Morning News and Stuff

A federal judge on Tuesday

extended the temporary restraining order

recognizing a gay couple’s marriage in Ohio. As CityBeat covered

here

, Jim Obergefell and John Arthur, who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and is expected to die soon, sued local and state officials hoping to have their Maryland marriage acknowledged by Ohio before Arthur’s death certificate was issued. Judge Timothy Black sided with the couple, and he’s now extended the temporary restraining order until December, which should provide enough time for Arthur’s expected death and the remaining legal battle. The judge has made it clear that the order only applies to Obergefell and Arthur.

Ohio

could spend less on Medicaid if it expands eligibility for the program

, according to a new

analysis

from Ohio State University and the Health Policy Institute of Ohio. But the expansion would have to come with cost controls that cap spending growth at 3.5 percent to 4 percent, as opposed to the current rate of 7.2 percent. Still, the analysis shows that policies including an expansion can save the state money. Under the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”), the federal government is asking states to expand Medicaid to include anyone at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level. In return, the federal government would pay for the entire expansion for the first three years then phase down its payments to 90 percent of the expansion’s cost. Typically, the federal government pays for about 60 percent of Medicaid in Ohio.

A Sycamore Township man

died yesterday after Hamilton County deputies used a Taser on him

during a brief struggle. Deputies found Gary Roell, 59, half-clothed and smashing windows right before they took him into custody. It’s unclear how many times the Taser was used or whether the Taser was the direct cause of death. Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil says the deputies followed protocol, given the violent actions carried out by Roell, who punched a deputy in the face during the confrontation. Still, some groups have been asking police departments around the country to change protocol altogether.

A 2012 report from Amnesty International

found at least 500 people died in the United States between 2001 and 2012 after being shocked with Tasers during their arrests or while in jail.

The 2013 Ohio Health Issues Poll found that

higher-income Ohio adults reported better health than those with lower incomes

. In 2013, 59 percent of Ohio adults above 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or roughly $15,856 for a single-person household, reported “excellent” or “very good” health, compared to only 26 percent of those below 100 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $11,490 for a single-person household. The United Way of Greater Cincinnati is pointing to the results as just one other way life is more difficult for low-income Ohioans. The group intends to get at least 70 percent of the community to report “excellent” or “very good” health by 2020. Only about 53 percent of adults in southwest Ohio currently report such health, according to the Ohio Health Issues Poll.

Hamilton County is

still offering its free recycling program

for electronic equipment, including computers and televisions, until noon on Oct. 26.

The Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) today sent out a warning to college students asking them to watch out for drugged drinks. OIU provided four safety tips: Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks can be drugged, students shouldn’t leave a drink laying around or turn their backs on it, they shouldn’t accept drinks from strangers or someone they don’t trust, and students should watch their friends’ drinks and act if they see anything suspicious. The Ohio Incident Based Reporting System (OIBRS) shows there were 14 incidents of forcible rape with drug as a weapon in 2012, but not all Ohio police departments report to OIBRS, so the numbers are likely understated.

A developer is

planning to build 20 apartments

in the mostly vacant Schwartz office building on Main Street, along the streetcar’s planned route.

Developers are still working on building apartments above the Fountain Place retail complex

, as announced nine months ago.

Another steakhouse is opening in downtown Cincinnati

.

Delta is now

offering direct flights

from Cincinnati to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Jungle Jim’s sold a $1 million Mega Millions ticket

.

Watch lab-grown heart tissue beat on its own

here

.