AKRON
Inmate art on view
AKRON: Art created by prisoners is on exhibit this month at federal public defender offices in Ohio.
The Akron Legal News reports that Dennis Terez, the U.S. public defender for northern Ohio, is hosting the project at his offices in Akron, Cleveland and Toledo.
Prisoners have created about 300 pieces of art on fabric, paper and canvas for the shows. They are framed by 2-by-4s cut and painted by inmates in the garage of a prison art teacher.
Among the works on display in Akron are portraits by the late Jimmy Corrin Sr., who was imprisoned in Ohio for 30 years and drew on handkerchiefs during stints in solitary confinement, using a state-issued pen, black coffee and floor wax.
Money from any sales generally goes to the inmate’s family.
LAKE TWP.
Police levy battled
LAKE TWP.: Township residents are suing to block a police levy narrowly passed by voters in November.
The Canton Repository reported that a lawsuit filed by residents of Lake Township claims incorrect ballot language misled voters.
The ballot told voters that the levy would cost residents $0.45 more in property tax for every $1,000 their home is worth.
In reality, the levy would cost taxpayers an extra $4.50 for every $1,000 of value.
County officials ruled last week that the levy should move forward because the ballot language reflected the intention to raise taxes, even if it listed the wrong amount.
The levy would generate $2.59 million each year and cover the cost of expanding the Uniontown Police Department.
AROUND OHIO
Workers overpaid
CLEVELAND: A city audit shows that eight Cleveland firefighters were overpaid nearly $90,000 while on active military duty between 2005 and 2009.
The Plain Dealer reports Mayor Frank Jackson’s administration is recovering the money by deducting payments from the paychecks of seven of those workers. A collection letter was sent to the remaining firefighter, who no longer works for the city.
Cleveland pays firefighters the difference between their city salary and military pay. The audit blames the overpayment on poor record keeping and firefighters’ failure to submit documents detailing their military pay.
The audit was released last year and obtained by the newspaper through a public records request. It shows overpayments ranging from around $1,200 to more than $20,000.
Foster care review
COLUMBUS: Ohio’s attorney general said Friday he wants a comprehensive review of the state’s foster-care system to look at child safety and the high number of children who remain in the system until they reach the age limit.
Mike DeWine led a child safety summit Friday in Cincinnati, where a 2-year-old boy recently was beaten to death after being returned to his birth parents from foster care. His father has pleaded not guilty to murder charges.
The case is one of several across the state in recent years. DeWine said he wants to be sure the child’s best interests always come first in family reunification cases. He said there are other issues for scrutiny about child safety and well-being.
TOLEDO
Grant for museum
TOLEDO: Creation of a Great Lakes maritime museum has taken a big step forward with more than $6 million in state money approved for the Northwest Ohio project.
A state commission recently approved the money to develop the site for the National Great Lakes Maritime Museum on the banks of the Maumee River in Toledo.
The project includes the museum and a maritime park with outdoor exhibits.
The Great Lakes Historical Society in Vermilion has operated a museum in that city east of Toledo for decades. The society’s director says the move was needed to enable expansion and more visitor traffic.
The society is raising another $2 million for the museum expected to open May 2013.
