Cincinnati St. raises tuition for next fall

        Cincinnati State Technical & Community College this week raised tuition 4 percent for its early fall term next year.

        Each credit will cost $65, compared to $62.50.

        President Ron Wright blamed falling state support.

        The Clifton school has been hit by the same two cuts this year as the University of Cincinnati and other state post-secondary institutions.

        Cincinnati State froze tuition from 1997 to 2000 at $62.50 a credit, but in 2000, with increased state money, it reduced tuition to $59 a credit.
       

Governor appoints security coordinator

        Gov. Bob Taft on Wednesday named a coordinator to the Ohio Security Task Force, which is charged with developing a coordinated, comprehensive state strategy to address security issues.

        Col. Homer A Smith, who most recently served as director of support for the Ohio National Guard, will, in effect, be for Ohio what former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge is for the nation.

        President Bush named Mr. Ridge director of the White House Office of Homeland Security in the wake of Sept. 11. Col. Smith will report directly to Lt. Gov. Maureen O'Connor.
       

Gunman makes off with store's diamonds

        SPRINGDALE — The owner of a jewelry store that was robbed by a lone gunman Wednesday night said the thief got away with more than $250,000 in loose diamonds.

        “He was very clever,” said Allen Finer, owner of Finer Diamonds on E. Kemper Road in the Tri-County Mall area. “He came in just at closing time, and he had stolen plates on his car.”

        Taken were two boxes of loose diamonds, one of round diamonds and one of clarity-enhanced diamonds.

        Springdale police said the man displayed a handgun. Mr. Finer said the man had been in the store the previous week.

        Mr. Finer said he chased the man outside. The man slipped on wet grass and dropped some of the diamonds. The man then jumped into a light-colored foreign car, which turned out to have stolen plates, and drove east on Kemper.

        Mr. Finer described the robber as white, about 5 feet, 10 inches tall and 180 pounds, about 55 years old with white hair and a white scraggly beard. He was wearing a black coat, black pants and black shoes.
       

Norwood recount: Brown wins seat

        NORWOOD — A recount by the Hamilton County Board of Elections confirmed Wednesdaythat Republican Cassandra N. Brown will represent this city's Ward 5 as a city council member.

        On Nov. 6, when votes were cast, Ms. Brown received 17 more votes than her Democrat opponent Michael McKeehan.

        Then, on Nov. 17, elections workers added the “provisional” ballots cast by walk-in voters and absentee ballots that were postmarked in time but didn't arrive until after the election.

        Ms. Brown's lead shrank to two votes. The elections board certified her as the winner but a recount was required because of the slim margin.

        The Bank One business banker will be the sole Republican on the nine-member council.
       

Clermont marking Pearl Harbor week

        BATAVIA — Clermont County will commemorate the week of Dec. 2 to Dec. 9 as “Pearl Harbor Remembrance Week,” and will highlight the week with a processional and guest speakers on Sunday, Dec. 2, in New Richmond.

        Clermont County board of commissioners issued the proclamation for the week Tuesday.

        Citizens are encouraged to gather at the corner of Front Street and Susanna Way in New Richmond at 2 p.m. Sunday to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the start of World War II.

        There will be a procession of area color guards down Front Street to the corner of Susanna Way, followed by guest speakers. There will also be a wreath-laying in the Ohio River.

        “In light of current events, it is especially important to remember our nation's service men and women and the great strides they have taken to ensure our freedom,” said Lance Woodward, Clermont County Veterans' Service Officer.
       

Chabot to attend General Assembly

        WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio has been named a congressional representative to the United Nations General Assembly, the White House announced Wednesday.

        He and a Democrat from American Samoa replace Sens. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and Joseph Biden, D-Del., as the United States representatives to the U.N. General Assembly.

        Mr. Chabot, R-Cincinnati, says he intends to stress the importance of a worldwide effort to combat international terrorism.

        “I want to emphasize the president's message that either you're with us or you're against us,” Mr. Chabot said. “In my view, the war in Afghanistan is just the first step.”

        He said he will also champion the issues of international child abduction and U.N. reform.
       

Foundation adds to student endowment

        A foundation that supports some of the brightest undergrads at Thomas More College this week added $750,000 to its endowment.

        The Crestview Hills, Ky., Catholic school announced the gift from the James Graham Brown Foundation on Tuesday.

        It brings the foundation endowment up to $3.35 million, college spokesman Bob Edwards said.

        The endowment provides full tuition scholarships — worth $13,200 this year — to a total of 15 students at any one time.

        In addition to class work, recipients participate in special seminars, community experiences and advanced research under honors program professors.

        Typically, scholars are chosen from sophomore and junior classes but exceptional freshmen also are eligible.

        Mr. Edwards said the Louisville-based foundation began its support with a $1 million challenge grant in 1980.
       

INS sends home 11 Israeli tourists

        CLEVELAND — Eleven Israelis who were detained by the Immigration and Naturalization Service must return to their homeland.

        Cleveland attorney David W. Leopold, who represents all 11, said government attorneys presented no evidence of national security concerns.

        Mr. Leopold said the government charged that the Israelis were selling toy helicopters in shopping malls in Findlay, Lima and Toledo.

        The tourist visas, Mr. Leopold said, had not expired and contained no fraudulent information or fraudulent documents.

        The decision was made by an immigration judge, Elizabeth Hacker, in a closed-door hearing at the Federal Building in Cleveland on Tuesday.

        The government's original allegation against them, Mr. Leopold said, was that they were working in “unauthorized employment” while they were in the country on tourist visas.

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