A 23-year-old Silverton man was sentenced Tuesday to serve two life sentences for a 2001 double homicide in Cincinnati's Pleasant Ridge neighborhood.

        Montez Taylor was convicted this month of the July 2001 murders of Lornie Starkey, 22, and Clem Turner III, 20, who were shot to death after their vehicle overturned along a residential street.

        Mr. Taylor appeared Tuesday before Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Fred Cartolano. The judge tacked on seven years to the sentence because the crimes were committed using a firearm and for a separate assault conviction Mr. Taylor received.

        Mr. Starkey and Mr. Turner had argued with Mr. Taylor. They tried to get away from him in a car, but Mr. Taylor pursued them. When their car crashed, he left his vehicle and fired into theirs at point-blank range.

Children's Hospital awarded $200,000

        Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center has received a two-year, $200,000 grant to study ways to transfer genes into bone marrow stem cells.

        The grant was one of 11 awarded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Researchers hope that the basic research funded by the grant will eventually lead to gene-based treatments for cancer and a wide variety of other diseases with genetic causes.

        Targeting bone marrow stem cells for gene transfer is important because the corrected cells can replicate themselves and could benefit a variety of organs and tissues, researchers said.

        “Our ability to insert normal functioning genes into blood-forming cells through gene transfer has improved significantly, but obstacles still exist before routine use of gene transfer methods for the treatment of human diseases becomes a reality,” said Dr. Patrick Kelly, lead researcher for the Doris Duke project.

Grant to aid tracking of school-based care

        The University of Cincinnati has received a $153,000 grant to document the benefits of school-based health centers.

        The two-year project, led by Dr. Jeff Guo, a research fellow for the Institute of Health Policy and Health Services Research, will track Medicaid-covered children enrolled in eight school health clinics in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

        The grant was awarded by the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati, which promotes school-based health care.

        “In the United States, there are currently 45 states with some type of school-based health care program,” Dr. Guo said. “To continue these programs, improve them, as well as establish them in other communities where they are needed, we must first understand their impact and cost benefits.”

        In many cases, school health centers can provide immediate care to sick children, rather than waiting for parents to take time off work to make a doctor's appointment or take a child to an emergency room for a minor illness, Dr. Guo said.

Input sought on survey concerns

        BLUE ASH — City Council members will invite residents to ask questions about a recent phone survey and its results when they meet at a 7 p.m. Wednesday session in City Hall Chambers, 4343 Cooper Road.

        The survey conducted by University of Cincinnati's Institute for Policy Research indicated that 98 percent of the population was satisfied with Blue Ash's quality of life, but that many were concerned about rush-hour traffic congestion.

        Council members will use the feedback when updating their comprehensive plan, which will guide the city's development.

School releases candidate profile

        The Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education released a draft profile Tuesday to identify candidates for a new superintendent.

        The board invited Cincinnati school district parents, community organizations and community leaders to comment.

        The draft includes a description of traits, qualifications and work experience the district seeks in candidates.

        Copies of the profile can be obtained at the district's education center at 2651 Burnet Avenue in Corryville, or on the district's Web site at www.cps-k12.org.

        The deadline to submit comments is July 26.

        Mail responses to Carolyn Trotta, Education Center, P.O. Box 5381, Cincinnati 45201-5381; e-mail trottaccps-k12.org; fax (513) 475-7154. For information, call Carolyn Trotta at 475-7103.

Discarded cigarette blamed for blaze

        FORT THOMAS — A cigarette butt is suspected of starting a blaze Tuesday afternoon on a walk-out deck of an apartment building.

        The fire at the two-unit apartment building, 1202 S. Fort Thomas Ave., was reported at 12:05 p.m. There were no injuries, and a neighbor put the small blaze out before firefighters arrived.

        Fire officials said it appeared the cigarette butt caught a cardboard box on fire. The flames quickly spread to the building's vinyl siding. Damage was estimated at $1,500.

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