Report: Diocese moved accused priests

TOLEDO - Although 12 priests admitted to sexually abusing children in the Diocese of Toledo over 34 years, only three were charged with crimes, and the police - not the Roman Catholic Church - began the investigations, the Blade reported Sunday. In some cases, the diocese failed to inform parishioners as well as police about abuse and at least 12 times, the diocese moved accused abusers elsewhere without telling their new parishioners about their actions, the newspaper said.

The Blade reviewed more than 2,000 court and church records of 24 child-abuse cases involving priests and church workers from 1960 to 1994. The diocese covers 19 counties and has 162 parishes for 322,000 Catholics.

Diocesan lawyers struck confidential out-of-court settlements with accusers that required the victims to keep quiet.

Priests who were accused of sexual crimes were considered fallen clerics - and not criminals - by diocesan leaders, said Bishop James Hoffman, leader of the diocese since 1981.

Bishop Hoffman said the diocese knows of no new reports of sexual misconduct by priests since it adopted an abuse policy in 1995 and that any future accusations would be reported to law enforcement officials.

New toys sought for local drive

DEERFIELD TWP. - Area residents are asked to bring new, unwrapped toys to Bigg's on Mason-Montgomery Road on Saturday for the local Toys for Tots drive. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot. In addition to the toy drive, officials will take children's fingerprints and photographs for safety. Firetrucks and rescue equipment also will be on display. Last year, the community gave more than $2,000 worth of toys and donations.

Toys for Tots is a community action program by the U.S. Marine Corps. The local toy drive is also sponsored by the township trustees, the Warren County Sheriff's Office DARE program, the township fire rescue department, Marine Corps reserve and Biggs.

Model train display open this month

The 57th annual Cinergy/CSX Holiday Model Train Display in the lobby of the Cinergy/CG&E building, Fourth and Main, downtown opened Friday and runs through Dec. 31.

Hours for the free display are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. It will be closed Christmas Day. Cincinnati City Manager Valerie Lemmie will flip a switch at noon today at the official opening ceremony.

Information: www.cinergy.com or 287-1500.

Police investigate rock throwing

Springfield Township Police are investigating a rock-throwing incident Friday night after the Finneytown vs. Northwest high school boys basketball game.

Police said several unknown assailants hurled rocks at Northwest's team bus as it was leaving the Finneytown parking lot after the game, which Finneytown won 79-75. Some of the bus' windows were shattered, and several people on the bus sustained minor injuries. They were treated by Springfield Township emergency workers.

As of Sunday, police had arrested no suspects in the case.

Airports ask pilots to boost security

COLUMBUS - Ohio's general aviation airports are asking pilots to watch for and report suspicious activities.

The program includes a toll-free number, 866-GA-SECURE, that pilots can call.

There are 174 public use operations in Ohio. General aviation sites tend to be smaller and cater to corporate and private tenants.

At Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, $300,000 has been spent this year to improve security, and Cincinnati police established a substation in the passenger terminal, manager Dan Dickten said.

But Mary Schiavo, who learned to fly at Don Scott Field in Franklin County, said more needs to be done.

"The government still licenses anyone who wants to be a pilot," she said.

Alan Harding, a Columbus pilot and member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, said limited access could encroach on pilots' civil liberties. He figures his four-seat Piper, which carries about 30 gallons of gasoline, could hardly be used as a weapon of mass destruction.

But it can, said Richard Bloom, director of terrorism, intelligence and security studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which has campuses in Florida and Arizona.

If a terrorist used a small plane to "wipe out a small church or school in Nebraska or Iowa, the message would be `We can go anywhere at anytime,'"Bloom said.

Meetings focus on protecting forests

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Kentucky is getting involved in a federal program that helps protect forests that are being considered for development.

Meetings will be held this week in three areas of the state to tell people about Forest Legacy areas and to solicit suggestions for areas that should be protected, said Diana Olszowy of the state Division of Forestry. Twenty-two states already participate in the program through the U.S. Forest Service. They vie for $60 million in federal funds to buy conservation easements in environmentally important forest areas.

Campers can register easier, but rates rise

INDIANAPOLIS - Campers will find it easier to reserve campsites at state parks starting this week, and they won't have to pay a $6 reservation fee. But they will find higher fees for campsites, cabins and shelters. A mail-in registration system has been scrapped. Registrations now are accepted online or through a toll-free telephone number.

New fee increases mean it will cost campers more to rent a site. Fees will increase $2 to $9, depending on the type.

Campers in Indiana can make a reservation by calling toll free 1-866-6CAMPIN (1-866-622-6746) Monday through Friday from noon to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

They also can make reservations on the Internet at www.camp.in.gov. Campers will be required to pay in advance through a credit card or debit card. Money orders are accepted for telephone reservations made 15 or more days in advance.

Township maps taken from office

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Police are investigating the disappearance of 672 pages of Wayne Township maps at the Allen County assessor's office.

The maps contain property values that were updated recently as part of a court-ordered statewide property reassessment.

The maps - valued at $10,000 - are heavy and cumbersome, and would not have been easy to get out of the City-County Building, Township Assessor Jerry Zuber said.

Why anyone would want the Wayne Township maps also has Zuber confused. Except for a few out-of-state firms looking to plan developments in Fort Wayne, the maps could not be considered valuable, he said.