One man died and another was hospitalized Saturday in two car crashes that occurred in Butler County hours apart.

        At 4:30 a.m., David Schulte, 21, of Somerville, lost control of his car on Ohio 177 in Milford Township and crashed after veering off the roadway, said deputies at the Butler County Sheriff's Office. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

        Also early Saturday, shortly after midnight, a man was driving on Ohio 129 when his vehicle left the road, struck a dirt embankment and crashed.

        The man, whose name is not being released until his family is notified, was transported to University Hospital. He is in the intensive care unit.
       

Man arrested in Nov. 1 break-ins

               SYMMES TOWNSHIP — A suspect has been arrested in two Nov. 1 burglaries in the Harper's Point apartment complex in which the burglar confronted the apartment residents.

        Omar Flores, 21, whose last known address was in the 8600 block of Harper's Point Drive, Symmes Township, has been charged with two counts of aggravated burglary and one count of gross imposition, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department said Saturday.

        The burglaries occurred between 5:12 and 5:23 a.m. when the burglar entered two apartments where the doors were left unlocked, the sheriff's office said.

        In the first incident, the victim was able to fight the intruder, causing him to flee. In the second incident, the victim woke up with the intruder on top of her, but was also able to fight off the man, who fled the apartment.
       

Refugee to speak on Afghanistan

               Refugee Nazaneen Jabarkhel Majeed will speak on the education and mistreatment of women in Afghanistan and Pakistan three times Wednesday at the University of Cincinnati.

        Mrs. Majeed fled the Soviet invasion in 1979 and set up the Nazoo Anna Education Center for refugee Afghan girls in Pakistan.

        Her talks and accompanying video will be at noon and 1 p.m. in Room S100 in the Raymond Walters College Science and Allied Health Building in Blue Ash and 4-6 p.m. in the Max Kade Center on the seventh floor of Old Chemistry on the main campus.

        Admission is free.
       

Cooperation leads to more police presence

               COLERAIN TOWNSHIP — A newly developed collaboration between township police and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department is increasing police presence in the township to address quality-of-life issues.

        “They've already had some really good results,” Colerain Township Police Chief Steven J. Sarver said of the joint venture, called a Patrol Special Enforce ment Unit. The unit puts five additional police officers into the community three nights a week, for eight hours, between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m.

        The officers are looking for teen-agers loitering, public drinking, drug sales and speeding.

        “It's an aggressive campaign,” Chief Sarver said.

        Township trustees approved $43,000 for overtime pay for both departments to staff the unit, which is in place until Dec. 24. This is the first unit of its type in the county, he said.
       

Ft. Hamilton Hospital gets $1 million for ER

               HAMILTON — Longtime Hamilton residents Donna and Ralph “Pat” Carruthers have donated $1 million to help expand Fort Hamilton Hospital's emergency department.

        Their gift to the Fort Hamilton Healthcare Foundation will assist a project that will double the department's capacity to accommodate more than 60,000 patient visits per year.

        The expansion will add nine exam rooms, three ambulance bays, a decontamination room and X-ray services. The expanded emergency department, which will be renamed the Carruthers Emergency Center, is scheduled to be completed in December 2002.

        “Health care is one of the most important services needed for a good community. We thought our contribution could make a difference in that area,” Mrs. Carruthers said.

        Mrs. Carruthers grew up in Hamilton, and the couple have lived in Hamilton since their wedding 43 years ago.
       

Worker accused of stealing $171,000

               COLUMBUS — A man who repaired fare boxes for the Central Ohio Transit Authority has been accused of stealing $171,000 from the boxes in a three-year period.

        A grand jury has indicted Darren Martin, 40, of Gahanna, on charges of theft in office and theft. Assistant Prosecutor David Buchman said Mr. Martin will be arraigned this month in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

Drop in gas prices should hold for holidays
Driving drunk, again and again
Laws get tougher on drunken drivers
Record crowd enjoys prep games, bands
Shaken-baby trial verdict solves little
First race conversations this week
CAN Cincinnati?
New memorials pay tribute to veterans
Veterans Day closings
Events honoring veterans
PULFER: Separating the wheat from the stuff
BRONSON: Stop whining
Byrd lawyer's removal good, experts say
Congrats
Good News: Pastor pushes organ giving
Local Digest
Luken says Republicans helped him
Norwood gives project the go-ahead
Raking way to give back, help others
Adult escorts required at Levee
CROWLEY: Fund-raisers highlight of a quiet year
Kentucky Education Notes
Cities donate toward annexation law repeal
Loaded guns found in car
Ohio fights matchbook ads
Ohio River back open after spill
Plan for wetlands angers critics
Spirits high as Britney appears
Teacher may sue in hemp dispute
Two accused of using fake licenses in thefts
Wilkinson bankruptcy will stay in Ch. 11