Your WYSO Morning News Update for November 16, 2022:
- Distracted driving bill: An Ohio House committee is preparing for a possible vote on a bill that would ban people from holding a phone while driving. Supporters say the law could go a long way in preventing distracted driving. Statehouse News Bureau correspondent Andy Chow reports.
- Ohio abortion numbers: A recent study showed a dramatic decrease in the number of abortions in Ohio in August, after the state’s strict six-week abortion ban was in effect, compared to April, when it wasn’t. But Statehouse News Bureau correspondent Jo Ingles reports those numbers don’t tell the whole story.
- DPD serial rape arrest: The Dayton Police Department’s cold case unit arrested a suspected serial rapist on Monday. The alleged crimes happened between 2013 and 2014. Three of the four victims were violently abused and sexually assaulted in Dayton. A fourth victim was sexually assaulted outside of Dayton. Major Bryan Johns is with the police department. He said the investigation comes nearly a year after the department made significant changes to its cold case unit. "One of our goals was to look at the cases that we had. Not just to look at cold case murders but also cold case sexual assaults which we know right, primarily impacts the life of women that are victimized but also men," Johns said. The department also added an extra detective to its unit. The suspect was charged with two counts of abduction, rape, kidnapping, and one count each of felonious assault and robbery.
- Melody parks development: An old Springfield favorite has been torn down to allow new life to enter the community. Melody Cruise-In Auto Theater will be replaced by a large development called Melody Parks. The project will bring up to 1,250 housing units, as well as about 500,000 square feet of commercial space. It is the largest project of its kind in the area in decades. WYSO’s Garrett Reese has more.
- Christmas Story house up for sale: If you've always wanted to display your leg lamp, dodge the Bumpus' dogs and avoid "shooting your eye out," it may be time to move to the West Side of Cleveland. But it will cost you. The home used in the 1983 film "A Christmas Story" is for sale. It opened to the public in 2006 and the operation has expanded throughout the neighborhood. Listing Agent Chad Whitmer says the owner – who lives out-of-state – is expecting offers in the 8-figure-range. WKSUcorrespondent Kabir Bhatia has more.
