The Hebron Fire Department is proud of its community education programs, and now it has something else to boast about: It's the Gold Star Chili Fire House of the Year.

Hebron's fire safety program is well known through Boone County. Teens are part of its Explorer classes, and kids all over have seen its fire gear, done escape drills and met J.D., the department's Dalmatian mascot.

Hebron Fire Department's Dave Perkins (in bucket), Sharon Smith and Michael F. Fronimos pose with staff and Connor High School students. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

Mike Fronimos, coordinator of public education and community relations for the department, has taken the program throughout the region. His efforts, and those of Fire Chief Dale Harchbarger and his staff, helped Hebron clinch the award. Fifteen departments in Greater Cincinnati were in the running for it.

The award will be presented at noon Friday at the Losantiville Cafe in the Cincinnati Museum Center.

"We try to interact with children and teach them the importance of fire safety," Fronimos said. "They are the firefighters of tomorrow."

Activist goes national

As executive director of Cincinnati's Communities United for Action, Marilyn Evans sought to bring power and influence to the neighborhood level. CUA became a forum for community reinvestment and neighborhood safety, and an advocate against predatory lending.

Evans will be launching her attacks from a national level as chairman of the board of directors for the National Training and Information Center (NTIC), a Chicago-based nonprofit that serves as a resource center for grassroots and neighborhood groups.

"We have grown to be a power to be reckoned with, and we have a lot of victories to celebrate," Evans said. "Working with other grassroots groups from around the country gives us the sense that we are not alone."

Evans, of Cumminsville, will attend the 30th anniversary celebration of NTIC at the Chicago Culture Center today.

Honorees from N.Ky.

Two of six firefighters inducted recently into the Kentucky Firefighters Association Hall of Fame are from Northern Kentucky.

They are: Robert Hebbeler, a retired member of the Fort Wright Fire Department, and Sylvan Smith, retired member of the Erlanger Fire and EMS Department.

They were inducted in July at KFA's Annual Conference in Jeffersontown.

ACADEMIC ALL-STARS

Grieselhuber honored

Nicole Grieselhuber graduated summa cum laude from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland with a bachelor's degree and honors in biology. She received the Francis Hobart Herrick Prize for outstanding biological research and academic excellence, and the John Schoff Millis Award, given to a senior with the best academic record in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Grieselhuber was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society and Mortar Board National Honor Society. She now studies at the Medical Scientist Training Program at Washington University, St. Louis, an eight-year program that confers both M.D. and Ph.D degrees.

The Ross High School graduate is the daughter of Caroline and Rene Grieselhuber of Hamilton.

Mock takes the prize

Lindsay Mock, a senior in the family studies program at Miami University, won the Annitta Klipple Prize and Emma Waldhauer Scholarship. Lindsay, the daughter of Barbara and Larry Mock of Amberley Village, has been on the dean's list every quarter.

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OUR KIDS

Catherine Mead took her parents' advice and switched from soccer to running. And she is not sorry about the decision.

The 14-year-old freshman at Cincinnati Christian Schools in Fairfield came in second in the Voice of America 5K race Oct. 2, placing second overall in the Miami Valley Conference. That qualified her for first team all-conference.

She finished third in the district Saturday and is practicing to enter the regionals this weekend in Troy.

"If she qualifies for the state race, she will be the first student from Cincinnati Christian to go to the state," said her father, Ian Mead.