CINCINNATI, Ohio (AP) — The death of a 61-year-old Ohio woman is the first in the nation associated with a new swine flu strain, the state Department of Health said Aug. 31.

The woman, whose identity was not released, was from central Ohio’s Madison County and died following an illness she contracted after having contact with hogs at the Ross County Fair. The woman had underlying medical conditions, but the H3N2v influenza virus may have contributed to her death, the department said.

Ted Wymyslo, director of the department, said most of Ohio’s cases have been mild illnesses. People from 6 months to 61 years old have been infected, and many of them have been linked to contact with hogs at fairs.

Veteran and farmer said he was defending home with shooting

VERONA, Ky. (AP) — A 92-year-old farmer and World War II veteran who fatally shot an intruder in his Kentucky home said in an interview he had no fear of the man and aimed “right for his heart.”

Earl Jones said he shot in self-defense at a man who came up the stairs and kicked open the basement door to his home Sept. 3 in northern Kentucky’s Boone County. Jones told The Kentucky Enquirer he heard a noise in his basement around 2 a.m. and grabbed his .22-caliber rifle.

“I aimed right for his heart,” said Jones, who served in the military from 1941 through 1946. “I didn’t go to war for nothing. I have the right to carry a gun. That’s what I told the police.”

Police identified the slain man as 24-year-old Lloyd “Adam” Maxwell of Richmond. Police said two men with Maxwell – Ryan Dalton, 22, and Donnie Inabnit, 20, both of Dry Ridge – removed the body from Jones’ home after the shooting. Authorities said the men made up a story about how Maxwell was killed, but later acknowledged being present at Jones’ home during a burglary.

The Boone County Sheriff’s Department said Dalton and Inabnit have been charged with burglary and evidence tampering. The sheriff’s department said the break-in was the third Jones has experienced on his farm this year. Authorities are continuing to investigate the shooting.

MOUNT VERNON, Mo. (AP) — Missouri agriculture officials are receiving reports of cattle dying after grazing on drought-stressed grass.

The University of Missouri extension said the problem is johnsongrass. During droughts like this year’s, it can accumulate dangerous levels of nitrates and prussic acid. Extension livestock specialist Eldon Cole said grazing deaths have been reported in the past couple of months in southwestern Missouri.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a two-month extension for emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres.

To assist producers, USDA is permitting farmers and ranchers in drought-stricken states that have been approved to extend grazing on CRP land through Nov. 30 without incurring an additional CRP rental payment reduction. The period normally allowed for emergency grazing lasts through Sept. 30.

The extension applies to general CRP practices and producers must submit a request to their Farm Service Agency county office indicating the acreage to be grazed.