Ohio cops eye possible fentanyl after 17 overdoses in 1 day

Ohio cops eye possible fentanyl after 17 overdoses in 1 day

AKRON

Police in one Ohio city who dealt with 17 suspected heroin overdoses in one day say they believe the drugs involved in at least some cases were laced with the powerful painkiller fentanyl.

Akron police say 17 adults overdosed Tuesday. They ranged in age from 19 to 58. In one case, a 44-year-old man died. Another case involved a woman and her two daughters.

Officials say they saw signs that the drugs involved were less responsive to the overdose antidote naloxone, sometimes referred to by its trade name, Narcan.

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan calls the recent increase in overdoses a “public health crisis.”

Police say the city had 55 heroin overdose deaths in the first half of the year.

Pittsburgh casino owner sues state over municipal slots tax

HARRISBURG, Pa.

The owner of Pittsburgh’s Rivers Casino is suing the state Department of Revenue, claiming a municipal tax based on slot machine revenues is illegal and should be refunded.

Holding Acquisitions Co. filed the state Supreme Court lawsuit last week. A revenue spokesman said Thursday the agency does not comment on pending litigation.

The casino claims the tax violates a clause of the state constitution requiring taxes be uniform. The lawsuit contends the Local Share Tax is illegal because casinos must pay $10 million a year to the municipality where they’re based if slots revenues are less than $500 million, or 2 percent of annual revenues over $500 million. Also, Philadelphia casinos pay a flat 4 percent, with no $10 million minimum.

The Rivers Casino has paid Pittsburgh about $65 million since it opened in 2009.

Attorney general says woman faked cancer to raise $36,000

NEWTOWN, Pa.

The attorney general says a Pennsylvania woman faked having cancer, and fooled her family, friends and others into raising more than $36,000.

Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced Thursday that Danielle Kunkel, of Newtown, has agreed to repay the money raised under false pretenses, plus more than $13,000 in civil penalties and other fees.

That money will be distributed to cancer charities in Bucks County, where the woman lived.

The Associated Press could not immediately locate a listed phone for Kunkel who was not criminally charged. Instead, the office of the attorney general’s Charitable Trusts and Organizations Section sought a civil remedy.

Kane says Kunkel’s family held a dinner, dance, raffle and silent auction to raise money, and Kunkel solicited donations on the Pay It Forward For Danielle.com website.

Grand jury gets case of man accused of mannequin-bomb plot

ALLIANCE

Grand jurors will decide whether a man accused of plotting to blow up an Ohio police station and use armed mannequins to distract responding officers should be indicted on felony charges.

An Alliance Municipal Court judge on Wednesday forwarded retaliation and possessing weapons under a disability charges against 51-year-old Timothy Ward to a Stark County grand jury to consider.

The (Alliance) Review reports a police detective testified that guns and bomb making materials were recovered from a Lake Township home where Ward has a bedroom.

Prosecutors say Ward was planning an attack to retaliate against Marlboro Township police for a 2008 arrest. That arrest resulted in Ward being found not guilty by reason of insanity and barred from possessing firearms.

Ward’s attorney didn’t immediately return calls seeking comment Thursday.

Senate Majority PAC spending $2.5M in Ohio against Portman

COLUMBUS

A group fighting for a Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate has launched another round of ads in hotly contested Ohio.

Senate Majority PAC began its $2.5 million effort Thursday against Sen. Rob Portman, the Republican incumbent. The first in a series of spots criticizes Portman for supporting Social Security privatization. His campaign has said such attacks misrepresent his position.

The ads are set to run in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Toledo and Youngstown through July 18.

Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat, is challenging Portman in one of the nation’s tightest and most closely watched Senate races.

Strickland has failed to come close to his fundraising goals and Senate Majority PAC has reservations to spend about $10 million on his behalf.

Coach in molestation case faces new charges

PITTSBURGH

A western Pennsylvania gymnastics coach charged with sexually abusing a teenage student is now charged with molesting two young girls 15 years ago.

State police filed the new charges against 45-year-old Keith Callen when he showed up for a preliminary hearing Wednesday on the original charges. A preliminary hearing in both cases is now set for July 20.

The original charges involved a girl Callen allegedly molested from age 14 to 17 while her private coach.

The new charges, including aggravated indecent assault, corruption of minors and child endangerment stem from allegations by sisters, now in their early 20s, that Callen molested them in 2001, when they were 6 or 7.

Callen’s attorney Jack Haller says, “It is what it is. I can’t say any more than that.”

Associated Press