A fraternity member at the University of Cincinnati faces up to nine years in prison for firing as many as 40 gunshots inside the Beta Theta Pi house.

        Police say Michael Zwain, 24, fired a .25 caliber gun after learning he and his fraternity brothers were being evicted from the house on University Court.

        He was indicted Wednesday on charges of discharging a firearm in a habitation and inducing panic.

        Prosecutors say the incident occurred Sept. 22, just minutes after Mr. Zwain and 20 other fraternity members learned of the eviction from a national representative of Beta Theta Pi. They were ordered out for abusing alcohol, missing rent payments and failing to maintain the house.

        Mr. Zwain, of New Jersey, is accused of firing the shots into a utility room door and at several other locations inside the house. No one was hurt.
       

Suspect died after swallowing crack

        A convicted drug dealer died Wednesday morning after swallowing crack while police arrested him.

        Jermaine T. Hill, 29, of Evanston, swore to the officers that he had spit out all the crack he had in his mouth when they spotted him about 3:30 a.m. on Pleasant Street in Over-the-Rhine. They noticed white powder on his lips and saw him spit a small piece of crack out onto the ground.

        But an officer also noticed another piece in Mr. Hill's mouth. Officers sprayed him with a chemical irritant so they could fish it out.

        He was taken to jail about 4:15 a.m. He collapsed there and was taken to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about two hours later.

        Mr. Hill had a long history of contact with police, mostly for drug abuse and drug trafficking. Officers stopped him Wednesday because he was wanted for trafficking, drug possession and resisting arrest.

        He was on Crime Stoppers' most-wanted list in April 1999. Then, he was wanted for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, assault and contempt of court.
       

Catholic teachers have training day

        More than 3,000 Catholic school teachers from Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky will attend an in-service day Oct. 13.

        Teachers from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and the Diocese of Covington will learn about new technologies and teaching methods from 120 exhibitors and speakers.

        Keynote speaker will be School Sister of Notre Dame Clare Fitzgerald, founder and former director of the Catholic leadership program at Boston College.

        It will be at the Albert B. Sabin Cincinnati Convention Center, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Right to Life
holds workshops

        The Cincinnati Right to Life Education Foundation and the Ohio Right to Life Society Educational Fund are hosting the 2000 Ohio Pro-Life convention this weekend.

        Organizers expect at least 250 people on Saturday to attend workshops at the Radisson Hotel in Sharonville with about a dozen speakers.

        A sampling of speakers and their topics:

        • Dr. John C. Willke, who founded the International Right to Life Federation 14 years ago, will discuss international issues.

        • Denise Mackura, an activist for more than 30 years, will teach attendees how to be legal activists. She will discuss possible strategies for stopping abortion in Ohio.

        • Mark Harrington, a professional advocate for issues involving bio-ethics, will give a genocide awareness program.

        The public is welcome for the all-day programs Saturday. Registration is $40. For more information, call (513) 522-0820.
       

Clermont campus marks expansion

        Today University of Cincinnati's Clermont College donors, faculty, administrators and students will celebrate an $11.4 million campus expansion.

        The branch campus opened in 1972 with 62 acres and 281 students. Today, it's nearly 92 acres and 2,400 students paying under $2,950 full time annual tuition.

        There are two new buildings — primarily labs and a one-stop student services center — plus extensive remodeling to accommodate such programs as surgical technology.
       

Warren helps pay for bike trail

        LEBANON — Warren County commissioners are kicking in $439,000 to help build a bike trail through Franklin, in the northwest part of the county.

        The trail, to be about four miles, eventually will be part of a path from Hamilton to Dayton.

        The state is paying for 80 percent of the $1.9 million project. Franklin is paying $310,000, City Manager Jim Lucas said, and surrounding communities are contributing $65,000.
       

Golf outing aids scholarship fund

        A golf outing to benefit the Ronald F. Walker Memorial Scholarship Fund will be Oct. 16 at Traditions Golf Club in Hebron, Ky.

        It is open to anyone and supports scholarships to Tristate undergraduates in Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

        For information call Donald W. Jackson, 421-0886.
       

Lemon owners needn't pay mileage

        CLEVELAND — Ohio Attorney General Betty Montgomery has halted the practice of requiring motorists to pay for the mileage driven on cars returned under the state's lemon law.

        Under the 12-year-old policy, consumers paid automakers for mileage used when arbitration boards determined their vehicles were covered under a 1987 law that provides owners with refunds for shoddy cars.

        Ms. Montgomery said her office never received any complaints about such mileage charges, but she said she reviewed the issue after it was detailed in an Aug. 13 story in the Plain Dealer.

        Letters will go out this week to auto industry arbitration boards telling them mileage charges “are not appropriate in arbitration,” Ms. Montgomery said.

        The lemon law covers new vehicles for one year or 18,000 miles and it specifies the number of repair attempts an automaker may have.
       

Two survive recall election

        YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio — Two members of the village council have retained their seats after a recall effort fell short.

        Council President Stephanie Slowinski received 800 votes Tuesday against her removal from council and 732 in favor of it, according to the Greene County Board of Elections. Council member Trudy Abrams received 790 votes against her removal and 739 for it.

        The Concerned Citizens Coalition forced the recall election, saying the two women were part of a three-member council majority that aggressively pursued its own agenda and was unwilling to compromise or listen.

        Yellow Springs is about 10 miles east of Dayton.

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