WKEF Top Stories

Testing Their Powerball Luck

Sun, May 19 2013, 12:00 AM EDT

KETTERING-- People tested their 1 in 175 million chance of winning $600 million dollars Powerball Jackpot Saturday at one of the luckiest store in the Miami Valley.

Bee Gee's in Kettering have sold winning tickets in the past but unfortunately no one has been lucky enough to win the Powerball.

"We've had quite a few winners," said Michael Sliger. "We're the number one agent in the Miami Valley, we're the number three ahem I'm the state out of about $9,000 stores," said Sliger.

Everyone has their strategy.

"I was using my children and my grandchildren birthdays, our anniversaries," said Debra Anderson of Centerville.

But some just trust fate.

"I think that's fine. I did that years and years ago," said Joanne Coyle. "I would pick birthdays and I was never really lucky so I'm just letting the machine do it," said Coyle.

You'd be surprise at what some say they'll do with the money.

"I would strategize. How much I would invest. How my children could benefit. Some charities I'm found of. Wounded worriors, my church," said Coyle.

"I'll definitely give back to the community to friends and family and start me a new YMCA center for the youth and boys club," said Jerry Leary of Cincinnati.

The latest jackpot is the world's second largest in history, but the chances of winning is extremely slim.

"Once in a lifetime opportunity you know what I'm saying if you hit this you may be set forever and you can help out a lot of people with this," said Leary.

Dayton Public Schools Teachers Honored

Sat, May 18 2013, 11:50 PM EDT

UNION--Teachers who do great things in our schools were recognized tonight at the Annual Hickman Awards.

ABC 22/FOX 45's Rhonda Moore emceed the event that recognizes Dayton Public School teachers who go above and beyond in their commitment to Dayton's youth.

The Annual Hickman Awards are in honor of the late Edward Hickman; the former Dayton board of education member.

Thousands Raised During White Out for Cancer

Sat, May 18 2013, 11:48 PM EDT

MIAMI TOWNSHIP--The Wright Brother's Airport hangar in Miami Township was decked out in white.

Now eight years in the running, this event raises money for the American Cancer Society.

"The money does go to the entire cancer society, but programs like.... of Cincinnati or some Dayton programs, the money does come back. Because of our underwriting ability, we're almost - 95% of the money for this event does go to the American cancer society," said organizer Sonu Agerwall.

The goal is to raise $150,000. They raised $90,000 an hour into the event.

Ohio National Guard Could Take Furlough Days

Sat, May 18 2013, 08:30 PM EDT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Mandated budget cuts at the Pentagon may soon affect the Ohio National Guard civilian ranks.

About 1,800 civilian employees of the Ohio Guard may be required to take 11 unpaid days off under the Department of Defense budget-cutting plan.

The furloughs would run July 8 through Sept. 30, the end of the federal budget year.

The Ohio Guard's vice chief of the joint staff, Mark Wayda, told The Columbus Dispatch in a story published Saturday that it will be a priority to make sure core missions are accomplished amid any furloughs.

The furloughs would affect mainly administrative employees and maintenance workers who service ground and air fleets. The furloughs do not apply to the military duties of soldiers and airmen.

Local Churches Help Feed 2,000 People

Sat, May 18 2013, 06:58 PM EDT

DAYTON -- About two thousand people who would have gone hungry have a full belly tonight all thanks to church's joining together.

Denominations aside, seven Dayton-area church's joined as one for this big community feast.

It happened at the Mount Calvary Baptist Church this afternoon.

Hundreds of volunteers catered to their neighbors in need - delievering a homestyle, delicious meal with all the trimmings.

Those who organized it say this is the true meaning of community.

"If we can try and show people a little bit of love and give them somthing to break some of the tension, and pull people together," said Karen Carter with the Mt. Calvary Baptist Chruch, "That in itself is a wonderful day for me."

They had bouncy houses for the kids to enjoy. More than 30 different community agencies were on hand to share info about social services, medical options, food pantries and general health and wellness opportunities.

