis and other extremists.

“It’s painful to watch for lack of better words,” he said. “It was our family that fought, and it was our families that died, and now we have these knuckleheads hijacking the flag for their own purposes.”

But city and state officials said Charlottesville convinced them it’s time to move on from having Confederate imagery in prominent public places.

In Lexington, Kentucky, Mayor Jim Gray moved up his announcement by a day in reaction to the Charlottesville bloodshed. Memorials to John C. Breckinridge and John Hunt Morgan are perched outside a former courthouse that was the site of slave auctions before the Civil War.

“This is the right time,” Gray said Monday. “We accelerated that because of the events in Charlottesville, but I knew that it was the right thing to do.”

Categories: Local News

Charlottesville to mourn woman killed at rally in memorial

WDTN News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 05:12

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Mourners will gather in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Wednesday to honor the woman who was killed when a car rammed into a crowd of people protesting a white nationalist rally that descended into violence last weekend.

A memorial service for Heather Heyer is scheduled Wednesday morning at a downtown Charlottesville theater. Attendees were asked to wear purple, Heyer’s favorite color, in her memory.

The 32-year-old was a Charlottesville resident and legal assistant whose mother described her daughter as a courageous, principled woman and firm believer in justice and equality.

Heyer was among the hundreds of protesters who had gathered Saturday in Charlottesville to decry what was believed to be the largest gathering of white supremacists in a decade — including neo-Nazis, skinheads and Ku Klux Klan members. They descended on the city for a rally prompted by the city’s decision to remove a Confederate monument.

Chaos and violence erupted before the event even began, with counter-demonstrators and rally-goers clashing in the streets.

Authorities forced the crowd to disperse, and groups then began roaming through town. Counter-protesters had converged for a march along a downtown street when suddenly a Dodge Challenger barreled into them, hurling people into the air. Video shows the car reversing and hitting more people.

The Ohio man who police say was driving, 20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr., was described by a former high school teacher as an admirer of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. He was quickly taken into custody and has been charged with second-degree murder and other counts.

Heyer grew up in nearby Greene County and worked as a legal assistant at a law firm. Her boss, Larry Miller, said the young woman was active in the firm’s bankruptcy practice and was like a family member to him.

“She’s very compassionate, she’s very precise, got a big heart, she wants to make sure that things are right. She cares about the people that we take care of. She’s just a great person,” Miller said.

Her mother, Susan Bro, said she would prefer to grieve in private but felt compelled to try to follow her daughter’s example.

“I miss her so, so much, but I’m going to make her death worth something,” Susan Bro told The Associated Press.

Charlottesville Police Chief Al Thomas said this week that his department is working with Heyer’s family to ensure the safety of those at vigils and other memorials.

The Paramount Theater, which is hosting the vigil, said in a statement that it had made arrangements for overflow attendees to view the service through a livestream.

Also killed Saturday were two Virginia State Police troopers who were aboard a helicopter that was providing video of Saturday’s event before it broke off to lend support to a motorcade for Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe. The helicopter crashed outside of Charlottesville. An investigation into the crash is ongoing.

A funeral for Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates has been set for Friday and a funeral for Lt. H. Jay Cullen, the helicopter’s pilot, is scheduled for Saturday.

Categories: Local News

House fire in Dayton called suspicious

WDTN News - Wed, 08/16/2017 - 04:47

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — A vacant house fire in Dayton is being called suspicious.

A vacant house on Ward Street was heavily damaged by fire in Dayton. Firefighters responded to a call of a house fire on Ward Street at Albany Street around 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday. When crews arrived, they found smoke and flames coming from the house. The front porch of the two-story house collapsed due to damage from the fire. Fire officials say the house is vacant. The fire is considered suspicious. No one was hurt.

Categories: Local News

Trammell’s inside the park HR not enough as Dragons fall to Whitecaps

WDTN News - Tue, 08/15/2017 - 23:02

Dayton, Ohio—West Michigan’s Danny Pinera collected a home run, double, and two singles to lead the Whitecaps to a 7-5 victory over the Dayton Dragons on Tuesday night.  The two clubs have split the first two games of the four-game series.

The Whitecaps built a 5-1 lead with two runs in the third inning and three more in the fifth.  The Dragons started back in their half of the fifth inning, getting a lead-off inside-the-park home run by Taylor Trammell to make it 5-2.  Trammell’s inside-the-park homer was the first for the Dragons since Shed Long circled the bases on a ball in play on August 31, 2015.

West Michigan added a run in the top of the seventh to make it 6-2, but the Dragons responded with two in the bottom of the inning.  Trammell reached on his third hit of the game and Jose Siri was safe on an error.  Taylor Sparks followed with a two-run single to make it 6-4.

But West Michigan continue to apply the pressure.  They scored again in the top of the eighth to extend their lead to 7-4.  The Dragons scored in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI double by Mitch Trees to cut the deficit to two runs, but Whitecaps reliever John Schreiber entered the game and retired the final five batters for the save.

Dragons starting pitcher Wennington Romero (3-10) was charged with the loss.  He allowed five runs in four and one-third innings, surrendering 10 hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

The Dragons finished with nine hits.  Trammell was 3 for 5 with his 10th home run of the season.  He also stole his 33rd base of the year.

Despite the loss, the Dragons continue to lead the season series with the Whitecaps, nine games to eight.

