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A 7-year-old boy critically injured in a head-on crash last week in Northside has died.
Aaron Simms died Saturday at Children's Hospital Medical Center. A sibling, Brittany Stephens, 3, remains in fair condition at Children's, a nursing supervisor said Monday night. Her twin sister, Brielle Stephens, was initially listed in fair condition and has since been released.
Their mother, Shantell Simms, 24, of Northside, was treated at University Hospital. None of the children was properly restrained.
The Dec. 8 crash caused Hamilton Avenue to be closed temporarily. Aaron was in the front seat without a seat belt when a southbound car driven by Zachary Ketring, 16, of Springdale, crossed the center line and struck Ms. Simms' vehicle. The twins were in car seats in the back seat, but the car seats were not restrained.
Mr. Ketring was not injured.
Firefighter cited for drunken driving
An off-duty Cincinnati firefighter has been cited for drunken driving after a Dec. 5 motorcycle accident in Green Township, the Hamilton County sheriff's office said Monday.
Randy Slageter, an 18-year member of the force, was traveling on North Bend Road about 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 when he tried to pass two vehicles on the right and drove his bike into the rear of a parked car. He was not wearing a helmet.
He suffered a broken leg, a collapsed lung, liver trauma and a head injury. He was not initially charged with driving under the influence. But upon further investigation, the sheriff's office decided to cite him for the alleged alcohol-related offense.
Findlay Market addition to open
A ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. today completes the halfway phase of the $12.5 million Findlay Market Revitalization at Ohio's oldest operating public market.
The ribbon-cutting will open the north addition of Findlay Market Square at West Elder Street, between Race and Elm in Over-the-Rhine.
The north addition includes four historic buildings that were renovated at a cost of $2 million. The buildings will house produce merchants, local growers and crafters while work is done on the Market House. That begins in March, said Tom Jackson, market manager.
“When the Market House is completed, the original will move back and the north addition will be used to house 67 new small businesses,” Mr. Jackson said.
The Market House was built in 1852.
Cincinnati Mayor Roxanne Qualls will officiate at the ribbon-cutting.
Two men held in video store holdup
Two Bond Hill men appeared in court Monday on charges they robbed a Blockbuster Video store.
Damon D. Belle, 22, was charged with aggravated robbery. Police said a man walked into the Blockbuster on Seymour Avenue, and, while others distracted a cashier, he followed a manager to an office and demanded money at gunpoint. Mr. Belle is being held in the Hamilton County Justice Center in lieu of $50,000 bond.
John Harris, 35, was charged with complicity to aggravated robbery and complicity to robbery. Police think he gave information to others about the locations of cameras in the Blockbuster and drove a getaway car. Mr. Harris is being held in the Hamilton County Justice Center in lieu of $50,000 bond.
Police are looking for two other men who may have been involved.
Suspect in fatal shooting in court
A former Cincinnati man who was arrested in Florida appeared in court Monday to face a murder charge.
Willie Pozo, 23, is being held in the Hamilton County Justice Center in lieu of $100,000 bond. He is charged in the June death of Scott Reynolds, 23, of Bridgetown, who was shot while sitting in a car in Westwood.
Mr. Pozo's case will go before a Hamilton County grand jury Dec. 22.
Carolers collect for playground
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP — Starting Friday, area residents will be caroling through neighborhoods collecting donations to help build the Fort Liberty Playland, a 20,000-
square-foot playground planned for The Reserves of Liberty park.
The playground — a collection of connecting mazes, tunnels and slides — is estimated to cost $200,000. Construction is to begin in spring.
Volunteers to go caroling should call Toni Bergen at 755-6063.
Solid-waste grants go to two groups
The Butler County Solid Waste District has awarded its $7,000 1999 Educational Grant to Keep Middletown Beautiful in Middletown and to the Environmental Mobile Unit in Oxford. Their joint application was selected by the district as offering the most effective programs and reaching the most Butler County residents.
The grant is funded through a district fee and offered to increase Butler County residents' awareness of solid-waste concerns. Funds are available annually on a competitive basis to any educational institution, non-
profit agency or private enterprise providing solid-waste or recycling education to Butler County residents and institutions.
Minister produces collection of songs
UNION TOWNSHIP — Joe Hansen, minister of worship at Cornerstone Church in West Chester, has released The Good Confession, a compact disc featuring 10 original songs. Other recordings include Forerunner (1984), Rough Draft (1986) and Seeds of Hope (1990).
The Good Confession is independently produced. Call Mr. Hansen at Cornerstone Church, 874-0910, for information.
