Youngstown mother testifies: Soldier son was hazed

Defense attorneys say an army private found dead in Afghanistan killed himself amid the stress of strained family ties and not because of alleged ethnic hazing by their client.  Sargent Adam Holcomb of Youngstown is the first of eight U.S. soldiers to face trial in connection with the death of 19-year-old private Danny Chen last October. Chen’s mother testified Tuesday that she had a good relationship with her son. Prosecutors argued that Holcomb had a history of using hate speech and allegedly dragged Chen across rocky ground at one point in Afghanistan. He faces 18 years in prison if convicted.

Judge to consider bridge bomb defendants’ requests

The bridge bomb-plotting case against five men in Northeast Ohio is headed back to court. Judge David Dowd in Akron must decide whether to grant one defendant's request to be tried separately and a request by three defendants to throw out their statements made to the FBI. The five were arrested in April for allegedly trying to detonate what turned out to be a dud bomb on the Route 82 bridge in Brecksville.

Kasich seeks federal aid for storm damages

Gov. John Kasich has asked the federal government for a review of damage from June 29 storms to see if the state qualifies for federal relief. Kasich says he has sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency seeking a damage assessment. The storms caused widespread power outages, strewed significant debris, and damaged public facilities and some rural electric cooperatives. As many as three people were killed. Damage assessments were requested to begin the next week in 38 counties.

Ohio law firms file foreclosure lawsuits

The law firm of Ohio's scandal-scarred ex-attorney general is among those that have filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of homeowners victimized by foreclosure fraud. Attorney Marc Dann and others claim several loan servicers and law firms purposefully engaged in fraud by forging paperwork and foreclosing on mortgages they don't own. Dann resigned as attorney general in 2008 amid a sexual harassment scandal and later pleaded guilty to ethics violations.

23 percent of Ohio kids live in poverty

A new national study has ranked Ohio 27th in the nation when it comes to child well-being. The annual Kids Count survey finds the number of children living in poverty in the state increased by 4 percentage points in 2010 to 23 percent – that’s 624,000 children. 

Ammunition machine catches fire, burns one in Cleveland

Fire officials say one person was burned when a machine used on ammunition caught fire at a recycling plant in Cleveland and began discharging bullets. Authorities say the fire at River Recycling Industries apparently began late Tuesday when the machine overheated. Firefighters stayed behind a wall to keep themselves safe while spraying water to extinguish the blaze.

First Lady visits Ohio, focuses on women’s issues

The Obama campaign is working to attract women voters during First Lady Michelle Obama’s swing through Ohio. The First Lady held events in Dayton and Columbus on Tuesday, highlights contraception and prenatal care amid comments about her husband’s health care overhaul and the economy. Meanwhile on Tuesday, Republican candidate Mitt Romney kicked off an “Ohio’s Women for Mitt” effort with support from Ohio first lady Karen Kasich and Republican Senator Rob Portman’s wife Jane.  A June Quinnipiac Poll shows Ohio women favor President Obama 50 to 35 percent.

Cuyahoga debates spending of casino tax dollars

Cuyahoga County officials are still mulling over how to spend millions of dollars in casino taxes.  County Council has spent the last several months debating how to dole out the $8 million to $13 million a year expected from the gambling operation. The Plain Dealer reports five council members now have introduced their own proposals for the money to support scholarships to be dispersed throughout the county. Members did agree Tuesday to let the money accumulate for at least a year to be able to support large projects. County Executive FitzGerald wants the money to spent solely on downtown development.  Council will continue the discussion next month and make a decision in September.

FirstMerit reports $30 million profit

Akron-based FirstMerit bank is reporting its 53rd consecutive quarter of profitability. The bank reported Tuesday a second-quarter net income of $30 million, a nearly 3 percent increase from the same quarter last year. In May, First Merit announced it was eliminating nearly 350 jobs as part of a cost-cutting plan over the next year and that it would close eight Northeast Ohio bank branches and convert one to a drive-up location. The plan is expected to save $12 million this year and $30 million in 2013.

Drought contributes to food loss, higher food prices

Many poor people lost food in the storms three weeks ago. Now the nation is facing higher food prices because of the drought. Lisa Hamler-Fugitt with the Ohio Association of Food Banks says the combination of the storms, the drought and possible cuts to the food stamp program in the Farm Bill are setting up a catastrophic scenario.

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Hamler-Fugitt says food banks lost food in the power outages, but some had generators, and others were able to move frozen food into cold storage units elsewhere. And though the state did offer additional food stamp benefits to recipients in the 34 hardest-hit counties, some low-income people found themselves temporarily without paychecks because their employers didn’t have power.