APPARENT SUICIDE AT LCJC
A 39-year-old inmate at the Licking County Justice Center was found dead in his cell early Monday morning. According to the Licking County Sheriff's Office, shortly before 2:00 am, a corrections officer, found Luis Figueroa unresponsive in his cell. Officers immediately performed live-saving measures but were unsuccessful. Preliminary indications are suicide and there were no signs of foul play. The incident remains under investigation.
DISTURBING CHARGES
A 42-year-old Etna man pleaded guilty to conspiring to create and distribute what authorities have called “animal crush” videos. According to court documents, Ronald Bedra conspired with others to create and distribute the videos that depicted acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys. Bedra and others used encrypted chat apps to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera. He will be sentenced at a later date.
GROUNDBREAKING AT THE FAIRGROUNDS
Monday, Governor DeWine, along with other state officials, broke ground on two buildings to revitalize the fairgrounds in Columbus, the Ohio Showcase Building and the new agriculture building. The projects are part of the long-term master plan recommended by the Expo 2050 Task Force. Gov. DeWine created the task force in 2019 to develop a strategic vision for the future of the 360-acre state fairgrounds, which has been home to the Ohio State Fair since 1886.
DISASTER RECOVERY CENTER
A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center opened Monday at the Warner Library on the OSU-Newark/COTC campus to help Licking County residents kick-start their recovery after the March 14 tornadoes. Specialists from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration will help survivors apply for federal disaster assistance, upload documents, learn about ways to make their property more disaster resistant, and get their questions answered in person. The center will be open from 7:30am-6:30pm now through Saturday.
HELPING OLDER ADULTS
Twenty percent of older adults in central Ohio either were not prepared or did not know if they were prepared for extreme weather, according to a recent study by Ohio State University researchers. OSU Assistant Professor Smitha Rao says the research is meant to be a launching point for area agencies on aging to help determine who is most vulnerable.
The 2021 Central Ohio Regional Assessment on Aging Survey included more than 1,400 adults over age 65 in eight central Ohio counties.
BUCKEYE LAKE PIRATE FEST
Buckeye Lake will be a popular place this weekend.
Kelly Collins said the free Pirate Fest features a day full of activities for adults and kids. There will be a special pirate marketplace called Port Royal at the Harbor Community Center. There will be a treasure hunt involving 40 businesses. For more information visit www.buckeyelakepiratefest.com.