Giving Neighbors the Tools For Fighting Back

Sat, May 18 2013, 06:54 PM EDT

DAYTON -- City leaders are hoping to giving neighbors the toolsto fight back!

Saturday, the Miami Valley Crime Prevention Association hosted a free community training event for neighbors. They were taught basic crime prevention tips, women's self defense, spotting chid abuse, bullying, and cyber crimes!

"We cant do this alone, we have to have the community involved in order to do our job effectively," said Chris Pawelski, President of The Miami Valley Crime Prevention Assc, "If we're going to have them involved, we've gotta train them, we've gotta work together, and partner with them, and that's what today is about."

Next October, international experts from the crime fighting association will come to Dayton to teach the community problem-solving techniques.

For more information, click here.

Powerball Jackpot Grows To $600 Million

Sat, May 18 2013, 06:46 PM EDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Powerball officials say the jackpot has climbed to an estimated $600 million, making it the largest prize in the game's history and the world's second largest lottery prize.

Lottery officials say the prize is growing quickly Friday because so many people have been purchasing the $2 tickets. The jackpot has grown by an estimated $236 million since the last drawing on Wednesday.

The last jackpot was won on March 30, so it's been growing for about six weeks. The next drawing is Saturday night.

The largest jackpot ever was a $656 million Mega Millions prize won in March 2012. The prize was split three ways with winners in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland.

Odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are about 1 in 175 million.

AP-WF-05-17-13 1722GMT

Woman Accused In Facebook Murder For Hire Plot

Fri, May 17 2013, 03:49 PM EDT

WARREN COUNTY -- A woman is in the Warren County Jail, accused of trying to find a hitman on facebook to kill her ex-husband.

The Warren County Sheriff's Office said they were contacted by the Indianapolis Police Department. Indianapolis Police said they received information that 28-year-old Heather Boling solicited someone from Indianapolis using facebook.

The two agencies worked together to put her in contact with a Warren County detective who posed as a hit man. Detectives say Boling met the detective at the Cincinnati Premium Outlets and gave him money to kill her ex-husband.

Heather Boling is charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated murder.

Car Strikes Nearly 50 People During Virginia Parade

Sat, May 18 2013, 05:45 PM EDT

DAMASCUS, Va. (AP) -- Witnesses in southwestern Virginia say a car has driven into a crowd at a parade. Several people appear to be hurt, but the nature of their injuries wasn't immediately known.

The accident occurred around 2:30 p.m. Saturday during the Hikers Parade at the Trail Days festival. The event is celebrates the Appalachian Trail in Damascus.

A call to Damascus police was handled by the Washington County Sheriff's Office. A dispatcher said she had no immediate information.

State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller says troopers have been sent to the scene but she had no further information. She says Damascus police are handling the release of information.

Witness Debra McCown says the car came from a side street. She says a thud was heard and some yelled for the car to stop.

Huber Heights Music Center Groundbreaking

Sat, May 18 2013, 04:32 PM EDT

HUBER HEIGHTS -- Saturday, the City of Huber Heights had a ground breaking ceremony for the Music Center at The Heights. It was held on the land adjacent to the Meijer store located at 7150 Executive Boulevard in Huber Heights

The City also premiered a six-minute video about The Heights project during the Community Open House, to be held on the grounds of the YMCA and Kroger Aquatic Center at the corner of Shull Road and State Route 201.

"These are exciting times with the growth of The Heights into a true destination for our region. The Kroger Aquatic Center has been a great success and the Y has excelled in their partnership with the City, especially with the 'Swim Safely Day' and other events," stated Assistant City Manager Scott Falkowski. "The ground breaking for the Music Center represents the birth of entertainment that is unlike any other in the area. It's one more amenity the City offers that raises the quality of life in The Heights."

The City will be moving forward with plans and construction of The Music Center at The Heights immediately. The venue is projected to open in the summer of 2014.

Commuter Trains Collide in CT

Sat, May 18 2013, 12:51 PM EDT

UPDATE---

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Officials in Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's office say the governor will meet with representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board and Connecticut's two U.S. senators at the site of a Metro-North Railroad crash that injured 70 people.

Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and other Connecticut officials will also participate in the tour, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. EDT Saturday near Bridgeport. The delegation will update journalists with the latest details of the crash after surveying the area.

Three people remain in critical condition following the rush-hour crash Friday between two commuter trains that serve the northern suburbs of New York City.

AP-WF-05-18-13 1234GMT

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (AP) -- Two commuter trains packed with rush-hour commuters collided in an accident that sent more than 60 people to Connecticut hospitals, severely damaged the tracks and threatened to snarl travel in the congested Northeast Corridor.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said five people were critically injured and one was very critically hurt in Friday evening's crash on the Metro-North Railroad, which serves the northern suburbs of New York City.

Passengers described a chaotic, terrifying scene of crunching metal and flying bodies when the two trains, carrying about 700 people, collided shortly after 6 p.m.

Amtrak, which uses the same rails, suspended service indefinitely between New York and Boston.

Malloy said there was no reason to believe it was anything other than an accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board was sending a team to investigate.

AP-WF-05-18-13 0707GMT

iPhones Stolen From Verizon Store

Sat, May 18 2013, 12:00 PM EDT

TROY -- Troy police are investigating a break-in at the Verizon Wireless store. Officers tell us someone broke into the store on West Market Street Saturday around 5:30a.m. Several iPhones were stolen.

The front entrance has a glass door, which appeared to be shattered when our crews arrived on scene.

Police are not sure yet if there are any surveillance videos of the suspect available.

If you saw anything suspicious in the area, you're asked to call police.

Man Accused of Shooting Brother After Argument

Sat, May 18 2013, 11:03 AM EDT

GREENVILLE -- A man in jail this morning accused of shooting his brother. Darke County deputies tell us they received a call from 30 year old Kody Clark Friday night around 10:43p.m. reporting that he had just shot his brother.

Dispatchers say, Clark told them the incident had just occurred at his residence located at 41 Knottingham in Sherwood Forest, Greenville, OH. Darke County deputies along with the Arcanum Rescue Squad were immediately dispatched to the scene.

Investigators say Kody Clarks' 24 year old brother, Ky Clark of Mooresville, IN had come to his brother's residence when shortly thereafter a heated argument between the two ensued. They tell us, soon there after a single gunshot was fired by Kody Clark toward his brother, which struck Ky Clark in the left thight.

Arcanum Rescue transported Ky Clark to Phillipsburg, OH where they were met by Care Flight who then transported him on to Miami Valley Hospital. At last report Ky Clark was listed in fair condition. Also present and asleep in the house at the time of the shooting was Kody Clarks’ eight year old son who was unharmed.

Kody Clark was arrested at the scene for Felonious Assault and transported to the Darke County Jail.

This investigation is ongoing.

Local Tea Party Members Coming Back from IRS Hearings

Fri, May 17 2013, 05:49 PM EDT

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congress has started investigating the IRS, which has apologized for targeting hundreds of conservative groups. The scandal started right here in our area.

Conservative groups say for years IRS agents have singled out hundreds of right wing organizations that are applying for tax exempt status.

"I do not believe that partisanship was a factor by the people engaged in the behavior described in the Inspector General report. I think what happened here was mistakes were made by people trying to be more efficient in their workload selection," said Steven Miller, former IRS Commissioner, who was forced to retire in light of the scandal this week.

"It was appalling and shocking, the lack of answers," said Susan McLaughlin of the Liberty Township Tea Party.

McLaughlin and Tim Savaglio are founders of the Liberty Township Tea Party in Butler County. They say the IRS forced them to answer questions that had nothing to do with their group, or its request to be tax exempt.

ABC 22/FOX 45 obtained a copy of a document from the IRS to the Liberty Township Tea Party. It contains 35 questions, some of which the Tea Party believes are valid. But some they say are not, iIncluding number 26 which asks, "What's your relationship with Justin Binik-Thomas." He's not a member of their group, but he is the co-founder of the Cincinnati Tea Party.

