To promote more communication about organ donation, 60 federal, state and local officials from the Tristate have pledged to become organ or tissue donors in the event of their untimely death.
Participating politicians include six of the nine Cincinnati City Council members, two of the three Hamilton County commissioners, plus the mayors of Bellevue, Blue Ash, Reading, Crescent Springs, Amelia, Hamilton, Franklin, Cold Spring, Sharonville, Fort Mitchell and North College Hill.
For information about organ donation, call the Ohio Valley LifeCenter at 558-5555 or (800) 981-5433.
Girl, 12, missing
Cincinnati police want help locating a 12-year-old Avondale girl who was last seen Saturday night at the Showcase Cinemas in Bond Hill.
Jamie Vinson, of the 3500 block of Beldare Avenue, was seen about 7 p.m. getting into a car with unidentified men, police said. She has no history of being a runaway, and foul play is suspected.
Jamie is black, 5-foot-3, 130 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a red and white Nautica jacket, a dark top and blue jeans.
Anyone with any information on the girl's whereabouts should call District 4, 352-3576, or the Personal Crimes Unit, 352-6474.
Columbus Zoo ponders $75 million expansion
COLUMBUS -- Columbus Zoo officials are studying a proposal that would create a simulated African plains in woods east of the zoo where zebras, giraffes, antelopes and other animals could wander freely.
The proposal was presented to the zoo's board last week by Patrick Janikowski, a Seattle architect who helped design Walt Disney Co.'s new Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Fla.
It would cost $75 million to develop the exhibit, $55 million more than the zoo budgeted when voters approved a 0.75-mill levy in 1994. And that does not cover the increased operational costs or the cost of buying animals.
"It's a very solid proposal. It will take us many years to get there," board Chairman John Kulewicz said. "If we go forward with it, it will be a great asset to the community."
Mr. Janikowski said the idea is to bring visitors as close as possible to the animals and to create a setting as if visitors were on a safari.
There would be a replica of an East African village that would include a petting zoo with typical farm animals and a pelican and flamingo pond where visitors would wait to board safari-style buses.
Motorists beat runner training for marathon
LANCASTER, Ohio -- A jogger was beaten up by motorists who confronted him on a county road, authorities said.
William Stobart, brother of Ohio State University assistant football coach Chuck Stobart, was running alone about 11 a.m. Saturday when he was assaulted, the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office said. Mr. Stobart is training for a marathon.
A car swerved toward him and passed him. The driver then turned around and drove back.
Mr. Stobart told investigators two men got out of the car and began beating him with their fists, Deputy Jason Maurer said Sunday. They then fled the scene.
Damage exceeds $150 K in suspicious church fire
LIBERTY, Ind. -- A fire that started in the basement of Hanna's Creek Christian Church near here Sunday caused more than $150,000 damage to the structure.
Fire Chief Jerry Kahl said smoke and flames were coming from the basement of the church when firefighters responded to the 2:01 a.m. call. Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze before it reached the sanctuary, he said.
The cause is being listed as suspicious, Chief Kahl said.
