League picked for youth jobs contract

        The Hamilton County Department of Human Services has signed a $1.2 million contract with the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati to provide youth employment services through June 30.

        The Urban League will take responsibility for one component of youth employment programs that had been disrupted since the county canceled contracts with the Citizens' Committee on Youth in February because of alleged contract violations discovered after an audit.

        Urban League officials will try to reinstate about 700 youths who were involved in the CCY program, either at their most recent job sites or at new ones.

        To make sure a youth gets reinstated, contact the Urban League at 487-6535.
       

Bengals to buy new lights for Aiken

        The football stadium at Aiken High School will get a new lighting system, thanks to a $50,000 donation from the Cincinnati Bengals.

        The Bengals donated the funds to be used to rebuild the lighting system at a public school football field for the 2001 season.

        The team will consider making a similar contribution next year.

        After reviewing the district's high school football stadiums, the district determined that the Aiken stadium had the greatest need for an upgrade.

        The Cincinnati Board of Education on Monday approved matching the Bengals grant to install a $110,000 lighting system at Aiken.
       

Losantiville, Oyler to get new principals

        Two Cincinnati schools will get new principals next year.

        Losantiville Elementary School will get a new principal next year; the Cincinnati Board of Education did not renew the contract for Principal Sharon D. Marcus.

        Superintendent Steven Adamowski recommended Ms. Marcus not be re-employed. The board voted Monday to accept that recommendation.

        Ms. Marcus' contract expires Aug. 1.

        Oyler School will be led by Craig D. Hockenberry beginning Aug. 1. Mr. Hockenberry is now the school's assistant principal. He will succeed Donald Bearghman.
       

Democrats search for judge candidates

        The Hamilton County Democratic Party is looking for something that has become increasingly rare in local politics — candidates for judicial offices.

        Seven Hamilton County Municipal Court judgeships are up for election in 2001, including two Democratic incumbents, Tim Black and Nadine Allen.

        Hamilton County Democratic Party Executive Director Melanie Bates said the party is looking for lawyers with at least six years of legal experience to run for the five Municipal Court district seats now held by Republicans.

        There has not been a contested judicial election in Hamilton County since 1998. Since then, 14 judges — including seven Municipal Court judges - have been been elected without opposition.

        Ms. Bates said lawyers interested in running for one of the municipal court seats this year should contact the party at 421-0495.
       

Meeting to discuss Bond Hill crowding

        Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Steven Adamowski said he will talk with parents and school staff at Bond Hill Academy about crowded conditions at the school.

        Parent Julia Montier Ball said there is concern about the building's capacity and how it might become even more crowded when Swifton Primary School closes this summer.

        The school is designed to handle 315 students and now has 386. It could gain up to 135 more students next year.

        Bond Hill is also in its first year of redesign, which means it is using a completely new educational format with teachers and a principal new to the building this year.

        Mr. Adamowski said he expected most of the 135 Swifton students to attend other district schools instead of Bond Hill because parents chose magnet schools.

Lecture on MLK today at Athenaeum

        The Athenaeum of Ohio and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Office of African-American Catholic Ministries are sponsoring a Martin Luther King Jr. lecture today.

        Dr. M. Shawn Copeland, a theology professor at Marquette University, will deliver the lecture “Theological Reflection on Martin Luther King, Jr.” The program begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Athenaeum's Mount Washington campus, 6616 Beechmont Ave.

        Information: 231-2223.

Woman denies sex charge with girl, 15

        RICHMOND, Va. — A former Cincinnati woman pleaded innocent on Tuesday to charges that she took a 15-year-old girl across state lines for illegal sexual activity.

        U.S. District Judge Robert Payne scheduled Shana Marie Lawson's trial for June 6.

        Federal prosecutors allege that Ms. Lawson, 22, who was living in Richmond at the time, developed a relationship with the girl last year, initially over the Internet and later in telephone conversations. In August or September, Ms. Lawson visited the girl.

        The girl's mother learned of the visit, canceled her daughter's Internet account and called police in Hopewell, Va., where the girl lives.

        According to the criminal complaint, Ms. Lawson said she would stop calling the girl after police told her the girl was under age 18. However, on March 7 the girl left her mother a note saying she was running away with Ms. Lawson.
       

Students paint tiles for McDonald house

        Students at North Avondale Montessori are painting ceramic tiles to be placed in the new Ronald McDonald House.

        Students designed preliminary sketches and gave up recess time to paint more than 100 tiles, which show pictures of happiness.

        The school's art specialist, Lillian Carter, assisted students.

        The tiles will be placed on the walls of the Ronald McDonald House scheduled to open in September across from Children's Hospital Medical Center.
       

Five more sentenced in fatal firebombing

        LIMA, Ohio — Five more men have been sentenced for their roles in the firebombing of a house that killed five people.

        In all, 10 people have been sentenced in the March 2000 firebombing.

        Kendell Seay, Tyronne Simmons and Ernest Lane earlier pleaded guilty to reduced charges of complicity in involuntary manslaughter while committing a felony and complicity in aggravated robbery and complicity in aggravated arson.

        Mr. Lane was sentenced to 19 years in prison. Mr. Simmons and Mr. Seay each received 10 years in prison.

        Eddie White Jr., who pleaded guilty to complicity in aggravated arson and complicity in aggravated robbery, was sentenced to eight years in prison.

        Courtney Ward, convicted of complicity in aggravated robbery and complicity in aggravated arson, also was sentenced on Monday to eight years in prison.

        The firebombing was part of a plan to recover drugs from the fire's only survivor, Rodney Bunley, according to the suspects.

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