"He was on our calendar as a coming event and that's the only connection we have to him. But it's chilling. Why would they pick on individual? Why would they ask about one individual and our relationship with that individual?" said Savaglio.

Just one of the many questions the Congressional investigation into the IRS is hoping to answer.

EARLIER ------------------------------------------------------------

DAYTON -- A Conservative group based right here in the Miami Valley says it was specifically targeted by the IRS, while applying for tax-exempt status.

Some members of the Liberty Township Tea Party just returned from Congressional hearings on the Hill today.

Outgoing IRS commissioner, Steven Miller who announced his resignation this week, told a Republican led panel investigating the controversy that a huge increase in workload led to "foolish mistakes."

Coming up tonight on FOX 45 News at 10 and ABC 22 News at 11, Reporter Liza Danver talks with a Liberty Township Tea Party member just returning from today's hearing.

SAY WHAT? IRS Scandal

Fri, May 17 2013, 10:32 PM EDT

SAY WHAT? -- Congress is now investigating the Internal Revenue Service, which admits that -- for at least three years -- it singled out for further scrutiny groups with the words "tea party" or "patriot" in their names.

This scandal actually started in Cincinnati, with the targeting of local tea party groups.

In this week's Say What we ask local folks whether they think the IRS abused its vast power, how far up this scandal may reach in Washington, and how much anyone will really be punished.

You may also want to read Jack Atherton's hard-hitting blogs on this and other scandals.

Piqua Father Rescues Baby From Early Morning Fire

Fri, May 17 2013, 06:01 PM EDT

PIQUA -- A Piqua father saves his 13-month-old baby from an early morning fire.

Christopher Haley broke down in tears as he talked to our cameras about how he had to save baby Savanah.

The family lived on the second story of a duplex.

Haley saved his daughters life by dropping her 13 feet off the balcony.

"I had to dangle her down there. So someone would get her," he said.

Haley couldn't hold back his emotions, "I didn't know if someone would catch her."

The family lost everything in the fire.

Haley says the family wouldn't have been woken up if it wasn't for their dog.

Fire investigators are still trying to figure out what started the blaze at 513 Adams Street.

Woman Charged With Theft for Stealing Thousands From Cancer Fundraisers

Fri, May 17 2013, 01:31 PM EDT

SPRINGFIELD -- The woman accused of faking she had cancer and pocketing thousands of dollars in fundraiser money has been charged with felony theft.

Michelle Mundy, 37, of Hustead Road in Springfield is accused of stealing $700 in February and April from Masonic Home fundraisers and stealing $5,050 from fundraisers held in November 2012 and March 2013 at Bogey's Bar & Grill.

According to police records, Mundy was employed by the Masonic Home at the time of the thefts. When co-workers went to Greene Memorial Hospital on April 25 to support Mundy during her purported cancer treatment they discovered she wasn't being treated there for cancer.

Greg Hensley, director of the Masonic Home, confronted Mundy the next day, and police say she admitted to him that she had lied about having cancer.

Mundy was interviewed by Springfield police May 13, where she reportedly confessed to lying about having cancer and receiving money from the resulting fundraisers.

She told police she used the money for personal use. She said she was overwhelmed at work, trying to deal with financial stress, and was struggling with her marriage. She says she is now separated from her husband. She said she was looking for attention and had no idea people would hold fundraisers for her. She said she actually had cancer several years ago and there were no fundraisers held then.

Mundy and her lawyer said Mundy's husband, Joe Mundy, did not know that her cancer claims were false. He even provided a report from the polygraph test to police, which determined he was truthful in his answers. Joe Mundy is an officer for the South Vienna Police Department.

Michelle Mundy has since been fired from the Masonic Home.

The home released this statement:

"On Friday, April 26th, the Ohio Masonic Home was made aware of an employee at our Springfield Campus allegedly raising money by falsely claiming she was currently being treated for cancer. The Ohio Masonic Home has notified the Springfield Police Department. This is an on-going investigation, the Ohio Masonic Home will not be releasing any additional information regarding the employee or specific events of this case."

