St. Elizabeth hands out $3.2M in bonuses

        Things may be tough at many workplaces, but 2,955 employees of St. Elizabeth Medical Center, which includes facilities in Covington, Edgewood and Grant County, Ky., collected bonus checks Wednesday averaging $1,089 each.

        It was the second year for a “gainsharing” program at St. Elizabeth that passes a portion of operating gains back to employees in return for their efforts at controlling costs and maintaining high patient satisfaction.

        “With every individual watching their use of supplies, thinking of ways to work more efficiently and keeping our patients satisfied with the care they received, the level of ownership and energy (among employees) has greatly increased,” said hospital chief executive Joe Gross.

        Last year, employee bonuses averaged $657. Individual amounts could vary, depending on full-time or part-time employment.
       

P&G lawyer to help boost Latvian interests

        Karlis S. Steinmanis, an Anderson Township resident and lawyer for Procter & Gamble, was recently appointed honorary consul for the Republic of Latvia in Ohio.

        Mr. Steinmanis, 53, will represent the interests of the Latvian government in Ohio by developing trade, cultural and scientific relations, according to Janis Eichmanis, counselor of the Latvian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

        His responsibilities include helping Latvian citizens who encounter difficulties in Ohio and observing important Latvian events such as its Independence Day on Nov. 18.

        Latvia is an Eastern European country of about 3 million people situated on the Baltic Sea.

        Since Latvia gained independence in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it is a republic with an elected president and parliament.

        A native of Koping, Sweden, Mr. Steinmanis has lived in Greater Cincinnati since joining P&G's legal division in 1973.
       

Pillowcase robber hits W. Chester bank

        WEST CHESTER TWP. — A man carrying a white pillowcase robbed the Firstar Bank at 7797 Tylers Place Boulevard on Wednesday morning.

        The robber got away with an undetermined amount of cash. There were no injuries.

        The man entered the bank just before 10 a.m. and demanded money from a teller. He obtained the cash and fled on foot, West Chester Police Sgt. Matt Brillhart said.

        A police dog tracked the robber for about a quarter-mile from the bank before losing the scent, Sgt. Brillhart said.

        The man is white, 27 to 35 years old with brown hair. He was wearing a black baseball cap, dark sunglasses, plaid flannel shirt, blue jeans and white tennis shoes.

        Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call Sgt. Brillhart at 759-7274 or Detective Mike Quinn at 759-7262.

        It was the second bank robbery in West Chester Township this year.
       

Township OKs money for animal shelter

       DEERFIELD TWP. — Trustees have agreed to kick in $25,000 for the Humane Association of Warren County's building expansion project.

        Trustees decided to give $5,000 each year for the next five years. Earlier this month Executive Director Mari Lee Schwarzwalder made a presentation seeking financial support for the association's $2.8 million capital improvement campaign.

        The campaign has raised more than $825,000. To date, Deerfield Township and Lebanon are the only government bodies that have committed funding for the project.

        The nonprofit humane association, the only animal shelter and animal welfare organization in the county, is trying to double the size of the shelter to more than 20,000 square feet because of the growth in Warren County.

        The humane association will seek contributions toward the capital campaign from Warren County Commissioners on April 25.
       

State notes reading progress at 2 schools

        The Ohio Department of Education on Wednesday recognized two Greater Cincinnati schools for having higher-than-average percentages of minority or low-income students passing fourth-grade reading tests.

        Those schools, the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati Public Schools and Glendale Elementary in Princeton City Schools, are among 12 Ohio schools singled out on the state of Ohio report card.

        The schools identified had a smaller-than-average gap between achievement of minority students versus white students.

        Across the state, the average passing rate for African-American students on state tests was 35 percentage points below white students, while Hispanic students had a passing rate of 23 percentage points below whites.

        The schools highlighted in the state report card had a gap between minority and white students of less than 18 percentage points.

        The state report card, which was placed on the department of education's Web site Wednesday, also outlines passing rates statewide for fourth-, sixth,- ninth- and 12th-grade tests, as well as student attendance and graduation rates.

        To view the report card, go online.
       

Youth jobs sign-up time is extended

        Registration times have been extended for a reorganized summer youth jobs program announced earlier this month.

        Organizers of the Youth Employment Initiative are extending registration for 16- to 22-year-olds through April 4, a week later than originally planned.

        The 16- to 22-year-olds can register at the Urban League, 3458 Reading Road, from 5 to 7 p.m. today; or from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 1-4. The program is open to all 16- to 22-year-olds in Greater Cincinnati and Hamilton County.

        Registration for 14- and 15-year-olds will begin April 20.

        The Youth Employment Initiative is a collaboration involving the city of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, businesses and social service agencies. The program seeks to place at least 2,400 youth in summer jobs, then continue with year-round training and work experience programs.

        For information, call Beverly Hardy at the Urban League, (513) 487-6526.
       

Body found in creek; homicide suspected

        HAMILTON — The death of a man whose body was discovered in a creek off Washington Boulevard on Wednesday afternoon is being investigated as a possible homicide.

        The body was discovered by a group of children at about 4:30 p.m., Hamilton Police Sgt. Tom Kilgour said. The small creek runs behind an Arby's restaurant in the 1000 block of Washington Boulevard.

        Although a homicide investigation is proceeding, Sgt. Kilgour said the man may have drowned. The Butler County Coroner's Office will perform an autopsy to determine cause of death.

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