SYMMES TOWNSHIP — A township man is to be arraigned on charges related to two home invasions and an attempted sexual assault inside two units in his apartment complex.

        Omar Flores, 21, also known as Hector Suarez Orsini, of the 8600 block of Harper's Point Drive, was arrested at 11:30 p.m. Saturday.

        He was charged with two counts of aggravated burglary and one count of gross sexual imposition.

        The incidents occurred Nov. 1 between 5:12 a.m. and 5:23 a.m., the Hamilton County sheriff's department said.

        Police say Mr. Flores entered the apartments through unlocked doors. In the first incident, the victim was able to fight him off.

        In the second case, police said, a victim awoke with an intruder on top of her and also fought back, causing him to flee.

        Neither person was injured.
       

Red kettles make annual debut today

               The Greater Cincinnati Salvation Army will kick off its annual Red Kettle Campaign at noon today at Fountain Square.

        The goal is to raise $500,000 by Dec. 24. The funds will be used to assist the needy at Christmas and throughout the year.

        The majority of the donations will help operate the six Salvation Army community centers in the area.

        To start the event, 25 local companies and organizations will dump kettles that have been passed around their offices into an oversized kettle.

        Free coffee and baked goods will be provided on the square, and the Salvation Army brass band will perform holiday music.

        Red Kettle volunteers will be ringing their bells at various Kroger, Wal-Mart, Kmart, Biggs, Walgreens and Target locations.

        Volunteers are needed to man the kettles. For more information or to volunteer, call Denise Birkofer, 762-8618.
       

Sewer pipe repair project finished

               MIDDLETOWN — A $777,000 project to repair a large sewer pipe leading to the city's wastewater treatment plant — without digging it up — was expected to be complete today.

        Dublin, Ohio-based Environmental Pipeliners Co. has been working since July to complete a 78-inch diameter “cured-in-place” liner for the sewer.

        The process save time and money by avoiding the need to dig up and replace the pipe, company officials said.

Two Habitat homes built by volunteers

               A coalition of churches, businesses, the Lions Club International and more than 300 volunteers helped two young families through Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity.

        The homes were dedicated Sunday at 5714 and 5716 Peabody Ave. in Madisonville.

        Among those who assisted: St. Anthony Roman Catholic Church, Eastminster Presbyterian, Fairfax Presbyterian, Greater Liberty Baptist, Indian Hill Episcopal/Presbyterian, Madisonville Church of God, St. Paul Lutheran, Cincinnati Bibleway Church and Calvary Presbyterian along with the George B. Riley Trust Estate.

        Dawn Early, a legally blind single mom with three children, and Margaret Huber and her two children will own the homes. The families have completed 500 hours of “sweat equity” working with volunteers to build the homes.

        Each family will pay a no-interest mortgage with payments averaging about $300 per month, including taxes and insurance.
       

Neil Bush to speak about learning system

               Neil Bush, brother of President Bush and CEO of Ignite Learning, will speak to local Catholic school principals Tuesday, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Nativity School in Pleasant Ridge.

        Ignite is a system that addresses individual learning styles for middle school students. Nativity School and Shroder Paideia in Kennedy Heights are testing the software before its national launch.

        The Eastern Catholic Alliance of Schools for Excellence (E-CASE) is sponsoring the event and has invited representatives from Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and the Diocese of Covington.

        The event is part of E-CASE's efforts to promote lence in Catholic education through technology.

        “As we work to incorporate technology into our classrooms ... we also want to learn how technology will enable us to educate all children in new and exciting ways,” said Sister Carren Herring, RSM, E-CASE director.

        More information is available at www.ignitelearning.com.

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