Former GOP U.S. Rep. files for Ohio governor run

Former GOP U.S. Rep. files for Ohio governor run

COLUMBUS — Former Congressman John Kasich has filed paperwork to begin raising money for a run for Ohio governor in 2010.

Kasich, a Republican who served in Congress for 18 years, named his campaign treasurer in paperwork filed Friday with Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

Kasich says a formal announcement of his campaign would be forthcoming.

Political observers have long expected Kasich to jump in the race against Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat who has not formally announced his intentions to run for a second term.

Kasich has also been an on-air personality for Fox News. He served six years as managing director of Lehman Brothers’ investment banking division until the bank declared bankruptcy last fall.

Sheriff pleads innocent to cover-up charges

TOLEDO — A sheriff has pleaded innocent to charges that he made false statements during an investigation into the 2004 beating death of a man at a county jail.

Federal prosecutors say two Lucas County sheriff’s employees assaulted the man in the booking area. They say Sheriff James Telb and an internal investigator covered up the role the deputies played in that beating.

Telb and the investigator are charged with making false statements to federal investigators and helping to cover up a crime. The two sheriff’s employees face charges of making false statements, falsifying documents and deprivation of rights under the color of law.

Charity asks judge to lift 3-year freeze on assets

TOLEDO — Lawyers for an Ohio-based charity that the U.S. Treasury Department has linked to the militant Islamic group Hamas asked a judge on Friday to lift a three-year freeze of the group’s assets.

Attorneys for Kindhearts for Charitable Humanitarian Development said the government hasn’t given a reason why the charity was targeted or shown any evidence that it funneled money to terrorists.

“We do not find any evidence that a penny went to support terrorism,” said Hina Shamsi, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing Kindhearts.

She told a federal judge Friday that the government shouldn’t be allowed to close down a charity without a finding of wrongdoing.

“The government is arguing for a lesser standard,” she said in U.S. District Court.

New blood-alcohol devices

BATAVIA, Ohio — The Ohio State Highway Patrol and local law enforcement officers are ready to debut a new device for testing suspected drunk drivers.

They plan to use a portable version of the Intoxilyzer 8000 at a DUI checkpoint tonight near the Cincinnati suburb of Batavia. The 17-pound device analyzes a driver’s breath for alcohol.

The state’s health and public safety departments are giving about 700 of the machines to law enforcement agencies across the state by the end of 2009. Ohio is spending $6.4 million for the devices.

Some lawyers have questioned the device’s accuracy.

Owensboro, Ky.-based CMI Inc. says its Intoxilyzer 8000 machine is being used in about 10 states and is reliable.

150 docs to be on hand at Cincinnati marathon

CINCINNATI — The emphasis is on safety at a marathon and other foot races expected to draw 23,000 runners to the streets of Cincinnati this weekend.

After three straight years of having a runner experience a heart attack — including one that was fatal — organizers of the Flying Pig Marathon say 150 doctors will be standing by.

The race’s medical director wants runners to watch for danger signs and suggests that novice runners jog the last mile instead of sprinting.

One medical consultant says a runner can go from a low-risk heart group to a high-risk group during a race because of muscle injury. That’s particularly true for men who are marathon newcomers.

2 adult sisters killed

PITTSBURGH — Police say the murder of two adult sisters in their Pittsburgh home as their children slept doesn’t appear to be random.

Police were called to the home of 21-year-old Daneen Robinson and 32-year-old Rachel Robinson about 2:30 a.m. Friday after a report of shots being fired.

Officers arrived to find the women’s bodies and the children, ages 9, 5, and 3, still in bed. Police say Rachel Robinson was the mother of two of the children and Daneen Robinson was the mother of the other.

The children have been placed with relatives.

Police Cmdr. Thomas Stangrecki says police are seeking two men who were seen entering the house.