Man in fair condition after street shooting

Donte Royals, a 30-year-old man who was shot several times in Avondale Friday night, was listed Saturday in fair condition at University Hospital.

Cincinnati Police said an argument involving at least six people culminated in the shooting just after 8 p.m. near the intersection of Reading Road and Blair Avenue.

Seven shell casings were discovered near the intersection.

Police said the shooter has a nickname but they would not disclose it.

High school students named rec board reps

Two students, Soroya Edwards, a Walnut Hills High School junior and Bryan Lee, a sophomore from the Cincinnati Academy of Math and Science, have been appointed youth representatives on the Cincinnati Recreation Commission Board.

Ms. Edwards and Mr. Lee will serve one-year terms as youth liaisons to the commission.

The CRC provides recreational and cultural activities for the Greater Cincinnati community and recognizes the importance of fostering youth involvement in community leadership roles.

Time Out event lets youths meet leaders

Communiplex Sports, a local sales and promotion company, will sponsor the fourth annual Time Out - an event that connects area youth with public figures - 2:30-4 p.m. today, at Integrity Hall, 2081 Seymour Ave., Bond Hill.

This year's featured guests include players from the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team and head coach Bob Huggins, who will talk to local youth about their jobs, basketball recruiting and going to college.

The event is free to the public.

Fire alarm in tower delays airport flights

HEBRON - A fire alarm led to the evacuation of the air control tower at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, delaying some flights Friday night.

The alarm went off about 7:46 p.m., and air traffic controllers and other workers in the tower were evacuated for about 40 minutes, said Christopher White, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration's southern regional office in Atlanta.

About 20 arrivals and 15 departures were delayed, he said.

"It happened at a relatively slow time, so there weren't the major delays that would have occurred during a rush hour," Mr. White said.

Workers were allowed back in the building when firefighters determined there was no fire. A malfunctioning boiler in the basement triggered the alarm, Mr. White said.

The Indianapolis air control center was able to direct planes in the air during the evacuation, Mr. White said, but takeoffs and landings require controllers on site to check that runways are clear.

U.S. looks for assets to pay Traficant fine

YOUNGSTOWN - The federal government is still trying to make expelled U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. pay his fine.

Garnishee requests have been filed against Mr. Traficant's daughter and a federal credit union.

Elizabeth Chahine, of Boardman just outside Youngstown, and Wright Patman Congressional Federal Credit Union, of Oakton, Va., were notified Dec. 19 that they have 10 days to respond.

The government is looking for assets to pay Mr. Traficant's $150,000 fine.

Mr. Traficant is serving eight years at Allenwood Federal Correctional Institution in White Deer, Pa. The 61-year-old was convicted on racketeering and other charges in April and later was expelled from the House.

98 percent of babies getting new tests

DAYTON, Ohio - Ohio's increased screening of newborns for medical problems seems to be meeting with parents' approval.

Since the Ohio Department of Public Health began offering parents the chance to voluntarily screen their babies for 16 additional conditions, nearly 98 percent of them have agreed to it, the Dayton Daily News reported Saturday.

The state health agency used to conduct seven screenings before adding five more in January and 16 more in July at no extra cost to the parents and no extra blood being drawn from the infants.

Police seek killer of ex-high school star

CLEVELAND - Detectives are searching for the killer of a former high school basketball star shot in his car after a Christmas party, police said Friday.

Police have no suspects or motive in the death of Doug Rias, 19, of nearby Bedford, and the wounding of his passenger and friend, Nikon Bell, 19, Detective Nancy Dominik said.

Mr. Rias was the top player at Bedford High School his junior and senior years, coach Everett Heard said.

- Compiled from staff and wire reports