Local Foster Parents Honored

Fri, May 17 2013, 10:42 PM EDT

DAYTON -- They've opened their homes and their hearts to children, and tonight local foster parents were honored for the their work.

More than 100 foster parents were given the star treatment at the Haines Center for Children in Dayton. The event is a way for Montgomery County Children Services to say thank you.

"Part of the idea is for reunification and that's always the goal for a foster parent.'', Hannelore Kay, a foster parent told us, ''So, that can be the bittersweet part of it, just the, ya know, the time you have that relationship it might be time for them to reunify with their parents but it's a joyous time as well so you can't be that upset when that happens."

If you're interested in being a foster parent, you can call 224-KIDS.

Medical Marijuana Initiative Clears First Hurdle

Fri, May 17 2013, 10:27 PM EDT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- A proposed constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana in Ohio has cleared an initial step to get before voters.
   Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine certified a summary of the proposal on Friday and said the submission contained the 1,000 valid signatures required for the effort to move forward.
   A group called the Ohio Rights Group is behind the Ohio Cannabis Rights Amendment, which calls for a commission to regulate the use of medical marijuana and permit Ohioans to grow industrial hemp for paper or clothing.
   The group hopes to put it before voters by 2014 and must collect roughly 385,000 valid signatures to get the measure on the statewide ballot.
   The Ohio Ballot Board analyzes the amendment next week.
   AP-WF-05-17-13 2255GMT

17 Year Old Charged With Killing Two Brothers

Fri, May 17 2013, 10:24 PM EDT

OTTAWA, Ohio (AP) -- A teenager who pointed Ohio authorities to the bodies of two dead brothers who had been reported missing has now been charged in their deaths.
   A prosecutor in northwest Ohio says the 17-year-old is charged with delinquency in connection with aggravated murder.
   The Associated Press previously identified the teen but now is withholding his name because he has been charged as a juvenile.
   The brothers' bodies were found hours after they were reported missing May 9.
   All three teenagers had been named in an Amber Alert last week after the mother of the two brothers returned to a Putnam County trailer home and found a gun and blood.
   The 17-year-old was later found with a missing car in Columbus, about 120 miles southeast of his hometown of Ottawa.
   AP-WF-05-17-13 1438GMT

OVI Checkpoint Friday Night

Thu, May 16 2013, 08:05 PM EDT

UPDATE -- Officers from the Clark County area are manning an OVI checkpoint Friday night in the area of U.S. 40 and U.S. 68. The checkpoint will run until midnight.

There will also be extra patrols out all weekend long.

***********************************************************

CLARK COUNTY -- Drivers, expect to see extra patrol out this weekend.

The Ohio State Patrol is holding a sobriety checkpoint in Clark County tomorrow night.

The location won't be announced until Friday morning.

Last year, more than 400 people were killed in OVI-related crashes.

Man Accused of Several Bank Robberies Arrested

Fri, May 17 2013, 09:54 PM EDT

MONTGOMERY COUNTY -- A man wanted in a rash of bank robberies is now behind bars.

Gerald Francis Duggan was arrested Friday and is being held in the Montgomery County jail.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's office issued a warrant for Duggan's arrest Friday afternoon in connection with several bank robberies, including the Universal 1 Credit Union in Washington Township on Tuesday. Duggan is also accused of robbing banks in Vandalia, Kettering, and Columbus.

Construction Set to Begin At Valley St. & Harshman Rd.

Fri, May 17 2013, 08:35 PM EDT

RIVERSIDE -- The City of Riverside is announcing its reconstruction of Harshman Road from Transportation Drive, south through the Valley Pike intersection.

Work will begin Monday, May 20 and is scheduled to be complete by the end of October 2013. Traffic is expected to be reduced to one lane of travel in all directions during most of the project’s work period and all commuter traffic is encouraged to find alternative means to their final destination. During construction, access to all businesses in the project area will be maintained.

This project will involve the removal of all surface layers of asphalt, the replacement of storm sewers, restoration of the road sub-base, and the application of new asphalt. The total cost of the project is $2.1 million and is being funded with a $780,000 grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission as well as $1.32 million from the City’s General Fund.

