n JAN. 1 - - Gary Ness and Tim Guthrie have worked together for six years, and on occasion, shared a game of golf. Now they share life in a literal sense. Guthrie, 39, of Ashtabula, donated a kidney to Ness, 59, of Madison. Ness suffered with kidney disease for the past 15 years. About a year ago, he began dialysis - - a grueling process that filters the patient's blood.

- JAN. 2 - - Shaun Cahill recently moved to Ashtabula to help out his family. He is finally able to make ends meet. He got a job, a house and is feeling pretty comfortable with his situation. A big part of his financial stability is his credit card debt, which Cahill describes as "controllable, but definitely up there." Cahill's financial stability - - like many other Americans - - will be disrupted by several credit card companies that are doubling their minimum payments beginning in January.

- JAN. 3 - - Ralph E. Clark appeared in Ashtabula County Common Pleas Court for a pre-trial - - only four days after prosecutors issued nine subpoenas to potential witnesses in the highly publicized murder case, court records show. Among those on the subpoena list are law enforcement officers, a firefighter, an ambulance worker and some of Clark's adult children. The action came shortly after Judge Ronald Vettel denied a motion to suppress the taped and written confessions police recorded during interviews with Clark, records show.

- JAN. 4 - - Ralph E. Clark has until noon to decide whether he will negotiate a plea deal with the county prosecutor, a judge said. Clark, 44, faces life in prison without parole if convicted of the May 7, 2005 murder of his estranged wife, Carolyn, 43. Prosecutors said Ralph Clark killed her at her Ashtabula apartment in a botched murder-suicide.

- JAN. 5 - - It was a day of excitement and smiles as students returned to the new Geneva High School after vacation. Students had no problems navigating around the expansive one-story structure. Staff and students have had maps of the facility since September, said GHS Principal Joanne Daniels. Students took tours of the new school before the holiday break. However, to make sure everything went smooth, volunteers were on hand to help direct students.

- JAN. 6 - - A federal energy bill approved last year could energize Conneaut's chances of securing a $1 billion coal-fired power generating plant, said Joseph Moroski, Ashtabula County Commission president. The energy bill details a wide range of information pertaining to energy projects, including applicable taxes and regulations, he said.

- JAN. 7 - - Blustery winter weather greeted new City Manager Anthony Cantagallo Friday as he toured the Ohio Department of Transportation facility at 5520 West Avenue. The city is interested in purchasing the facility, which included a 55-year-old garage, a salt done and several out-buildings, said Jim Rodgers, service director. The facility has been vacant since November when ODOT moved to new, larger headquarters at the southwest corner of Seven Hills Road and Route 11 in Plymouth Township.

- JAN. 8 - - In a snug bedroom in Conneaut, 75-year-old retiree Clarence Baugher can talk with people around the world. He doesn't use a telephone, that would be too costly. Since 1954 as a licensed amateur ham radio operator, Baugher keeps up with his hobby of tuning in to places most of us have not heard of or even visited. A Korean War veteran, Baugher was discharged in 1951 serving eight years in the Ohio National Guard.

- JAN. 9 - - Higher taxes will build new school buildings in the Jefferson Area Local School District this year. But before the first brick can be placed, district residents have to open their checkbooks and pay just under $21 million over the next 28 years. In May, voters said yes to a building program that will replace three of the district's schools, including two elementary schools. The junior and senior high schools will be combined. The 5.96-mill bond issue passed by a margin of 1,887 to 1,434, according to the Ashtabula County Board of Elections. Residents received the first installment of the bond issue in this year's income tax bill, raising taxes $50 per $100,000 of home valuation.

- JAN. 10 - - A 35-year-old Williamsfield Township man, John R. Marsh, could face the death penalty if found guilty of the Christmas night shooting deaths of his wife, Jennifer and a male friend, David Beach, 32, of Richmond Township. An Ashtabula County grand jury returned multiple criminal indictments, which were released to the public. March is charged with six counts of aggravated murder with specifications, two counts of kidnapping with firearm specifications, three counts of aggravated burglary with firearm specifications, two counts of attempted kidnapping with firearm specifications and one count of aggravated robbery with firearm specification. The murder charges carry specifications for which the death penalty may be imposed.

- JAN. 11 - - A Lakeside High School mother says the high school has a daily problem with student fights and school administration won't do a thing about it. Kathy Crislip said her two teenage daughters are afraid to attend LHS. Fights, and students carrying weapons, are a problem, and administrators won't do anything about it, she said. Crislip said her daughter Kassandra was jumped by another female student, between classes. Then the same student punched Kassandra while both students were inside the principal's office, Crislip said.

- JAN. 12 - - Lakeside High School is safe and there are not a large number of fights, students say. Chris Rosetti, an LHS senior disagrees that fights among students are a big problem at the school. Rosetti doesn't fear walking into the school and administration does keep things under control. Rosetti and others reacted to comments by Kathy Crislip, a parent of two LHS student in an article. Crislip said fighting and intimidation at the school were a problem and administrators weren't doing anything about the problem.

- JAN. 13 - - Officials from several communities put their heads together to discuss moving forward with a proposed centralized dispatching center for the county. The proposed center would be a separate entity, not affiliated with one particular community. It would have it's own board and be housed in it's own location, with fire and emergency medical services separate from law enforcement, said Peggy Carlo, Saybrook Township trustee.

- JAN. 14 - - As preparations began for his trial, murder suspect Ralph E. Clark instead, pleaded guilty to aggravated murder with a gun specification in a negotiated plea arranged between his court appointed lawyer, Hobart Shiflet and County Prosecutor Thomas Sartini. Clark, 44, of Jefferson, is charged with the May 7, 2005 murder of his estranged wife, Carolyn.

John R. Marsh, 35, of Williamsfield, entered into a plea of not guilty to multiple murder charges during his Common Pleas Court arraignment. Marsh appeared subdued as he sat in court before Judge Ronald Vettel. The judge appointed two attorneys, David Doughton of Cleveland as lead defense counsel and Ashtabula County Public Defender Marie Lane as co-counsel. The father of three is charged with the Christmas night shooting deaths of his wife, Jennifer, 30, and a male friend, David Beach, 32, of Richmond Township.