Lady Bird Johnson, former first lady, dies at home in Austin at 94

7/11/2007

(Posted at 5:49 p.m.) AUSTIN, Texas Lady Bird Johnson, the former first lady who championed conservation and worked tenaciously for the political career of her husband, former President Lyndon B. Johnson, died today at her Austin home of natural causes, a family spokeswoman said. Mrs. Johnson, 94, had suffered a stroke in 2002 that affected her ability to speak.

(Posted at 3:11 p.m.) COLUMBUS Vanderbilt University Chancellor E. Gordon Gee is leaving the Nashville school to return to The Ohio State University as president. In an e-mail sent to Vanderbilt faculty today, Mr. Gee confirms that he will replace Karen Holbrook as OSU president on Aug. 1. Ms. Holbrook retired on June 30.

(Posted at 6:02 p.m.) BOWLING GREEN A former Perrysburg Township police officer was convicted today of raping a 25-year-old Perrysburg woman he met at a local bar and followed home last August. After deliberating more than five hours, a jury in Wood County Common Pleas Court found Richard Solether, 40, guilty of the first-degree felony. He faces 3-10 years in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 31 by Judge Alan Mayberry.

(Posted at 12:14 p.m.) The Lucas County Citizens Tax Levy Review Committee voted unanimously with one abstention this morning to recommend the county commissioners place COSI s five-year, 0.167-mill levy on the November ballot. The commissioners have until Aug. 23 to approve the committee's recommendation.

(Posted at 12:11 p.m.) COLUMBUS Another 671,019 Ohioans who haven t cashed refund checks and have done business with the state have been added to the list of people whose personal information may be at risk due to last month s theft of a state computer backup storage device.

(Posted at 7:22 a.m.) A north Toledo family was left homeless overnight when a fire of suspicious origin at a vacant house on North Ontario Street near Galena Street spread to their house, authorities said. All occupants of a two story, wood frame building at 2113 North Ontario escaped unharmed by the time fire crews arrived about 10:46 p.m., fire Lt. Melvin Bond said.