UC gets grant for kidney study

        Medical researchers at the University of Cincinnati have been awarded a three-year, $1.5 million grant to use new data from the Human Genome Project to study kidney diseases.

        UC is one of eight medical centers nationwide to win grants from the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases. The money will allow UC to launch a function genomics and proteomics center to develop the technology needed to use genetic data in treating diabetes and several other kinds of kidney disease.
       

Crystal fined for pollution wrongs

        MIDDLETOWN — A state regulatory agency has fined the Crystal Tissue Co. $226,359 for years of air and water pollution violations at its plant along the Great Miami River.

        The company agreed in a settlement to use $40,680 of the money to set aside a 150-foot strip of land as a greenspace and to spend another $9,000 on state-financed tree plantings in urban areas, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency officials said Tuesday.

        The remainder of the money will go to Ohio's environmental enforcement programs.

        The company, about 25 miles north of Cincinnati, repeatedly polluted the river from 1993 until 1999 because discharges from the plant violated limits outlined in a 1992 EPA wastewater discharge permit, agency officials said.

        Crystal Tissue's discharges also discolored the river twice in 1995. The problems were eliminated in November 1999 when the company began discharging its wastewater to Middletown's city water treatment plant.

        From February 1995 to October 1995, a coal-fired boiler that produces steam belched out soot in amounts that violated clean-air regulations. The company failed to comply with those regulations until October 1995.

Top bird areas to be named today

        Hoping to ensure the protection of statewide areas specific to the needs of endangered birds, Audubon Ohio will announce today 71 locations considered to be “Important Bird Areas.”

        These areas, including six parks in Hamilton, Butler and Clermont counties, were chosen through a “scientific, objective” process from about 140 nominations put forth by state Audubon groups, said John Ritzenthaler, director of Habitat Conservation for Audubon Ohio.

        Burnet Woods, a 90-acre greenspace in Clifton, is considered a rest stop for land birds migrating from the south to the north.

        Other Tristate bird areas singled out:

        • The Oxbow wetlands, a region that straddles the Ohio-Indiana border at the mouth of the Great Miami River. • Miami Whitewater Forest, Whitewater Township.

        • Hueston Woods State Park and Four Mile Creek Watershed, near Oxford.

        • Gilmore Ponds Interpretive Preserve, Hamilton. • East Fork State Park, Bethel.

Oral school to hold open house

        MONTGOMERY — The Ohio Valley Oral School, 9994 Zig Zag Road, holds an open house from 6-8 p.m. today.

        The school, which leases space in Montgomery Presbyterian Church, opened Sept. 5. Eighteen students, ages 2 to 7, are enrolled in the toddler, preschool and school-age programs through third grade.

        The school favors speech over sign language for those with hearing problems.
       

27 displaced by fire in Corryville

        A Monday night fire just off the University of Cincinnati campus displaced people from 27 apartments.

        Firefighters responded about 11:30 p.m. to University Village on West Daniels Street in Corryville. They called for extra help because of the size of the building and to get all the apartments evacuated, said District Chief Dallas Kelly.

        The fire started in a basement storage bin, but its cause was still being investigated Tuesday, investigator John Schneider said. Damage was estimated at $30,000.

        One resident was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Golf tourney aids cancer research

        A pro-am women's golf tournament held Oct. 2 raised $100,000 for breast cancer research, up from $75,000 the year before sponsors say.

        The Ethicon Endo-Surgery Pink Ribbon LPGA Pro-Am held at the Golf Center at Paramount's Kings Island featured 25 professional golfers and about 100 amateurs playing in corporate-sponsored foursomes. The funds raised were given to the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
       

Local hospitals get grant shares

        Several pediatric hospitals in Ohio will be among 56 nationwide to split a $38 million federal grant to support physician training.

        Cincinnati's Children's Hospital Medical Center was awarded $1.7 million.
       

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