Education center to serve foster kids

        KnowledgeWorks Foundation and Beech Acres have announced the creation of the Education Advocacy Center, a project designed to ensure consistent, quality education for foster children.

        An open house will be from 3 to 6 p.m. today at the center in Victory Tower, Suite 501, 2330 Victory Parkway, Walnut Hills.

        Work at the center will focus on:

        • Training caregivers to be effective educational advocates for their children.

FORWARD TO SPRING: Tracy Fryburger, a florist at Krohn Conservatory in Eden Park, plants flowers in a display Thursday in preparation for the upcoming Sherwood Forest pre-spring show, which begins today and running through Feb. 25. (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

        • Providing case consultation for foster parents and child welfare advocates to assist with difficult educational problems.

        • Evaluating the needs and progress of children served by the center.

        • Advocating public policies that meet the special education needs of children in substitute care.

        About 2,500 children are in foster care in Hamilton, Butler, Clermont and Warren counties. On average, more than half of the children will not complete high school, and at least 38 percent require special education services.

Ky. nurse to help at Bush inauguration

        A Tristate nurse has been selected as part of an emergency medical team that will be on hand for President-elect Bush's inauguration in Washington, D.C.

        Carol Perry is a critical-care clinical specialist for the St. Luke hospitals in Northern Kentucky and a volunteer member of Kentucky's Level 1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team.

        Ms. Perry will be among 25 doctors, nurses and others selected from 20 similar disaster medical teams nationwide. Their job will be to provide rapid assistance to local emergency workers in case people get hurt during the event.
       

Fort Washington Way sign advice sought

        Officials in charge of the $328 million renovation of Fort Washington Way are seeking public input on the signs along the new road.

        The renovation has created traffic flows different from the previous alignment, and several temporary signs are coming down to make way for new, permanent signs.

        In addition, project officials say other signs have yet to be placed.

        Anyone wishing to make a suggestion about signs along Fort Washington Way and the new Second and Third streets is encouraged to contact Jeff Wallace at Parsons Brinckerhoff, the private firm hired by the city to oversee the project, at 312 Elm St., Suite 2500, Cincinnati, OH 45202; e-mail: wallace@ pbworld.com.

        The effort is part of a program for all of Fort Washington Way that will include several future public forums.
       

Drug dealer gets 18-to-life for killing

        HAMILTON — Lewis Patterson, convicted of murdering a Hamilton man during a drug deal, was sentenced Thursday to 18 years to life in prison.

        Butler County Common Pleas Judge Keith Spaeth handed down the sentence.

        Mr. Patterson, 26, of Hamilton, shot Donald Downard, 34, during a drug deal July 9 on Beckett Street in Hamilton.

        Prosecutors said Mr. Patterson shot Mr. Downard twice in the head because he was afraid Mr. Downard was going to leave without paying for his crack cocaine.
       

Forum aims to soothe relations with police

        A youth forum at Union Baptist Church in the West End on Saturday will include discussions on how to interact with police, racial profiling and how to improve relations between the African-American community and police.

        The program, which is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., is geared toward youths between ages 12 and 18. The program will include a video, several role-playing scenes and discussions between youths and police officers. Registration is at 9 a.m.

        Attendees include Pam Gray of the city of Cincinnati's Office of Municipal Investigations; Lt. Col. Ron Twitty of the Cincinnati Police Division; Cecil Thomas, executive director of the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission; and former City Councilman Tyrone Yates.
       

Residents warned of home-access scam

        FAIRFIELD — Officials are warning residents about a person who is calling citizens and telling them he needs access to their homes as part of a water quality testing program.

        Dave Crouch, Fairfield's special projects coordinator, said city officials have received several calls from residents about a person who is contacting them and alleging that city employees are testing the water quality.

        “Residents should be advised that the city is not conducting any residential water quality testing, so any affiliation with the city is unauthorized,” Mr. Crouch said.

        If you receive a call regarding this matter, call Fairfield police at 639-7820.
       

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