Two weeks shy of a century of life, Carl Weitzel admits he has never learned to like cockroaches or soggy newspapers.

The College Hill resident plans to celebrate his 100th birthday with family and friends Sept. 3 at the Masonic Easton Community Inc. center.

Undoubtedly, his career as a newspaper carrier and his dislike of those pesky insects will surface at his party. He reflected on his almost-100 years of life last week sitting in a wheelchair between his daughters, Mary Ann Hilvert, 73, of Mount Airy and Heidi Wooddell, 64, of Okeana.

"One thing I always did was make sure the newspaper didn't get wet," he said.

As for cockroaches, he smashed as many as he could.

Weitzel came to Cincinnati in 1926 from Ingelheim, Germany. He has worked on loading docks at Kroger and Procter & Gamble and worked as an inspector at General Electric.

The years he talked about centered on the 20 or so when he delivered the newspaper while walking his route in Walnut Hills. He emphasized the "walking" of his route. Back in the 1930s, there were no cars or trucks for delivery-folks like Weitzel.

"My only complaint was the dogs that would sometimes grab the paper and run," he said "I always made sure I put them on the porch."

Weitzel thinks he has lived to see No. 100 on the horizon because of hard work and good food.

Shopping trip

Eighty kids chosen from low-income families from Blue Ash and Reading schools went shopping with volunteers from the Blue Ash/Montgomery Rotary Club and Blue Ash YMCA staff last week. Each had $100 to spend on school supplies.

Work honored

In recognition of her outstanding work with children, Toni R. Thomas of Visions Child Care and Teen Support Center has been awarded the Child Development Associate Credential by the Council for Professional Recognition in Washington, D.C.

$1,000 for school

Kathy McCarthy Heffron, a 1971 graduate of McAuley High School, presented the school with a $1,000 check, raised through the Thriftway Community Pals program.

Heffron is manager of the North College Hill Thriftway store.

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Allen Howard's "Some Good News" column runs daily. If you have suggestions about outstanding achievements, or people who are uplifting to the Tristate, let him know at 768-8362, at ahoward@enquirer.com or by fax at 768-8340.