Lawrenceburg teen dies in house fire

        LAWRENCEBURG — A Lawrenceburg teen died in a house fire about 5:30 a.m. Saturday.

        A Dearborn County dispatcher confirmed the identity of the victim as Russell Iles, 15. Police and fire officials could not be reached and other firefighters declined to provide details.

        Mayor Paul Tremain, a member of the fire department, said the cause of the blaze is being investigated by the state fire marshal, police and the Dearborn County coroner. Russell was a student at Lawrenceburg High School, he said.

        The boy's uncle, David Iles of Lawrenceburg, said faulty wiring may have sparked the blaze, which spread throughout the Elm Street house while Russell apparently was asleep.

        Mr. Iles said he tried to enter the house to save his nephew, but firefighters prevented him from going inside. He said the boy's parents, Russell and Debbie Iles, were with a relative.
       

Norwood officer faces charges in sex case

        NORWOOD — A 14-year Norwood police veteran was arrested Friday on charges of having sexual activity with a 17-year-old female who is a member of the police explorers group.

        Officer Bobby Smith, 38, of Forest Park faces charges of gross sexual imposition and sexual battery, Norwood Police Capt. Mike Wheeler said.

        On Friday, Officer Smith was taken to Hamilton County Justice Center, where he was released after paying 10 percent of a $10,000 bond.

        Officer Smith is on administrative leave pending a disciplinary hearing, Capt. Wheeler said.
       

Husband charged with stabbing wife

        LIBERTY TOWNSHIP — Billy Hobson, 27, of the Countryside Village mobile home park, faces a charge of first-degree attempted murder for allegedly stabbing his wife in the face and back Friday night.

        Heather Hobson, 24, has been released from University Hospital. Mr. Hobson is at the Butler County Jail.

        Butler County Sheriff's deputies responded to a disturbance at the couple's residence, 489 Adler St., at about 9:45 p.m. Mr. Hobson already had fled, deputies said.

        Deputies said they tracked his car to a Hamilton address, where Mr. Hobson was found hiding under a bed.
       

Fire injures two at Buckeye Motel

        GREEN TOWNSHIP — Two people were injured Saturday when fire caused $100,000 in damage to the offices of the Buckeye Motel, 6222 Harrison Ave.

        Stacy Helton, 24, and Nathan Stonto, 21, were treated at Mercy Franciscan Hospital Western Hills for minor injuries. The married couple lived at the motel.

        Ms. Henton was treated for smoke inhalation. She had tried to help one of the residents escape. Mr. Stonto cut his hands while breaking out a window, said Lt. Michael Nie of the Green Township Fire Department.

        A microwave's electrical problems caused the fire shortly after midnight, fire investigators said. The building received heavy structural damage and the front exterior most likely needs to be torn down, they said.

        More than 10 people were staying at the motel.
       

UD raising tuition by more than 6%

        DAYTON, Ohio — The University of Dayton is raising tuition and room fees by more than 6 percent next school year.

        Students will pay $18,000 in tuition and fees, a 6.8 percent increase from this year. Room and board will rise 6.1 percent to $5,600.

        The school's board of trustees approved the tuition increase Friday, the same day it also released a long-range master plan for developing the campus as well as specific plans for a $22 million project that will link two science buildings into one larger, modernized science center.

        The tuition increase will raise about $5.4 million. About $2.8 million will be used to increase salaries. The remainder will strengthen academic programs, cover health insurance cost increases, pay for additional computer technology, increase student financial aid, provide athletic scholarships and start a women's center, among other initiatives.

        Brother Raymond Fitz, the school's president, said a 6 percent increase in the student financial aid budget will cushion the blow for most students. More than nine out of 10 students at the school receive some form of financial aid through scholarships, grants and loans.
       

Martin Luther King Jr. Day closings Monday

Postal service ....... No delivery
Library ....... Open
Banks ....... *Closed
Trash collection
• Cincinnati: One day delay
• Rumpke: Regular schedule.
• CSI: Regular schedule
Metro ....... Regular schedule
Parking meters ....... No coins required.(Cincinnati)
Courts ....... Closed
Government offices
• Federal ....... Closed
• City and county ....... Closed
• State ....... Closed
Stock markets ....... Closed
Ohio E-Check  Closed
   *Fifth Third Bank Marts in Kroger Stores, and at the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport are open. All in-store branches of Firstar are open.
       

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