It Figures

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Despite a decline in fatal accidents, federal statistics show 2007 was the second deadliest year since 2002 for U.S. coal miners. According to the Mine Safety and Health Administration, 32 miners died on the job last year, including eight in West Virginia. The deadliest year was 2006 when 47 miners, including 24 in West Virginia, were killed on the job.

503

Preliminary figures show 503 people died in Minnesota traffic crashes in 2007, which the state Department of Public Safety said is the first increase in the state’s traffic death toll since 2002. There were 494 deaths on Minnesota roads in 2006, the lowest death count since 1945. The 2007 figures include: 396 vehicle occupants, 57 motorcyclists, 31 pedestrians, five snowmobilers, four farm tractor operators, three people driving motor scooters, two ATV drivers and two passenger van occupants.

1,350

A Detroit company voluntarily recalled about 13,150 pounds of steaks and ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service says the products from Mark’s Quality Meats Inc. were produced in late December and distributed to restaurants in the Detroit area. There have been no reports of illness. The problem was discovered after the company submitted a product sample for lab tests.

9.6%

The insurance industry says tracking devices and other measures to foil car thieves are working in Ohio. FBI data shows a nearly double-digit decline in auto thefts. A new report from the Ohio Insurance Institute shows vehicle thefts fell 9.6 percent between 2005 and 2006, consistent with a nationwide downward trend. Still, Ohio ranked ninth among the worst states for stolen cars. The institute says one of every 44 registered vehicles was swiped last year in Cleveland, the Ohio city with the highest risk of car thefts. Dayton was second and Youngstown third. Akron saw the largest increase in thefts, up 30.6 percent in 2006.

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A former plant worker who pleaded guilty to setting a fire at a magnesium recycling company was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Darrin Dettra, of Chesterfield, admitted setting the January 2005 fire that caused some $12 million in damage. In return, Madison County prosecutors agreed to seek a 30-year sentence rather than the maximum penalty of 50 years. Dettra has been convicted of arson twice in Pennsylvania, and was arrested in Indiana for setting a fire at Advanced Magnesium Alloys Corp. in Anderson.