Anyone wishing to know more about this project is encouraged to contact the City of Riverside’s Director of Public Services, Mr. Mitch Miller, at 233-1801.

Our Jack Atherton Read to School Kids

Fri, May 17 2013, 06:54 PM EDT

DAYTON -- Beautiful, brilliant and very well-behaved, that's how anchor Jack Atherton described 3rd and 4th graders from Cleveland Elementary School in Dayton who he read to.

This is part of a regular program at Cleveland Elementary in which they asks dads and other men to come help out around the school, so the kids have a chance to see men as role models. It also helps the men see how important it is to spend time with the kids.

UPDATE: Son Charged with Murdering Mother's Boyfriend

Fri, May 17 2013, 09:18 AM EDT

PREBLE COUNTY -- A suspect in a Friday morning murder reportedly called 911 and said he has "“just done something bad and that he needs to go to jail.”

Tyler G. Smith, 22, is accused of shooting and killing his mother's boyfriend about 6:15 a.m. Friday.

The Preble County Sheriff's Office says the 911 operator lost Smith's initial call but he called back, identified himself and reportedly told the dispatcher he had shot and killed his mother's boyfriend.

Deputies responded to 5877 Lexington Road, near Eaton and found Smith and the victim, who has been identified as Jerry D. Mason, 48. Mason and Smith both reportedly resided at that Lexington Road residence.

Smith was transported to the Preble County Jail and faces a murder charge.

Earlier coverage:

Fatality Reported at Eaton Home

PREBLE COUNTY -- Sheriff's deputies are investigating a fatality in Eaton.

According to Preble County Sheriff Michael Simpson, they are in the process of obtaining a search warrant to enter the home at 5800 E. Lexington Road.

Simpson could not confirm at this time if anyone was in custody.

We will bring you the latest on this developing story.

Drivers React to Being Caught in I-70 Pile-Up

Fri, May 17 2013, 05:40 PM EDT

CLARK COUNTY -- All lanes of I-70 eastbound are now open after the 15-vehicle pileup this morning due to dense fog.

I-70 eastbound was shut down between state routes 72 and 41 for about three hours Friday morning.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, 11 passenger vehicles and four semis were involved in a pileup this morning along I-70 eastbound during the heavy fog.

Drivers tell us they couldn't see 50 yards in front of them.

"We were starting our vacation, we have a 12 hour drive," said Ben O'Brien. Ben and his girlfriend didn't even get halfway before the cars in front of them collided.

"I know in the fog like that when two cars pile up there's going to be more," he said. "So I told my girlfriend they're coming, just get ready they're going to hit us. We were essentially trapped between 4 or 5 cars and we hadn't been hit yet but we knew they were going to hit us."

It didn't take long before the high flying flowing traffic became a pile-up of cars.

"The initial wreck had just happened and we were trying to squeeze through two wrecked cars and vehicles were going all over the place. We were trying to squeeze through and one of these cars came and rear-ended us and pushed us into another car and pushed us to the side," said Ben.

Some drivers however, were able to squeeze through successfully.

"We saw them stop so we started to slow up and other cars were flying by us real fast," said Gary Dunsford who escaped the wreckage. "That's what happened cars going too fast in the fog."

Four people were reportedly injured and have been transported to area hospitals, although none of the injuries were considered life-threatening.

First responders say it's very fortunate the crashes didn't cause more serious injuries.

"When you look at the vehicles you see the significant damage, it would lead you to believe the injuries are more severe, but in this case they're not, so we are very fortunate," said Piqua District Headquarters Lt. Danny Springs. "We had one lady we had to pop a door open for, she wasn't trapped we just had to get the door off."

O'Brien says he's fortunate his car is still drivable.

"We are probably going to spend the rest of the day getting these people where they need to go," he said. "So we'll take our luck and help others out."

Troopers tell us next time you go outside and you notice extremely dense fog, of course take your time and drive slow, and it's not a bad idea to check your tail lights, you're headlights your brakes, all before you leave the house.

Connect with ABC 22/FOX 45 Reporter Wale Aliyu on Facebook and Twitter.

