WKSU News: Noon headlines: Jan. 4, 2013

Friday, January 4, 2013 Noon headlines: Jan. 4, 2013 AEP asking customers to pay; Judge facing OVI; Hurricane Sandy relief by WKSU's KABIR BHATIA	Reporter Kabir Bhatia

AEP asking customers to pay

Judge facing OVI

Hurricane Sandy relief

Judge Corrigan facing charge
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas judge Peter Corrigan is scheduled to plead today to a charge of operating a vehicle under the influence.
He was charged after Cleveland Metroparks Rangers found him passed out and slumped over the wheel of his car with the engine running in the Rocky River Reservation last month.
Corrigan had a .152 blood alcohol concentration, nearly double the legal limit. He told the Plain Dealer Thursday he realizes he made a big mistake and takes full responsibility.
His attorney says the judge has never been in this kind of trouble before.
Corrigan was a police officer in Maine before becoming an assistant county prosecutor here. He has an uncompromising reputation as a judge.

AEP asking customers to pay for storm
American Electric Power wants to make its customers pick up the $61.8 million tab for repairs resulting from last summer's severe storms.
The Columbus Dispatch reports that the reimbursement request the company filed with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is one of the largest ever in the state.
It would cost about $3 a month for a typical household and would be paid for a year. That works out to about a 2-percent rate increase.
AEP's system suffered mass power failures because of the June 29 storm. Nearly half of the company's 1.5 million Ohio customers lost power, some for more than a week.
Utility spokeswoman Terri Flora said it is typical for utilities to go to customers to recover costs for large-scale storms.

Lottery restores funding
The Ohio Lottery has reversed course and will restore funding for schools to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Last August, the lottery discontinued support because of a cut in sponsorship funding.
The lottery has sponsored the spelling bee since 2008, paying $115 enrollment fees for almost 1600 Ohio schools last year.
This year's weeklong national bee begins May 26.

Burglar shooter has prior gun charge
Authorities say a northeast Ohio man who fatally shot a burglar in a Cleveland home in November and wounded a man in another break-in this week at the same location had been convicted of a weapons charge in 2010.
Oakwood Village Police Chief Mark Garratt said Friday that 58-year-old Miodrag Bugarcic was convicted in Bedford Municipal Court of a concealed-weapon violation.
The charge stemmed from him firing shots into the ground in an argument with a neighbor. Bugarcic was sentenced to six months in jail, with all but three days suspended.
The Cleveland prosecutor's office is reviewing Monday's latest shooting to decide on any charges.
No phone listing could be found for Bugarcic. His attorney in the 2010 case offered Friday to try to relay a message seeking comment.

Cuyahoga County getting Hurricane Sandy FEMA relief
Cuyahoga County is the only Ohio county getting money to cover repairs from Hurricane Sandy in October. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is sending $17 million after Gov. Kasich requested the county be declared a federal disaster area last month. Pres. Obama granted the request Thursday.

Sports
The Cavs are in Charlotte tonight to take on the Bobcats, and they welcome the Houston Rockets tomorrow night.
Also, Kent State is making its first Bowl appearance since 1972. The Golden Flashes football team take on Arkansas State in the GoDaddy Bowl on Sunday.

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