EXTRA: Murder suspect; Thunderstorms continue; Slot machines
Staff and Wire ReportsFISCHER TO BE TRIED AS ADULT, CASE HEADED TO GRAND JURY:
Travis Lee Fischer, 17, of McConnelsville, will be tried as an adult in the June 2 murder of Abi S. Matthews, 35, of Malta.
Morgan County Judge Dan Favreau made the ruling in a hearing this morning. Prosecutor Mark Howdyshell said the move was made due to Fischer's age and investigators having probable cause to charge him with the crime.
Matthews was found bludgeoned to death in her Third Street apartment June 2. The Morgan County Sheriff's Office said she and Fischer had some sort of altercation and he stole and burned her car.
Fischer is being represented by Columbus attorney Daniel Sabol.
Howdyshell said the case will be presented to a grand jury. The next Morgan County grand jury is scheduled to convene Wednesday, but all the evidence might not be ready by then, Howdyshell said.
MORE RAIN, STORMS ON THE WAY:
This morning's thunderstorm is likely to be bookended by another this evening, according to National Weather Service forecasts.
The agency predicts an 80 percent chance of thunderstorms tonight and a similar probability on Saturday.
According to the weather service's hazardous weather outlook for the region, tonight's storms could produce damaging wind gusts, along with lightning, hail and flash flooding. Storms expected after midnight could dump heavy rain on ground that is already saturated, the forecast says.
"Given the rain that we've already had, it certainly would pose flash flood dangers, especially for areas that got the good rain this morning," said Mark Pellerito, meteorologist with the weather service in Charleston, W.Va.
Storms currently in Iowa and Illinois are "going to ride their way down and come here in the pre-dawn hours," he said.
The concern for flooding is aimed at smaller streams and creeks, Pellerito said. Despite all the precipitation - about an inch of rain fell in this morning's storm - neither the Ohio nor Muskingum rivers are expected to even approach flood stage.
STRICKLAND SAYS SLOTS CAN HELP BALANCE BUDGET:
COLUMBUS (AP) - After years of opposition to the expansion of gambling, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland has announced a plan for slot machines at seven horse racing tracks as a way to help balance the budget.
Strickland, a Democrat, said Friday that the move would provide $765 million for the two-year budget that starts July 1.
Lawmakers have struggled to fill a gap of roughly $3.2 billion in the spending plan.
The slots proposal would not go before state voters, who have rejected gambling proposals four times in the past 20 years.
The governor also suggests cuts of $2.43 billion, sparing a plan to continue tuition freezes at state colleges and universities as well as investments in education.
An Ohio Poll conducted in April found that six in 10 Ohio voters favor casino-style gambling.