Home Repair Scam Alert! Woman Scammed, Warns Others

Fri, May 17 2013, 04:13 PM EDT

DAYTON- A Dayton woman is sharing her story about getting scammed, in hopes what happened to her, won't happen to others.
Pam Jones feels duped. She is out a lot of money.

"You can't trust anyone. I learned a hard lesson, I sure did." Pam said.

Pam paid a carpenter over 6 thousand dollars upfront, to do home repairs. Pam said he did some work for her, and put in a few doors,
but he never came back to do her windows.

"I didn't have a problem with the work that he did do, I just wanted my windows done and I trusted him to take care of it, which he didn't." She said.

Pam realized she was scammed when he didn't show up to finish what he started.
"His phone was disconnected the very next day."

"More and more people are being victimized. It is a huge industry for scam artists." John North from the Dayton Better Business Bureau said.

"Be very leery if contractors ask for cash up front; especially if they ask for a significant amount of money up front." He said

"Do your research and look the company up on the internet and see if they are BBB accredited and read reviews on the company. " North added.

North adds, if a handy man just show up at your door stop points out a "problem" with your home that you never noticed before, that's a red flag.

"A legitimate company is going to have signs on their vehicles saying they are with that company. If BBB accredited, they will have a decal and even their business cards and their uniforms should tell you something about the legitimacy of the company." North said.

Pam never got the company's background information, including an address. She said it's a mistake that cost her a lot.

"I just want my money back, that's all I want." Pam finds the entire situation disheartening and wants to warn others.

"I feel rather stupid." She said. "I wish I would've paid a little bit more money and went with someone reputable. You don't just take peoples word for it . Research people first. I learned that."

More tips, on how to spot a phony contractor:
    -Contractors who appear uninvited at your doorstep or who call or email you out of the blue.
    -The contractor says they are doing work in your neighborhood and claims they have "extra material" left over
    -You feel pressured to make a decision and sign a contract for the work immediately
    -The contractor offers a "special deal" available "today only"
    -The contractor points out a "problem" with your home that you never noticed yourself before. Some unscrupulous scam artists have been known to offer "free" inspections and then break something on purpose so they can be paid to "fix" the problem
    -The contractor demands full payment up front, particularly if payment is demanded in cash.
    -The contractor lacks identification, such as a permit from the city or locality
    -Offers to give you a discount so that your home can be used as a "model" or if you find additional customers for him/her
    -The contractor offers to help finance the project, either from his own funds or the funds of an associate, especially if your home equity or home deed is involved.

UPDATE: Betty, the Chihuahua Puppy, Found

Fri, May 17 2013, 11:03 AM EDT

DAYTON -- The Humane Society says that Betty, the 2-month-old Chihuahua puppy that was stolen on Tuesday, has been found.

She was anonymously dumped at another animal shelter, the Humane Society said.

The Humane Society will be speaking to the media later today when they are reunited with Betty. We'll bring you that and the very latest on Betty's condition, who was in need of medication.

Earlier coverage:

MAY 16: Chihuahua Puppy Taken from Humane Society Kennels

Hamvention in Town This Weekend

Fri, May 17 2013, 07:28 PM EDT

DAYTON -- The Gem City is once again hosting the giants of radio for this year's Hamvention.

Hamvention is the world's biggest gathering for amateur radio enthusiasts, beaming in 25,000 people from around the world.

"It's an amazing brother and sisterhood of people who enjoy this hobby.", one Hamvention goer told us.

This is the 62nd year for the event, which started right here in Dayton. The event is being held at Hara Arena and runs through the weekend.

World A'Fair Going on This Weekend

Fri, May 17 2013, 07:19 PM EDT

DAYTON -- The world will be at your fingertips and on your tastebuds this weekend in Dayton as the annual World A'Fair kicks off tonight.

Nearly 30 ethnic groups will share their unique culture through food, dance, and cultural exhibits at the Dayton Convention Center. The festival is now in its 40th year. The World A'Fair is open until 11pm Friday and runs through the weekend.