Up Next:  The Dragons (15-36, 56-65) battle West Michigan (36-14, 81-36) at Fifth Third Field in the third game of the series on Wednesday night at 7:00.  Scott Moss (11-6, 3.63) will start for the Dragons against West Michigan’s Tom de Blok (3-0, 2.47).

All Dragons games are broadcast on radio on Fox Sports 980 WONE and on the internet at wone.com. Games are also available on the Dayton Dragons mobile app.

 

For Dragons 2017 ticket information, call (937) 228-2287.

 

Notes:  Trammell’s home run made him only the sixth player in Dragons history to hit 10 homers and steal 30 bases in the same season.  Siri reached that milestone earlier in the year.  Among the four players to reach 10/30 for the Dragons prior to 2017 was current Dragons manager Luis Bolivar, who hit 11 home runs and stole 31 bases in 2004.  Siri needs one home run to become the first player for any Midwest League club to hit 20 homers and steal 30 bases since Corey Patterson of Lansing in 1999.

Categories: Local News

Sicsa pet adoption center eyes big move to Washington Township

WDTN News - Tue, 08/15/2017 - 21:56

KETTERING, Ohio (WDTN)– Sicsa, a pet adoption center in Kettering announced Tuesday that it has plans to move to Washington Township.

They’ve raised more than 2 million dollars for a new facility and are hoping to break ground if they can raise another million.

Last year Sicsa says they re-homed nearly 2,000 pets. They want to help even more, but they believe doing so at their current location in Kettering isn’t possible.

“For years Sicsa was the small but have been the mighty engine that could,” said Nora Vondrell, Sicsa’s Executive Director during a press conference.

Kelly Naber is one of the 700 volunteers at the shelter. She says the idea of a new location is one they’ve been waiting for.

“We have been looking foreword to it for years. There is just not enough space here for what we want to do. To be able to expand the amount of programs we offer, the amount of animals we can get adopted. It’s really awesome,” said Naber.

With millions of dollars raised by local donors and families, Sicsa has their eyes set on a new building in Washington Township.

“This group is now in the position to share their plans publicly and engage the community in what the next generation of pet adoption and wellness means for southwest Ohio,” said Vandrell.

According to Sicsa, if they raise the money, they will be able to expand their adoption space by 70%  while also providing more than 4,500 spays and neuters.

“Every time we go out in the public for offsite events or any outreach program we just need to let folks know that this is what our plan is and we are looking forward to helping more animals,” said Naber.

Sicsa needs at least another million dollars to break ground on a new facility.The figure is high, but officials at Sicsa say the need for a larger animal shelter is even higher.

“In Montgomery County, 46% of all stray animals are euthanized. That’s the reality today. The goal of this organization is to meet and exceed industry standards to help make a huge dent in that number,” said Vandrell.

The proposed property would also include about 5 acres of open land.

 

 

Categories: Local News

Operation Football preview: Dunbar Wolverines

WDTN News - Tue, 08/15/2017 - 21:25

DAYTON (WDTN) – After a controversial off-season, Dunbar returns to the field with a chip on it’s shoulder.  Watch the preview.

Categories: Local News

Community creates #CityHallSelfie day

WDTN News - Tue, 08/15/2017 - 20:00

VANDALIA, Ohio (WDTN) – City Hall Selfie day in the city of Vandalia took place Tuesday, August 15.

Residents were encouraged to take a picture of themselves near Vandalia’s municipal building or any city owned location and then post it to social media.

It’s part of a national event to help illustrate the importance of local government.

City Hall staff members took a group selfie and posted it to the city’s Twitter page with #CityHallSeflie

Still learning to use a selfie stick lol. #CityHallSelfie #HereInVandalia @CityofVandalia pic.twitter.com/0DWjbaeirJ — Vandalia Drummer (@VandaliaDrummer) August 15, 2017 2 NEWS Reporter Catherine Ross joined in on the fun. Did you know it's #CityHallSelfie day? Snap a pic & get to know your local government #HereInVandalia pic.twitter.com/cWZaaI1WKl — Catherine Ross (@CatherineRossTV) August 15, 2017

Categories: Local News

Troy City Schools prepared to buy property for new buildings

WDTN News - Tue, 08/15/2017 - 19:25

TROY, Ohio (WDTN)– Troy City Schools has reached a potential purchase agreement for a 59 acre property.

The district plans to build 2 new buildings should the school pass a proposed levy on Novembers ballot.

Eric Herman, the superintendent of Troy City Schools says his buildings are old and the proposed buildings for Pre-K through 6th grade is sorely needed.

The property is off West State Route 55 and Nashville Road.

“At this point we will be able to put a conceptual drawing out to kind of give people an idea. We have some things to talk about. Things to look at.,” said Herman.

There’s corn there now and the property actually is outside of the Troy city limits. If the levy passes in November, Troy has an agreement in place to annex that property.

The district is prepared to spend more than $700,000 to move all of the districts Pre-K through 6th grade students to the new location.

Leaving the older buildings empty.

“From a student standpoint, we will have all the students in one spot. So collaboration of teachers is excellent. It allows us to make sure instruction is the same and kids are getting the same opportunities,” said said Herman.

In the conceptual stage, the district estimates the new buildings would be able to serve more than 1,100 students.

Categories: Local News