County schedules flu vaccinations

        With a fresh shipment in, the Hamilton County General Health District will distribute flu vaccine during seven sessions scheduled between today and Dec. 28.

        The county health department has 1,200 doses available after receiving a shipment of 1,000 doses on Friday, said Health Commissioner Tim Ingram.

        The shots cost $5 and are fully covered by Medicare. The vaccine clinics are open to the public, but the health department hopes to focus on high-risk populations, such as the elderly, health care workers and people with chronic heart or lung problems.

A HANUKKAH TALE: Rabbi Abie Ingber reads “Something from Nothing,” a Hanukkah story, to Yavneh Day School children at the Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County downtown. Hanukkah begins at sundown Dec. 21. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

        The seven sites are:

        • Dec. 13: 9-11 a.m. at the Harrison Senior and Community Center.

        • Dec. 15: 2-4 p.m. at Wyoming City Hall.

        • Dec. 18: 2-4 p.m. at Mount Healthy City Hall.

        • Dec. 19: 1-4 p.m. at the Kemper Heights Family Center in Forest Park.

        • Dec. 21: 8:30-10:30 a.m. at Deer Park Community Center.

        • Dec. 27: 1-4 p.m. at the Anderson Township Senior Center.

        • Dec. 28: 2-4 p.m. at Harrison Elementary School.

        For information, call 946-7882.
       

Organ donor registry to begin in Ohio

        Ohio today becomes the nation's 13th state to establish a statewide organ donor registry, a system that can be used to check whether a person wants to be an organ donor.

        The bill, to be signed today in Columbus by Gov. Bob Taft, passed the legislature earlier this year.

        It will take about two years to set up the computer donor registry, which advocates say will make it easier to determine the wishes of dying hospital patients. The bill also provides that a person's declaration of intent to be an organ donor prevails over family members who may object after a person dies.

        Both provisions are intended to increase the supply of donated organs. But how much of an increase in organ donations will result remains hard to predict, said Jeff Lueders, a spokesman for LifeCenter, the Tristate agency that handles organ donations.

        In 1999, the LifeCenter collected organs from 41 donors while another five Tristate families refused to allow organ collections. So far this year, the agency has had 45 donors with only one family refusing to consent.
       

Hospital wins honor for stroke treatment

        Bethesda North Hospital has been listed by a health care trade magazine as one of the nation's top 100 hospitals for the treatment of stroke.

        The honor, which reflects a combination of mortality, complication, length of stay and cost data, was compiled by the health care consulting company HCIA-Sachs and published this month by the trade magazine Modern Healthcare.
       

Crash death case goes to grand jury

        MASON — The case against a 19-year-old Monroe teen accused of driving drunk and killing his friend in a single-car crash last week was sent to a Warren County grand jury Tuesday.

        Adam Spatz appeared in Mason Municipal Court for arraignment on a felony charge of aggravated vehicular homicide and waived his right to a second court hearing to determine if there was enough evidence to proceed with the case.

        Highway patrol officials said that Mr. Spatz, who had a drunken driving conviction in 1999, was intoxicated when he lost control of his 1997 Saturn at 11:05 p.m. Dec. 6 on Brewer Road near Mason-Montgomery Road.

        The car hit a culvert and utility pole before overturning. Passenger Clinton Barnett, 20, of the 3200 block of Moyer Drive, Franklin, died at the scene.

        Mr. Spatz, of Austin Smith Road, refused a breath-alcohol test after the crash and two empty beer bottles were found in the car, highway patrol officials said.
       

Gunman flees motel after robbery attempt

        COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP — A man armed with a revolver fired a shot into a lobby air-conditioning unit at the Red Roof Inn in the 5300 block of Kennedy Avenue Monday night — frustrated after he was unable to get any money.

        Two employees were in a secured area behind bulletproof glass and ran into a back office when the would-be thief entered. The man, his face partly covered by a scarf, entered the motel and pointed the gun at them.

        Deputies said the man fled on foot into a residential area. A search using a police dog to track the robber was unsuccessful.

        Deputies are looking for a black man, 25 to 30 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall with a stocky build. He was wearing a black and tan heavy flannel shirt and a dark cap with ear flaps.
       

PlayStation2 sale to benefit hospital

        The hottest toys of the Christmas season — a half-dozen Sony PlayStation2 machines — will be auctioned by WRRM-FM (98.5) to listeners today.

        Starting at 6 a.m., one machine will be auctioned hourly during the morning show of Jim Smith and Randi Douglas. Bidding will begin at the retail price, $229.

        All proceeds will benefit the Children's Hospital cancer program.

        Several PlayStation2s will be offered through the day, with the final PS2 awarded by Bobbi Maxwell to a listener at 6 p.m.

        “We've been trying to secure these things for months,” says Dennis Swensson, WARM98 general manager.

        In 1997, WARM98 raised $30,000 for Children's Hospital by auctioning Rosie O'Donnell dolls. It collected $10,000 during a one-day auction of Tickle Me Elmo toys in 1996.
       

Counties prepare hate crime reports

        INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana counties that haven't previously reported hate crimes are preparing their officers to comply with a new state law.

        The law, which took effect July 1, requires all Indiana police departments to report hate crimes to the State Police twice a year.

        Lt. Steven King, commander of the criminal intelligence section of the State Police's Bureau of Investigations, said the statute doesn't establish specific reporting dates.

        But he said a six-month report will be prepared soon for presentation to the General Assembly when it convenes next month.

        The report, which will be sent to each law enforcement agency in the state, will be available to the public on a per-request basis, King said.

        Seventy-eight of Indiana's 92 counties voluntarily reported hate crime information beginning in 1996, when the Indiana Civil Rights Commission created the Hate Crimes Reporting Network.

        Hate crimes are any crime committed against a person, group or property based on color, creed, disability, national origin, race, religion or sexual orientation.

        Of the 14 counties that didn't participate as part of the original reporting network, many sheriffs say it was because there were no such crimes to report in their jurisdiction.

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