WKSU News: Noon headlines: March 21, 2013: Strongsville, Batman, red lights

Thursday, March 21, 2013 Noon headlines: March 21, 2013: Strongsville, Batman, red lights Strongsville schools turn down mayor; Batman theater copycat jailed; Columbus red light camera by WKSU's KABIR BHATIA	Reporter Kabir Bhatia

In The Region:

Strongsville school board rejects mayoral invite

Jail for 'Batman' theater copycat

Columbus adds red light cameras -- and boosts revenue

Strongsville school board rejects mayoral invite
The Strongsville teacher's strike is in its third week, and an invitation from the mayor to meet tomorrow has been rejected by the school board. In a statement released today, school board President David Frazee says the meeting with Mayor Thomas Perciak would not be in keeping with the parties’ existing negotiating agreement, which calls for meetings only at the request of a federal mediator. The statement also says that those meetings only occur when one party expresses a change in position.
The board is sticking to its last, best offer given March 2, the Saturday before the strike began. At issue are pay freezes and the structuring of the school day and pension benefits.

Six months for Batman theater copycat
An Ohio man is getting six months in jail for bringing a loaded gun, ammunition and knives to a showing of the latest Batman movie.
A judge in Cleveland today sentenced 38-year-old Scott A. Smith of North Ridgeville following his guilty plea to two counts of carrying concealed weapons.
Smith was acquitted of having a weapon under disability, which prosecutors say was a drug dependency.
Smith was arrested last August at a showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Westlake.
His attorney says Smith had the weapons for protection in case someone else tried to copy the Colorado theater shooting that left 12 peopledead three weeks earlier.

Jail for Mosque fire-setter
A federal judge won't allow a former Marine from Indiana to withdraw his guilty plea to starting a fire at a Toledo mosque.
The judge today rejected the request by Randy Linn of St. Joe, Ind.
Linn says he was in an emotional state when he pleaded guilty. His attorney asked the judge to throw out the guilty plea so that the 52-year-old Linn could undergo a competency exam. Prosecutors opposed the move and say Linn made it clear that he knew what was doing.
Linn says he set the fire at The Islamic Center of Greater Toledo last fall to avenge the deaths of American soldiers overseas.
A deal between prosecutors and Linn calls for him to receive a 20-year sentence.

Columbus adding red light cameras -- and their revenue
Red-light cameras are proving to be a money maker for the city of Columbus.
A record number of citations issuedvia the cameras brought in $2.1 million last year — more than the previous two years combined. Red-light fines totaled about $1.1 million in 2011.
The Columbus Dispatch reports that the city has added 20 cameras at intersections over the past two years, and now has a total of 38.
Red-light and speed cameras are used in more than 500 U.S. municipalities.

Related WKSU Stories

Monday, March 18, 2013

Latest Strongsville strike meeting yields no results

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Strongsville students wrap up graduation test without regular teachers

Friday, March 8, 2013

Strongsville school strike wraps first week

Monday, March 4, 2013

A rare teachers' strike hits Ohio, and no one agrees on why

Listener Comments:

the teachers union has to go! they are pathetic!
there should be a police car at each strongsville teachers' strike location to protect the superintendent and boe members' workplace, home property and their children from any potential harm brought on by these union teacher thugs
The following are excerpts from legal opinions published by the Ohio
State Employment Relations Board (known as SERB) cites the the opinions are included:

"Picketing the home of the executive director of the Ohio turnpike commission in connection with a labor dispute is a violation of RC 4117.11(B) In Re Ohio Turnpike Commission SERB-95-014 (9-29-95)

another SERB decision, "Bargaining unit employees who gather near homes of two county officials, signing songs and carrying signs, violate RC 4117.11(B)(7) In Re AFSCME, Ohio Council 8, SERB 90-015 (9-14-90).
they are violating the ohio revised codes, the privacy, workplace and jeopardizing their children and families safety. a class action suite should be brought against this teachers union and all their intimidating tactics

Posted by: kristi lynch (avon) on March 21, 2013 2:03AM

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