WKSU News: Noon headlines for Thursday, August 2

Thursday, August 2, 2012 Noon headlines for Thursday, August 2 DNA in 1997 murder is not from convicted Akron cop; experts question Kasich’s fracking estimate; study says fewer home care patients returning to hospital

In The Region:

DNA in 1997 murder is not from convicted Akron cop

Experts question Kasich’s fracking estimate

Study says fewer home care patients returning to hospital

DNA in 1997 murder is not from convicted Akron cop
Tests indicate that crime scene DNA did not come from a former Akron police captain convicted of murdering his ex-wife 13 years ago.
Douglas Prade was sentenced in 1998 to life in prison for the death of 41-year-old Akron doctor Margo Prade.
Sixty-six-year-old Douglas Prade has maintained his innocence since being sentenced in 1998 for the death of 41-year-old Akron doctor Margo Prade. Two years ago, Summit County Common Pleas Judge Judy Hunter granted Prade's request for DNA testing.
The Columbus Dispatch now reports that DNA from the lab coat Margo Prade was wearing during the attack, and a bite mark left by her killer, do not match Douglas Prade.He's currently serving life in prison and is eligible for parole 2024.

Experts question Kasich’s fracking estimate
Geology experts are saying that Gov. Kasich's claim that a single energy company could recover $1 trillion worth of oil and gas from Ohio shale is an exorbitant overestimate.At current oil prices, the figure represents more than four times U.S. oil production last year. The Associated Press reports that every drop of oil produced in America over the next four years would be worth roughly $800 billion.
Kasich traces the often-repeated figure to a conversation with an energy company CEO. He's never identified the source. Spokesman Rob Nichols declined this week to name the individual, while emphasizing the Republican governor simply relayed what he's been told.
The worth of the deposits has come into play as Kasich seeks a tax increase on big drillers to fund statewide income-tax relief.

New website highlights county budget cuts
A new website has launched to show the effects of budget cuts to Summit County.
Congressman Vernon Sykes announced cutshurtohio.com in a press release today, and cited the county's $71 million in education cuts among the reasons citizens should visit the website.The Akron Democrat also blasted GOP legislators and Gov. Kasich’s budget for statewide cuts.
Cutshurtohio.com was launched last week.

Study says fewer home care patients returning to hospital
A new study says that Ohio home health care providers have been able to cut the number of patients returning to the hospital after being released.
The Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice finds the number has been reduced by 6 percent in the last year and a half.
Patients re-admitted to the hospital within 30 days of release are considered to be among the leading causes of rising health-care costs.
The Columbus Dispatch reports that if hospital re-admissions of home-care patients were reduced by 23 percent to 29 percent, it could save $68 million a year in tax-funded health-care programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
More than 70 home-care agencies participated in the initiative launched in January 2011.

Steel sale puts jobs in doubt
The sale of two RG Steel plants in eastern Ohio has workers wondering what happens next.As a result of the company's federal bankruptcy case, one of its plants in Martins Ferry was auctioned Tuesday. And the Yorkville plant is being sold to a partnership of companies based in Pittsburgh and South Korea.

WTOV-TV reports that local steelworkers are now trying to figure out if they'll be heading back to work. Local union president Jerry Conners says he's cautiously optimistic.Other RG Steel plants have not been sold. The plants are remnants of the once-great Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp.

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