For some, Dennis McGuire’s 26-minute, seemingly painful execution raises constitutional and ethical questions about Ohio’s use of the death penalty. In particular, the convicted killer’s family and medical experts say the state’s use of a new cocktail of drugs presented problems even before McGuire was killed, with one Harvard professor of anesthesia warning the state prior to the execution that its dosage was too low for McGuire’s size and the drugs inadequate. Jonathan Groner, a professor of clinical surgery at Ohio State University, told CityBeat, “I wouldn’t want what he got to have my appendix out. … I would be concerned that I would feel something.”
Hamilton County commissioners yesterday accepted a Mount Airy facility offered to the county as a gift by Catholic Health Partners, with plans to use the former hospital as the campus for a new crime lab. The acceptance came despite previous warnings that the Mount Airy facility could not be taken in by the county if the Board of Elections didn’t also move its office and early voting to the Mount Airy location, where only one bus line runs, from its current downtown office. A party-line tie vote left the Board of Elections move in limbo, with a tie-breaking decision expected from the Republican secretary of state in the next few weeks. Democrats oppose the move because it would limit voting access for people who rely on public transportation, while Republicans argue free parking at the new facility would outweigh the loss of bus access.
Officials plan to break ground today on the Anna Louise Inn’s new location at Mount Auburn. The start of construction marks the beginning of the next chapter for the Inn afters its owner, Cincinnati Union Bethel (CUB), lost a contentious legal battle against financial giant Western & Southern. CUB sought to keep the Inn at the location it has been at since 1909, while Western & Southern aimed to claim the property to invoke its full development vision on the Lytle Park neighborhood. After two years of litigation, both sides reached a settlement in which CUB agreed to move.
Commentary: Media Should End Reliance on “He Says, She Says.”
A local abortion clinic asked a Hamilton County judge to suspend a state order that would shut down the facility. The Sharonville clinic would close down by Feb. 4 if courts don’t step in.
With bipartisan support, the Ohio House cleared a bill that reduces the costs and speeds up the process of adoptions. But some Democrats worry the bill goes too far by shortening the period a putative father must register with the state if he wants to be able to consent to an adoption.
The tea party failed to put forward a Republican primary challenger to Gov. John Kasich.
Meanwhile, Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune says he’s talking to former Toledo Mayor Jack Ford as a potential running mate in a Democratic primary challenge against gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald. With less than one week left, Portune needs to name a running mate and gather 1,000 valid petition signatures to actually run — a prospect that’s looking dimmer by the day.
A federal judge sentenced an Ohio man who threatened to kill President Barack Obama to 16 months in prison.
Cincinnati-based Kroger might test an online ordering system.
Gladys, the Cincinnati Zoo’s newest gorilla, celebrated her first birthday party with cake.
Scientists developed hair-growing cells from ordinary skin cells, potentially providing a new option for curing baldness.
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