 |
November 2008 |
 |
|
|
|
|
By MATT NICHOLS
Staff Writer
A former Wapakoneta law enforcement officer’s future is now in the hands of seven state Supreme Court justices.
Former Wapakoneta Police Chief Dave Harrison’s 6-year-old sex crime case reached the pinnacle in Ohio’s court system Wednesday, as justices heard arguments from Harrison’s attorney Dean Boland and state prosecutor Scott Longo.
Each party had 15 minutes to present their case to the justices. After both attorneys argued their cases, a single word in Harrison’s sentencing entry and a grilling delivered to Longo by justice Maureen O’Connor left Boland optimistic about his client’s future.
In June, 2003, Harrison plead guilty to a six-count bill of information after child pornography was found on his computer. After entering his plea, the man who served as police chief from 1988 to 2002 was sentenced to one year in jail.
Seven months after he completed his sentence, it was discovered by county prosecutors that Harrison should have been sentenced with an additional five years of mandatory post release control, or probation.
During a court hearing, Harrison was given the option to either be re-sentenced or withdraw his plea. Harrison chose the latter, taking things back to square one.
With the plea withdrawn, the state of Ohio slapped Harrison with a 23-count indictment which he was ultimately found guilty of and sentenced to six years in prison.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Going to the Dems’ soiree |
|
Tuesday, 19 August 2008 |
Local teen to attend National Convention
By MATT NICHOLS
Staff Writer
As the eyes of the nation focus on the highly anticipated November election, a local teen will have a front row seat to one of the biggest events on the road to the U.S. presidency.
Wapakoneta’s Samantha Kinstle is already at Regis University in Denver, the site of the 2008 Democratic National Convention, scheduled to begin next week.
Kinstle, 19, is one of 10 Ohio Northern University students to make the trip to Colorado to participate in the convention.
“This is going to be a wonderful experience and it’s something that I’ve really been looking forward to,” Kinstle said Monday in a telephone interview as she was getting acclimated to the university grounds.
The trip to Denver is organized through the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars.
The seminars began one week ago and are taught as an academic course. Each seminar features formal instruction, guest lectures, panels, tours, site visits and fieldwork assignments. Each student who made the trip was also given four credit hours.
Ohio Northern University is one of 105 U.S. colleges attending the seminars. A total of 343 students from 42 states and Washington, D.C. are participating in the program.
After arriving on Sunday, Kinstle said she and her fellow students will stay in Denver until Aug. 30. They will work at the convention from Aug. 25 through Aug. 28.
On Monday night, Kinstle said her group spent the evening in the heart of downtown Denver, talking their way into the CNN bus and sitting in the same spots as Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain. They already have received tickets to attend a book signing by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Kinstle also will attend the “She Should Run” program with speakers including Pelosi, California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Girl Scouts of America CEO Kathy Cloninger.
On Friday, the ONU students will have a backstage pass to the Pepsi Center and a meeting with Democratic Party Chair Howard Dean.
Kinstle said the cost of the trip was nearly $3,000, but the university funded $1,400 for each student. She said the rest had to be paid out of pocket.
Kinstle said 13 Ohio Northern University students who had enough money expressed interest in attending the seminars.
She said three students are heading to Minneapolis for the Republican National Convention at Augsburg College.
Kinstle chose the Democratic National Convention as she has more in common with views shared by Democrats — primarily Obama’s position on change, she said.
Kinstle expects to graduate from the university this year at age 19. The daughter of Sandra and Robert Kinstle said her AP credits, summer classes and competition teams have allowed her to graduate early.
After graduating from Ohio Northern University, she said she plans to attend law school at the University of Toledo.
Kinstle, who will attend the presidential inauguration in January under the same program, said she hopes the trip pays dividends for her in the future.
“This is just a great networking event,” Kinstle said. “I’ll be meeting all sorts of senators that could be helpful in the future. I’m sure this will be a lifetime experience.” |
|
Last Updated ( Thursday, 21 August 2008 )
|
|
|
|
