Maine
ISP sues builder over high-speed fiber-optic system
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A Biddeford-based Internet service provider has sued the operator of a system designed to bring high-speed broadband service to rural areas of Maine, claiming it failed to live up to its promises.
GWI claims in the suit against Maine Fiber Co., which built and now operates the so-called Three Ring Binder fiber-optic network, installed too few connection points, making it prohibitively expensive to physically connect the 10 gigabit-per-second service to homes in remote areas.
The suit also accuses Maine Fiber of breach of contract and fraudulent concealment, and claims that the dearth of connections violates rules for the $25.4 million federal stimulus grant that was used to build the network.
New York
Woman who hit Wal-Mart worker is re-sentenced
BATAVIA, N.Y. (AP) — A 28-year-old woman has been given a court-ordered one-year sentence for punching a 70-year-old cashier at a western New York Wal-Mart on Christmas Eve 2011.
The Daily News of Batavia reports Jacquetta Simmons was resentenced Monday after a state appeals court earlier this month ruled that her original five-year state prison sentence was too harsh. She’ll serve a one-year term in a county jail with credit for time already served.
Simmons was convicted in August 2012 of assault for punching Wal-Mart cashier Grace Suozzi after she asked to see a receipt for merchandise Simmons was carrying out of the Batavia store on the morning of Dec. 24, 2011.
Police say the punch knocked the cashier to the ground and caused fractures to the side of her face.
New York
Empire State Building sues over topless pics
NEW YORK (AP) — A fashion photographer is facing a lawsuit for taking pictures of a topless model on the observation deck of the Empire State Building.
The owners of the New York City landmark filed a $1.1 million lawsuit against Allen Henson for a set of photos he took in August.
According court papers filed Monday, Henson didn’t apply for permission and never notified the building about his plans for the photo shoot. Building representatives called it objectionable and inappropriate because the observation deck is a family and tourist attraction.
Henson says he hasn’t used the images commercially as the suit claims.
Ohio
Two judges to share indicted judge’s caseload
CINCINNATI (AP) — A retired judge and appellate judge will help a southwest Ohio juvenile judge take over the cases assigned to a suspended judge.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the Ohio Supreme Court has appointed retired juvenile judge Tom Lipps to preside over Hamilton County Juvenile Judge Tracie Hunter’s daily docket of adoptions, foster care and custody issues.
Hunter was charged last week in an eight-count felony indictment that alleged she backdated court records, among other accusations. The state’s high court disqualified her pending resolution of the charges.
Lipps had served as a juvenile court judge for 12 years and had already been appointed to help clear a case backlog. State appellate judge Sylvia Hendon and Presiding Juvenile Court Judge John Williams are taking Hunter’s criminal case docket.
Ohio
Blind student sues Miami U over technology
OXFORD, Ohio (AP) — A blind Miami University student says school technology has hit her with a barrier.
Junior Aleeha Dudley of New Paris says in a federal lawsuit she has had course materials inaccessible to her text-to-speech software, and that she hasn’t received material in Braille or other forms she can use without help. She compares that to a public place with unneeded entrance steps and no ramp. Her U.S. District court lawsuit says Miami failed to provide her equal access.
The Dayton Daily News reports she wants Miami to expunge her grades, pay her tuition and costs to repeat three school years, and to pay other damages and relief determined by the court.
Miami University says it tries to accommodate needs of the disabled, but won’t comment on the specific case.
Nebraska
Fremont man convicted of child sex assault, porn
FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — A Fremont man has been convicted of sexually assaulting a child and producing child pornography.
The Fremont Tribune says the man pleaded no contest after prosecutors dropped other charges, including five counts of incest. The Associated Press is not naming the man, in order to protect the privacy of the child.
Prosecutors say that on Nov. 17, 2011, the man used hidden cameras to make child pornography. Prosecutors also say the man sexually assaulted a child more than 30 times between November 2010 and May 2013.
Attorneys are recommending 30- to 40-year prison terms that would be served at the same time. But Judge Geoffrey Hall told the man at a hearing Monday that the court is not bound by the agreement.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 10.
Ohio
Man gets life for killing woman’s unborn baby
AKRON, Ohio (AP) — A 22-year-old northeast Ohio man was sentenced to life in prison Monday for killing his girlfriend's unborn baby by punching her in the stomach.
Tyvon D. Ward of Akron attacked his girlfriend on June 20 after learning that she was 34 weeks pregnant, prosecutors said. He attacked their 4-year-old son, throwing him around the room. A few hours later he assaulted the girlfriend, punching her in the stomach and face.
The woman was hospitalized the next day, and her baby died as a result of the attack, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. Authorities said that while the woman was in the hospital, Ward and another girlfriend left the critically injured 4-year-old son home alone.
When Akron police went to Ward's home to question him about his girlfriend's injuries, they discovered the boy home alone lying on the carpet. The child was taken to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with fractures to the face from the previous day’s attack.
Ward pleaded guilty to murder, felonious assault and endangering children. Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Lynne Callahan sentenced Ward to life in prison without possibility of parole for 20 years.
