Compiled from staff and wire reports

Ohio spends $1.7M for farm rights

Gov. Bob Taft officially has given the Ohio Department of Agriculture permission to purchase development rights to six Ohio farms, including one in Butler County.

By purchasing the rights, the state aims to ensure that 1,850 acres will be kept for agricultural use. Rights to another 18 farms are expected to be purchased in the future.

A 761-acre farm in northern Butler County, owned by Jerry and Cleo Gerber, was the largest plot of land preserved in the state.

Brandi Vailadolid, 27, is clad only in a bikini bottom, black and orange paint, and tiger ears Wednesday on Fountain Square. She was part of a protest of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at U.S. Bank Arena by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. This passerby pauses to express concern for her health - the day's high temperature was 37 degrees. (Michael E. Keating photo) | ZOOM |

The rights were purchased with $1.7 million of state funds and $1.6 million in federal funds from the Federal Farmland Protection program.

2 Woodward students face gun charges

Two Woodward High School students were arrested Wednesday after authorities found a BB gun in a filing cabinet headed for the trash.

Students were locked inside the Bond Hill school Wednesday while police searched for the gun.

A school security official called 911 at 11:18 a.m. to say the school had been locked down because of a report that someone had brought a gun into the building.

One of the students involved told police where to find it, officials said.

Two students, ages 14 and 15, were charged with juvenile counts of having weapons on school property. One was also charged with inducing panic.

Blanchester man dies in collision

BLANCHESTER - A Blanchester man was killed and his mother injured when the car they were riding in struck a pickup head-on on a snow-covered Clinton County road Tuesday.

Nicholas Brock, 18, was pronounced dead at the scene. His mother, Karen McClure, 39, of Blanchester is in serious condition at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton.

McClure and Brock were in a 1979 Honda Accord driven by McClure north on Ohio 730 north of Blanchester about 4 p.m. when the car went left of center on a curve and was hit by the oncoming pickup, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers said.

The pickup's driver, Patrick Savoir, 53, of Clarksville was treated and released, officials said.

Fewer donors, more transplants reported

There were slightly fewer organ donors in Greater Cincinnati last year, but more organs were collected and more transplants were performed, according to a report issued Wednesday by the LifeCenter.

In 2002, 39 Tristate residents became organ donors after their death, down from 41 in 2001. But there were a total of 126 organs collected for transplant, compared with 115 in 2001.

The overall consent rate among families of potential donors improved from 62 percent to 65 percent.

Meanwhile, there were 222 organ transplants performed at Greater Cincinnati hospitals, up from 115 in 2001.

This figure exceeds the number of cadaver donations in part because some organs come from out-of-town and some kidney and partial liver transplants involve living donors.

Even with the improvements, however, there are 262 Tristate residents on waiting lists for organ transplants, said David Lewis, LifeCenter executive director.

Award-winning police dog retires

A veteran Cincinnati police dog is resting at home with his handler's family after retiring to nurse an arthritic elbow.

Bach, a 7 ‡-year-old German shepherd on the job since 1996, worked part-time in recent months while Officer Dave Kennedy trained with his new dog, Scout, who passed his state certification testing last week.

Bach won top dog honors in 2001 at a regional U.S. Police Canine Association contest.

"He's a pet now,'' said Sgt. Dan Hils, canine supervisor. "He's taking it easy.''

Ohio BMV offices to close Saturday

The state Bureau of Motor Vehicles offices, normally open for business on Saturdays, will be closed on Feb. 15 throughout Ohio.

The offices will reopen for normal business hours on Tuesday following the Presidents Day holiday on Monday. The agency plans to upgrade its computers during the closure.

Prenatal program for Hispanics unveiled

Mercy Franciscan Hospital Mount Airy today will unveil a prenatal program for Hispanic expectant mothers.

The program, called Vidas Preciosas , which means "precious lives," offers prenatal care, delivery at the Mount Airy MOM Center and financial assistance for those who need it.

An open house is 5 p.m. at the hospital.